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Zeyd Ibn Arqam Ansari Khazraji

From Wikivahdat

Zeyd Ibn Arqam Ansari Khazraji  is the son of Zeyd Ibn Qeys Ibn No'man Ibn Malik Ansari  Khazraji. There is much disagreement about his nickname; some call him Aba Sa'ad, while others, such as Heytham, call him Aba Anisah. For him,there are also another nicknames such as  Abu Omar, Abu Amer, and Abu Sa'eed, according to ‘Vaqedi” narrations.

He was very familiar with Abdullah Ibn Rawahe. Before the Battle of Mu'tah, Abdullah Ibn Rawahe composed poems describing his desire for martyrdom, and Zeyd cried. Suddenly, Abdullah became angry and hit Zeyd with a whip, saying, "Woe to you! I want to be a martyr, and you are crying!". Then he recited a poem describing Zeyd.

Ancestry and Nickname

Zeyd Ibn Arqam ibn Zeyd Ibn Qeys Ibn No'man Ibn Malik Ansari was a Khazraji [1]. There is disagreement among sources regarding Zeyd's nickname: Abu Sa'ad, Abu Anisah, Abu Amr, Abu Amer, Abu Sa'eedah, Ibn Adi, Abu Ammarah, Abu Hamzah, Abu AnisAl- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof[2].

Conversion  to Islam

He converted to Islam before reaching puberty. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) prevented him from participating in the Battle of Ohod due to his youth[3].

Zeid informed the Khazraj hypocrites of their plot to betray the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and God praised him in Surah Al-Monafiqoon in the Quran[4].

When the Amir Al -Momenin (a.s.) migrated to Kufah, he also went there and settled in the neighborhood of Kendah. In the session where Ibn Ziyad to insult to behead Imam Hussein (a.s.), he spoke out in protest and enumerated his virtues. It is generally believed that he died in the year 68 AH[5].

Zeyd during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)

Zeyd participated in nineteen battles, of which he accompanied the Messenger of God in seventeen. The first battle he participated in was the Battle of Bani Mostaleq [6].

He did not participate in Ohod and Badr due to his young age Sheikh Toosi.(1994). Rajal al-Tusi,Qom:Islamic Publications Institute. Barqi, Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaled.(2011). Rijal Al-Barqi, Qom:Imam Sadiq Institute; Kashshi, Muhammad Ibn Omar bin Abdulaziz. (1969). Rijal-e-Kashshi, Vol. 1, Mashhad: University of Mashhad, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Research and Studies Center[7].

Zeyd is the one who conveyed the hypocritical speech of Abdullah Ibn Obayy to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him and his family). After Abdullah Ibn Obayy denied his wrong speech and insisted that Zeyd Ibn Arqam lied and then Abdullah Ibn Obayy swore, the elders of the Ansar also sided with him and said that as Zeyd is a child, so  attributed the mistake and error in the narration to Zeyd.

At this time, Surah Al-Monafiqoon was revealed, and in that Surah, the Prophet repeated the inappropriate speech of Abdullah Ibn Obayy:

یقُولُونَ لَئِن رَّ‌جَعْنَا إِلَی الْمَدِینَةِ لَیخْرِ‌جَنَّ الْأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الْأَذَلَّ ۚ وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَ‌سُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِینَ وَلَٰکِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِینَ لَا یعْلَمُونَ َلَّ [منافقون–۸]

They say: "If we return to Medina, the one who is more honorable will certainly expel the one who is more ungrateful." But honor belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and to the believers; but these hypocrites do not know.and also:

هُمُ الَّذِینَ یقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا عَلَیٰ مَنْ عِندَ رَ‌سُولِ اللَّهِ حَتَّیٰ ینفَضُّوا... [منافقون–۷]

They are those who say: "Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of God, lest they disperse...)

At the very beginning of the Surah, God Almighty testified to the lying of the hypocrites and revealed the falsehood of their oaths, and warned His Messenger: "Do not let the deceptive appearance of these hypocrites make you arrogant." He told him: "Your enemy is these hypocrites, so beware of them, and do not believe their hypocritical talk."

The Three Caliphs

It is narrated from Fadl Ibn Shadhan that Zeyd Ibn Arqam was among the first people who returned to Imam Ali (a.s.) after the death of the Prophet (pbuh)[8].

In the event  of Saqifah, Zeyd supported Imam Ali (a.s.), believing that if he was proposed as the successor of the Prophet, there would be no dispute[9].

The Caliphate of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Zeyd participated with in the Battle of Seffeyn and was one of his special companions[10]. Some have said that in the event of Rohbah, when the Imam Ali (a.s.) asked the companions to testify that they had heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever I am his or her master and ruler, Ali is his or her master [11].” Zeyd did not testify, and the Imam prayed that he would become blind, and that is what happened.

Seyyed Mohsen Amin writes that since such a narration has also been narrated about Bora Ibn Azeb, it seems that the narrations that attribute the concealment of the testimony to Zeyd are wrong and it is about  "Bora", because many narrators have narrated the Hadith of Ghadir from Zeyd. In addition, Zeyd is one of those who considered Ali superior to others and was one of the special companions of the Imam Ali[12].

Ghadir's sermon

Zeyd is one of the narrators of the Hadith of Ghadir from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and many narrators among the reliable Sunni sources, including Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in his Mosnad, Nesa’i in his Sonan al-Kobra, and Khasaes al-Amir al-Mo’menin, al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, have narrated this Hadith from him with various documents[13].

Objection to Ibn Ziyad

Allama Majlesi writes: It has been narrated from Saad Ibn Moadh and Amr Ibn Sahl that we were present in the session of Ibn Ziyad and we saw that Ubeydullah was hitting Imam Hussein (a.s.) in the eyes and lips with her stick and was insulted him.

Zeyd Ibn Arqam was present, and upon seeing this scene, he said: "O Ibn Ziyad, take your walking stick, because I saw the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) placing his blessed lips on these lips and mouth, (and kissing them) and then he wept loudly."

Here Ibn Ziyad said: "O enemy of God! May God make your eyes weep! If you were not an old man who has lost your mind, I would certainly behead you[14].

Zeyd said: So let me tell you another story that is even more important than what I have told you. One day I saw the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) sitting with Hassan (peace be upon him) on his right knee and Hussein (peace be upon him) on his left knee.

He placed his blessed hands on their heads and said: “O Allah, I entrust these two and the righteous believers to YouMajlisi, Muhammad Baqer.(1982). Behar al-Anwar, vol. 45, Beirut: Darolhayat al-Turas al-Arabi[15]."Now tell me, what have you done with the trust of the Messenger of Allah?[16].

According to Tabari’s report , after this conversation, Zeyd Ibn Arqam stood up from Ibn Ziyad's session and left[17].

When he left, some people said: Zeyd Ibn Arqam has uttered other words that if Ubeydullah had heard them, he would have killed him. The narrator of this news says: I asked him what he said?They said: When Zeyd passed by us, he said: "A slave has become the owner of a free man."

Then he added:

«یا مَعْشَرَ الْعَرَبِ! اَلْعَبیدُ بَعْدَ الْیوْمِ، قَتَلْتُمُ ابْنَ فاطِمَةَ وَ أَمَّرْتُمُ ابْنَ مَرْجانَةَ، فَهُوَ یقْتُلُ خِیارَکُمْ وَ یسْتَعْبِدُ شِرارَکُمْ، فَرَضیتُمْ بِالذُّلِّ، فَبُعْداً لِمَنْ رَضِی بِالذُّلِّ»؛

(O people of the Arabs! You have become slaves after this day! You killed the son of Fatima and made the son of Marjanah your ruler. He is the one who kills your good people and thereby takes you into slavery and obedience. Be far from God’s  mercy  who is content with humiliation and abasementabari [18].

The head of Imam Hussein (a.s.) on a spear

Another narration is narrated from Zeyd who says: When the head of Imam Hussein (a.s.) was passed in front of me in Kufah while it was on a spear, I was sitting in a booth. When it reached me, I heard him say:

أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْکَهْفِ وَالرَّ‌قِیمِ کَانُوا مِنْ آیاتِنَا عَجَبًا [کهف–۹]

"dost thou [really] think that [the parable of] the Men of the Cave and of [their devotion to] the scriptures could be deemed more wondrous than any [other] of Our messages?"So by God, I was very surprised and I called out: Son of the Messenger of God! By God! Your head is more surprising and more surprising[19].

Hadiths and works

Zeyd Ibn Arqam is among the narrators who have mentioned Ali (a.s.) as the first convert to Islam and considered him superior to others[20].

In addition to the Hadith of Ghadir [21],he was also one of the narrators of the “Hadith of Kisa” [22] .

“Nawawi “writes: Zeyd narrated seventy hadiths from the Prophet (peace be upon him), some of which are about the virtues of  Imam  Ali (peace be upon him)Nawawi, Yahya bin Sharaf (2009).Tahzib Al-Asma va Loghat, Vol. 1,Damascus : Dar Al-Resala International [23].

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal reported his hadiths, most of which are about the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)[24].

The Death

The year of Zeyd's death is disputed. Ibn Saa'd in Tabaqat, Hakem in Mustadrak, and in Isti'aab and Osd al-Ghabah say that he died in Kufah in 68 AH. Some have considered his death in Kufah during the reign of Mukhtar in 66 AH, while others have considered his death in 65 AH[25].

References

  1. Al- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof; Ibn Hajar Asqalani, Ahmad bin Ali.(1994). Al-Isabah  fi Tamiz al-Sahaba, first edition, researched by Abdul-Mujoud, Adel Ahmad, Mu'awaz, Ali Muhammad, vol. 2, Beirut: Dar Al-Kutb Al-Ilmiyyah.
  2. Al- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof
  3. Nawawi, Yahya bin Sharaf (2009).Tahzib Al-Asma va Loghat, Vol. 1,Damascus : Dar Al-Resala International
  4. Ibid
  5. Ibn Saad, Kateb Vaqedi , Muhammad ibn Saad.(1989). Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, first edition, Vol. 6,research, Atta, Muhammad Abdul Qadir, vol. 4, Beirut: Dar al-Kutb al-Ilmiyyah. Al-Qurtubi,Yusof ibn Abd al-Barr (1992) .Al-Isti'ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 2,Beirut: Dar-aljil.
  6. Al-Qurtabi,Yusof ibn Abd al-Barr (1992) .Al-Isti'ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 2,Beirut: Dar-aljil.
  7. Sheikh Toosi.(1994). Rajal al-Tusi,Qom:Islamic Publications Institute. Barqi, Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaled.(2011). Rijal Al-Barqi, Qom:Imam Sadiq Institute; Kashshi, Muhammad Ibn Omar bin Abdulaziz. (1969). Rijal-e-Kashshi, Vol. 1, Mashhad: University of Mashhad, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Research and Studies Center.
  8. Sheikh Toosi.(1969). Ikhtiyyar  Ma’rifat Al-Rijal, Vol. 1, Mashhad: University of Mashhad, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies.
  9. Al- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof .
  10. Al-Qurtubi,Yusof  Ibn Abd al-Barr (1992) .Al-Isti'ab fi Ma’rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 2,Beirut: Dar-aljil.
  11. Tabarsi, Fazl bin Hasan.(1996). Allam al-Wara, Be’alam al-Hoda, Qom: Al-Al-Bayt institute, Le Ehya al-Torath.
  12. Al- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof . Al-Amin, A’yan al-Shi’a.
  13. Amini,Abdulhossein.(1967). Al-Ghadir,vol.1,Beirut:Dar Alketab Alarabi.
  14. The conversation between Zeyd and Ubeydullah up to this point has also been narrated by Sheikh Mofid in his Irshad with a slight difference in sentence
  15. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqer.(1982). Behar al-Anwar, vol. 45, Beirut: Darolhayat al-Turas al-Arabi
  16. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqer.(1982). Behar al-Anwar, vol. 45, Beirut: Darolhayat  al-Turas al-Arabi
  17. It is stated in Behar al-Anwar (vol. 45): He left there while his voice was crying loudly.
  18. abari, Muhammad ibn Jarir.(1992). History of Tabari,vol.5,Beirut:Dar al-kotob Al-elmyyah publications,and Behar al-Anwar.
  19. Sheikh Mofid.(1993). Irshad,Qom:Dar  Al-mofid publications
  20. Ibn Abi al-Hadid.(1965) Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, Vol.4,Beirut: Darolhayat al-Turas al-Arab
  21. Amini,Abdulhossein.(1967). Al-Ghadir,vol.1,Beirut:Dar Alketab Alarabi
  22. bn Abi al-Hadid.(1965) Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, Vol.3,Beirut: Darolhayat  al-Turas al-Arabi
  23. Nawawi, Yahya bin Sharaf (2009).Tahzib Al-Asma va Loghat, Vol. 1,Damascus : Dar Al-Resala International .
  24. Hanbal, Ahmed bin Muhammad.(1996). Musnad Ibn Hanbal ,Vol. 7, Beirut :Al-Resala Foundation
  25. Al- Amin, Al-Seyyed  Mohsen.(2000).Ayan al-Shi'a, Vol. 7,Beirut:Dar altaarof .