Download PDF: [S] His Pride turned him into a Murtad (Islamic story)

His name was Jablah bin Ayham and he was the King of Ghassan.

 

Once, Jablah bin Ayham had an inclination towards Islam and after thinking carefully about it, he decided to accept Islam. This was the period when the leader of the Muslims was Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him. When the Muslims heard that this influential person had become a Muslim, obviously many of them were extremely joyous. Jablah bin Ayham then wrote a letter to the leader of the Muslims that he wanted to visit Madina Shareef. Permission was then given to him by Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him. However, at the same time, the leader of the Muslims reminded him that the same law of Islam was applicable on him as a leader in his community as it applied to any ordinary Muslim.

 

When Jablah bin Ayham arrived in Madina Shareef, he had an entourage of nearly five hundred people each on their own animal. He arrived in great pomp and splendour. He then dressed himself with all the finest jewellery and the best of clothes and presented himself in the blessed court of Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him. In fact, his entire regal appearance was so startling that most of the people in Madina Shareef actually came out on the streets to see this spectacle.

 

Obviously as a leader of his community, when Jablah bin Ayham appeared in front of Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – he was shown all due respect and protocol. The great Muslim leader made him sit next to him.

 

During this time, it was also the season of Hajj. The Muslims decided to go for Hajj and Jablah bin Ayham also joined the Muslims with his own entourage. He also performed the Tawaaf of the Ka’ba with the other Muslims.

 

However, during the Tawaaf of the Ka’ba, a poor and simple person from the Bani Fazaarah happen to step on the shawl of Jablah bin Ayham by mistake. Jablah bin Ayham became extremely angry and slapped this person so hard that the poor person’s nose bone broke.

 

This person also became angry but instead of retaliating, he brought this to the attention of Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him. When he heard what happened he called Jablah bin Ayham forward to answer the charge. Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – asked him why he had resorted to this type of action and Jablah bin Ayham mentioned what had happened. In fact, he even mentioned that if they were not present in the Ka’ba, he would have actually beheaded the person. When Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – heard this, he made it clear that this was an admission of guilt and therefore, he had to pay the penalty for his actions.

 

When Jablah bin Ayham was told that he either had to make the person happy with some gift or he had to allow this person to also slap him, Jablah bin Ayham was horrified. He never expected that someone of his stature had to lower himself in front of a villager.

 

However, Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – mentioned to him that Islam was a religion which made everyone equal and the most elevated with Allah Almighty was that person who was the most pious.

 

Jablah bin Ayham then mentioned that if this was the case, it would be better for him to go back to the Christian religion. However, Hadrat Sayyiduna Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – made it clear that if he chose this part, then Jablah bin Ayham would become a Murtad and would have to be killed. Jablah bin Ayham requested that he be given a day to think about this. This was agreed to. However, during the night, Jablah left Mecca Shareef and returned to Constantinople. Such was his ultimate state that he continued to be a Kaafir until his death and never returned to Islam.