(Friday Sermon - July 20, 2018 )
Background
There is a mention of a companion whose name was Harithah Bin Suraqah. He passed away in 2 Hijri at the occasion of the Battle of Badr. His mother, Rubai‘ah Bint Nazr was the paternal aunt of Hazrat Anas(ra) Bin Malik. (Al-Asaba fi Tameez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 1, p. 704, Harithah Bin Suraqah, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)
He accepted Islam before the migration along with his mother, while his father had already passed away. (Sirat Al-Sahaba, Vol. 3, p. 299, Dar-ul-Isha’at, Karachi, 2004)
The Holy Prophet(sa) formed a bond of brotherhood between him and Hazrat Saib Bin Usman Bin Maz‘oon. (At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 307, Saib Bin Usman Bin Maz‘oon, Dar Ihya At-turath Al-Arabi, 1990, Beirut) A bond of brotherhood was formed between them.
Abu Na‘eem related that Hazrat Harithah Bin Suraqah used to treat his mother with great kindness, so much so that the Holy Prophet(sa) said that when he entered Paradise, he saw Harithah.
Martyrdom
Habban Bin Ariqah martyred him on the day of the Battle of Badr. He shot an arrow at him while he was drinking water from a pond. The arrow struck his neck as a result of which he was martyred.
Spiritual nature
Hazrat Anas(ra) related that the Holy Prophet(sa) was walking when an young Ansari man came before him. The Holy Prophet(sa) asked him, “O Harithah, in what state did you enter the morning?” He replied, “I entered the morning while having complete faith in God Almighty.” The Holy Prophet(sa) said, “Ponder carefully over what you say, as there is a reality to every word that is uttered”. That young man replied, “O Prophet(sa) of Allah! My heart has become averse from the world. I stay up the entire night and stay thirsty throughout the day, in other words, I worship and observe fasts and I can observe the throne of my Glorious and Majestic Lord with my physical eyes. I can see the inhabitants of paradise, meeting one another and I can see the inmates of hell screaming therein.” The Holy Prophet(sa) said, “You should remain steadfast upon this [belief]. You are a person, whose heart God Almighty has enlightened with faith.” Upon this, he said, “O Prophet(sa) of God! Pray for me that I embrace martyrdom.” Hence, the Holy Prophet(sa) prayed for him and on the day of the Battle of Badr, when the horsemen were called, he [Haritha], may Allah be pleased with him, was the first to emerge and he was also the first to be martyred. It is narrated that he was the first Ansari to be martyred in the Battle of Badr.
When Hazrat Haritha’s mother, Hazrat Rubai‘ah, received the news of his martyrdom, she went to the Holy Prophet(sa) and said, “You are aware of how much I loved Haritha. He used to serve me greatly. If he is among the inhabitants of paradise, I will bear this with patience. However, if this is not the case, only God knows better what will happen to me.” The Holy Prophet(sa) said, “O mother of Haritha! There isn’t just one paradise. Rather, there are several paradises and Haritha is in the highest paradise.” Upon this, she said, “I will most certainly be patient.” According to another narration, when the Holy Prophet(sa) said that Haritha is in the highest paradise, his mother returned smiling and uttering the words, “O Haritha, what a great and wonderful achievement!” (Usdul Ghaaba, Vol. 1, pp. 650-651, Hartiha bin Suraqa, Dar-ul-Kutub-ul-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)
On the occasion of the Battle of Badr, God Almighty humiliated the disbelievers by destroying their chiefs. Furthermore, He granted great honour to the Muslims, who participated in the Battle of Badr. As regards the people of Badr, God Almighty said that they may do as they please, as paradise has been made incumbent upon them. However, this did not mean that they may do whatever they please and despite committing sins, paradise would be incumbent upon them. Rather, it signified that they would no longer be able to act in a manner that was contrary to the teachings of God Almighty and that God Almighty would Himself guide them. With regard to Hazrat Haritha bin Suraqa(ra), who was martyred on the day of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet(sa) said that he was in the highest paradise. (Sharah Zarqani, Vol. 2, p. 257, Baab Ghazwa Badr, Al-Kubra Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996).