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A woman named Umm Anmaar who belonged to the Khuza'a tribe in Makkah went to
the slave market in the city. She wanted to buy herself a youth for her domestic
chores and to exploit his labour for economic gains. As she scrutinized the
faces of those who were displayed for sale, her eyes fell on a boy who was
obviously not yet in his teens. She saw that he was strong and healthy and that
there were clear signs of intelligence on his face. She needed no further
incentive to purchase him. She paid and walked away with her new acquisition.
On the way home, Umm Anmaar turned to the boy and said:
"What's your name, boy?"
"Khabbab."
"And what's your father's name?"
"Al-Aratt."
"Where do you come from?"
"From Najd."
"Then you are an Arab!"
"Yes, from the Banu Tamim."
"How then did you come into the hands of the slave dealers in Makkah?"
"One of the Arab tribes raided our territory. They took our cattle and
captured women and children. I was among the youths captured. I passed from one
hand to another until I ended up in Makkah . . ."
Umm Anmaar placed the youth as an apprentice to one of the blacksmiths in
Makkah to learn the art of making swords. The youth learnt quickly and was soon
an expert at the profession. When he was strong enough, Umm Anmaar set up a
workshop for him with all the necessary tools and equipment for making swords.
Before long he was quite famous in Makkah for his excellent craftsmanship.
People also liked dealing with him because of his honesty and integrity. Umm
Anmaar gained much profit through him and exploited his talents to the full.
In spite of his youthfulness, Khabbab displayed unique intelligence and
wisdom. Often, when he had finished work and was left to himself, he would
reflect deeply on the state of Arabian society which was so steeped in
corruption. He was appalled at the aimless wandering, the ignorance and the
tyranny which he saw. He was one of the victims of this tyranny and he would say
to himself:
"After this night of darkness, there must be a dawn." And he hoped that he
would live long enough to see the darkness dissipate with the steady glow and
brightness of new light.
Khabbab did not have to wait long. He was privileged to be in Makkah when the
first rays of the light of Islam penetrated the city. It emanated from the lips
of Muhammad ibn Abdullah as he announced that none deserves to be worshipped or
adored except the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He called for an end to
injustice and oppression and sharply criticised the practices of the rich in
accumulating wealth at the expense of the poor and the outcast. He denounced
aristocratic privileges and attitudes and called for a new order based on
respect for human dignity and compassion for the underprivileged including
orphans, wayfarers and the needy.
To Khabbab, the teachings of Muhammad were like a powerful light dispelling
the darkness of ignorance. He went and listened to these teachings directly from
him. Without any hesitation he stretched out his hand to the Prophet in
allegiance and testified that "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His
servant and His messenger." He was among the first ten persons to accept Islam.
Khabbab did not hide his acceptance of Islam from anyone. When the news of
his becoming a Muslim reached Umm Anmaar, she became incensed with anger. She
went to her brother Siba'a ibn Abd al-Uzza who gathered a gang of youths from
the Khuza'a tribe and together they made their way to Khabbab. They found him
completely engrossed in his work. Siba'a went up to him and said:
"We have heard some news from you which we don't believe."
"What is it?" asked Khabbab.
"We have been told that you have given up your religion and that you now
follow that man from the Banu Hashim ."
"I have not given up my religion," replied Khabbab calmly. "I only believe in
One God Who has no partner. I reject your idols and I believe that Muhammad is
the servant of God and His messenger."
No sooner had Khabbab spoken these words than Siba'a and his gang set upon
him. They beat him with their fists and with iron bars and they kicked him until
he fell unconscious to the ground, with blood streaming from the wounds he
received.
The news of what happened between Khabbab and his slave mistress spread
throughout Makkah like wild-fire. People were astonished at Khabbab's daring.
They had not yet heard of anyone who followed Muhammad and who had had the
audacity to announce the fact with such frankness and defiant confidence.
The Khabbab affair shook the leaders of the Quraysh. They did not expect that
a blacksmith, such as belonged to Umm Anmaar and who had no clan in Makkah to
protect him and no asabEyyah to prevent him from injury, would be bold enough to
go outside her authority, denounce her gods and reject the religion of her
forefathers. They realized that this was only the beginning . . .
The Quraysh were not wrong in their expectations. Khabbab's courage impressed
many of his friends and encouraged them to announce their acceptance of Islam.
One after another, they began to proclaim publicly the message of truth.
In the precincts of the Haram, near the Ka'bah, the Quraysh leaders gathered
to discuss the problem of Muhammad. Among them were Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, al-
Walid ibn al-Mughira and Abu Jahl ibn Hisham. They noted that Muhammad was
getting stronger and that hi sfollowing was increasing day by day, indeed hour
by hour. To them this was like a terrible disease and they made up their minds
to stop it before it got out of control. They decided that each tribe should get
hold of any follower of Muhammad among them and punish him until he either
recants his faith or dies.
On Siba'a ibn Abd al-Uzza and his people fell the task of punishing Khabbab
even further. Regularly they began taking him to an open area in the city when
the sun was at its zenith and the ground was scorching hot. They would take off
his clothes and dress him in iron armour and lay him on the ground. In the
intense heat his skin would be seared and his body would become inert. When it
appeared that all strength had left him, they would come up and challenge him:
"What do you say about Muhammad?"
"He is the servant of God and His messenger. He has come with the religion of
guidance and truth, to lead us from darkness into light."
They would become more furious and intensify their beating. They would ask
about al-Laat and al-Uzza and he would reply firmly:
"Two idols, deaf and dumb, that cannot cause harm or bring any benefit..."
This enraged them even more and they would take a big hot stone and place it
on his back. Khabbab's pain and anguish would be excruciating but he did not
recant.
The inhumanity of Umm Anmaar towards Khabbab was not less than that of her
brother. Once she saw the Prophet speaking to Khabbab at his workshop and she
flew into a blind rage. Every day after that, for several days, she went to
Khabbab's workshop and punished him by placing a red hot iron from the furnace
on his head. The agony was unbearable and he often fainted.
Khabbab suffered long and his only recourse was to prayer. He prayed for the
punishment of Umm Anmaar and her brother. His release from pain and suffering
only came when the Prophet, peace be upon him, gave permission to his companions
to emigrate to Madinah. Umm Anmaar by then could not prevent him from going. She
herself became afflicted with a tertible illness which no one had heard of
before. She behaved as if she had suffered a rabid attack. The headaches she had
were especially nerve-racking. Her children sought everywhere for medical help
until finally they were told that the only cure was to cauterize her head. This
was done. The treatment, with a ret hot iron, was more terrible than all the
headaches she suffered.
At Madinah, among the generous and hospitable Ansar, Khabbab experienced a
state of ease and restfulness which he had not known for a long time. He was
delighted to be near the Prophet, peace be upon him, with no one to molest him
or disturb his happiness.
He fought alongside the noble Prophet at the battle of Badr. He participated
in the battle of Uhud where he had the satisfaction of seeing Siba'a ibn Abd
al-Uzza meet his end at the hands of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the
Prophet.
Khabbab lived long enough to witness the great expansiOn of Islam under the
four Khulafaa ar- RashidunÑAbu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. He once visited Umar
during his caliphate. Umar stood upÑhe was in a meetingÑand greeted Khabbab with
the words:
"No one is more deserving than you to be in this assembly other than Bilal."
He asked Khabbab about the torture and the persecution he had received at the
hands of the mushrikeen. Khabbab described this in some detail since it was
still very vivid in his mind. He then exposed his back and even Umar was aghast
at what he saw.
In the last phase of his life, Khabbab was blessed with wealth such as he had
never before dreamed of. He was, however, well-known for his generosity. It is
even said that he placed his dirhams and his dinars in a part of his house that
was known to the poor and the needy. He did not secure this money in any way and
those in need would come and take what they needed without seeking any
permission or asking any questions.
In spite of this, he was always afraid of his accountability to God for the
way he disposed of this wealth. A group of companions related that they visited
Khabbab when he was sick and he said:
"In this place there are eighty thousand dirhams. By God, I have never
secured it any way and I have not barred anyone in need from it."
He wept and they asked why he was weeping.
"I weep," he said, "because my companions have passed away and they did not
obtain any such reward in this world. I have lived on and have acquired this
wealth and I fear that this will be the only reward for my deeds."
Soon after he passed away. The Khalifah Ali ibn abi Talib, may God be pleased
with him, stood at his grave and said:
"May God have mercy on Khabbab. He accepted Islam wholeheartedly. He
performed hijrah willingly. He lived as a mujahid and God shall not withhold the
reward of one who has done good."
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