24.3 Father and Son
After arrival in Medina, a rumor spread that Abdullah ibn Ubayy would be beheaded. This was not the first or second time that he had created trouble. He was always up to some mischief. Abdullah ibn Ubayy had a son, also called Abdullah, who was a true Muslim and who now found himself in a terrible dilemma. If the Prophet gave the order to have his father beheaded, he would be honor-bound, according to the customs of the Arabs, to kill the man who had killed his father. If he did not, he would not be able to raise his head among his tribe for the neglect of his filial duty. He knew he would not be able to endure seeing the man who had killed his father sit, eat, and pray side by side with him; and he knew that if he killed that man, he would suffer eternal torture for it - Allah has made the soul sacred and it shall not be killed without just cause. He was completely bewildered, and then it occurred to him in a moment of terrible despair that he should be the man to kill his father. He would not then have to kill an innocent soul. He went to the Messenger in a pitiable plight and begged to be given permission to kill his father. Abdullah ibn Ubayy was a most dangerous man to keep alive, but Mohamed looked at the youth before him and then said, "We shall not kill him; we shall be good to him and companion to him so long as he remains among us." He granted the father a complete pardon out of compassion for the son. Abdullah ibn Ubayy did not stop plotting and conspiring against the Messenger. That he owed his life to Mohamed seemed to make him more bitter and resentful. He gathered all the Hypocrites and opportunists around him until his own people were ashamed of him and used to rebuke him for his lack of gratitude. When speaking of the Hypocrites, whose leader he was, the Koran says to the Messenger: Plead forgiveness for them or do not plead for them. If you plead for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. This is because they have denied Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide trespassers. (9:80) When Abdullah ibn Ubayy was dying, the Messenger was called to pray over him. Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who was with him, later recalled, "I said, Messenger of Allah, will you pray over one of the enemies of Allah?" And I kept enumerating his evil deeds while the Messenger continued to smile until I pressed him. Then he said, "Leave me alone, Umar, I was given a choice. I was told to plead forgiveness for them or not. If you plead for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. If I knew that if I exceeded seventy times, He would forgive them, I would do so." Then he prayed over him and walked in the funeral procession, and sat by his grave until it was over. Umar, the epitome of stern justice, continues, “I was amazed at my boldness with the Messenger of Allah, but soon after verses of the Koran were revealed that stated" And do not pray over any of them ever or stand upon his grave. (9:84) So after that the Prophet never prayed over a Hypocrite until he was gathered to his Lord. |
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