The people of Madaa'in came out in great
numbers to welcome their new governor
chosen by their Caliph Umar (May Allah
be pleased with him). They came out
preceded by their interest in that
graceful Companion. They had heard much
about his good conduct, his piety, and
more so about his great achievement in
the conquest of Iraq.
While they were waiting for the coming
procession, they saw before them a
bright fellow riding on a donkey with an
old saddle. The man was riding with his
legs hanging and holding a loaf of bread
and some salt in his hands, and eating
and chewing his food. When he came in
the midst of the people and they
discovered he was Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yammaan,
the expected governor, they were about
to lose their wits! But why the
surprise? Who did they expect the choice
of "Umar would be? In fact, they
were not to blame. Their countries had
not been accustomed since Persian days
or even before to having rulers of with
such graceful style.
Hudhaifah was surrounded and welcomed by
numerous people. When he saw that they
were gazing at him as if expecting a
speech, he looked at them closely and
said, "Beware of sedition!"
They asked, "What is sedition, Abu
'Abd Allah?" "The gates of
rulers," he said. "When one of
you is admitted to the presence of the
ruler or governor and falsely agrees
with what he says and commends him for
what he has not done."
It was a wonderful start, as much as it
was surprising. People at once
remembered what they had heard about
their new governor and that he did not
detest anything in the whole world as
much as he detested and scorned
hypocrisy. Such a beginning was the
truest expression concerning the
character of the new governor and his
way of ruling and governing.
As a matter of fact, Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yammaan
was a man who came to life equipped with
a unique characteristic in detesting
hypocrisy and in having the remarkable
capability to detect it in its distant,
concealed places. He and his brother
Safwaan came to the Prophet (PBUH)
accompanied by their father and all
embraced Islam. He added more sharpness
and polish to his inborn qualities from
the time he embraced a powerful, clean,
brave, and straightforward religion
which scorns cowardice, hypocrisy, and
lies.
Moreover, he learned his manners at the
hands of the Messenger (PBUH) who was as
clear as the glorious morning light.
Nothing was hidden in his life nor in
his inner self. He was truthful and
trustworthy. He liked the strong in
righteousness and detested those who
were not straightforward, i.e. the
hypocrites and deceivers. Therefore,
there was no realm where his talent
could bloom and blossom more than it did
under the guidance of faith at the hands
of the Messenger and among that
generation of his great Companions.
Verily, his talent grew and developed,
and he specialized in reading faces and
probing into the inner selves. At a
glance he could easily read faces and
know the secret of the hidden depths and
concealed inner mysteries. He attained
what he wanted in that realm to the
extent that the inspired, intelligent,
and resourceful Caliph ýUmar (May Allah
be pleased with him) used to ask
Hudhaifah's opinion and insight in
selecting and knowing men.
Hudhaifah possessed the discretion that
made him realize that what is good in
this world is obvious to whoever seeks
it, and that evil is the thing that is
disguised and hidden. Therefore, the
intelligent person should be discreet in
studying evil in its hidden and apparent
forms.
Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with
him) therefore devoted his time to the
study of evil and evil doers, as well as
hypocrisy and hypocrites. He reported:
People used to ask Allah's Prophet (PBUH)
about good, but I used to ask him about
evil, for fear that it should overtake
me. I said, "0 Messenger of Allah,
we were in ignorant and evil times, then
Allah presented us with this good. Will
there be evil after this good?" He
said, "Yes." I said, "And
after this evil, will there be
good?" He said, "Yes but it
would be tainted with evil (literally,
smoke)." I asked, "What will
this evil be?" He said, "There
will be some people who will lead
(people) according to principles other
than my tradition. You will see their
actions and disapprove of them." I
said, "Will there be any evil after
that good?" He said, "Yes,
there will be some people who will
invite others to the doors of Hell, and
whoever accepts their invitation to it
will be thrown in it (by them)." I
said, "0 Messenger of Allah!
Describe those people to us." He
said, "They will belong to us and
speak our language." I asked,
"What do you order me to do if such
a thing should take place in my
life?" He said, "Adhere to the
group of Muslims and their chief."
I asked, "If there is neither a
group (of Muslims) nor a chief, what
shall I do?" He said, "Keep
away from all those different sects,
even if you have to eat the roots of a
tree, till you meet Allah while you are
still in that state."
Note his statement, "People used to
ask Allah's Prophet (PBUH) about good,
but I used to ask him about evil, for
fear that it should overtake me."
Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yammaan lived open-
eyed and insightful with regards to
temptations and the paths of evil so
that he might avoid them and warn people
of them. This gave him insight of the
world, experience with people, and
knowledge of the times. He would
contemplate matters in his mind as a
philosopher would and with the sound
judgement of a wise man.
He said (May Allah be pleased with him):
"Almighty Allah sent Muhammad (PBUH)
to call people from misguidance to the
right path, and from disbelief to belief
in Allah. Some responded to his call,
following the right way. Those who were
dead were raised to life and those who
were alive died because of their evil
doing. When the period of prophethood
was over, caliphates followed the same
methods. Then there appeared a detested
monarchy. There were people who
disavowed with their hearts, hands, and
tongues, and who responded to the path
of justice. There were those who
disavowed with their hearts and tongues
but abstained from using their hands.
Thus they left out an area of justice.
There were also those who disavowed with
their hearts, abstaining to use their
hands or tongues. Thus they left out two
areas of justice. There were those who
did not disavow, neither with their
hearts, nor with their hands or tongues,
and those were the dead in life!
He talked about hearts and a life of
guidance or misguidance according to the
heart. He said: There are four kinds of
hearts: a locked heart, which is the
heart of the disbeliever; a duplicitous
heart, which is the heart of the
hypocrite; a pure heart full of light,
which is the heart of the believer; and
a heart filled with hypocrisy and faith.
Its faith is like a tree supplied with
good water, but like hypocrisy because
it is like an ulcer filled with pus and
blood. Whichever is made will win.
Hudhaifah's experience of evil and his
persistence in resisting and challenging
it sharpened his tongue and words. He
himself informed us about this in a
noble hadith: I approached the Prophet (PBUH)
and said, "0 Messenger of Allah, I
have an abusing tongue towards my
people, and I am afraid it might lead me
to the fire of Hell." The Prophet (PBUH)
said to me, "Do you ask Allah's
forgiveness? I repent to Allah a hundred
times a day."
That was Hudhaifah, the enemy of
hypocrisy and the friend of frankness.
For a man of this character, his faith
had to be strong and his loyalty
intense. That was Hudhaifah's way, in
respect to faith and loyalty. He
witnessed his father die as a Muslim in
the battle of Uhud, killed in error by
Muslim hands, mistaking him for one of
the unbelievers.
Hudhaifah was looking around when by
chance he saw the swords hitting him, so
he called to his attackers, "My
father! My father! He's my
father,'" But it was too late. When
the Muslims heard about this incident
they were grieved, but Hudhaifah looked
at them with mercy and forgiveness and
said, "May Allah forgive you. He is
the Most Merciful." He then went
forward with his sword towards the
raging battle, doing his best and
performing his duty.
When the battle ended and the Prophet (PBUH)
heard the news, he ordered that blood
money be paid for the death of
Hudhaifah's father, Husail Ibn Jaabir
(May Allah be pleased with him).
Hudhaifah refused to take the money and
gave it as alms to the Muslims, an act
which made the Prophet (PBUH) love and
appreciate him even more.
Hudhaifah's faith and loyalty refused to
acknowledge inability and weakness, or
even the impossible. In the Battle of
Al-Khandaq and after the failure of the
unbelievers of the Quraish and their
Jewish allies, the Prophet (PBUH) wanted
to know the latest developments in the
enemy camp.
The night was black and terrifying, and
a storm was raging as if it wanted to
uproot the solid mountains of the
desert. The whole situation - which
included a siege, stubbornness and
perseverance - brought about fear and
anxiety. In addition, hunger had reached
a high level among the Companions of the
Prophet. Therefore, who would have the
strength to go amidst the dark dangers
of the enemy camp and penetrate it to
gather intelligence and news?
The Messenger (PBUH) was the one who
selected him from among his Companions
as the one to perform such a difficult
task. Who was that hero? It was
Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yammaan. The Prophet (PBUH)
asked him and he obeyed.
He admitted with great candor in
relating the incident that he had no
choice but to obey, thus implying that
he feared the mission being assigned to
him. He was afraid of its consequences.
His fear was due to performing this
mission under the pinch of hunger, cold
weather, and extreme exhaustion that
resulted from the siege by the
disbelievers that had lasted a month or
more.
What happened to Hudhaifah that night
was amazing. He covered the distance
between the two armies and penetrated
the surrounding enemy camp of the
Quraish. A violent wind had put out the
camp's fires, so the place was enveloped
in darkness. Hudhaifah took his place
amidst the lines of the fighters. The
leader of the Quraish, Abu Sufyaan, was
afraid that darkness might surprise them
with scouts from the Muslim camp. He
stood to warn his army, and Hudhaifah
heard his loud voice saying, "0
people of the Quraish, each one of you
should know who is sitting next to him
and should know his name."
Hudhaifah reports, "I hastened to
the hand of the man next to me, and said
to him, 'Who are you?' He said, 'Such
and such a person!'"
He therefore secured his being with the
army in peace! Abu Sufyaan resumed his
talk to the army, saying, "0 people
of the Quraish, by Allah, you are not in
a place to settle. The horses and the
camels are exhausted. The tribe of Bani
Quraidah has reneged on us and we
learned about them what we hate, and we
suffer from the violent wind as you see.
No food can be cooked, no fire can blaze
for us, and no structure can hold. You
have to leave, for I am leaving."
He then mounted his camel and started
moving, followed by the fighters.
Hudhaifah said, "But for the
promise I gave Allah's Messenger (PBUH),
who asked me not to do anything until I
returned to him, I would have killed him
with an arrow." Hudhaifah then
returned to the Messenger (PBUH) and
gave him the information.
Whoever saw Hudhaifah arid considered
his way of thinking, his philosophy, and
his devotion to knowledge could hardly
expect any heroism from him in the
battlefield. Nevertheless, Hudhaifah
contradicted all expectations.
The man who used to worship Allah in
solitude, the contemplative one, no
sooner did he carry his sword and meet
the ignorant pagan army than he
disclosed a genius that caught the eyes.
Suffice it to know that he was one of
only three or five who had the great
privilege of invading all the cities of
Iraq. In Hamdaan, Ar-Raiy Ad-Dainawar,
the conquest was accomplished through
him.
In the great Battle of Nahaawand, in
which the Persians gathered about
150,000 fighters, Caliph 'Umar, the
Commander of the Faithful, chose for the
leadership of the Muslim armies An-Nu'maan
Ibn Muqrin, then wrote to Hudhaifah to
march to him leading an army from Kufa.
'Umar sent his letter to the fighters,
saying, "When the Muslims gather,
let every commander lead his army, and
let An- Nu'maan Ibn Muqrin be the
commander-in-chief of all the armies. If
An-Nu'maan is martyred, let Hudhaifah be
the leader. If he is martyred, let Jarir
Ibn 'Abd Allah lead them."
In this way, the Commander of the
Faithful went on choosing the leaders of
the battle till he named seven of them.
Then the two armies met.
The Persians were 150,000, while the
Muslims were only 30,000. A battle which
exceeded all others commenced. It was
the fiercest in history, in terms of
violence and heroism. The leader of the
Muslim army, An-Nu'maan Ibn Muqrin fell
in the battle and was martyred, but
before the standard of the Muslims fell
to the ground, the new leader caught it
with his right hand, and with it he led
the wind of victory with vigor and great
herosim. This leader was none but
Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yammaan.
At once he held the standard and chose
not to announce the news of the death of
An-Nu^maan until the battle was over. He
called Na'iim Ibn Muqrin to be in the
place of his brother to honor him.
How he achieved all this in no time, in
the heart of the great battle, was
through his bright intuition. Then he
turned like a violent tempest wind
towards the Persian lines shouting,
"Allahu akbar! Allah is the
greatest! His Promise is fulfilled!
Allahu akbar! He led His soldiers to
victory!" Then he turned the head
of his horse towards the fighters of his
army and called, "O you followers
of Muhammad (PBUH), here are Allah's
Gardens ready to receive you, do not let
them wait long. Come on, men of the
Battle of Badr ! Proceed, 0 you heroes
of the Battle of Al-Khandaq, Uhud, and
Tabuuk!"
Hudhaifah kept all the enthusiasm and
interest of the battle, if not more. The
fighting ended in overwhelming defeat
for the Persians, an unmatched defeat!
That was his genius in wisdom when he
remained in his rooms and genius in
fighting when he stood on the
battlefield. He was also a genius in
each mission assigned to him and each
advice asked of him.
When Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqaas, and the
Muslims with him moved from Madaa'in to
Kufa and settled there after the great
harm that had afflicted the Muslim Arabs
due to Madaa'in's climate, Umar wrote to
Sa'd to leave at once after the most
suitable sites for Muslims to resettle
were found. Who was deputed, to choose
the site and the place? It was Hudhaifah
Ibn Al Yammaan, accompanied by Salmaan
Ibn Ziyaad who sought a suitable place
for Muslims.
When they reached the land of Kufa, it
was a barren, sandy land, full of
pebbles, but Hudhaifah smelled the
breezes of healing and health. He said
to his companion, "This place,
Allah willing." That was how Kufa
was planned, and the hands of
construction turned it into an inhabited
city. As soon as the Muslims emigrated
there, their sick were cured, their weak
became strong, and their veins were
filled with the pulse of health.
Hudhaifah was very intelligent and had
various experiences. He always used to
say to the Muslims, "Your best are
not those who neglect this world for the
last, nor those who neglect the last for
this world. The best are those who take
from this and that."
One day in the year A.H. 36, he was
called to meet his Lord. While he was
getting ready for the last journey, some
of his companions came to see him. He
asked them, "Have you brought a
shroud with you?" They said,
"Yes." He said, "Show it
to me." When he saw it, he found it
was new and too long. One last sarcastic
grin was drawn on his lips, and he said,
"This is not a shroud for me. Two
white wraps without a shirt are
sufficient for me. I will not be left in
the grave for a long time, but will be
offered a better place or a worse
one!"
He then murmured a few words which, when
they listened to them, they discerned
the following: "Welcome O death! A
dear thing coming after longing. The one
who repents now prospers not."
One of the best human souls was raised
to Allah, one the most pious,
illuminating, and humble spirits.
Sheikh Abdulfattah Abu-Abdullah Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas),
a West African Islamic Academic founded AWQAF Africa, of
which he's the first al Amir (i.e. President).
Sheikh Dr. Adelabu was studying Postgraduate Degrees in
Damascus early 1990's during when Syria reviewed its
national security after an ‘Oslo Accord'...
Syria like many other countries around the world
witnessed, during this period, the flood of refugees
from war troubled nations like Somalia, arrival of
people from Algeria during the brutal struggling between
the Mujahidun and the government, resettlement of the
Palestinians fleeing from sophisticated guns of the
Israelis as well as adventure of African migrants for
reasons uncountable…
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