CHAPTER 21: THE MENTIONING OF THE ANNULMENT OF THE PACT OF BOYCOTT
THE MENTIONING OF THE ANNULMENT OF THE PACT OF BOYCOTT
Ibn Ishaq said that the Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib still remained in their valley excommunicated by a pact which they had written on a parchment with the Quraish. Then a number of Quraish men rose with the intention of nullifying the pact of the boycott. The first person to make a successful attempt was Hisham Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Rabee‘ah Al-Harith Ibn Hubayyib Ibn Nasr Ibn Jadhimah Ibn Malik Ibn Hisl Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Lu’ayy who was very upset at the plight of his relatives. This is because he was a cousin of Nadlah Ibn Hashim Ibn ‘Abd Manaf from the mother’s side. Thus, Hisham shared some connection with the Banu Hashim. He was a noble person among his people, and according to what has reached me, while Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib were in their valley, he would come with a camel load of food. At the mouth of the valley, he would loosen the rein of the animal from its head and then he would goad it from its side until the animal entered the valley so that the Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib might find it and eat the food. Again, he would come with a camel laden with wheat and he would behave in a similar manner as before.
Then he went to Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah Ibn Al-Mugheerah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Makhzoom whose mother was Atikah Bint ‘Abdul-Muttalib. He said: “O Zuhair, are you pleased that you eat food comfortably, adorn yourself with cloth and sleep with women while your maternal uncles are, as you have well- known, neither able to buy nor anyone buying from them; and neither are they being married nor are they being married to?
“As for me, I swear by Allah, if it was the maternal uncles of Al-Hakam Ibn Hisham (i.e. Abu Jahl) that were involved, and you invited him to the cause which he had invited you against your own maternal uncles, he would never have responded to you.” He said: “Woe be unto you, O Hisham! What could I do? I am just a single person. By
Allah, if I had one other person with me (in that cause) I will rise for the nullification of that boycott.” Zuhair said: “You have found that other person.” “And who is that?” Hisham asked. “Myself,” Zuhair said and he added: “Find a third person for us.”
So he went to Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy’ and said to him: “Are you pleased that your fellow tribesmen from Banu ‘Abd Manaf are exterminated while you are a witness over that consenting with the Quraish on that?! By Allah, if you allow them to do that, you will find them quicker to do the same to you!” He replied: “Woe be to you! What can I do? I am just a lone person!” He said: “I have found a second person for you.” “Who is that?” Al-Mut‘im asked. “Myself,” he answered. “Let’s search for the third person.” Al-Mut‘im said. “I have done that,” he replied. “And who is that?” Al-Mut‘im asked. “Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah,” he replied. “Then let’s search for the fourth.” He went to Abul-Bakhtari Ibn Hisham and said something similar to what he said to Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy’. He replied: “Do you have anyone to lend support on that?” He replied in affirmative. “Who is that?” he asked. “Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah, Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy’ and I am also with you.” He said. “Find a fifth person for us.”
He went to Zam‘ah Ibn Al-Aswad Ibn Al-Muttalib Ibn Asad and spoke to him mentioning their blood relation. Zam‘ah asked, “Is there any helper on this cause?” “Yes,” and he named the others. In the night, they climbed the mountain of Khatm Al-Hajoom, at the upper part of Makkah where they assembled and pledged to do their best to destroy the parchment. Zuhair volunteered to make the first move.
So the next morning when the clans have gathered in their various meeting places, Zuhair arrived at the Ka‘bah, circumambulated it, and then turned to the people and shouted: “O People of Makkah! Shall we eat food and wear clothes while Banu Hisham are left to perish, and no one buying from them or selling to them? By Allah, I shall not sit down until that unjust pact is destroyed!” Abu Jahl said, “You are a liar! By Allah, it will not be destroyed!” Zam‘ah interjected, “It is you who is a liar. By Allah, we have not been pleased with it since it was written!” Abul-Bakhtari also said: “By Allah, Zam‘ah is telling the truth. We are not pleased with what is written in it.” Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy’ also lent his voice: “You are both right and anybody who says otherwise is a liar.” Hisham Ibn ‘Amr also said something similar. Then Abu Jahl said: “This conspiracy was hatched last night!” Meanwhile, Abu Talib was at a section of the Mosque nearby watching the proceedings.
Al-Mut‘im moved toward the parchment to tear it up, but found that the worms had already eaten it except the words: “In Your Name, O Allah.” The person who wrote the pact was Mansoor Ibn ‘Ikrimah and his hand had become paralyzed as they claimed.
Ibn Hisham said some people of knowledge said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, once said to Abu Talib: “O my uncle! Allah has sent worms to ravage the parchment of the Quraish and they left untouched any name belonging to Allah while they ate out all words indicative of injustice, breaking ties (of kinship) and calumny.” Abu Talib asked, “Did your Lord inform you of this?” “Yes,” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied. “By Allah, no one shall enter upon you.” Then he went out to the Quraish and said to them: “O people of Quraish! My nephew has informed me that such-and-such has happened to your parchment. Go and fetch your parchment. If it is as he has said, then cease from excommunicating us and stand down from it. If he is proved to be false, I shall surrender my nephew to you.” The Quraish said: “We are pleased with that (arrangement).” When they looked into the parchment, they found it as Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had related. However, that rather enhanced their enmity. Consequently, a group of men from the Quraish did what they did in nullifying the pact.
I say: In the same year, after their return, Abu Talib died and then his Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid soon afterward. May Allah be pleased with her. Details of that will be narrated shortly insha’Allah.
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, Allah have Mercy on him, after the cancellation of the boycott pact, narrated many stories involving the enmity of the Quraish against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and their scaring away of Arabs who have arrived in Makkah for Hajj and ‘Umrah or some other purposes. The stories also include the miracles that Allah performed at the hands of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, a pointer to his truthfulness concerning what he has brought to them of clear proof, correct guidance and a refutation of what they
have charged him of transgression, enmity, deceit and chicanery. They also accused him of insanity, magic, sorcery and fabrication of lies. And Allah has full Power and Control over His Affairs. He also mentioned the story of At-Tufail Ibn ‘Amr Ad-Dawsi who was a leader that is obeyed and a nobleman of the tribe of Daws.
Imam Ahmad related from Abu Hurairah, who said: “When At-Tufail and his companions came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he said: ‘the tribe of Daws has disbelieved and has belied you, ‘ whereupon he (Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)) said: ‘O Allah guide aright the tribe of Daws and direct them to me’.”
Imam Ahmad related on the authority of Jabir that Tufail, son of ‘Amr Ad-Dawsi, came to the Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: “Do you need strong, fortified protection? The tribe of Daws had a fort in the pre-Islamic days.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, declined this offer, since it (the privilege of protecting the Holy Prophet) had already been reserved for the Ansar. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, migrated to Madinah, Tufail Ibn ‘Amr also migrated to that place, and there also migrated along with him a man of his tribe. But the climate of Madinah did not suit him, and he fell sick. He felt very uneasy. So he took hold of the iron head of an arrow and cut his finger joints. The blood gushed forth from his hands, till he died. Tufail Ibn ‘Amr saw him in a dream. His state was good and he saw him with his hands wrapped. He (Tufail) said to him: “What treatment did your Lord accord to you?” He replied. “Allah granted me pardon for my migration to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.” He (Tufail) again said: “Why do I see you wrapping up your hands?” He replied: “I was told (by Allah): ‘We would not set right anything of yours which you damaged yourself’.” Tufail narrated this (dream) to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Upon this he prayed: “O Allah! Grant pardon even to his hands.”
If it is said how do we reconcile between this Hadith and what is established in the Saheehain from the path of Al-Hasan Ibn Jundab who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, ‘My Slave hurriedly brought death upon himself so I have forbidden him (to enter) Paradise’.”
Response to this is multifaceted: It could be that it is because one was a non-Muslim while the other was a Muslim. It is possible that his suicide action is independent of his admittance into Hellfire, rather, it was his polytheism and Allah merely mentioned his suicide so that his people might take lesson from it.
It is possible that one was knowledgeable of the prohibition of suicide while the other was ignorant of it due to his accepting Islam recently.
It is possible that one did it due to his permitting what Allah has prohibited while the other did not permit it but did it in error.
It is possible that one did it with a clear intention of suicide but the other may not have intended suicide when he did what he did.
It is possible that one has a paucity of righteous deeds so his few righteous deeds were insufficient to cancel his great sin. Meanwhile, the other person had many righteous deeds which saved him from entering the Fire and consequently Allah forgave him because of his migration to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. However, a blemish remained only on his hand and his remaining condition was good. Thus that blemish was covered for him. When At-Tufail Ibn ‘Amr saw it covered, he asked him: “what happened to you?!” and he said: “It was said to me: ‘We would not set right anything of yours which you damaged yourself.’ When At-Tufail narrated his dream to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he prayed for him saying: “O Allah! Grant pardon even to his hands.” i.e. correct what has been damaged from him. It is undoubted that Allah accepted the supplication of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, for the companion of At-Tufail Ibn Amr.
By Ibn Katheer
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