Young Heros

32 Young Heroes By M.A. Khan Ghauri The Holy Prophet, peace be on him, had, under divine direction, migrated to Medina. He most sincerely wished to live there in peace so that he could give himself fully to his mission of preaching the word of God Almighty. But his brethren in Mecca would not let him do that. The leader of the Meccans, who later became known as Abu Jahl, was an extremely obstinate man. He could not have faith in a man who disavowed the gods that he worshipped. He persistently refused to accept the truth that the Holy Prophet preached. He was the most bitter enemy in the whole of Mecca of Islam and its Prophet. His hatred towards the Holy Prophet was greatly enhanced when he found that he had succeeded in migrating to Medina. He advised all the chiefs in Mecca to go after him to Medina and bring him back or see that he was killed. They were so sure of their success that they sent an open challenge to the Muslims of Medina that if they would not send the Prophet back to Mecca they would go themselves to Medina and bring him back to Mecca by force. The Holy Prophet and his companions from Mecca had no intention of taking any aggressive step against Mecca although the Meccans had committed most ignoble atrocities against the Muslims. The Holy Prophet taught love and peace and not aggression. The threat of hostility had come from the Meccans and the Holy Prophet was greatly disconcerted and did not know what to do. So he sought guidance from God Almighty. The All-Seeing and the All-Knowing God was fully aware of the ill intensions of the Meccans. He, therefore, gave permission to the Muslims to retaliate. This permission to fight was granted in the following words: “Permission to fight is granted to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged and Allah indeed has the power to help them. They are those who have been driven out of their homes unjustly only because they affirmed: Our Lord is Allah. If Allah did not repel the aggression of some people by means of others, cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques wherein the name of Allah is often commemor- ated, would surely be destroyed. Allah will surely help him who helps His cause. Allah is indeed Mighty, Powerful. If we establish these persecuted ones in the earth, they will observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, and enjoin good and forbid evil. With Allah rests the final issue of all affairs. (22:40-2)” 33 YOUNG HEROES “If Allah were not to repel a section of mankind by another, the earth would be filled with disorder, but Allah is full of bounty. (2:252)” Permission to retaliate against the Meccans for the atrocities that had been inflicted on them, of course, gladdened the hearts of the early Muslims. The first move that the Holy Prophet made after this revelation was to make friendly relations with all the tribes that lived in the neighbourhood of Medina and made pacts of peace and alliance with them. Thereafter he turned his attention to the trade routes. Meccan caravans accompanied by trained and well tried fighters used to go to the north for the purpose of trade.The Meccan Qureish had begun to spread false rumours among the tribesmen about Islam and the Muslims. They tried to create gross misunder- standing and ill will between the tribes and the Muslims living in Medina. The Holy Prophet, therefore, began sending forage parties on these trade routes on which the Muslims accosted the Meccan caravans and captured a great deal of booty in this manner. This was considered to be a normal practice between hostile parties and a legitimate war activity. These measures taken by the Holy Prophet were all precautionary measures — exactly as a wise and shrewd leader must do. These measures were not taken with the intention of profiting from worldly gains. No certainly not! This would be explained better if it was illustrated by an actual incident that happened during these raids. A tribal Arab who had newly accepted Islam also happened to go with a raiding party. When the spoils were distributed among the members of that party and the newly converted Arab was also given his share. But he said, “O Messenger of Allah, I had joined Islam so that when I went to fight in path of Allah, an arrow might pierce my throat and cause me to die in the field so that I could go straight to heaven.” The Holy Prophet answered, “If that was your wish Allah will soon fulfil it.” A few weeks later this Arab aspirant died in another expedition exactly as he had wished. When his body was brought the Holy Prophet offered prayers over his body and gave his own cloak in which that Arab was buried. This shows that the Holy Prophet and his Companions did not go for mere worldly gains. They were obtaining practical training for future fights. The Holy Prophet had received news from Mecca that the Qureish were getting ready to go to Medina to capture or k i l l the Holy Prophet. The news came that very soon a very large party was quite ready to leave Mecca. The Holy Prophet kept the news secret but informed a few of his most trusted Companions and also bade them not to divulge that news. A little later the Holy Prophet summoned his companions in his usual manner, for some consultation. He told them that he wished to go out of REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 34 Medina with another fighting force. Abubakr, Umar and others who knew why and where he would go readily expressed their willingness to accompany him. Those who were not aware of the ill-intentions of the Meccans thought that the Messenger of Allah was going to lead another foraging party and he wanted volunteers for that purpose. Those who had important business did not go with him and stayed to attend to their important personal matters. The Holy Prophet, therefore, set out with the small party, most of whom had joined for some forage party. He took the road to Badr and when they had reached Zaffraan, which was still one day’s journey to Badr, he received further news that the Meccans were not very far from Badr. The Holy Prophet, therefore, stopped for consultation. It was his first war council. Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali and others who knew of the activities that had been going on in Mecca against the Muslims of Medina readily showed their willingness to fighting against the enemy. One of them said, “O Messenger of Allah, we shall fight on your right and on your left and we shall fight for you anywhere. We shall not, O Messenger of Allah, ever desert you and behave like the followers of Moses, who shamelessly told their Prophet, ‘Go ye and your God and fight the enemy. We shall sit here and see you kill them all.’ But the Holy Prophet asked for more advice again. On this Sa’ad bin Ubadah stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, it seems that you wish to know what the Ansar of Medina have to say in this matter. O Messenger of Allah! I remember our original pact with you before you came to Medina . It was that we shall defend you up to the utmost of our power if someone came to give you harm in Medina. Our pact did not say that we shall fight for you outside Medina. That pact was made when we knew very little of Islam and had seen you only once or twice. But now that we believe you in our inner souls that you are truly the Messenger of Allah , we shall never desert you now. Even if you command us to go to the farthest corners of the land, we shall go; and if you command us to walk into the raging sea we shall never hesitate.” The Holy Prophet was highly pleased with this loyalty of the Medina Muslims. He then cheerfully went round to review his small force and found that there were three or four stripplings in his small army. He wanted them to go back to Medina. He saw a boy who was trying to hide behind his elder brother. The Holy Prophet wished them to go back to Medina but the boy began to cry so bitterly that the Holy Prophet did not have the heart to send him back. He was permitted to stay. A little further the Holy Prophet saw a boy who was trying to raise himself on his toes so that he may look taller than he really was. The Holy Prophet told him to go back. But he said, “O Messenger of Allah, that boy whom you have given permission to stay, I can beat him in a wrestling bout. He was, 35 YOUNG HEROES therefore, allowed to prove his word. The bout took place and the boy proved his word. He was also granted permission to stay. When the two armies stood in battle array, a valiant fighter, Abdul Rahman bin ‘Auf wanted to see whether he was flanked by stout-hearted fighters. He was truly dismayed when he saw on his right and then on his left two mere stripplings. But only a moment later he felt a nudge from his right and the boy asked him in a whisper, “Uncle! Where is that man called Abu Jahal who persecutes the Messenger of Allah?” Before he could give the answer to the boy on his right he felt another nudge from his left and he heard the boy saying, “Dear uncle! where is Abu Jahal the arch enemy of the Holy Prophet?” The stout warrior was so amazed that he could not utter a single word. He simply lifted his finger and pointed out Abu Jahal who was standing fully clad in shining armour between a number of warriors. Looking carefully at the man whom Abdul Rahman bin ‘Auf had pointed, both the boys sped fast like the falcon falling on his prey and reached the spot where Abu Jahal was standing. Before he knew what was happening,the two boys attacked and felled Abu Jahal to the ground. Abu JahaPs guards had no time to protect him. Ikrama, Abu Jahal’s son who was not very far, saw what had happened and he attacked one boy and almost severed his arm. The boy found the near severed arm getting in his way. Muaz put his foot on the arm and pulled it off. The two striplings killed the most arrogant man and a very experienced fighter Abu Jahal the Commander of the Meccan Army — even before the actual fight commenced. God’s choicest blessings be upon the souls of these two stripplings who, for the love of the Holy Prophet, killed his most callous and greatest enemy from among the Meccans. Amen ********************** The God of Islam is the same Cod who is visible in the mirror of the law of nature and is discernible in the book of nature. Islam has not presented a new God but has presented the same God Who is presented by the light of man’s heart, by the conscience of man, and by heaven and earth. (The Promised Messiah).