Preface
Introduction
August 29, 2023Those who remained steadfast on Islam During the Apostasy Part 1
August 30, 2023BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
Preface
The events of Riddah (Apostasy) are specifically those events that occurred in the Arabian Peninsula after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam covering a wide geographic area, and include, in a general sense, those that begun before his death, albeit on a smaller geographic scale, such as al Aswad al ‘Ansi in Yemen and Musaylimah al Kadhdhab in al Yamamah.
These critical events have not been given thorough individual study by researchers or modern historians in a way that sheds light on the position of the Islamic communities in the regions affected by this fitnah (turmoil), and the role of this group of Muslims, as leaders and individuals, in suppressing the revolt of apostasy, and how they held firmly to their religion in the dark times of fitnah, just like one holding onto burning embers.
One of the fundamental truths about this fitnah is that it did not affect every single person, despite its geographic spread; rather, there were tribes, leaders, groups, and individuals who held steadfastly to their religion in every one of the regions wherein some tribal groups, leaders, or individuals apostatised.
For this truth to be presented clearly, reliance must be placed on primary sources that have focused on collecting various narratives about the events of this fitnah. Amongst the most important of these sources are:
- Al Isti’ab fi Asma’ al Ashab by Ibn ‘Abdul Barr.
- Kitab al Riddah by Muhammad ibn ‘Umar al Waqidi, from the narration of Ibn A’tham.
- Al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah by Ibn Hajar al Asqalani.
- Al Tabaqat al Kubra by Ibn Sa’d.
- Kitab al Futuh by Ahmad ibn A’tham al Kufi.
- Tarikh al Umam wa al Muluk by Ibn Jarir al Tabari.
- Al Khilafah al Rashidah wa al Butulah al Khalidah fi Hurub al Riddah by Abu Al Rabi’ Sulaiman ibn Moosa al Kala’i al Andalusi.
- Al Kamil fi al Tarikh by Ibn al Athir.
- Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah by Ibn Kathir… etc.
The reader of this book will particularly note the importance of the information that I have drawn from the book al Khilafah al Rashidah wa al Butulah al Khalidah fi Hurub al Riddah by Abu al Rabi’ Sulaiman ibn Moosa al Kala’i al Andalusi, despite the fact that al Kala’i is among the late historians, as he passed away in 634 AH. The reason for this is that al Kala’i benefited greatly from the books of his predecessors and uniquely sourced information from lost books that focused on apostasy, such as: Kitab al Riddah by Ibn Ishaq (d. 151 AH), and Kitab al Riddah by Wathimah ibn Moosa (d. 237 AH). He also cited from lost books that addressed the apostasy crisis and were mentioned in writings by those who came after them, such as the writings of:
- Yaqub ibn Muhammad al Zuhri,
- Sa’id ibn Yahya ibn Sa’id al Umawi (d. 429 AH),
- ‘Urwah ibn al Zubair (d. 94 AH),
- and Saif ibn ‘Umar, the author of Kitab al Futuh (d. 200 AH).
Moreover, he relied on a book that remains as a manuscript in the Royal German Library in Berlin, which is al Ghazawat, authored by his mentor, the Muhaddith, historian and orator, Abu al Qasim ibn Hubaysh. Since al Kala’i was among the leading scholars of Hadith in his time, he based his information about the revolt of apostasy on books of Hadith; thus, his book serves as a fundamental and important reference in the fitnah of apostasy.
The Fitnah of Apostasy in Some Contemporary Works
Some contemporary writers’ handling of this aspect of the apostasy during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu shows some shortcomings and a degree of inaccuracy, indicating that they did not fully benefit from some of the sources I referred to, and that there was a lack of patience in their research which would have enabled them to reach more accurate conclusions. There are many examples of this, but we will limit ourselves to citing the opinions of twelve writers, and we will not refute their opinions at this time; because the response to their views will come through our discussion and listing of the roles of those who remained steadfast in Islam in the various regions.
Here are the opinions of those twelve writers:
1. Dr. ‘Abdul Mun’im Majid[1]
He writes:
ولم يكن في كل الحجاز من متحمس لدين الإسلام غير أهل المدينة من الأنصار وأهل مكة من المهاجرين ففي الواقع لم يحفل العرب بالإسلام، كما لم يحفلوا من قبل بأي دين من الأديان السماوية الأخرى ولم يحاولوا فهم قوانينه أو القيام بمظاهره من صلاة وصيام ووضوء حيث نعرف قسوة الحياة في البادية وقلة الماء. وإهمال العرب للإسلام ظهر في حياة النبي نفسه فهم يطالبونه بإسقاط الصلاة أو الزكاة
There was no one in all of Hijaz who was enthusiastic about the religion of Islam other than the Ansar from the people of Madinah, and the Muhajirun from people of Makkah. In reality, the Arabs did not care about Islam, just as they did not care about any of the other heavenly religions before, and they did not attempt to understand its laws or to practice its outward rituals of prayer, fasting, and ablution; we know the harshness of life in the desert and the scarcity of water. The Arabs’ neglect of Islam appeared during the life of the Prophet himself; such as when they asked him to abolish Salah or Zakat.
قصارى القول: كفرت عامة العرب واندلع العصيان في كل مكان
… To say the least, the majority of the Arabs disbelieved, and disobedience broke out everywhere.[2]
كانت هناك امرأة ذات شخصية غير واضحة واسمها سجاح وقد أقبلت عند قـومـهـا من بني تميم الذين التفوا حولها
… There was a woman with a vague personality named Sajah, she came to her tribe of Banu Tamim, and they rallied around her.[3]
ولكن ارتد العرب بعد النبي
… But the Arabs apostatized after the Prophet.[4]
على كل لما ارتدت قبائل جنوب جنوبي الجزيرة لتتخلص من نفوذ المدينة
… anyway, the southern tribes of the Arabian Peninsula apostatized to free themselves from the authority of Madinah.[5]
ويذكر أن قبائل شمالي الحجاز التي في تخوم الشام مثل جذام وكلب وقضاعة وعُذرة وبلي ارتدت عن الإسلام مثل غيرها من قبائل الجزيرة وقلبت ظهر المجن للمدينة المنورة
It is worth mentioning that the northern tribes of Hijaz, on the borders of the Levant, such as Judham, Kalb, Quda’ah, ‘Udhrah, and Balli apostatized from Islam, like other tribes of the Peninsula, and turned their backs on al Madinah al Munawwarah.[6]
This is what Dr. Majid said in a book that is considered one of the important and fundamental references in some Arabic and Islamic universities for a long period of time, and has been printed several times.
2. ‘Ali Ibrahim Hassan[7]
He writes:
إنه لم يبق مخلصاً للإسلام ومطيعاً لأبي بكر رضي الله عنه إلا سكان المدينة ومكة والطائف
There was no one left sincere to Islam and obedient to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, except the residents of Madinah, Makkah, and Ta’if.[8]
He mentions that Musaylimah al Kadhdhab was able to rally his tribe to his side, and likewise, he gained the tribe of Tamim when he married Sajah al Tamimiyyah. He further writes that the tribe of Madhhij had shown allegiance to al Aswad al ‘Ansi[9] in Yemen while the tribe of Ghatfan and those around it joined Tulayhah al Asadi after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[10]
3. Dr. al Sayyid ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Salim[11]
He wrote:
فقد ارتدت العرب واشرأبت اليهودية والنصرانية ونجم النفاق وصار المسلمون كالغنم المطيرة في الليلة الشاتية لفقد نبيهم له حتى جمعهم الله على أبي بكر
The Arabs had apostatized, Judaism and Christianity resurfaced, hypocrisy rose, and Muslims were like sheep scattered in a stormy night due to the loss of their Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam until Allah united them by means of Abu Bakr.
This quotation of Dr. Salim is an account attributed to ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha, which Ibn Khayyat[12] has mentioned with a similar wording and an authentic chain of narration. Ibn Hisham[13] narrated it without a chain. However, ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha meant some of the Arabs who lived near Madinah Munawwarah, those who attacked Madinah Munawwarah at the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam death, and at that time, the stance of the rest of the Arab Muslims who were in areas further away from Madinah was not yet clear.
When discussing Abu Bakr’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu position on apostasy, he mentioned that most Arabs, amongst the elite and common people, had apostatized, with the exception of Quraysh and Thaqif, and that the Arabs rebelled against the authority of Madinah.[14]
In his account of Tulayhah al Asadi’s apostasy, he mentions that the tribes of Asad, Ghatfan, Tay’, and Kinanah all joined him.[15]
In his conclusion regarding the Muslims’ war against Tulayhah, he points out that the remnants of defeated tribes of Ghatfan, Tay’, Sulaim, and Hawazin rallied around Umm Ziml, Salma bint Malik ibn Hudhaifah, who incited them against Muslims.[16]
4. Dr. Muhammad al Sayyid al Wakil[17]
He mentions that the entire Arabian Peninsula rebelled against Abu Bakr, declared its departure from Islam, and opposed the Muslims. According to him, only the people of Madinah, Makkah, Ta’if, and the tribes located between Makkah and Madinah remained Muslims.
5. Dr. Muhammad As’ad Tals[18]
He writes that the tribes of Tay’, Ghatfan, and Asad left Islam completely, apostatized, and followed the False Prophet—Tulayhah al Asadi. Banu Hanifah apostatized and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab, and the people of Yemen apostatized and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.
6. Shaykh ‘Ali al Tantawi[19]
He wrote:
وما فَصل أسامة حتى كفرت الأرض وتصرمت، وارتد من كل قبيلة عامة أو خاصة إلا قريشاً وثقيفاً واستغلظ أمر مسيلمة وطليحة واجتمع على طليحة عوام طيئ وأسد. وارتدت غطفان وارتدت خواص من بني سليم وكذلك سائر الناس بكل مكان . قال قتادة رضي الله عنه لما توفي رسول الله ﷺ ارتدت العرب كلها إلا ثلاثة مساجد مكة والمدينة والبحرين. وقالت عائشة رضي الله عنها لما توفي رسول الله الله اشراب النفاق في المدينة وارتدت العرب قاطبة.
Usamah had barely left when the entire land began disbelieving and differences started spreading. Every tribe had cases of apostasy, whether in a general or specific sense, except for Quraysh and Thaqif. The issue of Musaylimah and Tulayhah became serious, and the commoners of the Tay’ and Asad tribes gathered around Tulayhah. Ghatfan and some elite of Banu Salim apostatised, as did the rest of the people everywhere. Qatadah radiya Llahu ‘anhu said, “When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, all of the Arabs apostatized, except for three Masajid: Makkah, Madinah, and Bahrain.” ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha said, “When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, hypocrisy spread in Madinah, and all of the Arabs apostatized.”
In another place, he says that al Siddiq stood alone against these tribes that were said to have apostatised, and that they erupted like a volcano, taking every possible course against him and cried out in rebellious protest, saying:
|
فيا لعباد الله مال أبي بكر |
أطعنا رسول الله مذ كان بيننا |
We obeyed the Messenger of Allah when he was among us,
O servants of Allah, what is with Abu Bakr?[20]
He also notes that the calamity intensified, the earth was shaken and the Arab apostates got courage to attack Madinah.
7. Shaykh Muhammad al Khudari Bek[21]
He mentions that the Arabs apostatized soon after they learned about the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and no one adhered to their religion among the Arabs except for the Quraysh, Thaqif of Ta’if, and a few others. The tribes of Tay’, Asad, and those who followed them from Ghatfan apostatised and followed Tulayhah al Asadi. The Banu Hanifah apostatized from Islam and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab[22]. The people of Yemen also apostatized and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.[23]
In another place in his book, he indicates that the Banu Hanifah apostatised and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab, and that the tribe of Madhhaj apostatised and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.
8. Professor Shabir Ahmad Muhammad ‘Ali of Pakistan[24]
He states, when speaking about Sajah, that most of Banu Tamim and a group of its leaders responded to her and her message.
9. Al Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Barighish[25]
He says:
وبلغت الردة حداً غطت فيه وجه الجزيرة العربية ما عدا مكة والمدينة. ارتدت أسد وغطفان وطيئ وعليهم طليحة الأسدي. وارتدت الأعراب والقبائل حول المدينة من بني عبس وبني مرة وذبيان وبني كنانة وارتدت كندة وما يليها وعليهم الأسود العنسي. وارتدت ربيعة مع المعرور. وكان بنو حنيفة يقيمون على أمر مسيلمة الكذاب وارتدت سليم مع الفُجَاءة. وارتدت بنو تميم مع سجاح الكاهنة. ولم يبق إلا المدينة ومكة ومن والاها على الإسلام الصحيح.
The apostasy reached such a level that it covered the face of the Arabian Peninsula, except for Makkah and Madinah. The tribes of Asad, Ghatfan, and Tay’ apostatised, and Tulayhah al Asadi was their leader. The Bedouins and tribes around Madinah from Banu ‘Abs, Banu Murrah, Dhubyan, and Banu Kinanah, apostatised. The Kindah tribe and its followers also apostatised and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi. The tribe of Rabi’ah apostatized with al Ma’rur. The Banu Hanifah were following the orders of Musaylimah al Kadhdhab. Sulaym apostatized with al Fuja’ah. Banu Tamim apostatized with Sajah the fortune teller. Only Madinah, Makkah, and those who followed them remained on true Islam.
He confirms what he says when he points out in another place that the whole Arabian Peninsula had apostatised after the death of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and only the community of Madinah remained steadfast and sincere on Islam.[26]
10. Muhammad Husayn Haykal[27]
He mentions that all the Arabs had apostatised from Islam and that the Arabian Peninsula erupted in flames.
11. Dr. Tawfiq Muhammad Baru[28]
When discussing the false prophets, he says:
ومنهم مسيلمة الكذاب من بني حنيفة الذي انضمت إليه قبيلته وقبيلة تميم بعد أن تزوج الكاهنة سجاح التي كانت منها.
… among them was Musaylimah al Kadhdhab from Banu Hanifah. His tribe followed him, and the tribe of Tamim also joined him after he married the fortune teller Sajah, who was from that same tribe…
12. Dr. Muhammad Jamal al Din Surur[29]
He says that the Arab tribes had started differing shortly before the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and their problems escalated following his death.
When he discusses the movement of al ‘Ansi, he mentions that the Madhhij tribe had sided with him.[30] When discussing the movement of Musaylimah, he concludes that he was representing the inclination of his tribe, Banu Hanifah[31].
These are the statements of these scholars about the Fitnah of apostasy, as related to this discussion of ours. In the following pages, we will try to, Allah willing, cast as bright a light as possible to fully and comprehensively see the truth about this aspect. In doing this, we shall provide a comprehensive response to those whose opinions we have mentioned and others who have written on this topic without deeply studying and delving into the relevant sources.
Above all, this research of ours provides an answer to an important question, which is: Did the Fitnah of Apostasy, which occurred during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu encompass all of the Arab tribes, individuals, and leaders who were Muslims? Or did this Fitnah occur only among some tribes, some leaders, and some individuals, in different geographical areas?
The first truth that can be inferred from the sources I previously referred to is that I did not find evidence to suggest that all Muslim tribes, leaders, and individuals apostatised from Islam, as mentioned by those people whom we used as examples. Instead, I found that the Islamic state relied on a solid base of groups, tribes, and individuals who steadfastly remained Muslim and spread throughout the entire peninsula and were a strong support for Islam and its state in suppressing the movement of the apostates among them. The evidence of this truth was extracted from the credible sources we mentioned.
NEXT⇒ Those who remained steadfast on Islam During the Apostasy Part 1
[1] Al Tarikh al Siyasi li al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, 4th edition, Cairo, Maktabah al Anjlu al Misriyah, 1967, pg. 146.
[2] Ibid., pg. 148.
[3] Ibid., pg. 150.
[4] Ibid., pg. 154.
[5] Ibid., pg. 155.
[6] Ibid., pg. 158-159.
[7] Al Tarikh al Islami al ‘Amm – Al Jahiliyah, al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, al Dawlah al ‘Abbasiyah, Cairo, Maktabah al Nahdah al Misriyah, pg. 219.
[8] Ibid., pg. 220.
[9] Ibid., pg. 222.
[10] Ibid., pg. 221.
[11] Tarikh al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah – Tarikh al ‘Arab mundhu ‘Asr al Jahiliyah Hatta Suqut al Dawlah al ‘Umawiyyah, Beirut, Dar al Nahdah al ‘Arabiyah, 1971, pg. 432.
[12] Al ‘Asfari, Khalifah ibn Khayyat: Tarikh Khalifah ibn Khayat, edited by Dr. Akram Diyaʾ al ‘Umari, 2nd edition, Beirut, Damascus, Dar al Qalam wa Muʾassasat al Risalah, 1977, pg. 102.
[13] Ibn Hisham, ‘Abdul Malik: Al Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, edited by Mustafa al Saqqa et al., 2nd edition, Cairo, Maktabah al Halabi, 1375 AH/1955CE, 2/665.
[14] Tarikh al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, op. cit., pg. 442.
[15] Ibid., pg. 442.
[16] Ibid., pg. 446.
[17] Jawlah Tarikhiyah fi ‘Asr al Khulafaʾ al Rashidin; Dirasah Wasfiyah Tahliliyah li Ahdath Tilka al Fatrah, 1st edition, Jeddah, Dar al Mujtama’ li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1406 AH/1986CE, pg. 21.
[18] Al Khulafaʾ al Rashidun: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, 2nd edition, Beirut, Dar al Andalus li al Tiba’ah wa al Nashr, 1969, pg. 20.
[19] Abu Bakr al Siddiq – Riwayat Sahihah Majmu’ah min Nahw Miʾah Kitab Bayn Makhtut wa Matbu’, 2nd edition, Cairo, al Matba’ah al Salafiyah, 1372 AH, pg. 16.
[20] Ibid., pg. 169. This is the beginning of verses of poetry on the Tawil scale composed by Harithah ibn Suraqah when he rebelled against Ziyad ibn Labid al Bayadi.
[21] Itmam al Wafa’ fi Sirah al Khulafa’, Egypt, Dar al Ittihad al ‘Arabi li al Tiba’ah, n.d., pg. 21
[22] Ibid., pg. 28.
[23] Ibid., pg. 33.
[24] ‘Asr al Siddiq radi Allah ‘anhu, Master’s Thesis, 1st edition, Jeddah, Al Dar al Su’udiyah li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1404 AH, pg. 159.
[25] Zahirah al Riddah fi al Mujtama’ al Islami al Awwal, Beirut, Muʾassasah al Risalah wa Matba’ah al Hurriyyah, n.d, pp. 100-101.
[26] Ibid., pg. 119.
[27] Al Siddiq Abu Bakr, Egypt, Dar al Ma’arif, 1975, pg. 173.
[28] Al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah al Kubra – Sadr al Islam wa al Khilafah al ‘Umawiyyah, Aleppo, Dar al Qalam al ‘Arabi li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1973, pg. 168.
[29] Al Hayah al Siyasiyah fi al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah al Islamiyah Khilal al Qarnayn al Awwal wa al Thani Ba’da al Hijrah, 6th edition, Beirut, Dar al Fikr al ‘Arabi, 1399 AH/1979, pg. 19.
[30] Ibid., pg. 20.
[31] Ibid., pg. 22.
BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
Preface
The events of Riddah (Apostasy) are specifically those events that occurred in the Arabian Peninsula after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam covering a wide geographic area, and include, in a general sense, those that begun before his death, albeit on a smaller geographic scale, such as al Aswad al ‘Ansi in Yemen and Musaylimah al Kadhdhab in al Yamamah.
These critical events have not been given thorough individual study by researchers or modern historians in a way that sheds light on the position of the Islamic communities in the regions affected by this fitnah (turmoil), and the role of this group of Muslims, as leaders and individuals, in suppressing the revolt of apostasy, and how they held firmly to their religion in the dark times of fitnah, just like one holding onto burning embers.
One of the fundamental truths about this fitnah is that it did not affect every single person, despite its geographic spread; rather, there were tribes, leaders, groups, and individuals who held steadfastly to their religion in every one of the regions wherein some tribal groups, leaders, or individuals apostatised.
For this truth to be presented clearly, reliance must be placed on primary sources that have focused on collecting various narratives about the events of this fitnah. Amongst the most important of these sources are:
- Al Isti’ab fi Asma’ al Ashab by Ibn ‘Abdul Barr.
- Kitab al Riddah by Muhammad ibn ‘Umar al Waqidi, from the narration of Ibn A’tham.
- Al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah by Ibn Hajar al Asqalani.
- Al Tabaqat al Kubra by Ibn Sa’d.
- Kitab al Futuh by Ahmad ibn A’tham al Kufi.
- Tarikh al Umam wa al Muluk by Ibn Jarir al Tabari.
- Al Khilafah al Rashidah wa al Butulah al Khalidah fi Hurub al Riddah by Abu Al Rabi’ Sulaiman ibn Moosa al Kala’i al Andalusi.
- Al Kamil fi al Tarikh by Ibn al Athir.
- Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah by Ibn Kathir… etc.
The reader of this book will particularly note the importance of the information that I have drawn from the book al Khilafah al Rashidah wa al Butulah al Khalidah fi Hurub al Riddah by Abu al Rabi’ Sulaiman ibn Moosa al Kala’i al Andalusi, despite the fact that al Kala’i is among the late historians, as he passed away in 634 AH. The reason for this is that al Kala’i benefited greatly from the books of his predecessors and uniquely sourced information from lost books that focused on apostasy, such as: Kitab al Riddah by Ibn Ishaq (d. 151 AH), and Kitab al Riddah by Wathimah ibn Moosa (d. 237 AH). He also cited from lost books that addressed the apostasy crisis and were mentioned in writings by those who came after them, such as the writings of:
- Yaqub ibn Muhammad al Zuhri,
- Sa’id ibn Yahya ibn Sa’id al Umawi (d. 429 AH),
- ‘Urwah ibn al Zubair (d. 94 AH),
- and Saif ibn ‘Umar, the author of Kitab al Futuh (d. 200 AH).
Moreover, he relied on a book that remains as a manuscript in the Royal German Library in Berlin, which is al Ghazawat, authored by his mentor, the Muhaddith, historian and orator, Abu al Qasim ibn Hubaysh. Since al Kala’i was among the leading scholars of Hadith in his time, he based his information about the revolt of apostasy on books of Hadith; thus, his book serves as a fundamental and important reference in the fitnah of apostasy.
The Fitnah of Apostasy in Some Contemporary Works
Some contemporary writers’ handling of this aspect of the apostasy during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu shows some shortcomings and a degree of inaccuracy, indicating that they did not fully benefit from some of the sources I referred to, and that there was a lack of patience in their research which would have enabled them to reach more accurate conclusions. There are many examples of this, but we will limit ourselves to citing the opinions of twelve writers, and we will not refute their opinions at this time; because the response to their views will come through our discussion and listing of the roles of those who remained steadfast in Islam in the various regions.
Here are the opinions of those twelve writers:
1. Dr. ‘Abdul Mun’im Majid[1]
He writes:
ولم يكن في كل الحجاز من متحمس لدين الإسلام غير أهل المدينة من الأنصار وأهل مكة من المهاجرين ففي الواقع لم يحفل العرب بالإسلام، كما لم يحفلوا من قبل بأي دين من الأديان السماوية الأخرى ولم يحاولوا فهم قوانينه أو القيام بمظاهره من صلاة وصيام ووضوء حيث نعرف قسوة الحياة في البادية وقلة الماء. وإهمال العرب للإسلام ظهر في حياة النبي نفسه فهم يطالبونه بإسقاط الصلاة أو الزكاة
There was no one in all of Hijaz who was enthusiastic about the religion of Islam other than the Ansar from the people of Madinah, and the Muhajirun from people of Makkah. In reality, the Arabs did not care about Islam, just as they did not care about any of the other heavenly religions before, and they did not attempt to understand its laws or to practice its outward rituals of prayer, fasting, and ablution; we know the harshness of life in the desert and the scarcity of water. The Arabs’ neglect of Islam appeared during the life of the Prophet himself; such as when they asked him to abolish Salah or Zakat.
قصارى القول: كفرت عامة العرب واندلع العصيان في كل مكان
… To say the least, the majority of the Arabs disbelieved, and disobedience broke out everywhere.[2]
كانت هناك امرأة ذات شخصية غير واضحة واسمها سجاح وقد أقبلت عند قـومـهـا من بني تميم الذين التفوا حولها
… There was a woman with a vague personality named Sajah, she came to her tribe of Banu Tamim, and they rallied around her.[3]
ولكن ارتد العرب بعد النبي
… But the Arabs apostatized after the Prophet.[4]
على كل لما ارتدت قبائل جنوب جنوبي الجزيرة لتتخلص من نفوذ المدينة
… anyway, the southern tribes of the Arabian Peninsula apostatized to free themselves from the authority of Madinah.[5]
ويذكر أن قبائل شمالي الحجاز التي في تخوم الشام مثل جذام وكلب وقضاعة وعُذرة وبلي ارتدت عن الإسلام مثل غيرها من قبائل الجزيرة وقلبت ظهر المجن للمدينة المنورة
It is worth mentioning that the northern tribes of Hijaz, on the borders of the Levant, such as Judham, Kalb, Quda’ah, ‘Udhrah, and Balli apostatized from Islam, like other tribes of the Peninsula, and turned their backs on al Madinah al Munawwarah.[6]
This is what Dr. Majid said in a book that is considered one of the important and fundamental references in some Arabic and Islamic universities for a long period of time, and has been printed several times.
2. ‘Ali Ibrahim Hassan[7]
He writes:
إنه لم يبق مخلصاً للإسلام ومطيعاً لأبي بكر رضي الله عنه إلا سكان المدينة ومكة والطائف
There was no one left sincere to Islam and obedient to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, except the residents of Madinah, Makkah, and Ta’if.[8]
He mentions that Musaylimah al Kadhdhab was able to rally his tribe to his side, and likewise, he gained the tribe of Tamim when he married Sajah al Tamimiyyah. He further writes that the tribe of Madhhij had shown allegiance to al Aswad al ‘Ansi[9] in Yemen while the tribe of Ghatfan and those around it joined Tulayhah al Asadi after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[10]
3. Dr. al Sayyid ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Salim[11]
He wrote:
فقد ارتدت العرب واشرأبت اليهودية والنصرانية ونجم النفاق وصار المسلمون كالغنم المطيرة في الليلة الشاتية لفقد نبيهم له حتى جمعهم الله على أبي بكر
The Arabs had apostatized, Judaism and Christianity resurfaced, hypocrisy rose, and Muslims were like sheep scattered in a stormy night due to the loss of their Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam until Allah united them by means of Abu Bakr.
This quotation of Dr. Salim is an account attributed to ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha, which Ibn Khayyat[12] has mentioned with a similar wording and an authentic chain of narration. Ibn Hisham[13] narrated it without a chain. However, ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha meant some of the Arabs who lived near Madinah Munawwarah, those who attacked Madinah Munawwarah at the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam death, and at that time, the stance of the rest of the Arab Muslims who were in areas further away from Madinah was not yet clear.
When discussing Abu Bakr’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu position on apostasy, he mentioned that most Arabs, amongst the elite and common people, had apostatized, with the exception of Quraysh and Thaqif, and that the Arabs rebelled against the authority of Madinah.[14]
In his account of Tulayhah al Asadi’s apostasy, he mentions that the tribes of Asad, Ghatfan, Tay’, and Kinanah all joined him.[15]
In his conclusion regarding the Muslims’ war against Tulayhah, he points out that the remnants of defeated tribes of Ghatfan, Tay’, Sulaim, and Hawazin rallied around Umm Ziml, Salma bint Malik ibn Hudhaifah, who incited them against Muslims.[16]
4. Dr. Muhammad al Sayyid al Wakil[17]
He mentions that the entire Arabian Peninsula rebelled against Abu Bakr, declared its departure from Islam, and opposed the Muslims. According to him, only the people of Madinah, Makkah, Ta’if, and the tribes located between Makkah and Madinah remained Muslims.
5. Dr. Muhammad As’ad Tals[18]
He writes that the tribes of Tay’, Ghatfan, and Asad left Islam completely, apostatized, and followed the False Prophet—Tulayhah al Asadi. Banu Hanifah apostatized and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab, and the people of Yemen apostatized and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.
6. Shaykh ‘Ali al Tantawi[19]
He wrote:
وما فَصل أسامة حتى كفرت الأرض وتصرمت، وارتد من كل قبيلة عامة أو خاصة إلا قريشاً وثقيفاً واستغلظ أمر مسيلمة وطليحة واجتمع على طليحة عوام طيئ وأسد. وارتدت غطفان وارتدت خواص من بني سليم وكذلك سائر الناس بكل مكان . قال قتادة رضي الله عنه لما توفي رسول الله ﷺ ارتدت العرب كلها إلا ثلاثة مساجد مكة والمدينة والبحرين. وقالت عائشة رضي الله عنها لما توفي رسول الله الله اشراب النفاق في المدينة وارتدت العرب قاطبة.
Usamah had barely left when the entire land began disbelieving and differences started spreading. Every tribe had cases of apostasy, whether in a general or specific sense, except for Quraysh and Thaqif. The issue of Musaylimah and Tulayhah became serious, and the commoners of the Tay’ and Asad tribes gathered around Tulayhah. Ghatfan and some elite of Banu Salim apostatised, as did the rest of the people everywhere. Qatadah radiya Llahu ‘anhu said, “When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, all of the Arabs apostatized, except for three Masajid: Makkah, Madinah, and Bahrain.” ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha said, “When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, hypocrisy spread in Madinah, and all of the Arabs apostatized.”
In another place, he says that al Siddiq stood alone against these tribes that were said to have apostatised, and that they erupted like a volcano, taking every possible course against him and cried out in rebellious protest, saying:
|
فيا لعباد الله مال أبي بكر |
أطعنا رسول الله مذ كان بيننا |
We obeyed the Messenger of Allah when he was among us,
O servants of Allah, what is with Abu Bakr?[20]
He also notes that the calamity intensified, the earth was shaken and the Arab apostates got courage to attack Madinah.
7. Shaykh Muhammad al Khudari Bek[21]
He mentions that the Arabs apostatized soon after they learned about the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and no one adhered to their religion among the Arabs except for the Quraysh, Thaqif of Ta’if, and a few others. The tribes of Tay’, Asad, and those who followed them from Ghatfan apostatised and followed Tulayhah al Asadi. The Banu Hanifah apostatized from Islam and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab[22]. The people of Yemen also apostatized and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.[23]
In another place in his book, he indicates that the Banu Hanifah apostatised and followed Musaylimah al Kadhdhab, and that the tribe of Madhhaj apostatised and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi.
8. Professor Shabir Ahmad Muhammad ‘Ali of Pakistan[24]
He states, when speaking about Sajah, that most of Banu Tamim and a group of its leaders responded to her and her message.
9. Al Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Barighish[25]
He says:
وبلغت الردة حداً غطت فيه وجه الجزيرة العربية ما عدا مكة والمدينة. ارتدت أسد وغطفان وطيئ وعليهم طليحة الأسدي. وارتدت الأعراب والقبائل حول المدينة من بني عبس وبني مرة وذبيان وبني كنانة وارتدت كندة وما يليها وعليهم الأسود العنسي. وارتدت ربيعة مع المعرور. وكان بنو حنيفة يقيمون على أمر مسيلمة الكذاب وارتدت سليم مع الفُجَاءة. وارتدت بنو تميم مع سجاح الكاهنة. ولم يبق إلا المدينة ومكة ومن والاها على الإسلام الصحيح.
The apostasy reached such a level that it covered the face of the Arabian Peninsula, except for Makkah and Madinah. The tribes of Asad, Ghatfan, and Tay’ apostatised, and Tulayhah al Asadi was their leader. The Bedouins and tribes around Madinah from Banu ‘Abs, Banu Murrah, Dhubyan, and Banu Kinanah, apostatised. The Kindah tribe and its followers also apostatised and followed al Aswad al ‘Ansi. The tribe of Rabi’ah apostatized with al Ma’rur. The Banu Hanifah were following the orders of Musaylimah al Kadhdhab. Sulaym apostatized with al Fuja’ah. Banu Tamim apostatized with Sajah the fortune teller. Only Madinah, Makkah, and those who followed them remained on true Islam.
He confirms what he says when he points out in another place that the whole Arabian Peninsula had apostatised after the death of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and only the community of Madinah remained steadfast and sincere on Islam.[26]
10. Muhammad Husayn Haykal[27]
He mentions that all the Arabs had apostatised from Islam and that the Arabian Peninsula erupted in flames.
11. Dr. Tawfiq Muhammad Baru[28]
When discussing the false prophets, he says:
ومنهم مسيلمة الكذاب من بني حنيفة الذي انضمت إليه قبيلته وقبيلة تميم بعد أن تزوج الكاهنة سجاح التي كانت منها.
… among them was Musaylimah al Kadhdhab from Banu Hanifah. His tribe followed him, and the tribe of Tamim also joined him after he married the fortune teller Sajah, who was from that same tribe…
12. Dr. Muhammad Jamal al Din Surur[29]
He says that the Arab tribes had started differing shortly before the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and their problems escalated following his death.
When he discusses the movement of al ‘Ansi, he mentions that the Madhhij tribe had sided with him.[30] When discussing the movement of Musaylimah, he concludes that he was representing the inclination of his tribe, Banu Hanifah[31].
These are the statements of these scholars about the Fitnah of apostasy, as related to this discussion of ours. In the following pages, we will try to, Allah willing, cast as bright a light as possible to fully and comprehensively see the truth about this aspect. In doing this, we shall provide a comprehensive response to those whose opinions we have mentioned and others who have written on this topic without deeply studying and delving into the relevant sources.
Above all, this research of ours provides an answer to an important question, which is: Did the Fitnah of Apostasy, which occurred during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu encompass all of the Arab tribes, individuals, and leaders who were Muslims? Or did this Fitnah occur only among some tribes, some leaders, and some individuals, in different geographical areas?
The first truth that can be inferred from the sources I previously referred to is that I did not find evidence to suggest that all Muslim tribes, leaders, and individuals apostatised from Islam, as mentioned by those people whom we used as examples. Instead, I found that the Islamic state relied on a solid base of groups, tribes, and individuals who steadfastly remained Muslim and spread throughout the entire peninsula and were a strong support for Islam and its state in suppressing the movement of the apostates among them. The evidence of this truth was extracted from the credible sources we mentioned.
NEXT⇒ Those who remained steadfast on Islam During the Apostasy Part 1
[1] Al Tarikh al Siyasi li al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, 4th edition, Cairo, Maktabah al Anjlu al Misriyah, 1967, pg. 146.
[2] Ibid., pg. 148.
[3] Ibid., pg. 150.
[4] Ibid., pg. 154.
[5] Ibid., pg. 155.
[6] Ibid., pg. 158-159.
[7] Al Tarikh al Islami al ‘Amm – Al Jahiliyah, al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, al Dawlah al ‘Abbasiyah, Cairo, Maktabah al Nahdah al Misriyah, pg. 219.
[8] Ibid., pg. 220.
[9] Ibid., pg. 222.
[10] Ibid., pg. 221.
[11] Tarikh al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah – Tarikh al ‘Arab mundhu ‘Asr al Jahiliyah Hatta Suqut al Dawlah al ‘Umawiyyah, Beirut, Dar al Nahdah al ‘Arabiyah, 1971, pg. 432.
[12] Al ‘Asfari, Khalifah ibn Khayyat: Tarikh Khalifah ibn Khayat, edited by Dr. Akram Diyaʾ al ‘Umari, 2nd edition, Beirut, Damascus, Dar al Qalam wa Muʾassasat al Risalah, 1977, pg. 102.
[13] Ibn Hisham, ‘Abdul Malik: Al Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, edited by Mustafa al Saqqa et al., 2nd edition, Cairo, Maktabah al Halabi, 1375 AH/1955CE, 2/665.
[14] Tarikh al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah, op. cit., pg. 442.
[15] Ibid., pg. 442.
[16] Ibid., pg. 446.
[17] Jawlah Tarikhiyah fi ‘Asr al Khulafaʾ al Rashidin; Dirasah Wasfiyah Tahliliyah li Ahdath Tilka al Fatrah, 1st edition, Jeddah, Dar al Mujtama’ li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1406 AH/1986CE, pg. 21.
[18] Al Khulafaʾ al Rashidun: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, 2nd edition, Beirut, Dar al Andalus li al Tiba’ah wa al Nashr, 1969, pg. 20.
[19] Abu Bakr al Siddiq – Riwayat Sahihah Majmu’ah min Nahw Miʾah Kitab Bayn Makhtut wa Matbu’, 2nd edition, Cairo, al Matba’ah al Salafiyah, 1372 AH, pg. 16.
[20] Ibid., pg. 169. This is the beginning of verses of poetry on the Tawil scale composed by Harithah ibn Suraqah when he rebelled against Ziyad ibn Labid al Bayadi.
[21] Itmam al Wafa’ fi Sirah al Khulafa’, Egypt, Dar al Ittihad al ‘Arabi li al Tiba’ah, n.d., pg. 21
[22] Ibid., pg. 28.
[23] Ibid., pg. 33.
[24] ‘Asr al Siddiq radi Allah ‘anhu, Master’s Thesis, 1st edition, Jeddah, Al Dar al Su’udiyah li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1404 AH, pg. 159.
[25] Zahirah al Riddah fi al Mujtama’ al Islami al Awwal, Beirut, Muʾassasah al Risalah wa Matba’ah al Hurriyyah, n.d, pp. 100-101.
[26] Ibid., pg. 119.
[27] Al Siddiq Abu Bakr, Egypt, Dar al Ma’arif, 1975, pg. 173.
[28] Al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah al Kubra – Sadr al Islam wa al Khilafah al ‘Umawiyyah, Aleppo, Dar al Qalam al ‘Arabi li al Nashr wa al Tawzi’, 1973, pg. 168.
[29] Al Hayah al Siyasiyah fi al Dawlah al ‘Arabiyah al Islamiyah Khilal al Qarnayn al Awwal wa al Thani Ba’da al Hijrah, 6th edition, Beirut, Dar al Fikr al ‘Arabi, 1399 AH/1979, pg. 19.
[30] Ibid., pg. 20.
[31] Ibid., pg. 22.