Under this theme, our focus on the Iftaar program during weekdays, will be to take a look at incidents from the lives of the illustrious Sahabah رضي الله عنهم and see how they overcame the trials they faced whether it was because of family or the absence of it.

Today we take a look at this great Sahabi:

Umayr ibn Wahb
Umayr ibn Wahb al-Jumahi returned safely from the Battle of Badr. His son, Wahb, was left behind, a prisoner in the hands of the Muslims. Umayr feared that the Muslims would punish the youth severely because of the persecution he himself had meted out to the Prophet ﷺ and the torture he had inflicted on his companions.

One morning Umayr went to the Sacred Mosque to make tawaf around the Kabah and worship his idols. He found Safwan ibn Umayyah sitting near the Kabah, went up to him and said:

Good Morning, O! Quraysh chieftain.”

“Good Morning, Ibn Wahb,” replied Safwan. “Let us talk for some time. Time only goes by with conversation.”

Umayr sat down. The two began to recall Badr, the great defeat they had suffered and they counted the prisoners who had fallen into the hands of Muhammad ﷺ and his companions. They became deeply distressed at the number of great Quraysh men who had been killed by the swords of the Muslims and who lay buried in the mass grave at al-Qalib in Badr.

Safwan ibn Umayyah shook his head and sighed, “By God, there can be no better after them.”

“You are right,” declared Umayr. He remained silent for a while and then said, “By the God of the Kabah, if I had no debts and no family whose loss I fear after me, I would go to Muhammad and kill him, finish off his mission and check his evil.” He went on in a faint, subdued voice, “And as my son Wahb is among them, my going to Yathrib would be beyond doubt.”

Safwan ibn Umayyah listened intently to the words of Umayr and did not wish this opportunity to pass. He turned to him and said:

“Umayr, place all your debt in my hands and I will discharge it for you whatever the amount. As for your family, I shall take them as my own family and give them whatever they need. I have enough wealth to guarantee them a comfortable living.”
“Agreed,” said Umayr. “But keep this conversation of ours secret and do not divulge any of it to anyone.”

“That shall be so,” said Safwan.

Umayr left the Masjid al-Haram with the fire of hatred against Muhammad ﷺ blazing in his heart. He began to count what he needed for the task he had set himself. He knew that he had the full support and confidence of the Quraysh who had members of their families held prisoner in Madinah.

Umayr had his sword sharpened and coated with poison. His camel was prepared and brought to him. He mounted the beast and rode in the direction of Madinah with evil in his heart.

He reached Madinah and went directly towards the mosque looking for the Prophet ﷺ. Near the door of the masjid, he alighted and tethered his camel.

At that time, Umar RA was sitting with some Sahabah near the door of the Masjid, reminiscing about Badr, the number of prisoners that had been taken and the number of Quraysh killed. They also recalled the acts of heroism shown by the Muslims, both the Muhajirun and the Ansar and gave thanks to Allah for the great victory He had given them.

At that very moment Umar turned around and saw Umayr ibn Wahb alighting from his camel and going towards the Mosque brandishing his sword. Alarmed, he jumped up and shouted. “This is the enemy of Allah, Umayr ibn Wahb. By Allah, he has only come to do evil. He led the Mushrikeen against us in Makkah and he was a spy for them against us shortly before Badr. Go to the Messenger of Allah, stand around him and warn him that this traitor is here.”

Umar himself hastened to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O Rasulullah, this enemy of Allah, Umayr ibn Wahb, has come brandishing his sword and I think that he could only be up to something evil.” “Let him come in,” said the Prophet ﷺ.
Umar RA approached Umayr, took hold of him by the tails of his robes, pressed the back of his sword against his neck and took him to the Prophet ﷺ.

When the Prophet ﷺ saw Umayr in this condition he said to Umar RA: “Release him.’ He then turned to Umayr and said: “Come closer.” Umayr came closer and said, “Im Sabaha” (the Arab greeting in the days of Jahiliyyah).”

“Allah has granted us a greeting better than this, Umayr,” said the Prophet ﷺ. “Allah has granted us the greeting of Peace – it is the greeting of the people of Paradise.” “What have you come for?” continued the Prophet ﷺ.

“I came here hoping to have the prisoner in your hands released, so please oblige me.” “And what is this sword around your neck for?” quizzed the Prophet ﷺ. “Tell me the truth. What have you come for, Umayr?” prodded the Prophet ﷺ. “I have only come to have the prisoner released,” insisted Umayr.

“No. You and Safwan ibn Umayyah sat near the Kabah recalling your companions who lie buried at al-Qalib and then you said, ‘If I had no debt or no family to look after, I would certainly go out to kill Muhammad.’ Safwan took over your debt and promised to look after your family in return for your agreeing to kill me. But Allah is a barrier between you and you achieving your aim.”

Umayr stood stupefied for a moment, then said: “I bear witness that you are the messenger of Allah.” “We used to reject whatever good you had brought and whatever revelation came to you. But my conversation with Safwan ibn Umayyah was not known to anyone else. By Allah, I am certain that only Allah could have made this known to you. Praise be to Allah, Who has led me to you that He may guide me to Islam. He then testified that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and became a Muslim. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his companions: “instruct your brother in his religion. Teach him the Quran and set free his prisoner.”

The Muslims were extremely happy with Umayr RA’s acceptance of Islam. Even Umar RA who once said of him, “A pig is certainly dearer to me than Umayr ibn Wahb” came up to the Prophet ﷺ and exclaimed “Today, he is dearer to me than some of my own children.”

Thereafter Umayr RA spent much time increasing his knowledge of Islam and filling his heart with the light of the Quran. There, in Madinah, he spent the sweetest and richest days of his life away from what he had known in Makkah.

Back in Makkah, Safwan was filled with hope and would say to the Quraysh, “I will soon give you some great news that would make you forget the events of Badr.” Safwan waited for a long time and then gradually became more and more anxious. Greatly agitated, he would go out and ask travellers what news they had of Umayr ibn Wahb but no one was able to give him a satisfactory reply. Eventually a rider came and said “Umayr has become a Muslim.”

The news hit Safwan like a thunderbolt. He was certain that Umayr would never become a Muslim and if he ever did then everyone on the face of the earth would become Muslim also. “Never shall I speak to him and never shall I do anything for him,” he said.

Umayr RA meanwhile kept on striving to gain a good understanding of his religion and memorize whatever he could of the words of Allah. When he felt he had achieved a certain degree of confidence, he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said:

“O Rasulullah, much time has passed since I used to try to put out the light of Allah and severely tortured whoever was on the path of Islam. Now, I desire that you should give me permission to go to Makkah and invite the Quraysh to Allah and His Messenger. If they accept it from me, that will be good. And if they oppose me, I shall harass them as I used to harass your companions.”

The Prophet ﷺ gave him consent and Umayr RA left for Makkah. He went straight to the house of Safwan ibn Umayyah and said: “Safwan, you are one of the chieftains of Makkah and one of the most intelligent of the Quraysh. Do you really think that these stones you are worshipping and making sacrifice to, deserve to be the basis of a religion? As for myself, I declare that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” At Umayr’s hands, many Makkans became Muslims, but Safwan did not.

Later, during the liberation of Makkah, Safwan ibn Umayyah attempted to flee from the Muslim forces. Umayr RA, however, obtained an amnesty from the Prophet ﷺ for him and he too became a Muslim and distinguished himself in the service of Islam.

Lesson to Learn:
Family is dear to everybody, Muslim or not! Initially one of the things which kept Umayr back from retaliating and avenging the losses of Badr, was his concern for his family, but once he was assured by Safwan ibn Umayyah of the protection of his family he immediately set out on his sinister task. He was also prepared to sacrifice his life for his son who was captive. Sacrificing for each other is what makes families stronger!