Sariyyah Dumatul-Jandal – Sha‘ban 6 A.H.(December 627 A.D.) — 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 Sariyyah Dumatul-Jandal – Sha‘ban 6 A.H.(December 627 A.D.).
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: II – Brief Note on Islamic Equality
Pages: Book pp. 69–72 (PDF pp. 87–90)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Equality in Matters of Religion & Spirituality] | Next: [Sariyyah of Hadrat ‘Ali (ra) to Fadak – Sha‘ban 6 A.H.] »
Historical Account
‘Aufra were also present, and a young Anṣārī presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa and inquired, “O Messenger of Allāh! Who is most superior among the believers?” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “He who is most superior in his character.” Then he asked, “Then O Messenger of Allāh! Who is the most righteous?” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “He who remembers death much and prepares for it in advance.”
Upon this, the Anṣārī companion become silent and the Holy Prophetsa looked towards us and said:
“O Ye Party of the Muhājirīn! There are five evils, for which I seek Allāh’s protection that they never take root in my Ummah, because any nation wherein they develop, is destroyed by them. Firstly, indecency and fornication do not spread in any nation to the extent that they begin to carry it out in public, and as a result such diseases and epidemics do not begin to manifest themselves as in the people before them. Secondly, the evil of dishonesty in weight and measure has never taken root in any nation and as a result the affliction of famine, hardship, adversity, and tyrannous and unjust rule were not sent down upon them. Thirdly, no nation has ever exhibited indolence and negligence in the offering of Zakāt and charity and as a result suffered a shortage of rain, to the extent that if God did not care for the animals and cattle among His creation, that rainfall would be permanently withheld from such a nation. Fourthly, no nation has ever broken the covenant of God and His Messenger, and as a result another nation from among their enemies was not made to rule over them, who began to usurp their rights. Fifthly, never have the scholars and leaders of any nation issued religious verdicts in an attempt to deform the Shari‘ah for their objectives and as a result a series of internal violence and conflicts were not spurred.”
([As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, pp. 883-884, Ghazwatu ‘Abdir-Raḥmān-ibni ‘Aufin Ilā Dūmatil-Jandal, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)])
This golden address of the Holy Prophetsa is an excellent insight into the causes underlying the rise and decline of nations. Moreover, if the Muslims so desire, this can serve as an excellent lesson even in current times.
After this, the Holy Prophetsa addressed his intimate companion ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra and said, “Ibni ‘Auf! Be prepared, for I desire to send you on a Sariyyah as a commander.” Therefore, the next day, ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa, and the Prophetsa tied
the turban of ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra upon his head by his own hands and ordered Bilālra to entrust a flag to him. Then, the Holy Prophetsa appointed an army of companions under the command of Ḥaḍrat ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra and said to them:
خُذْهُ یَابْنَ عَوْفٍ اُغْزُوْا جَمِیْعًا فِیْ سَ بِیْلِ اللّٰهِ فَقَاتِلُوْا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللّٰهِ وَلَا تَغُلُّوْا وَلَا تَغْدِرُوْا
ْوَلَا تُمَثِّلُوْا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوْا وَلِیْدًا۔ فَھٰذَا عَھْدُ اللّٰهِ وَسِیْرَةُ نَبِیِّهٖ فِیْكُم
“O Ibni ‘Auf, take this flag, and all of you set out for Jihād in the way of Allāh; And fight with the infidels, but look hither, do not act dishonestly, do not break oaths, do not mutilate the dead of the enemy, nor kill any children. This is the commandment of God and the Sunnat of His Prophet.”
([As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 884, Ghazwatu ‘Abdir- Raḥmān-ibni ‘Aufin Ilā Dūmatil-Jandal, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)])
In this narration, perhaps the narrator has erroneously omitted the mention of women. Otherwise at another place it is expounded that when the Holy Prophetsa dispatched an army, he would also emphasise not to kill women, the elderly and such people whose lives were dedicated to the service of religion. After this, the Holy Prophetsa instructed Ḥaḍrat ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra to leave for Dūmatul-Jandal and attempt to resolve the matter peacefully. For if the people restrained their hands from war and confrontation, then that would be the best case scenario. Furthermore, the Holy Prophetsa instructed ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra that in this case, it would be appropriate for him to marry the daughter of the chieftain of the people.
[Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Jihādi Was-Siyar, Bābu Ta’mīril-Imāmil-Umarā’a ‘Alal-Bu‘ūthi, Ḥadīth No. 4522 * Al-Muwaṭṭā, By Imām Mālik bin Anas, Kitābul-Jihād, An-Nahyu ‘An Qatlin-Nisā’i Waṣ-Ṣibyan…, Ḥadīth No. 982 * Sunanu Abī Dāwūd, Kitābul-Jihād, Bābu Fī Du‘ā’il-Mushrikīn, Ḥadīth No. 2614 * Sharḥu Ma‘ānil-Āthār, By Imām Abū Ja‘far Aḥmad bin Muḥammad Aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī, Volume 2, p. 126, Kitābus-Siyar, Bābush-Shaikhil-Kabīri Hal Yuqtalu Fī Dāril-Ḥarbi Am Lā, Ḥadīth No. 5067, Maktabah Raḥmāniyyah, Urdu Bazaar, Lahore (Note: These have been referenced in Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīnsa, Volume 2)]
After this, the Holy Prophetsa bid farewell to this Sariyyah and ‘Abdur-
Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra set off with 700 companions to Dūmatul-Jandal, which is situated to the north of Arabia and to the north-east of Tabūk near the border of Syria. When this Islāmic army reached Dūmah, it initially seemed as if the people of Dūmah were ready for war and threatened the Muslims by the sword. However, gradually upon the mediation of ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra, they abstained from this intention. After a few days, due to the preaching of ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra their chieftain Asbagh bin ‘Umar Kalbī, who was a Christian, pure-heartedly accepted Islām. Furthermore, along with him many people of his tribe, who perhaps had already been inclined to Islām in their hearts, became Muslim and those people who wished to remain within their faith also accepted subservience to the Islāmic government with complete satisfaction of heart. In this manner, this expedition came to its conclusion with great success and excellence. As per the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa, ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra married Tamāḍur, the daughter of the chieftain of Dūmatul-Jandal and returned to Madīnah. Moreover, by the Grace of God and the blessings of the prayer of the Holy Prophetsa, a son was born to ‘Abdur- Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra from Tamāḍur. He turned out to be among the distinct devotees of Islām and attained such a rank in knowledge and wisdom that he was to be looked upon as the most illustrious of scholars in his time. His name was Abū Salmah Zuhrī.
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, pp. 134-135, Sariyyatu Dūmatil-Jandal, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 3, pp. 135-136, Sariyyatu Dūmatil-Jandal, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
Sariyyah of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra to Fadak – Sha‘bān 6 A.H. The devastation which had befallen the Jewish people in Madīnah on account of their treachery and mischief-making, was like a rankling thorn in the heart of the Jews of Arabia. Furthermore, after the Ghazwah of Banū Quraiẓah which ruined the Jews of Madīnah, the village of Khaibar which was the largest centre for the Jews of Ḥijāz, became a headquarters for secret conspiracies against Islām. Moreover, the Jews of this place, who had habitually proven to be very revengeful, jealous and cruel, were committed to their endeavours of expunging Islām and annihilating the Muslims. Consequently, these very
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Section: II – Brief Note on Islamic Equality | Navigation: « Previous: [Equality in Matters of Religion & Spirituality] | Next: [Sariyyah of Hadrat ‘Ali (ra) to Fadak – Sha‘ban 6 A.H.] »