Hazrat Zaid bin Haarithah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) Refuses to Go with His Father – Fazaail A’maal – Taleem Series – Part Twenty Two

Hazrat Zaid bin Haarithah (radhiyallahu 'anhu) Refuses to go with His Father

It was during the pre-Islamic era that Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was once travelling in a caravan with his mother, who was going to her father’s town, when the caravan was waylaid and looted by the Banu Qais clan. They took Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) as a slave and sold him in Makkah Mukarramah.

Hazrat Hakeem bin Hizaam (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) purchased Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) for his aunt, Hazrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu ‘anha). When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) married Hazrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), she gave Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as a gift.

Hazrat Zaid’s (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) father was in immense grief at the loss of his son, as any father would be. He roamed about in search of his son, lamenting his separation with words of poetry. The gist of the verses he recited is as follows:

I weep in memory of Zaid, without knowing whether he is alive and to be hoped for, or whether he has passed away and is no more.

O, Zaid, I swear by Allah Ta‘ala that I have no knowledge regarding whether you were killed on soft soil or on a mountain.

Ah, I wish I knew whether you would ever come back to me during my life, for that is the only desire I live for.

I think of Zaid when the sun rises in the East. I think of him when the rain falls from the sky.

Then it is the blowing wind that also kindles the fire of his memory. Alas, my grief and suffering continues for a very long time.

In my search for him throughout the world, I shall use the swiftest of camels, and I shall never tire in my quest.

While the camels may get tired, I shall never tire till I die as I will spend my entire life searching for him.

Yes, if death eventually reaches me, then let it be, for death has to overcome everything and bring an end to it. A person may have so many hopes (during his life, but they end with his death, whereas even after I die,) I shall command so-and-so relatives and my sons and family members, to keep on searching for Zaid.

It was verses of poetry like these that he continued to recite as he searched for his son. Eventually, some people from his tribe happened to recognize Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) during their pilgrimage to Makkah Mukarramah and related to him the story of his father’s grief and anguish. They also recited to him the couplets that his father sang in his memory.

Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then sent a letter to his father with these people in which he wrote three couplets, to inform his father that he was in good health in Makkah Mukarramah, where he was happy to live as a slave with his noble master. He also entreated his father not to grieve over him.

When the people went back, they informed Hazrat Zaid’s (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) father of his condition and wellbeing, and they also delivered his message to him, together with telling him of his whereabouts.

On receiving the letter, his father and his uncle left for Makkah Mukarramah with sufficient money to free Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) from bondage. After making enquiries in Makkah Mukarramah, they finally approached Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “O son of Haashim and the chief of your people! You are the dweller of the Haram, and the neighbour of Allah Ta‘ala’s house, the Ka’bah Shareef, and you are known for freeing captives and feeding the hungry. We have come to you to request you to hand over our son to us. Please be kind and compassionate to us by accepting the money and setting him free. In fact, we are willing to pay even more if you wish.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then asked, “Why have you come here?” They replied, “We have come for Zaid.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded, “Have you come only for this?” They said, “Yes, that is all that we ask.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “Let us call Zaid and ask him. If he wishes to go with you, I shall let him go without any payment. However, if he does not wish to go with you, then I shall not force him against his wishes.”

They replied, “You have shown us more favour than we deserve. We most gladly agree to your proposal.”

When Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was called, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him, “Do you know these men?” Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “Yes, I know them. This is my father and that is my uncle.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “And you know me as well.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said to him, “If you wish to remain with me, then you may do so, and if you wish to return home with them, then you have my permission to do so.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “How can I prefer anybody else to you? You a father to me as well as an uncle.”

At this, Hazrat Zaid’s father and uncle both exclaimed, “O Zaid! Do you prefer slavery over freedom? Do you prefer slavery over your own father, uncle and the rest of your family?”

Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) gestured towards Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “I have indeed seen something in him (i.e. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)) that makes me prefer him to everybody else in the world.”

Upon hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) took Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in his lap and said, “From today, I take Zaid as my son.”

Seeing this, Hazrat Zaid’s (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) father and uncle became extremely happy and gladly left Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and returned without him.

Hazrat Zaid (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was only a child at that time. His profound love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is evident from the fact that despite being a child, he was prepared to sacrifice his entire family and home to remain the slave of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

(Fazaa’il-e-A’maal [English] pg. 250-253, [Urdu] pg. 189-190)

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