Hazrat Huzayfah was a loyal, trustworthy companion of the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), and Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.). He was one of the seven persons who
participated in the funeral of Lady of Paradise, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) He participated in all military
adventures with the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) except the Battle of Badr.
During the Battle of Uhad, he participated with his father al-Yaman. As
al-Yaman and Thabit ibn Waqsh were old men, hence the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) did not allow them to take part in the battle and they were left
behind. As the fighting intensified, they both decided to join the fight.
Thabit ibn Waqsh was killed by the Polytheists. The Muslim did not recognize al-Yaman
and attacked him. Huzayfa cried out: “My
father! My father!” No one heard him and he was killed in error. The Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) wanted to pay compensation to Huzayfah for his father’s
death but he said: “He was simply
seeking shahadah and he attained it. O’Lord! Be witness that I donate the
compensation for him to the Muslims.”
The Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) was impressed by three qualities of Huzayfah; his unique
intelligence, quick wittedness, and his ability to keep a secret even under persistent
questioning. A primary problem was faced in Madinah were the hypocrites who
had superficially accepted Islam while simultaneously plotting against the
Muslims. Because of Huzayfa’s ability to
keep a secret, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) told him the names of the
hypocrites, a trust not bestowed
upon others. Huzayfah was commissioned to watch their movements and follow
their activities. After the sad demise of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), the
second caliph indirectly found out who the hypocrites were by watching Huzayfah
if he did not attend the funeral, and then the caliph did not recite funeral
prayer for the deceased.
Battle of the
Ditch:
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) sent Huzayfah into the
enemy lines to bring information about their situation and morale. He prayed
for Huzayfah: “O Lord! Protect him from
front, from behind, from his right side, from his left side, from above and
from below.” Huzayfah was already in the enemy camp. It was dark and cold
night. Abu Sufyan warned his men to check who is sitting next to you. Huzayfah
himself asked the stranger next to him to put him on the defensive. At one
stage Abu Sufyan was very close to Huzayfah who could have easily killed him
but he remembered the Prophet’s advice not to make any move before he returns
to the Muslim camp.
Huzayfah’s Philosophy:
Huzayfah al-Yamani felt the sources of good in life were
easily recognizable for those who desire virtues but evil was deceptive and
often difficult to perceive. He warned
people to struggle against evil with their heart, hands, and tongue. Those
who stood against evil with their hearts and tongues and not hands, he
considered as having abandoned a part of truth. Those who hated evils only in
their hearts but did not combat it with their tongues and hands, forsook two
parts of the truth and those who neither
detested nor confronted evil with their hearts, tongues and hands, he
considered them as physically alive but morally dead.
Victory in the
Battle of Nihawand:
The second caliph made him the second in command of the
army of thirty thousand Muslims sent to face the Persian forces who were five
times stronger. The first commander, Nauman ibn Maqran fell early in the
battle, and Huzayfah immediately took charge and instructing that the
commander’s death should not be broadcast. Under Huzayfah’s leadership, the
Muslims won a decisive victory. Huzayfah also took part in the multi-pronged
advance into Armenia, leading a column to Al-Lan Mountains.
Later, when Imam
Ali (a.s.) appointed him the governor of Kufa and Mada’in, the crowd went to
meet the famous companion of whose great role had already become a legend. As
they waited, a lean man approached on a donkey eating a loaf of bread. Huzayfah
realized that they were waiting for him to speak and he eventually said:
“Beware of the places of fitnah and intrigue; the doors of rulers where some
people go and try to make the ruler or governor believe lies and praise him for
qualities he does not possess.”
He died just before the Battle of Jamal (Camel) in 36
A.H. and was laid to rest at Mada’ain.
In the year 1932,
Huzayfah came in the dream of the King Faisal of Iraq and requested that the
graves of Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari (r.a.) and himself were being flooded,
hence remove their bodies to safer place. Please read details in the article
“Hazrat Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari (r.a.)”
Sources used:
WIKIPEDIA, ZIARAAT.COM, EZSOFTECH/MIRACLE OF ISLAM
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