[2] Sahaba's Celebration of Mawlid
GF Haddad
by GF Haddad
[2]
Na`t or madih -- descriptive praise of the Prophet in a poem --
is a Sunna of the Prophet and the Companions and a highly
praiseworthy act which carries reward and receives untold
blessings from Allah for fulfilling the following obligations of
religion, among many other merits:
- To support the Prophet and give him aid. It is known that praise
of the leader as the unifying symbol of a nation rouses men's
souls to bear arms and fight under his banner, and the Prophet is
the leader of Islam until the end of time.
- To invoke blessings and greetings on the Prophet to one's
utmost, as na`t is known to rouse in the soul an overwhelming
desire to invoke blessings and salutations upon him.
- To purify one's sincere love for the Prophet above all other
loves of the world such as parents, children, spouses, nation, and
self. Na`t rouses in the soul greater intensity and clarity for
such rare love.
- To maintain high the fame of the Prophet which Allah Himself has
raised as He said in His Book. The characteristics of na`t is that
it renews in vivid terms and expressive language the great fame of
the Prophet among human beings in the language each national group
understands best.
The Qur'an is full of the highest praise for the Prophet.
This aspect of the Qur'an has been highlighted in great detail by
many exceptional works such as Bayhaqi's Dala'il al-nubuwwa, Qadi
`Iyad's al-Shifa', Ibn al-Jawzi's Sifat al-safwa, Nawawi's Tahdhib
al-asma' wa al-sifat, Suyuti's al-Khasa'is al-kubra, al-
Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-laduniyya over which there are two
notable commentaries: al-Zarqani's Sharh al-mawahib and Nabahani's
al-Anwar al-muhammadiyya. Nabahani also authored Shawahid al-haqq.
In his al-Anwar al-muhammadiyya he mentions that al-Hasan ibn `Abd
al-Rahman ibn `Udhra al-Maghribi al-Ansari compiled a work of over
twenty-five volumes entitled Muntaha al-sul fi madh al-rasul (The
farthermost boundary in the quest for praise of the Prophet). The
best of the shorter works on the topic is al-`Izz ibn `Abd al-
Salam's Bidayat al-sul fi tafdil al-rasul (The beginning of the
quest concerning the superexcellence of the Prophet). Most
recently Allah increased the Community's inheritance with Ibn
`Alawi al-Maliki's book Muhammad al-insan al-kamil.
The Prophet praised himself in so many hadiths, including in
na`t style, as established by al-Bara' ibn `Azib's narration in
Bukhari and Muslim whereby he recited in the middle of battle:
ana al-nabiyyu la kadhib
anabnu `abd al-muttalib
I am the Prophet: this is no lie:
I am the son (i.e. descendant) of `Abd al-Muttalib.
Be warned, O Muslims: that anyone who tries to attack or
question the lawfulness and praiseworthiness of reciting praise of
the Prophet at any time and in any place in full knowledge of the
above characteristics of such recitation is an enemy of the
Prophet, an enemy of Islam, and an enemy of Allah ranking with
Iblis who refuses to bow down to Adam on the pretense that he
worships only Allah.
Most of the Companions were poets. It is well-known that
Arabs competed in this art until they raised it to a high level of
refinement. Their poetry fills the pages of the writers of the
Sira (Prophetic biographies) and histories such as Ibn Hisham, al-
Waqidi, al-Tabari, and others. The Arabs were a people who prized
poetry and, as al-Qadi `Iyad explains in the chapter of his book
al-Shifa' on the inimitability of Qur'an, it was a means for them
by which they got things done and undone in the society. That is
why the Qur'an's greatness was measured by its ability to
challenge and defeat the powers of Arabic poetry.
Ibn Sirin said: It has reached me that as the Prophet was
riding on a camel on his way (to raid al-Ta'if after the battle of
Hunayn) he called Ka`b (ibn Malik) to him and said: "Recite."
Whereupon Ka`b recited:
1. qadayna min tihamati kulla raybin
wa khaybara thumma ajmamna al-suyufa
We put an end to doubt in the lowlands of Khaybar
then we gave our swords a rest.
2. nukhayyiruha wa law nataqat laqalat
qawati`uhunna dawsa aw thaqifa
We gave them the choice and could they have spoken
their blades would have said: Give us Daws or Thaqif.(1)
Ibn Sirin continued: Ka`b recited the entire poem (of 24
lines), then the Prophet said: "By the One in Whose hand is the
soul of Muhammad, these lines will be harder upon them than the
hurling of arrows." Then Daws accepted Islam after hearing Ka`b's
words. Ibn Kathir relates it in al-Bidaya wa al-nihaya.(2)
Knowledge of poetry is also an index of one's ability to
understand the language of the Qur'an as established in the
foundational principle of tafsir al-Qur'an enunciated by Ibn
`Abbas: "The difficulties of the Qur'an are resolved in the
poetry-registers of the Arabs."(3) This explains why Arabic poetry
is considered one of the Islamic sciences, and nearly all the
great Imams, huffaz, and scholars of Islam were poets.
The hadith master (hafiz) and historian Ibn Sayyid al-
Nas (d. 732) compiled a 400-page anthology of over 180 male and
female Companion-poets who recited na`t in praise of the Prophet.
In his book, entitled Minah al-madh (The Gifts of Praise), he
lists each Companion alphabetically, identifying them by name and
tribe and quoting a few representative lines of na`t from each.
Below are the names of these Sahaba. Note that he does not include
`A'isha bint Abi Bakr, however, she was reputed for her great
knowledge of Arabic poetry and language:
1. Asma' ibn Rayyab al-Jurami
2. Aswad ibn Mas`ud al-Thaqafi
3. Asid ibn Salama
4. A`sha bani Mazin
5. Asyad ibn Abi Iyas al-Du'li
6. Anas ibn Zunaym
7. al-Aqra` ibn Habis
8. Umru's al-Qays ibn `Abbas
9. Aws ibn Ma`an al-Quray`i
10. Abu Anas al-Du'li
11. Bujayr ibn Zuhayr
12. Bujayr ibn Bajra al-Ta'i
13. Bashir ibn `Iqriba al-Jahni
14. Tamim ibn al-Asad al-Khuza`i
15. Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas
16. Thumama ibn Athal al-Hanafi
17. Tharwan ibn Fazara ibn `Abd Yaghuth
18. Thawr ibn Malik al-Kindi
19. al-Jarud al-`Abdi
20. Ja`una ibn Marthad al-Azdi
21. al-Juhaf ibn Hakim al-Sulami
22. al-Julundi Malik `Amman
23. Juhaysh ibn Uways al-Nakh`i
24. HAMZA IBN `ABD AL-MUTTALIB
25. HASSAN IBN THABIT
26. al-Harith ibn Hisham
27. Hurayth ibn Yazid al-Khayl
28. al-Habbab ibn al-Mundhir
29. Humayd ibn Thawr al-Hilali
30. Huraysh ibn Hilal al-Quray`i
31. Harb ibn Rayta
32. al-Harith ibn `Amr al-Asadi
33. al-Harith ibn Murra
34. Hubaysh al-Asadi
35. al-Harith ibn `Abd Kilal al-Humayri
36. Khaffaf ibn Nadla
37. Khaffaf ibn Nadba al-Sulami
38. Kharij ibn Khuwaylid
39. Khuza`i ibn `Uthman
40. Khanafir ibn al-Taw'am al-Humayri
41. Khuwaylid ibn Khalid (Abu Dhu'ayb)
42. Dihya al-Kalbi
43. Dhabbab
44. Dhu al-Bijadayn `Abd Allah al-Muzani
45. Ibn Dhi Asbah
46. Ibn Dhi Kila` Sayyid Humayr
47. Rafi` ibn `Umayr al-Ta'i
48. Rashid ibn Hafs al-Sulami
49. Zayd ibn Mualhil al-Ta'i
50. Abu Zu'ayyib al-Hudhli
51. Zufar ibn Yazid
52. Zumal ibn `Amr al-`Udhri
53. ZAYD IBN HARITHA
54. Zayd ibn al-Azwar al-Asadi
55. al-Zabarqan ibn Badr
56. Sariya ibn Zunaym
57. Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas
58. Salama ibn `Iyad al-Asadi
59. Sammak ibn Kharasha
60. Sawwad ibn Qarib
61. Shaddad ibn `Arid
62. Shurayh ibn Hani
63. Shija` ibn al-Harith al-Sadusi
64. Sarama ibn Abi Anis
65. al-Dahhak ibn Khalifa
66. Darar ibn al-Azwar
67. Darar ibn al-Khattab
68. Daw' al-Yashkari
69. al-Tufayl ibn `Amr al-Dawsi
70. Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid al-Asadi
71. Zabyan ibn Karad
72. `Amir ibn al-Tufayl
73. `Abd Allah ibn `Uthman = ABU BAKR AL-SIDDIQ
74. `Abd Allah ibn Jahsh
75. `Abd Allah ibn Za`bari
76. `Abd Alah al-A`sha
77. `Abd Allah ibn Anis al-Juhni
78. `Abd Allah ibn al-Harith, al-Mubriq al-Sahmi
79. `Abd Allah ibn Khaythama
80. `Abd Allah ibn `Ujra al-Sulami
81. `Abd Allah ibn Salama al-Hamadani
82. `Abd Allah ibn Rawaha
83. `Abd ALlah Dhu al-Bijadayn
84. `Abd Allah ibn Hudhafa al-Sahmi
85. `Abd Allah ibn Yazid al-Hilali
86. `Abd Allah ibn Wahb al-Asadi
87. `Abd Allah ibn Hadaf
88. `Abd Allah ibn `Utba
89. `Abd Allah ibn Abi Adham
90. `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf
91. `Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sabra al-Ju`fi
92. `Abd al-Rahman ibn Dhi al-Ujra
93. `Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn al-Dayyan
94. `Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Azwar al-Asadi
95. `Abd `Amr ibn Matraj
96. `Abd ibn Jahsh
97. `Abd `Amr ibn Jabala
98. `UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB
99. `ALI IBN ABI TALIB
100. AL-`ABBAS IBN `ABD AL-MUTTALIB
101. al-`Abbas ibn Mirdas al-Sulami
102. `Amr ibn Salim
103. `Amr ibn al-`As
104. `Amr ibn al-Qurayt
105. `Amr ibn Murra al-Juhni
106. `Amr ibn al-Fuhayl
107. `Amr ibn Subay`
108. `Umayr ibn Dabi' al-Yashkari
109. `Amir ibn al-Akwa`
110. `Adi ibn Hatim al-Ta'i
111. `Adi ibn al-Rabi` ibn `Abd al-`Uzza
112. `Uqba ibn al-Nu`man al-`Utaki
113. `Atarid ibn Hajib ibn Zarara
114. `A'id ibn Salama al-Azdi
115. `Ath`ath ibn `Umar al-Kindi
116. al-`Ala' ibn al-Hadrami
117. `Artafa ibn Nadla
118. Ibn Abi `Uzza
119. Ghunaym ibn Qays
120. Furat ibn Hayyan
121. Farwa ibn Masyak
122. Fadala ibn `Umayr al-Laythi
123. Firas ibn Habis
124. Firas al-Khuza`i
125. Fatik ibn Zayd al-`Anasi
126. Fayruz ibn al-Daylami
127. Qays ibn `Abd Allah = al-Nabigha al-Ja`di
128. Qays ibn al-Rabi`
129. Qays ibn Sa`d ibn `Ibada
130. Qays ibn al-Makshu`
131. Qays ibn Bahr ibn Tarif al-Ashja`i
132. Qays ibn Nabasha ibn Abi `Amir
133. Qarada ibn Nafatha
134. Qatan ibn Haritha al-`Alimi al-Kindi
135. Qadar ibn `Ammar
136. al-Qa`qa` ibn `Amr al-Tamimi
137. Qurra ibn Hubayra al-Qushayri
138. KA`B IBN ZUHAYR
139. Ka`b ibn Malik ibn Abi Ka`b
140. Kulayb ibn Asad al-Hadrami
141. Karaz ibn `Ilqima al-Khuza`i
142. Labid ibn Rabi`a
143. Laqit ibn al-Rabi`
144. Ibn Laqim al-`Abasi
145. Ibn Abi Lahab
146. Malik ibn Habib, Abu Mihjan al-Thaqafi
147. Malik ibn al-Tayhan
148. Malik ibn Namat al-Hamdani
149. Malik ibn Nuwayra al-Yarbu`i
150. Malik ibn `Awf al-Nasri
151. Malik ibn `Amir al-Ash`ari
152. Malik ibn Qays
153. Malik ibn `Amr al-Thaqafi
154. Mu`awiya ibn al-Hakam al-Sulami
155. al-Mughira = Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith
156. Mazin ibn al-Ghaduba
157. Mukannaf ibn Yazid al-Khayl
158. Muzarrid ibn Dirar
159. Musliya ibn Haddan al-Haddani
160. al-Mukhtar ibn Abi `Ubayd al-Thaqafi
161. Mujja`a ibn Marara ibn `Amir
162. Majfana ibn al-Nu`man al-`Ataki
163. al-Mash`an
164. Muhriz ibn Qatada ibn Salama
165. Masruq ibn al-Harith al-Hamdani
166. Ma`bad ibn Abi Ma`bad al-Khuza`i
(127.) al-Nabigha al-Ja`di = Qays ibn `Abd Allah
167. Nujayd ibn `Imran al-Khuza`i
168. al-Nimr ibn Tawlab al-`Ukli
169. al-Nu`man ibn `Ajlan al-Zuraqi
170. Nawfal ibn al-Harith ibn `Abd al-Muttalib
171. Nahar ibn al-Harb
172. Hashim ibn `Utba ibn Abi Waqqas
173. Haram ibn Qutba al-Fazari
174. al-Haytham al-Hanafi
175. al-Walid ibn Muhsan al-Kindi
176. Waraqa ibn Nawfal
[Ibn Sayyid al-Nas said: "There is disagreement whether
Waraqa ibn Nawfal is a Companion. al-Baghawi, al-Tabari, Ibn
al-Sakan, and Ibn Qani` say he is." Ibn Hajar in al-Isaba
says that it is established in Bukhari and Muslim that Waraqa
believed in the Prophet's status and therefore that at the
very least his case is similar to the monk Bahira's. He cites
the hadith munqati` from the great Tabi`i Abu Maysara `Amr
ibn Sharhabil whereby the Prophet declared Waraqa to be in
Paradise for having believed in him. Bayhaqi mentions it in
Dala'il al-nubuwwa. Ibn Hajar then adds: "It is reinforced by
the hadith mursal jayyid from `Urwa ibn al-Zubayr whereby
Waraqa would pass by Bilal as he was being tortured by the
idolaters and he heard Bilal saying: "One, one," whereupon
Waraqa said: "Yes, One, One, O Bilal! By Allah, if you kill
him, know that I have taken him under my protection." He also
cites `Urwa's narration from `A'isha in al-Bazzar whereby the
Prophet forbade cursing Waraqa and said: "Do you know that I
have seen him in one or two Paradises?" Ibn Hajar also cites
al-Bazzar and Ahmad's hadith mursal whereby he said to
`A'isha: "I have seen him (i.e. after his death) wearing
white clothes, and I reckon that if he were from the people
of the Fire he would not be wearing white clothes."]
(158.) Yazid ibn Darar = Muzarrid
177. Yasar Mawla Burayda
The women:
178. Umama al-Rabadhiyya
178. Arwa bint `Abd al-Muttalib
179. Baraka, Umm Ayman
[An Abyssinian woman, she was Umm Habiba's servant. Ibn
Sayyid al-Nas mentions the hadith whereby the Prophet used to
urinate in a vessel made of palmwood which he kept under his
bed. He noticed one day that it had been emptied and he asked
Baraka what had been done with the urine. She replied that
she had risen thirsty during the night and drunk it. He
smiled and said: innaki lan tashtaki batnuki ba`da yawmiki
hadha abadan "Your stomach will never suffer any ailment from
this day on." al-Hasan ibn Sufyan narrates it in his Musnad,
also Abu Ya`la, al-Hakim, al-Daraqutni, and Abu Nu`aym. In
the version Ibn `Abd al-Razzaq narrates in his Musannaf the
Prophet says: "Sahha ya umm yusuf." Ibn `Abd al-Barr mentions
it in al-Isti`ab, Ibn Hajar in his Talkhis al-habir, and
Suyuti in Sharh sunan al-nasa'i. Ibn `Alawi al-Maliki says in
his Mafahim that Ibn Dihya said: "This is a different event
than that of Umm Ayman, and Umm Yusuf is a different person
than Umm Ayman." al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id mentions
that Tabarani narrates a similar hadith with a sound chain in
which the servant's name is Sarra, and she is Umm Salama's
servant.](4)
180. Umm Habib bint `Amr
181. Raqiqa bint Abi Sayfi
182. Safiyya bint `Abd al-Muttalib
183. `Atika bint `Abd al-Muttalib
184. `Atika bint Zayd al-Qurashiyya
185. Fatima al-Zahra'
186. Qatila bint al-Nadir
187. Hind bint al-Harith
188. Hind bint Athatha
NOTES
(1) Verses translated by Alfred Guillaume in The Life of
Muhammad [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam]: A Translation of Ibn
Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 1955)
p. 587.
(2) Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa al-nihaya 4:345. From Tabari.
See also Ibn Hisham, Sirat rasulillah (Beirut: Dar al-wifaq, n.d.)
3/4:479.
(3) Suyuti, al-Itqan fi `ulum al-qur'an (Beirut: al-maktaba
al-thaqafiyya, 1393/1973) 1:120.
(4) Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al-habir 1:32. al-Haythami, Majma` al-
zawa'id 8:271. Suyuti, Sharh sunan al-nasa'i 1:32. Ibn `Alawi al-
Maliki, Mafahim yajib an tusahhah p. 131, 144-145.
Cont'd
GF Haddad
Qas...@cyberia.net.lb