Friday Sermon
28 February 2025
Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
In relation to the life of the Holy Prophetsa, his conduct during the Battle of Khaibar was being discussed. Following the Battle of Khaibar, the Jews schemed to kill the Holy Prophetsa and an attempt was made to serve him poisoned goat meat. The details of this are as follows:
When Khaibar was conquered, a pact was made with its people, as a result of which they once again enjoyed the mercy and kindness of the Holy Prophetsa after suffering a great defeat. He did not only forgive them, but also permitted them to stay in Khaibar. People were content [with this].
One day, Zainab bin Harith, the wife of the leader of the Jewish army of Khaibar, Salam bin Mishkam, served roasted goat meat to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “I have brought you a gift.” In some other places, it is mentioned that she was not the only one involved in this scheme, but that other Jewish individuals were involved in this as well. Upon the instructions of the Holy Prophetsa, this gift was taken and placed in front of him. Some Companions were present as well, including Hazrat Bishr bin Bara’ra. The Holy Prophetsa said to the Companions, “Come closer.” Following this, he took a piece of meat from the shoulder and ate a small portion of it. The others also took some. The Holy Prophetsa then said, “Stop yourselves [from eating it]! The meat from the shoulder tells me that it is poisoned.” Hazrat Bishr bin Bara’ra, who was present at the time, says: “By that Being, Who has honoured and exalted you! I felt something in the morsel that I ate. However, the only reason I did not spit it out was so I would not spoil the appetite of the Holy Prophetsa. When the Holy Prophetsa spat his morsel out, I became more concerned for him than for myself, but I was glad that he had spat it out.” Hazrat Bishrra had not yet got up from his place when the complexion of his body started to change, and he became so ill that he could not even turn by himself, so much so that after approximately a year, he passed away. Some have said that he did not even manage to get up from his place and passed away. These are the two narrations. (Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 79; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Bab ia hhadara l-mushrikun bi l-muslimin, Hadith 3169; Ayam fi Hayat al-Rasulsa, Farooq Hamadah, Dar al-Salam, Cairo, p. 144)
The Holy Prophetsa called for the woman and said, “Did you mix poison into the goat [meat]?” She replied, “Who informed you [of this]?” The Holy Prophetsa said, “The meat from the shoulder that I am holding in my hand informed me.” She replied, “Yes, I mixed poison into it.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Who instructed you to do so?” She replied, “You are well aware of what you have done to my people. I thought that if you are a king, then we will be freed from you, but if you are a prophet, you would be informed [of this].” The Holy Prophetsa pardoned and forgave the woman, and he did not seek any revenge from her.
In another narration, it is stated that the Holy Prophetsa said to her, “Who incited you to do so?” She replied, “You killed my father, paternal uncle, husband and brother.” According to another narration, when Hazrat Bishr bin Bara’ra passed away, the Holy Prophetsa instructed that the woman to be killed, and she was subsequently killed. This is another narration. (Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 134-135)
It is narrated in Sahih Muslim that this woman was not killed. Hazrat Anasra narrates that a Jewish woman brought poisoned goat meat to the Holy Prophetsa, and he ate some of it. Then, the woman was brought before the Holy Prophetsa, and he asked her about it. The woman said, “My intention was to kill you.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “It was not possible for Allah to grant you the power to do so.” Or, he said, “It was not possible for Allah the Almighty to give you the power over me.” The narrator states that the people asked, “Shall we not kill the woman who attempted this?” The Holy Prophetsa said, “No.” The narrator further states, “I could still perceive its effect upon the throat of the Holy Prophetsa.” (Sahih Muslim (translated), Kitab as-salam, Bab as-sam, Vol. 12, Noor Foundation, p. 66)
Allamah Nawawi, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, has written that according to a narration from Hazrat Jabirra, the Holy Prophetsa had her executed. Additionally, according to a narration from Hazrat Ibn Abbasra, the Holy Prophetsa handed the woman over to the heirs of Hazrat Bishrra, who then executed her. The scholars of Hadith also agree that the Holy Prophetsa had her executed. Qadi ‘Iyad reconciles the conflicting narrations by stating that initially, the Holy Prophetsa did not have her killed. However, when Hazrat Bishrra passed away, the Holy Prophetsa handed her over to his heirs, who executed her in retribution. (Al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim, Vol. 14, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 1638)
Nevertheless, the strongest likelihood is that the woman was forgiven, as is explicitly evidenced by the Hadith in Sahih Muslim, and this was also the opinion of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states, “A Jewish woman asked the Companions which part of the animal’s meat the Holy Prophetsa preferred the most. The Companions informed her that he liked the shoulder meat. She then slaughtered a goat, roasted it over hot stones, and mixed poison into the meat, particularly in the shoulder, since she had been told that the Holy Prophetsa preferred that part.
“After sunset, when the Holy Prophetsa had offered the evening prayer and was returning to his camp, he saw a woman sitting near his tent. He asked her, ‘Lady, what is your purpose here?’ She replied, ‘O Abu al-Qasim, I have brought you a gift.’ The Holy Prophetsa instructed one of his Companions to accept what she had brought. Later, when he sat down to eat, the roasted meat was also placed before him. The Holy Prophetsa took a bite, and a Companion, Bashir bin al-Bara’ bin al-Ma’rurra, also took a bite. (It seems there is an error here in the name of the Companion; the correct name should be Bishr instead of Bashir.) Meanwhile, other Companions were also about to eat the meat when the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Do not eat, for this shoulder has informed me that the meat is poisoned.’ This does not mean that he received a divine revelation about it; rather, it is an Arabic idiom, meaning that upon tasting it, he realised that the meat was poisoned.
“Similarly, the Holy Quran, when narrating an incident from the time of Prophet Mosesas, states regarding a wall that ‘it wanted to collapse,’ meaning that it had developed signs of imminent collapse. Thus, in this context, the meaning is not that the shoulder spoke, but rather that upon tasting the meat, he became aware of the poison. The next statement further clarifies this meaning. Bishrra said, ‘I say by the God Who has honoured the Holy Prophetsa, I also sensed something unusual in the bite. I wanted to spit it out, but I thought that if I did so, perhaps it would not sit well with the Holy Prophetsa, and it might spoil his meal. So, when he swallowed his bite, I followed suit and swallowed mine, even though my heart was whispering that since I suspected poison, I wished the Holy Prophetsa would not swallow it.’”
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra mentions swallowing, but in other narrations, it is stated that the bite was taken out and not swallowed. In any case, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra continues, “A little while later, Bishr’sra condition worsened. Some narrations state that he passed away there in Khaibar, while others state that he remained ill for some time before passing away.
The Holy Prophetsa then had some of the meat fed to a dog, which died upon consuming it. He then summoned the woman and asked, ‘Did you mix poison into this goat?’ She asked, ‘Who informed you of this?’ At that moment, the Holy Prophetsa was holding the shoulder of the goat in his hand. He replied, ‘This shoulder has informed me.’ The woman then realised that the Holy Prophetsa had uncovered her secret and confessed that she had indeed poisoned the meat. The Holy Prophetsa then asked her, ‘What prompted you to commit such a heinous act?’ She replied, ‘Your people fought against my people, and my relatives were killed in that battle. So, I thought to myself, ‘I will poison them. If he (the Holy Prophetsa) is an imposter, then we will be rid of him. But if he is truly a prophet, then God Almighty will save him.’ Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa forgave her and did not enforce the punishment of death, even though that would have been an appropriate punishment.” (Dibacha Tafsir-ul-Quran, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 20, pp. 327-329)
This was the view of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
It is also said that the Holy Prophetsa passed away due to this poison. Is this true? In Sahih al-Bukhari, Hazrat Aishara narrates that in his final illness, the Holy Prophetsa would say, “O Aisha, I have always felt the pain from the food I ate at Khaibar, and now I feel as though my arteries are being severed due to that poison.”
Based on this Hadith, some Muslim commentators and scholars of Hadith have inferred that the Holy Prophetsa ultimately passed away due to the poisoned meat he had consumed at Khaibar. They consider this to be a form of martyrdom and refer to him as “the Greatest Martyr.” (Dalail al-Nabuwwah, Vol. 4, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 264; Fath al-Bari, Vol. 8, Qadimi Kutub Khana, Karachi, p. 166; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Marz al-Nabisa wa Wafatihi, Hadith 4428; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hibah, Bab Qubul al-Hadyah, Hadith 2617)
However, there was no need for such an assertion regarding the Holy Prophetsa. A prophet inherently holds the status of a “Shaheed” [martyr] and “Siddiq” [truthful]. In fact, upon closer examination, such claims only provide an opportunity for opponents to ridicule. The Jews had poisoned the meat specifically to test whether the Holy Prophetsa was a true prophet – if he was, he would be saved. Since the Holy Prophetsa survived, they concluded that he was indeed a true prophet, and in their eyes, this was a miracle. However, some simpletons today are quick to claim that he died from that poison. The reality is that the Holy Prophetsa certainly did not pass away due to that poison. His statement was merely an expression of pain. It is well known that sometimes an old injury, wound, or illness can flare up under certain conditions or in certain seasons. If we further analyse the details, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa placed the poisoned meat in his mouth but did not swallow it. However, due to the fact that it entered his mouth, a wound developed in his throat or palate, which occasionally caused discomfort while eating. This was the discomfort he referred to during his final illness. (Fath al-Bari, Vol. 16, Qadimi Kutub Khana, Karachi, p. 202; Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 79)
There are accounts of the marriage to Hazrat Safiyyahra during the Battle of Khaibar. The details state that when Fort Nizar was conquered, many prisoners were taken. Among these prisoners were Hazrat Safiyyahra, her cousin, and other women. Some texts mention Fort Qamus instead of Nizar. According to Hazrat Safiyyah’sra narration, the Holy Prophetsa had taken prisoners in Fort Nizar before reaching the forts of Katibah. (Fath Khaibar, Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Nafis Academy, Karachi, p. 161; Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 697)
In Kinana’s opinion, Fort Nizar was more fortified, which is why they had moved women and children there. (Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 8, Dar al-Salam, p. 424)
Hazrat Safiyyahra came into the Holy Prophet’ssa share, and the details of her marriage to the Holy Prophetsa are narrated as follows: When the prisoners were gathered in Khaibar, Hazrat Dihyahra came and said, “O Messenger of Allah, may I have a woman from the captives.” The Holy Prophetsa replied, “You may have one.” He took Safiyyah, daughter of Huyayy bin Akhtab. Upon this, a man came to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Prophet of Allah, you have given the daughter of Huyayy to Dihyahra, who is the princess of Bani Quraizah and Banu Nadir. She is only suitable for you and no one else.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Bring them both to me.” When they were brought, and the Holy Prophetsa saw her, he said to Dihyahra, “Take any other woman from the captives instead of her.”
Hazrat Anasra narrated that the Holy Prophetsa freed Hazrat Safiyyahra.
According to a narration in Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, the Holy Prophetsa said to Hazrat Safiyyahra, “I free you. If you wish, marry me, or if you prefer, return to your tribe. The choice is yours.” She chose freedom and marriage to the Holy Prophetsa. According to another narration, the Holy Prophetsa invited her to accept Islam, which she did. (Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 4, Hadith 12436, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 357; Sirat al-Nabi, Salabi, Dar al-Salam, pp. 280-281)
When the Holy Prophetsa told Dihyahra to take another bondwoman, one narration states that the Holy Prophetsa gave him Safiyyah’s cousin or the sister of Kinanah bin Rabi’. According to some narrations, the Holy Prophetsa gave Dihyahra seven slaves or bond-women and sent Hazrat Safiyyahra to stay with Hazrat Umm Salamahra. (Al-Iktifa’, Vol. 1, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 187; Sirah al-Nabisa, Shibli Nu’mani, Vol. 1, Islamiah Publishers, p. 329; Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Vol. 6, Dar Hijr, p. 293; Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Najah al-Qari, Vol. 13, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 106)
After concluding all matters in Khaibar, the Holy Prophetsa departed and intended to camp at a distance of six miles to complete his marriage with Hazrat Safiyyahra. However, at Hazrat Safiyyah’sra request, the Holy Prophetsa continued the journey and camped at Sahba, about twelve miles from Khaibar. Hazrat Umm Sulaimra prepared the bride. When the Holy Prophetsa asked Hazrat Safiyyahra why she had prevented him from camping at the first location, her response reveals how deeply the Holy Prophet’ssa noble character and moral qualities had purified her heart.
The daughter of a Jewish chief and the wife of another Jewish leader – her father had been killed by Muslims after the Battle of the Trench, and her husband of two months had been killed just days earlier, and her uncle and other close relatives had also been killed – describes her transformation: “I had an intense hatred for the Holy Prophet in my heart, but when I first met him, he treated me with such love and compassion, repeatedly apologising to me saying, ‘O Safiyyah, your father brought all the Arabs against us, and so on and so forth, and finally, we were forced to come to Khaibar to counter his conspiracies.’” Hazrat Safiyyahra states that the Holy Prophetsa repeated this with such frequency and affection that her heart was completely cleansed regarding him, and when she left that first meeting, no one was more beloved to her than the Holy Prophetsa.
During the return journey from Khaibar, the Holy Prophet’ssa kind and excellent treatment of her was such that when they were about to depart, he folded his cloak for her to sit on the mount, placed his knee on the ground, and Hazrat Safiyyahra placed her foot on it and mounted the camel. During the journey, when Hazrat Safiyyahra would doze off and her head would start hitting the carriage, he would support her head with his blessed hand, saying, “Be careful not to hurt yourself.” Since Hazrat Safiyyahra had now joined the pure and blessed wives of the Holy Prophetra, on the return from Khaibar, the Holy Prophetsa seated her behind him on the camel and covered her with a cloak for privacy, making it clear that she was not his slave but his wife.
Regarding her answer to the [Holy Prophet’ssa] question about not camping six miles [from Khaibar], she explained that it was the influence of the Holy Prophet’ssa noble character that made him more beloved to her than anyone else in the world. Thus, Hazrat Safiyyahra told the Holy Prophetsa, “You wanted to camp very close to Khaibar, but I feared my people might try to harm you, so I wanted you to move further away from Khaibar before stopping.”
The Companions were also aware of Jewish conspiracies and dangerous intentions, and the attempt to poison the Holy Prophetsa through a meal prepared by a Jewish woman named Zainab had occurred just days before, so the devoted Companions did not want to be negligent for even a moment.
Here, an incident of Abu Ayyubra is narrated, who stood guard during the night and demonstrated an innocent and loving gesture during this marriage. The next morning, when the Holy Prophetsa emerged from his tent, he saw Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansarira standing vigilantly outside his tent with a sword in hand. When asked about this, he replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I was concerned about this newly converted Jewish woman (referring to Hazrat Safiyyahra) whose father, husband, and people have been killed, and who has only recently embraced Islam, that she might harm you. Therefore, I stood guard all night with my sword.” In response to Hazrat Abu Ayyub’sra innocent love, the Holy Prophetsa prayed for him, saying, “O Allah, protect Abu Ayyubra as he spent the night protecting me.”
His name was Khalid bin Zaidra, the same Companion who had the honour of hosting the Holy Prophetsa for several months after the migration to Medina. He died during a campaign in 50 AH, and his tomb is in Istanbul.
The next day, the Holy Prophetsa arranged the walimah [wedding dinner]. This feast was also very dignified and simple – consisting of dates, cheese, and a dish called Hais made with clarified butter, which was prepared for everyone. After a three-day stay, they departed. Hazrat Safiyyah’sra freedom itself was declared as her dowry.
The dream of Hazrat Safiyyahra is also mentioned, and its truthfulness is evident from this marriage. According to narrations, the Holy Prophetsa once noticed a bruise near Hazrat Safiyyah’sra eye and inquired about how she got it. She explained, “A few days before your arrival in Khaibar – or according to some narrations, during the siege of Khaibar – I had seen a dream in which the moon came from the direction of Yathrib and fell into my lap. When I narrated this dream to my husband Kinanah, he struck my face hard, saying, ‘Are you dreaming of marrying the king of Yathrib (meaning Muhammadsa)?’” (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 65; Sirat Ibn Hisham, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 698; Sirat Muhammad Rasulullahsa, Da’irah Ma’arif, Vol. 8, Bazm-i-Iqbal, Lahore, pp. 423-424; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 121-123; Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Najah al-Qari, Vol. 13, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 551; Sirat al-Nabi, Salabi, Dar al-Salam, p. 281; Imta’ al-Isma’, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 56)
According to some narrations, this dream was very old, and it was her father, Huyayy, who had slapped her. However, most historical accounts state that it was her husband who had struck her, which seems more likely.
Hazrat Safiyyah’sra original name was Zainab, but before the division of spoils of war, the Holy Prophetsa took her and freed her. According to the custom of that time, anything selected for the leader from the spoils was called safiyyah or al-Safa, and thus, she became known as Safiyyahra. Hazrat Safiyyahra passed away in 50 AH during the time of Amir Mu’awiyahra and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi‘. (Sirah al-Nabi, Shibli Nu’mani Vol. 2, Islamiah Publishers, pp. 709-710; Sharh Zurqani, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 269)
Orientalists have also criticised this marriage, and as is their custom, made objections that only expose their ignorance and bias. For instance, in the ninth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, under “Muhammadanism”, it is stated – the translation of which is:
“The final act of this successful campaign was Muhammad’ssa marriage to the king’s daughter. Safiyyah showed no aversion to such a union (this orientalist writes) to the man responsible for the deaths of her father, Huyayy, and her husband, Kinanah. Instead, she readily embraced her new life. In contrast, a more commendable response came from another Jewish woman, Zainab, who attempted to poison the conqueror of her people, and was consequently executed for her crimes. Although the attempt failed, it is said that Muhammadsa continued to feel its effects during his final illness.”
Essentially, he has written, whilst criticising Hazrat Safiyyahra, “Her husband and father were killed, so she should have shown some sense of honour and exacted revenge. But instead, whilst keeping her own vested interests in mind, she married Muhammadsa.” On the other hand, he praises the other Jewish woman who gave poison, as she showed her sense of honour by trying to assassinate the Holy Prophetsa.
The hostility and prejudice of these writers against Islam and the Holy Prophetsa know no bounds. They fail to realise what conclusion a reasonable person can come to as a result of their writings. The venom of their bias in their writings comes to light automatically. They do not act with justice.
The Jews of Khaibar fiercely fought against the Holy Prophetsa and were decisively defeated. What treatment should they have expected afterward? Whether in those times or in the so-called civilised world of today, the rules of war dictate that it was justified for them to be executed. Even by the standards of their own Bible and the customs of that era, such an action would have been considered lawful.
Yet, [these critics] deliberately ignore the unparalleled forgiveness and leniency shown by the Holy Prophetsa after capturing these oppressors, let alone praise him. He forgave them, as he accepted their request for peace by allowing them to be exiled rather than executing them. Furthermore, when the Jews requested permission to remain in Khaibar and continue farming in exchange for giving half of their produce to the Muslims, the Holy Prophetsa agreed and established a peaceful treaty with them.
However, before the ink on this treaty had even dried, they conspired to assassinate him by having a woman poison his food, and this woman later confessed to her crime, as already mentioned. The so-called civilised and educated people today glorify this deceitful woman as a ‘national hero’ while criticising another woman for accepting the truth after witnessing the lofty morals of the Holy Prophetsa, and in spite of her being free – the Holy Prophetsa told her she was free – she chose to stay with him. In other words, in this instance, they forget about personal freedoms and all the principles of justice.
Similarly, there are various other critics who have levelled allegations in a very despicable manner; for example, when the Holy Prophetsa heard about the beauty of Hazrat Safiyyahra being praised, he took her back from Hazrat Dihyahra and married her himself and so on. Such people raise such allegations owing to their own depraved mentality and due to not understanding the true life and character of the Holy Prophetsa. The hearts of such people are filled with prejudice. If they were to ponder over this with true justice and a pure heart, they would never entertain such a thought. If one were to study the life of the Holy Prophetsa prior [to his prophethood], the Holy Quran also beautifully draws our attention towards it as follows:
فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِيكُمْ عُمُرًا مِّنْ قَبْلِهِ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
“I have indeed lived among you a whole lifetime before this. Will you not then understand?” (The Holy Quran, 10:17)
How did the Holy Prophetsa live his life during his younger years amongst a people where gatherings of young men drinking alcohol were not just commonplace but were mentioned with great pride? He spent his entire life as a young man in marriage to a noble and honourable widow and till about the age of 50, he remained married to her alone. The chieftains of the Quraish offered him the most beautiful women, as is proven by historical accounts. However, the Holy Prophetsa rejected their offer. The younger years of the Holy Prophetsa and his past life is a clear testament to the fact that he did not even remotely have any desire for the luxury and pleasure of marriages, God-forbid. The later marriages of the Holy Prophetsa had a profound wisdom behind them: to establish peace, harmony, and mutual trust between opposing tribes and nations. For example, there was his marriage to Juwairiyahra, the daughter of Harith, the chief of Banu Mustaliq, and to Umm Habibahra, the daughter of Abu Sufyan from the Quraish.
Similarly, after the conquest of Khaibar, instead of allowing the wife or daughter of the tribe’s chief to be taken by an ordinary person as a slave and subjected to humiliation, the Holy Prophetsa, who was not only the King of the Spiritual World but also the Head of the State of Medina, freed Hazrat Safiyyahra, thereby honouring her. He then further elevated her status by offering her the choice to return to her family if she wished. He told her she could go back to her family. By marrying her, he granted her the esteemed position of being the “Mother of the Believers”, thereby also raising the respect and status of her entire tribe and her family. This, in turn, helped establish an atmosphere of peace and security in society.
William Montgomery Watt, a Scottish orientalist, has made harsh remarks against Islam and the Holy Prophetsa in his writings. One of his books is titled Muhammad at Medina.
Despite harbouring prejudice with regards to the marriages of the Holy Prophetsa, he could not help but to write: “There may also have been political motives in the unions with Safiyyah and Rayhana both of Jewish origin. (He did not say that he was attracted to her beauty; rather, he says that there may have been political motives behind them) In so far as there are any solid grounds in the accounts of his marriages or proposed marriages with women in the ‘supplementary list’, the dominant motive was presumably political.” At least he accepted this much in that he had no wrongful intentions. (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th Edition, Vol. 16, p. 558; Muhammad at Medina, Montgomery Watt, p. 288)
In response to a similar allegation on the marriage to Hazrat Safiyyahra by a famous orientalist, Sir William Muir, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira says:
“Mr Muir has raised this allegation, but he was not aware of the fact that throughout Arabia, there was an established custom that the conquered nations would marry off the wife or daughter of their leader to the conquering nation in order to establish peace throughout the land and to establish a bond of love with them. All of the citizens and members of the royal family would become content with the fact that now there is no cause for concern. Thus, after the conquest of Khaibar, all of the Jewish tribes wished to remain there.” (Khutbat-e-Nur, p. 532)
Muslim historians and biographers have not shown prudence with regard to the marriage of Hazrat Safiyyahra and have erred in that without any form of investigation and examination, they continued to accept those narrations, which have no sound basis whatsoever. For example, the narration, which mentions that the Holy Prophetsa first gave Hazrat Safiyyahra to Hazrat Dihyahra, but after hearing about her beauty, he called for Hazrat Safiyyahra and chose her for himself – is found in almost every book of history and biography. One narration to this effect is found in Sahih al-Bukhari in which Hazrat Anasra narrates, “When we reached Khaibar and Allah the Almighty granted us victory over the fortress, the beauty of Safiyyah bint Huyayy bin Akhtab was mentioned before the Holy Prophetsa and that she was a recent bride whose husband had been killed, (i.e., she had only been wed recently.) Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa chose her for herself.” This is the narration that is used by those people who have a depraved mentality to raise allegations.
The renowned biographer, Allamah Shibli Nu’mani, has mentioned this very narration of Bukhari, stating: “In reference to Hazrat Safiyyahra, there is an incident mentioned in some books of Hadith that the Holy Prophetsa initially gave her to Dihyah Kalbira. Then, upon hearing someone comment about her beauty, he asked for her back and instead gave Dihyahra seven concubines. The opponents have used this narration in the most malicious manner. Naturally, when the original narration goes to such an extent, then just imagine how much the opponents would have exaggerated it. The fact of the matter is that this incident regarding Hazrat Safiyyahra has been narrated by Hazrat Anasra, but Hazrat Anas himself has narrated multiple variations. Another narration mentioned by Hazrat Anasra is that when Hazrat Safiyyahra was given to Dihyahra, people went up to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “She is an honourable woman and the daughter of a chieftain of Khaibar. It is not fitting for anyone other than you to take her.”
Hence, firstly, if there is an authentic tradition, such as this narration of Bukhari in which there is mention of her beauty and appearance, then it is well possible that this was mentioned by someone who came later on, and he included these words from his own accord. The fact of the matter is that it is possible that some additions were made in the narrations by the people who came after in the initial incident that has been mentioned by a Companion. This is because a Companion can never say anything about the honour of the Holy Prophetsa which would be even as much as a hint in the way of criticism of his lofty character.
It is possible that alongside the beauty and appearance of Hazrat Safiyyahra, her other noble qualities and family status was mentioned. And the narrator summarised it from the words he could recall. However, a fundamental fact that the biographers overlook is that the extraordinary rank and status of the Holy Prophetsa meant that such characteristics and qualities of another person can only hold a superficial or secondary significance. When the Holy Prophetsa made decisions regarding marriage, the primary reason was not what is commonly stated; rather, the fundamental reason would have been to fulfil a divine instruction.
Every movement and action of the Holy Prophetsa was not without divine command. Allah the Almighty Himself says in the Holy Quran:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Say, ‘My Prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (The Holy Quran, 6:163)
The one who performs every action solely for the sake of God, and whose every deed is guided by the Lord of the Throne, how could he take such a monumental decision on his own? Undoubtedly, all of the marriages of the Holy Prophetsa were undertaken by divine command, and their outcomes were, without a doubt, blessed with profound wisdom and purpose.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ghazwah Khaibar, Hadith 4211; Sirah al-Nabi, Shibli Nu’mani, Vol. 1, Islamiah Publishers, p. 283; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Salat, Bab ma Yuzkara fi al-Fakhaz, Hadith 371)
The Promised Messiahas writes in one of his books, Aina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam:
“There is no doubt that the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa held the firm belief that every action and utterance of the Holy Prophetsa was infused with divine revelation, whether the revelation was brief or detailed, subtle or clear, apparent or ambiguous. Even those matters of the Holy Prophet’ssa private life, including his conversations with his wives, as well as his daily activities related to eating, drinking, clothing, and other domestic affairs, were all regarded in the same light and thus recorded in the Ahadith as it was understood that every action and word of the Holy Prophetsa was illuminated by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“As such, it is narrated in [the books of] Abu Dawud, Imam Ahmad and other sources, through various chains of transmission, reports from Abdullah ibn Umar who relates, ‘I used to write down everything I heard from the Holy Prophetsa in order to memorise it. However, some individuals advised me against this, warning that the Holy Prophetsa was a human being who sometimes spoke in moments of anger. Upon hearing this, I refrained from doing so and subsequently mentioned this matter to the Holy Prophetsa.’”
The Promised Messiahas states:
“The Holy Prophetsa stated, ‘I swear by the One in Whose Hand is my soul; whatever I speak or do is from Allah the Almighty.’
“Now, if it is argued that these very books of Hadith also mention instances where the Holy Prophetsa committed an error in judgment, then if all his words and actions were based on revelation, why did this occur, even though the Holy Prophetsa was not left to persist on those errors?”
The Promised Messiahas states:
“The answer to this is that even those errors in judgement did not occur owing to being devoid of the light of divine revelation, and nor was he ever detached from God Almighty even for a moment. Such errors in judgement, for example, on a few occasions when the Holy Prophetsa experienced a lapse in memory during his prayers; these in fact served to bring to light certain matters [in relation to the faith].
“Similarly, at times, such errors in judgement occurred with the purpose that it would lead to the completion of the religion and bring about finer, more intricate matters to light. This lapse in memory owing to human nature was not like those experienced by ordinary people, but rather it took the form of a divine purpose, because through the special influence from God Almighty, which manifested upon the Holy Prophetsa would direct the Holy Prophetsa in such a manner that had great underlying divine wisdom.
“Thus, we do not consider this error in judgment to be separate from divine revelation. This was not an ordinary matter but rather, in that moment, God Almighty, having taken possession of His Prophet, manifests a form of spiritual light under the guise of a lapse in memory or in the context of an error in judgement for the purpose of a wider benefit. Along with this, the divine revelation would manifest and follow after it [to correct the error]. Just like a stream of water is temporarily stopped for a particular purpose, only to be allowed to flow again. Therefore, no wise person would claim that the water of the stream had dried up or been removed.
“The same is the case with the error in judgement of a Prophet. The Holy Spirit never departs from a Prophet, but on some occasions for some purpose of His own, God Almighty takes possession of the intelligence and perception of a Prophet and in such a condition, some word or action proceeds from him in forgetfulness or error and then the divine design becomes apparent. The river of revelation then flows in strength and the error is erased as if it never existed.”
The Promised Messiahas then gives an example:
“Jesus advanced towards a fig tree to eat of its fruit and though he was accompanied by the Holy Spirit, it failed to warn him that the tree bore no fruit at the time. It must, however, be understood that that which is rare is as if it did not exist. In a million words and actions of our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is observed a clear manifestation of the Divine and the shining lights of the Holy Spirit are seen in all his movements and words and actions. Then of what consequence is it if his humanness is displayed in one or two matters. Indeed, it was necessary that this should sometimes happen so that his humanness might be confirmed and people should not get involved in shirk.” (Aina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 5, pp. 112-116)
Therefore, whenever any narration regarding the life and biography of the Holy Prophetsa appears in a Hadith or historical account, it should be examined and evaluated in light of the Quranic verse I have mentioned, which states that everything the Holy Prophetsa did was for the sake of Allah, and it should also be assessed in light of the writings of the Promised Messiahas. It is not appropriate to hastily accuse or blindly accept the opinions of every orientalist, assuming that we have no response.
This is the true way to uphold the sanctity of the Holy Prophetsa, not merely by raising just slogans.
Insha-Allah, the month of Ramadan will begin in two days. May Allah the Almighty grant everyone the ability to make the most of this blessed month and give us the ability to fast and offer prayers, which are granted His acceptance. Therefore, we must both pray and make sincere efforts for this.
I will also lead a funeral prayer in absentia of Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar Riaz Sahib of Rabwah, who was the son of the late Chaudhry Muhammad Islam Sahib. He passed away recently.
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَ اِنَّا اِلَیْہِ رٰجِعُوْنَ
[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
The deceased was a musi, and his son, Nasir Mahmood Tahir, is the Missionary-in-Charge in Kenya. Due to being abroad, he could not be present for his father’s funeral. All of the children of the deceased, in one way or another, have been blessed with the opportunity to serve the Jamaat.
Nasir Mahmood Sahib writes that Ahmadiyyat entered their family through the deceased’s grandfather, Hazrat Chaudhry Ghulam Muhammad Jatt Sahibra, who went to Qadian and took the bai‘at (pledge of allegiance) at the hands of the Promised Messiahas. He was one of the first Ahmadis of his village.
In 1996, the deceased had the honour of being imprisoned for approximately one month for the sake of his faith. During this time, the police mistreated him, but he endured all these hardships only for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, and he bore this trial with great patience.
He greatly honoured the Nizam-e-Jamaat [System of the Jamaat] and the institution of Khilafat and was very regular in his prayers and financial contributions. He paid off his chanda that was due on all his possessions in his lifetime. Whenever he received any income, the first thing he would do was pay his chanda. May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy, and may He give patience and strength to his children, especially his son, who is abroad. May Allah the Almighty grant him patience and steadfastness as well.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 21 March 2025, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
