Part 73

At the beginning of the battle between “Aliy and Mu‘aawiyah's parties, *Ammaar ascended a hill shouting, "Today is the day that we are going to meet Muhammad and his Companions."

A group of Mu‘aawiyah's party committed themselves to killing “Ammaar, so they pierced him with a lance, whereby he fell as a

The news of “Ammaar's death spread rapidly. ‘Abd Allah stood up agitatedly and said, "Is it true that *Ammaar has been killed ? Did you do it? That means you are the unjust party! You are the mislead warriors!" Like a portent he burst into the army, discouraging the fighters, shouting loudly, "You are the unjust party as long as it's you who killed “Ammaar. The Prophet (PBUH) foresaw his murder by the unjust party some 27 years ago.”

“Abd Allah's words soon reached Mu*aawiyah, who sent for “Amr and his son. He said to “Amr, "Can't you stop your mad man?" “Abd Allah said, "I'm not mad, but I heard the Prophet (PBUH) once saying to “Ammaar, ‘You will be killed by the unjust party.” Mu’aawiyah continued asking, "Why, then, did you join our party?” “Abd Allah said, "Because the Prophet (PBUH) asked me to obey my father and I obeyed him in joining you, but I didn't fight."

While they were arguing, someone entered asking Mu’aawiyah to permit the entrance of ‘Ammaar's murderer. At that moment ‘Abd Allah shouted, "Let him in and announce the ‘good news' he is in hell."

Hereby Mu‘aawiyah lost his temper despite his calmness and mildness. He shouted to “Amr, "Can't you hear what he is saying?"

“Abd Allah continued to ensure Mu’aawiyah that what he was saying was the truth and that the murderers were no more than unjust tyrants. Then he turned to his father and said, "Had it not been for the Prophet's order to obey you, I would not have gone out with

While inspecting their army, Mu‘aawiyah and “Amr were astonished and terrified to hear all the people talking about the Prophet's prophecy to ~Ammaar, You are going to be killed by the unjust party.

‘Amr and Mu‘aawiyah were afraid that this mere grumble was soon going to turn into a revolt against Mu‘aawiyah. They thought together till they found a cunning trick. They spread the following words among the people: "Yes, the Prophet (PBUH) said to “Ammaar on that day, You'll be killed by the unjust party. The Prophet's prophecy is true. ~Ammaar has been killed. But who killed him? The true murderers are those who asked him to go out to fight.”

In the midst of such confusion and turmoil, any logic could easily be spread. In this way Mu‘aawiyah's and ~Amr's logic prevailed. The battle continued. ~Abd Allah went back to his mosque and to his worship.

He lived a life filled with nothing else than worship and adoration. Nevertheless, the mere act of going out to the battlefield always remained a reason for worry. He never remembered this act without weeping and saying, "What did I have to do with As-Siffiin?" Why did I bother myself with the killing of Muslims?"

One day, while sitting with some companions in the Prophet's mosque, Al-Hussain Ibn ‘Aliy (May Allah be pleased with him) passed by and they greeted each other. When Al-Hussain went away “Abd Allah said to those sitting with him, "Would you like to know the human being most beloved to the angels? It's the one who just passed by, Al-Hussain Ibn “Aliy. He has not talked to me since the Day of As-Siffiin. I would like him to talk to me more than I desire all the blessings of this world.” :

He decided with Abu Sa*iid Al-Khudriy to visit Al-Hussain. There at Al-Hussain's house the meeting of these two great men took place. “Abd Allah began to talk. When he mentioned As-Siffiin, AlHussain asked him scoldingly, "You, did you join the fight on Mu*aawiyah's side?" ‘Abd Allah said, "One day ‘Amr Ibn Al--Aas complained to the Prophet (PBUH) saying, “Abd Allah fasts the whole day and prays all night.’ Then the Prophet said to me, 'O “Abd Allah, pray and sleep, fast and eat. Obey you father.' When it was the day of As-Siffiin, my father swore by Allah that I had to go out with him. I went out, but, by Allah, I didn't pierce with a lance, I didn't fight with a sword and I didn't shoot any arrows."

At the age of 72, while praying in his mosque, asking for Allah's forgiveness, praising Allah gratefully, he was invited to join the eternal voyage. Filled with a longing aspiration he responded. His soul left the world joyfully to join his brethren who had preceded him. The announcer of good news proclaimed from Heaven, < ”O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well pleasing. Enter you among My servants, and enter into My Paradise!"> (89:2730).

(50) ABU SUFYAAN IBN AIHAARITH From Darkness to Light !

Here is another Abu Sufyaan, a different one than Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb. His story is one of being guided after straying from the path of truth, a story of love after hatred, happiness after suffering. It is the story of Allah's infinite mercy and how it opened the gates to someone seeking Allah's refuge after a long journey full of hardship and suffering.

Can you imagine, Ibn Al-Haarith spent 20 years in a continuous fight against Islam! Twenty years from the beginning of the revelation until the Day of the Conquest. During this whole period Abu Sufyaan was encouraging the Quraish and their allies, attacking the Prophet (PBUH) by means of satires, never absent when a battle or fight was fought. His three brothers, Nawfal, Rabii‘ah, and ~Abd Allah, converted to Islam before him.

The Abu Sufyaan whom we are talking about was the cousin of the Prophet (PBUH), as he was the son of Al-Haarith Ibn “Abd AlMuttalib. Furthermore, he was the foster brother of the Prophet (PBUH), having been suckled for a few days by Haliimah AlSa*diyah, the Prophet's wet-nurse.

One day destiny called him to meet his happy fate. He called his son Ja‘far and said to his men that they were both going to travel. “Where to, Ibn Al-Haarith? What is your destination?" "To the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to submit ourselves to Allah, Lord of the Worlds."

With a repenting heart he began to ride his horse. At a place called Al-Abuwaa’, he could see a great army approaching. Soon he realized that it was the Prophet (PBUH) moving forward to enter Makkah. He began to search for a way out. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had allowed the Companions to shed Abu Sufyaan's blood

because of his long continuous fight against Islam, a fight in which he used his sword as well as his tongue.

If anyone in the approaching army saw him, he would no doubt take revenge. Therefore Abu Sufyaan had to find a clever way which would enable him to meet the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) first before any Muslim could see him. He disguised himself, hiding all his features, then took his son and walked a while until he could clearly see the Prophet (PBUH), who at that moment was approaching amidst a large number of the Companions.

Suddenly, Abu Sufyaan threw himself between the Prophet's hands, removing his disguise. As soon as the Prophet (PBUH) recognized him, he turned his face. Abu Sufyaan turned and approached him from another direction, in vain; the Prophet turned his face again. Abu Sufyaan and his son Ja‘far both shouted, " We bear witness that there is no god but Allah.We bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." They came nearer saying, “"O Prophet, no reproach!" The Prophet (PBUH) replied, "No reproach shall be upon you, Abu Sufyaan." Then the Prophet (PBUH) handed him over to “Aliy Ibn Abi Taalib and said to him, "Teach your cousin ablution, the Sunnah and take him away right now.” “Aliy took him and soon returned. The Prophet (PBUH) told ~Aliy, " Tell people that the Prophet (PBUH) is pleased with Abu Sufyaan, so be pleased

It was nothing more than a moment which Allah blessed in order to close a period of suffering, misery, hardship, and error while opening the gates of infinite mercy.

He nearly converted to Islam when, during the Battle of Badr, while fighting on the side of the Quraish, he saw something that confused his mind.

During that battle Abu Lahab stayed behind, sending Al--Aas Ibn Hishaam in his place. Abu Lahab was waiting eagerly to hear the news when the shocking defeat was announced. He was sitting near

the well of Zamzam in the middle of a group of the Quraish, when a horseman approached. It was Abu Sufyaan Ibn Al-Haarith. Abu Lahab did not give him a chance to rest, but asked him immediately, "Come nearer, my cousin. You have the latest news ! How was it?” Abu Sufyaan Ibn Al-Haarith said, “By Allah, we had hardly begun fighting when it was as if we offered them our bodies, let them do with us whatever they wanted, let them fight us as they pleased, took us prisoners as they liked. I swear, by Allah, I do not blame the Quraish, as we met white men riding piebald horses filling the space between heaven and earth. Nothing is like to them, nothing could stop them."

Abu Sufyaan surely meant that angels were fighting on the Prophet's side. Why is it then that Abu Sufyaan did not submit himself to Allah at that time after having seen what he first described?

Doubt paves the way to certainty. The more obstinate and opinionated his doubt, the firmer and more persistent his conviction.

Finally, it was the day of guidance and certainty, the day of his conversion as previously mentioned.

From the very beginning, from the first moments after his conversion, he began to strive and to worship as if entering a race with time, hoping to erase all traces of his past to compensate for what he had missed during that time.

He took part in all the battles after the Day of the Conquest. On the Day of Hunain a very dangerous trap was prepared by the polytheists, who attacked the Muslims so fiercefully that a great deal of Muslim warriors lost their reason and retreated, but the Prophet (PBUH) stood firm appealing, "O people, I'm the Prophet, it's not a lie. I'm the son of “Abd Al-Muttalib.”

During those fearful moments, a small group, not losing their reason, continued fighting. Among them was Abu Sufyaan and his son Jafar. Abu Sufyaan was holding the bridle of the Prophet's horse, but when he saw what happened, he felt deeply that his