‘Amr bin Umaiyyah (ra) – Shawwal 6 A.H. — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 3
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding ‘Amr bin Umaiyyah (ra) – Shawwal 6 A.H..
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: III – Concept of the Acceptance of Prayer in Islam
Pages: Book pp. 106–108 (PDF pp. 124–126)
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Historical Account
emphatically reminding him not to disclose this secret to anyone.
After having departed from Makkah, this man moved towards Madīnah hiding by day and travelling by night. He reached Madīnah on the sixth night. Ascertaining the whereabouts of the Holy Prophetsa, he went straight to the mosque of the Banī ‘Abdul-Ashhal, where the Holy Prophetsa was present. Those days, new people constantly visited Madīnah, so no Muslim became suspicious of him. But as soon as the Holy Prophetsa noticed the man approaching him he said, “This man has come with an evil intention.” Upon hearing these words, he began to move towards the Holy Prophetsa even faster than before. However, Usaid bin Ḥuḍairra, a Chieftain among the Anṣār, immediately sprung forward and clung to him and during this tussle his hand fell upon the man’s hidden dagger, whereupon the man screamed out in fear, “My death! My death!” When he was subdued, the Holy Prophetsa inquired of him, “Tell me truthfully, who are you and with which intention have you come?” He said, “If my life is spared, I will tell you.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Yes, relate the entire account truthfully and you shall be forgiven.” Upon this he related the entire story to the Holy Prophetsa from beginning to end. He also told the Holy Prophetsa of the reward which had been promised to him by Abū Sufyān. Thereafter, this individual stayed in Madīnah for a few days and then out of his own will became a Muslim, and thus, entered into the service of the Holy Prophetsa.
[Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, p. 296, Sariyyatu ‘Amr-ibni Umaiyyataḍ- Ḍamri, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, pp. 166-167, Ba‘thuḍ-Ḍamriyyi Li-Yaghtāla Abā Sufyān, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
This bloody conspiracy of Abū Sufyān made it even more incumbent than before to remain informed of the plots and intentions of the people of Makkah. As such, the Holy Prophetsa sent two of his companions, ‘Amr bin Umaiyyah Ḍamrīra and Salmah bin Aslamra, to Makkah. Considering the assassination attempt of Abū Sufyān and his past bloodthirsty schemes, the Holy Prophetsa permitted his companions to put an end to this war enemy of Islām, if the opportunity were to arise. However, when Umaiyyahra and his companion reached Makkah, the Quraish were alerted, whereupon these two companions set back to Madīnah fending for their lives. On their way back, they found two spies of the Quraish, whom the chieftains of the Quraish had
sent to ascertain intelligence on the movements of the Muslims and to acquire information on the Holy Prophetsa. It would not be surprising if this scheme was also a grounds for some other bloodthirsty conspiracy of the Quraish. However, it was by the Grace of God, that Umaiyyahra and Salmahra learned of their espionage, upon which they desired to attack and imprison them, but they fought back. Consequently, in this battle, one spy was killed while the other was taken prisoner and brought back to Madīnah.
[Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 2, pp. 296-297, Sariyyatu ‘Amr-ibni Umaiyyataḍ-Ḍamri, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, pp. 167-168, Ba‘thuḍ-Ḍamriyyi Li-Yaghtāla Abā Sufyān, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, pp. 885-886, Ba‘thu ‘Amr- ibni Umaiyyataḍ-Ḍamrī Li-Qitāli Abī Sufyān-abni Ḥarbin…, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, pp. 83-85, Thumma Dakhalatis-Sanatur-Rābi‘atu Minal-Hijrah/Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An ‘Amr-ibni Umaiyyataḍ-Ḍamri, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)]
There is a disagreement amongst historians with regards to the date of this expedition. Ibni Hishām and Ṭabarī have recorded it in 4 A.H. but Ibni Sa‘d has written it to be in 6 A.H. ‘Allāmah Qusṭalānī and Zurqānī have given precedence to the narration of Ibni Sa‘d, therefore, I have also mentioned it among the accounts of 6 A.H. Indeed, Allāh knows best. Baihaqī has also supported the details of the account mentioned by Ibni Sa‘d, but from this account one cannot establish the period in which it took place.
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, p. 166, Ba‘thuḍ-Ḍamriyyi Li-Yaghtāla Abā Sufyān, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
Treachery of the Tribes of ‘Ukl and ‘Urainah & its
Terrible Outcome – Shawwāl 6 A.H. These were very threatening days for the Muslims, because the whole land was ablaze with the fire of animosity, inflamed by the Quraish and the Jews. Moreover, according to their new policy, they had decided that instead of systematically attacking Madīnah, it should be harmed by secret methods. Furthermore, since deceit and treachery were inherent in the uncivilized tribes of Arabia, they were adamant in hurting the Muslims by any means possible. As such, the incident we are about to mention is but a link in this very nefarious chain of events, which came to an end in a terrible manner. The
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Section: III – Concept of the Acceptance of Prayer in Islam | Navigation: « Previous: [Conspiracy to Assassinate the Holy Prophet (sa) & Sariyyah] | Next: [Treachery of the Tribes of ‘Ukl and ‘Urainah & its Terrible Outcome – Shawwal 6 A.H.] »