The Story of Saeed bin Jubair and Hajjaj Bin Yusuf

The Story of Saeed bin Jubair and Hajjaj Bin Yusuf

We see the same spirit even in their successors (the Tabi'ees).

An account of Saeed bin Jubair, who is a famous Tabi'ee. Nabi SAW has said:

“To utter truth in the face of a tyrant is the best Jihad.”

This is a story of Jihad of that type. At that time, Hajjaj bin Yusuf, the well-known blood-shedder was in power. Hajjaj's harshness and oppression are well known in human history. The rulers in those days, in spite of their shortcomings, never delayed in propagating the faith, but comparing them with the

just and Allah fearing rulers, they are still regarded as the worst among the rulers. He was the viceroy of King Abdul Malik bin Marwan over Hijaz and Iraq. The King lived in Damascus and Hajjaj had his headquarters at Koofah.

Saeed bin Jubair had fought against Hajjaj on the side of Ibnul Ash-ath. After the defeat, Saeed ran away and took shelter in Makkah. The Government posted a very strict person as the Governor of Makkah, with instructions to arrest Saeed. The Governor gathered all the people of Makkah and read before them the order of Abdul Malik, which said: “Any person who gives shelter to Hadhrat Saeed shall meet the same fate as Hadhrat Saeed himself.”

He then announced to the people: “By Allah, I must kill the person who gives shelter to Hadhrat Saeed , His and his neighbours houses shall be demolished to the ground.” Hadhrat Saeed was arrested with great difficulty and sent to Koofah. When he was brought before Hajjaj, the following conversation took place:

Hajjaj:“What is your name?”

Saeed:“My name is Saeed (which means fortunate).”

Hajjaj:“What is your father's name?”

Saeed:“Jubair (which means trimmed).

Hajjaj:“No, you are in fact Shaqi (which means wretched), son of Kusair (which means a broken thing).”

Saeed: “My mother knew my name better than you do.” “You are shameful and your mother is also shameful,The Knower of the hidden things is someone else”.

Hajjaj:“Look! I am putting you to sword.”

Saeed: “Then my mother was right in giving me this name.”

Hajjaj:“I shall send you to Jahannum.”

Saeed: “If I knew that you had that power, I would have taken you as my god.”

Hajjaj:“What is your belief about Nabi SAW ?”

Saeed “He was a messenger of Mercy and a Nabi :of Allah , sent with the best guidance for the whole creation.”

Hajjaj:“What do you say about the Khulafah?”

Saeed:“I am not a guardian over them. Everybody is responsible for his own actions.”

Hajjaj: “Who is the most high-ranking of the four.

Saeed: Khulafah?” “The one who had been able to please Allah more than the rest.”

Hajjaj: “Which of them had been able to please.

Saeed: Allah more than the rest?” “This is known only to Him, Who knows on what is hidden in the bosoms and what the hearts conceal.”

Hajjaj:“Is Ali in Jannat or in Jahannum?”

Saeed:“I can only answer after I visit the two places and meet their occupants”

Hajjaj:“How shall I fare on the Day of Qiyaamah?”

Saeed: “I am not fit to receive the knowledge of the unseen?”

Hajjaj:“You do not intend to tell me the truth.”

Hadhrat Saeed:“But I did not tell a lie either.”

Hajjaj:“Why do you never laugh?”

Saeed:“I do not see anything to laugh at. Why should one laugh when he is created from dust and has to appear on the Day of Qiyaamah and is always surrounded by problems?”

Hajjaj:“But I laugh.”

Saeed: “Allah has created us with different temperaments.”

Hajjaj:“I am going to kill you now.”

Saeed:“The time and manner of my death has already been decided”

Hajjaj:“Allah has favoured me over you.”

Saeed“Nobody can be proud of their relation with Allah , unless he knows his position; and Allah is the only knower of the unseen.'' “Why should I not be proud of my relationship with Allah , when I am with the Amir-ul-Mominin and you are with the rebels?”

Hajjaj: “I am with the other Muslims. I myself

Saeed: Avoid mischief, but nobody can change the decision of Allah .”

Hajjaj: “What do you say about what we collect for Amir-ul-Mukminin?”

Saeed:“I do not know what you collect for him.

Hajjaj:“Are our collections not good?” 

Saeed: "You have collected them, and you are the best judge.

Hajjaj: “Do you like any of these things for your self?

Saeed:“I only like the things which Allah likes.”

Hajjaj:“Curse to you!”

Saeed“Curse is for the person who is deprived of Jannat and is made to enter Jahanam.”

Hajjaj:(Angry) “Say how I should kill you?”

Saeed:“As you would like to be killed yourself.”

Hajjaj:“Should I forgive you?”

Saeed: “Allah's forgiveness is real.Your forgiveness is of no value.”

Hajjaj:(To the executioner) “Kill this man!”

(Saeed laughed while he was being taken to be killed. Hajjaj was informed of this. He called him back)

Hajjaj:“What made you laugh?

Saeed: “Your daring nature with Allah and His mercy to you.”

Hajjaj: “I am killing a person who has caused division among the Muslims.”

Hajjaj: (Commanding the executioner) “Kill him in front of me.”

Saeed:“Let me say my Solah of two rakaats.” After finishing Solah, he faced the Qiblah and recited:

“Verily, I have turned my face toward Him Who created the heavens and earth, is Haniff (worships Allah alone) and I

am not of the idolaters”

Hajjaj: “Turn him from our Qiblah and let him face the Qiblah of the Christians, who also caused conflict and dispute among their community.” His face was immediately turned towards the other direction.

Saeed: “And which ever way you turn, there is Allah's presence”, (SII:

V115) “Who is the knower of the hidden thoughts.”

Hajjaj: “Make him lie on his face. We are only Hajjaj:responsible for appearance.” (Saeed was made to lie on his face.)

Saeed:“From the (earth) did we create you, and into it shall we return you, and from it shall we bring you out once again.” (S 20: V55)

Hajjaj:“Kill him”

Saeed:“I call you to witness what I recite”, I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, who is all alone and who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad SAW is His slave and His Nabi. SAW”

He was then beheaded

(Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji oon).

After the execution, a great amount of blood flowed from Saeed's (Rahmatullahi alaih) body. Hajjaj himself wondered greatly at it. He inquired the reason from his doctors, who said: “His calmness and self-control at the time of death had kept his blood in its original form. Generally, people to be executed are scared and so afraid of death that their blood curdles and does not flow freely.”

There are many such incidents in the records of the Tabi'in. Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahmatullahi alaih), Imam Malik (Rahmatullahi alaih), Imam Ahmad bin Hambal (Rahmatullahi alaih) and other pious people had to undergo trials and tribulations because of their truthfulness; but they remained steadfast on the righteous path.