(Friday Sermon - August 17, 2018 )

Background

Hazrat Haram^(ra) bin Milhan belonged to the Ansari tribe of Banu Adi bin Najaar. His father’s name was Malik bin Khalid and his mother’s name was Malika bint Malik. His sister, Hazrat Umme Sulaim^(ra), was the wife of Hazrat Abu Talha Ansari^(ra) and the mother of Hazrat Anas^(ra) bin Malik. His other sister was Hazrat Umme Haram^(ra) and was the wife of Hazrat Abada^(ra) bin Saamit. Hazrat Haram^(ra) bin Milhan was the maternal uncle of Hazrat Anas^(ra) and took part in the Battle of Badr and Uhad. He was martyred on the day of Bir-e-Mauna.

Hazrat Anas^(ra) bin Malik relates that a few people came before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and requested for some people to be sent to them who would teach them about the Holy Quran and the practise of the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Holy Prophet^(sa) sent seventy companions with them who were proficient in the recitation of the Holy Quran. Hazrat Anas^(ra) relates that his uncle, Haram^(ra) bin Milhan, was also among them. These group of people would recite the Holy Quran and give its lectures in the evening and learn from one another. During the day they would bring water to the mosque and collect wood from the jungle and would sell it. They would then spend their earnings on buying grain for the Ahle-Sufaa [those Companions who had devoted their time to spend in the company of the Holy Prophet^(sa)] and for the poor. (Al-Tabkaat-ul-Qubra, Vol. 3, p. 390, Haram bin Milhan, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990), (Al-Asaaba Fi Tameez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 8, pp. 375-376, Umme Haram bin Milhan & Vol. 8, pp. 408-409, Umme Saleem bint Milhaan, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

Bir-e-Mauna

A few months ago, I related the incident at Bir-e-Mauna with reference to Hazrat Haram^(ra) bin Milhan and have mentioned this on a few other occasions as well. However, I shall present some narrations from Bukhari which have not been mentioned previously.

Hazrat Anas^(ra) bin Malik relates that on the day of Bir-e-Mauna, when Hazrat Haram^(ra) bin Milhan was struck by an arrow, he placed some of his blood on his hand and sprinkled it on his face and head and said,

فزْتُ وَ رَبِّ الْکَعْبَۃِ

“By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, I have attained my objective.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Maghaazi, Baab Ghazwah-e-Raji Wa Ra’il, Hadith. 4092)

Hazrat Anas^(ra) relates that some people from the R‘il, Zakwan, Ussayyah and the Banu Lahyan tribe came to the Holy Prophet^(sa) and said they had become Muslims and sought help for protection from their own people. The Holy Prophet^(sa) helped them with seventy Ansar Companions of his. Hazrat Anas^(ra) further relates that they referred to them as “qaris” for they would collect wood in the day and would spend the nights in prayer. They took these people and when they reached Bir-e-Mauna, they betrayed them and killed them. For one whole month, and according to other narrations for forty days, the Holy Prophet^(sa) stood in his Salat and prayed against the people of R‘il, Zakwan and Banu Lahyan. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Hadith. 2801)

Hazrat Anas^(ra) relates that when these Qaris were martyred, the Holy Prophet^(sa) stood in his prayers with great humility and for one whole month prayed against them. In another narration of Bukhari, it states that he never witnessed the Holy Prophet^(sa) in such grief and sorrow as he did on that occasion. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Janaiz, Hadith. 1300)

Another narration which has also been related from Hazrat Anas^(ra) that the Holy Prophet^(sa) for one whole month would stand in prayer after the Ruku‘ and pray against some of the tribes of Banu Sulaim. He further states that the Holy Prophet^(sa) sent forty or seventy of his companions from among the qaris to the idolaters and they betrayed them and killed them even though they had a treaty with the Holy Prophet^(sa). Then he stated the same statement as mentioned earlier that he had never witnessed the Holy Prophet^(sa) express such grief and sorrow as he had done at the death of these qaris. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Jizya, Hadith. 3170)

Then there is a reference from the sirat [biography] of Ibn-e-Hisham regarding Jabbar bin Salma Amr bin Tufail who was present at the time and later converted to Islam. He states: “I accepted Islam because [of the following incident]. Once I stabbed someone between the shoulders with a spear. I saw that the sharp end of the arrow had pierced through his chest but I heard that person say

فزْتُ وَ رَبِّ الْکَعْبَۃِ

‘I swear by the Lord of Ka’bah, I have attained my objective.’ I thought what type of success is this? Have I not martyred him?” Jabbar states: “Later on I enquired about the meaning of this man’s words and came to know that it implied attaining martyrdom and I said to myself, indeed that person attained success in the sight of God.” (Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya Li ibn-e-Hisham, p. 603, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Lebanon, 2001)

We find that two or three other companions who used similar words. These people believed that obtaining the pleasure of God Almighty was their main objective. Attaining worldly accomplishments was never their true ambition. It was because of this intention that God Almighty declared that He was pleased with them.

At the time of Bir-e-Mauna when the companions were getting martyred, they prayed to God Almighty:

اَللّٰہُمَّ بَلِّغْ عَنَّا نَبِیَّنَا اَنَّا قَدْ لَقِیْنَاکَ فَرَضِیْنَا عَنْکَ وَرَضِیْتَ عَنَّا

 “O Allah! Please inform the Prophet^(sa) about our condition that we have joined You and we are pleased with You and You are pleased with us.” Hazrat Anas^(ra) narrates: “Hazrat Gabriel^(as) came to the Holy Prophet^(sa) and informed the Holy Prophet^(sa) that his Companions^(ra) had been martyred and God is pleased with them.” (Al-Tabkaat-ul-Qubra, Vol. 3, p. 267, Haram bin Milhan, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra) has also mentioned this incident. He writes:

“The incidents of Bir-e-Mauna and Raji demonstrate the intense level of hatred and animosity which the tribes of Arabia harboured in their hearts against Islam and the followers of Islam, to the extent that they would not even refrain from the most despicable lies, treachery and deceit. Despite the remarkable intelligence and vigilance of the Muslims, due to their thinking well of others, which is the hallmark of a believer, at times they would be lured into their trap. These were Huffaz of the Quran and devoted worshippers, who would supplicate during the nights, sit in a corner of the mosque and remember Allah; then they were poor and hunger-stricken people, who were lured out of their homeland by these cruel disbelievers with the excuse of ‘teaching them religion’; and when they had reached their land as guests, they were murdered in cold blood. Any level of grief suffered by the Holy Prophet^(sa) would not have been enough. But at the time, the Holy Prophet^(sa) did not employ any military action against these cold-blooded murderers. (Indeed, the Holy Prophet^(sa) was extremely grief-stricken but he did not take any action against them). However, for thirty days continuously, after having received this news, the Holy Prophet supplicated while standing in his morning Salat, weeping and crying before God, individually naming the tribes of Ri‘l, Zakwan, Usayyah and the Banu Lahyan in the following words:

‘O Our Master! Have mercy upon us and hold back the hands of the enemies of Islam who are ruthlessly and stone-heartedly spilling the blood of innocent Muslims with the intention that Your religion may be expunged.’” (Sirat Khatam-ul-Nabiyeen, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra), pp. 520-521)

Even in this day and age the only way to stop the hands of the enemy is through prayers. There is a dire need to implore the help of God Almighty. It is only God Almighty Who can provide the means to seize these people. May He also provide means to create ease for us.