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2. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (2)

The hypocrites who stayed behind and did not join the Prophet s.a.w. and the Muslims in the campaign of Tabuk were not forgiven by Allah, Who revealed to the Prophet s.a.w.,

ة سبعينلهمتستغفرإنلهمتستغفرلأولهماستغفر يغفرفلنمر لهمللاهمذلك ورسولهباللكفروابأن )08:التوبة)الفاسقينالقوميهديلوللا

Whether you ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites), or do not ask for forgiveness for them. Even though you ask for their forgiveness

seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. (Q. 9:80)

Moreover, they would no longer be allowed to join the Muslim army in any campaign. Allah revealed the Prophet the following verse:

رجعكفإن امعيتخرجوالنفقلللخروجفاستأذنوكمنهمطائفة إلىللا ولنأبد امعيتقاتلوا كمعدو لبالقعودرضيتمإن ة أو )08:التوبة)الخالفينمعفاقعدوامر

If Allah brings you back [from this battle] to a party of them [in reference to twelve party of hypocrites men, according to Qatadah] and they ask your permission to go out [with you in another battle] say: “Never shall you go out with me nor fight an enemy with me [because] you were pleased to sit (inactive) on the first occasion,

then you sit now with those who lag behind.” (Q. 9:08)

This prohibition of the Bedouins who lagged behind the Prophet s.a.w. in the ‘umrah of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH) from joining the Muslim army in the campaign of Khaybar (7 AH) was also revealed as follows:

بعكمذرونالتأخذوهامغانمإلىانطلقتمإذاالمخلفونسيقول أنيريدوننت لوا بعونالنقلللاكلميبد القكذلكمتت 51:الفتح...)قبلمنللا )

Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, “Allow us to follow you.” They want to change

Allah’s Words. Say: “You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand.”… (Q. 48:15)

Allah had already known that the intention of these Bedouins in joining the campaign of Khaybar was merely to collect spoils of war.

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When the chief of the hypocrites of Madinah ‘Abddullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salῡl died his son who was also called ‘Abdullah came to the Prophet s.a.w., asked him to give him his shirt to shroud his father in, and to offer his father’s funeral prayer the Prophet which he did. When he stood up to offer the funeral prayer, ‘Umar r.a. took hold his robe and told him that he was a hypocrite. But the Prophet did it. Only after that, Allah prohibited him from praying funeral prayer to any hypocrite, without criticizing him. Allah revealed to him,

اماتمنهمأحد علىتصلول همقبرهعلىتقمولأبد فرواكإن )08:التوبة)فاسقونوهموماتواورسولهبالل

And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly,

they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were disobedient (rebellious) (Q. 9:84)

This is another example where revelation was apparently came down late to the Prophet s.a.w., as it was done intentionally for giving us a moral lesson. The Prophet did not kill the hypocrites, so that people would not accuse him of killing his own followers, as they practiced Islam liked the Muslims did. In the same way, the Prophet s.a.w. prayed funeral prayer for the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, so that the enemy of Islam would not accuse him of refusing to pray for his own followers. Although the Prophet’s prayer would not benefit the dead hypocrite, as it was only لساني استغفار (verbal asking Allah’s forgiveness) it benefited some of the living relatives of the dead, namely, pleasing their hearts. The shirt of the Prophet used as the hypocrite’s shroud would not also benefit the dead, but the Prophet expected that this deed would convert one thousand people of his (the Prophet’s) people, in one report, while in another report of the dead’s people, namely, the Khazraj tribe, the tribe of the dead. It was reported that it did really happen later, that one thousand of Khazraj people repented and converted to Islam.

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Since the revelation of the above verse, no funeral prayer was allowed for Muslims on hypocrites. Their identity was informed by the angel Gabriel (Jibrīl) to the Prophet, and the Prophet before his death, told Ḥudhayfah al-Yamānī only. The prohibition of standing in the graves of hypocrites includes, not only praying for them, but also being involved in their burial. In other words, it is not the Muslims’ business, but it is that of their relatives.

Although ‘Abddullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salῡl was the leader of the hypocrites of Madinah, he did not allow his companions speak evil of him after his death. He said that this act would not hurt the dead, but the living, especially his son ‘Abdullah who was an honourable companion of the Prophet. When ‘Ikrimah son of Abu Jahl (who was the enemy of the Prophet) came to him to convert to Islam, the Prophet told his companions not to curse his father, as the curse would only harm the living, not the dead.1

When Allah wanted to abolish child adoption practiced before Islam, and the prohibition of the Muslims from marrying the ex-wives of their adopted son, He started with the Prophet’s freed slave and adopted son, Zayd ibn Ḥārithah. The Prophet loved him so much that his son Usāmah was known as the beloved son of the beloved. ‘Ᾱishah r.a. was reported (by Imam Ahmad) to have said that if Zayd had lived after the Prophet, he would have appointed him as his successor. The Prophet had given him in marriage to his cousin, Zaynab bin Jaḥsh, the daughter of his paternal aunt, Umayyah bint ‘Abdul Muṭṭalib. After about one year of marriage, problems arose between them, and he complained about her to the Prophet. The Prophet, instead of telling him to divorce his wife, because Allah had decreed him to marry her, his cousin and the ex-wife of his “adopted son”, he told him to keep her and fear Allah. Then revelation came down to rebuke him, as follows:

أنعمللذيتقولوإذ واتقزوجكعليكأمسكعليهوأنعمتعليهللا وتخفيللا

1 For further details, see Selected Khuṭab vol. 1, p. 49, ‘Abd Allah bin Ubay, p. 50.

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مانفسكفي الناسوتخشىمبديهللا اتخشاهأنأحق وللا منهازيد قضىفلم ا جناكهاوطر أدعيائهمأزواجفيحرج المؤمنينعلىيكونللكيزو

امنهنقضواإذا 83:األحزاب)مفعول للاأمروكانوطر )

And (remember) when you said to him [i.e., Zayd ibn Ḥārithah] on whom Allah has bestowed grace [i.e. becoming Muslim and following the Prophet] and you have done a favour [freeing him

from slavery]: Keep your wife to yourself and have taqwa to Allah. But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him. So, when Zayd had completed his aim with her,

We gave her to you in marriage, so that there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of the wives of

their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them.(Q. 33:37)

Al-Sha‘bī reported that ‘Ᾱ’shah r.a. said that if the Prophet s.a.w. were to have concealed anything that was revealed to him he would have concealed this verse. It was an honour for Zaynab r.a. as the marriage was conducted by Allah as his walī (guardian), without contractual agreement, dowry, or human witnesses. She was reported to have said boastingly to ‘Ᾱ’ishah r.a. that her marriage was arranged by Allah from above the seven heaven, but she conceded when ‘Ᾱ’ishah replied that her innocence was revealed from heaven.2

While the Prophet s.a.w. was addressing one of the leaders of the Quraysh idolaters hoping that he might be guided to Islam, a blind man called Ibn Umm Maktῡm began asking him to guide him. He kept repeating, “O Muhammad, teach me what Allah has taught you!” As he was blind he did not see that the Prophet was being busy with another man. He felt uneasy that people would think that those who would follow him were weak people only like this blind man. The Prophet frowned and turned away from him and faced the other man, saying, “Do you think that there is a problem with what I am

2 For further details, see Selected Khuṭab vol. 4, The Institution of Marriage in Jeopardy, p. 58

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saying?” and the man said, “No.” Because of his frowning at a weak man, Allah reprimanded him, revealing the following verses:

ىلعلهيدريكوما.األعمىجاءهأن.وتولىعبس ك رأو.يز ك كرىفتنفعهيذ .الذا ىلهفأنت.استغنىمنأم ىألعليكوما.تصد ك ا.يز .يسعىجاءكمنوأم

(58-5عبس:)تلهىعنهفأنت.يخشىوهو

He frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man. And how can you know that he might become pure [i.e., attain purification and cleanness in his soul]? Or

he might receive admonition, and the admonition might profit him [i.e., he may receive admonition and abstain from the forbidden]? As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient. To

him you attend [i.e., you face the rich person so that perhaps he may be guided]. What does it matter to you if he will not

become pure? [i.e., you are not responsible for him if he does not attain purification But as for him who came to you running,

and is afraid. Of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another [i.e. he is seeking you and he comes to you so that he may be guided by what you say to him,

you are too busy]. Nay; indeed it is an admonition. So, whoever wills let him pay attention to Him (it). In Records held in honour. Exalted, purified. In the hands of ambassadors (safarah). Honourable

and obedient. (Q. 80:1-10)

Since then whenever the Prophet met ibn Umm Maktῡm, he extended his cloak, saying, ا ربيفيهعاتبنيبمنمرحب ؟حاجة منهل، “Welcome to whom my Lord has reprimanded me, do you need anything?”

The Prophet expected that talking to one of the the leaders of the Quraysh pagans might be guided, and in turn would guide his people to Islam. Ibn Umm Maktῡm had already become Muslim and who asked for guidance, and he can wait a moment until the Prophet finished his conversation. He did what he thought the priority, but for Allah the priority was to deal with those who had already asked for guidance, disregarding their social status. Ibn Zayd said that had

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the Prophet intended to hide something in the revelation he would have hided this verse.

In reprimanding the Prophet for his frowning at the weak man Allah did not tell him directly, saying, “You frowned and turned away, because there came to you the blind man.” This would be hard for the Prophet. Instead, Allah said, “He frowned… to him …” as if Allah talked to him indirectly which would be more lenient for him. The use of “he” is as glorification to the Prophet s.a.w., as if Allah was reprimanding some body else. Then Allah continued with, “And how can you know that he might become pure?” Here Allah talked to him directly. This is what we call iltifāt (sudden transition), from “he” to “you”. We find many examples of the iltifāt in the Qur’an which we shall deal with in due course.

There is a moral lesson here: If you want to reprimand someone, especially your subordinate, do it in the most polite way, rather than frightening him, or confronting him with anger and threat. (CIVIC, 2 May, 2014)

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