STORYOF

THUMAMA IBN UTHAL

!(hL1rram ML1rad

ТНЕ ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

MUSLIM CНILDREN'S LIВRARУ SERIES

© The IsIamic Foundation 1984/1404H

Reprinted 1988/ц08и and 1997/1418и

1SEN О 86037 1з6 о

A1l rights reserved. No part of this publication тау Ье reproduced, stored in а retrievaI system or transmitted Ьу апу гпсапз whatsoever, without the prior

permission of the copyright owner.

MUSLIM CНILDREN'S LIВRARУ

General Editors Кhurram Murad and Mashuq A1ly

ТНЕ DESERT CНIEF

Author: Кhurram Murad

Шustrаtiопs: Latifa Ahmad

Editing: MardijaIl А. Tarantino

These stories are about the Prophet and his Companions and, though woven around authentic ahadith, shou1d Ье regarded only as stories.

Published Ьу

The IsIamic Foundation, Markfie1d Dawah Сегпге,

Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicester LE67 9RN, United Кingdom

Quran House, Р.О. Вох з06II, Nairobi, Кепуа

Р.М.В. 3193, Капо, Nigeria

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Murad, Khurram 'Пте Desert Chief.-(Muslim children's library; 14)

1. Мцпагпгпас (Prophet)-Juvenile Iiterature

1. Title П. IsIamic Foundation Ш. Series

297'.6з ВР75·

гзвы 0-86037-1з6-0

MUSLIM CHILDREN'S LIBRARY

Ап Introduction

Неге is а new series of books, but with а difference, for children of all ages. PubIished Ьу the Islamic Foundation, the Muslim Children's Library has Ьееп produced to provide young people with something they cannot perhaps find anywhere else.

Most of today's children's books aim only to entertain and inform ог to teach some necessary skills, but not to develop the inner and moral resources. Entertainment and skills Ьу themselves impart nothing of value to life unless а child is a(so helped to discover deeper meaning in himself and the world around him. Yet there is по place in them for God, who alone gives meaning to life and the universe, пог for the divine guidance brought Ьу His prophets, following which сап alone ensure ап integrated development of the total personality.

Such books, in fact, гоЬ young people of access to true knowledge. They give them по unchanging standards of right and wrong, пог апу incentives to Нуе Ьу what is right and refrain from what is wrong. The result is that all too опеп the young enter adult life in а state of social alienation and bewilderment, unabIe to соре with the seemingly unlimited choices of the world around them. The situation is especially devastating for the Muslim child as he may grow up cut off from his culture and values.

The Muslim Children's Library aspires to remedy this deficiency Ьу

showing children the deeper meaning of life and the world around them; Ьу pointing them along the paths leading to ап integrated development of all aspects of their personality; Ьу helping to give them the capacity to соре with the comp/exities of their world, both personal and social; Ьу

opening vistas into а world extending far beyond this life; and, to а

Muslim child especially, Ьу providing а fresh and strong faith, а dynamic commitment, ап indelibIe sense of identity, а throbbing yearning and ап

urge to struggle, all rooted in Islam.

The books aim to help а child anchor his development оп the rock of divine guidance, and to understand himself and relate to himself and others in just and meaningful ways. They relate directly to his soul and intellect, to his emotions and imagination, to his motives and desires, to his anxieties and hopes - indeed, to eveгy aspect of his fragile, but potentially rich personality. At the same time it is recognised that for а

book to hold а child's attention, he must enjoy reading it; it should therefore arouse his cuгiosity and entertain him as well. The style, the language, the illustrations and the production of the books аге all geared to this goal. They provide moral education, but not through sermons ог

eth ical abstractions. Although these books аге based entirely оп Islamic teachings and the

vast Muslim heritage, they should Ье of equal interest and value to аН

children, whatever their countгy ог creed; for Islam is а universal religion, the natuгal path.

Adults, too, тау find much of use in them. 'П particular, Muslim parents and teachers wi 11 find that they provide what they have for so long Ьееп so badly needing. The books will include texts оп the Quran, the Sunnah and other basic souгces and teachings of Is!am, as well as history, stories and anecdotes for supplementary reading. Each book will cater for а

particular age group, classified into: pre-school, 5-8 years, 8-11, 11-14 and 14-17. .,

We invite parents and teachers to use these books in homes and classrooms, at breakfast tabIes and bedside and encourage children to derive maximum benefit from them. At the same time their greatly valued observations and suggestions аге highly welcome. То the young reader we say: уои hold in уоиг hands books which тау

Ье entirely different from those уои have Ьееп reading till now, but we sincerely hope уои will enjoy them; try, through these books, to understand youгself, уоиг life, youг experiences and the universe around уои. They will ореп before youг eyes new paths and models in life that уои will Ье curious to explore and find exciting and rewarding to follow. Мау God Ье with уои forever.

And тау Не bIess with His тегсу and acceptance оиг humbIe contribution to the urgent and gigantic task of producing books for а new generation of people, а task which we have undertaken in all humility and hope.

Director General

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I n the sixth уеаг after the Hijra, the Prophet Muhammad (Реасе and Blessings Ье upon him)*

sent letters to all the chiefs and kings of countries within reach of АгаЫа, invil:ing them to Islam. Some, like Heraclius, the Етрегог of Rome, read the letter and considered the invitation seriously, but was prevented from embracing Islam Ьу his own weaknesses. Не was not еуеп prepared to follow Christianity ... much less етЬгасе some unknown АгаЬ merchant ... that, too, at the- risk of losing the support of his generals and priests and possibIy losing his throne!

Parvaiz; ог Chosroes, the mighty king of Persia, disdainfully tore the letter in shreds in the presence of the епуоу who had brought it, and instructed the governor of his АгаЫап province of Уеmеп, Badhan, to go and teach а lesson to the madman of Madina who dared to write him such а letter. The Negus of Abyssinia, оп the other hand, who had earlier welcomed MIJslims to his соцппу and provided them with refuge, was ready to accept the invitation to етЬгасе Islam.

Amongst the chiefs to whom the letter was sent, was опе named Thumama, c~lief of the Banu Напifа in

*Muslims аге required to invoke Allah's bIessings and реасе upon the Prophet whenever his пате is mentioned.

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А HISTORIC DOCUMENT

PHOTOGRAPH о/ а letter in Khatt-e-Ku/i signed Ьу the Holy Prophet (о "Mukavkis" Byzantinian Кing о/ Egypt in the year 7 о/ Hijra. The

letter reads:­"This letter is/or Mukavkis, the Кing о/ Copts, [тт God's servant and

[кот Prophet Muhammad. A/ter greetings (о those who accept the guidance о/ God, 1 invite уои (о adopt "Kalima-e-Shahadet" which is а [опп о/ Islamic prayer.

Accept Islam, уои will Ье sa/e and God wШ grant уои rewards and compensations. 1/ уои re/use and reject, the sins and [аий» о/ Copts, your subject, will Ье visited оп уои.

О Believers in the Books, accept the Kalima which means the вате thing (о уои as (о us: we do not worship апу but the Almighty God; we do not accept that he has апу partner and we do not consider that some опе о/ us is God.

1/ the Kalima puts уои оп the right path, say that we are witness that уои are real believers in God and are Muslims."

MUHAMMAD, Prophet of God. The original of this letter is preserved in the library of Coptic monks

village Ahmin in Egypt.

)~\ iiiiiiiiiiiiii~•.

Уатата in Najd. Thumama, up until then, had heard about Muhammad, but had avoided having апу dealings with Muslims опе way ог another. Не

was not going to get involved in petty squabbIes between the Quraysh and опе of their rebellious sons. But when the invitation to join Islam сате to him personally, he was outraged.

'Why that renegade dares to address те, Thumama, Crlief от the Вапu Hanifa, to join rlis bunch of nonsensical heretics~ How dare he~ Who does he take те for~ This shall not pass unnoticed. Не has Ьееп а thorn in the side of tlle Quraysh for some time. This inslJlt provides те with ап excuse to wipe him out. Then we shall hear по тоге of heretical messages and insulting invitations.'

From that day, Thumama began scheming and plotting to kill the Blessed Prophet. Не and his теп

never missed ап opportunity to attack him ог try to ambush him. Most of the attempts failed because of the vigilance of tlle Blessed Prophet's Соmрапiопs,

although опе attempt would have зцссееоео if а

distant uncle of Thumama's, а Muslim, had not, at the last moment, got word to the Blessed Prophet, thereby saving his life.

Trlis did not stop Thumama. Не continued raiding and attacking the Muslims and when his теп were clever enough to ambush опе, they were ordered to iпЛiсt оп 11im а slow, painful death. The Blessed

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Prophet was left по alternative but to pronounce а

death sentence upon Thumama, which meant that if ever he were calJght Ьу the Muslims, he vVould Ье

put to death.

The time сате for the annual Pilgrimage to Makka. Гпшпагпа used to make the journey alone, {гот

Уатата to Makka; he knew that wherever he stopped оп the way he would Ье ап honoured guest. For the times when he had to set up сатр alone, he was amply stocked with food and supplies besides the usual offerings needed for the sacrifice to his idols.

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Опе evening he fоuпd himself off the usual path ,! and, although he did not realise it, close to Madina. :1

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As night fell, he prepared to make сатр. Не

unfolded his bedding, placed а water bag Ьу rlis head and blJilt цр the small fire he had made to keep off wild animals. Finally, he settled down and was soon asleep.

Not far away, а party of Muslims set out оп patrol from Madina in search of spies and enemies. These intruders, if given а chance, WOLlld ршпоег, loot and kill the Muslims; so the Blessed Prophet had огgапisеd these patrols as а means of protection.

The night was as bIack as ink. There was not а star in the sky, пог the тооп yet risen, when the patrol сате over а hill and spotted the glowing embers of

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Thumama's camp-fire. 'Approach with caution', advised the leader of the рапу as tlley stealthily crept forward. When they had вцггошшео the сатр, the leader called out:

'You there. Get up and identify yourself!'

Thumama /eapt up and reached for his sword, Ьш

seeing himself surrounded, settled down again.

'Your пагпе : and identity', repeated the leader. 'Where аге you heading? What is your business here?'

Thumama was beginning to realise who the теп

were; he certainly was not going to give his пате at апу cost.

'Where do you соте from, your пате?'

Still, Thumama refused to answer.

'Then if you won't answer оцг questions, we сап

оп Iy suspect you аге here for the wrong reasons. Соте with us.'

Thumama was а fearless тап and very proud. Не

stood up with dignity, folded his belongings and walked off in front of them as if he were going Ьу his own choice. The patrol was made up of Ansars who were not at а" familiar with the Yamamites. They had по idea that they had arrested а high chief of the Валu Hanifa, опе of their fiercest enemies!

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'If he is а spy', said опе, 'the Blessed Prophet will tell us what to do with him'.

Arriving at Madina, they led Thumama to the mosque and tied him to опе of the pillars.

Soon after dawn, the Blessed Ргорпет сате from ~Iis

home to the mosque, noticed the prisoner tied to а

pillar and immediately recognised Thumama. The patrol had.Ьееп waiting all t~lis time to Jind out who it was they had arrested.

'This is Тпцгпагпа, Chief of the Bani Hanifa of Уатата', he told the Companions.

If they did not know him Ьу sight, they certainly recognised the пате.

'Не who treacherously murdered our brothers and plotted time after time to kill you?'

'Yes', replied the Blessed Prophet, and to the surprise of the Companions, he added: 'And I want you to treat him well.'

Не then walked Ьу Thumama without saying а word and began to lead the Prayers.

Thus Тпшпагпа, whether he wanted to ог not, witnessed for the first time the Muslim Prayers and heard the recitations of the Quran.

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The first thing the Blessed Prophet did upon returning to his quarters, whicll led directly into tlle mosque, was to ask his family to ргераге the мегу

best food they had and to milk the she-camel еуегу

morning алd еvепiпg so that Thumama would have plenty of fresh milk.

Опе ofthe Companions was then asked to цппе

Thumama's hands so that he could eat some of the delicious food. The Companion could not believe his eyes when he saw the meal which the Blessed Prophet had ordered for his епету. '1 thought we would Ье ordered to execute him, not feed him like а king', he exclaimed to the others.

After Thumama had eaten his fill, the Blessed Prophet сате to see him and said:

'Now, ThlJmama, what do you have to say?'

Thumama, who had really enjoyed his meal, looked up at the Blessed Prophet with а little тоге respect: 'Muhammad, all is well with те. If you kill те, then so Ье it. If you show те kiпdпеss, I shall Ье grateful. If it is wealth and riches you need, I сап provide them. The choice, of course, is yours', answered Thumama, in а calm voice.

Thumama was ргерагео to accept his fate with dignity. But the Blessed Prophet left him without saying а word and did not speak to him again for two days, during which time he ordered that Thumama

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Ье served the уегу best food and fresh сагпе! mi Ik.

Оп tlle th ird day, the В lessed Prophet approached him again.

'Well, ThLlmama, what have you to say to те?'

'Look, Muhammad', he answered, 'it is like t~lis: I ат

prepared to die, if that is what уоц decide; if уоц

continue treating те as you have Ьееп doing, I shall Ье grateful. And if it is гпопеу you want, you know fu 11 well that I сап provide you with а generous ransom. There you have it.'

The Blessed Prophet stood looking at him for moment and then, without replying, walked off.

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Another day сате and went. Thumama began to feel тоге like а guest than а prisoner. Not only had he Ье~п given excellent meals worthy of the chief that he was, but he had Ьееп enteгtained daily Ьу the gatherings and Prayers of the Blessed Prophet and his Companions. 'It is not so bad after all, being а

prisoner of this curious тап. At least he is а тап of honour, from what I see.'

The пех! day the Blessed Prophet returned and опсе again asked Thumama the same оцезпоп..

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'Thumama, what have you to say now?'

Thumama couldn't figure out what the Blessed Ргорпег wanted of him. 'Oon't you understand what

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I ат saying, Muhammad? I repeat that I ат at уоцг

service. You тау ki 11 те, feed те, ог ask for ту

wealth. It is all the same to те.'

'Alright', answered the Blessed Prophet, and, turning to the Companions, ordered: 'Let him go.'

Two теп сате forward, untied Thumama's wrists, and released him. Thumama was dumbfounded. What kind of а тап was this? Did he not realise that he, Thumama, had scorned his letter, killed his теп,

and plotted тапу times to take his life? Thumama took а step forward, and the Companions, who surrounded him, made way for him to walk off а free

! I тап.

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Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, he was по i I longer so sure of himself. It was as if his whole world II had Ьееп turned around and the direction of his life

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pointed elsewhere. Не felt like а different тап. Не ! walked оп until he reached а garden with а сооl

spring and а grove of trees, where he sat down for а I,!I

moment, trying to collect his thoughts. I I I

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Не had по desire to return to his home. Nor did he апу longer feel hatred for the Blessed Prophet and his followers. Не had absolutely по wish to go anywhere except back to where he had just соте

from, the Blessed Prophet's мозсце!

Leaning over the сооl stream, he carefully

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performed abIutions as he had seen the Companions doing. Then, adjusting his clothes as neatly as possibIe, and smoothing down his beard, he walked with а Ппп step back to the Blessed Prophet's Mosque.

Some Companions saw himcoming.

'Isn't that Thumama coming this way~' they called to the others.

Thumama looked neither right ог left. Stepping forward into the assembIy, he faced the Blessed Pгophet and announced:

'1, Thumama, Chief of the Вапц Hanifa of Уатата,

declare and witness there is but Опе God and you, Muhammad, аге His Messenger.'

Тпе Companions looked at опе another with surprise and joy.

'Muhammad', continued Thumama, 'Ьу God there was по face оп this eaгth which I hated тоге than yours, and now there is попе that 1love тоге. Of all the religions, yours I despised the most, and now there is попе other I WOLlld rather give ту life for. Yes, and there was по city 1abhorred тоге than this опе, your city of Madina, and now 1 find it the dearest of all cities, because it is the home of ту

Beloved Prophet and his Companions . . . Muhammad . . . ' and here Thumama's voice dropped and he Ьесате тоге hlJmbIe.

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'1 have shed tlle bIood of тапу of your followers. How wi 11 I еуег atone for that?'

The Blessed Prophet answered simply: 'There lies по

Ыате оп you, Thumama. Indeed, Islam erases all the sins that а person has committed previously. You have beeh awarded the highest of awards, that of entering Islam. There could not have Ьееп greater гпегсу ог grace bestowed upon you.'

Thumama's face radiated joy and gratefulness at these words. Placing his hand оп ~Iis breast he vowed: 'Ву God, from now оп I pledge ту 1ife, ту

property and ту soul to help you bring idol worshippers to Islam, and those that refuse I shall рцгвце тоге fiercely than I did your followers.'

Не now dropped his hand, and resumed in а тоге

normal tone. 'Messenger of God, when your patrol arrested те, I was going оп Pilgrimage to Makka. What shall I do now?'

'You shall go оп Pilgrimage', answered the Blessed Pгophet, 'but not to the idols which you now know to Ье woгthless. Соте, I shall show you how to perform the Pilgrimage according to Islam.' And so saying, the Blessed Prophet instructed 'Пшгпагпа in the verses and actions and postuгes for the occasion.

Shortly after this, Thumama arrived in Makka. As 11е

made his way through the streets to the heart of the town, he announced loudly what he had learned from the Blessed Prophet: .

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'1 СОП1е at Your bidding, О Lord, I СОП1е at Your bidding! I СОП1е at Your bidding! There is попе like unto You. I СОП1е at Your bidding! AII praise and Ьоuпtу belong to You, and the КiпgdоП1S of the heavens and earth too. And there is попе like unto You.'

/п so doing, Тпшпагпа was опе of тпоэе Muslims who entered Makka openly declaring his intention of performing the lesser Pilgrimage of Ка'Ьа, the Umrah.

What а stir Тпшпагпа'э сгу caused in Makka that day! Меп rlJshed from thei r houses to see what the согпгпопоп was. Some, when they heard the аппоцпсегпепт, сате brandishing their swords and threatened to attack hiП1. But Тпшпагпа completely ignored their threats. As опе YOIJng гпап lunged at hiП1, ап elder of the Quraysh stopped his hand.

'Idiot!' he cried, 'do you not see who it is~ It is Тпцгпагпа himself of the Banu Hanifa ... if you damage а hair of his beard the grain supplies to Makka will Ье stopped.'

Some of the elders approached Тпшпагпа and tried to reason with him:

'Look, Thumama, what has happened to уоц? We cannot believe that you have given up the religion of your forefathers ... how did уоц get led astray like this~'

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Thumama turned оп them with head held high. 'Indeed! I have found the best of all religions! Мцпагпгпао'э religion, the religion of Islam! And furthermore' ... for he had seen his advantage ... 'if you all do not join те in the worship of the One God, not а single grain of wheat fгom Уагпапта will grace your tabIes, for I shall instruct ту tribe to bIock all supplies to Makka!'

This is exactly what the Quraysh feared; so, after shaking their heads and muttering among themselves, they said:

'Go ahead, then Thumama we do not want you to bIock the grain supplies but allow us at least to cover our ears while you shout the heresy Muhammad has taught уоц!' And so they let him pass.

Thumama performed the Umrah as he had been taught to do Ьу the Blessed Prophet, praying to the Опе God instead of to the тапу gods he had served before. But he noticed that not one Quraysh had соте to join him in Prayers ог to announce their intention to follow the new religion. Thumama was а тап of his word and always kept his promises whatever they were and to whomever they were made. So upon arriving in Уатата, he gave orders to stop all shipments of grain to Makka.

Gradually the bIockade began to take effect. Supplies of grain began to dwindle and prices rose

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steadily day Ьу day. Finally, there was по grain to Ье

had" in Makka, пог апу bread оп апу table, еvел the wealthy Quraysh began to go hungry. The people of Makka began to panic. If Thumama kept this up, емеп the children would go hungry and eventually starve to death.

While conscious of the persecution and torture which they had brought upon the Blessed Prophet and his people, they were forced to swalloW their pride and ask him to intervene. They sent the following message to Madina:

'You try to always set the example of being kind to relatives. You urge the YOIJng to Ье гпегспц]. Yet you have not only slain the fathers of this city with the sword, you would allow their children to die of hunger. We implore you to stop the bIockade ог our children will starve.'

As а result of this, the Blessed Prophet wrote to Thumama, and Thumama, only because the Blessed Prophet urged him to, ordered the supply of grain to Ье continued. 'Only because of the Blessed Prophet's order do I break ту word', he declared.

This was ап example of how the Blessed Prophet showed тегсу and kindness to his enemies. How he won the heart of а die-hard епету like Thumama.

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