(Friday Sermon - December 28, 2018 )
Background, Participation in Battles and Martyrdom
Hazrat Sahl bin Qais’(ra) mother’s name was Naila bint Salaama. He was the cousin of the famous poet, Hazrat Ka‘b(ra) bin Malik, from his father’s side. Hazrat Sahl participated in the Battles of Badr and Uhud and was martyred during the Battle of Uhud. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 436, Sahl bin Qais(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)
Conveying Salutations of Peace to the Martyrs of Uhud
Each year, the Holy Prophet(sa) used to visit the graves of those martyred during the Battle of Uhud. When he would enter that particular valley, he would loudly say:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَي الدَّار
(This is a verse from Surah ar-Ra‘d, however the verse in the Holy Quran begins with the words سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ [Surah ar-Ra‘d: V.25] instead of اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ)
It means, “Peace be unto you, because you were steadfast…””
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَي الدَّار
“…how excellent is the reward of the final Abode!”
After the Holy Prophet’s (sa) demise, Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra), Hazrat Umar(ra) and Hazrat Uthman(ra) continued this practice. Also, whenever Hazrat Muawiyyah(ra), used to come for Hajj or Umrah, he also would visit the graves of those martyred during the Battle of Uhud. The Holy Prophet(sa) used to say:
لَيْتَ اَنِّيْ غُوْدِرْتُ مَعَ اَصْحَابِ الْجَبَل
“How I wish I was with the people of the mount!” In other words, he wished that he had also attained martyrdom on that day. Similarly, whenever Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas(ra) used to go to his estates in Ghaabah, a village located to the northwest of Medina, he would also visit the graves of those martyred during the Battle of Uhud. He used to convey to them the greetings of Salam [peace] three times. Then he used to turn to his companions and say, “Will you not convey Salam to those who would reply to your Salam? Whoever conveys Salam to them, they will reply to his Salam on the Day of Judgement.”
Once, the Holy Prophet(sa) passed by the grave of Hazrat Mus‘ab(ra) bin Umair. He stopped by it, prayed there and recited the following verse:
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوْا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللّٰهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ قَضٰى نَحْبَهٗ وَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّنْتَظِرُ۔ وَمَا بَدَّلُوْاتَبْدِيْلًا
“Among the believers are men who have been true to the covenant they made with Allah.” (Al-Ahzab:24)
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوْا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللّٰهَ عَلَيْه
“There are some of them who have fulfilled their vow, and some who still wait, and they have not changed their condition in the least.”
The Holy Prophet(sa) then said:
“I bear witness that they will be considered martyrs by Allah on the Day of Judgement. You should visit them and send your greetings of peace to them. I swear by the Being in Whose hands is my life, whoever sends their greetings of peace to them will receive an answer from them on the day of Judgement.”
The Companions(ra) of the Holy Prophet(sa) used to come here, pray for them and send their salutations of peace. (Kitab-ul-Maghzai, Vol. 1, p. 267, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2004)
The sisters of Hazrat Sahl(ra) bin Qais, Hazrat Sukhtah(ra) and Hazrat Umrah(ra), also accepted the Holy Prophet(sa) and were blessed to pledge allegiance to him. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 8, p. 301, Sukhtah bint Qais & Umrah bint Qais, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)