Provision, Under the Shade of the Spear

Provision, Under the Shade of the Spear

29: Provision, Under the Shade of the Spear

Narrated Ibn Umar (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said, “My livelihood is under the shade of my spear, and he who disobeys my orders will be humiliated.” (Sahih Bukhari, p.408, vol.1)

The virtue of the spear has been mentioned in this hadith and we have been informed that the livelihood and provision of the Prophet (saw) lies in the spear (jihaad). This is why the muhaditheen have stated that the best earning is that of war booty and it is clearly proven by this hadith that booty has been made permissable for this Ummah.

Note: the term “humiliation for the kuffar” in the hadith, means paying jizya (a small tax levied for the non-Muslim citizens – dhimmis – of the Islamic state). (Fath ul Bari, p.116, vol.2)

Only the spear has been mentioned out of all the war weaponry that, “livelihood has been placed under the spear” because generally, the flag is raised high on a spear, so the spear has been mentioned indicating towards the flag, and the livelihood means the booty. Allah has classified the wealth of the booty as clean wealth, as Allah says:

“And remember when you were few and reckoned weak in the land and were afraid that men might kidnap you. But He provided a safe place for you, strengthened you with His help, and provided you with good things so that you might be grateful.”(Anfal: 26)

The commentary of “good” (tayyab), in the above verse has been explained as booty.

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) the Prophet (saw) said, “I have been given five things which were not given to anyone else before me:

1. Allah made me victorious by awe (by his frigtening my enemy), for a distance of one month’s journey.

2. The earth has been made for me (and my followers) a place for offering salah and a thing to purify (perform tayyamum), therefore anyone of my followers can offer salaah wherever he is at the time of salaah.

3. The booty has been made halal to me, yet it was not lawful to anyone else before me.

4. I have been given the right of intercession.

5. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have sent to all mankind”. (Sahih Bukhari, p.51, English summarised edition; Muslim; Bayhaqi, p.4, vol.9)

Allah comfirmed the deen of Islam to overpower all deens and for the guidance of mankind til the day of Judgement. To uphold this status, certain different tactics had been introduced to remove the barrier in the spreading of Islam and ultimately to break the backbone of the enemy.

One of these tactics was the permissability of the booty, by which the economical state of the unbelievers becomes weak, which means that they cannot lead the Muslims astray by their wealth and cannot trap the Muslims in the luxuries of the worldly wealth which will lead to the humanity being deprived of Islam.

Looking at the aspect of human nature, one main reason for the nations being led astray is wealth. Its false sparkle had led millions of astray and to such an extent in the past that the Prophets (as) have been denied and even killed.

It was the wealthy unbelievers who created the enmity against these Prophet (as) in the people’s hearts by their wealth. This is why Musa (as) made a curse for the destruction of the wealth of the Pharaohs, as it is stated in the Qur’an:

“Our Lord! destroy their wealth and harden their hearts”.(Yunus: 88)

The above verse means the Pharaoh and his hosts are leading men astray from Allah’s path by their splendour and wealth. This is why Musa (as) supplicated to Allah to destroy their wealth.

In examining the aspect of wealth and the nature of the unbelievers, Islam proposed a cure which was to make the booty permissable and further stating it is “good” wealth, making is impossible for the disbelievers to overpower the Muslims economically and influencing them from Allah’s deen by their wealth.

The Prophet’s (saw) first expedition was intended to target Abu sufyan’s trade caravan. It is stated in hadith and tafseer that the Prophet (saw) found out Abu Sufyan was passing by with a trade caravan, so the Prophet (saw) informed his companions to prepare themselves and said, “it is possible that Allah will make this convoy a booty for you”, but Abu Sufyan’s caravan managed to save themselves from the Muslims and the Muslims were confronted by those who came to defend the convoy.

Allah presented the Muslims with a great victory and humiliated the Kuffar with a great defeat. The Prophet (saw) had set out aiming for Abu Sufyan’s convoy, but Allah had decided to elevate Haqq and to humiliate kufr.

The historic battle of Badr was fought and the Muslims enjoyed the booty and 70 prisoners. The ransom to free the prisoners was also given to the Muslims. After this Allah opened the doors for this blessed wealth and big booty was received within the life time of the Prophet (saw). When the Prophet (saw) passed away, the treasures of Rome and Persia were piled up in the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah, which was shared out between the Muslims.

It was because of this booty and the Islamic welfare system, that the Muslims witnessed such an era that a person used to set out looking for another person to accept his zakat but there was nobody to accept it.