Tolerates the Enemy of the State

While the Messenger of God was returning from his campaign against Bani Mustaliq tribe, a dispute had occurred between Jahjah ibn Mas'ud al-Ghifari of the Muhajirun and Sannan ibn Wabr al-Jahani of the Ansar. Abdullah ibn Obayy, who was [a hypocrite] from the Ansar said: 'When we return to Medina the mighty will surely drive out the weak.' By the 'mighty' he meant himself and by the weak he meant 'the Prophet Muhammad'. By declaring this slogan Abdullah ibn Obayy tried to use the dispute to bring about a commotion in the Muslim community and break its unity.

As a result of the said slogan, the Ghifari called upon the Muhajirun and the Jahani called upon the Ansar (to fight one

another with the help of their respective factions - this would have meant the first inter-Muslim clash). The Messenger of God said: 'Is it to be the call of the Jahiliyyah (the Times of Ignorance) while I am still among you?' Zaid ibn Arqam told the Messenger of God of what Abdullah ibn Obayy had said and the chapter of the Qur'an named 'The Hypocrites' was revealed in this regard.

Abdullah, the son of Abdullah ibn Obayy disassociated himself from his father and came to the Messenger of God and said: 'O Messenger of God, you are the mightiest and he is the meanest. I swear that if you wish we will drive him out O Messenger of God.' He waited for his father near to Medina and said: 'Do not enter the city until the Messenger of God grants you permission to enter.'

The father complained of his son to the Messenger of God who sent word for him to let him enter. He said: 'Now the permission has come so you may enter.' He also said: 'I have heard O Messenger of God that you wish to kill my father and I fear that if you order someone other than me to do so that I will not be able to let the killer of my father walk in the land without killing him and by this entering the hellfire because of killing a believer for an infidel. The Ansar know that I am the most dutiful of them to his father. But, O Messenger of God if you intend to kill him then order me to do so and I will bring you his head.'

The Messenger of God said words of kindness to him and told him to accompany his father in a fine manner as long as he was amongst the Muslims.

Adopted from the book : "The Prophet Muhammad; a Mercy to the World" by : "Ayatullah Muhammad Sadiq al-Shirazi"