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recognize it if it comes through their brains. The similitude of such people is as the guidance of an
animal to its herd by means of a bunch of clover held at a constant distance off its mouth. The
animal would try all the time to catch it, so it would eventually go into the herd safely. In the same
way you have to do various kinds of temptations to make certain kind of people familiarize Islam
and be pleased with.
THE HELPERS (
Al-Ansar
) ARE FURIOUS AT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (peace be upon
him) :
At first the Prophet’s policy of distribution was uncomprehended by many a man. Therefore sharp-
tongued people started expressing their objections. The Helpers were among those who were
afflicted by this policy. They were deprived of Hunain gifts though they had been the ones who were
summoned at Hunain hard times and they were the first to rush to fight with the Messenger of Allâh
(peace be upon him) and standfast till the defeat turned into victory. Now here they are watching
those who escaped fill their hands with booty while they are given nothing.
On the authority of Ibn Ishaq: “When the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) had given
Quraish and Arab tribes those gifts and allotted nothing to the Helpers, a group of the Helpers felt
so uneasy about it that a lot of ill-statements against the Prophet (peace be upon him) were spread
among them to an extent that one of them said: “By Allâh, the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon
him) was ill-spoken of by his folksmen!” And those ill-statements went on spreading till Sa‘d bin
‘Ubadah met the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) , who in his turn faced his people after a
while.
Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah said: “O Messenger of Allâh, this group of the Helpers are furious at you about the
distribution of the booty that you had won. You have allotted shares to your own kinsmen and
forwarded lots of gifts to the Arab tribes. But this group has obtained nothing.” The Prophet (peace
be upon him) asked Sa‘d exclaiming: “Sa‘d, what do you think of all that?” Sa‘d replied: “O
Messenger of Allâh. You know that I am nothing but a member of this group.” “Call out on your
people and bring them forth to me into this shed.” Said the Prophet (peace be upon him).
So Sa‘d went out and summoned them. When some Emigrants came, he let them in but forbade
others. When they were all gathered together, he informed the Prophet saying: “This group of the
Helpers have just arrived to meet you in compliance with your orders.” As soon as the Messenger
(peace be upon him) faced them he thanked Allâh and praised Him, then said to them inquiring, “I
have been told that you are angry with me. Didn’t I come to you when you were astray and Allâh
guided you? You were poor and Allâh gave you wealth. Weren’t you foes and Allâh made you love
one another.” “Yes,” they said, “Allâh and His Messenger are better and more gracious.” Then he
said: “What prevents you from replying to the Messenger of Allâh, O tribe of Helpers?” They said,
“What should be the reply, O Messenger of Allâh, while to the Lord and to his Messenger belong all
benevolence and grace.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) again said:
·
“But by Allâh, you might have answered and answered truly, for I would have testified to
its truth myself: ‘You came to us belied and rejected and we accepted you; you came to us
as helpless and we helped you; a fugitive, and we took you in; poor and we comforted you’.
You Helpers, do you feel anxious for the things of this world, wherewith I have sought to
incline these people unto the Faith in which you are already established?
Are you not satisfied, O group of Helpers that the people go with ewes and camels while you
go along with the Messenger of Allâh (peace be upon him) to your dwellings. By Him in
Whose Hand is my life, had there been no migration, I would have been one of the Helpers.
If the people would go through a valley and passage, and the Helpers go through another
valley and passage, I would go through the valley and passage of the Helpers. Allâh! Have
mercy on the Helpers, their children and their children’s children.”
The audience wept until tears rolled down their beards as they said:
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