Summary:
The Battle of Tabuk was fought in Rajab 9 AH, near Gulf of Aqaba, it’s the largest and the last military expedition during the lifetime of Rasool-Allah-saww. In response to the planning of the hypocrites to create mayhem in Medina in the absence of Rasool-Allah-saww, the Prophet-saww decided to leave Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws as his-saww successor in Medina.
و لما نزل النبي ص تبوك أقام بها شهرين و كان ما أخبر به النبي ص من بعث هرقل أصحابه و دنوه إلى أدنى الشام و عزمه على قتال النبي ص و المسلمين باطلا و بعث هرقل رجلا من غسان إلى النبي ص ينظر إلى صفته و علاماته و إلى حمرة في عينيه و إلى خاتم النبوة و سأل فإذا هو لا يقبل الصدقة فوعى أشياء من صفات النبي ص
And the Prophet-saww descended at Tabuk and stayed there for two months, and what the Prophet-saww had been informed of – (regarding) the sending of Hercules and his companions (to fight against Muslims), and his approaching to near Syria and his determination upon fighting the Prophet-saww and the Muslims – did not happen. (Instead) Hercules sent men from Gasaan to the Prophet-saww to look at his-saww description and his-saww signs and at the redness in his-saww eyes and at the seal of the Prophet-hood and ask that he-saww does not accept the charities. So, he (the reporter) retained (some) things from the attributes of the Prophet-saww.
ثم انصرف إلى هرقل فذكرها له فدعا هرقل قومه إلى التصديق به فأبوا عليه حتى خافهم على ملكه و أسلم هو سرا منهم و امتنع من قتال النبي ص فلم يؤذن النبي ص لقتاله فرجع قالوا.
Then he left to go to Hercules and mentioned them (these attributes) to him. Hercules called his people to the verification with it, but they refused to him until he scared them upon his kingdom; and he secretly became a Muslim and prohibited them from fighting the Prophet-saww, and the Prophet-saww did not permit to fight him, and returned back to Medina.[1]
However, when returning to Medina, a group of hypocrites tried to kill Rasool-Allah-saww through a narrow mountain passage called ‘Al-Aqaba’ without succeeding in their heinous attempt. This short article briefly touches upon both Battle of Tabuk and Conspiracy of Al-Aqaba.
During the preparation of Battle of Tabuk, the hypocrites planned to kill Rasool-Allah-saww at Al-Aqaba and Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws at Medina, but failed in both places and Allah-azwj Saved them-asws.
تفسير العياشي عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطانُ بِبَعْضِ ما كَسَبُوا قَالَ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْعَقَبَةِ.
Tafseer Al Ayyashi – From Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws regarding His-azwj Words: but rather the Satan caused them to lose heart (and flee) due to something what they had earned, [3:155], he-asws said: ‘They are the companions of Al-Aqaba’’.[2]
Background and Introduction:
الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي أَبُو عَمْرٍو عَنِ ابْنِ عُقْدَةَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي أَهْلِي فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَقُولُ الْعَرَبُ خَذَلَ ابْنَ عَمِّهِ وَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ أَ مَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَاخْلُفْنِي.
(The book) ‘Al-Amaali’ of the sheykh Al-Tusy – Abu Amro, from Ibn Uqda, from Ahmad Bin Yahya, from Abdul Rahman, from his father, from Al-Amsh, from Atiya, from Abu Saeed Al-Khudry who said,
‘Rasool-Allah-saww said to Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws during the military expedition of Tabuk: ‘Take my-saww place among my-saww family’. Ali-asws said: ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! I-asws dislike it that the Arabs would be saying, ‘He-asws abandoned his-asws cousin-saww and stayed behind from him-saww’. He-saww said: ‘But are you-asws not pleased that you-asws happen to be from me-saww at the status of Harun-as from Musa-as?’ He-asws said: ‘Yes’. He-saww said: ‘Then take my-saww place’’.[3]
الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي ابْنُ الصَّلْتِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُقْدَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ: خَلَّفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيّاً فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تُخَلِّفُنِي بَعْدَكَ قَالَ أَ لَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي.
(The book) ‘Al-Amaali’ of the sheykh Al-Tusi – Ibn Al-Salt, from Ibn Uqda, from Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Ali, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Abdullah Bin Ali, from Ali Bin Musa, from his father, from his grandfather, from his forefathers,
‘From Ali-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww appointed Ali-asws as Caliph during the military expedition of Tabuk. He-asws said: ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Are you-saww making me-asws a Caliph after you-saww?’ He-saww said: ‘Are you-asws not pleased that you-asws happen to be from me-saww at the status of Harun-as from Musa-as, except that there will be no Prophet-saww after me-saww’’.[4]
Rasool Allah-saww did not meet with the army of the King of Rome after months of waiting, and while returning to Medina, a failed attempt was made to assassinate Prophet-saww by the hypocrites when they tried to make the she-camel carrying Rasool Allah-saww to fall into a deep raven while crossing a narrow mountain pass at Al-Aqaba. The rest of the article is devoted to the incident. Interested readers can find more details in Bihar ul Anwaar, vol. 21 (http://hubeali.com/books/English-Books/BiharAlAnwaar/BiharAlAnwaar_V21.pdf)
Conspiracy of assassinating Rasool-Allah-saww and Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws:
تفسير الإمام عليه السلام ج، الإحتجاج بِالْإِسْنَادِ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ ع قَالَ: لَقَدْ رَامَتِ الْفَجَرَةُ الْكَفَرَةُ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ قَتْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عَلَى الْعَقَبَةِ وَ رَامَ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ مَرَدَةِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ قَتْلَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَمَا قَدَرُوا عَلَى مُغَالَبَةِ رَبِّهِمْ حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَسَدُهُمْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي عَلِيٍّ ع لِمَا فَخَّمَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَ عَظَّمَ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ
Tafseer Imam (Hassan Al-Askari)-asws, (and the book) ‘Al-Ihtijaj’, by the chain going up to Muhammad Al-Askari-asws having said: ‘‘And the mischievous Kafirs (hypocrites) wished to kill Rasool-Allah‑saww on the night of Al-Aqaba (at Al-Aqaba), and the remaining ones from the renegade hypocrites at Al-Medina wished to kill Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws. But they were not able upon overcoming their Lord-azwj (Wish – to Protect them-asws both). That which carried them upon that was their envy to Rasool-Allah-saww regarding Ali-asws due to the grandness of his-asws matter and the greatness of his-asws glory.
مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَ قَدْ كَانَ خَلَّفَهُ عَلَيْهَا وَ قَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ أَتَانِي وَ قَالَ لِي يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ الْعَلِيَّ الْأَعْلَى يُقْرِؤُكَ السَّلَامَ وَ يَقُولُ لَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِمَّا أَنْتَ تَخْرُجُ وَ يُقِيمُ عَلِيٌّ أَوْ تُقِيمُ أَنْتَ وَ يَخْرُجُ عَلِيٌّ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّ عَلِيّاً قَدْ نَدَبْتُهُ لِإِحْدَى اثْنَتَيْنِ لَا يَعْلَمُ أَحَدٌ كُنْهَ جَلَالِ مَنْ أَطَاعَنِي فِيهِمَا وَ عَظِيمَ ثَوَابِهِ غَيْرِي
From that – When he-saww went out from Al-Medina, and he-saww had left him-asws behind upon it, said to him-asws: ‘Jibraeel-as came to me-saww and said to me: ‘O Muhammad-saww! The most Exalted Conveys the Greetings and is saying to you-saww: “O Muhammad-saww! Either you-saww go out and Ali-asws stays, or Ali-asws goes out and you-saww stay. It is a must from that, for Ali-asws has been Mandated with one of the two. No one knows the majesty of the one who obeys Me-azwj in these two (choices), and the greatness of its Rewards apart from Me-azwj”.
فَلَمَّا خَلَّفَهُ أَكْثَرَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ الْأَقْوَالَ فِيهِ قَالُوا مَلَّهُ وَ سَئِمَهُ وَ كَرِهَ صُحْبَتَهُ فَتَبِعَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع حَتَّى لَحِقَهُ وَ قَدْ وَجَدَ بِمَا قَالُوا فِيهِ
So, when he-saww left him-asws behind, most of the hypocrites taunted him-asws with regards to it and they said, ‘He-saww is fed up with him-asws, and is tired of him-asws, and dislikes his-asws company’. So, Ali-asws followed him-saww until he-asws met him, and he-asws had found (grief) from what they had said regarding him-asws.
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَا أَشْخَصَكَ عَنْ مَرْكَزِكَ قَالَ بَلَغَنِي عَنِ النَّاسِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ مَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘What made you-asws come back from your-asws position?’ He-asws said: ‘It reached me-asws, such and such from the people’. He-saww said to him-asws: ‘Are you-asws not pleased that you-asws happen to be from me-saww at the status of Haroun-as from Musa-as, except that there would be no Prophet-as after me-saww?’
فَانْصَرَفَ عَلِيٌّ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ فَدَبَّرُوا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَقْتُلُوهُ وَ تَقَدَّمُوا فِي أَنْ يَحْفِرُوا لَهُ فِي طَرِيقِهِ حَفِيرَةً طَوِيلَةً بِقَدْرِ خَمْسِينَ ذِرَاعاً ثُمَّ غَطَّوْهَا بِحُصُرٍ دِقَاقٍ وَ نَثَرُوا فَوْقَهَا يَسِيراً مِنَ التُّرَابِ بِقَدْرِ مَا غَطَّوْا وُجُوهَ الْحُصُرِ
Ali-asws left to go (back) to his-asws place, and they (hypocrites) pondered on killing him-asws, and they preceded in digging a pit for him-asws (to fall into it) on his-asws way, a long pit of a measurement of fifty cubits. Then they covered it with palm leaves and spread some soil above it, by a measurement of what was required to cover up the face of the palm leaves.
وَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى طَرِيقِ عَلِيٍّ الَّذِي لَا بُدَّ لَهُ مِنْ سُلُوكِهِ لِيَقَعَ هُوَ وَ دَابَّتُهُ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ الَّتِي قَدْ عَمَّقُوهَا وَ كَانَ مَا حَوَالَيِ الْمَحْفُورِ أَرْضاً ذَاتَ حِجَارَةٍ دَبَّرُوا عَلَى أَنَّهُ إِذَا وَقَعَ مَعَ دَابَّتِهِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ كَبَسُوهُ بِالْأَحْجَارِ حَتَّى يَقْتُلُوهُ
And that was upon the way of Ali-asws which was a must for him-asws from travelling it – so that he-asws and his-asws ride would fall into the pit which they had dug deep. And it was so that around the dugout was rocky ground, and they pondered upon that he-asws, when he-asws does fall along with his-asws ride into that place, they would pelt him-asws with the stones until they kill him-asws.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ عَلِيٌّ ع قُرْبَ الْمَكَانِ لَوَى فَرَسُهُ عُنُقَهُ وَ أَطَالَهُ اللَّهُ فَبَلَغَتْ جَحْفَلَتُهُ أُذُنَهُ وَ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ حُفِرَ هَاهُنَا وَ دُبِّرَ عَلَيْكَ الْحَتْفُ وَ أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ لَا تَمُرَّ فِيهِ
When Ali-asws reached near to the place, his-asws horse twisted its neck and Allah-azwj elongated it and it reached to his-asws ears, and it said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen-asws! They have dug out over here and contrived a doom upon you-asws – and you-asws are more knowing that you-asws should not be passing therein’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ مِنْ نَاصِحٍ خَيْراً كَمَا تُدَبِّرُ تَدْبِيرِي فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَا يُخْلِيكَ مِنْ صُنْعِهِ الْجَمِيلِ وَ سَارَ حَتَّى شَارَفَ الْمَكَانَ فَتَوَقَّفَ الْفَرَسُ خَوْفاً مِنَ الْمُرُورِ عَلَى الْمَكَانِ
Ali-asws said to it: ‘May Allah-azwj Reward you for good advice. Just as you thought about me‑asws, so Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic would not let you be bereft of beautiful dealing’. And it went until it was by the place, and the horse paused, fearing from passing over the place.
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع سِرْ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ سَالِماً سَوِيّاً عَجِيباً شَأْنُكَ بَدِيعاً أَمْرُكَ فَتَبَادَرَتِ الدَّابَّةُ فَإِذَا رَبُّكَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَدْ مَتَّنَ الْأَرْضَ وَ صَلَّبَهَا وَ لَأَمَ حُفَرَهَا وَ جَعَلَهَا كَسَائِرِ الْأَرْضِ
Ali-asws said: ‘Pass, by the Permission of Allah-azwj the Exalted, safely correctly, incredible would be your state, adorable would be your matter!’ So, the animal kept moving (ahead), and Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic had Hardened the ground and Solidified it and Repaired the pit and Made it to be like the rest of the ground (surrounding it).
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهَا عَلِيٌّ ع لَوَى الْفَرَسُ عُنُقَهُ وَ وَضَعَ جَحْفَلَتَهُ عَلَى أُذُنِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا أَكْرَمَكَ عَلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَجَازَكَ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَكَانِ الْخَاوِي فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع جَازَاكَ اللَّهُ بِهَذِهِ السَّلَامَةِ عَنْ تِلْكَ النَّصِيحَةِ الَّتِي نَصَحْتَنِي
When Ali-asws had crossed over it, the horse twisted its neck, and placed its mouth upon his‑asws ears, then said, ‘How prestigious you-asws are upon the Lord-azwj of the worlds! He-azwj Made you-asws cross upon this empty place!’ Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Reward you with the safety, for that advice which you advised me-asws with’.
ثُمَّ قَلَّبَ وَجْهَ الدَّابَّةِ إِلَى مَا يَلِي كَفَلَهَا وَ الْقَوْمُ مَعَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ كَانَ أَمَامَهُ وَ بَعْضُهُمْ خَلْفَهُ وَ قَالَ اكْشِفُوا عَنْ هَذَا الْمَكَانِ فَكَشَفُوا عَنْهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَاوٍ وَ لَا يَسِيرُ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا وَقَعَ فِي الْحُفْرَةِ فَأَظْهَرَ الْقَوْمُ الْفَزَعَ وَ التَّعَجُّبَ مِمَّا رَأَوْا
Then he-asws turned the face of the animal towards its rump, and the group was with him-asws, some of them were in front of him-asws, and some of them behind him-asws, and he-asws said: ‘Uncover from this place!’ So, they uncovered from it, and it was empty, and no one would have travelled upon it except he would have fallen into the pit. The people displayed the panic and astonishment from what they had seen.
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لِلْقَوْمِ أَ تَدْرُونَ مَنْ عَمِلَ هَذَا قَالُوا لَا نَدْرِي قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لَكِنْ فَرَسِي هَذَا يَدْرِي
Ali-asws said to the people: ‘Do you know who did this?’ They said, ‘We don’t know’. He-asws said: ‘But this horse of mine knows’.
يَا أَيُّهَا الْفَرَسُ كَيْفَ هَذَا وَ مَنْ دَبَّرَ هَذَا فَقَالَ الْفَرَسُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا كَانَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يُبْرِمُ مَا يَرُومُ جُهَّالُ الْخَلْقِ نَقْضَهُ أَوْ كَانَ يَنْقُضُ مَا يَرُومُ جُهَّالُ الْخَلْقِ إِبْرَامَهُ فَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَالِبُ وَ الْخَلْقُ هُمُ الْمَغْلُوبُونَ
Then he-asws said: ‘O you horse! How was this (done), and who masterminded this?’ So, the horse said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen-asws! If it was such that Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Does what the ignorant people want undone, or He-azwj Undoes what the ignorant people want to be done, then Allah-azwj, He-azwj is the Conqueror, and they (people) are the defeated ones.
فَعَلَ هَذَا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ إِلَى أَنْ ذَكَرَ الْعَشَرَةَ بِمُوَاطَاةٍ عَنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ هُمْ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي طَرِيقِهِ ثُمَّ دَبَّرُوا هُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَقْتُلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص عَلَى الْعَقَبَةِ وَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِيَاطَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ وَلِيُّ اللَّهِ لَا يَغْلِبُهُ الْكَافِرُونَ
Amir Al-Momineen-asws! This was done by so and so, and so and so, and so and so’- until it mentioned the ten colluders from the twenty-four who were with Rasool-Allah-saww in his-saww way. Then they deliberated upon killing Rasool-Allah-saww upon Al-Aqaba (a hillock), and Allah‑azwj Mighty and Majestic Protected Rasool-Allah-saww from behind, and a Guardian-asws of Allah-azwj is such that the Kafirs cannot overcome him-asws’.
فَأَشَارَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَيْهِ بِأَنْ يُكَاتِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فِي ذَلِكَ وَ يَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا مُسْرِعاً فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ أَسْرَعُ وَ كِتَابَهُ إِلَيْهِ أَسْبَقُ فَلَا يُهِمَّنَّكُمْ
So, one of the companions of Amir Al-Momineen-asws indicated that he-asws should write to Rasool-Allah-saww with that (what had happened), and he-asws should send a messenger quickly, but Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘The messenger of Allah-azwj to Muhammad-saww – His-azwj Rasool-saww would be quicker, and His-azwj letter to him-saww would (get there) earlier, therefore this should not concern you’.
فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مِنَ الْعَقَبَةِ الَّتِي بِإِزَائِهَا فَضَائِحُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَ الْكَافِرِينَ نَزَلَ دُونَ الْعَقَبَةِ ثُمَّ جَمَعَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ هَذَا جَبْرَئِيلُ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ يُخْبِرُنِي أَنَّ عَلِيّاً دُبِّرَ عَلَيْهِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَدَفَعَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَلْطَافِهِ وَ عَجَائِبِ مُعْجِزَاتِهِ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا أَنَّهُ صَلَّبَ الْأَرْضَ تَحْتَ حَافِرِ دَابَّتِهِ وَ أَرْجُلِ أَصْحَابِهِ
When Rasool-Allah-saww came closer to Al-Aqaba which faced him-saww, he-saww gathered the hypocrites and the Kafirs who had descended below Al-Aqaba, and he-saww said to them: ‘This is Jibraeel-as, the trustworthy messenger. He-as is informing me that (regarding) Ali-asws, such and such colluded against him-asws, but Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Defended him-asws from it by His-azwj Kindness and wonders of his-asws miracles by such and such. He-azwj Solidified the ground of a pit beneath his-asws ride and the legs of his-asws companions.
ثُمَّ انْقَلَبَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ كَشَفَ عَنْهُ فَرُئِيَتِ الْحَفِيرَةُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَاءَمَهَا كَمَا كَانَتْ لِكَرَامَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنَّهُ قِيلَ لَهُ كَاتِبْ بِهَذَا وَ أَرْسِلْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَسْرَعُ وَ كِتَابُهُ إِلَيْهِ أَسْبَقُ
Then Ali-asws turned back to that place and uncovered from it, and the pit was seen. Then Allah‑azwj Mighty and Majestic Returned it to be just as it was before due to His-azwj Prestige upon him-asws. And it was said to him-asws, ‘Write with this and send a messenger to Rasool-Allah-saww’. But Ali-asws said: ‘The messenger of Allah-azwj to Rasool-Allah-saww would be quicker and His-azwj letter to him-saww would get there earlier’.
وَ لَمْ يُخْبِرْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِمَا قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع عَلَى بَابِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَنَّ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص مُنَافِقِينَ سَيَكِيدُونَهُ وَ يَدْفَعُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ
And Rasool-Allah-saww did not inform them with that Ali-asws had said at the gateway of Al-Medina, that the ones with Rasool-Allah-saww would be plotting against him-saww, and that Allah-azwj the Exalted would Defend him-saww’.
فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْأَرْبَعَةُ وَ الْعِشْرُونَ أَصْحَابُ الْعَقَبَةِ مَا قَالَهُ ص فِي أَمْرِ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ مَا أَمْهَرَ مُحَمَّداً بِالْمَخْرَقَةِ إِنَّ فَيْجاً مُسْرِعاً أَتَاهُ أَوْ طَيْراً مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ بَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً قُتِلَ بِحِيلَةِ كَذَا فَهُوَ الَّذِي وَاطَأَنَا عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُنَا فَهُوَ الْآنَ لَمَّا بَلَغَهُ كَتَمَ الْخَبَرَ وَ قَلَبَهُ إِلَى ضِدِّهِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُسَكِّنَ مَنْ مَعَهُ لِئَلَّا يَمُدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ
When the twenty-four companions at Al-Aqaba heard what he-saww said regarding the matter of Ali-asws, some of them said to the others, ‘What an expert Muhammad-saww is with the trickery. A quick pigeon came to him-asws or a bird from Al-Medina from one of his-saww family members and fell upon him-saww! Ali-asws has already been killed by such and such a ploy – and it is which has occurred upon him-asws by our companions, but he-saww at the moment, due to what has reached him-saww, is concealing the news, and facing it to its opposite, intending to calm the ones who are with him-saww, lest they extend their hands against him-saww (now that Ali-asws has been killed).
وَ هَيْهَاتَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا لَبَّثَ عَلِيّاً بِالْمَدِينَةِ إِلَّا حِينُهُ وَ لَا أَخْرَجَ مُحَمَّداً إِلَى هَاهُنَا إِلَّا حِينُهُ وَ قَدْ هَلَكَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ هُوَ هَاهُنَا هَالِكٌ لَا مَحَالَةَ وَ لَكِنْ تَعَالَوْا حَتَّى نَذْهَبَ إِلَيْهِ وَ نُظْهِرَ لَهُ السُّرُورَ بِأَمْرِ عَلِىٍّ لِيَكُونَ أَسْكَنَ لِقَلْبِهِ إِلَيْنَا إِلَى أَنْ نُمْضِيَ فِيهِ تَدْبِيرَنَا
And far be it! However, Allah-azwj did not Let Ali-asws remain in Al-Medina except for a while, and He-azwj did not Let Muhammad-saww come out to over here except for a while. And Ali-asws has perished, and he-saww will be perishing over here inevitably. But, come, until we go to him-saww and display the cheerfulness to him-asws with the matter of Ali-asws (that he-asws is safe) in order for his-saww heart to be at rest towards us, until we accomplish our plot regarding himsaww.’
فَحَضَرُوهُ وَ هَنَّئُوهُ عَلَى سَلَامَةِ عَلِىٍّ مِنَ الْوَرْطَةِ الَّتِي رَامَهَا أَعْدَاؤُهُ
So, they presented themselves to him-asws and congratulated him-saww upon the safety of Ali‑asws from the predicament which his-asws enemies had wished it.
ثُمَّ قَالُوا لَهُ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ عَلِىٍّ أَ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّهِ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ هَلْ شُرِّفَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِلَّا بِحُبِّهَا لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ قَبُولِهَا لِوَلَايَتِهِمَا إِنَّهُ لَا أَحَدَ مِنْ مُحِبِّي عَلِيٍّ ع نُظِّفَ قَلْبُهُ مِنْ قَذَرِ الْغِشِّ وَ الدَّغَلِ وَ الْغِلِّ وَ نَجَاسَةِ الذُّنُوبِ إِلَّا كَانَ أَطْهَرَ وَ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ
Then they said to him-saww, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Inform us about Ali-asws. Is he-asws superior or the Angels of Proximity of Allah-azwj?’ So Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘And are the Angels noble except by their loved for Muhammad-saww and Ali-asws, and their acceptance of their-asws Wilayah?
There is no one from those that love Ali-asws, and his heart has been cleaned from the filth of the deceit, and malice and corruption and the impurities of the sins – except (even) he would be cleaner and superior than the Angels.
وَ هَلْ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِالسُّجُودِ لآِدَمَ إِلَّا لِمَا كَانُوا قَدْ وَضَعُوهُ فِي نُفُوسِهِمْ أَنَّهُ لَا يَصِيرُ فِي الدُّنْيَا خَلْقٌ بَعْدَهُمْ إِذَا رَفَعُوهُمْ عَنْهَا إِلَّا وَ هُمْ يَعْنُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَضْلًا وَ أَعْلَمَ بِاللَّهِ وَ بِدِينِهِ عِلْماً
And was Allah-azwj Commanding the Angels with the Sajda to Adam-as except due to what they had placed it within themselves that there would be coming into the world, a creature after them when they have been Raised from it – except and they were meaning their own selves – (who would be) superior than him-as in the Religion excessively, and more knowledgeable with Allah-azwj and His-azwj Prophet-saww in knowledge.
فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَخْطَئُوا فِي ظُنُونِهِمْ وَ اعْتِقَادَاتِهِمْ فَخَلَقَ آدَمَ وَ عَلَّمَهُ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ فَعَجَزُوا عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِهَا فَأَمَرَ آدَمَ أَنْ يُنْبِئَهُمْ بِهَا وَ عَرَّفَهُمْ فَضْلَهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ عَلَيْهِمْ
Allah-azwj Wanted them to understand that they were mistaken in their thinking and their beliefs. So, He-azwj Created Adam-as and Taught him-as the Names, all of them. Then He-azwj Displayed these to them, but they were unable from recognising these (names). Then He-azwj Commanded Adam-as to inform them of these, and they recognised his-as superiority regarding the knowledge, over them.
ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَ مِنْ صُلْبِ آدَمَ ذُرِّيَّةً مِنْهُمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَ الرُّسُلُ وَ الْخِيَارُ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ أَفْضَلُهُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ ثُمَّ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ مِنَ الْخِيَارِ الْفَاضِلِينَ مِنْهُمْ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ خِيَارُ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Then He-azwj Extracted from the forehead of Adam-as, his-as offspring – from whom were the Prophets-as, and the Rasools-as, and the Chosen ones from the servants of Allah-azwj, the most superior of them being Muhammad-saww, the Progeny-asws of Muhammad-saww, and from the Chosen ones-asws from them, the meritorious ones, the companions of Muhammad-saww and the Chosen ones-asws of the community of Muhammad-saww.
وَ عَرَّفَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِذَا احْتَمَلُوا مَا حَمَلُوهُ مِنَ الْأَثْقَالِ وَ قَاسُوا مَا هُمْ فِيهِ بِعَرَضٍ مِنْ أَعْوَانِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَ مُجَاهَدَةِ النُّفُوسِ وَ احْتِمَالِ أَذَى ثِقْلِ الْعِيَالِ وَ الِاجْتِهَادِ فِي طَلَبِ الْحَلَالِ وَ مُعَانَاةِ مُخَاطَرَةِ الْخَوْفِ مِنَ الْأَعْدَاءِ مِنْ لُصُوصٍ مُخَوِّفِينَ وَ مِنْ سَلَاطِينَ جَوَرَةٍ قَاهِرِينَ وَ صُعُوبَةٍ فِي الْمَسَالِكِ فِي الْمَضَايِقِ وَ الْمَخَاوِفِ وَ الْأَجْزَاعِ وَ الْجِبَالِ وَ التِّلَالِ
And due to that, the Angels-asws recognised that they-asws are more superior than the Angels-asws (when they-asws are bearing) what they-asws are bearing from the load – and they compared what (situations) they-asws were in from the exposure to the seduction of the Satans-la and struggles of the selves and bearing the hardship of the weight of the dependants, and the striving in seeking the Permissible (earnings), and the risk of suffering from the enemies, fearing from the thieves, and the coercion from the tyrannical -ruling authorities – and the difficulties of travelling in the narrow and fearful ways, and the valleys, and the mountains and the hills – in order to attain the livelihoods for themselves and their dependants from the good, the Permissible.
لِتَحْصِيلِ أَقْوَاتِ الْأَنْفُسِ وَ الْعِيَالِ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ الْحَلَالِ عَرَّفَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنَّ خِيَارَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَيَحْتَمِلُونَ هَذِهِ الْبَلَايَا وَ يَتَخَلَّصُونَ مِنْهَا وَ يُحَارِبُونَ الشَّيَاطِينَ وَ يَهْزِمُونَهُمْ وَ يُجَاهِدُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ بِدَفْعِهَا عَنْ شَهَوَاتِهَا وَ يَغْلِبُونَهَا مَعَ مَا رُكِّبَ فِيهِمْ مِنْ شَهْوَةِ الْفُحُولَةِ وَ حُبِّ اللِّبَاسِ وَ الطَّعَامِ وَ الْعِزِّ وَ الرِّئَاسَةِ وَ الْفَخْرِ وَ الْخُيَلَاءِ وَ مُقَاسَاةِ الْعَنَاءِ وَ الْبَلَاءِ
Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made them recognise that the best of the Momineen – they are bearing these afflictions and are being finished off from these, and they are battling the Satans-la and are defeating them, and they are fighting against their own selves by defending from their own lustful desires and are overcoming these, along with whatever is within them from the desires of the virility – and the love of the clothes, and the food, and the honour, and the governance, and the pride, and the snobbery, and causing troubles and the afflictions (to others).
مِنْ إِبْلِيسَ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَ عَفَارِيتِهِ وَ خَوَاطِرِهِمْ وَ إِغْوَائِهِمْ وَ اسْتِهْوَائِهِمْ وَ دَفْعِ مَا يُكَابِدُونَهُ مِنْ أَلَمِ الصَّبْرِ عَلَى سِمَاعِ الطَّعْنِ مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ سِمَاعِ الْمَلَاهِي وَ الشَّتْمِ لِأَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ
(They are defending against these) from Iblees-la, may Allah-azwj Curse him-la, and his-la audacious ones, and their insinuating thoughts, and their straying, and their luring. And they defend against what they make him suffer from the pain of patience – upon hearing the taunts from the enemies of Allah-azwj, and hearing the amusements (noise of parties etc.), and the insults to the friends of Allah-azwj.
وَ مَعَ مَا يُقَاسُونَهُ فِي أَسْفَارِهِمْ لِطَلَبِ أَقْوَاتِهِمْ وَ الْهَرَبِ مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ دِينِهِمْ وَ الطَّلَبِ لِمَا يَأْمُلُونَ مُعَامَلَتَهُ مِنْ مُخَالِفِيهِمْ فِي دِينِهِمْ
And along with (that), they are experiencing during their journeys to seek their livelihoods and the wars from the enemies of their Religion, and seeking (needs) to the one who are office bearers of their affairs, from the adversaries in their Religion.
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَا مَلَائِكَتِي وَ أَنْتُمْ مِنْ جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ بِمَعْزِلٍ لَا شَهَوَاتُ الْفُحُولَةِ تُزْعِجُكُمْ وَ لَا شَهْوَةُ الطَّعَامِ تَحْفِزُكُمْ وَ لَا خَوْفٌ مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ دِينِكُمْ وَ دُنْيَاكُمْ يَنْخُبُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَ لَا لِإِبْلِيسَ فِي مَلَكُوتِ سَمَاوَاتِي وَ أَرْضِي شُغُلٌ عَلَى إِغْوَاءِ مَلَائِكَتِيَ الَّذِينَ قَدْ عَصَمْتُهُمْ مِنْهُمْ
Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “O My-azwj Angels! And you all are aloof from the entirety of that – there are neither any lustful desires of virility bothering you, nor are there any desires for the food making you crave, nor is there any fear from the enemies of your Religion and your world (affairs) a setback in your hearts, nor is Iblees-la, in the kingdoms of My-azwj skies and My-azwj earth too pre-occupied upon straying My-azwj Angels, those from whom I-azwj have Protected.
يَا مَلَائِكَتِي فَمَنْ أَطَاعَنِي مِنْهُمْ وَ سَلِمَ دِينُهُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْآفَاتِ وَ النَّكَبَاتِ فَقَدِ احْتَمَلَ فِي جَنْبِ مَحَبَّتِي مَا لَمْ تَحْتَمِلُوا وَ اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْقُرُبَاتِ إِلَى مَا لَمْ تَكْتَسِبُوا
O My-azwj Angels! So, the one who obeys Me-azwj from them (people) – and saves his Religion from these afflictions and calamities – so he has borne regarding a side of My-azwj Love what you are not bearing, and has earned from the nearness what you are not earning”.
فَلَمَّا عَرَّفَ اللَّهُ مَلَائِكَتَهُ فَضْلَ خِيَارِ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ شِيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ وَ خُلَفَائِهِ ع وَ احْتِمَالَهُمْ فِي جَنْبِ مَحَبَّةِ رَبِّهِمْ مَا لَا تَحْتَمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَبَانَ بَنِي آدَمَ الْخِيَارَ الْمُتَّقِينَ بِالْفَضْلِ عَلَيْهِمْ
When His-azwj Angels recognised the merits of the best of the community of Muhammad-saww and the Shias of Ali-asws, and his-asws Caliphs upon them, and their bearing regarding a side of the love of their Lord-azwj – what the Angels are not bearing – it became clear that the sons of Adam-as, the good, the pious are with the superiority over them.
ثُمَّ قَالَ فَلِذَلِكَ فَاسْجُدُوا لآِدَمَ لِمَا كَانَ مُشْتَمِلًا عَلَى أَنْوَارِ هَذِهِ الْخَلَائِقِ الْأَفْضَلِينَ
Then Allah-azwj Said, for that, “Perform Sajda to Adam-as!” It was due to what was contained (within him-as) of the lights of these people-asws, the meritorious ones-asws”.
وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ سُجُودُهُمْ لآِدَمَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ آدَمُ قِبْلَةً لَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ نَحْوَهُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ كَانَ بِذَلِكَ مُعَظَّماً لَهُ مُبَجَّلًا وَ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ يَخْضَعُ لَهُ خُضُوعَهُ لِلَّهِ
And their Sajdas did not happen to be to Adam-as. But rather, Adam-as was a Qiblah (direction) for them – they were doing Sajdas towards him-as, (but) to Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic – and it was a veneration, a dignity to him-as with that, and it is not befitting for anyone that he does Sajda to anyone besides Allah-azwj, and be humble to him like his humbleness to Allah‑azwj, and venerate him – with the Sajdas to him – like his veneration to Allah-azwj.
وَ يُعَظِّمُ بِهِ السُّجُودَ كَتَعْظِيمِهِ لِلَّهِ وَ لَوْ أَمَرْتُ أَحَداً أَنْ يَسْجُدَ هَكَذَا لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَأَمَرْتُ ضُعَفَاءَ شِيعَتِنَا وَ سَائِرَ الْمُكَلَّفِينَ أَنْ يَسْجُدُوا لِمَنْ تَوَسَّطَ فِي عُلُومِ عَلِيٍّ وَصِيِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَحَضَ وِدَادَ خَيْرِ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ عَلِيٍّ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ احْتَمَلَ الْمَكَارِهَ وَ الْبَلَايَا فِي التَّصْرِيحِ بِإِظْهَارِ حُقُوقِ اللَّهِ وَ لَمْ يُنْكِرْ عَلَيَّ حَقّاً أَرْقُبُهُ عَلَيْهِ قَدْ كَانَ جَهِلَهُ أَوْ أَغْفَلَهُ
And if I-asws were to order anyone that he does Sajdah like this to other than Allah-azwj, I-asws would order the weak ones of our-asws Shias and the rest of the encumbered ones from our-asws Shias that they do Sajda to the one who is the intermediary regarding the teachings of Ali-asws, successor-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww, and pure cordiality to the best of the creatures of Allah-azwj – Ali-asws, after Muhammad-saww – the Rasool-Allah-saww, and endure its abhorrence and the affliction regarding the declarations with the manifesting the rights of Allah-azwj, and not to deny Ali-asws collared upon him, whether he was ignorant of it or heedless’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَصَى اللَّهَ إِبْلِيسُ فَهَلَكَ لِمَا كَانَتْ مَعْصِيَتُهُ بِالْكِبْرِ عَلَى آدَمَ وَ عَصَى اللَّهَ آدَمُ بِأَكْلِ الشَّجَرَةِ فَسَلِمَ وَ لَمْ يَهْلِكْ لِمَا لَمْ يُقَارِنْ بِمَعْصِيَتِهِ التَّكَبُّرَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ
Then Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘Iblees-la disobeyed Allah-azwj, so he-la was destroyed due to what his disobedience was with the arrogance upon Adam-as. And Adam-as disobeyed Allah-azwj by eating (from) the tree, but he-as was safe and was not destroyed due to him-as not combining his-as disobedience with the arrogance upon Muhammad-saww and his-as goodly Progeny-asws.
وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ لَهُ يَا آدَمُ عَصَانِي فِيكَ إِبْلِيسُ وَ تَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْكَ فَهَلَكَ وَ لَوْ تَوَاضَعَ لَكَ بِأَمْرِي وَ عَظَّمَ عِزَّ جَلَالِي لَأَفْلَحَ كُلَّ الْفَلَاحِ كَمَا أَفْلَحْتَ
And that is (because) Allah-azwj the Exalted Said to him-as: “O Adam-as! Iblees-la disobeyed Me-azwj regarding you-as, and was arrogant upon you-as. So I-azwj Destroyed him-la. And had he-la been humble to you-as with My-azwj Command, and magnified the Honour of My-azwj Majesty, he-la would have succeeded with every success just as you-as succeeded.
وَ أَنْتَ عَصَيْتَنِي بِأَكْلِ الشَّجَرَةِ وَ بِالتَّوَاضُعِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ تُفْلِحُ كُلَّ الْفَلَاحِ وَ تَزُولُ عَنْكَ وَصْمَةُ الزَّلَّةِ فَادْعُنِي بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ ع لِذَلِكَ
And (although) you-as (also) disobeyed Me-azwj by eating (from) the tree, but the humbleness to Muhammad-saww and the Progeny-asws of Muhammad-saww (made) you-as victorious with every success, and the stigma of humiliation was removed from you-as. Therefore, supplicate to Me-azwj by Muhammad-saww and his-saww goodly Progeny-asws, for that!”
فَدَعَا بِهِمْ فَأَفْلَحَ كُلَّ الْفَلَاحِ لِمَا تَمَسَّكَ بِعُرْوَتِنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ
So, he-as supplicated by them-asws, and succeeded with every success – due to having attached with our-asws handhold, the People-asws of the Household’.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَمَرَ بِالرَّحِيلِ فِي أَوَّلِ نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ الْأَخِيرِ وَ أَمَرَ مُنَادِيَهُ فَنَادَى أَلَا لَا يَسْبِقَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَحَدٌ إِلَى الْعَقَبَةِ وَ لَا يَطَؤُهَا حَتَّى يُجَاوِزَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص
Then Rasool-Allah-saww ordered with the departure – during the first half of the last night, and ordered his-saww caller to call out, ‘Indeed! No one should precede Rasool-Allah-saww to Al-Aqaba (ravine), nor tread upon it until Rasool-Allah-saww has crossed it’.
ثُمَّ أَمَرَ حُذَيْفَةَ أَنْ يَقْعُدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْعَقَبَةِ فَيَنْظُرَ مَنْ يَمُرُّ بِهِ وَ يُخْبِرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَشَبَّهَ بِحَجَرٍ
Then he-saww instructed Huzeyfa that he be seated at the base of Al-Aqaba and look at the ones who pass by it, and he should inform Rasool-Allah-saww; and Rasool-Allah-saww had instructed him that he should conceal himself by (behind) the rocks.
فَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي أَتَبَيَّنُ الشَّرَّ فِي وُجُوهِ رُؤَسَاءِ عَسْكَرِكَ وَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ قَعَدْتُ فِي أَصْلِ الْجَبَلِ وَ جَاءَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَخَافُ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَكَ إِلَى هُنَاكَ لِلتَّدْبِيرِ عَلَيْكَ يُحِسُّ بِي فَيَكْشِفُ عَنِّي فَيَعْرِفُنِي وَ مَوْضِعِي مِنْ نَصِيحَتِكَ فَيَتَّهِمُنِي وَ يَخَافُنِي فَيَقْتُلُنِي
Huzeyfa said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! I can clearly see the evil in the faces of the chiefs of your‑saww soldiers, and I fear that if I were to sit at the base of the mountain, and there comes one whom I fear and precedes you-saww to over there – in order to plot against you-saww, and he senses me (as being there), and he uncovers from me, so he would recognise me and my position from advising you-saww – and he would accuse me and would fear from me (that I will inform you-saww) so he would kill me’.
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّكَ إِذَا بَلَغْتَ أَصْلَ الْعَقَبَةِ فَاقْصِدْ أَكْبَرَ صَخْرَةٍ هُنَاكَ إِلَى جَانِبِ أَصْلِ الْعَقَبَةِ وَ قُلْ لَهَا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَأْمُرُكِ أَنْ تَنْفَرِجِي لِي حَتَّى أَدْخُلَ جَوْفَكِ ثُمَّ يَأْمُرُكِ أَنْ يَنْثَقِبَ فِيكِ ثُقْبَةً أَبْصُرُ مِنْهَا الْمَارِّينَ وَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيَّ مِنْهَا الرَّوْحُ لِئَلَّا أَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ فَإِنَّهَا تَصِيرُ إِلَى مَا تَقُولُ لَهَا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘You, when you reach the base of Al-Aqaba, aim for the largest rock over there to the side of the base of Al-Aqaba, and say to it, ‘Rasool-Allah-azwj orders you that you cleave asunder for me until I enter into your inside. Then he-saww orders you that you make a hole inside you for me to see the passers-by from it, and the air can enter unto me from it, lest I would happen to be from the destroyed ones’, so it would come to be what you would be saying to it, by the Permission of Allah-azwj, Lord-azwj of the worlds!’
فَأَدَّى حُذَيْفَةُ الرِّسَالَةَ وَ دَخَلَ جَوْفَ الصَّخْرَةِ وَ جَاءَ الْأَرْبَعَةُ وَ الْعِشْرُونَ عَلَى جِمَالِهِمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ رَجَّالَتُهُمْ يَقُولُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ مَنْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ هَاهُنَا كَائِناً مَنْ كَانَ فَاقْتُلُوهُ لِئَلَّا يُخْبِرُوا مُحَمَّداً أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ رَأَوْنَا هُنَا فَيَنْكُصَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ لَا يَصْعَدَ هَذِهِ الْعَقَبَةَ إِلَّا نَهَاراً فَيَبْطُلَ تَدْبِيرُنَا عَلَيْهِ
Huzeyfa repeated the message and entered into the inside of the rock, and there came twenty-four (men) upon their camels, and in front of them were their infantry. Some of them were saying to the others, ‘If you see anyone over here, whoever it may be, kill him, lest he informs Muhammad-saww that he has seen us over here, and Muhammad-saww would turn back and will not ascend this Al-Aqaba (ravine) except at daytime, and it would invalidate our plot against him-saww.
فَسَمِعَهَا حُذَيْفَةُ وَ اسْتَقْصَوْا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا أَحَداً وَ كَانَ اللَّهُ قَدْ سَتَرَ حُذَيْفَةَ بَالْحَجَرِ عَنْهُمْ فَتَفَرَّقُوا فَبَعْضُهُمْ صَعِدَ عَلَى الْجَبَلِ وَ عَدَلَ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ الْمَسْلُوكِ وَ بَعْضُهُمْ وَقَفَ عَلَى سَفْحِ الْجَبَلِ عَنْ يَمِينٍ وَ شِمَالٍ وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ أَ لَا تَرَوْنَ حَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ كَيْفَ أَغْرَاهُ بِأَنْ يَمْنَعَ النَّاسَ مِنْ صُعُودِ الْعَقَبَةِ حَتَّى يَقْطَعَهَا هُوَ لِنَخْلُوَ بِهِ هَاهُنَا فَيَمْضِيَ فِيهِ تَدْبِيرُنَا وَ أَصْحَابُهُ عَنْهُ بِمَعْزِلٍ
And they heard Huzeyfa (some noise), and they investigated, but they could not find anyone, and Allah-azwj had Veiled Huzeyfa from them with the rock. They dispersed, and some of them ascended upon the mountain and altered from the travelled path, and some of them paused at the foot of the mountain, on the right and left, and they were saying, ‘Are you not seeing where Muhammad-saww, how he-saww was lured into preventing the people from ascending Al-Aqaba until he-saww has crossed it in order to be alone with it over here? So (now) we will accomplish our plot regarding him-saww and his-saww companions are away from him-saww’.
وَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يُوصِلُهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ أَوْ بَعِيدٍ إِلَى أُذُنِ حُذَيْفَةَ وَ يَعِيهِ حُذَيْفَةُ فَلَمَّا تَمَكَّنَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى الْجَبَلِ حَيْثُ أَرَادُوا كَلَّمَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ حُذَيْفَةَ وَ قَالَتِ انْطَلِقِ الْآنَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَأَخْبِرْهُ بِمَا رَأَيْتَ وَ مَا سَمِعْتَ قَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ كَيْفَ أَخْرُجُ عَنْكِ وَ إِنْ رَآنِي الْقَوْمُ قَتَلُونِي مَخَافَةً عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ نَمِيمَتِي عَلَيْهِمْ
And all of that, Allah-azwj Transmitted from near or afar – to the ears of Huzeyfa and he retained it. So when the group had settled upon the mountain, wherever they had wanted to, the rock spoke to Huzeyfa and said, ‘Go now, to Rasool-Allah-saww, and inform him-saww with what you have seen and what you heard’. Huzeyfa said, ‘How can I exit from you, and if the people were to see me, they would kill me – fearing upon themselves from my informing upon them’.
قَالَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ إِنَّ الَّذِي مَكَّنَكَ فِي جَوْفِي وَ أَوْصَلَ إِلَيْكَ الرَّوْحَ مِنَ الثُّقْبَةِ الَّتِي أَحْدَثَهَا فِيَّ هُوَ الَّذِي يُوصِلُكَ إِلَى نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ وَ يُنْقِذُكَ مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ
The rock said, ‘The One-azwj Who enables you from my inside, and Transmitted to you the air from aperture which it bore into me – He-azwj is the One-azwj Who would Transport you to the Prophet-saww of Allah-azwj, Saving you from the enemies of Allah-azwj’.
فَنَهَضَ حُذَيْفَةُ لِيَخْرُجَ وَ انْفَرَجَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ فَحَوَّلَهُ اللَّهُ طَائِراً فَطَارَ فِي الْهَوَاءِ مُحَلِّقاً حَتَّى انْقَضَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ثُمَّ أُعِيدَ إِلَى صُورَتِهِ فَأَخْبَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بِمَا رَأَى وَ سَمِعَ
Huzeyfa got up to exit, and the rock cleft asunder and Allah-azwj Transformed him into a bird, and it flew in the air, flying until it swooped in front of Rasool-Allah-saww. Then he returned upon his (original) image, and informed Rasool-Allah-saww with what he had seen and heard.
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَ وَ عَرَفْتَهُمْ بِوُجُوهِهِمْ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَانُوا مُتَلَثِّمِينَ وَ كُنْتُ أَعْرِفُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ بِجِمَالِهِمْ فَلَمَّا فَتَّشُوا الْمَوْضِعَ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا أَحَداً أَحْدَرُوا اللِّثَامَ فَرَأَيْتُ وُجُوهَهُمْ فَعَرَفْتُهُمْ بِأَعْيَانِهِمْ وَ أَسْمَائِهِمْ فُلَانٍ وَ فُلَانٍ حَتَّى عَدَّ أَرْبَعَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘And did you recognise them by their faces?’ He said, ‘They were veiled, and I was recognising them by their camels. So when they investigated the place, and they could not find anyone, they let down their veils, and I saw their faces and recognised them with my eyes – and their names are so and so, and so and so’ – until he counted twenty-four.
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا حُذَيْفَةُ إِذَا كَانَ اللَّهُ يُثَبِّتُ مُحَمَّداً لَمْ يَقْدِرْ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ لَا الْخَلْقُ أَجْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُزِيلُوهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بَالِغٌ فِي مُحَمَّدٍ أَمْرَهُ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْكافِرُونَ
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O Huzeyfa! When it was so that Allah-azwj the Exalted Affirms Muhammad-saww, neither they nor the creatures altogether would not be able to move him‑saww. Allah-azwj the Exalted will Make the matter of Muhammad-saww reach its accomplishment, and even if the Kafirs dislike it’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا حُذَيْفَةُ فَانْهَضْ بِنَا أَنْتَ وَ سَلْمَانُ وَ عَمَّارٌ وَ تَوَكَّلُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِذَا جُزْنَا الثَّنِيَّةَ الصَّعْبَةَ فَأْذَنُوا لِلنَّاسِ أَنْ يَتَّبِعُونَا
Then he-saww said: ‘O Huzeyfa! Arise with us-saww, you, and Salman-ra, and Ammar-ra, and rely upon Allah-azwj. So, when we have crossed the difficult ravine (Al-Aqaba), then (only) permit the people that they should follow us’.
فَصَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ هُوَ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ وَ حُذَيْفَةُ وَ سَلْمَانُ أَحَدُهُمَا آخِذٌ بِخِطَامِ نَاقَتِهِ يَقُودُهَا وَ الْآخَرُ خَلْفَهَا يَسُوقُهَا وَ عَمَّارٌ إِلَى جَانِبِهَا وَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى جِمَالِهِمْ وَ رَجَّالَتُهُمْ مُنْبَثُّونَ حَوَالَيِ الثَّنِيَّةِ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْعَقَبَاتِ وَ قَدْ جَعَلَ الَّذِينَ فَوْقَ الطَّرِيقِ حِجَارَةً فِي دِبَابٍ فَدَحْرَجُوهَا مِنْ فَوْقٍ لِيُنَفِّرُوا النَّاقَةَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لِتَقَعَ فِي الْمَهْوَى الَّذِي يَهُولُ النَّاظِرَ النَّظَرُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ بُعْدِهِ
Rasool-Allah-saww ascended, and he-saww was upon his-saww she-camel; and Huzeyfa and Salman‑ra, – one of them grabbed the rein of his-saww she-camel guiding it, and the other one was behind it, ushering it, and Ammar-ra was to its side, and the people were upon their camels and their feet (walking), scattered around the bend of Al-Aqaba. And those ones above the path had made stones to be in bags so they could roll these from above in order to frighten the she-camel of Rasool-Allah-saww, and it would fall with him-saww into the chasm which would terrify the beholder looking into it from afar.
فَلَمَّا قَرُبَتِ الدِّبَابُ مِنْ نَاقَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص أَذِنَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لَهَا فَارْتَفَعَتْ ارْتِفَاعاً عَظِيماً فَجَاوَزَتْ نَاقَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ثُمَّ سَقَطَتْ فِي جَانِبِ الْمَهْوَى وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا صَارَ كَذَلِكَ وَ نَاقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص كَأَنَّهَا لَا تُحِسُّ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْقَعْقَعَاتِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لِلدِّبَابِ
So when they brought the bags (of stones) closer to the she-camel of Rasool-Allah-saww, Allah‑azwj the Exalted Permitted to it, and it arose with a great rising – and the she-camel of Rasool-Allah-saww crossed over, then it settled by the side of the chasm, and there did not remain anything from it, except it became like that – and the she-camel of Rasool-Allah-saww was as if it had not felt anything – from that from the rumbling of the stones.
ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِعَمَّارٍ اصْعَدِ الْجَبَلَ فَاضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ هَذِهِ وُجُوهَ رَوَاحِلِهِمْ فَارْمِ بِهَا فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ عَمَّارٌ فَنَفَرَتْ بِهِمْ وَ سَقَطَ بَعْضُهُمْ فَانْكَسَرَ عَضُدُهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنِ انْكَسَرَتْ رِجْلُهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنِ انْكَسَرَ جَنْبُهُ وَ اشْتَدَّتْ لِذَلِكَ أَوْجَاعُهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَبَرَتْ وَ انْدَمَلَتْ بَقِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آثَارُ الْكَسْرِ إِلَى أَنْ مَاتُوا
Then Rasool-Allah-saww said to Ammar-ra: ‘Ascend the mountain, and strike with this staff of yours at the faces of their rides, and toss with it’. Ammar-ra did that, and they (the rides) were frightened with them, and one of them fell down and broke his arms, and from them was the one who broke his leg, and from them was one who broke his side, and their pains intensified due to that. So, when the bones set and healed, the scars of the breaks remained upon them until they died.
وَ لِذَلِكَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِنَّهُمَا أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ بِالْمُنَافِقِينَ لِقُعُودِهِ فِي أَصْلِ الْجَبَلِ وَ مُشَاهَدَتِهِ مَنْ مَرَّ سَابِقاً لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ كَفَى اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ أَمْرَ مَنْ قَصَدَ لَهُ وَ عَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ
And for that, Rasool-Allah-saww said regarding Huzeyfa and Amir Al-Momineen-asws: ‘Both of them are the most knowing of the people with the hypocrites’. (For Huzeyfa) it was due to his being seated at the base of Al-Aqaba and his witnessing the ones who passed by preceding Rasool-Allah-saww. And Allah-azwj Sufficed His-azwj Rasool-saww of the matter of the ones who had aimed for him-saww; and Rasool-Allah-saww returned to Al-Medina.
فَكَسَى اللَّهُ الذُّلَّ وَ الْعَارَ مَنْ كَانَ قَعَدَ عَنْهُ وَ أَلْبَسَ الْخِزْيَ مَنْ كَانَ دَبَّرَ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ ع مَا دَفَعَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ.
Thus Allah-azwj Disgraced and Shamed the ones who had sat (in ambush) from him-saww, and Clothed in humiliation the ones who had plotted against Ali-asws, what Allah-azwj had Defended him-asws from it’’.[5]
Additional Ahadith related to Al-Aqaba are included in the Appendix.
APPENDIX: Additional Ahadith on the Failed Assassination Attempt at Aqaba:
قصص الأنبياء عليهم السلام الصَّدُوقُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَخِيهِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَلِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَسْمَاءَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص لَمَّا كَانَ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ كَانَ يَسِيرُ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ وَ النَّاسُ أَمَامَهُ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى الْعَقَبَةِ وَ قَدْ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا سِتَّةٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَ ثَمَانِيَةٌ مِنْ أَفْنَاءِ النَّاسِ أَوْ عَلَى عَكْسِ هَذَا
(The book) ‘Qasas Al-Anbiya’ of Al-Sadouq – From his father, from Sa’ad, from Ibrahim Bin Mahazim, from his brother Ali, from Al-Nazar, from Musa Bin Bakr who said,
‘One of our companions said to Abu Abdullah-asws, ‘Did Rasool-Allah-saww know the names of the hypocrites?’ He-asws said: ‘No, but when Rasool-Allah-saww was in the military expedition of Tabuk he-saww had travelled upon his-saww camel and the people were in front of him-saww. When he-saww ended up to Al-Aqaba, and fourteen men had sat upon it – six from Quraysh and eight from a mixture of (tribes of) people’, or upon the reverse of that.
فَأَتَاهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فَقَالَ إِنَّ فُلَاناً وَ فُلَاناً وَ فُلَاناً فَقَدْ قَعَدُوا لَكَ عَلَى الْعَقَبَةِ لِيُنَفِّرُوا نَاقَتَكَ فَنَادَاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا فُلَانُ وَ يَا فُلَانُ وَ يَا فُلَانُ أَنْتُمُ الْقُعُودُ لِتُنَفِّرُوا نَاقَتِي وَ كَانَ حُذَيْفَةُ خَلْفَهُ فَلَحِقَ بِهِمْ فَقَالَ يَا حُذَيْفَةُ سَمِعْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ اكْتُمْ.
(He-asws said): ‘Jibraeel-as came to him-saww and said: ‘So and so, and so and so have been sitting in wait for you-saww upon Al-Aqaba in order to frighten your-saww camel’. Rasool-Allah-saww called out to them: ‘O so and so, and so and so, and so and so! You are the ones sitting in order to frighten my-saww camel!’ And Huzeyfa was behind it, and he joined up with them (the hypocrites). He-saww said: ‘O Huzeyfa! Did you hear?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He-saww said: ‘Conceal’’.[6]
الخرائج و الجرائح رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: مَا زَالَ الْقُرْآنُ يَنْزِلُ بِكَلَامِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ حَتَّى تَرَكُوا الْكَلَامَ وَ اقْتَصَرُوا بِالْحَوَاجِبِ يَغْمِزُونَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ تَأْمَنُونَ أَنْ تُسَمَّوْا فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَتَفْتَضِحُوا أَنْتُمْ وَ عَقِبُكُمْ هَذِهِ عَقَبَةٌ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا لَوْ رَمَيْنَا بِهِ مِنْهَا يَنْقَطِعُ فَقَعَدُوا عَلَى الْعَقَبَةِ وَ يُقَالُ لَهَا عَقَبَةُ ذِي فَتْقٍ
(The book) ‘Al-Kharaij Wa Al-Jaraih’ – it is reported from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The Quran did not cease to be Revealed with the talk of the hypocrites until they left the talking and they were limited to winking with their eyebrows. Some of them said, ‘There is no safety that you will be named in the Quran then you will be exposed and (so will) your posterity, this posterity in front of us. If we were to shoot (arrows) we would be terminated with it’. They sat upon the Aqaba, and it is called ‘Aqaba with crevice’.
وَ قَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ النَّوْمَ عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ اقْتَصَدَتْ فِي السَّيْرِ فَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ قُلْتُ لَيْلَةً مِنَ اللَّيَالِي لَا وَ اللَّهِ لَا أُفَارِقُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ فَجَعَلْتُ أَحْبِسُ نَاقَتِي عَلَيْهِ
And Huzeyfa said, ‘When Rasool-Allah-saww wanted to sleep upon his-saww camel, he-saww became moderate in the travel’. Huzeyfa said, ‘I said on a night from the nights, ‘No by Allah‑azwj! I will not separate from Rasool-Allah-saww’. So, I went on to withhold my camel upon it.
فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ هَذَا فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ حَتَّى عَدَّهُمْ قَدْ قَعَدُوا يَنْفِرُونَ بِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يَا فُلَانُ يَا فُلَانُ يَا فُلَانُ يَا أَعْدَاءَ اللَّهِ حَتَّى سَمَّاهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ كُلِّهِمْ
Jibraeel-as descended unto Rasool-Allah-saww and said: ‘This so and so, and so and so, and so and so’ – until he-as counted them – ‘have sat to frighten (the camel) with you-saww’. Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O so and so! O so and so! O so and so! O enemies of Allah-azwj!’ – until he-saww named them with their names, all of them.
ثُمَّ نَظَرَ فَإِذَا حُذَيْفَةُ فَقَالَ عَرَفْتَهُمْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ بِرَوَاحِلِهِمْ وَ هُمْ مُتَلَثِّمُونَ فَقَالَ لَا تُخْبِرْ بِهِمْ أَحَداً فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ فَلَا تَقْتُلُهُمْ قَالَ إِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ النَّاسُ قَاتَلَ بِهِمْ حَتَّى ظَفِرَ فَقَتَلَهُمْ فَكَانُوا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ.
Then he-saww looked and there was Huzeyfa, so he-saww said: ‘Did you recognise them?’ I said, ‘Yes, by their camels, and they were masked’. He-saww said: ‘Do not inform anyone about them’. I said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! So, shall I kill them?’ He-saww said: ‘I-saww dislike it that the people would say, ‘He-saww fought with them (their help) until he-saww achieved victory, then he-saww killed them’. They were from Quraysh’’.[7]
الخصال الْعِجْلِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ زَكَرِيَّا الْقَطَّانِ عَنِ ابْنِ حَبِيبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُهْلُولٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ الْهَاشِمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْمَشِيخَةِ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: الَّذِينَ نَفَرُوا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ نَاقَتَهُ فِي مُنْصَرَفِهِ مِنْ تَبُوكَ أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ أَبُو الشُّرُورِ وَ أَبُو الدَّوَاهِي وَ أَبُو الْمَعَازِفِ وَ أَبُوهُ وَ طَلْحَةُ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ وَ أَبُو الْأَعْوَرِ وَ الْمُغِيرَةُ وَ سَالِمٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ وَ أَبُو مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيُّ وَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِمْ وَ هَمُّوا بِما لَمْ يَنالُوا.
(The book) ‘Al-Khisaal’ – Al-Ijaly, from Ibn Zakariya Al-Qatan, from Ibn Habeeb, from Ibn Bahlul, from his father, from Abdullah Bin Al-Fazl Al-Hashimy, from his father, from Ziyad Bin Al-Munzar who said, ‘A group from our elders narrated to me from Huzeyfa Bin Al-Yaman that he said,
‘Those who repelled (scared) the camel of Rasool-Allah-saww during his-saww departure from Tabuk were fourteen – Abu Al-Shuroor, and Abu Al-Dawahi, and Abu Al-Ma’azif, and his father, and Talha, and Sa’ad Bin Abu Waqas, and Abu Ubeyda, and Abu Al-Awr, and Al-Mugheira, and Salim Mawla Abu Huzeyfa, and Khalid Bin Al-Waleed, and Amro Bin Al-Aas, and Abu Musa Al-Ashari, and Abdul Rahman Bin Awf – and they those regarding whom Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed: and they planned with what they could not attain [9:74]’’.[8]
الكافي الْعِدَّةُ عَنْ سَهْلٍ عَنِ ابْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لَمَّا نَفَّرُوا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص نَاقَتَهُ قَالَتْ لَهُ النَّاقَةُ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَزَلْتُ خُفّاً عَنْ خُفٍّ وَ لَوْ قُطِّعْتُ إِرْباً إِرْباً.
Al Kafi – ‘The number, from Sahl, from Ibn Yazeed, from Abdul Hameed, from the one who mentioned it,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘When they frightened the camel of Rasool-Allah-saww, the camel said to him-saww, ‘I will not slip a hoof from (my) hooves, and even if I am cut into pieces and pieces’’.[9]
[1] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 29 H 27
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 29 H 15
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 8
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 9
[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 6
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 10
[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 11
[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 21 H 5
[9] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 29 H 26