An analysis of the Hadith of Constantinople

It is said about Yazid that because he participated in first siege of the city of Caesar i.e. Constantinople (Urdu–Qustuntuniya), he is worthy of being forgiven and he has already been forgiven.  To prove this, a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari is quoted.

 

In The Following Lines, A Detailed Analysis Of This Hadith Is Being Penned

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Vol 1, Pg No. 409, 410 (Hadith No. 2924)

 

It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Umme Haraam (May Allah be well pleased with her) that she heard the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) say: The army from My Ummah, who will first perform jihad through the water (sea), has made Jannah obligatory for itself.  Hadhrat Umme Haraam (May Allah be well pleased with her) entreated, "O Prophet of Allah , Am I among them?  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Yes.  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The army from My Ummah, who will first attack the city of Caesar is forgiven.  I entreated: Am I among them, O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)?  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: No."

 

If the collections of Hadith, the books of Rijal and the canons of history are honestly gone through, then the falsity of the aforementioned deduction (including Yazid in this Hadith) will be understood easily.  Using the above Hadith to include Yazid among those who have been forgiven is incorrect for many reasons.

 

First Interpretation Of This Hadith

 

In regard to this Hadith, the Hadith-Masters have given a opinion that the "city of Caesar" mentioned in the Hadith is not Constantinople, but Hims, which was the capital of Roman Empire in the days of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

It is given in Fath ul Bari in the interpretation of this Hadith.

 

Translation: Some interpreters have said that the city of Caesar means the city which was the capital of the Roman Empire in the blessed era of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  That city is Hims.  At that time, it was the capital of the Roman Empire.

 

This interpretation is all the more significant, because in Sahih Bukhari and in all other books, the word "Constantinople" is not used.  Only "the city of Caesar" is mentioned.  Caesar was the Emperor of the Roman Empire.  The city in which he lived or was his capital will only be termed as "city of Caesar."  According to the wording of the Hadith, that city is Hims.  In the caliphate of Hadhrat Umar Al Faruq (May Allah be well pleased with him), in Hijri 15, an army under the command of Hadhrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (May Allah be well pleased with him) attacked Hims.  Muslims laid siege to Hims in harsh winter and the end of winter, they conquered it.  In this battle, Hadhrat Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with him), Hadhrat Bilal (May Allah be well pleased with him), Hadhrat Miqdaad (May Allah be well pleased with him) and many other Sahabah participated.

 

Imam Ibn Atheer (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has mentioned among the incidents of 15 Hijri, in Tarikh Kamil, Vol 2, Pg No. 339:

 

Translation:  When Hadhrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (May Allah be well pleased with him) finished the campaign of Damascus, he took the route of Ba'albak to Hims."

 

At that time Yazid was not even born let alone participating in the battle.  Yazid was born in HIJRI 26 as Imam Ibn Atheer (May Allah  shower His Mercy on him) wrote in Bidayah wan Nihayah, Vol 9, Pg No. 76.

 

Translation: "Yazid bin Mu'awiyah was born in 26 Hijri

 

A possible objection against this Hadith might be that in the Hadith mentioned, first the Jihad by sea is mentioned, in which Hadhrat Umme Haraam (May Allah be well pleased with her) is a participant, then the siege of the city of Caesar is mentioned.  If the city of Caesar is Hims, then it should have been mentioned first but it is not so.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) first mentioned the Jihad by sea and then the siege of the city of Caesar.  It should be remembered that the order of incidents might be according to what is being said or might be according to the order of occurrence.  In this Hadith, it is according to what is said, not in the order of occurrence.

 

Second Interpretation Of This Hadith

 

Other interpreters have opined that "the city of Caesar" means Constantinople.  Still Yazid is not included in the ambit of the said Hadith as Muslims attacked Constantinople a number of times and the glad tidings of forgiveness are only for those who participated in the first siege.

 

Now, what is to be seen is that, when did Muslims attack Constantinople for the first time and which is the first army?

 

First Attack On Constantinople

 

It is written in Bidayah wan Nihayah, Vol 7, Pg No. 179 about the first army which attacked Constantinople.

 

Translation: Hadhrat Ameer Mu'awiyah (May Allah be well pleased with him) attacked Rome in Hijri 32 and fought battles after battles till he reached the city of Constantinople :

 

It is given in Tarikh Kamil, Vol 3, Pg No. 25.

 

This shows that Constantinople was first attacked by Hadhrat Ameer Mu'awiyah (May Allah be well pleased with him).  There is no mention of Yazid participating in this siege.  According to Bidayah wan Nihayah, Vol 9, Pg No. 76.   Yazid was born in 26 Hijri, so in Hijri 32, he was a kid of 6 years.

 

Second Attack On Constantinople

 

The second time, in 43 A.H the Muslims attacked Rome under the leadership of Hadhrat Basar bin Artaah (May Allah be well pleased with him) and fought their way to Constantinople.  It is written in Bidayah wan Nihayah Vol 8, Pg No 27.

 

A critical historian of the like of Ibn Khaldun has also mentioned this incident.  It is written in Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, Vol 3, Pg No.9:

 

Translation: Then Hadhrat Basar bin Artaayh (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered the country of Rome in 43 Hijri, he kept moving forward till he reached Constantinople."

 

Third Attack On Constantinople

 

The third attack on Constantinople was in 44 Hijri or 46 Hijri  It is written in Tarikh Kamil in the incidents of the year of 44 Hijri:

 

Translation: In 44 Hijri Muslims, with Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them) entered Rome and spent winter there only and Hadhrat Basar bin Artaah (May Allah be well pleased with him) fought through the sea.  Tarikh Kamil, Vol 3, Pg no. 298

 

It is given in the same book in the incidents of 46 Hijri:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Malik bin Abdullah (May Allah be well pleased with him) remained in the kingdom of Rome and it has been said that Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them) and returned to Hims the same year and passed away into the presence of Allah."

 

The commander of third army to attack to Constantinople was Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them).  This attack has been mentioned not only in the books of history, but also in Sunan Abu Dawood, which is a reliable book from the Sihah Sittah (the 6 most authentic and reliable books of Hadith).  It is given in Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol 1, Kitabul Jihad, Pg No. 340 (Hadith No: 2151), "Muslims attacked Constantinople and in this battle, Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with him) was the commander.

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Imran (May Allah be well pleased with him): We left Madina with the intention of attacking Constantinople.  The commander of the army was Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with him).  The Romans had their backs to the ramparts.  A person readied himself for attack.  The people said: La ilaha illallah, he is taking himself to death.  Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: This verse has been revealed about us, when Allah  helped the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and made Islam dominant, then we said, 'Come let us remain with our property and wealth and set them right,' then Allah  sent this command: And spend in the way of Allah  and do not put yourself in mortal danger.”  Surah Baqra- 195 and so to take oneself to death is to remain with our property, busy oneself in setting them right and abandon Jihad.  Hadhrat Abu Imran says that Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (May Allah be well pleased with him) used to perform Jihad for the sake of Allah , to the extent that he was buried in Constantinople."

 

According to the above mentioned details, the army, which attacked Constantinople under Ameer Mu'awiyah (May Allah be well pleased with him) in 32 Hijri is the first army and this is the army, which according to Sahih Bukhari, is forgiven.

 

It is made clear by the Hadith of Sunan Abu Dawood, that the commander of the army, which attacked Constantinople was Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them), who passed away in either 46 or 47 A.H, as given in Tarikh Kamil in the incidents of 46 Hijri

 

Sunan Abu Dawood is from among the Sihah Sittah (the six most authentic books of Hadith).  It is by all standards more preferable than the books of history.  This proves beyond doubt that under the leadership of Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them) Constantinople was attacked before 46 or 47 Hijri, as the canons of history and Rijal establish that Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be well pleased with them) passed away in 46 or 47 Hijri.

 

In 32 Hijri, in 43 Hijri, in 44 Hijri or 46 Hijri, Yazid did not participate in any of these 3 sieges.