The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 372
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 372 suddenly murdered by deception, especially such Companions who were Ḥuffāẓ of the Holy Qur’ān, and were from a poor and selfless class of people, was no small event, even by standards of the barbaric customs and practices of Arabia. For the Holy Prophet sa personally, this news was no different than the loss of eighty sons, rather, even more so. The reason being that for a spiritual man, spiritual bonds are far dearer to him than the worldly relations of a worldly man. Hence, the Holy Prophet sa was deeply grieved by these tragic events, but in any case, Islām teaches patience. Upon hearing this news, the Holy Prophet sa said: 1 - After this, the Holy Prophet sa said the following words: ھَذَا عَمَل ُ اَبِی ْ بَرَاء َ وَقَد ْ كُنْت ُ لِھٰذَا كَارِھًا مُتَخَوِّفًا “This is a result of the action of Abī Barā’, for I had disliked sending off these people and was apprehensive of the people of Najd. ” 2 The incidents of Bi‘r-e-Ma‘ūnah and Rajī‘ demonstrate the intense level of hatred and animosity which the tribes of Arabia harboured in their hearts against Islām and the followers of Islām, to the extent that they would not even refrain from the most despicable lies, treachery and deceit. Despite the remarkable intelligence and vigilance of the Muslims, due to their thinking well of others, which is the hallmark of a believer, at times they would be lured into their trap. These were Ḥuffāẓ of the Qur’ān and devoted worshippers, who would supplicate during the nights, sit in a corner of the mosque and remember Allāh; then they were poor and hunger-stricken people, who were lured out of their homeland by these cruel disbelievers with the excuse of ‘teaching them religion’; and when they had reached their land as guests, they were murdered in cold blood. Any level of grief suffered by the Holy Prophet sa would not have been enough. But at the time, the Holy Prophet sa did not employ any military action against these cold blooded murderers. Albeit, for thirty days continuously, after having received this news, the Holy Prophet sa 1 “Surely, to Allāh we belong and to Him shall we return. ” Al-Baqarah 2:157 [Publishers] 2 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Mālik bin Hishām, p. 602, Ḥadīthu Bi’ri Ma‘ūnah Fī Ṣafarin Sanata Arba‘in, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)