Hazrat Suhayl Ibn Amr (RA)
At the Battle of Badr,
when Suhayl fell into the hands of the Muslims as a prisoner, Hazrat Umar ibn
al-Khattab (RA) came up to the Prophet (SAW) and said: "Messenger of God!
Let me pull out the two middle incisors of Suhayl ibn Amr so that he would not
stand up and be able to speak out against you after this day."
"Certainly not, Umar," cautioned the Prophet (SAW). "I would not
disfigure anyone lest God disfigure me even though I am a Prophet." And
calling Hazrat Umar (RA) closer to him, the blessed Prophet (SAW) said:
"Umar, perhaps Suhayl will do something in the future which will please
you."
Hazrat Suhayl ibn Amr
(RA) was a prominent person among the Quraysh. He was clever and eloquent and
his opinion carried weight among his people. He was known as the khatib or
spokesman and orator of the Quraysh. He was to play a major role in concluding
the famous treaty of Hudaybiyah. Towards the end of the 6th A.H.,
the Prophet (SAW) and about 1500 of his Sahabah left Madinah for Makkah to
perform Umrah. To make it known that they were coming in peace, the Muslims
were not armed for battle and carried only their travelers swords. They also
took with them animals for sacrifice to let it be known that they were really
coming on pilgrimage. The Quraysh learnt of their approach and immediately
prepared to do battle with them. They swore to themselves that they would never
allow the Muslims to enter Makkah. Khalid ibn al-Walid was dispatched at the
head of a Quraysh cavalry force to cut off the approaching Muslims. Khalid’s
army stood waiting for them at a place called Kara al-Ghamim. The Prophet (SAW)
learnt in advance of Khalid's position. Although committed to the struggle
against them, he was keen not to have any encounter then with the Quraysh
forces. He asked: "Is there any man who could take us (to Makkah) on a
different route to avoid the Quraysh?"
A man from the Aslam
tribe said he could and took the Muslims through the difficult terrain of Warah
and then on fairly easy marches, finally approaching Makkah from the south.
Khalid realized what the Muslims had done and returned frustrated to Makkah.
The Prophet (SAW) camped near Hudaybiyah and indicated that if the Quraysh
would give any hint of a truce out of veneration for the sacred time and place,
he would respond. The Quraysh sent Badil ibn Warqa with a group of men from the
Khuzaa tribe to find out why the Muslims had come. Badil met the Prophet (SAW) and
when he returned to the Quraysh and informed them of the peaceful intentions of
the Prophet and his companions, they did not believe him because they said he
was from the Khuzaa who were allies of Muhammad. "Does Muhammad intend,"
they asked, "to come upon us with his soldiers (in the guise of)
performing Umrah? The Arabs would hear that he moved against us and entered
Makkah by force while a state of war existed between us. By God this will never
happen with our approval."
The Quraysh then sent
Halis ibn Alqamah, the chieftain of the Ahabish who were allies of the Quraysh.
When the Prophet (SAW saw Halis he said, "This man is from a people who
think greatly of animal sacrifice. Drive the sacrificial animals in full view
of him so that he can see them. This was done and Halis was greeted by the
Muslims chanting the talbiyyah: "Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk." On his
return, Halis exclaimed: "Subhana Allah - Glory be to God. These people
should not be prevented from entering Makkah. Can lepers and donkeys perform
the Hajj while the son of alMuttaIib (Muhammad) be prevented from (visiting)
the House of God? By the Lord of the Ka’bah, may the Quraysh be destroyed.
These people have come to perform Umrah." When the Quraysh heard these
words, they laughed at at him: "Sit down! You are only a nomad Arab. You
have no knowledge of plots and conspiracies." Urwah ibn Masud, the Thaqafi
chieftain from Tail, was then sent out to assess the situation. He said to the
Prophet (SAW): "O Muhammad! You have gathered all these people and have
come back to your birthplace. The Quraysh have come out and pledged to God that
you would not enter Makkah against them by force. By God, all these people
might well desert you." At that Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) went up to Urwah and
said with disdain: "We desert him (Muhammad)? Woe to you."
As Urwah was speaking, he
touched the Prophet's beard and Mughirah ibn Shubah rapped his hand saying,
"Take away your hand," and Urwah retorted: "Woe to you! How
crude and coarse you are." The Prophet smiled. "Who is this man, O
Muhammad?" asked Urwah. "This is your cousin, Al-Mughirah ibn
Shubah." "What treachery!" Urwah hissed at Al-Mughirah and
continued to insult him. Urwah then surveyed the companions of the Prophet. He
saw that whenever he gave them an order, they hastened to carry it out. When he
made ablutions they vied with one another to help him. When they spoke in his
presence, they lowered their voices, and they did not look him in the eye out
of respect for him. Back with the Quraysh, Urwah showed that he was obviously
impressed: "By God, O people of the Quraysh, I have been to Chosroes in
his kingdom and I have seen Caesar the Byzantine emperor in the plenitude of
his power, but never have I seen a king among his people like Muhammad (SAW)
among his companions. I have seen a people who would not abandon him for
anything. Reconsider your position. He is presenting you with right guidance.
Accept what he has presented to you. I advise you sincerely... I fear that you
will never gain victory over him."
"Don't speak like
that," said the Quraysh. "We will have him go back this year and he
can return in the future." Meanwhile, the Prophet summoned Uthman ibn
Affan and sent him to the Quraysh leaders to inform them of his purpose in
coming to Makkah and to ask their permission for the Muslims’ to visit their relatives.
Uthman was also to cheer up the Mustadafin among the Muslims who still lived in
Makkah and inform them that liberation would not be long in coming... Uthman
delivered the Prophet's message to the Quraysh and they repeated their
determination not to allow the Prophet to enter Makkah. They suggested that
Uthman could make tawaf around the Kabah but he replied that he would not make
tawaf while the Messenger of God was prevented from doing so. They then took
Uthman into custody and a rumor spread that he was killed. When the Prophet
(SAW) heard this, his approach changed.
"We shall not
depart," he said, "until we fight." He summoned the Muslims to
take Bayh, an oath of allegiance, to fight. The announcer cried out: "O
people, al-Bayh, al-Bayh." They flocked to the Prophet (SAW) as he sat
under a tree and swore allegiance to him that they would fight. Soon after
however, the Prophet (SAW) ascertained that the rumor was false. It was at this
point that the Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr to the Messenger of God with the brief to negotiate and
persuade the Prophet to return to Madinah without entering Makkah. Suhayl was
chosen no doubt because of his persuasiveness, his toughness and his alertness
major qualities of a good negotiator. When the Prophet (SAW) saw Suhayl
approaching, he immediately guessed the change in the position of the Quraysh.
"The people want reconciliation. That's why they have sent this man."
The talks between the
Prophet (SAW) and Suhayl continued for long until finally agreement was reached
in principle. Hazrat Umar (RA) and others were very upset with the terms of the
agreement which they considered to be harmful to the cause of Islam and a
defeat for the Muslims. The Prophet (SAW) assured them that this was not the
case and that he would never go against the command of God and that God would
not neglect him. He then called Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) to write down the
terms of the treaty:
" Bismillahi-r
Rahmani-r Rahim." "I don't know this (phrase)", interrupted
Suhayl. "Write instead 'Bismika Allahumma - In Your name, O Allah."
The Prophet conceded and instructed Ali to write 'Bismika Allahumma.' He then
said: "Write: 'This is what has been agreed between Muhammad the Messenger
of God and Suhayl ibn Amr..." Suhayl objected: "If I had testified
that you were indeed the Messenger of God, I would not be fighting you. Write
instead you name and the name of your father." So the Prophet again
conceded this and instructed Ali to write: 'This is what has been agreed upon
by Muhammad the son of Abdullah and Suhayl ibn Amr. They have agreed to suspend
war for ten years in which people would enjoy security and would refrain from
(harming) one another. Also, that whoever from among the Quraysh should come to
Muhammad without the permission of his wali (legal guardian), Muhammad would
send him back to them and that if any who is with Muhammad should come to the
Quraysh, they would not send him back to him.
Suhayl had managed to
save the Makkans face. He had attempted to and got as much as possible for the
Quraysh in the negotiations. Of course he was assisted in this by the noble
tolerance of the Prophet. Two years of the Hudaybiyah treaty elapsed during
which the Muslims enjoyed a respite from the Quraysh and were freed to
concentrate on other matters.
Hazrat Suhayl Accepted Islam
In the eighth year after
the Hijrah however the Quraysh broke the terms of the treaty by supporting the
Banu Bakr in a bloody aggression against the Khuzaa who had chosen to be allies
of the Prophet (SAW).
The Prophet (SAW) took
the opportunity to march on Makkah but his object was not revenge. Ten thousand
Muslims converged on Makkah reaching there in the month of Ramadan. The Quraysh
realized that there was no hope of resisting let alone of defeating the Muslim
forces. They were completely at the mercy of the Prophet. What was to be their
fate, they who had harried and persecuted the Muslims, tortured and boycotted
them, driven them out of their hearths and homes, stirred up others against
them, made war on them? The city surrendered to the Prophet (SAW). He received
the leaders of the Quraysh in a spirit of tolerance and magnanimity. In a voice
full of compassion and tenderness he asked: "O people of the Quraysh! What
do you think I will do with you?" Thereupon, the adversary of Islam of
yesterday, Suhayl ibn Amr, replied: "We think (you will treat us) well,
noble brother, son of a noble brother. ". "A radiant smile flashed
across the lips of the beloved of God as he said: "Idhhabu... wa antum
at-tulaqaa. Go, for you are free."
At this moment of
unsurpassed compassion, nobility and greatness, all the emotions of Suhayl ibn
Amr were shaken and he announced his Islam or submission to Allah, the Lord of
all the worlds. His acceptance of Islam at that particular time was not the Islam
of a defeated man passively giving himself up to his fate. It was instead, as
his later life was to demonstrate, the Islam of a man whom the greatness of
Muhammad and the greatness of the religion he proclaimed had captivated. Those
who became Muslims on the day Makkah was liberated were given the name
"At-Tulaqaa" or the free ones. They realized how fortunate they were
and many dedicated themselves in sincere worship and sacrifice to the service
of the religion which they had resisted for years. Among the most prominent of
these was Hazrat Suhayl ibn Amr (RA).
Hazrat Suhayl ibn Amr (RA) devoted himself to
Islam
Islam molded him a new.
All his earlier talents were now burnished to a fine excellence. To these he
added new talents and placed them all in the service of truth, goodness and
faith. The qualities and practices for which he became known can be described
in a few words: kindness, generosity, frequent Salah, fasting, recitation of
the Quran, weeping for the fear of God. This was the greatness of Suhayl. In
spite of his late acceptance of Islam, he was transformed into a selfless
worshipper and a fighting fidai in the path of God. When the Prophet (SAW)
passed away, the news quickly reached Makkah, where Hazrat Suhayl (RA) was
still resident. The Muslims were plunged into a state of confusion and dismay
just as in Madinah. In Madinah, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) suppressed the confusion
with his decisive words: "Whoever worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. And
whoever worships Allah; Allah is indeed living and will never die."
Islam benefitted from the two middle incisors
of Suhayl which Hazrat Umar (RA) had wanted to pull out.
In Makkah Suhayl
performed the same role in dispelling the vain ideas some Muslims may have had
and directing them to the eternal truths of Islam. He called the Muslims
together and in his brilliant and salutary style, he affirmed to them that
Muhammad was indeed the Messenger of Allah and that he did not die until he had
discharged his trust and propagated the message and that it was the duty of all
believers after his death to apply themselves tirelessly to following his
example and way of life. On this day more than others, the prophetic words of
the Messenger shone forth. Did not the Prophet say to Umar when the latter
sought permission to pull out Suhayls teeth at Badr: "Leave them, for one
day perhaps they would bring you joy"? When the news of Suhayl's stand in
Makkah reached the Muslims of Madinah and they heard of his persuasive speech
strengthening the faith in the hearts of the believers, Umar ibn al-Khattab
remembered the words of the Prophet. The day had come when Islam benefitted
from the two middle incisors of Suhayl which Hazrat Umar (RA) had wanted to
pull out.
In the battle of Yarmuk
When Hazrat Suhayl (RA)
became a Muslim he made a vow to himself which could be summarized in these
words: to exert himself and spend in the cause of Islam at least in the same
measure as he had done for the mushrikin. With the mushrikin, he had spent long
hours before their idols. Now he stood for long periods with the believers in
the presence of the one and only God, praying and fasting. Before he had stood
by the mushrikin and participated in many acts of aggression and war against
Islam. Now he took his place in the ranks of the Muslim army, fighting
courageously, pitting himself against the fire of Persia and the injustice and
oppression of the Byzantine Empire.
In this spirit he left
for Syria with the Muslim armies and participated in the Battle of Yarmuk
against the Byzantines, a battle that was singularly fierce in its intensity. Hazrat
Suhayl (RA) was someone who loved his birthplace dearly. In spite of that, he
refused to return to Makkah after the victory of the Muslims’ in Syria. He
said: "I heard the Messenger of God (SAW), say: 'The going forth of anyone
of you in the path of God for an hour is better for him than his life's works
in his household.' "He vowed: "I shall be a murabit in the path of
God till I die and I shall not return to Makkah." For the rest of his life,
Hazrat Suhayl (RA) remained true to his pledge. He died in Palestine in the
small village of 'Amawas near Jerusalem.
May God bless His soul!