(Friday Sermon - June 1, 2018 )

The Battle of Badr and a wooden sword

Hazrat Okasha bin Mihsan^(ra) was a Companion of the Holy Prophet^(sa) . Hazrat Okasha bin Mihsan^(ra) is counted among the foremost Companions. On the occasion of the Battle of Badr, he joined as a cavalier and also broke his sword. Upon this, the Messenger^(sa) of Allah handed him a piece of wood, which, in his hand, became as if it was a very sharp sword, made of high-quality iron. Thus, he fought with that until God Almighty granted victory. Later, he joined the Holy Prophet^(sa) in all the other battles using the same sword. That wooden sword remained with him till he passed away. The sword was called ‘Aun.

Promise of Paradise and lessons to learn

The Holy Prophet^(sa) gave him the glad tiding, “You will enter Paradise without any reckoning.” (Usdul Ghaaba, Vol. 4, pp. 64-65, Okasha bin Mihsan, Darul Kutb-ul-Ilmiyah, 1996, Beirut).

On the occasion of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said to the Companions that the best cavalier of Arabia had joined them. The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah^(sa), who is that individual?” He replied, “Okasha bin Mihsan^(ra)”. (Sirat Ibn-e-Hisham, p. 435, Darul Kutb-ul-Ilmiyah, 2001, Beirut)

It is narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah^(ra), “I heard Allah’s Messenger^(sa) saying, ‘From among my followers, a party of seventy thousand will enter Paradise, whose faces will glisten like the full moon.’” Hazrat Abu Hurairah^(ra) further narrates, “On hearing that, Okasha bin Mihsan^(ra) stood up, and holding his outer garment said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger^(sa)! Pray that may Allah make me one of them.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) prayed, ‘O Allah! Make him from among them.’ Another man from the Ansar [Muslims native to Medina] stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah^(sa)! Pray so that Allah makes me one of them also. ‘The Holy Prophet^(sa) replied,

سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَاشَه

[Meaning] ‘Okasha has succeeded ahead of you in this regard.’” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Iman, Hadith no. 369)

While narrating this account in his book about the life and character of the Holy Prophet^(sa), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra)writes, “During one sitting, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, ‘From my ummah [followers], seventy thousand people will enter Paradise without any reckoning’, meaning that they will have such a high spiritual rank and the grace and mercy of God will be such that there will be no need for their reckoning. The Holy Prophet^(sa) also said that their faces would be glowing on the Day of Resurrection, just as the full moon glistens on the horizon. Upon this, Hazrat Okasha^(ra) then said, ‘Pray for me as well.’ The Holy Prophet^(sa) prayed that he may also be among those people.” After this, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib^(ra) has written a very beautiful commentary on this and also given his perspective.

He writes, “This may appear to be a very minor incident from the life of the Holy Prophet^(sa). However, it contains a treasure of spiritual insights. Firstly, we learn from it that God Almighty has blessed the ummah with the spiritual blessings of the Holy Prophet^(sa), which have reached such perfection, that on the Day of Resurrection there will be seventy thousand such people from his ummah, who due to their extraordinary spiritual status and the special grace and mercy of God, will be exempt from the trial of any reckoning. (Seventy thousand could also denote a large number of people.)

“Secondly, from this we learn that the Holy Prophet^(sa) was granted such nearness to God Almighty that upon his supplications, God Almighty immediately revealed to him or showed him a vision informing him that Okasha is among the seventy thousand. It is also possible that Okasha^(ra) was previously not included in this group and that God granted him this honour as a result of the prayers of the Holy Prophet(sa).

“Thirdly, from this account we also learn of the immense respect the Holy Prophet^(sa) had for God Almighty. Moreover, the Holy Prophet^(sa) desired to invigorate the sense of striving [for the cause of God] among his Ummah to such an extent that when another person, following Okasha^(ra), requested him with a similar prayers, the Holy Prophet^(sa) refused to pray individually due to the lofty spiritual status this pure group was blessed with. Rather, he turned the attention of Muslims towards righteousness, faith and virtuous deeds, and informed them that if they established this and turned their attention towards this, they would attain this status.

“Fourthly, this also sheds light on the high morals of the Holy Prophet^(sa) in an extraordinary manner. The reason for this is that the Holy Prophet^(sa) did not decline in a manner which would upset and hurt the feelings of the Ansari making this request. Rather, he declined in a most excellent manner.” (Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib M.A., pp. 667-668).

Example of Islamic teachings of war as a commander

“The Holy Prophet^(sa) sent Hazrat Okasha^(ra) to battles in various expeditions and appointed him as their leader. In Rabi’-ul-Awwal [month of the Islamic calendar] in the sixth year of Hijra [migration to Medina], the Holy Prophet^(sa) appointed Hazrat Okasha^(ra) as the leader of forty Muslims and sent them to face the tribe of Bani Asad. This tribe had set up their camp near a fountain called Ghamar and was located at a distance of a few days from Medina. Okasha’s group travelled very quickly and reached close [to the tribe] so that they may prevent them from causing any mischief. Following this, they came to know that the people of the tribe had dispersed as they had learnt of the Muslims drawing close. Upon this, Okasha^(ra) and his group returned to Medina without fighting.” (Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib M.A., p. 666).

In other words, they did not try to fight with them without any reason. Thus, is completely contrary to the allegation raised that Muslims were keen on waging wars.

Taking revenge from the Holy Prophet^(sa)

Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas narrates that when Surah Al-Nasr was revealed to the Holy Prophet^(sa), he instructed Hazrat Bilal^(ra) to call the Adhan [Muslim call for prayer]. Following the prayer, the Holy Prophet^(sa) delivered a sermon and people began to weep profusely as they heard it. The Holy Prophet^(sa) inquired, “O people! How am I as a prophet?” In response, the people replied “May God reward you. You are the best of all prophets. You are like a gracious father and a kind guiding brother to us. You have conveyed to us the messages and revelation of God Almighty and you have called us towards the path of our Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation. Hence, may God reward you with the best reward, which He blesses His prophets.”

“The Holy Prophet^(sa) then said, “O ye Muslims! I swear by God and by the responsibility placed upon me that if I have committed any cruelty or injustice towards anyone, he should stand up and avenge himself.” However, no one stood up. The Holy Prophet^(sa) took another oath and repeated this. However, no one stood up. The Holy Prophet^(sa) repeated this a third time saying, “O ye Muslims! I swear by God and by the responsibility placed upon me that if I have committed any cruelty or injustice towards anyone, he should stand up and avenge himself prior to the Day of Judgement.” Upon this, an elderly person stood up from among the people, whose name was Okasha^(ra). He passed through the [crowd of] Muslims until he stood before the Holy Prophet^(sa) and said, “O Prophet of God^(sa), may my parents be sacrificed for your sake. If you had not repeatedly taken an oath, I would certainly not have stood up.” Hazrat Okasha^(ra) then said, “I was with you during a battle. On the way back, my camel came close to your camel. I dismounted from my camel and approached you in order to kiss your feet. However, you struck your stick, which hit me on the side. I was not sure whether you struck me with the stick or the camel.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “By the glory of Allah! The Messenger of God cannot hit you intentionally.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) then addressed Hazrat Bilal^(ra) and said, “O Bilal! Go to the house of Fatima and bring that stick.”

“Hazrat Bilal^(ra) went and said to Hazrat Fatima^(ra), “O daughter of the Holy Prophet^(sa)! Give me the (such and such) stick.” Hazrat Fatima^(ra) replied by saying: “O Bilal! What is my father going to do with this stick? Is this not the day of Hajj [Islamic pilgrimage] and not of war? Upon this, Hazrat Bilal^(ra) said, “O Fatima! How unaware are you in relation to your father, the Messenger of God^(sa)? The Holy Prophet^(sa) is saying farewell to the people, leaving this world and allowing people to avenge themselves.” Hearing this, Hazrat Fatima^(ra) was astonished and asked, “O Bilal! Who will desire to seek revenge from the Holy Prophet^(sa)?” She further said “O Bilal! Tell Hassan and Hussain to stand before that person so that he may avenge himself on them instead and thus preventing that man from seeking revenge from the Holy Prophet^(sa).”

Hence, Hazrat Bilal^(ra) returned to the mosque and handed the stick to the Holy Prophet^(sa), who then handed it to Okasha^(ra). When Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra) and Hazrat Umar^(ra) observed this scene, both of them stood up and said, “O Okasha! We are standing before you. Avenge yourself on us and do not do anything to the Holy Prophet^(sa). The Holy Prophet^(sa) said to both of them that “O Abu Bakr and Umar! Stop! God Almighty is aware of your status.” Then Hazrat Ali^(ra) stood up and said “O Okasha! I have spent my entire life with the Holy Prophet^(sa) and I cannot bear that you hit the Holy Prophet^(sa). Hence, I present my body, avenge yourself on me. You may hit me a hundred times but do not seek revenge from the Holy Prophet^(sa).” The Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “O Ali! Remain seated. God is aware of your intention and status.”

“After this, Hazrat Hassan^(ra) and Hussain^(ra) both stood up and said, “O Okasha! We are the grandchildren of the Holy Prophet^(sa) and seeking revenge from us is akin to seeking revenge from the Holy Prophet^(sa).” The Holy Prophet^(sa) said to both of them, “O my dear ones, sit down!” The Holy Prophet^(sa) then turned to Okasha^(ra) and said, “O Okasha, strike me!” Hazrat Okasha^(ra) said, “O Prophet^(sa) of God! My stomach was bare without any cloth at the time you hit me.” Upon this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) lifted the covering from his stomach. Witnessing this scene unfold, the Muslims started to weep profusely and asked, “Is Okasha really going to hit the Holy Prophet^(sa)?”

“However, when Hazrat Okasha^(ra) saw the glow on the body of the Holy Prophet^(sa), he raced towards the Holy Prophet^(sa) and started to kiss his body and said, “O Messenger of God^(sa)! Who can ever imagine taking revenge from you?” Upon this, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said, “Are you going to take revenge or are you going to forgive?” Hazrat Okasha^(ra) responded, “O Messenger^(sa) of God! I forgive you with the hope that God will pardon me on the Day of Judgment.” The Holy Prophet^(sa) addressed everyone and said, “Whoever desires to see my companion in paradise should look at this old gentleman.” Hence all the Muslims stood up and began kissing the forehead of Hazrat Okasha^(ra) and congratulated him for he had attained a high status and a close companionship of the Holy Prophet^(sa). (Majma-ul-Zawid, Vol. 8, pp.429-431, Kitab Ilaamat-ul-Nabuwa, Hadith no. 14253, Darul Kutb-ul-Ilmiyah, 2001, Beirut)

This was Hazrat Okasha^(ra), who realised that the opportunity to kiss the body of the Holy Prophet^(sa) during his lifetime may not come again as he was informing everyone about his departure from this world.

Hazrat Okasha^(ra) at the time Hazrat Abu Bakr’s^(ra) khilafat

During the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra), Hazrat Okasha^(ra) was sent with Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed^(ra) to crush a rebellion of a certain tribe that had left Islam. Isa bin Umailah relates a narration from his father in which he says, “When Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed^(ra) would approach the enemy, if he heard the Adhan being called, he would not attack but if he did not hear the Adhan, then he would launch an attack. When they reached a tribe situated at a place called Buzaakha, Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed^(ra) sent Hazrat Okasha^(ra) bin Mihsan and Hazrat Thabit^(ra) bin Akram to obtain information about the enemy.

Both of them were on horseback and the name of Hazrat Okasha’s horse was Al-Razaam and that of Hazrat Thabit’s was Al-Muhabbar. They came across Tulayhah and his brother Salmah who had travelled ahead of the enemy in order to gather information about the Muslim army. Tulayhah confronted Hazrat Okasha^(ra), while Salmah confronted Hazrat Thabit^(ra) and the brothers martyred these two companions.”

Abu Waqid Laysi narrates, “Two hundred of us were leading the Muslim enemy. Upon finding the bodies of Hazrat Okasha^(ra) and Hazrat Thabit^(ra), we stood by until Hazrat Khalid^(ra) came and ordered us to bury these two companions in the same blood-stained clothes they were martyred in. This incident took place on 12 Hijri.” Thus, this is the account of their martyrdom. (At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 3, p.245, Saabit bin Akram, Dar Ihya At-turath Al-Arabi, 1996, Beirut).