A Gift for Baghdad — Page 79
Reply to the Announcement & Letter 79 Observe how the angel of Allah spoke to Maryam though she was not a prophetess. So, fear Allah and be not of the transgressors. Moreover, a report appears in an authentic hadith from Amr bin al- Ha rith, who said: ‘While Umar was delivering the sermon on Friday, he digressed from his sermon and cried out two or three times, “O S a riyah, the mountain!”, then he reverted to the sermon. So, some peo- ple from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “He is, indeed, an insane person to depart from his sermon and cry out, ‘O S a riyah, the mountain!’ ” So, ‘Abdur-Ra h m a n bin Auf went to him and inquired about the incident. He said: “O Commander of the Faithful, why have you behaved in such a manner that people spoke about you? During your sermon you cried out: ‘O S a riyah, the mountain!’ What does this mean?” He [Umar] re- plied: “I swear by Allah I could not help it, for I saw at that time S a riyah and his companions fighting near the mountain and [the enemy] was advancing from the front and the rear. That is why I was compelled to say: ‘O S a riyah, the mountain!,’ in order that they might seek cover at the mountain. ” Subsequently, when some days had passed, S a riyah’s courier brought a letter which stated: “We encountered the enemy on Friday and we fought them after the morning Prayer until the arrival of the time for al-Jumu‘ah [the Friday Prayer]. Then we heard a voice advising us, ‘The mountain!’, twice. Therefore, we sought refuge at the mountain, and thereafter we became victorious over our enemy in a way that Allah vanquished them and manifested a clear victory. ” ’ (Author) taught. And say: ‘If I have invented it of myself, the sin thereof is on me. ’ These people will devise their plans and