Kiss of a Hero

Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) once dispatched a group of people to approach the Romans. There was one man in the group who had the status of a Companion and his name was Abdullah bin Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him). During their journey, the entire Muslim group were captured and held captive by the Romans. The Romans at the time were the superpowers and dominated other nations with their power and prowess. To them belonged the riches of the earth and the wealth of the world.

The Roman Emperor was not too bothered about the captives till he was informed by his guards that there is a man amongst the Muslims who is a companion of Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him). The Emperor recognised instantly that this is a golden opportunity to lure an extraordinary Muslim away from the fold of Islam. If he could do this to Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) then it would bring many other Muslims into disbelief and also justify his rule over the Roman Empire. The Emperor’s mouth watered at this prospect and so he initiated his torture of Abdullah ibn Hudhafaa (May Allah be pleased with him).

Abdullah ibn Hudhafaa (May Allah be pleased with him) was brought before the Roman Emperor and his guards. It was the custom of the Roman’s to give entertainment to their people and their kingdom. The proud Emperor approached Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) in a very eloquent but manipulative way and then made a proposal of a lifetime! With his citizens looking on, he asked Abdullah ibn Hudhafaa (May Allah be pleased with him),

“I shall share my kingdom and my authority with you if you become a Christian.”

The Roman Emperor, the most powerful ruler of the time was offering the riches of the world to Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) but Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) himself was no ordinary man, he was a Companion of the Prophet . He was more interested in building a palace of his own in Jannah than accumulating the kingdom of a superpower. Thus he replied in a nonchalant yet meaningful tone,

“If you offer me your entire kingdom combined with the kingdom of all the Arabs in exchange for leaving the religion of Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) for the duration equal to the blinking of an eye, I would still not do so...”

The Roman Emperor and his entire kingdom were so taken back by the response of Abdullah ibn Hudhafaa (May Allah be pleased with him) that the whole atmosphere maintained a stirring silence. The Emperor had never envisaged such a great offer being rejected and laughed off with the degree of derision given to him by the likes of Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him). Infuriated, the Roman Emperor then threatened,

“I shall then have you killed!”

Such was the resilience of Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) that he replied with the most nonchalant of tones. He merely replied,

“My body is at your disposal, do as you please.”

The Roman Emperor ordered his men to grab Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) and tie him upon a cross. The Roman archers were then given the order to fire arrows at Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) but in a way which would injure him and scare him. Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) was not aware of this ploy, he genuinely believed that he was to be killed on the cross and the Roman Emperor gave Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) a final chance to forsake Islam but each time he invited Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) the latter would reject. The arrows were then fired at this resolute Muslim yet the words which reverberated in the palace of Rome were the same words we wear on our sleeves,

“I bare witness that there is no deity worth worship but Allah and that Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger!”

The Roman Emperor and his men were all wonderstruck as to why this man was such a loyal servant of Islam. The Emperor then threw one final roll of the dice and attempted to penetrate the belief of Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) by killing to other Muslims in front of his very eyes.

Two Muslim prisoners were dragged into the court of this ruthless tyrant and handled rigorously. The fuming Roman Emperor demanded a cauldron of boiling hot water be brought forth and when it was presented to the Emperor, he would turn and say to Abdullah ibn Hudaafah (May Allah be pleased with him),

“Renounce your faith or I will kill your Muslim brothers.”

Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) still refused to leave the religion of Allah the Almighty and continued to show inspirational resistance. The Roman Emperor now accepted defeat; he was frustrated with the spirit of Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) and hence ordered his guards to kill Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) also. It was then the guards came and seized him that Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) showed the first signs of wavering. He began to cry copiously and the Roman Emperor’s face lit up with huge satisfaction! He got the reaction that he wanted, he saw tears streaming down the face of his prisoner, and he saw the suffering and agony in his eyes. This was the perfect time to pull Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa away from Islam and so the emperor said,

“O Abdullah! Leave the religion of Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him)!"

Then, from the behind the abundant rivers of sorrow came a thunderous reply that could supersede the sound of a million storms,

“I bare witness that there is no deity worth worship but Allah and that Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger!”

The Roman Emperor was in awe, he was bamboozled as to why he got this roaring reply. He enquired,

“Then...why do you weep?”

The reply of Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) was such that it deserves to be written in the house of every Muslim in gold. He said,

“The reason I cry is because a thought just passed my mind that only now will I be killed and thrown into this cauldron. The reason I weep is because I am upset. I wish that I had as many lives as the hairs on my body so that each one could be given for the pleasure of Allah!”

The Emperor began to tremble in awe of this great man and so he requested in front of his entire palace,

“Would you please kiss my forehead in exchange for your freedom?”

Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) bartered,

“In exchange for all the prisoners?”

“Yes, in exchange for all the prisoners.”

Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) said to himself,

“Although he is an enemy of Allah, I don’t mind kissing his forehead in exchange for my freedom as well as the freedom of all the Muslim prisoners.”

Therefore he drew closer and kissed the forehead of the Roman Emperor, after which all the prisoners were freed.

Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) then brought them all back to Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) and informed him of the happenings of his adventure. The Commander of the Believers then got up and legislated to the masses,

“It is compulsory for every Muslim to kiss the head of Abdullah ibn Hudhaafa (May Allah be pleased with him) and I shall be the first!"