Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
There was a man from the Banu Haashim clan named Rukaanah. He was considered to be among the most mighty of warriors at the time of war and no person could overpower him in a wrestling match. Rukaanah was a disbeliever, and an arch-enemy of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Muslims. He lived around Madinah Munawwarah in a valley named Idham where he would graze his goats.
On one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) decided to go and meet Rukaanah and invite him to Islam. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) left the home of Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and proceeded alone in the direction of the valley.
Upon meeting Rukaanah, Rukaanah addressed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “O Muhammed! You are the one who speaks ill of our gods – Laat and Uzza – and you invite people to your god who you say is the Most Mighty and the Most Wise.
“If it were not for the family ties between us, I would not even bother speaking to you but I would immediately kill you. Why don’t you call unto your god, who you say is Most Mighty and Most Wise, to save you from me?
“However, if you wish, I propose that you enter into a wrestling match with me. Before wrestling with me, you make dua to your god to assist you against me, and I will make dua to my gods, Laat and Uzza, to assist me in fighting against you. If you defeat me, you can personally choose and take any ten goats from the flock of goats which I own.” Hearing this proposal, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Yes, I accept your proposal if you wish to wrestle with me.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then made dua to Allah Ta‘ala, while Rukaanah made dua to Laat and Uzza saying, “O Laat and Uzza! Assist me today against Muhammed!” They then commenced wrestling, and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) defeated Rukaanah.
Rukaanah was surprised at this and he exclaimed, “Stand up and let us wrestle once more! I cannot believe that you are the one who had defeated me. Really, the one who caused you to defeat me is none other than your god. It seems that Laat and Uzza have abandoned me today. Prior to this, no person has ever dropped me to the ground and defeated me before you.”
Upon this, Rukaanah offered Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) another ten goats in exchange of wrestling with him a second time. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) agreed, and again they wrestled, and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) defeated him.
On being defeated for the second time, Rukaanah proposed to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that they wrestle for the third time, and he promised Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) another ten goats from his flock if he won the match. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) agreed, and as before – he dropped Rukaanah to the ground in no time and defeated him for the third time.
When Rukaanah was defeated for the third time, he finally said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “Take thirty goats from my flock, as I had agreed to give you if you won the match. Now go, and you may choose whichever thirty goats you wish from my flock.”
At this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded, “O Rukaanah! It is not your goats that I desire! You may keep your goats. The purpose for me coming here is to invite you to Islam. O Rukaanah, I am trying to save you from the fire of Jahannum. If you embrace Islam, then most certainly, you will gain salvation in the Hereafter and be saved from the fire of Jahannum!”
Rukaanah responded, “No, I will not embrace Islam, unless you first show me some miracle as a sign of your being the divinely appointed Nabi of Allah Ta‘ala.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Allah Ta‘ala is a witness over you! Tell me, if I make dua to my Rabb and then show you a sign, will you definitely accept the deen to which I am inviting you?” Rukaanah replied, “Yes, I will definitely accept your deen.”
Close by was an acacia tree with many branches. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) gestured towards the tree and said, “Come to me, by the permission of Allah!” Immediately, the tree split into two halves, after which one half of the tree came forward, with its branches, until it was in front of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and Rukaanah.
Observing this miracle, Rukaanah was impressed and he knew it was not a trick of the eye or something like magic, as half the tree stayed in its place and the other half was commanded by Allah Ta‘ala to obey Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and come forward.
Thus, Rukaanah, in amazement, remarked, “You have indeed shown me a very great sign! Now command the tree to return to its place!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to Rukaanah, “Allah Ta‘ala is a witness over you! Tell me, if I make dua to my Rabb, and I command the tree and it returns to its place, then will you definitely accept that deen to which I am inviting you?” Rukaanah replied, “Yes, I will definitely accept!”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus commanded the tree to return to its place, at which it returned, with all its branches, until it re-joined with its other half.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then addressed Rukaanah and said, “Accept Islam, and you will gain salvation.” However, Rukaanah responded, “Even though I had seen an extremely great sign which indicates to your truthfulness and being the messenger of Allah Ta‘ala, however, I do not wish that the women and children of Madinah should say that I only embraced Islam due to your fear entering my heart as you have defeated me in the wrestling match, whereas the women and children of Madinah all know that no person has ever defeated me in wrestling, and not for a single second of the day or night have I ever feared anyone! Thus, here are your goats which you may choose, but I will not embrace Islam.”
Hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “I do not have any need for your goats when you refuse to embrace Islam.” Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) departed, returning to Madinah Munawwarah.
In the interim, Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had come to the home of Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) to meet Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). When Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) had informed them that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had gone to meet Rukaanah in the valley of Idham, they became concerned and worried that Rukaanah should not hurt Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in any way, as Rukaanah was an arch-enemy of Islam and the Muslims.
They immediately set out in search of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). As they came close to the valley, they caught sight of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) approaching.
Upon meeting Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), they said, “O Nabi of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Why did you come to this valley all alone, when you know that it is the place where Rukaanah grazes his goats, and he is an arch-enemy of Islam who rejects you?”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) smiled at them and said, “Does Allah Ta‘ala not say (in the Qur’aan Majeed regarding myself that Allah Ta‘ala had taken the divine responsibility and onus of protecting me from the enemies), ‘Allah Ta‘ala will protect you from the people’. When Allah Ta‘ala has granted me His divine protection, then it is not possible for Rukaanah to cause any harm to me, as Allah Ta‘ala is with me, and Allah Ta‘ala’s divine help and protection is with me.”
Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) informed them of what had transpired, and how he had defeated Rukaanah in the wrestling match. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) also informed them about the miracle which Allah Ta‘ala had caused to manifest at his hands of the tree splitting into half and coming to him.
On hearing the incident, Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) exclaimed, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Did you really defeat Rukaanah in the wrestling match! By Allah who had sent you with the truth – till this day, we do not know of any person who has defeated him!”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “I made dua to my Rabb, and He assisted me against him! My Rabb assisted me by bestowing me with the strength of more than ten men (in other Ahaadith, it is reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was granted the strength of forty men).” (Dalaailun Nubuwwah 6/251-254, Al-Mu’jamul Awsat #567, Majmauz Zawaaid #7553)
As for Rukaanah, then though he did not accept Islam immediately, but he did accept Islam later on, at the conquest of Makkah Mukarramah in the eighth year. Hence, Allah Ta‘ala blessed him to be among the Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and those from whom the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) are transmitted. (Istee’aab 2/507)
