A MENTION OF HIS BRIEFING CONCERNING THE TRIBULATIONS TOWARD THE END OF UTHMAN’S ERA AND THE CALIPHATE OF ALI IBN ABI TALIB
It has been affirmed in the Saheehain from Usamah Ibn Zaid: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) stood on a balcony (rooftop) of a high-rise building from the high-rise buildings of Madinah and said, “Do you see what I see? I indeed see the places where the tribulations will occur around your houses like the places where the rain drops.”
Imam Ahmad and Muslim narrated from Abu Idrees Khawlani: I heard Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yaman say, “By Allah, I am the most learned of the people concerning every tribulation that is going to occur from now until the Hour. That isn’t because the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) informed me about something from that which he told me in secret and didn’t inform anyone else about it. But the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned it when he was talking to a group that I was in. He was asked about the tribulations. “From them are three matters which will not leave anything from them, like the wind of summer. From them are small (matters) and from them are big (matters).” Hudhaifah said, “Then that group left and I stayed (i.e., to hear the rest of the story).” This is the wording of Ahmad.
Al-Baihaqi said: Hudhaifah died after the first tribulation, the murder of Uthman and before the last two tribulations (from the three mentioned in the Hadith above) in the era of Ali.
I say: Al-Ijli and others from the historians said: The death of Hudhaifah was after the murder of Uthman by 40 days, and he is the one who said, “If the murder of Uthman was any guidance, the Ummah would have milked yoghurt from it. However, it was misguided, so the Ummah milked blood from it.” He said, “If one of you was to move for what you did to Uthman then it would have been appropriate for him to dance.”
Narrated by Zainab Bint Jahsh, the wife of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), she said: The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) woke up from his sleep with a red face and said, “There is no god deserving of worship except Allah; woe be unto the Arabs from an evil that has drawn nearer. Allah has opened (a hole) from the barrier of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj similar to this, and he made a circle with his index finger and his thumb and the finger next to it. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, are we going to perish when there are righteous people among us?” He said, “Yes, if evil increases.”
Abu Dawood As-Sijistani (Afghani) narrated in his Sunan from Sa‘eed Ibn Zaid, who said: We were with the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), when he mentioned a tribulation and magnified its affair. We said, “O Messenger of Allah, if this reaches us, it shall destroy us.” He replied, “Rather, being killed is enough for you (i.e., you won’t be destroyed).” Sa‘eed said, “I saw that my brothers were killed.”
Hudhaifah said, “There is no one from the people who will be affected by the tribulations except that I will fear for him with the exception of Muhammad Ibn Maslamah because I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, ‘The tribulations will not harm you’.” This Hadith has a broken chain (in effect, it is weak).
Ahmad narrated from Abul-Ash‘ath As-San‘ani, he said: Yazeed Ibn Mu‘awiyah sent me to Ibn Az- Zubair. When I arrived in Madinah I entered upon so-and-so – Ziyad (a sub-narrator) forgot his name – and said, “The people have done that which they have done, so what do you think?” He said, “My close friend Abul-Qasim (the Prophet) advised me, ‘If you reach any of these tribulations, then go to (Mount) Uhud and break the blade of your sword and sit in your house’. The Prophet added, ‘If anyone enters your house, go to your bed, if he goes to your bed, sit on your knees and say: Return with my sin and your sin so you become from the dwellers of the fire and that is the reward of the oppressors.’ I broke the blade of my sword and sat in my house.”
(Translator’s note: The tribulations which are referred to here are in reference to the fights and wars that occurred between the Muslims like in the time of Ali, Mu‘awiyah and Yazeed and also when the word Fitnah, i.e., tribulation mentioned earlier).
Narrated by Bint Uhban Al-Ghifari, Ali came to Uhban and said, “What prevents you from following me?” He said, “My close friend and son of your uncle (the Prophet) advised me, ‘There will be discord, tribulations and differences. If that happens, break your sword and sit in your house and take a sword made out of wood’.”
Narrated Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “There shall be tribulations, the one who sits is better than the one who stands. And the one who stands is better than the one who walks and the one who walks is better than the one who runs. Whoever exposes himself to it, he will be destroyed by it, and whoever finds a place of refuge or a safe place, he should stay in it”.
Narrated Ibn Mas‘ood from the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said, “There will be injustice and matters that you disapprove.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, then what do you command us?” He replied, “You fulfill the rights that are incumbent on you and you ask Allah for what (rights) belong to you.”
Narrated by Abu Bakrah from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “There will be a time of tribulations, then there will be a tribulation and the one who walks in it will be better than the one who runs. The one who sits will be better than the one who stands in it, the one who lies in it will be better than the one who sits. When it arrives, the one who has sheep should tend to his sheep, the one who has land should tend to his land, the one who has camels should tend to his camels.” A man from the people said, “O Prophet of Allah, May Allah sacrifice me for you, what if someone doesn’t have sheep, or land, or camels what should he do?” He replied, “He should take his sword, strike its edge on a stone and then escape if he can. O Allah, I have conveyed.” A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, May Allah sacrifice me for you, what if someone compels me by my hand and takes me to one of the two rows or one of the two parties – Uthman (the sub-narrator) had doubt (i.e., over: “one of the two rows or two parties”) – then a man stabs me with his sword and kills me, what shall be from my affair?” He said, “He will return with your sin and his sin and be from the dwellers of the fire.” This is what Muslim narrated from the Hadith of Uthman Ash-Shahham. This is a mention of the arrival of tribulations and many Ahadeeth have been narrated with this meaning.
Narrated by ‘A’ishah when she came to Al-Haw’ab (a place between Makkah and Al-Basrah), she heard the barking of dogs and said: I think I am going to return. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to us: “Who from among you (addressing his wives) will the dogs of AlHaw’ab bark at.” Az-Zubair said to her, “Are you going to return? Maybe Allah will bring peace between the people with you.” This chain is on the condition (in accepting authentic narrations) of the Saheehain and they didn’t narrate it.
Narrated by Ibn Abbas, he said: When the allies of Ali went to Basrah and knew that the people of Basrah had gathered for Talhah and Az-Zubair they found that difficult and felt it in their hearts. Then Ali said, “By the One besides Whom there is no god worthy of worship except Him, he will defeat the people of Basrah and kill Talhah and Az-Zubair. And 6,550 men from Kufah will face you or he said 5,500.” AlAjlah (a sub-narrator) had doubt (over this figure). Ibn Abbas said: That fell in my heart and when I went to Kufah I thought that I should have a look. If it was as he said then it was a matter that he heard and if not then it was propaganda. I met a man from the army and asked him, and, by Allah, he said that which Ali mentioned. Ibn Abbas said: And that is what the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) informed him.
Narrated by Abu Harb Ibn Abul-Aswad (Ad-Deeli) from his father – the Hadith of each of them merged with the other – he said, “When Ali and his companions approached Talhah and Az-Zubair and the rows (of the two sides) drew closer to each other Ali emerged upon the mule of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and shouted, “Call Az-Zubair Ibn Al-Awwam for me because I am Ali.” Then Az-Zubair was called and came until the necks of their animals were tangled together, and Ali said: I ask you in Allah’s Name, do you remember when the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) met you at such-and-such place and said, O Zubair, do you love Ali?” You said, “Shall I not love the son of my maternal uncle and the one who is on my religion?” He replied, “O Ali, do you love him?” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, shall I not love the son of my paternal aunt and the one who is on my religion?” The Prophet said, “O Zubair, you are going to fight him while you are going to be the wrong doer.” Az-Zubair said, “Indeed, by Allah, I forgot it since I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and now I have remembered it. By Allah, I shall not fight you.” Az- Zubair returned on his riding animal splitting the rows. His son Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair came to him and said, “What is wrong with you?” He replied, “Ali reminded me of a Hadith I heard from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), I heard him say, ‘You are going to fight him while you are the wrongdoer’, so I shall not fight him.” He asked, “So you came to fight? You only came to make peace between the people and that Allah reconciles this matter.” He replied, “I have taken an oath not to fight him.” He said, “Then free your slave Jarjis and stand till you reconcile between the people.” He freed his slave and stood, and when the affair of the people differed he went on his horse.
It has been affirmed in the Saheehain from the Hadith of Hammam Ibn Munabbih, from Abu Hurairah, he said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The Hour shall not be established until two great parties of the Believers fight, their call is one.”
These two parties are the people of the camel (i.e., the party of ‘A’ishah as she was on a camel and when it was struck the war ended) and the people of Siffeen (the place of the first battle between the allies of Ali and his opponents). That is because they both call to Islam and they only disputed over matters pertaining to leadership and considering the beneficial matters that benefit the Ummah and the general folk. Leaving the battle was more appropriate than making it, as was the school of thought of the majority of the Companions as we shall mention.
Narrated by Safwan Ibn Amr, he said: The people of Sham (party of Ali’s opposition) were 60,000 and 20,000 of them were killed and the people of Iraq (party of Ali) were 120,000 and 40,000 were killed from them.
However, Ali and his allies were the closest of the two parties to the truth than Mu‘awiyah. The allies of Mu‘awiyah were the ones who revolted against them as has been affirmed in Saheeh Muslim from Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri. He said: Somebody who is better than me informed me – i.e., Abu Qatadah – that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Ammar, “The rebellious group shall kill you (and Ammar was from the allies of Ali).”
Narrated by Abu Ubaidah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ammar Ibn Yasir from a Mawla of Ammar, who said: Ammar fell ill with an illness that made him weak, and he fell unconscious but recovered while we were crying around him. He asked, “Why are you crying? Do you fear that I will die on my bed? My beloved has informed me that the rebellious party shall kill me and my last provision in this world is diluted Laban.”
Narrated by Ibn Mas‘ood, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “When the people differ, Ibn Sumayyah will be with the truth.” It is well-known that Ammar was in the army of Ali in the Battle of Siffeen and the allies of Mu‘awiyah from Ash-Sham killed him and a man with the name of Abul-Ghadiyah killed him, and he was a man from the common folk. It has been mentioned that he was a Companion and Abu Umar Ibn Abdul-Barr and others mentioned him from the names of the Companions, and he was Abul-Ghadiyah Muslim. It has been said that his name was Yasar Ibn Uzaihir Al-Juhani from Quda‘ah and it is said he was a Muzani (tribesman), yet it has also been mentioned they were two. He lived in Ash-Sham and then moved to Wasit, Ahmad narrated a Hadith from him and he has another Hadith with another compiler of Hadith. The scholars said that he was the murderer of Ammar Ibn Yasir and he used to mention the description of his murder of Ammar and he wouldn’t be ashamed of that. We shall mention his biography when we speak of his murder of Ammar in the era of Mu‘awiyah in the Battle of Siffeen. Whoever has mentioned that he fought in the Badr has made an error.
Narrated by Hanzalah Ibn Khuwailid Al-Anazi, he said: While I was with Mu‘awiyah two men came disputing over the head of Ammar, every one of them said: I killed him. Abdullah Ibn Amr said, “Each of you should prefer that it was the other of you because I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, ‘The rebellious party will kill him.’ Mu‘awiyah said, “Take your insane (son) away from us, O Amr. Why are you with us?” Abdullah said, “My father complained about me to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and he said, ‘Obey your father as long as he lives and don’t disobey him.’ I am with you but I won’t fight.”
Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Nawfal, who said, “I was traveling with Mu‘awiyah who was returning from Siffeen and along with him was Amr Ibn Al-As. Abdullah Ibn Amr said, “O my father, didn’t you hear what the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Ammar, ‘Woe be unto you, O Ibn Sumayyah. The rebellious party shall kill you’!” He said: Then Amr said to Mu‘awiyah, “Do you not hear what he says?” Mu‘awiyah said, “The prohibition never ceases to come to me. Did we kill him? The ones that killed him are the ones who brought him (to us).”
The statement of Mu‘awiyah: “That the one who killed him is the one who brought him to our swords,” is a very far interpretation. Because that would imply that the leader of the army is the one who killed those who died in the way of Allah as he would have brought him to the swords of the enemies.
Amr said to Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf, “Do you not know that we used to read in the Qur’an: Strive hard in Allah’s cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity and with all your efforts that His Name should be superior) (Soorah Al-Hajj: 78) in the end of time just as you made Jihad at the beginning of time?” Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf said, “When is that, O leader of the Believers?” He replied, “When the tribesman of Umayyah become leaders and the tribesman of Al-Mugheerah become the ministers.” Al-Baihaqi mentioned it here and it is as though he was using it as an evidence for the chapter which he mentioned after it concerning the two arbitrators and the outcome of their affair.
By Ibn Katheer
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