Boasting, Devil's Weapon

The city of Yathreb was in such a calm that it had never experienced before the Prophet's arrival. There were no more conflicts between the two tribes of Ows and Khazraj in the city which got the honour of being called Madinat-un-Nabi or simply Medina (the city of Prophet).

The two tribes had made great efforts and suffered a lot for Islam. This calm gladdened every Muslim. But suddenly there was a whisper of the Satan that could be heard in a lane of Medina.

People would ask What was wrong and why Sa'laba of Ows and As'ad of Khazraj were squabbling. They were appealing to God not to let the old grudges be renewed and the two tribes fight again.

Sa'laba would name individuals of his tribe who had sacrificed in the way of Islam and rendered services to support Islam. He said, "Hanzala, Aasem and S'ad ibn Ma'az are from us."

 Hanzala was a youth of 20 and so, whose wedding happened to be simultaneous with the command of the Prophet to depart toward Uhud. When the call of jihad resonated in his ear, asked the Prophet to stay in Medina for one night and then leave for the battlefield. The Messenger of Mercy permitted him. The next day, Hanzala reached the troop of Islam and fought bravely till he was martyred. Ayah 62 of surah Nour reads, "Indeed, the faithful are those who have faith in God and His Apostle, and when they are with him in a matter of great importance, they do not leave until they have sought his permission. Indeed, those who seek your permission- it is they who have faith in God and His Apostle. So when they seek your permission for some work of theirs, give permission to whomever of them you wish and plead with God to forgive them. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful."

Sa'laba was from Ows and kept boasting of his tribe in the face of the members of Khazraj tribe. As'ad ibn Zurara of Khazraj tribe, said in turn, "Four people from our tribe have rendered great services in the way of spreading and teaching the Qur'an, namely, Ubayy ibn Ka'ab, Ma'az ibn Jabal, Zaid ibn Sabet and Abu Zaid. Besides, Sa'ad ibn Ubada, the chief preacher of Medina is from us."

After the migration of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) to Medina, Ubayy ibn Ka'ab was one of the scribes of Revelation, letters and treaties of the Prophet. He had a high status in writing, collection, recitation, teaching, interpretation and jurisprudence of the Qur'an. He was a noted reciter of the Qur'an at the time of the Prophet.

Sa'laba of Ows tribe and As'ad of Khazraj tribe kept enumerating the honors of their respective tribe so that their dispute gradually heated. Finally, they cried for help from their tribesmen. The people of Ows rushed toward Sa'laba and the people of Khazraj hastened to help As'ad. They were all armed and ready to fight. Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny) got the news of the event. He instantly came to the place and extinguished the blind bragging that was in the brink of igniting the fire of a bloody war between the two tribes.

Ayah 103 of surah Al-e Imran reads, "And hold fast by the cord of God all together, and do not separate; and remember God's bounty on you when you were enemies then He united your hearts with love, and thus you became brethren by His bounty while you were on a brink of a pit of Fire then He delivered you from it! Even so God makes clear His Signs for you, so that you may be guided."

RM/SS