Abu Bakr Al-Nabulsi
Posted: May 12, 2012 Filed under: Stories & Sayings from the Salaf 2 Comments »
When the Moroccans took hold of Egypt, they refused to accept salatul taraweeh and tesabeeh, and slandered the sahabah, so Abu Baker Al-Nabulsi said:
If one of you had 10 arrows to shoot, it is obligatory to shoot 9 at the Moroccans, and the 10th at them as well.
Abu Al-Hafith Abu Dhar said: Banu Obaida imprisoned and crucified him for a year and I heard whenever Al-Daraqutni would remember him, he would cry and say: when he was being tortured he would recite,
“Kan thalika fil el kitabi Mastoora” [Al-Isr'aa, 58]
Al-Nabulsi was the imam of Sham, so Egypt’s Wali ordered that he be brought in a cage made of wood on the back of a camel, so they shackled him in steel and put him in the cage. When he arrived to Egypt, the wali said to him mockingly: ‘Praise be to Allah for your safety’ He replied, ‘Praise be to Allah for the safety of my religion, and the safety of your worldly affairs’.
The Wali of Egypt said: We have received news that you said if a man had 10 arrows, he should shoot 9 at us, and 1 at the Romans.
Abu Bakr replied: I did not say that but what I said if that if they had 10 arrows, it is obligatory they shoot 9 at you, and 1 more at you as well because you have changed the religion, killed the righteous, and have claimed the light of divinity.
The Wali made his statement public, and tortured him. He then ordered a Jew to rip his skin off while alive. When the Jew ripped the skin off from his head upto his face, Abu Bakr was remembering Allah the whole time. When he reached his chest, the Jew felt mercy on him and stabbed him in the heart to relieve him of the suffering.
Al-Thahabi said: It was said that when they were ripping his skin open, Quran could be heard from his body.
[Siyar A'lam Al-Nubalaa 148/16]
Her Courage
Posted: May 12, 2012 Filed under: Lessons and Reminders Leave a comment »
I remember back when I was in the states – it was just days after Sept. 11th – and Muslims were facing a major crisis. Many Embassies, Islamic centres, and other institutions were all sending out reports to Muslims to be careful of ‘hate crimes’ and remain low-key. Muslims were confused and very scared.
Then there was this young Muslimah in one of my college classes, and masha’allah, she always wore a hijab pre-9/11. When we returned to class a week later post-9/11, and amidst the trials and tribulations Muslims were facing outside, I walked into to class to see that this girl has now worn the niqaab. Subhanna Allah, I couldn’t believe my eyes! What strength and conviction…we kept hearing that Muslim men were shaving their beards and girls were taking off their hijab but this honorable girl chose to add to her faith, and put on a niqab. It was a time of fitnah and fear, but Allah blessed her with faith.
It’s been 11 years, and I still remember her courage.
“Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.”
[14: 27]
