Khabbab Ibn Aratt

Abu Abdullah Khabbab bin Aratt belonged to the famous Arab tribe, Banu Tameem, He is known in history among those great companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) who gave up their everything for the cause of Islam and were treated most tyrannically by the enemies of Allah.

It is not known how he was enslaved and sold in Mecca before Islam. Umm-el-Anmar, the daughter of Sabaa had purchased him. But according to some others, he was purchased by Utba-bin-hazwan, This, however, seems incorrect because it was another Khabbab who was purchased by Utba and not Khabbab bin Arratt. So some of the historians are confused because of the two Khabbabs and they have taken the two as one.

While in Mecca, Khabbab bin Aratt used to work as a blacksmith. He would produce swords and by selling them would get good earnings, Thus he was passing life peacefully before coming into the fold of Islam, During those days, once by some way or other he heard the Call of the Holy Prophet and presenting himself to the Prophet (S.A.W.) accepted Islam without hesitation. Before him only five personalities had accepted Islam and they were Khadijatul Kubra, Abu Bakr Siddiq, Ali, Zaid bin-Harisa and Abu Zar Ghifari (R.A.A.). So Khabbab was the sixth person who was fortunate enough to enter into the fold of Islam. By virtue of this he was called "Sadisul-Islam" or the Sixth Muslim, Thus Khabbab is also counted among the 'Sabeqoon Awwaloon' or those who took lead in accepting the faith of Allah.

But, as we have already seen, it was not an easy task to accept Islam in those days. To accept Islam in those days was in fect to invite for oneself untold miseries and tyrannies, Khabbab, however, did not care for any trouble in the path of Allah, The situation in Mecca, those day was very tense and dangerous even for those who had supporters and relatives. But Khabbab, being an outsider and slave in Mecca had none who could support at the hour of need and difficulties. There was none to save him from the imminent dangers and troubles after accepting the faith of Allah. In spite of this, he did not think it fit to conceal his acceptance of Islam. But as soon as he declared that he had become a Muslim, the infidels broke in upon him from all sides. They attacked the poor Khabbab (R.A.A.) in such a way that its instances are rare in human history. It is recorded in history that he was tortured most cruelly by the Quraish. Making his body naked they would lay him on burning fire and keep on his breast a heavy stone, or sometimes a full grown up man would sit on his breast so that he may not turn side to save his back from the fire. Khabbab (R.A.A.) lying on fire helplessly would say nothing but keep patience and utter the Name of Allah, His back would remain burning till the melted fat of his body extinguished the fire.

This sort of inhuman torture continued for a long time. One day he came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) who was at that time resting in the K'aba keeping his head on his right hand, end said," 0 Messenger of Allah, why don't you pray for me to Allah?"

Hearing this the Prophet (S,A.W.) got up and sitting 5rmly said, "Before you, in the past, there were also people whose flesh was scratched from their bodies and nothing was left except bone, veins and muscles, yet their belief in Faith 0aa not shaken, They were tormented mercilessly, were cut into pieces through saw but they never left the faith of Allah. The faith of Allah must survive and you will see one day, people turning and going from San'aa (Yemen) ho HadarMaut fearlessly. They will have no cause of being afraid of but Allah."

Hearing these words from the Prophet (S.A.W.), Khabbab's morale raised twofold and he went back to his house fully satisfied.

Khabbab's mistress Umm-el-Anmar too, was a very cruel women. She also would torment him because of his accepting Islam. She would make him wear armors and sometimes put him into chains and would cause him to lie down on the burning sand at noon and then would mark on his head with a red hot iron, Hearing about these torments of Umm-el-Anmar to Khabbab, the Prophet (S.A.W.) would be much aggrieved and would try to console him, When the heartless woman would come to know about the -consolations of the Prophet (S.A.W.) to Khabbab, she would victimize him more mercilessly. Her torments exceeded the limits, so one day Khabbab came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) and requested him to pray for his emancipation. The Prophet prayed to Allah.

"O Allah, help Khabbab."

It is stated by historians that after these words of the Prophet (S.A.W.), Umm-el-Anmar felt severe headache which became so acute that she began to bark like a bitch, The physicians suggested as the only treatment for her to be marked on her head with a red hot iron. Being helpless she told Khabbab to do that. But this treatment could not do any good to her and at last she died restlessly,

The infidels were not contented only to torture him. physically but they also caused him pecuniary losses, An idolater Aas-Bin-Wyle had to pay a loan taken from Khabbab. When Khabbab would ask him to pay the loan he would say, "Unless you give up the faith of Muhammad (S.A.W.), I won't pay anything to you." Khabbab, in reply would say, "I won't give up the faith of Muhammad (S.A.W.) unless you die and come back again to this World,"

Aas would say, "Then wait so long I die and come again to this world to enjoy my wealth and issues."

This statement of Aas was a critical remark against the belief of the Muslims in next world so according to Saheeh Bukhari, the following verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed against the above mentioned remark of 'Aas:

" Hast thou seen him who disbelieveth in Our revelations and saith. Assuredly I shall be given wealth and children?

Hath he perused the Unseen, or hath he made a pact with Beneficent?

Nay, but we shall record that which he saith and prolong for him a span of torment.

And We shall inherit from him that whereof he spoke., and he will come unto Us, alone (without his wealth and children)," (19 :77-80)

Khabbab (R.A.A.) had learnt the Holy Qur'an just from the very beginning of the revelations. Some of the historians have mentioned his name in the event of the acceptance of Islam by Umar (R.A.A.).

According to them during the days when the Prophet (S.A.W.) had taken refuge with his thirty nine companions, in the house or Arqam (R.A.A.), Khabbab would go to teach the Holy Qur'an to Saïd bin Zaid (R.A.A.) and his wife Fatemah-bint-Khattab (the sister of Umar). One the day when Umar hearing the news of his sister and brother-in law being converted to Islam, went to admonish them, Khabbab too was present in their house. Hearing about the arrival of Umar, Khabbab hid himself into a room Umar, when after beating and injuring his sister and brother-in-law was a bit calm, told them to recite before him some verses of the Holy Qur'an. They recited to him some verses of the Sura of Taha, This changed the heart of Umar and he cried out, "Undoubtedly these cannot be but the words of the Creator so let me go to Muhammad (S.A.W.). I will accept Islam."

"O Umar, I give you a good news that last night being the night of Friday (Thursday), the Prophet (S.A.W.) 'had prayed to Allah'0 Allah, strengthen Islam by either of the two Umars, whom Thou liketh,' so now, I think Allah has chosen you for that purpose,"

After this, Umar went to the house of Arqam, where the Prophet was present, and accepted Islam.

The helpless, Khabbab had to face oppressions and distress for years in Mecca, so long the order for Hijra was not given. When this order was revealed by Allah, he migrated to Madina, But as it was stated by him, he did not migrate being afraid of the torments and tortures of the infidels but it was only for the Will of Allah, In Madina the Prophet (S.A.W.) made him the Islamic brother of Tameem, but according to some others, he was made the Islamic brother of Jubair-bin-Ateek.

When the Holy wars for Islam started, Khabbab (R.A.A.) took part with the Prophet (S.A.W.), in all the battles and fought bravely for the cause of Islam, He also took part in Jehad during the reigns of the four caliphs.

Khabbab would often go to learn teachings of the Prophet (S.A.W.). One night when he went to the Prophet (S.A.W.), he saw him performing Salat (Prayer), Khabbab waited till the prayers of the Prophet (S.A.W.) be finished. But the Prophet's Salat was not finished unless it was dawn. Khabbab also waited there whole night. When the Prophet (S.A.W.) finished the prayers Khabbab said, "0 Messenger of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed upon you, I had never seen you before saying prayer for such a long time,"

The Prophet said, "This was the prayer of Fear and Hope, I asked for three things to Allah for my Ummah, two of which have been granted and the third one rejected. As for those two things" granted, "the Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "one was that the enemy should not over come me and the other was that my Ummah should not be destroyed by any heavenly torment, as the other nations in the past had been."

Umar Farooq (R.A.A.) and the other great companions of the Prophet would respect Khabbab much. During the days of Umar's caliphate whenever he would go to the Caliph he would let him sit beside him. It is stated by Allama Bin Aseer that one day when he came to Umar, the Caliph as usual let him sit beside him and asked to narrate some of the tortures he had to hear at the hands of the idolaters. Khabbab by raising his shirt showed the caliph his back and Umar was amazed to see that the whole back was white like that of a leper, although it was not leprosy but the signs of the burning of those flames on which the idolaters would lay him in early days of Islam, Showing those signs he narrated the pitiful events of those days, and all the people present there began to weep.

In spite of his all greatness and having a respectable place in Islam, Khabbab was a man of meek temperament, Once while he was sitting among a group of the Holy Prophet's companions, some of them asked him to order for doing something but he said politely, 'Who am I to order for any thing? It may he that 1 order you for doing such acts which I myself do not perform"

Khabbab sometimes would weep and say

"We migrated with the Prophet (S.A.W ) for the sake of Allah and our reward for that remained with Allah. After that, some of us expired and could not get the fruits of their sacrifices; Mus'ab was martyred in the battle of Uhud in a condition that there was nothing more than a sheet of cloth for his shroud. That too was so small that his feet would remain uncovered when his head was covered and if his feet would be covered then his head remained uncovered. So we had to cover his feet with grass, according to the direction of the Prophet (S.A.W.). But today, our condition is quite different. Today the blessings of Allah are coming to us like rain, so I am afraid if He is not paying us the remuneration of our miseries in this very life."

In the last days of his life Khabbab (R.A.A.) had gone to Kufa and settled there, In the 37th year of Hijra he fell ill in Kufa, He had some stomach trouble, Being fed up with the trouble one day he said, "If the Prophet would not have forbidden, I would have asked Allah for my death in such a condition."

During the days of his illness some people visited him to enquire about his health and said, "Abu Abdullah, you should he happy that you are about to meet your those companions, on the Kausar Fountain, who have left this world earlier."

Hearing this, he began to weep and said, "By Allah, l am not afraid of death, You have mentioned of those companions who passed away from this world without getting my remuneration here, so they must get their remuneration in the next world. But we remained here after them and have got so much that I am afraid our remuneration may be deducted for the pleasures we have already enjoyed,"

His shroud was brought sometime earlier to his death. Seeing the shroud he said with tears in his eyes.

'This is the complete shroud but when Hamza (R.A.A.) was martyred there was no shroud sufficient to cover his whole body, so his feet where covered with grass."

Then he made his last will that he should not be buried within the limits of the city as it was done in Kufa, but his grave. should be made in an open space, in the outskirts of the city. And it was done according to his will. After that other people of Kufa also began to bury the bodies of their relatives in that very field. Khabbab (R.A.A.)passed away at the age of 72 years.

According to Mustadrak Hakim, Ali (R.A.A.) was present at the burial of Kbabbab (R.A.A.) and he had led the Funeral prayer. But Ibn-el-Aseer does not agree with Hakim .According to Allama-Ibn-Aseer, Ali (R.A.A.)had been to the battle of Siffain while Khabbab died in Kufa, So, when he came back to Kufa (the capital of Ali's Caliphate), he saw seven new graves in the suburbs of the city. So he asked, "Whose graves are these? There was none when I was going from here,"

People said, "0 Ameerul-Mo'mineen, the first grave is of Khabbab bin Aratt, who was buried here according to his own will. And the other graves are of other people who are buried here because of Khabbab."

Hearing this Ali (R.A.A.) began to weep and said:

"May Allah's blessings and mercy be upon Khabbab, He accepted Islam of his own accord; migrated for the sake of Allah, according to his own will and passed his life in Jihad and difficulties in the path of Allah. Allah never lets go in vain the virtues of the virtuous people."

After this Ali (R.A.A.)remained standing for a long while beside his grave and prayed for him and for the others who were buried there.

The light of sacrifices and virtues lit by Khabbab (R.A.A.) shall remain shining forever,

May Allah be pleased with him.

 

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