Saturday

Tragedy of Bi’r Ma’oona

70 Sahabah Syahid in this tragedy
In the tragedy of Bi’r Ma’oona, seventy Sahabah were made shahid. All of them were Hafiz of the Qur’aan. Their Jama’at was called the Jama’at (Group) of Quraa and consisted mostly of the Ansaar. Nabi SAW loved them very much for they engaged themselves in Zikr and recitation of the Quran during the night. During the day they remained in the service of Nabi SAW and his family. A person by the name of Amir bin Malik and known as Abu Bara, belonging to Bani Amir clan of Najd, came to Nabi SAW and took this Jama’at with him for the Tabligh (preaching) and the Ta’leem (teaching) of his clan. Nabi SAW expressed his concern saying: “I fear some harm may come to my Sahabah .”

However the person guaranteed him that he was personally responsible for their safety. After much hesitation, Nabi SAW agreed to send the Jama’at of seventy Sahabah with him. He also gave them a message for ‘Amir bin Tufail (the head of the clan), inviting him to Islam. The Jama’at of Sahabah camped at Bi’r Ma’oona.‘Umar bin Umayyah RA and  Munzir bin ‘Umar RA took the camels for grazing and  Haram RA with two companions went to deliver Nabi’s SAW message to ‘Amir bin Tufail. On reaching near his place, Haraam RA said to his companions: “You both stay here while I shall go to him alone. If I am safe, you may also come after me, but if I am betrayed then you may return from here, as the loss of one is better than the loss of three.”

‘Amir bin Tufail was the nephew of ‘Amir bin Malik, who had brought the Jama’at. He was a bitter enemy of Islam and hated the Muslims to the core. When Haraam RA delivered Nabi’s SAW message to him, he did not even care to read it and attacked  Haraam RA with his spear, which pierced through the latter’s body. Haraam uttered “By the Lord of the Ka`bah, I am successful,” and died.

The heartless person had no consideration for the guarantee given by his uncle, or for the accepted tradition all over the world, that nobody will kill the envoy (messenger). He then called the people of his clan and encouraged them to kill all the Sahabah camping at Bi’r Ma’oona. The people hesitated due to the guarantee given by ‘Amir bin Malik. He collected a large number of people from the neighbouring tribes and attacked the Muslims. They murdered each one of them except  Ka’b bin Zaid RA , who had some life left in him and the enemy left him as dead. While grazing the camels, Munzir RA and  Umar RA noticed vultures flying in the air. They exclaimed, “Something foul has happened,” and returned to the camp.

They saw from some distance that their companions were dead and the murderers were standing around their bodies with bloody swords in their hands. They stopped a while to think of what they might do.  ‘Umar said: “Let us go back to Madinah and inform Nabi SAW.”  Munzir did not agree. He said: “Nabi SAW will get the information sooner or later. I do not like to miss martyrdom and run away from the place where our companions are lying in their peaceful sleep. Let us go forward and meet them.”

They both went and jumped into the thick of battle.  Munzir RA was killed and ‘Umar RA was captured. As ‘Amir’s mother had to set free a slave in connection with some vow that she had made, ‘Amir set ‘Umar RA free and let him go. ‘Amir bin Fuhairah , a slave of Abu Bakr , was also among those who were killed at Bi’r Ma’oona. Jabbar bin Salmi, who killed him, says: “When I stabbed my spear through him, he said ‘By Allah, I have been successful and to my surprise I saw his body lifted upwards towards the sky. I made enquiries later on as to what was the success that ‘Amir bin Fuhairah meant when he uttered, ‘By Allah, I have been successful.’ I was told that it was that of entering into Jannat.

This made me embrace Islam.” These are the outstanding people, of whom Islam is proud. Death had really more attraction for them than wine for their enemies. They felt most successful at the time of their death as they carried out deeds which were sure to win Allah’s pleasure.


History of this tragedy

The tragedy of Bir Maunah
In 625 C.E., one of the chiefs of the tribe of Kilab, Abu Bara Aamir requested the Holy Prophet to send Muslim missionaries to propagate Islam among the tribe. The Holy Prophet sent seventy Muslim missionaries with the chief. The party halted at a place Bir Maunah, and sent a Muslim, Haram b Mathan, along with the letter of the Holy Prophet to Aamir b Tufail, the principal chief of the tribe of Kilab. Aamir b Tufail killed Haram, and marched with an army to Bir Maunah. He assassinated all the Muslim missionaries except one, Amr b. Umayyah by name. Aamir b Tufail released Amr b Umayyah according to his mother's vow to free a slave. On his way back to Madina, Amr b Umayyah killed two persons belonging to the tribe of Banu Amar considering them to be enemies. As a matter of fact, the Holy Prophet had given the tribe amnesty. When the case was brought to the notice of Holy Prophet, he agreed to pay indemnity to the tribe for its murdered persons.
- See more at: http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAL/14/2#sthash.Xsfn7rRb.dpuf