#Battle of Yamama

[tadhkir]

Narrated Once Musa bin Anas while describing the battle of Yamama, said:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ وَذَكَرَ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ قَالَ أَتَى أَنَسٌ ثَابِتَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ وَقَدْ حَسَرَ عَنْ فَخِذَيْهِ وَهْوَ يَتَحَنَّطُ فَقَالَ يَا عَمِّ مَا يَحْبِسُكَ أَنْ لاَ تَجِيءَ قَالَ الآنَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي‏.‏ وَجَعَلَ يَتَحَنَّطُ، يَعْنِي مِنَ الْحَنُوطِ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَجَلَسَ، فَذَكَرَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ انْكِشَافًا مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَقَالَ هَكَذَا عَنْ وُجُوهِنَا حَتَّى نُضَارِبَ الْقَوْمَ، مَا هَكَذَا كُنَّا نَفْعَلُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، بِئْسَ مَا عَوَّدْتُمْ أَقْرَانَكُمْ‏.‏ رَوَاهُ حَمَّادٌ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ‏.‏

Narrated by Sahih Bukhari in his book (Imam Bukhari).

sahih-bukhari

[pooma-islam]

🔘The Rightly Guided Caliphs: (The four Great Sahaba who ruled after the Prophet)

♻️️Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq – He was the Prophet’s (pbuh) chosen companion for the Hijrah. (Migration To Madinah)

♻️️Umar Ibn Al-Khattab – During his reign, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt all became part of the Muslim Empire.

♻️️Uthman Ibn Affan – He was considered the most modest of the Sahaba and even the angels would feel shy around him.

♻Ali Ibn Abi Talib – He grew up in the Prophet’s (pbuh) home and accepted Islam when he was ten years old.

🔵🔴🔘The Early Converts: (Those who converted before the Hijrah)

♻️️Zaid Ibn Haritha – He chose to live with the Prophet (pbuh) over his own father.

♻️️Khadija Bint Khuwailid – She was the Prophet’s first wife and the first believer too.

♻️️Fathima Bint Asad – She was the wife of Abu Talib and raised the Prophet (pbuh) after his grandfather passed away.

♻️️Safiyya Bint Abdul Mutallib – She was the Prophet’s (pbuh) aunt and mother of Zubair Ibn Al-Awwam

♻Abu Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarrah – He was known as the trustworthy man of this ummah and was chosen to lead the Muslim armies by

♻️️Umar Ibn Al-Khattab.

Abu Dharr Al-Ghifaari – He was not from Makkah but went to Makkah in search of the Prophet (pbuh) and became an early convert.

♻️️Zubair Ibn Al-Awwam – He was the first person to draw his sword in defense of Islam.

♻️️Bilal Ibn Rabaa – He was an African slave who was freed and became the first Mu’addhin.

♻️️Talha Ibn Ubaidullah – He was known as the living martyr due the number of injuries he sustained at Uhud.

♻️️Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas – He was one of the blessed ten and the last of them to pass away.

♻️️Fathima Bint Al-Khattab – She was the sister of Umar and converted to Islam before him.

♻️️Zaid Ibn Al-Khattab – He was the elder brother of Umar, converted to Islam before him, and was martyred at Yamama.

♻Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf – He was the wealthiest Sahabi and was extremely generous. He was also one of the blessed ten.

♻Khabbab Ibnt Arrat – He was an early convert who endured the worst torture for the sake of Islam.

♻Saeed Ibn Zaid – He was one of the blessed ten, husband of Fathima Bint Khattab and the son of the famous Zaid Ibn Amr Ibn Nufail. (look him up)

♻️️Sumayya bint Khayyat – She was the first martyr to die for Islam. She was killed by Abu Jahl.

♻️️Yasir Ibn Amir – Husband of Sumayya, he was the first male martyr to die for Islam. Also killed by Abu Jahl.

♻️️Ammar Ibn Yasir – The son of Yasir Ibn Amir. He lived a long life and died during the civil war.

♻️️Mus’ab Ibn Umair – He was the first person to be sent out of Makkah on an official mission of Dawah, and was responsible for the Dawah spreading through Madinah.

♻️️Abu Hudhaifah Ibn Utbah – He was an early convert to Islam who was martyred at Yamama.

♻️️Salim Mawla Abi Hudhaifah – He was the slave of Abu Hudhaifa, who freed him and adopted him. They died together in Yamama,

♻Hamza Ibn Abdul Mutallib -He was the uncle of the Prophet (pbuh). He was martyred at Uhud.

🔴🔵🔘The Ansar of Madinah: (The helpers, the Sahaba from Madinah)

❤️️Sa’d Ibn Muadh – He was the leader of the Aus tribe, and was martyred after the Battle of the Trench.

❤️️Sa’d Ibn Ubadah – He was the leader of the Khazraj tribe, and was appointed as the leader of the Ansaar.

❤️️Abdullah Ibn Rawaaha – He was the poet who defended Islam with his words. He was martyred at Mut’ah.

❤️️Umm Sulaim Ar-Rumaysa – When Abu Talha wanted to marry her, she asked him to convert to Islam and his conversion would suffice as her Mahr (wedding gift).

❤️️Anas Ibn Malik – The son of Umm Sulaim, he served the Prophet (pbuh) for ten years and never encountered a bad word from him.

❤️️Al-Baraa Ibn Malik – Another son of Umm Sulaim, he was a brave warrior responsible for the victory at Yamama.

❤️️Abdullah Ibn Salaam – He was a Jewish Rabbi who converted to Islam.

❤️️Salmaan Al-Farsee – He was a Persian who traveled in search of the truth. His travels brought him to Madinah and Islam.

❤️️Abu Darda – He was known for his dislike for this world and love of the late night prayer.

❤️️Abu Dujana – He was a brave warrior who was given the Prophet’s (pbuh) sword.

❤️️Umm Haram Bint Milhan – The Prophet (pbuh) prophecized that she would sail with the first Muslim navy. She did so and was buried in Cyprus.

🔵🔴🔘The Late Converts: (Those who converted in the last five years of the Prophet’s life)

❤️️Khalid Ibn Waleed – He was known as the sword of Allah and was undefeated in battle.

❤️️Amr Ibn Al-Aas – He was a well-spoken diplomat and was responsible for the conquest of Egypt.

❤️️Abu Sufyan – He fought against Islam most of his life, eventually converted and from his progeny came the first Muslim dynasty.

❤️️Hind Bint Utbah – The wife of Abu Sufyan, and the mother of the first Muslim King, Muawiyah.

❤️️Wahshi – He was a freed slave who was responsible for killing Hamza before becoming a Muslim, and accredited with killing the false prophet Musaylama after converting.

❤️️Uthman Ibn Talha – He was responsible for the keys of the Kabah and this responsibility remains with his descendants until today.

❤️️Ikrimah Ibn Abi Hakam – He was the son of Abu Jahl, and died a martyr at Yarmook.

❤️️Safwan Ibn Umayyah – He was the son of Umayyah Ibn Khalaf and only converted to Islam after the battle of Hunayn.

❤️️Suhail Ibn Amr – He was a dynamic speaker and initially a staunch enemy of Islam. He expressed great regret at accepting Islam so late, and made up for it in Jihad.

❤️️Abu Hurairah – He converted to Islam three years before the Prophet (pbuh) passed away, yet narrated more Hadiths than any other Sahabi.

❤️️Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan – He was the first Muslim king and founder of the Umayyad Dynasty.

❤️️Yazeed Ibn Abi Sufyan – He was the elder brother of Muawiyah and considered more righteous than him.

❤️️Abbas Ibn Abdul Mutallib – He was the uncle of the Prophet (pbuh) and is considered the last person to make Hijrah to Madinah.

🔴🔵🔘The Prophet’s Wives: (Khadija was already mentioned earlier)

❤️️Aisha Bint Abi Bakr – She narrated more Hadiths than any other woman and was a great scholar of Islam.

❤️️Sauda Bint Zam’ah – She was the second woman that the Prophet (pbuh) married and helped raise his daughters.

❤️️Hafsa Bint Umar – She was the daughter of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab and the custodian of the Qur’an.

❤️️Zainab Bint Jahsh – She was the Prophet’s cousin and married to him through Surah Al-Ahzaab. She was known for her generosity.

❤️️Safiyyah Bint Huyay – She was the daughter of a Jewish Chief, and a descendant of Prophet Harun (AS).

❤️️Juwairiyyah Bint Al-Harith – She was known for spending most of her time in Salah and Dhikr.

❤️️Zainab Bint Khuzayma – She was known for her generosity and passed away two years after marrying the Prophet (pbuh).

❤️️Maymuna Bint Al-Harith – She was the last woman that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) married.

❤️️Umm Habiba Bint Abi Sufyan – She was one of those who migrated to both Abyssinia and later Madinah.

❤️️Umm Salama – She was known for her wisdom and knowledge. She narrated many important Hadiths.

🔴🔵🔘The Prophet’s Family and Relatives:

❤️️Fathima – She is the leader of the women of Paradise.

❤️️Zainab – She was the Prophet’s eldest daughter and passed away during his lifetime.

❤️️Ruqayya – She was married to Uthman Ibn Affan and passed away around the same time as the Battle of Badr.

❤️️Umm Khulthoom – She married Uthman Ibn Affan after her sister passed away. She also passed away during the Prophet’s lifetime.

❤️️Hassan Ibn Ali – He was responsible for ending the first civil war and reuniting the ummah.

❤️️Hussain Ibn Ali – He was known for his courage in standing up for what he believed in. He was martyred at Karbala.

❤️️Fadhl Ibn Abbas – He was the Prophet’s (pbuh) cousin and assisted in his burial.

❤️️Abdullah Ibn Abbas – He was the younger brother of Fadhl and is known as the greatest authority on Tafseer.

❤️️Jafar Ibn Abi Talib -He was the Prophet’s (pbuh) cousin, and represented the immigrants to Abyssinia in the court of the King of Abyssinia.

❤️️Usamah Ibn Zaid – He was the son of Zaid Ibn Haritha and the Prophet (pbuh) appointed him as a leader when he was still a teenager.

The Sahaba were the first and best generation of Muslims. We need to learn about them, love them, and emulate them. To help you learn more about the Sahaba, here is a short list of 70 amazing facts about 70 Sahaba.

‼️‼️NOTE: I did not write (RA) after each Sahabi’s name, as it is recommended to say it but not obligatory to write it. (RA) is short for Radi Allahu Anhu/haa/hum which means ‘May Allah be pleased with him/her/them’.

💜

[basicsofislam]

THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH) : Abdullah bin Makhrama (r.a.)

Abdullah became a Muslim in the first years of Islam. He had to migrate to Abyssinia in the face of the tortures of the polytheists. He migrated to Madinah from Abyssinia and gained the thawabs of two migrations. He took part in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and the other battles.

Hz. Abdullah was a person of ilm (knowledge) virtue and taqwa. His greatest desire was to attain the rank of martyrdom. He always prayed to Allah Almighty for this. This prayer, which he said sincerely, was accepted. He became a martyr at the battle of Yamama. Hz. Abdullah fought heroically in this battle. He was wounded all over his body. It was the blessed month of Ramadan. He was fasting. He saw Abdullah Ibn Umar him while he was about to breathe his last. Abdullah was also looking for him. He asked,

"Abdullah, did you break your fast?" Abdullah said,

"Yes, I did." He asked him to bring some water with his shield. When Abdullah brought water, he saw that he had become a martyr. He was 41 years old then.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Battle of Khandaq and Afterwards

The Expedition of Qurata

(6th year of the Migration, the month of Muharram)

In the month of Muharram, the Prophet sent a group of cavalrymen consisting of thirty people under the command of a Companion called Muhammad b. Maslama against Sons of Bakr b. Kilab in the land of Najd.

When the mujahids arrived at the place called Sharabba belonging to that tribe, they confronted a group from Sons of Muharib. A clash took place between them. Some of the people of Sons of Muharib were killed and the others ran away. The mujahids did not do anything to their children and women that were left behind.

Then, the mujahids proceeded to the place where the people of Sons of Bakr were. The mujahids suddenly attacked them and killed ten of them. They took some of their sheep and camels as booty. The booty that was taken from Sons of Muharib and Sons of Bakr amounted to one hundred and fifty camels and three thousand sheep.

The commander of the group, Muhammad b. Maslama allocated one fifth of the booty to the Prophet and divided the rest among the mujahids.

On the way to Madinah, the mujahids captured Sumama b. Usal from the tribe of Sons of Hanifa. Sumama was going to Makkah for umrah.

The group of Muslim cavalrymen returned to Madinah on the last night of the night of Muharram.

Sumama b. Usal Becomes a Muslim

Sumama b. Usal, who was taken captive by the mujahids was one of the notables of the people of Yamama. Once, he had attempted to kill the Prophet but his uncle had prevented him from committing that murder. The Messenger of God had regarded it permissible to shed the blood of Sumama.

The mujahids who brought Sumama to the presence of the Prophet did not know Sumama. The Messenger of God said to them, “Do you know who you caught? He is Sumama b. Usal, the leader of the tribe of Sons of Hanifa. Treat him well.”

The Companions accommodated him in the mosque.

The Messenger of God went to the mosque to see Sumama. He said,

“O Sumama! What do you have in your heart? What are you thinking of?”

Sumama said in embarrassment, “O Muhammad! You have goodness in your heart. If you kill me, you will kill a murderer whose hands are bloody. If you do me a favor and forgive me, you will do a favor to a person who feels grateful and who appreciates favors. If you want any property from me to let me free, take whatever you want.”

The Prophet left without saying anything.

The Prophet visited Sumama the next two days and asked him the same question. When Sumama gave the same answer, he said to his Companions, “Release Sumama”, letting him free without receiving any ransom.  

Upon this generous act, Sumama felt enlightened. He uttered kalima ash-shahada and became a Muslim there.

What Happened to Sumama in Makkah

Sumama, who became a Muslim, went to Makkah for umrah with the permission of the Prophet. When he entered the city by uttering “Talbiya”, the  Qurayshi polytheists understood that he had become a Muslim. They wanted to capture and kill him. One of them said, “Leave him! You always need Yamama for food!” Thereupon, they left him.  

Despite this, Sumama challenged them.

He said, “By God, if the Messenger of God, Muhammad, does not let, even one grain of wheat will not come from Yamama for you.”

As a matter of fact, when Sumama returned to Yamama after performing umrah, he prohibited the people of Yamama from sending anything to the Qurayshis.

The Compassion of the Prophet

When the people of Yamama did not send any food to Makkah upon the order of Sumama, the Qurayshi polytheists were stuck in a difficult situation. They started to eat different things due to the scarcity of food.

In the end, they had to write a letter to the Prophet: “You order people to show respect to the rights of relatives but you kill fathers and make children starve to death. Sumama has stopped sending us food. We are stuck in a difficult situation. Please send Sumama a letter regarding the issue.”

Thereupon, the Prophet ignored all of their enmity and bad deeds and sent Sumama b. Usal a letter asking him not to prevent the people of Yamama from selling food to Makkans.

Upon the order of the Messenger of God, Sumama allowed the people of Yamama to sell grains to Makkans.

As it can be seen, the Prophet treated his fiercest enemies very compassionately and mercifully in terms of food and drinks because of the importance he gives to human life. His heart, which was an ocean of compassion and mercy, could not give consent to the destruction of the Qurayshi polytheists, his fiercest enemies, due to hunger and thirst. It was only one of his best acts that suggested showing respect to life. When we look at his holy life from this point of view, it is definite that we will see many similar incidents.

[perfectlyseverepeace]

The Divine Authorship of the Quran: Who Compiled the First Quran?

The question "who wrote the first Quran?" often piques the curiosity of those interested in Islamic history. In Islam, the Quran is believed to be the literal word of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The task of compiling the Quran into a unified text is a pivotal chapter in Islamic history, ensuring its preservation and consistency. for the full blog :

Who Wrote the First Quran?

The revelations began in 610 CE and continued until the Prophet's death in 632 CE. During this period, the Quran was memorized and transcribed by the Prophet’s companions on various materials such as parchments, stones, and leaves. However, the Quran was not compiled into a single book during the Prophet’s lifetime.

The first major effort to compile the Quran was initiated by the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, following the Battle of Yamama, where many Quran memorizers (hafiz) were martyred. Concerned about the potential loss of the Quranic text, Abu Bakr tasked Zayd ibn Thabit, a trusted scribe of the Prophet, with collecting the Quranic verses. Zayd meticulously gathered the verses from various written sources and cross-referenced them with the memorized recitations of the companions to ensure accuracy.

The compiled Quran remained in this form through the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab. However, as Islam expanded, discrepancies in the recitation of the Quran emerged across the growing Islamic empire. To address this, the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, commissioned Zayd ibn Thabit and a committee of companions to produce a standardized version of the Quran. This version was then meticulously copied and distributed to key Islamic centers. Uthman’s initiative ensured the uniformity of the Quranic text and prevented variations that could arise from regional dialects and pronunciations.

Today, the Quran remains unchanged, reflecting the same divine message revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over 1400 years ago. The diligent efforts of Zayd ibn Thabit and the foresight of early Islamic leaders like Abu Bakr and Uthman ibn Affan have safeguarded the Quran for future generations, ensuring its consistency and authenticity.

By understanding the origins and preservation of the Quran, we gain a deeper appreciation for its significance in Islam. Join Al-Walid Academy to embark on your journey of Quranic knowledge, where you can learn Quran memorization, reading basics, and the Arabic language, connecting deeply with this divine text.

[phasesofperception]

We refine ourselves through trials and adversity, It's emotional really but it was a beautiful Qadr, Abu hudhaifa & Salim mawla Abu hudhaifa, ( Rahimahullah) they both died on the battle of Yamama. Many hafidhul Quran passed away on the battle of Yamama and so it was the source of Enlightenment for the companions to Compile the Quran into one Mushaf. Abu hudhaifa endured a lot of criticism from his father utbah, to the Quraysh for freeing Salim and adopting him to be his son before the Quran cancelled out adoption, he literally went infront of the Nas of Quraysh and said, "I inherit him and he inherits me". None of them got a chance to inherit the other but they Transcended into the next realm together as Shahid to the highest abode of Jannah.

Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it. Quran (2:154)

Zaid ibn al Khattab (RA) was also among those martyed in Battle of Yamama, how courageous Zaid was, standing up against his brother Amirul mumineen Umar (RA) during his Jahiliya period, giving him nasiya about Islam. One of my favourite sayings of Umar (RA) was when he found out his brother {passed away} no that isn't the right word to me, (passed away) i prefer ( went ahead) he Umar said " My brother beat me towards two things now, first in joining Islam and second dying as a martyr" Umar truly was a wise man. Barikh Allahufik wa Fi Amanillah to all the Shahid & saliheen. Rabanna thaqil lana hassan mizan (may Allah make heavy our good deeds on the scale)

#Islam #freepalestine

So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it”

[az-Zalzalah 99:7-8].

[eli-kittim]

The Quran: Revelation or Forgery?

By Goodreads Author Eli Kittim

——-

Did Muhammad Exist?

Before we embark on a brief criticism of the Quran, it’s important to note that there is “very little biographical information” (Wiki) concerning the historicity of its founder, Muhammad:

Attempts to distinguish between the

historical elements and the unhistorical

elements of many of the reports of

Muhammad have not been very successful

(Wiki).

(see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Muhammad#Views_of_secular_historians).

Of course, this opens up the possibility of whether or not the unknown author of the Quran invented the Muhammad tradition to bolster his credibility. In order to determine the answer to this question, it is crucial to consider the evidence of *intertextuality* in the Quran, that is to say, the literary dependence of the Quran on earlier texts and sources.

——-

How historically reliable is the Quran?

Firstly, with regard to source criticism——that is, the sources that the Quran’s message is derived from——there are some very serious issues involved. For example, there are well-known parallelisms between the Quran and the extra-biblical, non-inspired book of Talmud (e.g. Surah 5:32; cf. Sanhedrin 37a) as well as borrowing from Christian apocryphal works that were written hundreds of years after the purported events and which claim to be legitimate Christian gospels but are not. Case in point, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas:

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is thought to

be Gnostic in origin. . . . Early Christians

regarded the Infancy Gospel of Thomas as

inauthentic and heretical. Hippolytus

identified it as a fake and a heresy in his

Refutation of All Heresies, and his

contemporary Origen referred to it in a

similar way in a homily written in the early

third century. Eusebius rejected it as a

heretical ‘fiction’ in the third book of his

fourth-century Church History, and Pope

Gelasius I included it in his list of heretical

books in the fifth century. While non-

canonical in Christianity, the Infancy Gospel

of Thomas contains many miracles and

stories of Jesus referenced in the Qur'an,

such as Jesus giving life to clay birds (Wiki).

So, the Quran clearly employs Jewish and Christian apocryphal works that were never accepted as canonical or as “inspired” either by Jews or Christians. Thus, at least some of the sources of the Quran are highly dubious.

Secondly, in 632 CE, following Muhammad’s death, the Battle of Yamama ensued where a great number of those who had supposedly retained the Quran in their memory (hafiz) actually died. How then can Muslims claim the preservation of the Quran through memory and oral transmission?

Thirdly, the New Testament is the best attested book from the ancient world as well as the most scrutinized book in history, and one which has a critical edition. By contrast, the Quran has not been critically scrutinized rigorously in the same manner, nor does it have a critical edition, nor is the manuscript evidence made available to scholars for serious study. There’s a secrecy surrounding it that seems to prevent scholarly investigations. For example, because it lacks a critical edition, there are no footnotes in the Quran to notify the reader about manuscript evidence or textual discrepancies or omissions, such that “(some verses eaten by a goat; Ibn Majah, Book of Nikah, p.39) or that (Umar records the missing verses; Bukhari 8.82.816 & 817).

Fourthly, Orientalists have often questioned the historical authenticity of the Quran by charging Uthman ibn Affan (the 3rd Caliph of Islam) of consigning variant copies of the Quran to the flames during his reign.

Fifthly, the controlled transmission of the Quran makes it impossible to know what was the original. Hence its textual integrity is seriously compromised. By contrast, in the case of the New Testament, for example, since no one person controlled all the manuscripts, it would be impossible to uniformly corrupt all the documents. In the case of the Quran, however, the text was in fact controlled by one person, the khalifa, as attested by Uthman's authority to recall and uniformly revise all the manuscripts. Therefore, it would have been extremely easy for the Quran to have been uniformly corrupted in a textually undetectable manner. For example, the “Sanaa manuscript,” which contains earlier developments of the Quran, demonstrates textual variances that diverge from the Uthman copy.

In conclusion, the Quran doesn’t allow us to come any closer to the original text than the Uthmanic Revised Standard Version 20 years removed from Muhammad. Any errors which found their way into the URSV would be permanent and uncorrectable. And, unfortunately, historical accounts from early Islam tell us that such errors existed!

——-

The Quran is Based on Dubious Sources

Besides the numerous and traceable Judeo-Christian apocryphal works that the author used within the Quran itself, he also got a lot of his ideas from a group that was an offshoot of the Ebionites called the “Sabians,” variously known as Mandaeans or Elcesaites. The Sabians followed Hermeticism and adored John the Baptizer:

Occasionally,

Mandaeans are called

‘Christians of Saint

John’ . . . the ‘Sabians’

are described several

times in the Quran as

People of the Book,

alongside Jews and

Christians (Wiki).

According to Origen and Eusebius, the Sabians used an extra-biblical book that they claimed was given by an Angel (maybe another idea adopted by Muhammad?) to deny portions of Scripture as well as the writings of Paul! So, this idea of challenging Christianity and claiming to have received a new revelation from an angel is quite common in ancient times. It is not unique to Islam. Others had made similar claims. Thus, without completely rejecting the possibility of *revelation* in at least some portions of the Quran, the majority of its theological narratives are largely based on dubious and questionable sources, derived from spurious texts that were under the radar of heresiologists across the ancient world!

——-

Two Apocryphal Works Employed by the Quran to Deny the Crucifixion of Jesus

//Second Treatise of the Great Seth is an apocryphal Gnostic writing discovered in the Codex VII of the Nag Hammadi codices and dates to around the third century. The author is unknown, and the Seth referenced in the title appears nowhere in the text. Instead Seth is thought to reference the third son of Adam and Eve to whom gnosis was first revealed, according to some gnostics. The author appears to belong to a group of gnostics who maintain that Jesus Christ was not crucified on the cross. Instead the text says that Simon of Cyrene was mistaken for Jesus and crucified in his place. Jesus is described as standing by and "laughing at their ignorance”// (Wiki).

//The Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter is a text found amongst the Nag Hammadi library, and part of the New Testament apocrypha. Like the vast majority of texts in the Nag Hammadi collection, it is heavily gnostic. It was probably written around 100-200 AD. Since the only known copy is written in Coptic, it is also known as the Coptic Apocalypse of Peter.

The text takes gnostic interpretations of the crucifixion to the extreme, picturing Jesus as laughing and warning against people who cleave to the name of a dead man, thinking they shall become pure. Like some of the rarer Gnostic writings, this one also doubts the established Crucifixion story which places Jesus on the cross. Instead, according to this text, there was a substitute:

He whom you saw on the

tree, glad and laughing,

this is the living Jesus.

But this one into whose

hands and feet they

drive the nails is his

fleshly part, which is the

substitute being put to

shame, the one who

came into being in his

likeness. But look at him

and me// (Wiki).

This is attested in the Quran:

That they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ

Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of

Allah’—but they killed him not, nor crucified

him, but so it was made to appear to them,

and those who differ therein are full of

doubts, with no [certain] knowledge, but

only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they

killed him not—nay, Allah raised him up unto

Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power,

Wise (Sura 4:157-158, Yusuf Ali).

——-

A Possible Forgery: Is Muhammad Copying Augustine?

Muhammad (570 – 632 CE) seems to have modelled his conversion on Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 CE), who was without a doubt the greatest theologian and philosopher of his day! Case in point, in 386 CE, Augustine converted to Christianity from the pagan Machanean religion. Similarly, in 610 CE, Muhammad converted to Islam from the “Jahiliyya" religion, which worshipped Allah as the creator god as well as the Kaaba in Mecca. About 224 years earlier St. Augustine had heard a voice that told him to “take up and read,” a line which became very famous and reverberated through the centuries:

As Augustine later told it, his conversion

was prompted by hearing a child's voice

say ‘take up and read’ (Latin: tolle, lege).

Resorting to the Sortes Sanctorum, he

opened a book of St. Paul's writings (codex

apostoli, 8.12.29) at random and read

Romans 13: 13–14: Not in rioting and

drunkenness, not in chambering and

wantonness, not in strife and envying, but

put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no

provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts

thereof (Wiki).

By comparison, Muhammad appears to have used a similar line to claim that he, too, heard an Angel’s voice repeatedly say to him: “Read.” Given that Muhammad was presumably familiar with Judaism and Christianity (and especially with the foremost leading authority of his day, the African Augustine of Hippo), it seems very likely that he modelled his conversion on the latter. And, if true, that would certainly constitute a forgery!

——-

Are Allah’s Oaths Self-contradictory in the Quran?

The aforementioned textual criticisms are further compounded when we realize that the Quran contains further theological discrepancies. For example, there are numerous verses in the Quran where Allah is swearing by created things that are less-than-God, thus committing “shirk” (i.e. the sin of ascribing divine status to any other beings beside Allah). Here’s a case in point. In sura 81:15, Allah says: “But nay! I swear by the stars.” Another example is sura 91 verse 1: “I swear by the sun and its brilliance.” When God supposedly swears by something which is less than himself the truth value of his assertion is obviously weakened. By definition, an oath is meant to buttress an argument, not to decrease the weight thereof. Therefore, the truth value of an oath is equivalent to, and connected with, the truth value of the one who declares it. As such, Allah’s oaths (swearing by created things) directly contradict his so-called divine status. By contrast, the God of the Bible swears by Himself, since there is nothing greater to swear under (cf. Gen. 22.16; Isa. 45.23; Heb. 6.13). By definition, an oath is a solemn attestation of the truth of one's words. In this case, how can Allah’s oaths be trustworthy if they appeal to something that is less than himself? Answer: they cannot! It appears, then, that the aforementioned oaths in the Quran are reflecting a human rather than a divine author.

——-

Is Muhammad the Prophesied False Prophet of Revelation?

During the Early Middle

Ages, Christendom

largely viewed Islam as a

Christological heresy

and Muhammad as a

false prophet (Wiki).

In short, following the Arab conquest of the Middle East and due to the *military expansion* of Islam into Europe and Central Asia since the 700’s (toppling one country after another), Muhammad was increasingly seen as a possible candidate for the office of the *false-prophet-of-Revelation* (cf. Rev. 16.13; 19.20; 20.10): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_Christian_views_on_Muhammad

——-

Conclusion

Muslims claim that the Quran is neither corrupted nor influenced by Judeo-Christian sources, and yet upon further scrutiny the book clearly incorporates passages from both the Jewish Talmud and from various Christian apocryphal works. Plagiarism abounds, and so does forgery. Therefore, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to maintain that it’s a “revelation” when at least some of the sources of the Quran are highly dubious!

Moreover, Islam has nothing new to offer by way of revelation. Its doctrine could simply be classified as a modified theological redundancy of the Judeo-Christian tradition and the Biblical heritage that preceded it. The main difference between Islam and Christianity is this. Unlike the Quran’s singular witness and source——given that it was only revealed to *one* man (Muhammad)——the revelations of the New Testament were imparted to many different people, thereby authenticating its message by multiple attestations and witnesses!

——-

[greatestwarriors]

Khalid Ibn Waleed (R)

Khalid Ibn Waleed Al Makhzumi. Khalid was one of the sahabah of rasulullah (saw) and was born into the Bani Makhzum clan of the Quraish. His clan were responsible for all matters of war of the Quraish so it was no wonder that he was one of the finest generals in jahiliyyah and in Islam. He grew up learning the arts of war and was a strong and powerful general in the Quraish. He defeated the Muslims at the battle of Uhud back before he turned Muslims. After becoming Muslims, Khalid became one of the most prominent and closest sahabah to the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) gave him the title "sayfullah" or the "Sword of Allah" after Khalid was victorious as general at the Battle of Mutah where he won with 3000 against 100,000. Khalid was well known for defeating numerically superior armies of the Persians and Byzantines. Khalid fought in over 100 battles, 50 of which were major.

  He was victorious or undefeated in every single battle he fought. He fought in three major wars. The Rida wars, the conquest of persia and the fight against the Byzantines. Khalid was well known to both his companions and his enemies. He was not a general who liked to sit back and let his men do all the work, rather he used to be commanding his troops while even being at the forefront of the battle. Khalid first participated significantly as a Muslim in the Rida wars against the apostating tribes of arabia. Khalid defeated Khalid brought an end to Musailima Al Khadhab's attempts to uproot the Muslim's at the Battle of Yamama were he attacked and obliterated their numerically superior army. He was sent to fight against the Persians first under the rule of Abu Bakr. He had conquered most of Iraq and parts of Iran while he was there in less than a year. Then Abu Bakr called him back to take command in the Byzantine front.

 There Khalid was famed for his great victories against the romans. Khalid conquered much of the Byzantine controlled lands. When Abu Bakr passed away in Madinah, Umar Ibn Al Khattab became the khalifah. He ordered that Khalid step down as commander as the Muslims no longer placed their reliance in Allah, but rather believed victory was inevitable if Khalid was amongst them and also because there was some friction between the two. Khalid however knew of this through a dream. Khalid continued in Jihad against the Byzantines and he was at the frontlines always seeking martyrdom. Khalid did not achieve martyrdom on the battle field but rather he died in 642 at the age of 58 from illness. There was not a handspan of space on his body that was not covered by some scar or wound from battle. Khalid's is famous for saying on his death bed "I die even as a camel dies. I die in bed, in shame. The eyes of cowards do not close even in sleep."

Khalid's military career for the Khalifah was short but was devestating to the enemies of Islam and Khalid in a few years, brought two of the greatest empires on earth to their knees. Khalid is noted for his military ingenious and skill. Not only was he a great general but also a champion soldier and a master of tactics and strategem. He was one of two people in recorded history to successfully perform the double envelopment maneuver against a numerically superior army (Battle of Walaja), the other being Hannibal. Some of Khalid's famous battles are as follows: Battle of Yamamah against the apostates under Musailamah al khadhab. Won with a force of 10,000+ against 40,000. Battle of Mutah against the Byzantines and the Ghassan. He won or drew with them with a force of 3000 verses 100,000. Battle of Walaja against the Persians. He defeated them with an army of 15,000 against 30,000. Battle of Ullais against the Persians. He defeated them with a force of 15,000 against 70,000. Battle of Ajnadayn agains the Byzantines. Defeating the romans with a force of 30,000 against 90-100,000. Battle of Yarmouk against the Byzantines. Romans were defeated by a force of 40,000 against 150-200,000.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

https://quranx.com/hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-6/Book-61/Hadith-509/

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people of Yamama had been killed (i.e., a number of the Prophet's Companions who fought against Musailima). (I went to him) and found `Umar bin Al- Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said (to me), "`Umar has come to me and said: "Casualties were heavy among the Qurra' of the Qur'an (i.e. those who knew the Qur'an by heart) on the day of the Battle of Yamama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra' on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur'an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you (Abu Bakr) order that the Qur'an be collected." I said to `Umar, "How can you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?" `Umar said, "By Allah, that is a good project." `Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which `Umar had realized." Then Abu Bakr said (to me). 'You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). So you should search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Qur'an and collect it in one book." By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur'an.

https://quranx.com/hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-6/Book-61/Hadith-510/

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to `Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were Waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur'an, so he said to `Uthman, "O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur'an) as Jews and the Christians did before." So `Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, "Send us the manuscripts of the Qur'an so that we may compile the Qur'anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you." Hafsa sent it to `Uthman. `Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, `Abdullah bin AzZubair, Sa`id bin Al-As and `AbdurRahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. `Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, "In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur'an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur'an was revealed in their tongue." They did so, and when they had written many copies, `Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. `Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur'anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt.

Let’s see...

Existed before time, yet somehow has both Muhammad’s domestic affairs and records that the Jews “corrupted” it.

Transmitted to Jibril (Gabriel)

“Revealed” to Muhammad

Umar bragged about creating revelations (hijab, Kaaba, etc)

Aisha noticed all this

Portions scribed by Sarh were altered

Conveys incorrect information (e.g. Jews worshiping Ezra, presents Rabbinical writings as divine word, confuses Mary and Miriam, and includes fictional characters as if they were real)

Was mostly transmitted orally and from memory

Wasn’t compiled until well after his death

Uthman rewrote it

Al-Hajjaj modified it

Subject to linguistic and dialect changes

Has known changes from earliest transcripts (e.g. Jahannam is not mentioned)

And it still isn’t even consistent

https://quranx.com/15.9

We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).

Islam is false because Allah couldn’t do what he said. And we have no reason to think he said it at all.

[risalei-nur]

TAFSIR: Risale-i Nur: The Letters: The Nineteenth Letter - Part 47

Second Branch

This concerns corpses, jinns, and angels recognizing God’s Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). There were very many instances of this. We shall describe a few examples which are famous and have been related by reliable scholars, firstly about corpses. As for jinns and angels, the many reports concerning them are unanimous, and examples of them number not one but a thousand. And so, examples of the dead speaking:

The First is this: Hasan al-Basri, an important and loyal student of Imam ‘Ali and the greatest authority among the scholars of the external and esoteric sciences in the time of the generation subsequent to the Companions, related: “A man came weeping to God’s Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He said: ‘I had a little girl; she drowned in such-and-such stream nearby. I left her there.’ He pitied the man and said they would go there together. 

They went, and the Messenger (UWBP) called to the dead girl, saying her name. At once the dead girl replied: ‘I am present and answer your call gladly.’ He asked her: ‘Do you want to return to your father and mother?’ She replied: ‘No, I have found something better here!’”

The Second: Important authorities like Imam Bayhaqi and Imam b. ‘Adiyy relate from Anas b. Malik: Anas said: “An elderly woman had a single son who suddenly died. The righteous woman was very grieved and prayed: ‘O God, I left my home and migrated here only to obtain Your pleasure and to pay allegiance to God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP) and to serve him. For the sake of Your Messenger, return my son to me, who was the only person to look after me.’” Anas said: “The dead man rose up and came and ate with us.”

In the following lines from the celebrated poem Qasidat al-Burda, Imam Busiri refers to this extraordinary event: “Were his wonders to correspond to his virtue in greatness / Mere mention of his name would have animated decayed bones.”

The Third: Scholars like Imam Bayhaqi relate from ‘Abdullah b. ‘Ubaydullah al-Ansari: ‘Abdullah said: “I was present when Thabit b. Qays b. Shammas fell as a martyr in the Battle of Yamama and was buried. As he was being put in his grave, a voice suddenly came from him, saying: ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Abu Bakr is the Veracious [Siddiq], ‘Umar, the martyr, and ‘Uthman, pious and merciful.’ We uuncovered him and looked: he was dead and lifeless, yet he was foretelling ‘Umar’s martyrdom even before he had succeeded to the Caliphate.

The Fourth: Imam Tabarani, and Abu Nu‘aym in his Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, relate from Nu‘man b. Bashir: “Zayd b. Kharija suddenly dropped down dead in the marketplace. We took his body to his house. That evening between sunset and the night prayer, while the women were weeping all around him, he exclaimed: ‘Silence! Silence!’ Then, saying: ‘Muhammad is God’s Messenger! Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!’, he spoke most eloquently for a while. We looked: he was dead, without life.”

Thus, if lifeless corpses affirm his prophethood and the living do not, for sure they are more dead than the dead and more lifeless than corpses!

As regards angels appearing and serving God’s Messenger (UWBP), and jinns believing in him and obeying him, these facts have been reported numerously and unanimously. They have been stated explicitly in many verses of the Qur’an.  At the Battle of Badr, according to the Qur’an, five thousand angels served him as soldiers in the front line, like the Companions. Indeed, those angels acquired distinction among the angels, like the men who fought in the battle. There are two aspects to be considered in this matter: 

The First is the fact that the existence of the different sorts of jinn and angels is as definite as that of the varieties and species of animals and human beings, and that they have relations with us. We have proved this decisively in the Twenty-Ninth Word as certainly as two plus two equals four, and we refer their proof to that Word.

[antoine-roquentin]

The Trump administration is preparing to initiate negotiations with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in an effort to bring the four-year civil war in Yemen to an end, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The effort is reportedly aimed at convincing Saudi Arabia to take part in secret talks with the rebels in Oman to help broker a cease-fire in the conflict, which has emerged as a front line in the regional proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran.

the saudi- and uae-backed coalition is seriously fraying, with the hadi-government’s forces, the southern separatists, and al qaeda all attacking each other.

After Aden: Navigating Yemen’s New Political Landscape 

The latest political rupture came in August 2019, when the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC), a self-styled government-in-waiting led by Aydrous al-Zubaidi, seized the southern port city of Aden, the country’s interim capital, from the internationally recognised government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. As of this writing, the situation is in flux: the government is mounting an offensive in hopes of retaking Aden; both sides are preparing for renewed battle; and their respective external allies appear to be stepping in....

There is considerable debate over how the STC’s takeover of Aden came about, in particular whether it was premeditated or spontaneous. What can be said with certainty is that the sequence of events started with the death of a senior southern security official aligned with the STC, Munir “Abu al-Yamama” al-Mashali (also known as al-Yafei). Mashali died in a Huthi-claimed missile strike on 1 August. Nine days later, STC-affiliated forces trained and equipped by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were in complete control of Aden’s military bases and government institutions. In the interim, they exchanged fire and recriminations with Saudi-funded units, their ostensible allies under Hadi government command. Government officials say they hold the UAE, which has cooperated closely with the separatists since 2015, responsible for the STC’s actions. Since then, the two have become to blows with the UAE launching airstrikes against government-aligned fighters, which they say were terrorist militias seeking to attack the Arab coalition, as they moved to Aden in an attempt to re-take the city.

If left unaddressed, fighting in the south could spark a civil war within a civil war. It could thus prolong the overall conflict, worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, and drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

[wisdomrays]

THE MIRACLES OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (pbuh) : Sixth sign.Part3

a comb, bewitched it, and threw it into a well. The Noble Messenger told his Companions including ‘Ali to go and bring the spell in the well, which they did, finding it exactly as described. As they unwrapped the hair, the Messenger’s discomfort lessened.

Again, according to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger once gave the news of the awesome fate of an apostate to a group that included such important persons as Abu Hurayra and Hudhayfa, saying: “One of you will enter the Fire with a tooth bigger than Mount Uhud.” Abu Hurayra related: “I was afraid, as later only two remained from that group, one of which was me. Finally, the other man was killed in the Battle of Yamama as one of the followers of Musaylima.” The truth of the Prophet’s (PBUH) prediction was thus confirmed.

It is related through an authentic chain of reports that ‘Umayr and Safwan, before they became Muslims, once decided to kill the Prophet for a handsome reward that had been offered them. When ‘Umayr arrived in Madinah with this intention, the Noble Messenger summoned him, and, putting his hand on ‘Umayr’s chest, told him about what he had planned with Safwan. ‘Umayr answered, “Yes,” and became a Muslim.

Like those mentioned above, many predictions which the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) gave concerning the Unseen have been recorded in the six best-known, authentic books of Hadith, together with the chains of the narrators. As for the occurrences related in this work, they are definite to the degree of ‘consensus in meaning,’ being related in Bukhari and Muslim-which are accepted by the scholars as the most authentic sources after the Qur’an, and in the other collections like Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Abu Da’ud, Mustadrak al-Hakim, Musnad al-Ahmad b. Hanbal, and Dala’il al-Bayhaqi.Now, unthinking denier! Do not shrug these off, saying, “Muhammad the Arabian was clever!” Because the accurate predictions of Muhammad (PBUH) concerning the Unseen cannot be explained except in either of the following two ways: you will either suppose that this blessed person had such piercing vision and expansive genius that he saw and knew the past and the future and all the world; beheld the East, the West, and the whole universe; and discovered what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Such a quality is not to be found in a human being, but if it was to be, it would certainly be a wonder, a gift, bestowed on him by the Creator of the world, which would itself be the greatest of miracles. Or you will believe this blessed person to be an official and a student of One under Whose disposal and observation everything stands, under Whose command are all ages and all the species and realms of beings in the cosmos, in Whose great ledger is recorded everything, so that He may show and communicate them to his student whenever He wishes. Thus, Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) instructs others as he himself is instructed by the Lord of Pre-Eternity.It is related in an authentic narration that when the Prophet appointed Khalid b. al-Walid to fight against Ukaydir, the head of the Dumat al-Jandal, he informed Khalid that he would find Ukaydir on a wild ox hunt, and that he would be captured without resistance. Khalid captured Ukaydir in exactly this way.

According to an authentic narration, when the Quraysh hung up on the wall of the Ka‘ba a leaf on which were written words against the Bani Hashim, the Prophet said to them: “Worms have eaten the leaf, except the parts bearing the Names of God.”

They examined the leaf to find it in the same condition as had been described.

According to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blesssings and peace) said: “There will be a big epidemic during the conquest of Jerusalem.”When Jerusalem was conquered during the Caliphate of ‘Umar, a widespread epidemic caused in three days the death of about seventy thousand people.

Again, according to an authentic narration, the Prophet (PBUH) predicted that Basra and Baghdad would come into existence, which at that time had not been founded, that the treasure of the world would enter Baghdad, and that the Turks and the people living on the shores of the Caspian Sea would do battle with the Arabs and that the majority of them would later enter the fold of Islam, and that among the Arabs they would come to dominate them. He said: “The Persians [non-Arabs] will almost predominate among you, consuming your booty and smiting you.”

He also said: “The ruin of my community will be at the hands of the wicked ones from Quraysh,” suggesting the disorder caused by the wicked leaders of the Umayyads, such as Walid and Yazid.

He furthermore predicted that apostasy would take place in such areas as Yamama.

During the famous Battle of Khandaq, he declared: “From now on, I will make assaults on the Quraysh and their confederates, not they on me.” This was also verified.

According to an authentic narration, he said a few months prior to his death: “One of God’s bondsmen has been given a choice, and he chose that which is with God.”

About Zayd b. Suwahan, he said: “One of his limbs will precede him to Paradise.” In the Battle of Nihawand, one of his hands was martyred and in effect reached heaven first.

The incidents we have so far mentioned concerning predictions relating to the Unseen comprise only one out of his ten different kinds of miracle. Yet of this kind alone, we have not even mentioned one tenth. In addition to what is mentioned here, four general kinds of miracle concerning predictions of the Unseen have been described briefly in the Twenty-Fifth Word, which is about the miraculousness of the Qur’an. Now consider the kinds mentioned here together with the four extensive sorts communicated from the Unseen by the tongue of the Qur’an, you will see what conclusive, indisputable, sound, brilliant, and firm proof of his messengership they form. Indeed, anyone whose heart and mind are not corrupted will of a surety believe that Muhammad is the Messenger of, and receives knowledge from, a Glorious One Who is the Creator of all things, the One All-Knowing of the Unseen.

[basicsofislam]

THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH) : Zayd bin Khattab (r.a.)

"My brother Zayd became superior to me in two aspects. He became a Muslim before me and he was martyred before me." Hz. Umar expressed the best witnessing for Zayd bin Khattab like that. Zayd bin Khattab was half brother of Hz. Umar.

Zayd bin Khattab was among the lucky people that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) loved very much. Zayd bin Khattab, who had the honor of being a student at Suffa school, was one of the first muhajirs. When the Messenger of Allah established brotherhood between Muhajirs and Ansar, he made Zayd bin Khattab brothers with Main bin Adiyy.

Hz. Zayd listened to the Prophet's lesson of "sacrifice and putting one's life at risk for a cause" very carefully. This lesson of heroism necessitated sacrificing one's property and life for the cause of Islam if necessary. Hz. Zayd was conscious of it.

Zayd (r.a.) took part in all of the wars that the Prophet (pbuh) joined like Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and Hudaybiya. He showed great heroism in the Battle of Uhud. His brother Hz. Umar also took part in this battle. During the battle, Hz. Umar wanted to give his armor to Zayd but he rejected his brother's offer by saying, "I want the rank of martyrdom as much as you do." Thus, both brothers fought without armors. Both wanted to be martyred.

After the death of the (pbuh), in the 12th year of the Migration, his heroism he showed in the Battle of Yamama against the impostor Musaylima was an example set for mujahids.

Hz. Zayd was the standard-bearer of the Islamic army in this battle. He attacked the ranks of the enemy army with the standard in one hand and his sword in the other. At one moment, he saw that the Muslims were weak. He took refuge in Allah to be like them and prayed Allah for victory. He said, "O Allah! I take refuge in you from the defeat of Muslims."

After that, Hz. Zayd attacked the ranks of the enemy again; he killed many enemy soldiers including the famous apostate, Nahar. Meanwhile, he was hit hard by Abu Maryam. He was martyred. While the standard he was holding was about to fall, Hz. Salim, another great Companion, ran and grabbed it.

Hz. Umar envied his brother. However, his separation distressed him a lot. He said, "Whenever the morning wind blows, I feel the smell of Zayd."

It is interesting that Abu Maryam, who martyred Hz. Zayd, became a Muslim during the caliphate of Hz. Umar. Then, he went into the presence of Hz. Umar. He was the fiercest enemy of Hz. Umar since he killed Zayd but he became his closest friend after becoming a Muslim.

Once, Hz. Umar asked him, "Did you kill Zayd?"Abu Maryam said, "Yes, I did." Then, he added,

"Allah gave him the rank of martyrdom through me but He did not throw me into Hell through him."

Hz. Umar asked, "How many of your soldiers died during the Battle of Yamama?" Abu Maryam said, "They are terrible dead people. Praise be to Allah, who left me alive and made me a Muslim."

It is reported that Hz. Umar appointed him as the qadi (judge) of Basra.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Battle of Khandaq and Afterwards

The Expedition of Qurata

(6th year of the Migration, the month of Muharram)

In the month of Muharram, the Prophet sent a group of cavalrymen consisting of thirty people under the command of a Companion called Muhammad b. Maslama against Sons of Bakr b. Kilab in the land of Najd.

When the mujahids arrived at the place called Sharabba belonging to that tribe, they confronted a group from Sons of Muharib. A clash took place between them. Some of the people of Sons of Muharib were killed and the others ran away. The mujahids did not do anything to their children and women that were left behind.

Then, the mujahids proceeded to the place where the people of Sons of Bakr were. The mujahids suddenly attacked them and killed ten of them. They took some of their sheep and camels as booty. The booty that was taken from Sons of Muharib and Sons of Bakr amounted to one hundred and fifty camels and three thousand sheep.

The commander of the group, Muhammad b. Maslama allocated one fifth of the booty to the Prophet and divided the rest among the mujahids.

On the way to Madinah, the mujahids captured Sumama b. Usal from the tribe of Sons of Hanifa. Sumama was going to Makkah for umrah.

The group of Muslim cavalrymen returned to Madinah on the last night of the night of Muharram.

Sumama b. Usal Becomes a Muslim

Sumama b. Usal, who was taken captive by the mujahids was one of the notables of the people of Yamama. Once, he had attempted to kill the Prophet but his uncle had prevented him from committing that murder. The Messenger of God had regarded it permissible to shed the blood of Sumama.

The mujahids who brought Sumama to the presence of the Prophet did not know Sumama. The Messenger of God said to them, “Do you know who you caught? He is Sumama b. Usal, the leader of the tribe of Sons of Hanifa. Treat him well.”

The Companions accommodated him in the mosque.

The Messenger of God went to the mosque to see Sumama. He said,

“O Sumama! What do you have in your heart? What are you thinking of?”

Sumama said in embarrassment, “O Muhammad! You have goodness in your heart. If you kill me, you will kill a murderer whose hands are bloody. If you do me a favor and forgive me, you will do a favor to a person who feels grateful and who appreciates favors. If you want any property from me to let me free, take whatever you want.”

The Prophet left without saying anything.

The Prophet visited Sumama the next two days and asked him the same question. When Sumama gave the same answer, he said to his Companions, “Release Sumama”, letting him free without receiving any ransom.  

Upon this generous act, Sumama felt enlightened. He uttered kalima ash-shahada and became a Muslim there.

What Happened to Sumama in Makkah

Sumama, who became a Muslim, went to Makkah for umrah with the permission of the Prophet. When he entered the city by uttering “Talbiya”, the  Qurayshi polytheists understood that he had become a Muslim. They wanted to capture and kill him. One of them said, “Leave him! You always need Yamama for food!” Thereupon, they left him.  

Despite this, Sumama challenged them.

He said, “By God, if the Messenger of God, Muhammad, does not let, even one grain of wheat will not come from Yamama for you.”

As a matter of fact, when Sumama returned to Yamama after performing umrah, he prohibited the people of Yamama from sending anything to the Qurayshis.

The Compassion of the Prophet

When the people of Yamama did not send any food to Makkah upon the order of Sumama, the Qurayshi polytheists were stuck in a difficult situation. They started to eat different things due to the scarcity of food.

In the end, they had to write a letter to the Prophet: “You order people to show respect to the rights of relatives but you kill fathers and make children starve to death. Sumama has stopped sending us food. We are stuck in a difficult situation. Please send Sumama a letter regarding the issue.”

Thereupon, the Prophet ignored all of their enmity and bad deeds and sent Sumama b. Usal a letter asking him not to prevent the people of Yamama from selling food to Makkans.

Upon the order of the Messenger of God, Sumama allowed the people of Yamama to sell grains to Makkans.

As it can be seen, the Prophet treated his fiercest enemies very compassionately and mercifully in terms of food and drinks because of the importance he gives to human life. His heart, which was an ocean of compassion and mercy, could not give consent to the destruction of the Qurayshi polytheists, his fiercest enemies, due to hunger and thirst. It was only one of his best acts that suggested showing respect to life. When we look at his holy life from this point of view, it is definite that we will see many similar incidents.

[urfavmurtad]

What is your opinion on Khawla bint al-Azwar and Nusaybah Bint Kaab?

You mean if they were real or not? (Or if the stories about them are real or not, rather.) Nusaybah has more points in her favor than Khawlah does. Khawlah seems mythical whereas Nusaybah was at least a real person.

For those who don’t know, these are two ladies who were supposed to have taken part in some battles. Khawlah appears during the Islamic conquests and has a kind of Mulan-esque story, where she disguised herself and fought after her brother was captured by the Byzantine army. Nusaybah on the other hand appears earlier on in Islamic history, supposedly taking part in at least one of the battles against the Quraysh (and is sometimes said to have also participated in the Ridda Wars) with the knowledge of men around her.

As far as I know, Khawlah only begins appearing in medieval times (~1000s AD). Her first appearance is in a book attributed to the historian al-Waqidi called the Conquests of the Syria Region (Futuh Sham). This has long been recognized as a false attribution; the author is sometimes referred to as “Pseudo-Waqidi” in Western writings. The book has a bunch of colorful anecdotes and is generally meant to be entertaining rather than an actual historical source. So based on her total absence from any earlier or more reliable texts, I would classify Khawlah as a folk heroine.

Nusaybah is more interesting because there might be an actual basis to her story. She is listed as one of the early Ansar (Muslims from Medina) converted by a missionary Mohammed sent to the city. Apparently she was one of only two women present at the whole pledging incident that got Mo kicked out of Mecca. A bunch of sources say that she was at the Battle of Uhud, and sometimes she’s mentioned in other battles as well. Nusaybah is mentioned in some legitimate sources like Ibn Saad’s Tabaqat and Ibn Hisham’s sira, and her son and grandson transmitted some ahadith from her so at least she was a real person. The question is how much of this whole combat thing is based in historical accounts.

It was fairly common for pre-Islamic/early Islamic Arab women to be at battles, we at least know that much for a fact. They weren’t fighting, usually–they provided supportive roles like medical care, giving men water and supplies, or singing songs and reciting poetry to pump up their side and demoralize the other side. There are a small handful of semi-reliable stories placing women in combat, both on the Muslim side and on the enemy’s side, but it seems as though it was very rare.

So it’s possible that Nusaybah was at least present as a helper or whatever during some battles (if you’re picturing like… hellish, world-ending battles, it wasn’t like that, most of these were fairly low-casualty conflicts with less than 100 dead in total). And the story of her at the Battle of Uhud basically says that she didn’t set out to battle, she only ended up fighting when the Muslim army started to flee, leaving Mohammed behind with only a small group.

There are at least five versions of this story just in those two sources I mentioned. The one that both versions share was transmitted via Abu Zayd al-Ansari. I have no idea how reliable the story is, but it’s at least in legitimate ~800s AD sources. There are later and less reliable versions of the story that elaborate on it, but this is what it says:

I went out at the beginning of the day to see what the men were doing, carrying [water], and I came up to [Mohammed] who was with his companions while the battle was in their favour. When the [Muslims] were defeated, I [went to Mohammed] and stood up joining in the fight and protecting him with my sword and shooting with my bow until I suffered many wounds.

It goes on to say that she tried to stab a guy but couldn’t get past the armor he was wearing.

Now I will add that this story is absent from earlier (and other ~800s era) sources, and it wasn’t part of Ibn Ishaq’s original sira. The Battle of Uhud is portrayed as, like “the Muslims lost but the Quraysh just went home and said they’d meet again at Badr” in early sources and then it gets very dramatic as time goes on. Also, the pledging incident I mentioned involved the Ansar pledging to support Mohammed in battle (which is why the Meccans were pissed off about it), so this story may well have been created to show that even the women who pledged to him did in fact stand beside him in battle. But hey, I’ll grant it the “plausible” label, and we can at least say Nusaybah has a much stronger basis in history than Khawlah does.

Nusaybah is often said to have also been in the Battle of Yamama, which was part of a frustratingly vaguely-documented era called the Ridda Wars during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. After Mo died, various people tried to get in on his whole prophet-warlord technique, and one such guy was Maslama from the Najd region. Abu Bakr ordered his forces to put down Maslama’s rebellion, and so they battled at a place called Yamama. The Muslims won but endured a lot of casualties.

What she actually did at Yamama tends to vary from source to source, and in general this story is shakier than the one at Uhud. Some of the stories cast Nusaybah as an old woman whose son had died at Maslama’s hands and she wanted to avenge him. Some have her losing a hand or losing a whole arm; some have her killing Maslama himself (the more legitimate stories say he was killed by one of Abu Bakr’s soldiers), etc. These stories vary way too much for us to say they have a solid basis in history imo. Some other stories place her in other conquest expeditions like Khaybar, Hunayn etc but that’s where you start to get into really dicey sources.

The most I can say here is that it’s possible Nusaybah was at Uhud. Everything else is kinda “ehh it makes for a good story” territory.

[roquartermaster]

Battle of Yamama: Commander that never loses

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