The Best of the Successors: Sa'eed ibn Jubayr & Hajjaj Bin Yousuf

[غزالی]

The Best of the Successors: Sa'eed ibn Jubayr and Martyrdom


The Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu alaihe wasallam) said: "To utter truth in the face of a tyrant is the best Jihad."

This is the story of Saeed bin Jubair (Rahmatullah alaih) and Hajjaj bin Yousuf. At that time, Hajjaj bin Yousuf was in power. Hajjaj's harshness and tyranny was well known in human history.

The rulers in those days, in spite of their shortcomings, never lagged behind in propagating faith, yet we treat them as the worst among the rulers because of the contrast with the just and God-fearing rulers. He was the viceroy of King Abdul Malik bin Marwan for Hijaz and Iraq. The King lived in Damascus and Hajjaj had his headquarters at Koofa.

Saeed bin Jubair (Rahmatullah alaih) had fought against Hajjaj on the side of Ibn-ul-Ash'ath. After the defeat, Saeed (Rahmatullah alaih) took asylum in Makkah. The government posted a very stern person as the Governor of Makkah, with the instructions to arrest Saeed. The governor assembled all the people of Makkah and read before them the order of King Abdul Aziz that said:

Any person who gives shelter to Saeed (Rahmatullah alaih) shall meet the same fate as Saeed himself."

He then announced to the people:

"By Allah, I will kill the person who gives shelter to Saeed (Rahmatullah alaih). His and his neighbour's houses shall be razed to the ground."

Saeed was arrested with great difficulties and was sent to Koofa.

When he was brought before Hajjaj, the following conversation took place:

Hajjaj: "What is your name?"

Saeed: "My name is Saeed (lit auspicious)."

Hajjaj: "What is your father's name?"

Saeed: Jubair (lit Trimmed)."

Hajjaj: "No, you are in fact Shaqi (lit wretched) son of Kusair (lit a broken thing)."

Saeed: "My mother knew my name better than you do."

Hajjaj: "You are wretched and your mother is also wretched."

Saeed: "The One who knows the hidden things is someone else."

Hajjaj: "Look! I am putting you to sword."

Saeed: "Then my mother was right in giving me this name."

Hajjaj: "I shall send you to Hell."

Saeed: "If I knew that you had that power, I would have taken you as my god."

Hajjaj: "What is your belief about the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu alaihe wasallam)?"

Saeed: "He was an apostle of Mercy and a Prophet of Allah, sent with the best Guidance for the whole creation."

Hajjaj: "What do you say about the caliphs?"

Saeed: "I am not a warder over them. Everybody is responsible for his own actions."

Hajjaj: "Who is the most exalted of the four caliphs?"

Saeed: "The one who had been able to please Allah more than the rest."

Hajjaj: "Which of them had been able to please Allah more than the rest?"

Saeed: "This is known only to Him Who knows what is hidden in the bosoms and what the hearts conceal."

Hajjaj: "Is Ali in Paradise or in Hell?"

Saeed: "I can answer only after I visit the two places and meet their dwellers."

Hajjaj: "How shall I fare on the Day of Judgement?"

Saeed: "I am not fit to receive the knowledge of the unseen."

Hajjaj: "You do not intend to tell me the truth?"

Saeed: "But I did not tell a lie either."

Hajjaj: "Why do you never laugh?"

Saeed: "I do not see anything to laugh at; and indeed why should one laugh, who is created from dust, who has to appear on the Day of Judgment, and is always surrounded by tribulations"

Hajjaj: "But I do laugh."

Saeed: "Allah has created us with different temperaments."

Hajjaj: "I am now going to kill you"

Saeed: "The time and mode of my death have already been decreed."

Hajjaj: "Allah has preferred me to you."

Saeed: "No body can be proud of his relation with Allah, unless he knows his position; and only Allah knows the unseen."

Hajjaj: "Why should I not be proud of my relation with Allah, when I am with the Amir?ul-Momineen and you are with the rebels."

Saeed: "I am with the other Muslims. I myself shun mischief, but nobody can change the decree of Allah."

Hajjaj: "What do you say about what we collect for the Amir?ul?Momineen?"

Saeed: "I do not know what you collect for him."

Hajjaj sent for gold, silver and dresses from the treasury and showed these to Saeed.

Saeed: "These are useful, provided you are able to obtain with them the things that may provide you peace on the Day of Consternation (i.e. the Day of Judgment), when every nursing mother will forget her nursing, and every pregnant one will be delivered of her burden, and when nothing but good will be of any avail."

Hajjaj: "Are our collections not good?"

Saeed: "You have collected them and you are the best judge."

Hajjaj: "Do you like any of these things for yourself?"

Saeed: "I only like the things which Allah likes."

Hajjaj: "Woe to you?"

Saeed: "Woe is for the person who is deprived of Paradise and is made to enter. Hell."

Hajjaj: (Annoyed): "Say how should I kill you?"

Saeed: As you would like to be killed."

Hajjaj: "Should I forgive you?"

Saeed: Allah's forgiveness is real. Your forgiveness is of no value."

Hajjaj: (To the executioner): "Kill this man."

Saeed laughed while he was being taken for execution. Hajjaj was informed of that. He called him back.

Hajjaj: "What made you laugh?"

Saeed: "Your boldness with Allah and His clemency to you."

Hajjaj: "I am killing a person who has caused dissent among the Muslims.

(To the executioner) Kill him in front of me."

Saeed: "Let me offer two Rak'at prayers."

After finishing prayers, he faced the Qibla and recited:

"Verily, I have turned my face towards Him, Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not of the idolaters." (VI : 80)

Hajjaj: "Turn him from our Qibla and let him face the Qibla of the Christians, who also caused dissension and dispute among their community."

His face was immediately turned to the other direction.

Saeed: "And wither?so?ever you turn, there is Allah's countenance (II : 115), Who is the One who knows the hidden thoughts."

Hajjaj: "Make him lie on his face. We axe only responsible for appearance."

Saeed was made to lie on his face.

Saeed: "Thereof We created you and there unto We return you, and thence We bring you forth a second time." (XX : 55)

Hajjaj: "Kill him."

Saeed: "I call you to witness what I recite: `I bear witness that there is no God except Allah, Who is all alone and Who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihe wasallam) is His bondman and His Prophet."

Saeed was then beheaded. After the execution, too much blood came out of his body. Hajjaj himself marveled greatly at it. He inquired the reason from his doctors, who said:

"His tranquility and composure at the time of death had kept his blood in its original form. Generally, people to be executed are so much scared and afraid of death that their blood curdles and does not flow profusely."