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The Prophet (pbuh) would assist them and encourage the Companions to teach them

Auther : Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid
Under category : How He treated them?
205 2024/03/10 2024/12/10
Article translated to : العربية

‘Urwah (a Companion) narrated

“When the polytheists returned to Makkah from Badr, and many of them had been killed, ‘Umayr ibn Wahb went to Safwaan ibn Umayyah by the Ka’bah. Safwaan said: ‘What a terrible life after those killed in Badr!’ ‘Umayr said: ‘Yes, by Allah, there is no good?


in life after them. Were it not for the debt upon me that I cannot pay,
and my children that no one will take care of, I would kill Muhammad whenever I see him for I have an excuse to meet him, as I can say my son is a prisoner and I want to release himSafwaan became happy at this and said: ‘I will take care ofyour debt, and I will spend on your children like I spend on mine.’ Then Safwaan made preparations for him and gave ‘Umayr his sword, after he had sharpened and poisoned it. ‘Umayr

said to Safwaan, ‘Keep my affair a secret for a few nights.’ He then left until he reached Madinah. He tied his animal by the door
of the Prophet’s mosque, and took his sword to go inside. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab looked at him, while he was sittingwith the Ansaar, speaking about the Battle of Badr, and praising Allah for His favor upon them. When ‘Umar saw ‘Umayr with the sword, he became worried and called out, ‘Look out for this dog, this enemy of Allah!’

‘Umar then stood up and entered upon the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘This is ‘Umayr ibn
Wahb, he has entered the mosque with his weapon. He is a vile traitor, O Messenger of Allah, do not trust him.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam, said: ‘Allow him to enter.’ So ‘Umar entered with ‘Umayr, and he told his companions to be with the Prophet of
Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and guard him from ‘Umayr. They then came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and ‘Umar had his sword ready with him. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to ‘Umar: ‘Move away from him.’

‘Umayr then came close to him and greeted him, saying: ‘Good morning,’ as they used to say before Islam. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Allah has honored us with a better greeting than that, he made our greeting Salaam (peace), and it is the greeting of the people of Paradise.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then asked: ‘What has brought you, O ‘Umayr?’ He said: ‘I came because of my prisoner (his son). Remember my relation to you, for you are from my tribe and people.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Then why do you have the sword with you?’ ‘Umayr said: ‘May Allah curse this sword, did it help us at all?’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Tell me the truth, why did you really come?’ He
said: ‘I only came because of my captive.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked: ‘What did you agree to with Safwaan ibn Umayyah near the Ka’bah?’ At this he became scared and said: ‘What did I agree to?’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘You agreed to kill me if he would take care of your children and your debt. But Allah will stop you from that.’ ‘Umayr said: ‘I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, and there is no one worthy of worship but Allah. We used to deny your revelations, O Messenger of Allah, and what comes to you from the sky, but this conversation between Safwaan and I near the Ka’bah was exactly as you said. No one heard it but he and I, and then Allah informed you of it. So I believe in Allah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and all praises are due to Allah Who has brought me here.’ The Muslims were overjoyed when Allah guided him.

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab said: ‘A pig was more beloved to me than him when he first came, but now I love him more than some of my
own children.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to him: ‘Sit down and we will take care of you.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said: ‘Teach your brother the Quran,’ and he freed his son from the captives.’

‘Umayr said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I used to struggle to put out the Light of Allah, but all praises are due to Allah Who has brought me to this path. Allow me to go to the Quraysh and call them to Islam, perhaps Allah will guide them and save them from destruction. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave him permission to go back to Makkah.’ Safwaan in those days would tell the Quraysh in their gatherings, ‘Get ready for a victory that will make you forget about Badr.’ He would ask every person coming from Madinah if anything had happened there, hoping to hear what ‘Umayr had promised. Finally, a man came from Madinah and Safwaan asked him about his news, so the man said: ‘He has become Muslim,’ and the polytheist met him and said: ‘You have changed your religion.’ Safwaan said: ‘I swear I will never spend anything on him, and I will never speak to him again.’ ‘Umayr then returned to them and called them to Islam, and many became Muslim at his hands.’

the reviewer

  1.  His son Wahb ibn ‘Umayr was amongst the war captives from the battle of Badr.
  2. Reported by Al-Tabaraani in his book Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer (13586) and Al-Bayhaqi in his bookAd-Dalaa’il (1009).

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