Hazrat Umayr Ibn Wahb (RA)
Umayr ibn Wahb al-Jumahi participated
in the battle of Badr against the Muslims and returned safely to Makkah. His
son, Wahb, was left behind, as a prisoner in the hands of the Muslims. Umayr
feared that the Muslims would punish them severely because of the harassment and
the torture he had imposed on the Prophet (SAW) and his companions.
One morning Umayr went to
the Ka'bah to make tawaf and worship his idols. He found Safwan ibn Umayyah
sitting near the Ka'bah. He went up to him and said: "Good Morning,
Quraysh chieftain." I am Umayr Ibn Wahb," replied Safwan. "Let
us talk for some time. Time only goes by with conversation." Umayr sat
next to him. The two men began to recall the great defeat in Badr, and they
counted the prisoners who had fallen into the hands of Muhammad (SAW) and his
companions. They became deeply worried at the number of great Quraysh men who
had been killed by the swords of the Muslims and who lay buried in the mass
grave at al Qalib in Badr. Safwan ibn Umayyah shook his head and sighed,
"By God, there can be no better after them." "You are
right," declared Umayr. He remained silent for a while and then said,
"By the God of the Ka'bah, if I had no debts and no family whose loss I
fear after me, I would go and to kill Muhammad (SAW), finish off his mission
and check his evil." He went on in a faint, and restrained voice,
"And as my son Wahb is among them, my going to Yathrib would be beyond
doubt." Safwan ibn Umayyah listened intently to the words of Umayr and did
not wish this opportunity to pass. He turned to him and said: "Umayr,
place all your debt in my hands and I will pay it for you whatever the amount.
As for your family, I shall take them as my own family and give them whatever
they need. I have enough wealth to guarantee them a comfortable living."
"Agreed," said Umayr. "But keep this conversation of ours secret
and do not disclose any of it to anyone." "That shall be so,"
said Safwan.
Hazrat Umayr (RA) left
the Masjid al-Haram with the fire of hatred against Muhammad (SAW) blazing in
his heart. He began to count what he needed for the task he had set himself. He
knew that he had the full support and confidence of the Quraysh who had members
of their families held prisoner in Madinah. Hazrat Umayr (RA) had his sword
sharpened and treated with poison. His camel was prepared and brought to him.
He mounted the beast and rode in the direction of Madinah with evil in his
heart. Hazrat Umayr (RA) reached Madinah
and went directly towards the mosque looking for the Prophet. Near the door of
the mosque, he alighted and roped his camel. At that time, Hazrat Umar (RA) was
sitting with some of the Sahabah near the door of the Mosque, talking about
Badr, the number of prisoners that had been taken and the number of Quraysh
killed. They also recalled the acts of heroism shown by the Muslims, both the Muhajirin
and the Ansar and gave thanks to God for the great victory He had given them.
At that very moment Hazrat Umar (RA) turned around and saw Umayr ibn Wahb
alighting from his camel and going towards the Mosque brandishing his sword.
Alarmed, he jumped up and shouted. "This is the dog, the enemy of God,
Umayr ibn Wahb. By God, he has only come to do malicious. He led the Mushrikin
against us in Makkah and he was a spy for them against us shortly before Badr.
Go to the Messenger of God, stand around him and warn him that this dirty
traitor is after him."
Hazrat Umar (RA) himself rushed
to the Prophet (SAW) and said, "O Rasulullah, this enemy of God, Umayr ibn
Wahb, has come brandishing his sword and I think that he could only be up to
something evil." "Let him come in," said the Prophet (SAW). Hazrat
Umar (RA) approached Umayr, took hold of him by the tails of his robes, pressed
the back of his sword against his neck and took him to the Prophet (SAW). When
the Prophet (SAW) saw Umayr in this condition he said to Hazrat Umar (RA):
"Release him." He then turned to Hazrat Umayr (RA) and said:
"Come closer." Hazrat Umayr (RA) came closer and said, "Anim
Sabahan (the Arab greeting in the days of Jahiliyya)."
"God has granted us
a greeting better than this, Hazrat Umayr (RA)," said the Prophet (SAW).
"God has granted us the greeting of Peace , it is the greeting of the
people of Paradise." "What have you come for?" continued the
Prophet (SAW). "I came here hoping to have the prisoner in your hands
released, so please gratify me." "And what is this sword around your
neck for?" questioned the Prophet (SAW). "Tell me the truth. What
have you come for, Umayr?"
"I have only come to
have the prisoner released," insisted Hazrat Umayr (RA). "No. You and
Safwan ibn Umayyah sat near the Ka'bah recalling your companions who lie buried
at al-Qalib and then you said, 'If I had no debt or no family to look after, I
would certainly go out to kill Muhammad.' Safwan took over your debt and
promised to look after your family in return for your agreeing to kill me. But
God is a barrier between you and your achieving your aim." Hazrat Umayr
(RA) stunned for a moment, then said:
"I bear witness that you are the messenger of God." "We used, O
messenger of God," he continued, "to reject whatever good you had
brought and whatever revelation came to you. But my conversation with Safwan
ibn Umayyah was not known to anyone else. By God, I am certain that only God
could have made this known to you. Praise be to God Who has led me to you that
He may guide me to Islam." He then testified that there is no god but
Allah and that Muhammad (SAW) is the messenger of Allah and became a Muslim. Thereupon,
the Prophet (SAW) instructed his companions:
"Educate your
brother of his religion. Teach him the Qur'an and set free his prisoner."
The Muslims were extremely happy with Umayr's acceptance of Islam. Even Umar,
who once said of him, "A pig is certainly dearer to me than Umayr ibn
Wahb" came up to the Prophet and exclaimed, "Today, he is dearer to
me than some of my own children." Thereafter Umayr spent much time
increasing his knowledge of Islam and filling his heart with the light of the
Qur'an. There, in Madinah, he spent the sweetest and richest days of his life
away from what he had known in Makkah. Back in Makkah, Safwan was filled with
hope and would say to the Quraysh, "I will soon give you some great news
that would make you forget the events of Badr."
Safwan waited for a long
time and then gradually became more and more anxious. Greatly agitated, he
would go out and ask travellers what news they had of Umayr ibn Wahb but no one
was able to give him a satisfactory reply. Eventually a rider came and said,
"Umayr has become a Muslim." The news hit Safwan like a thunderbolt.
He was certain that Umayr would never become a Muslim and if he ever did then
everyone on the face of the earth would become Muslim also. '4Never shall I
speak to him and never shall I do anything for him," he said. Umayr
meanwhile kept on striving to gain a good understanding of his religion and
memorize whatever he could of the words of God. When he felt he had achieved a
certain degree of confidence, he went to the Prophet and said:
"O Rasulullah, much
time has passed since I used to try to put out the light of God and severely
tortured whoever was on the path of Islam. Now, I desire that you should give
me permission to go to Makkah and invite the Quraysh to God and His Messenger.
If they accept it from me, that will be good. And if they oppose me, I shall
harass them as I used to harass the companions of the Prophet." The
Prophet gave his consent and Umayr left for Makkah. He went straight to the
house of Safwan ibn Umayyah and said: "Safwan, you are one of the
chieftains of Makkah and one of the most intelligent of the Quraysh. Do you
really think that these stones you are worshipping and making sacrifice to,
deserve to be the basis of a religion? As for myself, I declare that there is
no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
At Umayr's hands, many
Makkans became Muslims, but Safwan did not. Later, during the liberation of
Makkah, Safwan ibn Umayyah attempted to flee from the Muslim forces. Umayr,
however, obtained an amnesty from the Prophet for him and he too became a
Muslim and distinguished himself in the service of Islam.
May God bless His soul!
