Jihad Is The Peak Of Islam

Chapter 36. The Saying Of Rasulullah. Hadith 005 (235). (Shamaa-il Tirmidhi) Anas radiyallahu anhu reports that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam went to Makkah for Umratul Qada. Abdullah ibne Rawahah radiyallahu anhu (throwing his sword over his shoulder and holding the reins of the camel of Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam) was walking ahead of him reciting these couplets: ‘O’ non-believers clear his path (and leave today. Do not prohibit Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam from entering Makkah as you had done last year) for today we shall smite you. We will take such action against you that we will separate the brain from its body. And will make a friend forget a friend.’ Umar radiyallahu anhu stopped him and said, O’ Ibne Rawahah, in the presence of Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam and the Haram of Allah you are reciting poetry? Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, Leave him O’ Umar, these couplets are more forceful than showering arrows onto them. Commentary In the sixth year after Hijri Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam intended to perform the Umrah and went to Makkah, but the kuffar stopped him and his companions at Hudaybiyyah. Among the clauses of the agreement between the two parties, it was agreed that Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam would perform the Umrah in the following year. According to the agreement Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam performed the Umrah in the month of Zul Qa’dah, in the seventh year after hijri. The Hanafis say, this umrah is the first one to be made qadhaa. The name of this umrah being ‘Umratul Qadhaa’ also supports the view of the Hanafis. The Shafi’ees and other Imaams hold a different view. This has been discussed in the first hadith. On this journey Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam married Sayyiditina Maymunah radiyallahu anha, performed Umrah with dignity and according to the agreement left Makkah Mukarramah after three days and returned to Madinah Munawwarah. Sayyidina Umar radiyallahu anhu taking into consideration the honour and respect for Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam and the sanctity of the Haram, prohibited Sayyidina Ibn Rawahah radiyallahu anhu from reciting couplets of poetry. Due to it being a local and temporary measure, and also a means of JIHAD of the tongue, Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam did not prohibit it. It is related in a hadith that Sayyidina Ka’b radiyallahu anhu inquired from Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam that Allah Ta’ala has despised poetry in the Qur’an. Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam replied, A Mu’min makes JIHAD with a sword and also with the tongue. This JIHAD of the tongue is also like showering arrows. It is concluded from these ahadith that poetry is also a form of JIHAD. In the manner that there are laws and conditions that govern JIHAD, there are laws that apply to poetry too.