Few people during the blessed life of the Holy Rasool and many after his blessed demise were going to become apostate (i.e. revert to unbelief). The survival of Islam was going to be under a serious threat from them. Nevertheless, the Holy Quran foretold about that several years ago, and revealed that Allah will produce such people at that terrible and horrific time who will protect Islam. They will possess six such special characteristics that will be the source of all goodness and virtues of this world and the Hereafter and these very six characteristics will be the signs and symbols to identify these protectors of Islam. Those six characteristics are as follows:
1. They will be the beloved people of Allah .
2. They will love Allah .
3. They will be extremely kind towards the believers.
4. They will be extremely tough towards the unbelievers.
5. They will struggle (do Jihad) in the path of Allah .
6. They will not fear of the denunciation by critics.
1. They will be the beloved people of Allah .
2. They will love Allah .
3. They will be extremely kind towards the believers.
4. They will be extremely tough towards the unbelievers.
5. They will struggle (do Jihad) in the path of Allah .
6. They will not fear of the denunciation by critics.
The author of Tajseer Jamal has reported with reference to Kashaaf that after embracing Islam, eleven tribes from Arab reverted and became apostate. Three tribes reverted during the blessed life of the Holy Nabi , seven became apostate during the caliphate of Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq and one tribe reverted during the caliphate of Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam . However, these eleven tribes could not do any harm to Islam despite their unceasing efforts. Instead, by virtue of the heroic Jihad done by the Islamic warriors, all these apostates were obliterated forever. The propagation of Islam gained more and more pace day by day. Also, the promise made in Glorious Quran and the knowledge of unseen (Ghayb) proved to be absolutely true.
Three apostate tribes in the times of the Holy Rasool
1. The tribe of Bani Madlaj, whose chieftain was ‘Aswad ‘Ansee’ and who was famous with the title of Zul-Himaar committed apostasy. The Holy Rasoo passed an order to Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Bin Jabal and to the chiefs of the Yemen to do Jihad against apostates. Therefore, Aswad ‘Ansee was killed by Firawz Day lmi and his (Aswad ‘Ansee’s) party disintegrated. The Holy Rasool was informed of glad tidings in his illness that Aswad ‘Ansee has been killed. The very next day, the Holy Rasool departed from this temporal world.
2. The tribe of Banu Hanifah, whose chieftain was ‘Muselmah Kazzab’ also committed apostasy. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr initiated Jihad against him. Musehnah Kazzab was killed by Sayyiduna Wahshi. As for his followers, some were killed and others reverted to Islam.
3. The tribe of Banu Asad, whose leader was ‘Talhah Bin Khuwayld’ committed apostasy. The Holy Rasool appointed Sayyiduna Khalid Bin Waleed for war against him. Upon defeat, Talhah Bin Khu way lad fled to Syria. However, he reverted back to Islam, and remained Muslim until his last breath. Some of his army was killed and some repented and reverted back to Islam.
Seven apostate tribes in the caliphate of Siddeeq-e-Akbar
1. The tribe of Fazaarah whose chief was ‘Uyaynah Bin Hasan Fazaari
2. The tribe of Ghatfaan whose chief was Qurrah Bin Salamah Qushayri
3. The tribe of Banu Saleem whose chieftain was Fuja’ah Bin Yaaleel
4. The tribe of Bani Yarbu’ whose leader was Maalik Bin Buraydah
5. The tribe of Banu Tameem whose leader was a woman called Sajjah Bint-e-Munzar. She was married to Muselmah Kazzab
6. The tribe of Kindah who were the followers of Ash’as Bin Qays
7. The tribe of Banu Bakr who were the followers of Khatmi Bin Yazeed
Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar fought fiercely against these seven apostate tribes for several months. Some of these were killed and others repented and reverted back to Islam.
The apostate tribe in the caliphate of ‘Umar Farooq
During the caliphate of Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq, only one tribe reverted back from Islam and became apostate. This was the tribe of Ghassaan, whose leadership was in the hands of Jablah Bin Ayham. The blessed companions did Jihad against this tribe and completely obliterated it. Thereafter, no tribe plucked the courage to commit apostasy.
In this way, the entire braw 1 and sedition caused by these eleven tribes was finished forever by virtue of Jihad by Islamic warriors.
(I’afseer Jamal ‘ala/ Jalalayn, vol. 2, pp. 239; part 61 Surah AI-Mai’dah, Ayah 54)
Several years before, the Glorious Quran had foretold about the excellence of these holy companions who would fight against these apostate tribes and obliterate the rebellious groups:
0 believers! Whoever amongst you will deviate from his religion, so Allah will soon bring such people whom Allah loves and they love Allah, soft towards Muslims and stem towards disbelievers, they will fight in the way of Allah, and will not fear the criticism of any faultfinder; this is Allah’s Benevolence; He may give to whomsoever He wills, and Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 6, Surah Al-1/Iai’dah, Ayah 54)
Moral:
From these Ayahs, the following beacons of morals emanate:
No harm can be caused to Islam by the seditions and unrests created by the apostate groups because Allah will bring forth such a group against the apostate groups in every era, which will root out all the seditions and unrests created by apostates and will keep the flag of Islam high. Moreover, these people will possess six qualities. It is evident from above Quranic Ayahs that the holy companions , who eliminated the unrests created by the eleven apostate tribes and elevated the flag of Islam higher and higher, were blessed with the following six great attributes:
1. The holy companions are beloveds of Allah.
2. They are very tough against unbelievers.
3. They adore Allah .
4. They are kind towards the Muslims.
5. They fight in the path of Allah .
6. For the cause of Allah , they do not fear of the denunciation by critics.
Then in the end of the above Quranic Ayah, Allah has affirmed His kindness and reward for the Rasool’ s companions by saying:
This is Allah’s Benevolence; He may give to whomsoever He wills, and Allah is All-Embracing All-Knowing.
Only Allah knows the best who deserves His grace.
How marvellous is the rank of the Rasool’ s companions !
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The Beloved and Blessed Rasool proclaimed the grace and excellence of his companions and Allah also mentioned their excellent qualities in the Holy Quran.
