Download PDF: [S] Martyred for the sake of Truth (Islamic story)

Hadrat Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair – may Allah be pleased with him – was born in the 45 A.H. in Kufah. His title was “Abu Abdullah”. Hadrat Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair – may Allah be pleased with him – was considered as a very eminent Jurist and scholar. He was also a specialist in Hadith and Islamic Jurisprudence.

 

Hadrat Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair – may Allah be pleased with him – met many eminent companions and acquired immense knowledge from them. He used to recite the Qur’an is a very beautiful manner. He learned Tafseer of the Qur’an from the blessed companion, Hadrat Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with him. Even someone like Hujjaj bin Yusuf also admired him. The only reason that Hujjaj later became his enemy is that he was a supporter of ibn Ash’ash who was an opponent of the Bany Ummayyah. During the ensuing battle between both of them, Ibn Ash’ash was killed and obviously Hujjaj became an open enemy of Hadrat Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair – may Allah be pleased with him. Even though he was forced on many occasions to support Hujjaj, he refused to do so. With the result that Hujjaj kept threatening him with death. Finally, in the year 95 A.H., he was martyred.

 

It is mentioned that when the great Imam, Sayyiduna Imam Ahmed bin Hambal – may Allah be pleased with him – used to remember him, he used to weep. He used to also say, “I swear by Allah Almighty that Saeed bin Jubair has been killed in such a condition that every Muslim in the world is in need of his knowledge.”

 

This person who was a Saint and recognized as a Shaikhul Islam was killed by the tyrant Hujjaj bin Yusuf. It is very difficult to find any book today in which we will not find the name of this eminent scholar not mentioned. Yet, it is sad to think that this eminent Saint was killed by one of the most despicable people of his era. What was his crime? What did he do that was so serious that warranted his death? His only ‘crime’ was that he stood for the truth and was not prepared to compromise the truth for anyone or anything.

 

He also openly accused Hujjaj of oppression and tyranny. When Hujjaj heard what the great scholar had said about him, he made a decision that he would have this great scholar killed because he did not want anyone to openly oppose him. The soldiers of Hujjaj went to Hadrat Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair’s – may Allah be pleased with him – house and when they knocked at his door and he saw who it was, he read “Hasbunallah Wa Nemal Wakeel”. He then asked them what they wanted and they informed him that Hujjaj wanted to see him in his court. He then asked them to wait for him and entered his room and placed the special scent which is placed on a dead body. Obviously, this is something which is mixed with various other types of fragrance as well. He placed this on his body after making Ghusal. He then also wore his Kafan.

 

The soldiers then took him to the court of Hujjaj. During the entire journey, he kept mentioning that there is no one more Powerful than the Allah Almighty and certainly Allah Almighty will ultimately destroy the transgressor.

 

When he was presented in the court of Hujjaj, the eyes of this tyrant was red with anger. Hujjaj then asked him what his name was and he replied “Saeed bin Jubair”. However, Hujjaj mockingly replied, “You are not Saeed bin Jubair, you are Shaqi bin Kusair.”

 

However, he declared, “This name was kept for me by my mother and she certainly knew better than you.”

 

Hujjaj then said, “You and your mother are both a disgrace.”

 

The great scholar replied, “Knowledge of the Unseen is known to Allah Almighty.”

 

Hujjaj asked, “What is your opinion of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him?”

 

He replied, “He is a Prophet of guidance and the Imam of mercy.”

 

Hujjaj then asked him his opinion about Hadrat Sayyiduna Ali – may Allah be pleased with him – and he replied, “He has become the beloved of Allah Almighty and is also a chief of mercy.”

 

Hujajj then asked him, “What do you have to say about me?”

 

The great Imam replied, “You are an oppressive person and will go to Allah Almighty in such a state that your hands will be red with the blood of innocent Muslims.”

 

Hujjaj then offered him gold and silver and he then instructed one of his servants to present the great Imam with two pouches of gold and silver.

 

The great Imam replied, “What is this? If this is something you have saved to protect yourself against the Divine Anger and Wrath of Allah Almighty then it is something which can be praised. If however, you have robbed the poor and innocent of this wealth, then I swear by Allah Almighty in Whose Divine Power is my life, you should fear that Day when even the breast feeding mother will forget her infant. Allah Almighty states in Surah Hajj, verse 2:

 

یَوْمَ تَرَوْنَہَا تَذْہَلُ کُلُّ مُرْضِعَۃٍ عَمَّاۤ اَرْضَعَتْ وَ تَضَعُ کُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَہَا وَ تَرَی النَّاسَ سُکٰرٰی وَمَا ہُمۡ بِسُکٰرٰی وَلٰکِنَّ عَذَابَ اللہِ شَدِیۡدٌ ﴿۲﴾

“On the Day when you will witness it, every nursing mother will forget her nurseling and every pregnant one will discharge her burden, and you, (O Muhammad) will see people as if they are drunk, whereas they will not be intoxicated, but the fact is that Allah’s punishment is very severe.”

 

Hujjaj then asked, “Why do you not laugh like the rest of us.”

 

The great Imam replied, “When I think about the Day when everyone will arise from their graves and all secrets will be revealed, my laughter immediately disappears.”

 

Hujjaj then asked him why he and others were able to laugh. The great Imam replied that the hearts of people are not the same.

 

Hujjaj then threatened him with the punishment of placing him in a wall of Fire.

 

The great Imam replied, “If you have the power to do this, then I would worship you instead, but you have no power to do this.”

 

Hujajj then said that he would murder the great Imam in such a manner that would have no comparison.

 

The great Imam replied, “I swear by Allah Almighty that the manner in which you kill me, in like manner, on the Day of the Judgement, you will also be punished.”

 

Hujajj then ordered that he be killed.

 

The great Imam then read the verse in Surah Al An’am, 79:

 

اِنِّیۡ وَجَّہۡتُ وَجْہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡ فَطَرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرْضَ حَنِیۡفًا وَّمَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِکِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۷۹﴾

“I have directed my attention towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth,

am devoted solely to Him, and am not of the polytheists.”

 

Hujajj then ordered that his head be turned away from the Qiblah, however the great Imam replied, “Wherever you turn, you will find Allah Almighty”.

 

He was then ordered to be placed on the ground to which he replied as found in the Surah Taha, verse 55:

 

مِنْہَا خَلَقْنٰکُمْ وَ فِیۡہَا نُعِیۡدُکُمْ وَ مِنْہَا نُخْرِجُکُمْ تَارَۃً اُخْرٰی ﴿۵۵﴾

“From the earth We have created you, and to it We shall return you, and from it We shall

raise you again.”

 

Hujjaj then asked him, “You are still smiling after all of this?”

 

The great Imam replied, “Those who give their hearts to Allah Almighty, when do they become afraid of oppression and tyranny?”

 

The great Imam then continued to look at him while he smiled and kept saying, “I am smiling because the Allah Almighty is certainly Ever Merciful of His servants and yet, you have become so brave and arrogant in front of His Divine Being.”

 

He was then ordered to be killed. As this was happening, the great Imam kept saying, “O Allah Almighty after me, do not allow this oppressor to overpower anyone else.”

 

After he mentioned these words, the great Imam was killed. There is no doubt that this Du’a of the great Imam was immediately accepted by the Allah Almighty.

 

A few days later, terrible sores began to appear on the body of Hujjaj and the pain was unbearable. In fact, he lived in terrible pain and anguish for nearly a month. People actually thought that he had become insane. In this month, he had forgotten all the joys of this world. He could hardly eat, drink, sleep or walk around. In fact, peace became something which he could not experience either in the day or in the night. He used to say to people in anguish, “I swear by Allah Almighty that on those nights in which I do fall off to sleep, I can see that I am swimming in a sea of blood.” He also continued to take the name of the great Imam till his last breath saying that he did not know what was going to happen. (Taarikhe Al Muluk wal Umam, Sayr Al ‘Alaamul Nubla)