(Friday Sermon - November 23, 2018 )
Background, Participation in Battles and Martyrdom
Hazrat Harith bin Hatib’s(ra) title was Abu Abdullah. His mother’s name was Umama bint Samit. He belonged to the Ansar tribe of Aus. He was the brother of Hazrat Tha‘labah bin Hatib(ra). Hazrat Harith bin Hatib(ra) and Hazrat Abu Lubabah bin Abdul Munzir(ra) were accompanying the Holy Prophet(sa) on the way to the Battle of Badr when at Rauha, the Holy Prophet(sa) appointed Hazrat Abu Lubabah bin Abdul Munzir(ra) as the governor of Medina and Hazrat Harith bin Hatib(ra) as the leader of the tribe of Banu Amr bin Auf and sent them back to Medina. However, they were both included among those who participated in the Battle of Badr and were also given a share of the spoils of war. Including the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq, he was also blessed to participate alongside the Holy Prophet(sa) in the Bai’at-e-Rizwan. Since he intended to participate in the battle and had made preparations, he set out with everyone else. The Holy Prophet(sa) counted him among those who took part in the Battle of Badr, despite the fact that he had sent him back as the governor. During the Battle of Khaybar, a Jew shot an arrow at him from the top of the fort, which struck the head of Hazrat Harith bin Hatib(ra) and resulted in his martyrdom. (Usdul Ghaba Fi Marifati Al-Sahaba, Vol. 1, p. 598, Harith bin Haatib, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra Li-ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 351, Harith bin Haatib, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)