Verify before you believe (Part 1) – by Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Verify before you believe (Part 1) – by Mufti Ebrahim Desai

(An extract from the Tafseer of Surah Hujarat by Mufti Ebrahim Desai Saheb

‘O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.’

The background to the revelation of these verses is Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu),  the father of Juwairiyyah (Radi Allahu anha),who was the leader of the tribe of Banu Mustaliq, a very wealthy tribe. Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) came to Madinah Munawwara.Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam invited him to Islam and he accepted Islam.Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam told him to go back to his tribe and invite them also to Islam and If they accept Islam, tell them to perform Salaah, and and pay the Zakaat as they were very wealthy. Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) made an arrangement with Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam to send a companion as his representative to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq.

Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) returned to his tribe and invited his people to Islam and within a short period of time the tribe of Banu Mustaliq accepted Islam. They started performing Salaah.Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) advised them to pay their zakaat.

Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam sent Waleed ibn Uqbah (radi Allahu anhu) to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq to meet with Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) to collect the zakaat. Waleed ibn Uqbah (radi Allahu anhu) travelled to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq, and before he could meet them, he thought to himself that there is bad blood between him and the tribe.A thought crossed his mind that the tribe of Banu Mustaliq are plotting to kill him. This suspicion led him to return to Madinah Munawwara.He went back to Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam and told him that he went to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq,and (according to his thought),the tribe of Banu Mustaliq plotted to kill him.

Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam did not act on the suspicion of Waleed bin Uqbah (radi Allahu anhu).He investigated the issue.Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam instructed Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anhu) to go to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq to inquire about the matter.

On the other side Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) and his people were waiting for the representative of Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam to welcome him. When no one came, they were concerned – Is RasulullahSallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam angry with them? Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) decided to go to Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam and clarify the matter with Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam. On the other side, Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anhu) was travelling to the tribe of Banu Mustaliq to meet Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu).On the way they met each other and Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anhu) asked Harith bin Dhirar  (radi Allahu anhu) what is the matter – Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam sent a representative, and your tribe plotted to kill him.This information came as a shock to Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu)  and he responded that Waleed bin Uqbah (radi Allahu anhu) never came to them and neither did they plan to kill him. Infact they were waiting for him to welcome him and honor him as he was the representative of Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam.Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) appreciated the information from Khalid (radi Allahu anhu) and proceeded directly to Madinah Munawwarah to meet Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam to clarify the matter directly with Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam.

When Harith bin Dhirar (radi Allahu anhu) told Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam what had happened, that is when Allah revealed these verses in which Allah says, when information comes to you, and you have doubt about that information then don’t just accept the information, rather clarify it.

The Tafseer of Surah Hujarat was conducted by Mufti Saheb in U.K [Ramadhaan 2010] and can be download here.