(Friday Sermon - April 5, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Mu‘az^(ra) bin Amr bin Jamooh belonged to a branch of the Banu Khazraj called Banu Salma. He participated in the Second Bai‘at at Aqabah as well as the battles of Badr and Uhud. His father, Hazrat Amr^(ra) bin Jamooh, was a companion of the Holy Prophet^(sa) who was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. His mother’s name was Hind bint Amr. According to Musa bin Uqbah Abu Ma‘shar and Muhammad bin Amr Waqidi, his brother, Mu‘awwiz bin Amr, also partook in the Battle of Badr. His wife’s name was Subaitah bint Amr who belonged to Banu Sa‘idah, a branch of the Banu Khazraj tribe. He had one son with her named Abdullah and a daughter named Ummamah. (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, pp. 426-427, Mu’az bin Amr, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990) (al-Siratun Nabawiyyah Li Ibn Kathir, p. 197, Fasl fi Ruju al-Ansar Lailat al-Aqabah al-Thania ilaa al-Medina, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilimiyya, Beirut, 2005)

Hazrat Amr^(ra) bin Jamooh’s acceptance of Islam

Hazrat Mu‘az^(ra) participated in the second Bai‘at at Aqabah, but his father, Amr bin Jamooh, remained firm upon his idolatrous beliefs. The story of the conversion of Hazrat Mu‘az’s father is recorded in Sirat Ibn Hisham. About a year ago, I mentioned this incident in relation to his account. It states that when those who had participated in the second Bai‘at at Aqabah returned to Medina, they actively spread the message of Islam. There were still some elders among their people who remained firm on their polytheistic beliefs. Among these was also Amr bin Jamooh. His son, Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr had participated in the second Bai‘at at Aqabah and had pledged allegiance on this occasion to the Holy Prophet^(sa).

Amr bin Jamooh was among the chieftains of the Banu Salma tribe and was one of their elders as well. He kept an idol carved from wood in his house, as was the practice of elders in those days. This idol was called Manat, and they would show respect to it and revere it. When some young men from the Banu Salma tribe accepted Islam, among whom was also Hazrat Mu‘az bin Jabl and the son of Amr bin Jamooh, i.e. Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh (who was also among this group of youth who had converted at the second Bai’at at ‘Aqabah).

One night, these young men entered into his idol-chamber and brought back the idol, and laid it down face-first in a pit that was dug out for the Banu Salma tribe to throw their waste. The next morning, when Amr woke up, he cursed those who had taken away his idol in the night and shown enmity towards it. He then went in search of it and when he found it, he washed and cleaned it, saying, “I swear to god, if I find out who has done this to you, I will certainly ruin him.” When the night fell and Amr would be asleep, his son would repeat the act. When morning came, Amr bin Jamooh again did the same thing, undertook the same effort to look for it and wash it, etc.

When several nights passed like this, Amr bin Jamooh removed the idol from where it had been thrown, washed it and cleaned it. Then he brought his sword and hung it around its neck, saying, “By God, I don’t know who is doing this to you. So if you have any power at all, here is a sword I leave with you. Use it to stop him.” And he placed the sword by the idol. When the sun set and Amr went to sleep, the same youth, among whom was also his son, did the same thing to the idol. Removing the sword from around its neck, they tied the idol to a dead dog with a rope, casting it into an old well of the Banu Salma tribe which was used to dispose of waste. When Amr bin Jamooh awoke in the morning and didn’t find the idol where he had left it, he went out in search of it, until he found it lying face-first tied to a dead dog in the well.

When he witnessed this sight, the truth of his erred ways opened up to him. The Muslims of his tribe also introduced him to the teachings of Islam, and by Allah’s mercy, he became a Muslim. (al-Siratun Nabawiyyah Li Ibn Hisham, pp. 207-208, Sanam Amr bin al-Jamooh, Dar-ul-Ibn Hazm, Beirut, 2009)

This incident has been recorded in the Sirat of Ibn Hisham, and it also states that he said, “This idol couldn’t even do anything with a sword. What benefit could there possibly be in worshipping such a god.”

The Killing of Abu Jahl

Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh took part in the killing of Abu Jahl. It is written in Sahih Bukhari, “Salih bin Ibrahim narrates on the authority of his grandfather, Abdur Rahman bin Auf that he stated: ‘I was standing in the rows for battle on the day of Badr. When I looked to my right and left, I saw two Ansari youths standing on either side of me. At that moment, I wished that I was in between two people who were more mature and stronger. One of the youths nudged my hand and asked: ‘O my uncle! Do you recognise Abu Jahl?’ to which I said, ‘Indeed I recognise him, why is it that you ask?’ The youth replied: ‘I heard that he would use foul language for the Holy Prophet^(sa). I swear by the One in Whose hands is my life, if I see him I will not let him out of my sight until the one who’s destined to die from among us perishes.’ I was astonished by this reply. Then the other youth also tapped my hand and made the same enquiry. A short while passed when I saw Abu Jahl walking between the ranks. I said to the youths that there was the one about whom they enquired. Immediately the two youths drew their swords and cutting the ranks pounced on Abu Jahl and killed him. They then returned to inform the Holy Prophet^(sa) of the news. The Holy Prophet^(sa) asked which one from among them killed him? They both laid claim to the kill. The Holy Prophet^(sa) then asked whether they had wiped their swords after they had killed him? They replied in the negative. The Holy Prophet^(sa) then inspected their swords and said that both of them had in fact killed him. The Holy Prophet^(sa) then said that the spoils of war would be given to Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh. Both youths had the same name; one was Mu‘az bin Afraa and the other was Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fardil Khumus, Bab Man Lam Yakhmus al-Aslab, Hadith 3141)

This incident regarding Abu Jahl has been narrated before in the earlier sermons, in which it was mentioned that it was Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz. Consequently, this could lead to doubt as the latter refers to someone else. With regard to the killing of Abu Jahl, from various books of Hadith – such as the narration of Bukhari as mentioned earlier – as well as from books of history, we learn that Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) and Hazrat Mu‘az bin Afraa^(ra) killed Abu Jahl, and Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud^(ra) severed the head of Abu Jahl. In another narration, the names of Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz are mentioned. Nonetheless, in Bukhari there is another narration in which it is stated that Abu Jahl was killed by the two sons of Afrah, Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz, and later Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud^(ra) dealt the final blow to Abu Jahl. In the narration of Bukhari, the details are as follows:

“Hazrat Anas^(ra) narrates that on the day of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘Who will go to see the outcome of Abu Jahl?’ Hazrat Ibn Mas‘ud went and saw that the two sons of Afraa, Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz had attacked him with their swords to the extent that he was on the brink of death. Ibn Mas‘ud enquired of him: ‘Are you Abu Jahl?’ and took hold of his beard. Abu Jahl then said: ‘Have you ever killed a person of greater rank?’ or perhaps he said: ‘Is there any person greater than I, who is killed at the hands of his own people?’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Maghazi, Bab Qatl Abi Jahl, Hadith 3962)

Both of these narrations are found in Bukhari. In one narration both of them are named as Mu‘az, and in the other incident they are recorded as Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz. Similarly, in one of the narrations they are stated as two brothers, but in the other narration the two youths are not related. With regard to how one can reconcile both of these narrations in relation to the killing of Abu Jahl, Hazrat Syed Zainul Abideen Waliullah Shah Sahib^(ra) writes:

“According to some narrations, the two sons of Afraa, Mu‘az and Mu‘awwiz, attacked Abu Jahl to the extent that he was on the brink of death. After this Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud severed his head. Imam Ibn Hajr has stated, ‘After Mu‘az bin Amr and Mu‘az bin Afraa attacked Abu Jahl, Mu‘awwiz must have attacked him as well.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 5, p. 491, Hashiyah, Urdu Tarjumah, Nazarat Isha’at, Rabwah)

For this reason, in one of the narrations there is mention of two brothers and in the other narration, there is mention of two different youths who are not related.

In the commentary of Fath-ul-Bari, it is written that perhaps all three of them attacked Abu Jahl.

Allama Badruddin Aini writes regarding the death of Abu Jahl:

“Abu Jahl was killed by Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh, Mu‘az bin Afrah and Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud^(ra) was the one who then brought the severed head and presented it to the Holy Prophet^(sa).” (Umdatul Qari, Vol. 17, p. 120, Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 2003)

He further writes:

“In Sahih Muslim it is written that Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh and Mu‘az bin Afraa killed Abu Jahl. Mu‘az bin Afraa’s father was Harith bin Rifa‘ah and his mother’s name was Afraa, who was the daughter of Ubaid bin Tha‘labah Najjaria.”

Similarly, in Bukhari, Kitabul Jihad, Bab Man Lam Yukhamis al-Aslaab, it is written, “Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr cut the leg of Abu Jahl, as a result of which he fell down. Subsequently, Mu‘awwiz also launched an attack and left him on the ground. When Abu Jahl had little life left in him, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud dealt him the final blow, severing his head.”

He further writes:

“If one questions the reason why all these events needed to be mentioned together, then I would say that perhaps they all had a hand in the killing of Abu Jahl.” (Umdatul Qari, Vol. 17, pp. 121-122, Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 2003)

According to one narration of Zurqani, when Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud found Abu Jahl, he was on the brink of death. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud put his leg on Abu Jahl’s neck and said: “O enemy of God! God Almighty has humiliated you!” Abu Jahl replied arrogantly: “I have not been humiliated! Have you ever killed a person greater than myself?” Meaning that he did not feel any humiliation and then asked who had been victorious in the battle. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud replied that God and His Messenger^(sa) were victorious.

According to another narration, it is stated that Abu Jahl said:

“I was his [i.e. Muhammad’s^(sa)] enemy all his life, and even today, my enmity has not subsided in the slightest.” Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud then severed his head and brought it to the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “Just as I am the most beloved and revered of God from among all the prophets and my people are the most honourable from all other nations, similarly, Abu Jahl is the most severe and violent Pharaoh of all those who had pharaoh like traits.” For this reason, it is stated in the Holy Quran:

حَتّٰۤی اِذَاۤ اَدۡرَکَہُ الۡغَرَقُ ۙ قَالَ اٰمَنۡتُ اَنَّہٗ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا الَّذِیۡۤ اٰمَنَتۡ بِہٖ بَنُوۡۤا اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ

Meaning, “Till, when the calamity of drowning overtook him, he said, ‘I believe that there is no God but He in Whom the children of Israel believe.’” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.91)

Thus, the Pharaoh of that era was the gravest in terms of enmity and disbelief, and this is evident from the last words of Abu Jahl.

Aside from this, in another narration it is stated that when the Holy Prophet^(sa) received news of the death of Abu Jahl and saw his head, he said:

اَللّٰہُ الَّذِیْ لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ھُوَ

“There is no God but Allah,”

Similarly, the Holy Prophet^(sa) repeated three times:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ الَّذِیْ أَعَزَّ الْاِسْلَامَ وَأَھْلَہٗ

“All Praise is due to Allah, Who honoured Islam and its followers.” Another narration states that the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “Every nation has a Pharaoh. In this era, the Pharaoh was Abu Jahl, who God Almighty destroyed in a terrible manner.” (Sharh Zurqani Alaa al-Mawahib al-Deeniyyah, Vol. 2, pp. 297-298, Darul Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)

Demise

Hazrat Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh^(ra) passed away during the Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman^(ra). (al-Isaba Fi Tameez al-Sahaba, Vol. 6, p. 114, Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, Beirut, 1995)

Khalifa bin Khiyaat states, “On the day of the Battle of Badr, Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh suffered a wound as a result of which he remained unwell until the caliphate of Hazrat Uthman^(ra). He passed away in Medina. Hazrat Uthman^(ra) led his funeral prayer and buried him in Jannatul Baqi.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah^(ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “Mu‘az bin Amr bin Jamooh was an exceptional individual.” (al-Mustadrak Ala al-Sahihain Lil-Hakim, Vol. 4, pp. 140-141, Dhikr Manaqib Mu’az bin Amr bin al-Jamooh, Hadith 5895-5897, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002)