Source:
- Companions of the Prophet by: Abdul Wahid Hamid
- Ashab Ar-Rasool (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wassallam) by Mahmoud al-Masri
His Journey before Islam
He was at the end of the third decade of his life on the day the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) made public his call to guidance and truth. He was held in high regard by the Quraish, being wealthy and of noble lineage. Some others like him, Sa’d ibn abi Waqqas, Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) and other sons of noble families in Makkah had become Muslims. He too might have followed their example were it not for his father. His father, Abu Jahl, was the foremost proponent of Shirk and one of the greatest tyrants of Makkah. Through torture, he sorely tested the faith of the early believers but they remained steadfast. He used every technique to make them waver but they continued to affirm the truth.
‘Ikrimah found himself defending the leadership and authority of his father as he pitted himself against the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). His animosity towards the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), his persecution of his followers and his attempts to block the progress of Islam and the Muslims won the admiration of his father.
At Badr, Abu Jahl led the Makkan polytheists in the battle against the Muslims. He swore by al-Laat and al-Uzza that he would not return to Makkah unless he crushed Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). At Badr he sacrificed three camels to these goddesses. He drank wine and had the music of singing girls to spur the Quraish on to fight.
Abu Jahl was among the first to fall in the battle. His son ‘Ikrimah saw him as spears pierced his body and heard him let out his last cry of agony. ‘Ikrimah returned to Makkah leaving behind the corpse of the Quraish chieftain, his father. He wanted to bury him in Makkah but the crushing defeat they suffered made this impossible.
From that day, the fire of hatred burned even more fiercely in the heart of ‘Ikrimah. Others whose fathers were killed at Badr, also became more hostile to Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and his followers. This eventually led to the Battle of Uhud.
At Uhud, ‘Ikrimah was accompanied by his wife, Umm Hakim. She and other women stood behind the battle lines beating their drums, urging the Quraish on to battle and upbraiding any horseman who felt inclined to flee.
Leading the right flank of the Quraish was Khaalid ibn al-Walid. On the left was ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl. The Quraish inflicted heavy losses on the Muslims and felt that they had avenged themselves for the defeat at Badr. This was not, however, the end of the state of conflict.
At the battle of the Trench, the Quraish Mushrikun (Polytheists) besieged Madinah. It was a long siege. The resources and the patience of the Mushrikun (Polytheists) were wearing out. ‘Ikrimah, feeling the strain of the siege, saw a place where the trench, dug by the Muslims, was relatively narrow. With a gigantic effort, he managed to cross and a small group of Quraish followed him. It was a foolhardy undertaking. One of them was immediately killed and it was only by turning on his heels that ‘Ikrimah managed to save himself.
His Flight on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah
Nine years after his Hijrah, the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) returned with thousands of his companions to Makkah. The Quraish saw them approaching and decided to leave the way open for them because they knew that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) had given instructions to his commanders not to open hostilities. ‘Ikrimah and some others however went against the consensus of the Quraish and attempted to block the progress of the Muslim forces. Khaalid ibn al-Walid (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma), now a Muslim, met and defeated them in a small engagement during which some of ‘Ikrimah’s men were killed and others who could, fled. Among those who escaped was ‘Ikrimah himself.
Any standing or influence that ‘Ikrimah may have had was now completely destroyed. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) entered Makkah and gave a general pardon and amnesty to all Quraish who entered the sacred mosque, or who stayed in their houses or who went to the house of Abu Sufyaan, the paramount Quraish leader. However he refused to grant amnesty to a few individuals whom he named. He gave orders that they should be killed even if they were found under the covering of the Ka’bah. At the top of this list was ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl. When ‘Ikrimah learnt of this, he slipped out of Makkah in disguise and headed for Yemen.
The Story of his Islam
‘Ikrimah fled from the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) after the conquest of Makkah. He set out across the sea. While on his journey a stormy wind arose. The people said to one another, “None can save you except Allaah Alone.” ‘Ikrimah said to himself, “By Allaah, if none can benefit on the sea except Allaah, then no doubt none can benefit on land except Allaah. ‘O Allaah! I promise You that if You bring me safely out of this, I will go and put my hand in the hand of Muhammad and surely, I will find him full of pity, kindness and mercy.’”
In the meantime, Umm Hakim, ‘Ikrimah’s wife, went to the camp of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). With her was Hind bint ‘Utbah, the wife of Abu Sufyaan and the mother of Mu’aawiyah, and about ten other women who wanted to pledge allegiance to the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). At the camp, were two of his wives, his daughter Fatimah and some women of the Abdul Muttalib clan. Hind was the one who spoke. She was veiled and ashamed of what she had done to Hamzah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), the Prophet’s uncle, at the battle of Uhud.
“O Messenger of Allaah,” she said, “Praise be to Allaah Who has made manifest the religion He has chosen for Himself. I beseech you out of the bonds of kinship to treat me well. I am now a believing woman who affirms the Truth of your mission.” She then unveiled herself and said:
“I am Hind, the daughter of ‘Utbah, O Messenger of Allaah. “
“Welcome to you,” replied the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
“By Allaah, O Prophet” continued Hind, “there was not a house on earth that I wanted to destroy more than your house. Now, there is no house on earth that I so dearly wish to honor and raise in glory than yours.”
Umm Hakim then got up and professed her faith in Islam and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, ‘Ikrimah has fled from you to Yemen out of fear that you would kill him. Grant him security and Allaah will grant you security.”
“He is secure,” promised the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
Accompanied by a Greek slave, Umm Hakim set out immediately in search of ‘Ikrimah. When they had gone quite far away, he tried to seduce her. She managed to put him off until they came to a settlement of Arabs where she sought their help against him. They then tied him up and kept him. Umm Hakim continued on her way until she finally found ‘Ikrimah on the coast of the Red Sea in the region of Tihaamah.
At this point, Umm Hakim came up to ‘Ikrimah and said:
“O cousin, I have come to you from the most generous of men, the most righteous of men, the best of men . . . from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah. I have asked him for an amnesty for you. This he has granted. So do not destroy yourself.”
“Have you spoken to him?”
“Yes, I have spoken to him and he has granted you amnesty,” she assured him and he returned with her. She told him about the attempt of their Greek slave to dishonor her and ‘Ikrimah went directly to the Arab settlement where he lay bound and killed him.
At one of their resting places on their way back, ‘Ikrimah wanted to sleep with his wife but she vehemently refused and said:
“I am a Muslimah and you are a Mushrik.”
‘Ikrimah was totally taken aback and said, “Living without you and without your sleeping with me is an impossible situation.”
As ‘Ikrimah approached Makkah, the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) told his Companions:
“‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl shall come to you as a believer and a Muhajir (a refugee). Do not insult his father. Insulting the dead causes grief to the living and does not reach the dead.“
‘Ikrimah and his wife came up to where the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was sitting. The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) got up and greeted him enthusiastically.
“Muhammad,” said ‘Ikrimah, “Umm Hakim has told me that you have granted me an amnesty.” “That’s right,” said the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), “You are safe.“
“To what do you invite?” asked ‘Ikrimah.
“I invite you to testify that there is no god but Allaah and that I am the servant of Allaah and His Messenger, to establish Prayer and pay the Zakat and carry out all the other obligations of Islam.“
“By Allaah,” responded ‘Ikrimah, “You have only called to what is true and you have only commanded that which is good. You lived among us before the start of your mission and then you were the most trustworthy of us in speech and the most righteous of us.” Stretching forth his hands he said, “I testify that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.” The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) then instructed him to say, “I call on Allaah and those present here to witness that I am a Muslim who is a Mujahid and a Muhaajir”. This ‘Ikrimah repeated and then said:
“I ask you to ask Allaah for forgiveness for me for all the hostility I directed against you and for whatever insults I expressed in your presence or absence.” The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied with the prayer:
“O Lord, forgive him for all the hostility he directed against me and for all the expeditions he mounted wishing to put out Your Light. Forgive him for whatever he has said or done in my presence or absence to dishonor me.“
‘Ikrimah’s face beamed with happiness.
“By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, I promise that whatever I have spent in obstructing the Way of Allaah, I shall spend twice as much in His Path and whatever battles I have fought against Allaah’s Way I shall fight twice as much in His Way.”
From that day on, ‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) was committed to the mission of Islam as a brave horseman in the field of battle and as a steadfast worshipper who would spend much time in mosques reading the book of Allaah. Often he would place the Mus-haf on his face and say, “The Book of my Lord, the Words of my Lord” and he would cry from the fear of Allaah.
His Participation in the Jihad
‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) started his journey of Jihad by breaking the idols which were spread in the houses. Whenever he heard about an idol in any of the houses of the Quraish he would go to that house, enter and break it, complying with the statement and command of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam): “Whoever believes in Allaah, he should not leave an idol in his house, but he should break it or burn it.” [Al-Maghaazi]
During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), ‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) participated in the battle against the apostates among the Bani Hanifa. Abu Bakr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) also sent him as the head of an army to the people of Oman because they had apostated. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) gave him victory against them and they all reverted back to Islam. [Fursan Asr an-Nubowah]
His Martyrdom in the Cause of Allaah
‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) remained true to his pledge to the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). Whatever battles the Muslims engaged in thereafter, he participated in them and he was always in the vanguard of the army. At the battle of Yarmouk he plunged into the attack as a thirsty person after cold water on a blistering hot day. In one encounter in which the Muslims were under heavy attack, ‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) penetrated deep into the ranks of the Byzantine forces. Khaalid ibn al-Walid (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) rushed up to him and said, “Don’t, ‘Ikrimah. Your death will be a severe blow to the Muslims.”
“Let us carry on, Khaalid,” said ‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), now at the peak of motivation. “You had the privilege of being with the Messenger of Allaah before this. As for me and my father, we were among his bitterest enemies. Leave me now to atone for what I have done in the past. I fought the Prophet on many occasions. Shall I now flee from the Byzantines? This shall never be.” Then calling out to the Muslims, he shouted, “Who shall pledge to fight until death?”
Four hundred Muslims including his uncle, al-Harith ibn Hisham and ‘Ayyaash ibn abi Rabi’ah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) responded to his call. They plunged into the battle and fought heroically without the leadership of Khaalid ibn al-Walid (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma). Their daring attack paved the way for a decisive Muslim victory.
When the battle was over, the bodies of wounded Mujaahideen lay sprawled on the battleground, among them Al-Harith ibn Hisham, ‘Ayyaash ibn abi Rabi’ah and ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhum). Al-Harith called for water to drink. As it was brought to him, ‘Ayyaash looked at him and Harith said:
“Give it to ‘Ayyash.” By the time they got to ‘Ayyaash (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), he had just breathed his last. When they returned to al-Harith and ‘Ikrimah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu), they found that they too had passed away.
The Companions prayed that Allaah may be pleased with them all and grant them refreshment from the spring of Kawthar in Paradise, refreshment after which there will not be anymore thirst.
Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullaah) said, “It was said that he was not known to have committed any sin after he embraced Islam.” [Al-Bidayah wan Nihayah]
Ash-Shafie’ (Rahimahullaah) said, “His strife in Islam was praiseworthy, may Allaah be pleased with him.”
It is incumbent upon the Muslim to strive to make up what he has missed of good deeds and repentance, and start a new page full of obedience to Allaah, sacrificing, giving in and striving for the sake of exalting the word, Laa ilaha illa-Allaah.
Always feel free to share the khair!
