Sayyiduna Suhail Bin Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Bright Stars

Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Maulana Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

Before becoming a Muslim, Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr Qarashi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was against Islam. He was imprisoned during the battle of Badr in the year 2 AH. ^[1] After providing a guarantee, he was freed and later sent 4,000 as ransom. ^[2] In the sixth year after Hijra, acting as a representative of the Quraysh, he formed the conditions for the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.^[3] Instead of writing ‘Muhammad the Messenger of Allah’ in the treaty, he wrote ‘Muhammad Bin Abdullah’.^[4]

Accepting Islam

When the conquest of Makkah took place in 8 AH, he closed the door of his home and sat down. To protect his own life, he sent his Muslim son to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to ask for refuge. In response, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated: ‘Suhayl is under the protection of Allah.’ He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also added: ‘Whoever meets Suhayl should not even give him a stern look. Suhayl is intelligent and noble; such a person cannot remain far from Islam.’

Later, he accompanied the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during the Ghazwah of Hunayn but still was not a Muslim at the time. He eventually accepted Islam at a place called Ji’ranah. The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم granted him 100 camels from the spoils of the battle of Hunayn^[5]. After his acceptance of Islam, he remained as someone praiseworthy.^[6]

Character

Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr was very generous. ^[7] He would feed people in Makkah.^[8] On one occasion, he stated: ‘By Allah! I have aided the Muslims as much as I [previously] assisted the polytheists, and I have spent on the Muslims equal to what I [previously] spent on the polytheists.’^[9]

An avid worshipper

Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would offer Salah and fast abundantly. As well as giving charity open-handedly, he would beseech Allah Almighty with utmost humility. Offering Salah and fasting abundantly made his complexion pale. ^[10] He would regularly visit Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Bin Jabal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ who would teach him the Holy Quran, and this would make him cry continuously.^[11]

Opposing prejudice

When Mu’aaz Bin Jabal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ left Makkah, someone said to Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ: ‘You go to the men of Khazraj tribe [to learn the Holy Quran]. Why do you not go to someone from your own people?’ Hearing this prejudiced statement, Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ responded: ‘The state we found ourselves in was caused by this (prejudice), such that we were surpassed by all those who progressed. I shall continue to visit Mu’aaz. And I will certainly mention my family who accepted Islam before me; I feel pleased by this and thank Allah Almighty. And I hope that by virtue of their prayers, I will not die with the religion which my [disbelieving] contemporaries died with or were killed upon [rather, I hope to die a Muslim].’^[12]

Respecting the blessed hair of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states: ‘During Hajjah al-Wada’, I saw Suhayl standing close to the slaughterhouse. He was bringing camels to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, who would then slaughter them with his hands. Then, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had his head shaved, and I saw Suhayl taking his hair and placing it on his eyes.’^[13]

Dispatching Zam-Zam water

On one occasion, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم wrote a letter to Suhayl Bin ‘Amr in which it stated: ‘If my letter reaches you in the morning, then send me Zam-Zam water before night. And if it arrives in the night, then send it before the day.’ Upon receiving the letter, he immediately filled two leather bags with Zam-Zam water, loaded them onto a camel and sent them through a slave.^[14]

Powerful oratory

Suhayl Bin ‘Amr was amongst the honourable people of Quraysh and a fine orator.^[15] Before accepting Islam, when he was imprisoned after the battle of Badr, Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I shall break his front teeth, [so that] he shall never stand up as a speaker against you.’ However, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Leave him as he is. Soon, he will be in a position that you will praise him.’ ^[16]

The praiseworthy position

In 11 AH, news of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passing away occasioned an outpouring of grief in Makkah. Certain tribes of the Arabian Peninsula became apostates. Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ stood up and delivered an address. Part of what he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said is as follows: ‘O Quraysh! Do not become those who were the last to accept Islam but the first to become apostates. Allah Almighty has gathered you with the best from amongst you, meaning Abu Bakr. Anyone who commits treason will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.’ This address led the people of Makkah to remain steadfast upon Islam. ^[17] When news of this speech reached Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, he stated: ‘This is the praiseworthy position that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم spoke of.’^[18]

Sagacity

Sayyiduna Umar صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once had some companions at his door who fought in the battle of Badr. They were accompanied by a few leaders of the Quraysh. The companions were called inside, whereas the leaders of the Quraysh remained outside. As a result, one of the leaders proclaimed: ‘I have never seen what happened today. We were not given any attention and were left outside, whereas the slaves were called inside.’ Amongst the leaders that stood outside was Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. In this sensitive situation, he stated: ‘O people! I see anger in your faces. If you wish to be angry, then let it out on yourselves. They [the companions who went inside] were called towards Islam, and so were we. However, they hastened to accept Islam, and you were lazy in doing so. You should now look towards jihad and grasp onto it firmly. Perhaps Allah Almighty will grant you the rank of martyrdom.‘^[19]

Hopeful of intercession

During the battle of Yamamah in 12 AH, his son Abdullah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was martyred. When Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ expressed his condolences, Suhayl Bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ replied: ‘The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said that a martyr shall intercede for 70 of his household members. I am hopeful that my son will begin with me.’^[20]

Striving in the way of Allah Almighty

During the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, the Muslims were ordered to partake in battle against the Romans. Sayyiduna Suhayl bin ‘Amr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ presented himself before Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ alongside other senior companions. They joined the ranks of the Muslim army and set out towards Syria.^[21] According to one narration, he came during the initial phase of Sayyiduna Umar’s رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ caliphate, spent a few months there and then went to Syria and remained engaged in jihad. ^[22] Besides his one daughter, he took his entire household to Syria, which is where they all passed away. He left behind his daughter and paternal granddaughter. ^[23]

Martyrdom

According to one narration, Sayyiduna Suhayl Bin ‘Amr was martyred in the month of Rajab 15 AH during the battle of Yarmook. ^[24]