|
Amid great events, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was ordered
to take charge of the Pilgrimage to Makkah in the ninth year after
Hijrah. The eighth year after Hijrah witnessed the Conquest of
Makkah, the battle of Hunain, the battle of At-Ta'if and many
other great incidents. Also, prior to the performance of that Hajj
journey, the ninth year after Hijrah witnessed the conversion of
the tribe of Thaqif to Islam and the flowing of some Arab
delegations to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon
him) proclaiming their conversion to Islam. Following this
Pilgrimage of Abu Bakr, the tenth year after Hijrah witnessed an
increase of the number of delegations coming to the Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) such as Arz, `Abdul-Qais,
Cindah, Banu Hanifah, etc. This year also witnessed the Farewell
Pilgrimage.
Amid these great events, the Pilgrimage of
As-Siddiq along with the Muslims had an important legislative
position in Islam since during this pilgrimage, the Divine
Revelation has come with decisive rulings concerning some matters
that will continue as long as Islam remains.
Abu Bakr, Amir of the Pilgrims
In the ninth year after Hijrah, following the
Prophet's return from the battle of Tabuk, he (the Prophet)
appointed Abu Bakr to lead three hundred Muslims so as to instruct
them rituals of Hajj. Abu Bakr set off to Makkah with those
accompanying him; he then proclaimed in people the Prophet's
advice that polytheists are no longer allowed to perform Hajj
after this year and no naked person is allowed to perform the
Tawaf around the Ka`bah.
The Divine Revelation descended upon the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with some important
verses from Surat At-Tawbah. He dispatched `Ali Ibn Abu Talib to
Abu Bakr so that he (`Ali) may proclaim them (i.e. the Qur'anic
verses) on the pilgrims in the season of Hajj.
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Hamid Ibn
`Abdur Rahman that Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said, "On the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijjah, in the year
prior to the Farewell Pilgrimage of the Prophet when Abu Bakr was
the leader of the pilgrims in that Hajj) Abu Bakr sent me along
with other announcers to Mina to make a public announcement, 'No
pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year and no naked
person is allowed to perform the Tawaf around the Ka`bah.' Then
Allah's Messenger sent `Ali to read out Surat Bara'ah
(At-Tawbah) to the people; so he made the announcement along with
us on the Day of Nahr in Mina, 'No pagan is allowed to perform
Hajj after this year and no naked person is allowed to perform the
Tawaf around the Ka`bah.'"
Books of Sirah (the Prophetic Biography) relate
that when `Ali set off to meet Abu Bakr, he rode the she-camel of
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). On
seeing him, Abu Bakr asked, "Have you come as a commander or a
messenger?" `Ali replied, "Indeed as a messenger." And he
informed Abu Bakr of his mission. So they went on together to
Makkah. On the Day of Nahr `Ali rode and recited on people what
has been sent down of Surat Bara'ah.
Books of Sunnah relate that when Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) chose `Ali for the
mission of reciting Surat Bara'ah on the pilgrims, he said,
"No one shall transmit this from me but a man from among my own
household." (Reported by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi). The reason of
this was that the Arabs were accustomed to the tradition that no
one can undo a knot but the one who did it or a man of the people
of his household. That was why he sent his cousin and son-in-law.
The announcers proclaimed the Prophet's message
on people as did `Ali Ibn Abu Talib who was to recite the revealed
verses of Surat Bara'ah on the pilgrims in their large
gatherings while performing the rituals of Hajj. The gist of his
pronouncement was as follows:
1- No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this
year. This what had been proclaimed by the announcers and that
which was included in Surat Bara'ah in Almighty Allah's
saying, [O ye who believe, truly the pagans are unclean; so let
them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred
Mosque.] (At-Tawbah 9:28).
Prior to that, Quraish used not to prevent anyone
from coming to perform Hajj to the Ka`bah since their economic
interests were virtually associated with the Sacred House.
2- No naked person is allowed to perform the Tawaf
around the Ka`bah. Because in the Pre-Islamic period of Ignorance,
it was a condition that the pilgrim (a man or a woman) who wants
to perform Hajj to Makkah to be dressed in the usual garments worn
by the Quraishites. Otherwise, he/her should perform Hajj while
totally naked. Islam prohibited that bad habit.
3- Giving four months' respite to those
idolaters who had not signed a treaty with the Muslims to come and
go in the Arabian Peninsula as they desire, but after that Allah and His Messenger would be
free from any obligation towards them. As regards those idolaters
who had a special treaty with the Prophet and had kept it
faithfully, the treaty was to be held as valid until its term ran
out. This meaning was the focus of the mission of `Ali Ibn Abu
Talib that he came to proclaim through reciting Surat Bara'ah.
Islam gave respite to the same idolaters who were
stubborn in their disbelief, fought against the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) killed people of his household and at the
same time they remained on their disbelief despite the victory of
the Muslims and the widespread of Islam throughout the Arabian Peninsula
. The Muslims had not taken them by surprise. Rather, they gave
them a respite so as to make a choice, either to convert to Islam
voluntarily or to evacuate their domiciles and depart the Arabian Peninsula
that completely converted to Islam after their deep-rooted enmity.
A Divine Arrangement
The question arises now is: Why had not the
Prophet himself led the Pilgrimage in the ninth year after Hijrah?
Events developed as follows: Abu Bakr led the
Pilgrimage in the ninth year with a few number of Muslims, then,
in the following year the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) performed Hajj with more than one hundred thousand Muslims.
This was a natural procession of the events because of the
following:
1- Prior to the Farewell Pilgrimage, the
conditions of the Muslims had not stabilized completely since
there were still nearby tribes that remained on their disbelief
such as Hawazin, Thaqif, Tai' and the Romans threatened the
borders of the Muslim territories from the north. Then,
delegations came to proclaim their conversion to Islam before the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and some battles took
place during the eighth and the ninth years after Hijrah that
solved this problem. Afterwards, the situation improved in favor
of the Muslims and became completely suitable for them to perform
a whole pilgrimage with their Prophet without fear (of any enemy).
2- The pilgrimage of Abu Bakr played two important
roles in preparing for the Farewell Pilgrimage. First, reciting
Surat Bara'ah on the Arab delegations coming from all around the
Arabian Peninsula had declared clearly the stance of Muslims towards the remaining
Arab idolaters. This pushed them to reconsider the matter and make
their decision. And, there was no better gathering than that of
Hajj to proclaim through which such a pronouncement.
Second, it put an end to the previous acts that
were associated with Hajj during the pre-Islamic period of
Ignorance and thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
became only busied with clarifying the rituals of Hajj in their
pure images that were transmitted from him and followed by the
believers at every age.
|
