Showing posts with label battle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label battle. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Story About Ibn Qayyim AL-Jawziyyah One Of The Student Of Imam Ahmed Ibn Taymiyyah.

Ibn Qayyim AI-Jawziyyah (691-751 A.H.)


"Through patience and poverty one attains leadership in religion. The seeker of truth needs the will that will inspire him and push him upward and (religious) knowledge that will lead him and guide him."

These words of Ibn Qayyim AI-Jawziyyah sum up the personality of this great man, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, who is better known as Ibn Qayyim AI-Jawziyyah or Ibn AI-Qayyim, for short. He was born in 691 A.H.




He began his long journey on the road of learning early in his life, moving from one teacher to another to quench his thirst for knowledge. At the age of 21 (in 712 A.H.)  Al-Qayyim met his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah another great hero of Islam and a revivalist of the faith. Their companionship lasted to the end of the teacher's life, Ibn Al·Qayyim kept close company to Ibn Taymiyyah with whom he suffered the pains of prison and flogging many a time.

Apparently, it was from Ibn Taymiyyah that he learnt many special qualities such as frankness and courage, in defiance of the falsehood of others, including those in authority. For to both truths had to be said regardless of the consequences. But unlike his teacher, or Ibn AI-Qayyim was less fierce in his attacks (in words or action). The 8th century' Hijra witnessed a state of ignorance and feuds in the Muslim community. Muslims were fighting each other and each trying to impose his authority in everything including religious opinion and scholarship which suffered from stagnation. For the majority of religious scholars acted more like 'recorders' of knowledge rather than true scholars and teachers. To them their teachers were the main. If not the sale, source of knowledge, and the schools of thought they blindly imitated were the only acceptable ways.

Like his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn AI·Qayyim spent his life in attempting to correct the wrong course the community was following. He fought the exaggerated reverence for the tombs of the pious despite the strong resistance he met with from the masses. He tried to show the errors committed by the misled sects and their blind followers.





For he considered that the disputes and fights among the Muslims of his time were caused by their sectarian attitude and chauvinistic practices, each one considering himself and his sector school of thought the only right one, and claiming that everyone else was on the wrong path.

Ibn AI-Qayyim spent most of his time and great efforts trying to unite the people, pointing out to them the dangers of blind imitation of the predecessors. He explained that a Muslim should be open-minded; i.e., he should accept what is right and good regardless of the teacher as long as what he or she accepts is consistent with the Qur'an and the Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars and the general spirit of the faith. To him imitation was wrong in the following cases: 



1) If it entails violation of Divine teachings.

2) If it represents an act of blind following of people we are not sure of their knowledge.

3) If it is in defiance of truth after finding it.

It was blind imitation that caused stagnation in scholarship and differences among people. Some so-called scholars, he pointed out, were not really scholars of Islam but rather simple propagators of others opinions. To those people the words and views of their teachers or leaders were the only correct way of understanding the faith to the extent that they subjected even the interpretation if the
Qur'an and the Prophetic teachings to the views of their teachers, which they wrongly took for the ultimate criteria.
Ibn AI-Qayyim considered that the sources of religious knowledge were to be taken in the following order:

1) The Qur'an. 

2) The Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad's teachings). 

3} The teachings of the companions of the Prophet.

To these one could add consensus of Muslim scholars and analogy. Intolerance and Prejudice were to him the enemies of learning. To propagate his views,
Ibn AI-Qayyim wrote scores of books besides direct teaching.
In his own private life Ibn AL-Qayyim was a very pious and sincere worshipper who spent most of his time in prayers and recitation of the Qur'an. He was in fact an ascetic who rejected the unorthodox practices of some Sufis (mystics) who claimed that religious teachings had external and internal sides, meaning that religious obligations (such as Prayers, Fasting During Ramadan etc. etc.) did not apply to them.




As pointed out earlier Ibn AI-Qayyim was a man of courage and frankness to whom truth was the ultimate goal. His open-minded and flexible attitude is reflected in his views on the correct understanding of religious laws (Sharia), and that these should be interpreted in the light of the circumstances of time and place, because Islam is intended and practicable for all mankind at all times. He wrote many books to explain this invaluable principle. Many of his views find their application in the legal system of modern nations more than six centuries after his death in 751 A.H.




Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Khalid Bin Waleed “Saifullah” The Battle of Moatah

The Great Commander and Ultimate Warrior 

Khalid Bin Waleed “Saifullah”


A strong and sturdy physique, tall stature, broad shoulders, dignified bearing and eagle-eyed with a brilliant intellect, noble thoughts and firm determination this was the grand personality of Khalid bin Waleed, one of the greatest warriors and commanders of Islamic army. He was the ideal man uniting personality both physical and intellectual beauty. He was the personification of nobility and majesty, and an enviable example of all the best qualities. An unparalleled rider, an expert swordsman and equally adept with the spear or any other weapon, he was noted for his courage and his foresight in planning.
He is recognized in the world's military history as one of the greatest generals of all time. Triumphs and victories used to kiss his feet and even his worst enemies acknowledged his military expertise.





That the greatness and majesty of Caesar was laid low in the dust by him is doubtless a miracle caused by the ingenuity and well planned tactics used by him in leading his men. The eyes of the world saw that the mighty resources of Rome and Persia were never deterrents for him. From the beginning to the end in every conflict between Good and Evil, he remained victorious and with the help of Allah Almighty's blessings he never faced defeat. The boundaries of Syria is a city called Moatah. The confrontation, which took place here, is called the War of Moatah. This is the first war in which Khalid bin Waleed took part as an ordinary soldier after his conversion to Islam. But after three generals were martyred, one after another, the mantle of leadership fell on him. There were only three thousand Mujahedeen and they were totally spent and exhausted. The enemy, on the other hand, numbered one hundred thousand fierce warriors, who were very well equipped and armed.

The war started due to the following incident The Prophet sent one of his most faithful Companions, Haris bin 'Amr Azdi , with a letter for the ruler of Basra, Haris bin Ami Shamar Ghassani. He had barely reached Moatah, a town in the province of Balqa, on the borders of Syria, when the Governor of the province, Sharjeel bin ‘Amr Ghssani, came to hear of his arrival. He immediately had him arrested and killed brutally. When this terrible news reached the Prophet, he was very grieved and upset. Another incident took place around the same time. A missionary group of fifteen of the Prophet's Companions was in Syria engrossed in carrying the Message of Islam and enjoining its teachings. All these Companions were in a place called 'Zat AlAtlah', when they were treacherously murdered. Then again, around the same time the ruler of Rome had threatened to invade Al Madinah. These were the main reasons why the Prophet $3 sent an army under General Zaid bin Harithah. He had instructed that in case Zaid bin Harithah, was martyred during the war, his place should be taken by Ja'far bin Abi Talib If he too was martyred hen 'Abdullah bin Rawah a should take over the command the forces. If he too should be martyred then the Mujahedeen should decide on who should be their Commander. He had a white flag made for the army and entrusted it to General Zaid bin Harithah . He commanded the army to camp at the spot where Haris bin 'Amr Azdi , had been martyred, ask Allah Almighty for help and stand firm to battle against the enemy. He further instructed them not to break their word and not to perpetrate any breach of trust. They were ordered not to kill old people, women or children. Nor should they kill any recluse or monk who had abandoned the world to pray or meditate. No buildings were to be razed to the ground, nor trees to be felled or destroyed. After receiving their orders from their Commander in Chief, the Prophet, the army set out on their extremely difficult mission. After crossing very difficult territory they finally reached the Syrian border and entered the province of Balqa’. Here they got the news that the Roman emperor Harqul had sent a huge army to fight these and full of Muslim soldiers, and they were already encamped in the field. So the Mujahedeen turned direction and marched towards Moatah. At this place the two armies confronted each other and heavy fighting broke out. The Muslims fought fearlessly and 2aidi bin Harithah the general, realizing his responsibilities as the Commander attacked the enemy. In order to boost the morale of lus handful of men, he fought with the vigor and zest of four men. There was destruction, perdition and panic all round, as he advanced plunging through the ranks of the enemy, and finally achieved martyrdom. Now Ja'far bin Abu Talib took command and holding the flag in his hand led the Muslim army. He too rode fearlessly, trying to break through the ranks of the enemy.



Since the enemy's army was huge and the fighting was intense, it was difficult to ride through them, so he jumped off his steed and rushing through their ranks started to rip off the heads of the enemy with his sword. Finally, one of the enemy soldiers managed to land a powerful blow and cut off his right hand. He took the flag in his left hand and the enemy cut off the left hand as well. He still did not allow the flag to fall down and continued to hold it with the help of his legs and what was left of his arms. The enemy struck a final and fatal blow, and Ja’far; attained the exalted status of a martyr. According to the instructions of the Prophet, 'Abdullah bin Rawahanow took over the responsibility of General. Moving forward he took the flag, and finally he too after displaying marvelous deeds of heroism reached martyrdom, and the Glorious Presence of Allah Almighty.
The morale of the Mujahedeen was now at its lowest; they had lost three Generals, and even their flag had fallen to the ground. Considering the disproportionate numbers of the huge Roman army and the small Muslim force, defeat seemed certain. The white flag of the Muslim army had almost fallen into the hands of the enemy, when Thabit bin Aqram with a dexterous move took up the flag. He then turned to Khalid bin Waleed and addressed him thus:
"Please take this flag into your hands; at this most difficult of times only you can perform the duty of a leader best."
Khalid bin Waleed in very civil and humble tones declined the honour, saying Thabit was superior to him; having taken part in the battle of Badar he had the right to be the leader of the Mujahedeen, he said. But Thabit bin Aqram   was adamant and swearing by Allah
Almighty he said it was a proved fact that with his deeds of valor, Khalid bin Waleed had shown his mettle. He said he had picked up the flag from the ground only to hand it over to you. He again requested him to hold it up and tackle the critical situation with his wise and strategic planning. The Mujahedeen needed his military skill, daring and brave leadership. He said the army needed him at this crucial juncture to perform the important duties of leadership and non plus and confound the enemy so that the Muslim forces could get some breathing space. Then turning to the Mujahedeen asked them if they were would like to accept Kh2lid bin Waleed, as their leader.
They all, answered that they would be happy to have as their Commander him. Realizing that he was the choice of the Mujahedeen



Khalid bin Waleed picked up the flag, accepting the position of General. And he fought so fiercely and firmly that nine swords were broken in his hands and the enemy was thwarted. Compared to the enemy the Mujahedeen were very few in number. Bringing experience and masterly strategy into play, Khalid bin Waleed changed the whole formation of the army. He picked out a group of the Mujahedeen to remain at the back in hiding, and then suddenly appear and join the rest of the army. As a result the whole atmosphere was filled with dust and sand as they moved forward.
The Roman army panicked when they saw this and thought that reinforcements had arrived. Their morale started to live down and taking advantage of this opportunity. Khalid bin Waleed started to move out the Mujahedeen very carefully out of the circle of the surrounding enemy, and into a safe area. Earlier the Romans had been very confident that they would decimate the Muslims, and not even one of them would be allowed to leave the battlefield alive. Their confidence was very high because in the recent past they had defeated the Persians; they were intoxicated by their victory and thought a handful of the Mujahedeen would be no match for them. Khalid bin Waleed with his God given skill in planning had put into practice intelligent tactics to defeat the enemy. With the every first day they were shattered when they saw him break nine swords. And when he saw 011 the second day that the Romans were frightened, panicking and ready to retreat he took advantage of the opportunity to take his men back to safety. To bring back the army intact under such precious and critical circumstances was no mean feat and unforgettable in the annals of military history.




Tuesday, November 6, 2012

We can disagree and Still be Friends


We can disagree and still be friend
It is mentioned that ash-Shafi'i - may Allah have mercy on him - debated a scholar over a complex legal issue. They differed and argued for a long time, during which they raised their voices and failed to convince each other. The other scholar's complexion changed and he became angry and felt hurt. When the meeting ended and they decided to leave, al-Shafi'i turned to the scholar, took hold of his hand and said, "Why can't we differ and still be brothers?"
Some scholars of Hadith once sat in the presence of a Caliph. One of the scholars in the gathering narrated a Hadith, and thereupon, another scholar became very surprised and said, "This is not a Hadith! From where did you get it? Are you lying upon the Messenger of Allah Peace be Upon Him ?"
The scholar replied, "To the contrary, this is a well-established Hadith!"
The other scholar said, "No! We have never heard this Hadith nor memorized it!"
In the gathering there was an intelligent vizier. He turned to the scholar and said very gently,"0 Shaykh, have you memorized all of the Hadith of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him ?"
"No", the scholar replied.
The vizier asked, "So did you memories half of them?"
"Perhaps", the scholar replied.
The vizier replied, "Then consider this Hadith to be from the half you have not memorized!" and that was the end of the problem.
Al-Fudhayl bin 'Ayadh and 'Abdullah bin al-Mubarak were two close friends who would never leave each other. They were both modest scholars 'Abdullah bin al-Mubarak decided to go for Jihad and join the garrison troops for guard duty at the frontiers, while al-Fudhayl bin 'Ayadh decided to stay in the Haram to pray and worship Allah.
One day, his heart melted and he began to weep Al -Fudhayl was sitting in the Haram and worshipping Allah. He longed for his friend, Ibn al-Mubarak, and recalled their gatherings in which they would remember Allah. Thus, al-Fudhayl wrote to Ibn al-Mubarak asking him to come to the Haram for worship, remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Qur'an.
When Ibn al-Mubarak read al-Fudhayl's letter, he took a piece of paper and wrote to al-Fudhayl:
"0 you who worships in the vicinity of the Two Holy Mosques! If you but see us, you will realize that you are only jesting in worship. He who brings wetness to his cheek with his tears should know. Our necks become wet with our blood, he who tires his horses without purpose, now that our horses are getting tired in battle.
The scent of perfume is yours, while ours is the glimmer of spears and the stench of dust [in battle]. We were narrated about in the speech of our Prophet, An authentic statement that never lies that the dust that erupts by Allah's horses and which fills the nostrils of a man shall never be combined with the smoke of a raging Fire. This, the Book of Allah speaks to us. Is that the martyr is not dead, and this cannot be denied.
He then said, "From Allah's slaves are those whom Allah has blessed with fasting. They fast like no other people. From them are those blessed with recitation of the Qur'an. From them are those blessed with seeking knowledge. From them are those blessed with Jihad, and from them are those blessed with praying at night. What you are engrossed in is not better than what I am engrossed in. Both of us are involved in something good. This is how gently the dispute ended between the two of them, by simply saying, "Both of us are doing good," and as Allah says, "Your Lord creates what He wills and chooses:'
This was the way of the Companions.
A group of disbelievers got together and rallied to fight the Muslims in Madinah. They came with an army the like of which was never witnessed amongst the Arabs, in terms of numbers and weapons.
In response, the Muslims dug up trenches which were" not able to be crossed in order to enter Madinah. Hence, the disbelieving army was kept behind the trenches. In Madinah, there was a tribe called Banu Quraydhah. They were Jews, lying in wait for the believers. They turned to the disbelievers to help them and began to cause mischief and disorder in Madinah, whilst the Muslims were busy guarding the city at the trenches.
The days passed with great difficulty until Allah sent wind and His hidden army against the disbelievers that tore their army apart. They turned back in failure, dragging their belongings back with them in the darkness of the night.
When the Messenger of Allah Peace Be upon Him woke up the next morning, he departed from the trenches for Madinah. The Muslims put their weapons down and returned home. The Messenger of Alllah Peace Be Upon Him entered his home, put his weapons down and took a bath.
When the time for Dhuhr prayer entered, Jibril came and called the Messenger of Allah Peace Be upon Him from outside his house. The Messenger of Allah Peace Be upon Him instantly stood up in fear. Jibril  said to him,
"Have you put down your weapons, 0 Messenger of Allah?"
"Yes", the Prophet replied. Jibril said, "The angels have not yet put down their weapons. I have just come back, having chased them away. We chased them until we reached Hamra al-Asad", meaning, they chased the Quraysh away when they left Madinah for Makkah. The angels were following them and chasing them away from Madinah. Jibreel then said, "Allah has ordered you to head for Banu Quraydhah, for I am heading towards them to shake the earth beneath them:'
The Messenger of Allah Peace Be Upon Him then ordered a man to make an announcement, "Whosoever hears and obeys, let him not pray the 'Asr prayer except in Banu Quraydhah." The men dashed to grab their weapons, they heard and obeyed and went to the dwellings of Banu Quraydhah, but as they were on their way, the time for 'Asr prayer entered upon them. Some of them said, "We will not pray 'Asr except in Banu Quraydhah's dwellings." Others argued, "Rather, we will pray now, for this wasn't what the Prophet meant. He only wanted us to hurry."
They prayed Asr and continued with their journey, while others delayed the prayer until they reached Banu Quraydhah. When this was mentioned to the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him, he did not chastise any of the two groups. The Prophet Peace Be Upon Him then besieged Banu Quraydhah until Allah gave him victory over them. Consider how they used to differ amongst each other as brothers, such that their differences would not lead to discord, argumentation and people turning against each other.
Believe me, if you deal with the people with ease and gentleness, and with an open mind, they will love you and you would thereby enter into their hearts. And before all of this, Allah would love you, for discord is something always negative.