Outline
- Introduction
- The Beginning
- Who Was Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
- Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt Accepts Islam
- Khabbab Overwhelmed by the Persecution of Quraysh
- Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt, the First Known Home Tutor
- Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt After HIjrah
- The Passing of Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
- 5 Facts About Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
- The Takeaway…
In the Name of Allah, The Merciful, The Beneficent
Introduction
His mistress used to heat up an iron rod and brand his head with it, so he would leave Islam. But that failed to drive him out of Islam. As a young slave boy, his hard work, sincerity, and trustworthiness earned him popularity in Makkah, and that helped him to know about Islam earlier than many and also share it with others. He was the first known home tutor in Islam, and his presence helped in convincing Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb to accept Islam.
Yes, you’ve guessed right. He was Sayyiduanā Khabbab ibn al-Arratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu is our Shining Star in this episode of The Shining Stars Series, brought to you by GSalam.Net and Al-Bushra by GSalam.
The Beginning
Once upon a time, before the arrival of Islam, a child was held captive in a battle. This child was later sold in slavery to a woman by the name Umm Anmār.
As a young slave boy, he was sent to learn blacksmithing. Despite been enslaved, he was gifted he was a bright boy, who learned faster. It didn’t take him long to master the occupation of blacksmithing.
As a result of his hard work, sincerity and trustworthiness he quickly became a famous blacksmith in Makkah. It’s needless to mention, that his occupation and his income all belonged to his mistress.
However there was good news. The popularity he gained from this occupation became useful as it helped in gaining Islam publicity when it probably needed it the most.
This child was none other than Sayyidunā Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt…
Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. He was he?
Who Was Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
Sayyidunā Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt was known by his real name, Khabbāb. And his long name goes as
خَبَّابُ بْنُ الأَرَتِّ بْنُ جَنْدَلَةَ بْنُ سَعْدٍ بْنُ زَيْدِ مَنَاة
Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt ibn Jandalah ibn Sa’d ibn Zayd Manah.
His nicknames included Abū ‘Abdillāh, Abū Yaḥyā, and Abū Muḥammad. It’s was not known whether beside ‘Abdullāh he really had children by the name Yaḥyā and M ‘Abdullāh.
Sayyidunā Khabbāb was estimated to have passed on at the age of 73, and that was 37 years after the Hijrah of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. On that basis Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was about 23 years at the time of Islam’s arrival.
That means at the arrival of Islam, Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was 17 years younger than the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, 14 years younger than Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, 10 years younger than Sayyidunā Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, 7 years younger than Sayyidunā ‘Abdul-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf and 18 years older than Sayyidunā ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum.
There’s no much documented about his family. Neither his family of birth, nor his family which he formed as a father. But that doesn’t degrade the man who had been one of the second 10 to embrace Islam. Who we’ll learn, later on, that he was one those who participated in the Battle of Badr. I’m sure you know that Allah has granted His forgiveness to all those who participated in the Battle of Badr. Raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum.
Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt Accepts Islam
At an estimated age of 23, Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt had matured enough as a young man with vision and concern for the society he was living in. That was even though he was under slavery. He was concerned about the spread of immorality that was sweeping the society. While he wished for a possible solution the problem, he also hoped to be part of the change when it arrives.
Not long after that, he heard of a man calling to a new religion called Islam. The man was The Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. Sayyidunā Khabbab was quick to look for him, listen to him, evaluate him and his message, and then declared his Islam before him.
With that, he became among the second 10 to embrace Islam. He was also among the early Muslims who had the courage to declare their Islam openly and despite knowing the hostility they could be exposed to by Quraysh.
Khabbab ibn al-Aratt Overwhelmed by the Persecution of Quraysh
Umm Anmār, Sayyidunā Khabbāb’s lady exercised a lot of hostility on him unless he rejected Islam. She did everything and used the most wicked forms of brutality you could imagine to take him out of Islam. But all that failed.
In addition to her denying him food, his customers also had a non-written kind of authority to deny him his payment for the services he provided them until he rejected Islam. All these methods bore no fruits. Simply because Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt wouldn’t trade in Islam for anything.
When all that failed, the mistress used to heat up iron rod and brand his head with it. When he couldn’t bear it anymore, he complained to the Prophet. The Prophet prayed that Allah grants him victory. Soon after that, Khabbāb’s lady complained headache. She was told her only cure was to get her head cauterized. She had no choice. But the problem (to her) was that Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was the only one who could carry out that cauterization operation for her.
Imām al-Bukhārī reports from Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu that he once went to the Prophet and found him leaning on his sheet cloak in the shade of Ka’bah. He complained the suffering and hostility they were exposed to in the hands of Quraysh. He then asked the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam to pray to Allah to help them. The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam sat up with his face changed to red, and said:
لَقَدْ كَانَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ لَيُمْشَطُ بِمِشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ مَا دُونَ عِظَامِهِ مِنْ لَحْمٍ أَوْ عَصَبٍ، مَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَيُوضَعُ الْمِنْشَارُ عَلَى مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ فَيُشَقُّ بِاثْنَيْنِ، مَا يَصْرِفُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ، وَلَيُتِمَّنَّ اللَّهُ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ، مَا يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَالذِّئْبَ عَلَى غَنَمِهِ”.
“A believer among those who were before you used to be combed with iron combs so that nothing of his flesh or nerves would remain on his bones; yet that would never make him abandon his religion. A saw might be put over the parting of his head which would be split into two parts, yet all that would never make him abandon his religion. Allah will surely complete this religion (and the religion of Allah is Islam) so that a traveler from Sana to Hadramaut will not be afraid of anybody except Allah and the wolf, lest it should harm his sheep.”
Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt: The First Known Home Tutor in Islam
Later, in The Shining Stars Series, when we feature Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu, we’ll learn that he accepted Islam at the house of his sister, Fāṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb and her husband, Sa’īd ibn Zayd. It so happened when they were having home tuition, learning the Qur’an.
The then non-Muslim ‘Umar, went to his sister’s house furiously, after knowing she and her husband had embraced Islam. The home tutor happened to share with Sayyidunā ‘Uamar a du’a the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam made earlier invoking Allah to strengthen Islam by guiding one of the two ‘Umar’s to Islam, ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb or ‘Amr ibn Hishām (Abū Jahl) . And the lucky one between the two happened to be Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
That home tutor was Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt. The home tutor, who was known to be giving home tuition to Sa’id ibn Zayd and his wife, Fāṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb.
With that, we can claim that Sayyidunā Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt was the first known home tutor in Islam. And among the houses he gave tuition was the household of Sayyidunā Sa’īd ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. Also, the first subject for home tuition in Islam was the subject of Qur’an reading and understanding.
All that happened before hijrah. Now let’s look at Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt after his migration to Madīnah.
Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt After HIjrah
Just like he was among the firsts to accept and spread Islam in Makkah, Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was among the early companions to migrate to Madinah, especially that he had no one to give him protection against persecution in Makkah.
After Hijah, he participated in the Battles of Badr, Uḥud and all the other battles in which the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam participated.
After the passing of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was involved in the various operations for the expansion of the Islamic State. He eventually settled in Kufa, where he spent the rest of his life on this earth.
The Passing of Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
It’s reported that Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt battled with sickness for a long time before passing on in 37 after hijrah, at the age of 73. He passed on in Kufa, during the Caliphate of Sayyidunā ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
5 Facts About Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
Here are 5 things you may want to remember about Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt:
- He was among the second 10 to embrace Islam
- He participated in the Battles of Badr, Uhud and all those the Prophet participated in
- He was actively engaged in teaching Qur’an to new Muslims in Makkah
- He was the first known home tutor in Islam
- He contributed in convincing Sayyidunā Sayyidunā ‘Umar to accept Islam
The Takeaway
The experience of Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt in the early days of Islam wasn’t an exception. You can imagine all those who accepted Islam during the time facing the same, first-hand. Even those who were powerful and had relatives to protect them had to face the same, if not physically, then emotionally and psychologically. However, he had the courage to announce his Islam the very moment he embraced it.
The struggle he experienced to transit from another religion to Islam can still be seen today, after 1450 years. The physical experience may be in a different form. But the mental and psychological impacts remain the same.
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّـهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣﴾ـ
“Do people think that once they say, “We believe,” they will be left alone and not be put to the test? We certainly tried those who have gone before them, so Allah will certainly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are lying.” (Surah al-‘Ankabūt, 29:2-3).
That was Sayyidunā Khabbab ibn al-Aratt, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. One of the second 10 to embrace Islam. The first known home tutor in Islam. And a Shining Star worth your time and attention to look up, for inspirations and role modeling.
Until we meet again in our next episode of the Shining Stars to look up to another Shing Star, for inspirations, I leave you in Allah’s protection.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah.
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