Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
After the Battle of Badr was fought and Rasulullah (sallallahu alihi wasalllam) and the Sahaabah gained victory, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to the Sahaabah, “Who will go and see the condition of Abu Jahl?”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) went to look for him and found that the two sons of ‘Afraa (radhiyallahu ‘anha) had wounded him, and he was in the throes of death.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to him and placed his foot on his neck. He also took hold of his beard and addressed him saying, “Are you Abu Jahl? O enemy of Allah! Allah has disgraced you!”
Abu Jahl replied, “Is there any person greater than myself that you people have killed?” He also said to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood, “O you small shepherd! You are trying to climb a very high and difficult mountain (even at the time of his death, he was puffed up with pride).”
Thereafter, he said, “If only someone besides a farmer like you could have been the person to kill me (so that it would have been an honour for me).”
Abu Jahl also said to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu anhu), “When you behead me, then cut my head from the bottom of my neck, closer to my shoulder, so that when people look at my head, it will be more striking in awe (and higher than the heads of the other soldiers of our army who are killed).”
He also told Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “When you return to Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), then tell him that I said, “My hatred for you today is much more than it was ever before. Similarly, throughout my life, I always remained the enemy of Allah Ta’ala, but today, my enmity for Allah Ta’ala is much more than it was ever before.”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then killed him by beheading him with his sword. He thereafter brought the head to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “This is the head of the enemy of Allah, Abu Jahl.”
Nabi (sallall ahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked in happiness, “By Allah (is this the head of Abu Jahl)?”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) took an oath on the name of Allah saying, “This is the head of Abu Jahl, and Allah Ta’ala had given me the power and ability to kill him.”
Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:
الله أكبر، الحمد لله الذي صدق وعده، ونصر عبده، وهزم الأحزاب وحده
Allah is the greatest! All praise is due to Allah Ta‘ala! He has fulfilled His promise, assisted His servant, and He alone defeated the enemy!
Thereafter, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Show me where his body lies”
When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) took Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to the body of Abu Jahl, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said the following words thrice:
الحمد لله الذي أعز الإسلام وأهله
All praise is due to Allah Ta‘ala, Who alone has granted honour to Islam and the people of Islam.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) also said: “This is the Fir‘oun of this Ummah.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then granted Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) the sword of Abu Jahl (as part of the share of the booty).
(Saheeh Bukhaari #4020, Musnad Ahmad #4247 and Fat-hul Baari vol. 7, pg. 374)
