 |
Abdullah
ibn Umm Maktum RA was a cousin of Saidina Khadijah bint Khuwalid RA.
Mother of the Believers, may Allah SWT be pleased with her. His
father was Qays ibn Said and his mother was Aatikah bint Abdullah.
She was called Umm Maktum (Mother of the Concealed One) because she
gave birth to a blind child.
Abdullah
ibn Umm Maktum RA witnessed the rise of Islam in Makkah. He was
amongst the first to accept Islam. He lived through the persecution
of the Muslims and suffered what the other companions of Rasulullah
SAW experienced. His attitude, like theirs, was one of firmness,
staunch resistance and sacrifice. Neither his dedication nor his
faith weakened against the violence of the Quraish onslaught. In
fact, all this only increased his determination to hold on to the
religion of God and his devotion to His messenger.
Abdullah
ibn Umm Maktum RA was devoted to the noble Rasul SAW and he was so
eager to memorize the Quran that he would not miss any opportunity to
achieve his hearts desire. Indeed, his sense of urgency and his
insistence could sometimes have been irritating as he,
unintentionally, sought to monopolize the attention of Rasulullah
SAW.
In
this period, Rasulullah SAW, was concentrating on the Quraish nobles
and was eager that they should become Muslims. On one particular day,
he met Utbah ibn Rabiah and his brother Shaibah, Amr ibn Hisham
better known as Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf and Walid ibn Mughirah,
the father of Khalid ibn Walid RA who was later to be known as Saiful
of Allah or 'the sword of God'. He had begun talking and negotiating
with them and telling them about Islam. He so much wished that they
would respond positively to him and accept Islam or at least call off
their persecution of his companions.
While
he was thus engaged, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA came up and asked him
to read a verse from the Quran. "O messenger of God," he
said, "teach me from what God has taught you."
Rasulullah
SAW frowned and turned away from him. He turned his attention
instead to the prestigious group of Quraish, hoping that they would
become Muslims and that by their acceptance of Islam they would bring
greatness to the religion of Allah and strengthen his mission. As
soon as he had finished speaking to them and had left their company,
he suddenly felt partially blinded and his head began to throb
violently. At this point the following revelation came to him:
"He
frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him ! Yet for
all you knew, (O Muhammad), he might perhaps have grown in purity or
have been reminded of the Truth, and helped by this reminder. Now as
for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient, to him you gave
your whole attention, although you are not accountable for his
failure to attain to purity. But as for him who came unto you full of
eagerness and in awe of Allah, him did you disregard.
Nay,
verily, this is but a reminder and so, whoever is willing may
remember Him in the light of His revelations bless with dignity,
lofty and pure, borne by the hands of messengers, noble and most
virtuous.' (Surah Abasa 8O: 116).
These
are the sixteen verses which were revealed to the noble Rasul SAW
about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA, sixteen verses that have continued
to be recited from that time till today and shall continue to be
recited.
From
that day Rasulullah SAW did not cease to be generous to Abdullah ibn
Umm Maktum RA, to ask him about his affairs, to fulfill his needs and
take him into his council whenever he approached. This is not
strange. Was he not censured by Allah SWT in a most severe manner on
Abdullah's account? In fact, in later years, he often greeted Ibn Umm
Maktum RA with these words of humility:
"Welcome
unto him on whose account my Sustainer has rebuked me." When the
Quraish intensified their persecution to Rasulullah SAW and those who
believed with him, Allah SWT gave them permission to emigrate.
Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA response was prompt. He and Musab ibn
Umair RA were the first of the Companions to reach Madinah.
As
soon as they reached Yathrib, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA and Musab
ibn Umair RA began discussing with the people, reading the Quran to
them and teaching them the religion of God. When Rasulullah SAW,
arrived in Madinah, he appointed Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA and Bilal
ibn Rabah RA to be muadh-dhins for the Muslims, proclaiming the
Oneness of Allah SWT five times a day, calling man to the best of
actions and summoning them to success .
Bilal
RA would call the adhan and Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA would
pronounce the iqamah for the Prayer. Sometimes they would reverse the
process. During Ramadan, they adopted a special routine. One of them
would call the adhan to wake people up to eat before the fast began.
The other would call the adhan to announce the beginning of dawn and
the fast. It was Bilal RA who would awaken the people and Abdullah
ibn Umm Maktum RA who would announce the beginning of dawn.
One
of the responsibilities that Rasulullah SAW placed on Abdullah ibn
Umm Maktum RA was to put him in charge of Madinah in his absence.
This was done more than ten times, one of them being when he left for
the liberation of Makkah.
Soon
after the battle of Badr, Rasulullah SAW received a revelation from
Allah SWT raising the status of the mujahideen and preferring them
over the qaideen (those who remain inactive at home). This was in
order to encourage the mujahid even further and to spur the qaid to
give up his inactivity. This revelation affected ibn Umm Maktum
deeply. It pained him to be thus barred from the higher status and he
said:
O!!
Rasulullah. If I could go on jihad, I would certainly do." He
then earnestly asked Allah SWT to send down a revelation about his
particular case and those like him who were prevented because of
their disabilities from going on military campaigns.
"Not
equal are those who remain seated among the believers, except those
who possess disabilities, and those who strive and fight in the way
of God with their wealth and their persons . . ." (Surah
an-Nisaa, 4: 95).
In
spite of being excused from jihad, the soul of Abdullah ibn Umm
Maktum RA refused to be content with staying among those who
remained at home when an expedition was in progress. Great souls are
not content with remaining detached from affairs of great moment. He
determined that no campaign should by-pass him. He fixed a role for
himself on the battle field. He would say: "Place me between two
rows and give me the standard. I will carry it for you and protect
it, for I am blind and cannot run away. "
In
the fourteenth year after the hijrah, Saidina Umar RA resolved to
mount a major assault against the Persians to bring down their State
and open the way for the Muslim forces. So he wrote to his governors:
"Send
anyone with a weapon or a horse or who can offer any form of help to
me. And make haste."
Crowds
of Muslims from every direction responded to Saidina Umar's RA call
and converged on Madinah. Among all these was the blind mujahid
Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA. Saidina Umar RA appointed Saad ibn Abi
Waqqas commander over the army, gave him instructions and bade him
farewell. When the army reached Qadisiyyah, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum
RA was prominent, wearing a coat of armor and fully prepared. He had
vowed to carry and protect the standard of the Muslims or be killed
in the process.
The
forces met and engaged in battle for three days. The fighting was
among the most fierce and bitter in the history of the Muslim
conquests. On the third day, the Muslims achieved a mighty victory as
one of the greatest empires in the world collapsed and one of the
most secure thrones fell. The standard of Tawhid was raised in an
idolatrous land. The price of this clear victory was hundreds of
martyrs. Among them was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA. He was found dead
on the battlefield clutching the flag of the Muslims.
 |
Why Rasulullah SAW frown?
As Rasulullah SAW prepared himself for a prized opportunity to present
Islam to the noblemen of Quraish, a blind man approached
simultaneously with a question to ask.
Rasulullah SAW frowned. Rasulullah SAW in the early days of
the risalah,
yearned for an opportunity to present the Sacred Message to the
influential upper crust of Meccan society. Finally, an audience
was permitted. In attendance were those who others respected
and put trust in their judgment. `Utbah,
Shaibah, Abu Jahl, Umayyah bin Khalaf, and Ubayy bin Khalaf all
assembled.
From
a distance, in quick stride, 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum RA called
out to bystanders to lead him to Rasulullah SAW..
The
Prophet frowned. A frown
that went unwitnessed by the created was Seen by the Creator.
بِسْمِ
اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
عَبَسَ
وَتَوَلَّى أَن جَاءهُ الْأَعْمَى
(The
Prophet) frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind
man
وَمَا
يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى
But
what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be
purified?
أَوْ
يَذَّكَّرُفَتَنفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى
Or
that he might receive admonition, and that the admonition might
profit him?
أَمَّا
مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى فَأَنتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى
As
for him who thinks himself to be self-sufficient; To him you attend;
وَمَا
عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّى
And
you are not accountable for his failure to attain purity
وَأَمَّا
مَن جَاءكَ يَسْعَى
But
as to him who came to you running.
وَهُوَيَخْشَى
فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى
And
is afraid (of Allah and His Punishment); of him you are neglectful
and divert your attention to another,
كَلَّا
إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَن شَاء ذَكَرَهُ
Nay,
indeed it (these Verses of this Qur'an) are an admonition, so whoever
wills, let him pay attention to it. (Sura 80.1-12)
Abdullah
ibn Umm Maktoum RA was blind from birth and hence his mother was
called Umm-Maktum (Mother
of the concealed one). His father Qays ibn Said and mother Aatikah
bint Abdullah were not notable or of fine pedigree. He was, by
all accounts, a commoner.
Rasulullah SAW is sinless. At first inspection, and to the
untrained eye, one may think that Allah is rebuking or censoring His
Beloved Messenger. That is not the case.
Allah
(swt) says in surat al-Fath 40.1-2
إِنَّا
فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا
Indeed,
We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear conquest
لِّيَغْفِرَ
لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ
وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ
عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا
مُّسْتَقِيمًا
That
Allah SWT may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will
follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight
path. The
“sins” of Rasulullah SAW are not works of immorality or
evil. On the contrary, they are actions of righteous deeds that
are beyond their call at a given period of time. Rasulullah SAW neglect of ibn Umm Maktum RA was not out of contempt. It
was out of diligence and seeking goodness for the notables.
But
the Prophet (s) frowned.
Ibn
Umm Maktum RA was unaware of this frown until Rasulullah SAW, saw
him after the revelation of this sura and
honoured him by placing his cloak on the ground for him to sit on.
Rasulullah SAW loved Ibn Umm Maktum RA, He (ra) would be the
second muezzin for Rasulullah SAW and would be his (s) deputy in
Madinah during his (s) travels.
The
frown was not meant for Ibn Umm Maktoom RA. Rather, it was at his
(s) inability to change the hearts of the notables and their
rejection of the Truth. He (s) frowned because when the notables saw
Ibn Umm Maktoom (ra) they scoffed declaring arrogantly their
revulsion of being asked to join this commoner in his faith in Allah
and the Messenger. Allah (swt) therefore seeks to comfort the Prophet
(s) with the admonition:
وَمَا
عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّى
And
you are not accountable for his failure to attain purity
وَأَمَّا
مَن جَاءكَ يَسْعَى
But
as to him who came to you running.
وَهُوَيَخْشَى
فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى
And
is afraid (of Allah and His Punishment), of him you are neglectful
and divert your attention to another,
كَلَّا
إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَن شَاء ذَكَرَهُ
Nay,
indeed it (these Verses of this Qur'an) are an admonition, so whoever
wills, let him pay attention to it.
The
Qur'an is the Word of Allah. It has subtle and delicate nuances that
bewilder the knowing.
Whenever
Allah SWT speaks of ibn Umm Maktoom RA in Surat 'Abasa, Allah SWT drops a (taa) to
imply the earnestness and desire of faith on the part of Ibn Umm
Maktum RA. For example, yazzakkā: the
original tā'
[of yatazakkā] has
been assimilated with the zāy to
imply expedience and sure desire.
As
such Allah SWT says:
تَلَهَّىٰ يَذَّكَّرُ يَزَّكَّى
Instead
of:
تَزَّتَتَلَهَّىٰ يَتَذَّكَّرُ يكَّى
With
regards to the conscious rejecters of faith the taa remains
as a reminder of their distance from Allah and belief.
تَصَدَّىٰ اسْتَغْنَىٰ
Eventually,
all who were assembled that day would die as conscious rejecters of
faith, overwhelmingly during the Battle of Badr.
Ibn
Umm Maktoom RA would die a martyr as the standard bearer during the
battle of Qadisyeh during the leadership of 'Umar (ra). A blind
man leading the believers to victory in defence of the message he so
cherished. Fitting.
