lessons from history.hajjaj bin yusuf

[muslim brother]

Amongst the high officials of the Umayyad, no one has acquired more fame than Hajjaj bin Yusuf. However, this fame was not acquired because of his generosity, but from his oppression.

The tyranny of Hajjaj has become very famous in history.

Hajjaj alone executed 125,000 men.

He beheaded leaders like Sa'id bin Zubair. He put prominent scholars like Abdullah bin Umar and Abdullah bin Zubair (Allah be pleased with them) to death. .

Even the learned and the peaceful men of that era looked upon Hajjaj as a calamity and curse sent down by God.

Hadhrat Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) used to say, “Hajjaj is a calamity sent by God, do not try to remove him by force but ask Allah Taa'la.” Therefore, the moment the news of the death of Hajjaj was reported Hadhrat Hasan Basri and Umar bin Abdul Aziz fell in prostration to God and exclaimed,” The pharaoh of this nation is no more!

Let as now see how this tyrant ruler faced death

After twenty years of rule over Iraq , Hajjaj fell ill at the age of fifty-four. His stomach was infested by innumerable vermin. The temperature of his body decreased and he felt so intensely cold that several stoves were place close to him and yet he gained no relief.

When Hajjaj has lost all hopes of survival, he said to the members of his household, “Prop me up and assemble the people.” When the people arrived, he pleaded guilty to his sins and tyrannies. He gave a speech and emphasised on the fact that of which he dwelt on death and its severities.

The following verses came to his tongue:

The weight of my sins is as the weight of sky and earth,

Yet I hope that God will show me mercy.

If he favours me with his pleasure,

It will be the fulfilment of my hop.

But should he do justice,

He would condemn me to torture.

It will be no injustice.

Is it possible that He will be unjust from whom nothing but God is anticipated!

He then burst into tears and this scene moved in the whole assembly to tears.

As Hajjaj bin Yusuf was passing away, he raised his tearful eyes to heaven, pleading:

“O Allah! Grant me salvation, for people say you will not forgive me.”

He then recited the following verse:

“Lord! The people give me no hope,

Though I repose much hope in you”.

So saying this he closed his eyes. When this saying was quoted before Hazrat Hasan Basri (Radhiallaho Anho), he did not believe this and asked: “Did he really say this?” “Yes, Hajjaj actually said so.” Thereupon Hadhrat Hasan Basri said, “Then perhaps he may be forgiven.”

http://www.inter-islam.org/Pastevents/hajjaj.html

[muslim brother]

Once Allah Ta’ala revealed to Hadhrat Yoosha’ Bin Noon (alayhis salaam) - one of the Ambiya of Bani Israaeel : “My punishment will soon be destroying 60,000 transgressors of your community and one thousand pious ones (buzrugs).”

Nabi Yoosha’ (alayhis salaam), pleaded with Allah Ta’ala: “O Allah! Your punishment for the transgressors is understandable. But what is the fault of the pious ones?”

Allah Ta’ala said: “They refrained from admonishing the transgressors. They became so desensitized that they freely mingled with them. They sat with them. They ate and drank with them.”

In short, their attribute of bughd lillaah was completely eroded and obliterated by their association with the flagrant violaters of Allah’s Shariah.

Volume 9, Book 88, Number 181:

Narrated Zainab bint Jahsh:

The Prophet :saws:got up from his sleep with a flushed red face and said, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe to the Arabs, from the Great evil that is nearly approaching them. Today a gap has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this." (Sufyan illustrated by this forming the number 90 or 100 with his fingers.) It was asked, "Shall we be destroyed though there are righteous people among us?" The Prophet said, "Yes, if evil increased."