(Friday Sermon - January 11, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Khallad bin Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) Ansari was amongst the companions of the Holy Prophet^(sa) who participated in the Battle of Badr. He joined the Battle of Badr along with his father Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) and his brothers Hazrat Mu‘az^(ra), Hazrat Abu Aiman^(ra) and Hazrat Mu‘awwiz^(ra). It is also said regarding Hazrat Abu Aiman^(ra) that he was not his brother but the freed slave of his father, Hazrat Amr^(ra) bin Jamooh. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 1, p. 184, Khallad Bin Amr^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)

Prayer at Suqya

When the Holy Prophet^(sa) set out for the Battle of Badr, he, along with his army, camped at Suqya, which is situated on the outskirts of Medina.

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Qatadah narrates from his father that the Messenger (sa) of Allah offered the prayer at Suqya, a place on the outskirts of Medina, where there was also a well and he prayed for the people of Medina.

Hazrat Adiyy^(ra) bin Abi al-Zaghba and Hazrat Basbas^(ra) bin Amr came to the Holy Prophet^(sa) at that same location where they had camped, and according to other narrations, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Amr bin Haram also came to see the Holy Prophet^(sa). They submitted:

“O Messenger (sa) of Allah! You camping here and assessing the strength of the army is indeed an excellent thing and we consider this as a good omen. The reason for this is because when the battle between us, i.e. Banu Salama, and Ahl-e-Husaiqa took place, we camped at this exact same location.” He is referring to an earlier incident prior to the advent of Islam. “On the outskirts of Medina there is a mountain called Zubab, and Husaiqa was situated not too far from there, where a lot of Jews resided.”

He further states:

“It was at this location that we also carried out an assessment of our army and only permitted those who possessed the strength for fighting. Those who did not carry the strength to hold a weapon were sent back. Thereafter we advanced towards the Jews of Husaiqa. At the time, the Jews of Husaiqa wielded the most influence over the rest of the Jews. We then killed them in whichever manner we could.”

A huge battle took place between them. It was for this reason that he said to the Holy Prophet^(sa):

“O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I am hopeful that when we are up against the Quraish, God Almighty will grant your eyes comfort in relation to them, i.e. you will be granted victory just as we were granted victory before.”

Hazrat Khallad bin Amr^(ra) relates: “At sunrise, I went to my family in Khurba.” Khurba is the name of the area where there were houses of Banu Salama. He further states: “My father, Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra), said, ‘I thought, you had left already.’”

In the earlier narration, it mentioned that the father, Amr bin Jamooh, also participated in the Battle of Badr. However, from this narration and later narrations, we find that he in fact did not participate.

“I told him [i.e. his father] that the Holy Prophet^(sa) is inspecting and assessing the numbers in the fields of Suqya. Upon this, Hazrat Amr^(ra) said, ‘What a great omen it is! By Allah, I am hoping that you would attain the spoils of war and a victory over the idolaters of the Quraish. The day we marched towards Husaiqah, we also camped at that same place.’”

He is also confirming the earlier narration, which has been mentioned previously regarding the battle that took place between them and the Jews.

Hazrat Khallad^(ra) narrates:

“The Holy Prophet^(sa) changed the name of Husaiqa to Suqya. I had the desire in my heart to purchase the plot of land in Suqya. However, Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas(ra) had already purchased it before me in exchange for two camels.” According to other sources, he had purchased it for seven Auqia of silver i.e. two hundred and eighty dirhams. “When this matter was mentioned to the Holy Prophet^(sa), he said:

رَبِحَ الْبَيْعُ

Meaning, this bargain was very profitable.” (Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Vol. 1, pp. 37-38, Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2013) (Mujam-ul-Baldan, Vol. 3, p. 258, Suqya, Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut) (Wafa-ul-Wafa, Vol. 3, p. 1200, Khurba, Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1984) (Lughat-ul-Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 82, Auqia, Ali Asif Printer, Lahore, 2005)

Participation in Battles and Martyrdom

Hazrat Khallad’s^(ra) father, Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) did not participate in the Battle of Badr. Hazrat Khallad^(ra), his father, Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) and Hazrat Abu Aiman^(ra) participated in the Battle of Uhud and all three attained martyrdom during this battle. (Mustadrak Ala Al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 226, Kitab Marifatu Al-Sahaba, Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2002)

In other words, he himself, his brother and his father; all three participated in the Battle of Uhud. However, his father did not participate in the Battle of Badr. Although he desired to participate, however, due to his leg – he had a limp and was physically impaired in one leg – his sons stopped him from participating in the Battle of Badr.

Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh’s^(ra) Martyrdom

In relation to Hazrat Khallad’s^(ra) father, Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra), it is mentioned that on the occasion of Badr, when the Holy Prophet^(sa) urged [the Muslims] to participate in Jihad, Amr’s sons stopped him from taking part in the battle due to an injury to his foot. God Almighty has also exempted those that are handicapped from participating in battle. For this reason, his sons also told him not to participate and said that since four of his sons were going to fight, what need was there for him to go; especially since God Almighty had already excused him. Hence, despite his heartfelt desire, he did not participate in the Battle of Badr upon the advice of his sons. However, when the Battle of Uhud took place, Amr^(ra) said to his sons, “Since you did not allow me to participate in the Battle of Badr, now that the Battle of Uhud is about to take place, you will not be able to stop me this time. I will most certainly go and participate in Uhud.”

In any case, he said to them that they would not be able to prevent him and that he would certainly participate. Upon this, his children tried to stop him due to his disability. However, he went to the Holy Prophet^(sa) himself in order to seek permission from him. Hence, he presented himself before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and submitted: “My sons are trying to stop me from participating in Jihad once again. At first, they stopped me from taking part in the Battle of Badr and now they are again not allowing me to go to Uhud. I wish to participate in this Jihad alongside you.” He further said: “By God! I am hopeful that God Almighty will accept my heartfelt desire and grant me martyrdom and that I will enter paradise with this handicapped foot of mine.”

The Holy Prophet^(sa) replied, “O Amr! There is no doubt that God Almighty has excused you owing to your disability and Jihad has not been made obligatory upon you.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) then said to his sons, “You should not prevent him from performing virtuous deeds. If this is his heartfelt desire, then allow him to fulfil it. Perhaps God Almighty will grant him martyrdom.”

Hence, Hazrat Amr^(ra) took hold of his weapons and set off towards the field of Uhud whilst reciting the following prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي شَهَادَةَ وَلَا تَرُدَّنِيْ اِلٰي اَهْلِيْ خَائِبًا

That is, “O Allah! Grant me martyrdom and do not allow me to return to my family in a state of failure.” God Almighty accepted his supplication and he attained martyrdom there. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 4, pp. 195-196, Khallad bin Amr(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)

The Martyrs of Uhud

The mother of Hazrat Khallad^(ra) was Hazrat Hind bint Amr^(ra) (Amr was her father’s name as well as the name of her husband) and she was the paternal aunt of Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah^(ra). On the occasion of the battle of Uhud, she carried her husband, her son and her brother on a camel after they were martyred. However, when the instruction was issued with regard to them, they were brought back to Uhud and buried there. (Asaba, Vol. 2, p. 287, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

When she found out that they had been martyred, she brought them to Medina, but later brought them back [to Uhud]. The details of this incident have been given further on.

It was the Will of God Almighty that the martyrs of Uhud should be buried in Uhud. The details of this incident are as follows:

“Hazrat Aisha^(ra) left her home with some women of Medina in order to acquire information about the battle of Uhud. At that time, the commandments regarding the veil had not yet been revealed. When Hazrat Aisha^(ra) reached Harra, she met Hind bint Amr^(ra), who was the sister of Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr^(ra). Hazrat Hind at the time was ushering her camel forwards. The bodies of her husband, Hazrat Amr bin Jamooh^(ra), her son, Hazrat Khallad bin Amr^(ra) and her brother, Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr^(ra) were placed on this camel. Hazrat Aisha^(ra) enquired about the situation on the battlefield and asked her, ‘Do you have any information of the circumstances of those whom you have left behind?’ Hazrat Hind^(ra) replied, ‘The Holy Prophet^(sa) is fine and after him, all difficulties are easy to bear’, meaning that if the Holy Prophet^(sa) was alive, then nothing else mattered. Following this, Hazrat Hind^(ra) recited the following verse:

وَرَدَّ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیْنَ کَفَرُوْا بِغَیْظِہِمْ لَمْ یَنَالُوْا خَیْرًا وَکَفَى اللّٰہُ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ الْقِتَالَ وَکَانَ اللّٰہُ قَوِیًّا عَزِیزًا

“That is, ‘And Allah turned back the disbelievers in their rage; they gained no good. And Allah sufficed the believers in their fight. And Allah is Powerful, Mighty.’ (Surah al-Ahzab: V.26)

“Hazrat Aisha^(ra) enquired who was on the camel. Upon this, Hazrat Hind^(ra) replied that it was her brother, her son, Khallad^(ra), and her husband, Amr bin Jamooh^(ra). Hazrat Aisha^(ra) then asked, ‘where are you taking them?’ She replied, ‘I am taking them to Medina in order to bury them.’

“Again, she ushered her camel to move forward, however the camel sat down on the same place. Hazrat Aisha^(ra) said that it was carrying too much weight. Upon this, Hazrat Hind^(ra) replied, ‘It has the strength to carry the load of two camels, but at this moment in time it is acting in complete contrast to this.’ She then rebuked the camel upon which it stood up. When she turned it towards the direction of Medina, it sat down again. However, when she turned it towards the direction of Uhud, it started to move quickly. Following this, Hazrat Hind^(ra) went to the Holy Prophet^(sa) and related this incident to him. The Holy Prophet^(sa) said that the camel had been assigned [to fulfil this task]. That is, God Almighty had appointed it for the very task of not returning to Medina and turning back to Uhud. The Holy Prophet^(as) then asked, ‘Did your husband say anything before he left for battle?’ She replied, ‘When Amr(ra) was about to set off in the direction of Uhud, he turned towards the Qibla [direction of Ka‘bah in Mecca] and said, “O Allah! Do not bring me back to my family in a state of disgrace and grant me martyrdom.”’ Upon this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘This was the very reason the camel was not moving.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) then said, ‘O Ansar [Muslim natives of Medina]! There are such pious individuals among you that if they take an oath in the name of God, He will most certainly fulfil that prayer and Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) was also one of those.’

“The Holy Prophet^(sa) then said to Hind^(ra), wife of Amr bin Jamooh^(ra), ‘O Hind! From the moment your brother was martyred, the angels have covered him in their shade waiting to know where his burial will take place.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) remained [in Uhud] until all the martyrs were buried. Then he stated, ‘O Hind^(ra)! Amr bin Jamooh^(ra), your son, Khallad^(ra), and your brother, Abdullah^(ra) are all together in paradise.’ Upon this, Hind^(ra) requested, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Please pray for me that God Almighty may also grant me their companionship.’” (Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Vol. 1, pp. 232-233, Ghazwa-e-Uhud, Darul Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2013)