THE STORY OF ‘AMR IBN SU‘DA AL-QARAZI WHEN HE CAME UPON THE DESOLATE RESIDENCE OF BANU NADIR
After Banu Nadir had been expelled from Madinah, ‘Amr Ibn Su‘da came and went round their desolate quarters. When he held its ruins he was gripped by a deep thought and then he went back to Banu Quraizah. He found them in their church. He blew their horn and they all gathered. Az-Zubair Ibn Bata asked him: “O Abu Sa‘eed, where have you been all day that we did not see you.” He used to adhere to the church. He said: “Today, I saw a lesson from which we should learn. I saw the residences of our brothers in ruin after they had witnessed glory, strength, dignity, precedence and dexterity. They had abandoned their wealth and now it is controlled by others and they were expelled in an ignominious manner. I swear by the Tawrah, this sort of affliction did not come upon a people whom Allah has any use for. Prior to that, Ibn Al-Ashraf, the custodian of their dignity and Ibn Sunainah, their leader and Banu Qainuqa‘ had met similar fate. Meanwhile, they were Jews of strength, men of great numbers, military might and support. They were encircled and no one escaped with his head till they were enslaved and some were wounded and they were let off upon being expelled from Yathrib.
“My people, you have all witnessed all that you have witnessed, so listen to me and come along so that we may follow Muhammad. By Allah, you are aware that he is a Prophet, the tiding and affairs of whom Ibn Al-Hayyaban, Abu ‘Umair and Ibn Hirash have given us. Both of them were the most knowledgeable Jews who came to us from Jerusalem to await his coming. They enjoined on us to follow him and to convey their greeting to him (whenever he appeared) after which they died upon their religion and we buried them by this rock of ours.”
After hearing this speech, the entire congregation was dead silent and no one said a word. Then he repeated his address and scared them with the threat of war, enslavement and expulsion to drive home his point. Az-Zubair Ibn Bata said: “I swear by the Tawrah, I had read his attributes in Bata’s book, the Tawrah revealed to Moosa but not in the Mathani which we have invented by ourselves.” Thereupon Ka‘b Ibn Asad said to him: “So what has prevented you (from following him), O Aba ‘Abdur-Rahman?” He replied: “You, O Ka‘b.” Surprised at this claim, Ka‘b Ibn Asad asked: “How is that? I swear by the Tawrah, I have never stood in your way.” “You have.” Az-Zubair insisted and added: “You are our most influential person and our trustee. If you follow him, we will also follow him and if you refuse we will also refuse.” Then ‘Amr Ibn Su‘da turned to Ka‘b and he mentioned their disputation on this till ‘Amr said: “I do not have anything more to say concerning him than what I have already said: (i.e.) my heart is not comfortable with following (him).” Related by Al-Baihaqi.
The Ghazwat of Banu Lihyan During Which the Fear Prayer Was First Held at Usfan
Imam Ahmad related that Ayyash said: We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, at Usfan and we were arrayed against the disbelievers led by Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed. The enemy straddled us from the direction of the Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, led us in Salat Zuhr. The Kuffar said: “We suffered from negligence; we became careless. We should have attacked them while they were praying. It is more beloved to them than their children and their lives.” Thereupon, Jibraeel descended with this Verse: “When you (O Messenger Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in As-Salat (the prayer)…” (Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:102)
When the time of the afternoon prayer came, the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him, stood facing the Qiblah, and the disbelievers were standing in front of him. The people stood in a row behind him and there was another row behind this row. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, bowed and all of them bowed. He then prostrated and also the row near him prostrated. The other people in the second row remained standing and stood guard over them. When they performed two prostrations and stood up, those who were behind them prostrated. The people in the front row near him then stepped backward taking the place of the people in the second row and the second row took the place of the first row.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then bowed and all of them bowed together. Then he and the row near him prostrated themselves. The other people in the second row remained standing and stood guard over them. When the Messenger of Allah and the row near him (i.e. the front row) were seated, the people in the second row behind them prostrated themselves. Then all of them were seated. The Prophet then uttered the salutation upon all of them. He prayed in his manner at Usfan as well as at the territory of Banu Sulaym.”
Jabir narrated: We partook in a military expedition with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, against the people of Juhainah. A ferocious battle ensued. When it was time for Zuhr, the polytheists said: “If we had attacked them (during their prayer), we would have decimated them.” Whereupon Jibraeel informed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, of that and he in turn said to us: “They (the Kuffar) say, the time of Salat will soon come which is more beloved to them than their children’.”
Imam Ahmad related from Abu Hurairah that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, disembarked between Dajnan and Usfan and the polytheists said: “These people have a prayer (which they offer) that is much more beloved to them than their children and their virgin women – and that is – the ‘Asr Prayer. Mobilize yourselves and let’s attack them in unison.” Then Jibraeel came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and ordered him to divide his Companions into two groups and that he should pray leading the first group while the other stands behind to guard with their weapons. Then the other group would also come to pray with him while the first group would also stand guard with their weapons so that the two groups would pray one Rak‘ah each with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the Prophet will offer two Rak‘ahs.”
I say: “If Abu Hurairah witnessed this incident, then it occurred after Khaibar, otherwise the narration would be one of the mursals of the Companions and there is no harm about that in the view of the majority of scholars. And Allah (SWT) knows best.
However, whether the Ghazwat of Usfan occurred before or after Khandaq is still a controversial issue. Some scholars, among whom is Ash-Shafi’i, claim that the “Fear Prayer” was legislated after the Battle of Khandaq. On that day, they had delayed the prayer beyond its appointed time due to the excuse of fighting. Had the “Fear Prayer” been legislated at the time, they would have offered it and they would not have delayed the prayer beyond its appointed time. This is why some of the military historians argue that the Ghazwat of Banu Lihyan, during which the “Fear Prayer” was offered at Usfaan, occurred after the expedition of Banu Quraizah.
By: Ibn Katheer
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