Wednesday

Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl RA

 


Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه is an early companion of Rasulullahﷺ who emigrated to Madinah using a clever tactic at the Battle of Badr. Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه is also the son of the famous Qurayshite statesmen, Suhayl ibn Amr and brother of Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl.

Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه was born in approximately 594 and was the son of Suhayl ibn Amr from Banu Amir branch. His mother is Fakhita bint Amir ibn Nawfal.

The Story of the Martyrdom of Waghidz (Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه ) and His Father- His full name is Abdullah bin Suhail Umar he was one of the companions who migrated to Abyssinia

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه became a Muslim in the first years of Islam. Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه was subjected to unbearable tortures of the polytheists. Upon the permission of Rasulullahﷺ, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه migrated to Abyssinia. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه stayed there for a while. 

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was fine there.  Nobody prevented him from worshipping. However, like all muhajirs, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه experienced the agony of being separated from Rasulullahﷺ. Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه could not put up with it anymore. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه returned to Makkah risking all sorts of suffering and torture. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه’s father, who was a polytheist then, became very offended and angry when his son became a Muslim and especially when he migrated.

At the time of Sayidina Abu Bakr As Sidique رضي الله عنه performing Hajj during his leadership, Suhail bin Umar came to him and then he fought Sayidina Abu Bakr As Sidique رضي الله عنه and Sayidina Abdullah ibn Suhayl رضي الله عنه.

Suhail said: 

"I have been told that the Muhammad said: A martyr in the way of Allah will intercede for 70 members of his family"

(Authentic hadith narrated by Abu Daud 2522, tirmizi 1712 states this hadith is hasan sahih and baihaqi 9/165, 166 in his book Sunan Al-Kubra)

"And I hope that my son will not intercede except against me first"

(See the book Shafwah As-Shafwah by ibn Jauzi; 1/145,145)

 Suhail ibn Umar became very happy when his son returned. Now, he had the opportunity. Suhail ibn Umar planned to punish Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه and to make him give up his religion. Suhail ibn Umar took action immediately. First, he beat Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه violently; then, he tied him to a pole. He increased torture so much that Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه had to pretend to be a polytheist though he believed in the heart. Thus, he got rid of his father's cruelty.

Suhail untied his son. He gave his son many things. He became very happy that he returned to idols. Days passed like that. The polytheists prepared an army for the Battle of Badr. Suhayl himself joined this army and he took his son with him. He did not think that he could still be a Muslim. However, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was still a Muslim. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه did not give up his religion; he only said that he was a polytheist. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه had a strong belief in his heart.

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه had always looked for an opportunity to rejoint Rasulullahﷺ since that day but he had not been able to re-join him. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه thought this would be a good opportunity for him. On the other hand, he prayed to Allah سبحانه و تعالى and asked for help.

The two armies confronted at Badr. Although Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was among the polytheists bodily, he was with the Muslims spiritually. In his inner world, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was planning to rejoint Rasulullahﷺ and to fight against the polytheists. The number of polytheists was much more than that of the Muslims. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه thought it was necessary to go to the side of the Muslims as soon as possible. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه finally found an opportunity. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه made a move and joined the mujahids. The dream he had had for months came true. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه would not be sorry even if he died now.

His father became very angry when he saw his son among the Muslims; he uttered bad words. However, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه did not heed them. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه said to his father, " Allah سبحانه و تعالى made it good for me." Then he attacked the polytheists with all his might. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه had always waited for this moment. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه fought heroically in this battle. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was appreciated by Rasulullahﷺ. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was 27 years old then.

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه joined all of the battles with Rasulullahﷺ. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه was also present in the Expedition of Umrah. During this expedition, he experienced an incident that deeply saddened him: The polytheists did not want to allow Rasulullahﷺ to enter Makkah. However, they wanted peace. They appointed Suhayl bin Amr to make peace. Suhayl objected to Bismillah being written at the beginning of the treaty and Rasulullahﷺ being mentioned as "the Messenger of Allah". He said, "If we believed that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not fight against you!" Rasulullahﷺ accepted all the terms of Suhayl in this agreement. He showed some of the Muslims as witnesses. One of the witnesses was Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه.

This impudent act of his father’s saddened Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه a lot. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه lowered his head out of embarrassment.

However, a little later something that saddened Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه more than this occurred: Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه’s brother, Sayidina Abu Jandal رضي الله عنه, had been chained by the polytheists because he was a Muslim. However, he managed to escape and took refuge in Rasulullahﷺ. Suhail bin Amr was surprised to see his son suddenly. He held Sayidina Abu Jandal’s neck. The branch with thorns in in his hand hit Sayidina Abu Jandal’s face. Suhail bin Amr said, "O Muhammad! This is the first person you have to return to me in accordance with our treaty." Rasulullahﷺ did not want to accept this demand first. However, 

Suhayl insisted, "I will not sign the treaty!" Rasulullahﷺ had to accept it. Rasulullahﷺ handed Abu Jandal to his father. Rasulullahﷺ said to Abu Jandal, “Be patient. Ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى for a thawab for this. Allah سبحانه و تعالى will soon show you a way.” Sayidina Abu Jandal accepted the request of Rasulullahﷺ willingly. Sayidina Abu Jandal رضي الله عنه , returned to Makkah with his father, taking the risk of all kinds of difficulties. This incident saddened all of the Companions deeply there. However, Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه’s was even more distressed but he was patient. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه’ believed that Allah سبحانه و تعالى would create a solution.

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه’ was also present in the Conquest of Makkah. Like some ferocious polytheists, his father, Suhayl, was among the polytheists to be killed when captured. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه asked Rasulullahﷺ to forgive his father. Rasulullahﷺ forgave him for the sake of Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه and his brother Sayidina Abu Jandal رضي الله عنه. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه became very happy about it. 

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه immediately rushed and found his father in the place where he was hiding; he gave his father the good news. Suhayl bin Amr did not even think that he would be forgiven despite all of his hostility against the Muslims. Due to this kindness of Rasulullahﷺ, he became a Muslim by uttering kalima ash-shahadah. After that, he started to work for Islam with might and main. From time to time, he cried, remembering his previous life

Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه made great efforts to suppress the movements of apostasy that occurred after the death of Rasulullahﷺ. Sayidina Abdullah bin Suhail رضي الله عنه made jihad heroically. Finally, he attained the rank of martyrdom. At that time, he was 38 years old.

During hajj, Sayidina Abu Bakr expressed his condolences to Abdullah's father, Suhayl bin Amr. Suhayl, who had tortured his sons years ago because they were Muslims, said, "I wish I had been martyred too!" Then, he said:

" Rasulullahﷺ informed me that a martyr would intercede for 70 of his relatives. I hope that my son will not intercede for anyone before me."

Then, when they heard that the Muslims had migrated, did the Quraysh infidels just let it go?

The answer is no. After hearing about the migration of the Muslims to Madinah, the Quraysh infidels tried to restrain him. So many of the Muslims who carry out hijrah in the middle of the night. Of course, there were economic and political reasons, one of which was because a large number of Muslims at that time greatly influenced the economic condition of Makkah which was controlled by the Quraysh. Not to mention the impact on the influence of their power within their respective tribes. As a result, not a few imprisoned their children until their people converted to Islam so as not to join the hijrah with Rasulullahﷺ.

Call it, Abu Jandal bin Suhail and his brother Abdullah bin Suhail whose legs were chained by his own father, Suhail bin Amr. The reason is so that they do not migrate with the Prophet. Even Abdullah bin Suhail could only be free when before the battle of Badr he lied to his father that he would defend his father in the battle of Badr. Until finally, when Abdullah bin Suhail was on the battlefield he rode his horse and headed for the ranks of the Muslims. While his brother, Abu Jandal bin Suhail did not want to do that. In addition to the two friends, another name is Walid bin Walid who is Khalid bin Walid's brother (different mother) who was detained by his own brother and many others.

At that time, Abu Jahal and some of the infidels of Quraish intended to kill Rasulullahﷺ by waiting at the Rasulullahﷺ 's house from midnight. Abu Jahal's real name was Amr bin Hisham, which was the leader of the Quraysh who came from Bani Makhzum. Don't get me wrong, if Abu Lahab is different from Abu Jahal. Abu Lahab was the uncle of Rasulullahﷺ who came from Bani Hashim. While Abu Jahal was not a relative of Rasulullahﷺ. But both are equally hostile to Rasulullahﷺ


 Video:Sayyidina  Abdullah bin Suhail RA