Part 11

No doubt these false claims were one way or the other supported by Muslim enemies who lost their influence and status and failed to perceive the light of Islam and grasp the noble teachings it conveyed. Falling in this mistake also were Jews whose disloyalty and insincerity wreaked havoc on them.

The same thing happened neighboring countries. The Romans and Persians felt threatened by the upsurging power of Islam on the international arena; thus they found it a great opportunity to pour fuel into the already flamed situation, in order to save themselves from being annihilated by Muslims.

Then came the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to encourage the false Prophet s and their followers to. cling to their claims and to sacrifice their lives for their sake. As for Arab tribes close to Madeenah such as * Abs, Dhabyaan, and Ghatafaan, they demanded that they should be relieved of the obligation to pay Zakaah, because they claimed it was only a tax to be paid to Quraysh.

Fighting the Zakaah Withholders:

The tribes of Murrah, * Abs, Tha*labah Ibn Sa*d, and Kinanah, assembled at Abraq and Dhul Qissah close to Madeenah, and sent a deputation to Abu Bakr As-Sideeq, may Allah be pleased with him, to tell him that with the passing away of the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, they be exempted from paying Zakaah. Abu Bakr consulted his advisers. Almost all the eminent companions around Abu Bakr advised that as the Muslims were hemmed in by danger from all sides, it was expedient that the demand of the tribes should be accepted so that there was no defection from Islam. Even *Umar Ibn al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, known for his strong attitudes, favored the acceptance of the demand of the tribes, in view of the impending danger.

The question became a matter of great concern for Abu Bakr. He was conscious of the gravity of the situation, and was aware of the danger to which the Muslim community was exposed. But he did not overlook the other side of the picture.

Abu Bakr felt that the very basis on which the demand had been raised was open to attack. It was incorrect to hold that Islam was a matter of agreement between the Prophet and the tribes, and that after his passing away this agreement had abated and was open to revision. Islam is a covenant with Allah, and as Allah exists, the passing away of the Prophet after the fulfillment of his mission did not in any way, affect their allegiance to Islam. Islam meant total faith, and such faith could not be made subject to any conditions.

As regards the demand for the exemption from paying Zakaah, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, felt that if he conceded to the demand, that might ease the situation temporarily, but that could in turn lead to other demands, and after having accepted one demand it would be difficult to refuse other demands. If any concession was once given in consideration of tribal loyalties, that would be subversive of the solidarity of Islam. Abu Bakr felt that as the successor of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, it was his duty to safeguard Islam, and as such he could not follow a policy of appeasement likely to compromise Islam in any way.

Another consideration that weighed with Abu Bakr was that Zakaah is not a levy subject to political considerations; it is an imperative injunction ordained by Allah, and equated with Salaah.

The matter of fact position was that where Almighty Allah and the Prophet left any matter to the discretion of the community, the community could take such action as might be necessary on the basis of expediency, but where the command of Allah or the Prophet is definite and conclusive, it is absolute and mandatory, and it could not be compromised or modified because of any considerations of necessity or expediency, After considering all aspects of the case, Abu Bakr came to the

conclusion that he had no jurisdiction to grant an exemption from Zakaah, and that as the successor of the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, it devolved on him to enforce the command of Allah in letter as well as in spirit, and not to seek to modify it for one reason or the other. Abu Bakr's judgment, therefore, was that under the circumstances, he had no option but to refuse the demand of the tribes. This conviction strengthened his determination to stand firm, and to refuse to compromise Islam.

Abu Bakr took *Umar and other companions into confidence. “Umar tried to insist on his previous advice of giving the concession, but as Abu Bakr unfolded his arguments step by step, all the companions came round to the view that the truth was what Abu Bakr said.

When on the following day, Abu Bakr met the delegation of the tribes, he explained to them the philosophy of paying Zakaah. He brought home to them the point that he had no jurisdiction to grant any concession in respect of a matter which was a mandate of Almighty Allah. He explained to them that if they professed Islam, they had to observe all the injunctions and dictates of Islam in toto. There was no half way house in Islam, and it was not permissible for them to pick and choose Islam according to their whims and caprices. [slam had either to be rejected or accepted, and there was no room in Islam for any compromise on fundamentals. Abu Bakr argued that Zakaah being a fundamental injunction of Islam had to be paid with good grace, and any refusal to pay Zakaah implied apostasy. In unequivocal terms Abu Bakr declared: "By Allah! I will fight those who distinguish between Salaah and Zakaah (obligatory charity), because Zakaah is the compulsory right to be taken from one's property (according to Allah's Commands). By Allah, if they refuse to give me even the cord used for hobbling the feet of a camel, which they used to pay as Zakaah at the

time of Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, I would fight them for withholding it." Then *Umar said, "By Allah there was no doubt that Allah guided Abu Bakr's heart towards the decision to fight them, which I later found was the truth."

The Battle of Dhul Qissah:

When Abu Bakr rejected the demand of the tribes to absolve them of the obligation to pay Zakaah, they took such refusal as a challenge. Islam sat lightly on them, and tribal feelings were most dominant in them. They accordingly decided that if Islam involved the payment of Zakaah to Madeenah, they would prefer to forego Islam, rather than yield to the dictates of the authorities in Madeenah.

During their stay in Madeenah, the delegates of the tribes saw for themselves that with the march of the main Muslim army under Usamah to the Levant, there was hardly any fighting force with the Muslims in Madcenah, and as such the city was vulnerable. When the delegates returned to their tribes, and gave an account of what Abu Bakr had said, they incited them to fight him. They decided to attack Madeenah when the main Muslim army was away, and teach the then authorities a lesson. The tribes concentrated their forces at Dhul Hissa and Dhul Qissah to the north east of Madeenah on the way to Najd, and decided to launch the attack against Madeenah.

Ibn Abi Taalib, may Allah be pleased with them, were posted at strategic approaches to the city. These pickets were required to remain at their posts, and to make immediate report to the Caliph about the movements of the tribes. All the adult male Muslims were asked to assemble in the Prophet 's mosque, where Abu Bakr As-Sideeq, may Allah be pleased with him, informed them of the impending danger of an attack from the tribes, and asked them to do their duty to Islam. He brought home to them the point that if they staked their everything in the way of Allah, Allah would come to their help as He had helped them during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said to them: "The delegation noticed that your number are few, and you do not know whether they will attack you by day or at night, and they are not far from you, so be on your guard and make arrangements." A roster of all Muslim male adults in the city was prepared, and their turns for keeping the vigil during the nights were fixed.

After three days, the withholders of Zakaah made brisk movement in the camp of the tribes at Dhul Hissah. The Muslim scouts brought intelligence that the tribes planned to attack Madeenah that night. Abu Bakr collected all the Muslim male adults in the mosque. After Salaatul-~Ishaa' (night prayer) these men were required to spread out in groups to keep vigil in the various quarters of the city. At the head of a contingent Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, took position at a strategic point in the direction of Dhul Hissah from where the attack was expected.

The tribes launched the attack at midnight. They had hoped that they would take the city by surprise; and that as there was no fighting force in Madeenah, they would meet no resistance, and it would be an easy walk-over for them. As the tribal force advanced in the darkness of the night fully assured of their victory, the contingent of Abu Bakr, may Allah be

pleased with him, leapt on the advancing horde, and took them unawares. Many tribesmen fell victims to the swords of the Muslims; the rest fled in utter confusion.

The Muslims chased the enemy and advanced to Dhul Hissah. Here the retreating tribesmen were joined by their reserves. In the battle at Dhul Hissah, the Muslims though few in number, fought with grim determination. As a stratagem the tribesmen threw inflated water skins in the path of the Muslim army, and that frightened the camels on which the Muslims were riding; the camels did not rest till they reached Madeenah. The tribes felt jubilant at what they regarded as the repulse of the Muslims. Thinking that all was over, the tribes retired to their camps at Dhul Hissah and Dhul Qissah.