47. THE DEPUTATION OF BANU ‘AMIR AND THE STORY OF ‘AMIR IBN AT-TUFAIL AND ARBAD IBN QAIS, MAY ALLAH CURSE THEM BOTH
Ibn Ishaq said: Among the delegates of Banu ‘Amir which came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were ‘Amir Ibn AtTufail, Arbad Ibn Qais and Jaz’ Ibn Khalid Ibn Ja‘afar and Jabbar Ibn Sulma Ibn Malik Ibn Ja‘afar. The three of them were the leaders of their people and the evil ones from among them. Allah’s enemy, ‘Amir, arrived in the presence of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while intending treachery against him. His people told him: “O Amir, people are already accepting Islam, why don’t you also follow suit?” He said: “I have vowed that I shall not cease until the Arabs follow my heels. Should I then follow this fellow from the Quraish?” He then said to Arbad: “When we get to him, I will divert his attention away from you so that you may smite him with your sword.”
When they got to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, ‘Amir said to him: “O Muhammad, take me as a friend.” The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “By Allah, not until you believe in Allah, Alone.” Again, ‘Amir repeated his request and continued to engage him in discussion while expecting Arbad to do what they had agreed on, but the latter remained still. When ‘Amir saw the inaction of Arbad, he put the same request to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “O Muhammad, take me as a friend.” Again the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Not until you believe in Allah, Alone, and not associating any partner with him.” When Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, declined insistently, he said: “By Allah, I will spread the earth against you with cavalry and infantry.” When he departed, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, supplicated: “Allah suffice me (i.e. protect me) against ‘Amir Ibn At-Tufail.”
When they left the presence of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, ‘Amir said to Arbad: “Why didn’t you do as I had commanded you? By Allah, there was no man on Earth whom I feared more than you, but, by Allah, I shall never fear you after today.” Arbad said: “Do not be hasty in passing judgment on me. By Allah, each time I made an effort to carry out what you had ordered me, you came in between me and the man in such a way that I could see none but you. Should I then smite you with the sword?”
They continued on their homeward journey. After they had covered part of the distance, Allah sent a plague on ‘Amir which afflicted him on the neck and he died as a result of it in the house of a woman from Banu Salool. He kept saying: “Banu ‘Amir, a boil like the boil of a young camel in the house of a woman from Banu Salool!”
I say: Apparently, the story of ‘Amir Ibn At-Tufail preceded the Conquest of Makkah even though Ibn Ishaq and Al-Baihaqi have both mentioned it after the Conquest. That is owing to Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi’s narration.
On the authority of Anas Ibn Malik came the story of Bi’r Ma‘oonah, ‘Amir Ibn At-Tufail’s murder of Haram Ibn Milhan, maternal uncle of Anas Ibn Malik and his treachery against the companions of Bi’r Ma‘oonah till they were all slaughtered except ‘Amr Ibn Umayyah.”
Al-Awza’i related that Yahya said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, spent thirty days cursing ‘Amr Ibn At-Tufail: “Allah suffice (protect) me with whatever You wish against ‘Amr Ibn At-Tufail and send to him what will kill him.” Then Allah sent upon him a plague.
Ibn Ishaq related: After burying him, his companion returned in winter to the land of Banu ‘Amir. When he arrived, the people questioned him about what had happened and he said: “Nothing. By Allah, he invited us to worship someone. I wish he were here now so that I could shoot him with arrows to kill him.” After a day or two, he went out to sell his camel when Allah sent a thunderbolt upon him and his camel and they were incinerated.
On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas who said: Then Allah revealed concerning ‘Amir and Arbad: Allah knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion. All-Knower of the Unseen and the seen, the Greatest, the Highest.It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hidden by night or go forth freely by day. For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah (Soorah Ar-Ra‘d 13:8-11) i.e. Muhammad.
Then Allah mentions about Arbad and his death: It is He who shows you the lightning, as a fear (for travelers) and as a hope (for those who wait for rain). And it is He Who brings up (or originates) the clouds, heavy (with water). And Ar- Ra‘d (thunder) glorifies and praises Him, and so do the angels because of His Awe, He sends the thunderbolts, and therewith He strikes whom He wills, yet they (disbelievers) dispute about Allah. And He is Mighty in strength and Severe in punishment. (Soorah Ar- Ra‘d 13:11-13)
By: Ibn Katheer
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