A brief life sketch of Hadhrat Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him)

A brief life sketch of Hadhrat Hamza

(May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) is a close relation of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and is also related to Him through a nursing relationship.  He is an uncle of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and as Hadhrat Thuwaiba (May Allah be well pleased with him) nursed Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) also as an infant, he is also a brother of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) through this nursing relationship, as given in the famous book of biographies “Rauz Ul Unf”:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Ibn Ishaq (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes about Hadhrat Ameer Hamza’s (May Allah be well pleased with him) embracing Islam that his mother his Hadhrat Hala bint Uhaib bin Abd Munaf Bin Zuhra and Hadhrat Uhaib is the paternal uncle of Hadhrat Amina bin Wahb (May Allah be well pleased with her).  Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib married Hadhrat Hala and in that period, his son Hadhrat Abdullah married Hadhrat Amina (May Allah be well pleased with them).  Thus, Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib got Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) from Hadhrat Hala and Hadhrat ‘Abdullah (May Allah be well pleased with him) got the Prophet of Allah, Hadhrat Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) from Hadhrat Amina (May Allah be well pleased with her).  Then Hadhrat Thuwaiba (May Allah be well pleased with her) got the honor of nursing (breastfeeding) both of them.  (Rauz Ul Unf, Hamza Raziallahu Anhu)

 

Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) – Defender of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) declared His Prophethood at the age of 40 and kept preaching and propagating Islam continuously.  Islam kept spreading and casting its shade of peace over all.  Now it was time for the chiefs of Mecca, who had a high status among the people of Mecca and whose word could not be ignored, to embrace Islam.  In the 6th year of Prophethood, such people started embracing Islam, who further raised the standard of Islam and because of whom Muslims started worshipping Almighty Allah openly.

 

Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) loved the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) dearly.  He was also very brave and courageous.  He would go for hunting early in the morning and return in the evening.  Then he would perform the circumambulation (Tawaaf) of the Ka’aba.  Only after this would he sit along with the leaders of the Quraish.

 

Once when he returned from the hunt, his sister Hadhrat Safiya (May Allah be well pleased with her) told him: Do you know how Abu Jahl treated your nephew today?  On hearing this, he took his bow and arrow and went to Abu Jahl.  He gave him such a blow with his bow that his head burst and told him:  Don’t you know that I am also on His religion?

 

On seeing this, the people of the clan of Makhzum ran forward to aid Abu Jahl.  However, he feared that war might break out between the clans of Makhzum and Hashim and stopped them saying:  Let it be.  I berated his nephew very severely today.  (Sharh Zurqani ‘Alal Mawahib, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 477; Subul Ul Huda War Rashad, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 332; Rauz Ul Unf, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 43)

 

Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced Islam because of the prayer of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

That Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced Islam was actually due to the prayer of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) himself says:

 

Translation: The truth is that when anger overwhelmed me, I said that I was on the religion of my community and clan.  I spent the night very restlessly thinking about this sensitive matter and did not sleep for a moment even.  Then I came to the Ka’aba and cried there that may Almighty Allah open my bosom to the truth and drive away my doubts.  My supplication had not yet ended that falsehood left me and my heart was filled with certitude.  The next morning I went to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and told Him all that had happened.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) prayed for me that may Almighty Allah always keep steadfast on faith.

 

When Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced Islam, he recited the following couplets:

 

Translation: I praise Almighty Allah and thank Him that He has opened my heart to Islam and the true religion.

 

This is that religion, which has come from a Lord who has dominance, who is aware of His worshippers and is benevolent on them.

 

When the verses of the One Lord are recited before us, then tears flow from those who have perfect intelligence.

 

These are those great rules to teach whom Hadhrat Ahmed Mujtaba Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has brought such verses which have guidance in each letter.

 

Hadhrat Ahmed Mujataba (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is divinely selected and distinguished from among us and every command of His is obeyed.  O People!  Don’t conceal His teachings with falsehood.  (Rauz Ul Unf, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 43)

 

The bosom of Hadhrat Ameer Hamza is filled with radiance – Declaration by the Holy Quran

 

The bliss and felicity of a human being is that he/she should be in the shade of Islam and to illuminate their bosoms with the radiance of Islam.  For this reason, the wish of a true believer is that as long as he/she is alive, he/she should be steadfast on Islam and when the time for death comes that should also be in a state of faith.  This is generally the state of all faithful people.  However, Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) is one person whose heart was opened for Islam by Almighty Allah and the Lord Himself filled it with the radiance of faith.

 

It is given in Surah Zumar:

 

Well! He whose breast Allah has opened for Islam is (stationed) in the light from his Lord. (But on the contrary) those whose hearts are hardened for (being deprived of the bounty of) Allah’s remembrance are destined to ruin. It is they who are in open error.  Surah Zumar (39:22)

 

In this verse, generally those people are mentioned whose bosoms have been opened for Islam by Almighty Allah who has also illuminated them.  Almighty Allah expressed their superiority by saying that these people are not like those people whose hearts are heedless of Allah Most High.  However, ‘Allama Ismail Haqqi has written in his famous exegesis of the Holy Quran Ruh Al Bayan that this verse was specially revealed about Hadhrat Ameer Hamza and Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with them).  It is given in Ruh Al Bayan:

 

Translation: Please note that this verse has been revealed about those people in whose hearts the beacons of Islam have been lighted.  It has also been said that this verse was revealed specially about Hadhrat Ameer Hamza and Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with them) and in condemnation of Abu Lahab and his son, as Hadhrat Ameer Hamza and Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) are those personalities whose hearts Almighty Allah has opened for Islam and Abu Lahab and his son are those whose hearts were hardened.  The special mercy of Almighty Allah is for that lucky person whose bosom has been opened for Islam and the wrath of Almighty Allah is for the person whose heart is hardened.  (Tafseer Ruh Al Bayan, Surah Zumar-22)

 

The martyrdom of Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) fought against the Quraish with all his characteristic bravery and courage.  Wahshi was an Abyssinian slave of Hinda bint ‘Utba, who was a master spear thrower and had not yet embraced Islam.  Hinda had made a promise with him that if he killed Hamza in this battle, she would free him.

 

The entire duration of the battle, Wahshi kept following Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him).  At last he planned an ambush.  When Hadhrat Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) passed him in the course of the battle, he attacked him.  The spear entered his navel and came out of his back.  Hadhrat Ameer Hamza was martyred in the path of Allah.

 

After this, Hinda mutilated the blessed body of Hadhrat Ameer Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him).  She tore open his stomach, took out his liver and chewed it raw.  She tried to swallow it but could not do so.  It should be noted that later Wahshi and Hinda both embraced Islam, may Allah be well pleased with them.

 

When Hadhrat Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) was martyred, he was 54 years old.  As given by Imam Hakim in Mustadrak ‘Alas Sahihain, Hadith No. 4880.