Murder in the Name of Allah — Page 96
Murder in the Name of Allah battle of Al-Mustaliq (6AH/AD737), while the Holy Prophetsa was staying by the watering-place of Al-Muraysi, an unpleasant dispute took place between the Muhajirs and Ansar. A hired servant of Umar, Jahjah b. Masud, and Sinan b. Wabar al-Juhani, an ally of Ansar, began fighting. . According to Ibn Ishaq:. The Juhani called out: 'Men of Al-Ansar!' and Jahjah called out 'Men of the Muhajirun!' Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul was enraged. With him were some of his people, including Zayd b. Arqam, a young boy. He said: 'Have they actually done this? They dispute our priority, they outnumber us in our country. Nothing is more apt for us and the vagabonds of Quaraish than the ancient saying, "Feed a dog and it will devour you. " By Allah, when we return to Medina the most honourable will drive out the meanest. ' Then he went to his people and said: 'This is what you have done to yourselves. You have let them occupy your country and you have divided your property among them. Had you only kept your property from them they would have gone elsewhere. ' Zayd b. Arqam heard this and, when he had disposed of his enemies, went and told the Prophetsa. Umar, who was with him, said: 'Tell Abbad b. Bishr to go and kill him. ' The Prophetsa answered: 'What if men should say. Muhammad kills his own Companions? No, but give orders to set off. ". The Holy Prophetsa was, of course, greatly upset. The tribal appeal of. Juhani to Ansar and Jahjah's call to 'the men of Mahajirun' reminded him of the Day of Buath and the war of Basus, which lasted forty years. Had. Abdullah b. Ubayy succeeded the Ansar, the Muhajirs would have gone back to their tribal wars. The message of Islamic unity, which changed these disunited tribes into a mighty Arab nation, would have been lost forever. The Holy Prophetsa was so upset that he gave orders to move, although, as Ibn Ishaq reports, 'This was at a time when the Prophet was not used to travelling. " Referring to this incident, the Quran says: '10. They [the Munafiqun] say: 'When we return to Medina the one most honourable shall surely drive out the meanest. ' True honour belongs to Allah, to His Messenger and believers; but the hypocrites know it not. (63. 9). When Abdullah, son of Abdullah b. Ubayy, heard of this affair, he went to the Prophetsa and said:. I have heard that you want to kill Abdullah b. Ubayy for what you heard about him. If you must, order me to do it and I will bring his head, for AlKhazraj know they have no man more dutiful to his father than I. I am afraid that if you order someone else to kill him, I could not bear to see his executioner walking around and might kill him. I would therefore be killing a believer for an unbeliever and I would certainly be damned. ' The 96