(Friday Sermon - June 7, 2019 )
Background and Participation in Battles
According to Allamah Zuhri, Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq Zafari(ra) participated in the Battle of Badr. Urwah has reported his name as Abdullah bin Tariq Balawi, who was a confederate of the Ansar. According to some, Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq Balawi(ra) was a confederate of the Banu Zafar tribe of the Ansar. According to Ibn Hisham, he belonged to the tribe of Bali and was a confederate of the tribe of Banu Abd bin Rizaah. Hazrat Muattib bin Ubaid(ra) was the stepbrother of Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra), born to the same mother. The mother of Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) belonged to the Banu Kahil branch of the tribe of Banu Uzra. Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) and Hazrat Muattib bin Ubaid(ra) participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud.
Martyrdom and the Incident of Raji
Both of the brothers were martyred during the incident at Raji. Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) was among the six companions (according to some narrations, which also includes a narration from Bukhari reporting it as ten companions), whom the Holy Prophet(sa) sent to some of the people belonging to the tribes of Adal and Qarah towards the end of 3 AH, so that they may introduce them to Islam and teach them about the Holy Quran and the Islamic Shariah. When these people arrived at a place called Raji, which is a fountain in Hijaz that was under the possession of the Huzail tribe, the people of the Huzail tribe transgressed, besieged these companions, and waged war against them. The names of seven of those companions are as follows; Hazrat Asim bin Thabit(ra), Hazrat Marsad bin Abu Marsad(ra), Hazrat Khubaib bin Adiyy(ra), Hazrat Khalid bin Bukair(ra), Hazrat Zaid bin Dathinah(ra), Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) and Hazrat Muattib bin Ubaid(ra). From among these, Hazrat Marsad(ra), Hazrat Khalid(ra), Hazrat Asim(ra) and Hazrat Muattib(ra) bin Ubaid were martyred immediately. However, when Hazrat Khubaib(ra), Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) and Hazrat Zaid(ra) surrendered, the disbelievers captured them and started to walk them towards Mecca. When they arrived at Zahran, a valley located five miles from Mecca, Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) managed to get his hand free from the rope and took out his sword. Upon seeing this, the mushrikeen [idolaters] stepped back from him and started to pelt him with stones until he was martyred. His grave is situated in Zahran.
The incident at Raji took place in the 36th month after the Hijrah, during the month of Safar. (Sirat ibn Hisham, p. 464, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, pp. 284-285, Abdullah bin Tariq(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 347, Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) wa Ikhwatul Ummah Muattib bin Ubaid, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Jihad, Hal yasta’siru al-Rajulu…, Hadith 3045) (Mu’jamul Buldan, Vol. 4, p. 247, Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut)
Hazrat Hassaan(ra), while mentioning these companions in one of his poetic works, states:
وَابْنُ الدَّثِنَةِ وَابْنُ طَارِقٍ مِنْهُمْ
وَافَاهُ ثَمَّ حِمَامُهُ الْمَكْتُوْبُ
The opening couplet of this poem is:
صَلَّى الْإِلٰهُ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ تَتَابَعُوْا
يَوْمَ الرَّجِيْعِ فَأُكْرِمُوْا وَأُثِيْبُوْا
The meaning of the first couplet that I quoted is, “Hazrat Ibn Dathinah and Hazrat Ibn Tariq were from among them – who died at the very location where death was destined for them.” The translation of the opening couplet of his poem is, “God blessed those who were martyred one after the other during the expedition of Raji. Thus, they were bestowed with honour and granted reward.” (Al-Istiab, Vol. 3, pp. 928-929, Abdullah bin Tariq, Dar-ul-Jeel, Beirut, 1992)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib(ra) states regarding this incident:
“These were days of grave danger for the Muslims and the Holy Prophet(sa) was receiving horrific news from all four ends. However, the greatest danger posed to the Holy Prophet(sa) was from the Quraish of Mecca, who had grown very bold and daring due to the battle of Uhud.
“Perceiving this threat, in the month of Safar 4 AH, the Holy Prophet(sa) assembled a party of ten Companions, appointed Asim bin Thabit(ra) as their Amir and ordered them to secretly go towards Mecca and obtain intelligence with regards to the Quraish, and then inform him about their plans and motives. However, this party had not yet departed, when a few people from the tribes of Adal and Qarah presented themselves before the Holy Prophet(sa), and said that many people from among their tribes were inclined towards Islam and that the Holy Prophet(sa) should send a few men with them, who could convert them to Islam and educate them. The Holy Prophet(sa) was happy to hear their request and the same party which had been assembled for the reconnaissance mission was sent off with them instead. However, in actuality, as was later discovered, these people were liars and had come to Medina upon the incitement of the Banu Lahyan, who sought revenge for the execution of their chief, Sufyan bin Khalid, and had thus contrived the plan that when the Muslims come out of Medina on this pretence, they would attack them.
“In lieu of this service, the Banu Lahyan promised the people of Adal and Qarah a hefty reward of many camels. When the treacherous people of Adal and Qarah reached between Asfan and Mecca, they secretly sent word to the Banu Lahyan that the Muslims were accompanying them and that they should come as well. Upon this, 200 young men from the Banu Lahyan, 100 of whom were archers, set forth in pursuit of the Muslims, and subdued them at a place known as Raji. But how could 10 men (whilst according to some narrations were only 7 companions) compete against 200 warriors, who were equipped with weapons? The Muslims, however, owing to the strength and passion of their faith by the grace of God Almighty, had not been taught to throw in their arms.
“The Companions immediately ascended to a nearby hillock and prepared for battle. The disbelievers, who did not consider deception as being reprehensible, called out to them and said, ‘Come down from the mountain, we give you a firm promise that we shall not kill you.’ Asim(ra) responded, ‘We have no confidence whatsoever in your treaties and agreements. We cannot descend on your guarantee.’ Then, he raised his head towards the heaven and said, ‘O God! You are witnessing our state. Do convey knowledge of our condition to Your Messenger.’ Hence, Asim(ra) and his Companions stood and fought and were finally martyred in battle.
“When seven Companions had been put to death, and only Khubaib bin Adiyy(ra), Zaid bin Dathinah(ra), and one other Companion were left, the disbelievers whose actual desire was to capture these people alive, called out again and said, ‘There is still time. Come down and we promise not to cause you any harm.’ This time, these innocent Muslims fell into their trap and descended. However, as soon as they stepped down, the disbelievers tied them with the strings of their arrow bows.
“Upon this, the Companion of Khubaib(ra) and Zaid(ra), whose name has been recorded in history as being Abdullah bin Tariq(ra), could not restrain himself and called out, ‘This is your first breach of agreement and who knows what you shall do hereafter,’ and Abdullah(ra) refused to continue along with them. For some distance, the disbelievers dragged Abdullah(ra) along, beating and assaulting him, and then killed him and left him for dead.” Abdullah here is the companion Abdullah bin Tariq(ra).
In this narration it stated that the disbelievers took them to Mecca. However, in another narration it states that Abdullah bin Tariq managed to free himself from the rope he was tied to and was ready to fight but was attacked with a stone and martyred. In any case, he was martyred and his body was left there.
“Moreover, now that their revenge had been sought, in order to please the Quraish, and also in the greed of money, they took Khubaib(ra) and Zaid(ra) and made way to Mecca; upon reaching there, they sold both of them to the Quraish. As such, Khubaib(ra) was purchased by the sons of Harith bin Amir bin Naufal, because Khubaib(ra) had slain Harith in the Battle of Badr and Zaid(ra) was purchased by Safwan bin Umayyah.”
It is regarding Hazrat Khubaib(ra) that it is stated that while he was held captive, one of the children of the disbelievers, whose house he was held in, ran towards him whilst playing. Hazrat Khubaib(ra) placed him on his lap upon which the child’s mother became extremely anxious as Hazrat Khubaib(ra) had a razor blade in his hand at the time. However, Hazrat Khubaib(ra) told her not to worry and that he would not harm the child. Thus, this was the account of how Hazrat Abdullah bin Tariq(ra) was martyred during the incident of Raji in that he refused to go along with the disbelievers and fought against them. (Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra), pp. 513-515)