Al Tabari رحمه الله narrated in his تاريخ الرسل والملوك, commonly called Tarikh al-Tabari the story of the Sahabee Rabiah ibn Amir’s رضي الله عنه encounter with the Persian leader Rustum as one of the precursor events of the famous battle of Qadisiyah [Sha’ban, 15 AH/September 636 CE].
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqas رضي الله عنه was sent a representative to speak with Rustum [the army general of Persian Empire]. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه was one chosen by the Sa’d to go and meet with Rustum. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه was very poor man. He rode in on a short-legged horse hairy horse and his sword was wrapped in an old piece of cloth. He didn’t even have a proper sheath for his sword and the blade of his spear was tied to its end with some cloth. He was wearing clothes that are very inexpensive and modest.
The Persians had prepared for this meeting. It’s a high level meeting with Rustum and representative of the Muslim army. Persian rugs were laid out, the throne set for Rustum and this throne was made of gold and he had brocaded dress threaded with gold threads all over. There were royal guards on both sides of the carpet which Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir was suppose to walk over.
This was the protocol for a high level meeting practiced by the Persians and Romans during the time, and now that they (the Persians) were dealing with Muslims they thought that protocol would remain the same.
So they expected Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه to come on a very nice steed of a horse dressed in expensive clothes wielding the best armour. He should have been accompanied by, guards or at least group of advisors with him. He disembark his horse and walk on the carpet in a formal way then come and sit under Rustum.
On the contrary, Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه riding in on his short legged horse, didn’t get off, rather rode onto the rugs with his horse.
The guards tried to stop him, but he carried on and he went on to tear apart two pillows that were there and he tied his horse to those pillows.
He walked in with his weapons so the guards again tried to stop him at the entrance to the place where Rustum is sitting asking him to remove his arms. He said well I didn’t come here on my own but you are the ones who invited me so either you let me in with my arms or I am going to leave. They went and told Rustum, so Rustum allowed him in. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir walked in with confidence with his spear pointed downwards and with the blade and he was poking the rugs and he is making holes in them.
Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه didn’t care for all of this pomp, extravagance and nor did he want to show he was uncomfortable being there.
Rustum said, “ما جآء بكم” why did you come to our land?
Rabiah Ibn Amir رضي الله عنه, even with his ragged appearance was after all a Sahabee , cultivated under the best of creation (ﷺ)
Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه responded with a beautiful response:
الله ابتعثنا لنخرج من شاء من عبادة العباد إلى عبادة الله، ومن ضيق الدنيا إلى سعتها، ومن جور الأديان إلى عدل الإسلام
“Allah عز و جل has sent us to deliver you from worshiping the creation to worshiping the Creator of the creation and to deliver you from the constriction of this world to the vastness of this world and the after life and from the oppression of the religions to the justice of Islam. ”
This was all too applicable, with Rustum sitting on throne rest of his minions sitting on the floor and in reference to the abundant slavery and servitude of men.
Verily in sharp contrast, the Prophet (ﷺ) always used to sit at the same level of his companions and dress the same.
Rabee Ibn Amir رضي الله عنه, was referring to Allah عز و جل sending the Muslims us to deliver these people from the constriction of this life. For verily this dunya [world] is lowly, narrow and constricted to the vastness of this life and the after life.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ أَلَا إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَا فِيهَا إِلَّا ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا وَالَاهُ وَعَالِمٌ أَوْ مُتَعَلِّمٌ
2322 سنن الترمذي كِتَاب الزُّهْدِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَاب مِنْهُ
قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) , peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Is not the world cursed and everything in it? It is so except for the remembrance of Allah and what facilitates it, the scholar and the seeker of knowledge.”
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2322 – Grade: Hasan (fair) according to At-Tirmidhi
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
Nay, you prefer the life of this world; [87:16]
وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى
though the Hereafter is better and more lasting. [87:17]
Ibn Taymiah رحمه الله , when they threatened him with jail and when they threatened him with execution, said; ”what can you do with me? My Jannah is in my heart. If you take me to jail I will make dhikr [rememberence] of Allah عز و جل, if you exile me out of my land I will make “تفكر” [Tafakur] contemplating creation of Allah عز و جل, if you execute me I would be a “شهيد”[shaheed]”. What can you do with me? ‘ما يفعلوا اذاء بى’ because I am not limited to this Dunya and living for Akhirah.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [13:28]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“عجباً امر مؤمن ان امره كله له خير إن اصابته سرآء شكر فكان خيرًا له و ان اصابته ضرآء صبر فكان خيراً
له وليس ذالك لى عهد الى المؤمن”
[صحيح مسلم]
“I am amazed with the situation of the believer if something good happens to him he thanks Allaah and its good for him and if something bad happens to him, he is patient and that’s good for him and that happens to no one but to the believer”.
[Sahih Muslim]
Rustum then said, “and what are you?” he said, “use to eat dead animals, you were so hungry use to run after dogs in desert”. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه said, “ we offer you three options, if you become Muslim we will leave you and your land and your people alone. If you refuse then you pay us Jizzya in a state of submission, if you refuse then the sword is between us and you”. Rustum said,” You need to give us time to think about it”. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه said,” We will give you three days”. Rustum said, ”No, we need more than that”. Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه said,” The Sunnah, the way of Muhammad is that we give our enemy three days to think about it and we will visit you during those three days, on the fourth day we will start fighting”. Rustum wanted more time to send letters to the Emperor to seek advice, from the noble men and elders of their Empire but he had only three days.
On the second day Mughira bin Shu’ba رضي الله عنه went to met with Rustum and he came in straight and he sat on the throne with Rustum. The throne was big so he sat next to Rustum so the guards came to pull him down, you are not suppose to sit on the same level as Rustum. Mughira bin Shu’ba رضي الله عنه said,’ that you are the people who worship each other but that is not how we Muslims do with each other but that’s not how we Muslims treat each other, we treat each other with equality”.
At-Tabari رحمه الله commented on how Rabiah Ibn ‘Amir رضي الله عنه and Mughira bin Shu’ba رضي الله عنه effected the lower classes among the Persians that were present i.e. servants, soldiers and guards when they heard the statements of Muslims and how the Muslims treated each other with equality and the fact that there are not here invade the lands of others, just for love of power they are doing it for the sake of Allaah عز و جل , to save people from darkness to light. That left a strong impression on them. They were thinking about Islam even before the battle started. The battle of Qadissiya then began and it was an overwhilming victory for the Muslims even though they were outnumbered by some estimates at 5:1.
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