At the end of the third year after hijrah, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) sent ten of his companions as spies in order to gain information regarding the Quraish. They were also tasked with the responsibility to teach Islam to the ‘Adhal and Qaarah tribes, who claimed to have accepted Islam, and requested Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to send some of his companions to teach them Deen. Eventually, these Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were betrayed and eight amongst them were martyred, whilst two were taken as captive.
One of these captives, Sayyiduna Khubaib bin ‘Adiyy (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), was purchased by the family of Haarith bin ‘Aamir, a disbeliever of Makkah Mukarramah, in exchange of a slave-girl. They purchased him in order to avenge the death of Haarith, as Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had killed him in Badr.
Since this incident transpired in the sacred months, which the disbelievers also held in esteem, they decided to postpone the execution of Sayyiduna Khubaib bin ‘Adiyy (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) till after the sacred months. During this time, Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was kept in the house of Maawiyyah, the slave-girl of Hujair bin Abi Ihaab who was the step son of Haarith bin ‘Aamir. Moreover, the daughter of Haarith, Zainab, was responsible for checking on him. Initially, they did not treat him well. He thus addressed them saying, “Honourable people do not behave in this manner with their captive.” From that day, they began treating him kindly.
Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was undeterred by his situation and left an indelible impression in his captors’ hearts. After accepting Islam, Sayyidah Maawiyyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) explained that Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would recite the Quraan Majeed in Tahajjud Salaah and the womenfolk of the Quraish would be affected by his recitation and even start crying. He also requested them for three favours during this time: Firstly, he requested that they should give him sweet water to drink. His second request was that they should not give him the meat of any animal slaughtered in the name of their idols. And his final request was that they should inform him when the disbelievers decide to kill him.
When the sacred months terminated, the disbelievers had settled on a date in which they would kill Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus asked Zainab bintul Haarith (radhiyallahu ‘anha), who had also embraced Islam later on, to lend him a blade so that he may remove the unwanted hair from his body before being martyred. She acceded to his request and gave him a blade. In the interim, (due to being preoccupied) she did not realize that her small son approached Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), and he had placed the child on his lap. When she noticed her little child in the lap of the very person whom they were going to kill, and who now had a blade in his hand, she became very distressed and overcome by anxiety. Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) perceived her distress and asked her, “Do you fear that I may kill him? I would not do such a thing.”
When relating this incident after accepting Islam, Sayyidah Zainab bitul Haarith (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would praise Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saying, “By Allah, I have never seen a better prisoner than Khubaib.” She further relates that she had witnessed him eating from a big bunch of grapes despite being shackled. The more astonishing part is that at that time there were no grapes to be found in the entire Makkah Mukarramah. She would thus say, “Indeed it was sustenance (from the unseen) which Allah had provided for Khubaib.”
The time for his execution had arrived and the disbelievers thus took him out of the Haram and proceeded towards Tan‘eem (where Masjid ‘Aaishah is located). Upon reaching there, he requested them to allow him to perform two rakaats of salaah to which they acceded. When he had completed his salaah, he said, “Had it not been for the fact that you would assume that I am afraid of death, I would have prolonged it (i.e. my salaah).”
Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then made the following du‘aa, “O Allah, I do not have anyone to convey my salaam to Your Rasool (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), so convey it to him.” His du‘aa was accepted and Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam) informed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In turn, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied to his salaam and proclaimed, “The Quraish have killed Khubaib.”
Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then cursed the disbelievers saying, “O Allah, encompass every one of them (with Your destruction), kill them one by one and do not spare any one of them.” He further began reciting couplets, the meaning of which is:
“When I am killed as a Muslim, I am not concerned on which side I fall for the sake of Allah.
And this is solely for the pleasure of Allah. If He so wishes, He may bless the limbs of a torn apart body.”
The Quraish called a group of people whose dear ones were killed in the Battle of Badr and urged them to take their revenge. Thus, forty of them began mercilessly piercing and stabbing him with spears and javelins. In doing so, his body shook and his face turned towards the qiblah. He thus exclaimed, “All praise is due to Allah Who has turned my face towards His qiblah.” The Quraish tried turning his face away from that direction but it was to no avail. Thereafter, Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was executed.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) sent Sayyiduna Zubair and Sayyiduna Miqdaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) to remove the body of Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) from the pole on which he was executed. When they reached, they noticed that his body was still fresh; neither was he gone pale, nor did a foul smell emanate. In fact, his body was smelling of musk. Sayyiduna Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then loaded his body on his horse and they began returning. However, on their way, seventy disbelievers began pursuing them. Therefore, Sayyiduna Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) threw his body on the ground which in turn swallowed him immediately thereby saving his body from being desecrated by the Quraish.
(Saheeh Bukhaari #3045 & #4086, Fat-hul Baari, Sharhuz Zurqaani vol. 2, pgs. 475 – 493 and Al-Isaabah vol. 2, pg. 226)
Lessons:
1. When a person always keeps his objective in mind, he will be able to overcome any hurdle in his path regardless of how difficult or daunting it may seem. Therefore, if a person makes the goal and objective of his life the Hereafter, he will be able to overcome any situation; neither will he be overwhelmed by it nor will he despair and lose hope. Hence, even though Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) knew that he was going to be executed, he was not overwhelmed with his situation and his gaze remained fixed on Allah Ta‘ala.
2. A salient feature in the life of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his companions was their attachment to salaah. Whenever any situation arose, they turned to salaah because salaah had become the coolness of their eyes. Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had such love for salaah that he wished that it be his last action before meeting Allah Ta‘ala. In fact, Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was the first one to commence the noble practice of offering two rakaats salaah before being executed. (Sharhuz Zurqaani vol. 2, pg. 490)
3. Such was the kind heartedness and good nature of Sayyiduna Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that despite him knowing that he will be executed by this family, he did not take revenge on their small child.
4. When a person gives his life for Allah Ta‘ala and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Allah Ta‘ala aids him and assists him from sources he may not even expect. Moreover, Allah Ta‘ala blesses him at the time of his demise, and honours him after his death, as is evident from this incident.
