Sayyiduna Ikrimah رضى الـلـه عـنه

Guiding Stars

Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Maulana Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ embraced Islam in 8 AH, a few days after the Conquest of Makkah.

In happiness, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to him, “Whatever you ask from me today and I have it, I will certainly grant it to you.”[1]

Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “I desire from you that you seek forgiveness for me for all the enmity I showed against you, every step I took in that regard, every battle I fought against you and every word I spoke against you, whether before you or in your absence. Supplicate for my forgiveness in all these matters.”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated, “O Allah! Forgive all the enmity ꜤIkrimah held against us and every step he took in trying to extinguish Your light and every word he spoke against me, whether before me or in my absence. Forgive every mistake of ꜤIkrimah.”

Hearing these words, Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Now, I am happy.”[2]

Dear Islamic brothers! In the Period of Ignorance, Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would make false deities and sell them.[3] So, how did the thought of worshipping Allah Almighty enter his heart? There is a remarkable account behind this. When the Conquest of Makkah occurred, he fled from Makkah, saying, “I cannot stay amongst people who killed Abū al-Ḥakam [i.e. his father, Abū Jahal].” He then came to the coast and placed his belongings onto a boat.

Someone explained to him, “You are the leader of this city and our leader. Why are you going to a place where you have no recognition?” However, he did not accept this advice and boarded the boat.[4] In his absence, his wife, Sayyidah Umm Ḥakīm رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا had embraced Islam and sought amnesty for him in the Prophetic court, but this news had not reached him.[5]

Engraved tablet

When he reached the coast, he saw a tablet upon which the following verse was inscribed:

وَ کَذَّبَ بِہٖ قَوۡمُکَ وَ ہُوَ الۡحَقُّ ؕ قُلۡ لَّسۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ  بِوَکِیۡلٍ )۶۶(

“And your nation (O Beloved) belied it (the Quran), and only this is the truth. Say you, 'I am not a guardian over you at all.’”[6]

Reading this, he returned to al-Makkah al-Mukarramah.[7]

According to a renowned report, he boarded the boat, and when it reached the open sea, it began to rock due to fierce winds. The captain of the boat turned to the passengers and said, “Become worshippers of the One Creator. Indeed, your false deities cannot avail you anything here.”

Hearing this, Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, “If only the one true Creator can grant salvation here in the ocean, then no other can grant salvation on land either. O Allah Almighty, I make a covenant with You: if You grant me salvation from this calamity, I will go to the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and place my hand in his.”[8]

In one narration, it is mentioned that the travellers all began to supplicate to Allah Almighty, seeking help.

He asked, “What is this?”

He was told, “Only Allah Almighty can help here.”

He responded, “This is the Lord of the Prophet Muḥammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, whom he calls us towards. Take me back to him.”[9]

When he reached the shore, he met his wife, and she gave him glad tidings of amnesty from the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.[10]

Welcome

He had just neared al-Makkah al-Mukarramah when the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to the noble Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم, “ꜤIkrimah is coming to you as a believer and an emigrant. Do not speak severely about his father [Abū Jahal], as the living is harmed by it and the deceased is unaffected by it.”[11] He came to the door of the beloved Prophet’s residence, and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم rose up out of happiness.[12] The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم spoke the words, “Welcome to the [boat] riding emigrant.”[13]

After he embraced Islam, he also said, “However much wealth I spent in placing obstacles in the path of Allah, I will now expend twice as much for it, and however much I fought against the way of Allah, I will now strive in fighting for Allah’s way twice as much.”[14]

Devotion to the Word of Allah Almighty

He was so intensely devoted to the Word of Allah Almighty that he would take the pages of the noble Quran and place them on his face and cry, saying, “This is the Book of my Lord. This is the Word of my Lord.”[15] In 10 AH, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم appointed him to collect ṣadaqāt from the Hawāzin tribe.[16]

‘I am not in need of wealth’

Preparations were being made for a battle, and Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ came to inspect the expeditionary force. His glance fell on a tent with many spears, other weapons of war and eight horses next to it. When he drew near to the tent, he found Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ inside. He greeted him with salaam, supplicated for him and wanted to give him some money for the expenses of battle. He responded by saying, “I am not in need of this. I have 2,000 dinars.” Hearing this, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ made a supplication of goodness for him.[17]

Bravery in battle

During the Caliphate of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, he first launched an attack against the army of the arch-liar Musaylimah but was unsuccessful. Following this, he addressed the apostates from Oman and then Mahrah all the way to ṢanꜤāˈ. Some of these tribes repented and returned to Islam.[18]

Once during a battle, he dismounted and began to fight on foot. Sayyidunā Khālid b. Walīd رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ exclaimed, “Do not do this!”

He replied, “Let me be. You preceded me in bringing faith in the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم whereas my father and I remained very harsh towards the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.”[19]

Martyrdom

He was martyred during the battle of Ajnadayn in the land of Palestine, between Ramlah and Jibrīn, in Jumādā al-Ūlā 13 AH. He was aged 62.[20]

According to one report, many Prophetic Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ were severely wounded in the battle of Yarmūk in Rajab 15 AH. In this state, Sayyidunā Ḥārith b. Hishām رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ called out for water. When water was presented, he saw Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ wounded. Without drinking, he said, “Give the water to ꜤIkrimah.”

When it was presented to him, he saw Sayyidunā ꜤAyyāsh wounded, so without drinking, he said, “Give the water to him.” The water had yet to reach him that he became a martyr. In this way, all three noble Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم were martyred without drinking the water.[21] Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ did not have any sons; he only left daughters behind.[22]