(Friday Sermon - April 12, 2019 )
Background
Hazrat Suwaibit(ra) bin Sa‘d was also known as Suwaibit bin Harmala. His name is also reported to be Suwait bin Harmala and Saleet bin Harmala. Hazrat Suwaibit belonged to the tribe of Banu Abd Daar. His mother’s name was Hunaida and he was from amongst the early Muslims. Many of the historians have counted him amongst those companions who migrated towards Abyssinia. (Usdul Ghaba Fi Marifat al-Sahaba, Vol. 5, p. 354, Suwaibit bin Sa’d, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, 2003) (al-Asaab fi Tameez al-Sahaba, Vol. 6, p. 368, Nuaiman bin Amr, Dar-ul-Kutb al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 2005) (Tarikh Dimashq al-Kabir Li Ibn Assakir, Vol. 12, Pt. 24, p. 117, Dar-ul-Haya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon)
Bond of Brotherhood and Participation in Battles
Hazrat Suwaibit migrated to Medina and stayed at the house of Hazrat Abdullah bin Salma Ajlaani(ra). The Holy Prophet(sa) established a bond of brotherhood between Hazrat Suwaibit(ra)and Hazrat Aaiz bin Ma‘is(ra). Hazrat Suwaibit(ra) took part in the battles of Badr and Uhud. (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 65, Suwaibit bin Sa’d, Dar-ul-Haya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, 1996)
Lighthearted Moment
Hazrat Umme Salma(ra) relates:
“One year prior to the demise of the Holy Prophet(sa), Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) travelled to Busra, which is a city situated in Syria, for the purpose of trade. Nuaiman and Suwaibit bin Harmala also accompanied him during this journey and both took part in the Battle of Badr. Nuaiman was appointed to oversee the provisions of the travel for the entire caravan. Suwaibit, who had a little humour in his disposition, asked Nuaiman to give him food (he was appointed to look after the provisions for the entire caravan). Nuaiman replied that he would not give out food until Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) returned. Suwaibit responded that if he did not give him any food, then he would cause him grief (this has briefly been mentioned before as well). Whilst on their journey, they passed by a tribe and Hazrat Suwaibit asked them if they would like to purchase his slave and the people of the tribe agreed. Hazrat Suwaibit then said, ‘O people of the tribe! Remember however that he is a slave that speaks and he will continue to say that he is a free man. When he repeatedly says this, do not leave him and thus ruin this transaction.’ They replied that this would not be the case and that they wished to purchase the slave. Thus, they bought him for 10 camels. They then came to Hazrat Nuaiman and placed a cloth or rope around his neck. Nuaiman said: ‘He is joking with you, I am a free man and not a slave.’ They replied: ‘He already warned us that you would say this,’ hence they took him away. When Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) returned and people narrated the incident about Nuaiman to him, he went after that tribe. Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) returned their camels to them and brought back Nuaiman. He said to them that he is a free man and not a slave, and that it was only done so in a light hearted manner.”
The companions would often have humorous exchanges with one another in this manner. Nonetheless, when the group returned and informed the Holy Prophet(sa) of the incident, the narrator of the account mentioned that this incident became a source of amusement for the Holy Prophet(sa) and his companions for the entire year. (Sunan Ibn Maaja, Kitab-ul-Adab, Baab al-Mazaah, Hadith no. 3719) (Mujam-ul-Buldan, Vol. 1, p. 522, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)
The Holy Prophet(sa) laughed at this incident and this incident was remembered for the entire year.
In the aforementioned incident there is a small difference in certain narrations; in some books it is written that the one who sold the slave was not Hazrat Suwaibit(ra), rather it was Hazrat Nuaiman(ra).