Hazrat Hamza
(a.s.) was the paternal uncle of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) hence belonged
to the Bani Hashim clan. It is
incorrect to treat him as a companion. His “Kuniya” were Abu Umara and Abu
Ya’ala. He was called the “Strongest
Man of Quraysh” as he was well-built,
fond of wrestling, archery, and swordsmanship. He liked hunting.
Upon return from a hunting trip, he was told that Abu
Jahal had attacked and insulted the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). Filled with
rage, Hazrat Hamza (a.s.) rushed to Abu Jahal and struck him with a violent
blow on his head with his bow. He said: “Will you insult him, when I am of his
religion and say what he says? Hit me back if you can.” Because of his blow on
Abu Jahal’s head, his head broke open. Some of Abu Jahal’s relatives approached
to help him, but he told them: “Leave Abu Umara (Hazrat Hamza) alone, for by
God, I insulted his nephew deeply.” After that incident Hazrat Hamza (a.s.)
entered the house of Al-Arqam and declared Islam. Hazrat Hamza (a.s.)’s Islam
was complete and he followed the Apostle’s commands. When he became a Muslim, the Quraysh recognized that the Apostle had
become strong, and had found a protector in Hazrat Hamza (a.s.).
According to Muhammad ibn Saad translated by Bewley A. (The
companions of Badr, Ta Ha Publishers, London), one day Hazrat Hamza (a.s.)
asked the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) to show him the Angle Jibra’eel in his
true form. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) told him that he would not be able to
see him. Upon his insistence, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) asked him to sit
down. It is reported that Archangel Jibra’eel descended in front of them and
Hazrat Hamza (a.s.) saw that Archangel Jibra’eel’s feet were like emeralds and
he fell unconscious.
After the Migration to Madinah, the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) made him the brother in Islam of Zayd bin Haritha.
As a result of the Muslim’s Migration to Madinah, the
Quraysh attacked the remaining Muslims in Makkah, destroyed their properties.
To retaliate for this destruction, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) sent his
uncle Hazrat Hamza with a small army of thirty mujahedeen to the coast in
Juhayna to intercept the Quraysh’s merchant caravan returning from Syria. However,
Majdi ibn Amt al-Juhani intervened.
Battle of Badr:
Abu Jahal marched towards Madinah with 950 well-armed men. The Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) along with 313 Mujahedeen came out to face the enemy. The Muslims
blocked the wells at Badr. Alaswad ibn Abdal asad al-Makhzumi was a
quarrel-some, ill-natured man. He said: “I swear to God that I will drink from
their Cistern or destroy it or die before reaching it.” Hazrat Hamza came
forward against him, and when the two met, Hazrat Hamza attacked him and he
fell on the ground and lay there. Then he crawled to the well and threw himself
into it, but Hazrat Hamza followed him and killed him in the well. The
polytheists called for single combat. Hazrat Hamza faced Utba ibn Rabi’iah and
killed him, Imam Ali (a.s.) faced Waleed bin Utba and killed him. Hazrat Hamza helped
Imam Ali kill Utba’s brother Shayba, who was facing Ubaidullah. Allah granted
victory to the Muslims.
Battle of Uhad:
When the news of defeat reached Makkah,
the Polythiests started to avenge this defeat. Specially, Hinda, the wife of
Abu Sufiyan and mother of Muawiya. She gave some gold to a slave called Wahshy to
kill the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), or Imam Ali (a.s.) or Hazrat Hamza (a.s.).
She promised to give more reward after the mission was accomplished. Before the
commencement of hostilities, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) had stationed a
band of archers at the foot of al- Ainain Mountain to protect the back side of
the Muslim army, and ordered them not to leave their position at all. But when
the polytheists were losing the battle and running away, the band of archers
forgot their clear orders and left the position to share the booty. Khalid ibn
Waleed, a commander of the enemy, attacked from that loop hole and caused
damages. Wahshy was waiting behind a tree with a spear and threw it in the abdomen
of Hazrat Hamza who was instantly martyred.
Hinda came and ripped open his abdomen cut out the lever and chewed it. She
also desecrated his body by cutting his nose and ears to make a neck-lace. Abu
Sufiyan also came to desecrate the body.
When the Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) saw his uncle’s desecrated body, he cried a lot. He took
out his dress and covered the body and said: “Uncle, the Lion of Allah, the
Lion of His Apostle, doer of good deeds, remover of worries, defender of Allah’s
Apostle, and saver of his face.”
Hazrat Hamza (a.s.)’s day of martyrdom is 15 Shawwal 2 A.H.
Please see my article “Asma Binte Umais (s.a.)
Sources used:
Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib by Kamal al-Sayyid
A Restatement of the history of Islam and Muslims by
Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy
WIKIPEDIA and ezsoftech.com/Islamic/hamza.asp
No comments:
Post a Comment