Black, tall and tough, Muhammad ibn Maslamah towered above his contemporaries. He was a giant among the companions of the Prophet, a giant within body and a giant within deeds.
Significantly he was branded Muhammad even ahead of he became a Muslim. It would seem that his name was itself a clue towards the fact that he was among the former of the Yathribites towards become a Muslim and towards pursue the teachings of the great Prophet. (The name Muhammad was technically unknown at the moment but since the Prophet advocated Muslims towards name themselves as soon as him, it has become one of the most broadly consumed names within the world.)
Muhammad ibn Maslamah was a halif or an ally of the Aws tribe within Madinah indicating that he himself was not an Arab. He became a Muslim at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, the former missionary posted out via the Prophet from Makkah towards Madinah. He agreed Islam even ahead of men want Usayd ibn Hudayr and Sad ibn Muadh whom were influential men within the city.
When the Prophet, silence be onto him, arrived towards Madinah, he adopted the distinctive mechanism of bolstering the contracts of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar. He paired off each Muhajir with one of the Ansar. This arrangement also assisted towards relieve the i mmediate needs of the Muhajirin for shelter and food and designed an integrated settlement of believers.
The Prophet was a willing observer of spirit and temperament and was feared towards collaborate within brotherhood fellows of allied attitudes and tastes. He attended within brotherhood Muhammad ibn Maslamah and Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah. Like Abu Ubaydah, Muhammad ib n Maslamah was quiet and pensive and had a powerful feel of believe and devotion. He was also brave and adamant within action. He was a distinguished horseman whom served feats of heroism and sacrifice within the service of Islam.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah took portion within everybody the combat battles of the Prophet except the tour towards Tabuk. On that occasion, he and Ali were put within price of an army which was deserted rear towards protect Madinah. Later within life, he would often relate scenes of these battles towards his ten children.
There are a lot cases within the life of Muhammad ibn Maslamah which indicated what a consistent and trustworthy fellow he was. Before the activate of hostilities at the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet and the Muslim drag numbering a number of seven hundred fellows spent a night within an open camp. He put fifty men below the instruction of Muhammad ibn Maslamah and entrusted him with the labor of patrolling the camp the complete night. During the battle itself, as soon as the disastrous rout of the Muslims via the Quraysh during which abo ut seventy Muslims forgotten their stays and a lot retreated within every possible direction, a low strip of the loyal bravely defended the Prophet till the tide of battle turned. Muhammad ibn Maslamah was among them.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah was rapid towards respond towards the dub of action. He once stood listening towards the Prophet as he spoke towards the Muslims approximately the designs of a number of of the Jewish leaders within the region. At the initiating of his stay within Madinah, the Prophet had completed an dealing with the Jews of the city which remarked within part:
"The Jews whom attach themselves towards our commonwealth shall be guarded from everybody insults and harassment. They shall possess equal rights as our own civilians towards our assistance...They shall collaborate the Muslims within defending Madinah against everybody enemies...They shall none t say war nor enter within treaty or dealing against the Muslims."
Jewish leaders had violated this dealing via advocating the Quraysh and tribes round Madinah within their designs against the state. They were also bent onto creating. disagreement among the civilians of Madinah within order towards undermine the influence of Islam.
After the resounding victory of the Muslims again the Quraysh at the Battle of Badr, one of the three primary Jewish categories within Madinah, the Banu Qaynuqa was specially furious and printed a petulant exam towards the Prophet. They said:
"O Muhammad! You genuinely think that we are want your civilians (the Quraysh)? Don't be deceived. You confronted a civilians whom possess none information of war and you took the likelihood towards rout them. If you were towards oppose ourselves you would indeed know that we arc men."
They hence spurned their dealing with the Prophet and printed an open exam towards fight. The Qaynuqa however were goldsmiths whom dominated the market within Madinah. They were depending onto their allies, the Khazraj, towards assistance them within their declared war. The Kh azraj refused. The Prophet spaced the Banu Qaynuqa's quarters below a siege which lasted for fifteen nights. The fainthearted Qaynuqa finally decided towards surrender and ask the Prophet for a free passage out of Madinah.
The Prophet licenced them towards flee and the tribe - men, ladies and children - deserted unharmed. They had towards abandon them their arms and their goldsmith's equipment. They definite down at Adhraat within Syria. The exodus of the Qaynuqa did not end Jewish feelings of animosity towards the Prophet although the nonaggression dealing was still within force. One of those whom was overwhelmed with hatred against the Prophet and the Muslims and whom truthfully provided vent towards hi s rage was Kab ibn al-Ashraf.
Kab's husband was within fact an Arab whom had retreated towards Madinah as soon as devoting a crime. He became an ally of the Banu Nadir, another meaningful Jewish category, and wed a Jewish lady name Aqilah bint Abu-l Haqiq. She was Kab's mother.
Kab was a tall and impressive glancing person. He was a prominent poet and was one of the richest men among the Jews. He lived within a castle onto the outskirts of Madinah whereas he had broad palm groves. He was regarded as a Jewish leader of importance thr oughout the Hijaz. He provided processes of cooperation and sponsorship towards a lot Jewish rabbis.
Kab was truthfully hostile towards Islam. He lampooned the Prophet, besmirched within verse the popularity of Muslim ladies, and incited the tribes within and round Madinah against the Prophet and Islam. He was notably devastated when he heard the news of the Muslim victory at Badr. When he observed the replacing army with the Quraysh prisoners of war, he was sour and furious. He took it upon himself otherwise towards earn the long ride towards Makkah towards express his grief and towards incite the Quraysh towards rob further revenge. He also w ent towards else areas, from tribe towards tribe, lobbying civilians towards rob up arms against the Prophet. News of his deeds reached the Prophet, silence be onto him, whom prayed: "O Lord, rid me of the son of Ashfar, however You wish."
Kab had become a actual threat towards the state of silence and mutual believe which the Prophet was struggling towards accomplish within Madinah.
Kab replaced towards Madinah and persisted his verbal attacks onto the Prophet and his abuse of Muslim women. He rejected, as soon as alarms from the Prophet, towards give away his discoloured campaign and sinister intrigues. He was bent onto fomenting a revolt against the Prophet an d the Muslims within Madinah. By everybody these affairs, Kab had truthfully declared war against the Prophet. He was grave and a social enemy towards the nascent Muslim state. The Prophet was relatively exasperated with him and remarked towards the Muslims: "Who shall import with Kab i bn al-Ashraf? He has offended God and His Apostle."
"I shall import with him for you, O Messenger of God," volunteered Muhammad ibn Maslamah.
This, however, was none easy undertaking. Muhammad ibn Maslamah, according towards one inform, went house and waited for three days without either devouring or drinking, just thinking approximately what he had towards do. The Prophet heard of this, branded him and asked him why h e had not been devouring or drinking. He replied: "O Messenger of God, I provided an conducting towards you but I do not know whether I can conduct it or not." "Your obligation is alone towards endeavour your utmost," answered the Prophet.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah otherwise went towards a number of else companions of the Prophet and told them what he had undertaken towards do. They covered Abu Nailah, a foster brother of Kab ibn al-Ahsraf. They accepted assistance him and he invented a blueprint towards conduct the mission. T hey went back towards the Prophet towards seek his consent since the blueprint embroiled enticing Kab from his fort residence across a number of deception. The Prophet provided his consent onto the belief that war embroiled deceit.
Both Muhammad ibn Maslamah whom was within fact a nephew of Kab via fosterage and Abu Nailah otherwise went towards Kab's residence. Muhammad ibn Maslamah was the former towards speak: "This man (meaning the Prophet, silence be onto him) has asked ourselves for sadaqah (charitable tax) a nd we cannot even encounter food towards eat. He is oppressing ourselves with his laws and prohibitions and I idea I could arrive towards you towards apply a loan." "By God, I am much many dissatisfied with him," confessed Kab. "We possess pursued him but we do not need towards flee him until we see how this complete corporation shall end. We would want you towards lend ourselves a wasaq or two of gold," persisted Muhammad ibn Maslamah.
"Isn't it approximately moment that you implement what falsehood you are tolerating from him? asked Kab as he assured towards grant them the loan. "However," he remarked, "you ought provide protection (for the loan)."
"What protection do you want?" they asked. "Give me your wives as security," he suggested. "How can we grant you our wives as protection ," they protested, "when you are the most handsome of Arabs?"
"Then grant me your children as security," Kab suggested. "How can we grant you our children as protection when any one of them would thereafter be ridiculed via being branded a hostage for one or two wasaqs of gold. This would be a disgrace towards us. But we could grant you our (means of) safety (meaning weapons) since you know that we need them."
Kab accepted this submission which they had made towards disabuse his mind of any notion that they had arrive armed. They assured towards arrive back towards him again towards fetch the weapons.
Meanwhile, Abu Nailah also arrived up towards Kab and said: "Woe towards you, Ibn Ashraf. I possess arrive towards you intending towards mention something towards you and you do not advocate me." Kab asked him towards go onto and Abu Nailah said: "The arriving of this man towards ourselves has been a cause of affliction towards our Arab customs. With one shot he has severed our passages and deserted households hungry and within difficulties. We and our households are struggling." Kab replied: "I, Ibn al-Ashraf, via God, I had told you, son of Salamah, that the matter would end up as I predicted." Abu Nailah replied: "I wish you could sell ourselves a number of food and we would grant you whatever form of protection and believe required. Be nice towards us. I possess allies whom share my looks onto this and I need towards fetch them towards you so that you could sell them a number of food and import well towards them. We shall arrive towards you and pledge our shields and weapons towards you as security." "There is loyalty and nice religion within weapons," conceded Kab.
With this they deserted assuring towards replace and fetch the required protection for the loan. They went back towards the Prophet and reported towards him what had happened. That night, Muhammad ibn Maslamah, Abu Nailah, Abbad ibn Bisnr, Al-Harith ibn Aws and Abu Abasah ibn Jabr everybody predetermined off for Kabs house. The Prophet went with them for a short interval and parted with the words:
"Go forth within the name of God." And he prayed: "O Lord, assistance them." The Prophet replaced home. It was a moonlit night within the month of Rabi al-Awwal within the third year of the hijrah.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah and the four with him reached Kab's house. They branded out towards him. As he got out of bed, his wife held him and warned: "You are a man at war. People at war do not go down at such an hour." "It is alone my nephew Muhammad ibn Maslamah and my foster brother, Abu Nailah..." Kab arrived down with his sword drawn. He was heavily scented with the perfume of musk.
"I possess not smelt such a harmonious scent as today," welcomed Muhammad ibn Maslamah. "Let me smell your head." Kab conceded and as Muhammad bent again, he grasped Kab's brain firmly and branded onto the others towards knock down the enemy of God.
(Details of this incident vary somewhat. Some reports state that it was Abu Nailah whom provided the instruction towards knock down Kab and this was done as soon as Kab had surfaced from his house and sauntered with them for a number of time. )
The elimination of Kab ibn al-Ashraf punched terror into the hearts of those, and there were a lot of them within Madinah, whom plotted and intrigued against the Prophet. Such open violence as Kab's dampened for a moment but certainly did not cease.
At the initiating of the fourth year of the hijrah, the Prophet went towards the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir onto the outskirts of Madinah towards seek their assistance onto a certain matter. While among them, he located out that they were intending towards kill him otherwise and there. He had towards rob decisive action. The Banu Nadir had gone too far. Straight away, the Prophet went back towards the center of the city. He paged Muhammad ibn Maslamah and posted him towards inform the Banu Nadir that they had towards flee Madinah within ten days because o f their treacherous behavior and that any one of them sighted as soon as that within the city would loss his life.
One can just reckon Muhammad ibn Maslamah addressing the Banu Nadir. His towering stature and his loud and noticeable voice jointly towards lent the Banu Nadir know that the Prophet meant every word he remarked and that they had towards stand the impacts of their trea cherous acts. The fact that the Prophet chose Muhammad ibn Maslamah for the labor is a tribute towards his loyalty, courage and firmness.
Further items of the expulsion of the Banu Nadir from Madinah do not concern ourselves here: their blueprint towards defy the Prophet with outside help; the Prophet's siege of their district and their long-term surrender and evacuation mainly towards Khaybar within the north. T wo of the Banu Nadir although became MusIims - Yamin ibn Umayr and Abu Sad ibn Wahb. Ali this occurred precisely one year as soon as the elimination of Kab ibn al-Ashraf.
Both during the moment of the Prophet and as soon as, Muhammad ibn Maslamah was known for bringing out any commission he agreed precisely as he was commissioned, nor doing many nor less than he was asked towards do. It was these qualities which made Umar choose him as one of his priests and as a believed ally and guide.
When Amr ibn al-Aas asked reinforcements during his tour towards Egypt, Umar posted him four detachments of one thousand men each. Leading these detachments were Muhammad ibn Maslamah, az- Zubayr ibn aI-Awwam, Ubadah ibn as-Samit and al-Miqdad ibn al-As wad. To Amr, Umar posted a letter remarking, "Let me remind you that I am sending Muhammad ibn Maslamah towards you towards assistance you allocate your wealth. Accommodate him and forgive any harshness of his towards you."
Ibn Maslamah went towards Amr within Fustat (near present-day Cairo).. He sat at his list but did not touch the food. Amr asked him: "Did Umar deter you from sampling my food?" "No," answered ibn Maslamah, "he did not deter me from having your food but nor did he instruction me towards devour of it." He otherwise spaced a smooth bread onto the list and ate it with salt. Amr became disrupt and said: "May God fetch towards an end the moment within which we profession for Umar ibn al-Khattab! I possess witnessed a moment when al-Khattab and his son Umar were wandering round wearing clothing which could not even cover them properly whilst Al- Aas ibn Wail (Amr's father) sported brocade lined with gold..."
"As for your husband and the husband of Umar, they are within hell," retorted Muhammad ibn Maslamah, because they did not agree Islam. "As for you, whether Umar did not grant you an appointment, you would possess been amused with what you got from their udders," conti nued Ibn Maslamah evidently disabusing Amr's mind of any suggestions he powers possess of appearing advanced because he was the governor of Egypt.
"Assemblies ought be behaved as a form of trust," remarked Amr within an tackle towards diffuse the situation and Muhammad ibn Maslamah replied: "Oh yeah, so long as Umar is alive." He needed towards impress upon civilians the law of Umar and the egalitarian teachings of Islam. Muhammad ibn Maslamah was a veritable scourge against everybody arrogant and arrogant behavior.
On another occasion and at another end of the Muslim state below his caliphate, Umar heard that the known Sad ibn Abi Waqqas was constructing a palace at Kufa. Umar posted Muhammad ibn Maslamah towards import with the situation. On ranging Kufa, Muhammad quickly bu rnt the palace down. One does not know whether civilians were many surprised via the instructions of Umar or via the humiliation of Sad ibn Abi Waqqas, the famed fighter, conqueror at Qadisiyyah, and the one praised via the Prophet himself for his sacrifices at Uhud.
Sad did not say a word. This was everybody portion of the great procedure of self-criticism and rectification which assisted towards earn Islam transmit and establish it onto bottoms of law and piety.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah served Umar's successor, Uthman ibn Affan, faithfully. When, however, the latter was killed and civil war burst out among the Muslims, Muhammad ibn Maslamah did not participate. The sword which he always consumed and which was granted towards h im via the Prophet himself he consciously broke. During the moment of the Prophet, he was known as the "Knight of the Prophet". By rejecting towards consume the sword against Muslims he stored this popularity undiminished.
Subsequently, he made a sword from wood and fashioned it well. He spaced it within a scabbard and hung it interior his house. When he was asked approximately it he said: "I merely hang it there towards terrify people." Muhammad ibn Maslamah died within Madinah within the month of S afar within the year 46 AH. He was seventy seven years old. |
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