Sex, Sexuality and the Sahaba of Prophet Muhammad

 

Sex, Sexuality and the Sahaba

 

First example – Salafi belief that the Sahaba used to masturbate

While talking about masturbation, Imam of Salafies Ibn al-Qayim records in Bada’i al-Fuwa’id, Volume 4 page 129:

وروى أن الصحابة كانوا يفعلونه في غزواتهم وأسفارهم

“It is narrated that the companions used to do it during the battles and travels”

The amusing thing is Imam of the Deobandi Mufti Desai issued a Fatwa that masturbation is Haraam, and sought to evidence this through reliance on various high ranking Sunni opinions. This leaves the Debandies in a quandary. What will happen to their union with Salafis? They are desperate to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, demanding that reverence for the Sahaba by maintained at all costs, but how do they reconcile this with the Fatwa of Mufti Desai? They have two choices:

Option One: They disown Mufti Desai and deem him a Kaafir for issuing a fatwa that in effect deems the masturbating Sahaba to be men that indulged in a Haraam act?

Option Two: They deem the masturbating Sahaba to be gross sinners that violated the laws of Allah (swt)

Comment

The Nawasib need to decide how they wish to proceed on this. Are they prepared to urinate on the Fatwas passed by their blaspheming Imam? Or will they uphold his opinion, and distance themselves from these tight fisted Sahaba that will seriously damage the Sahaba platform that they share with the Salafis?

Second example – Muawiyah tolerated a person praising his mother’s genitalia

Sheikh Muhammad bin Qasim bin Yaqub (d. 940 H) records in his book Rawudh al-Akhbar al-Muntakhab min Rabee al-Abrar, pages 220-221:

 

Raudh Al-Akhbar, Page 220-221, By Mohammad bin Qasim bin Yaqub

“Muawiyah (ra) was famous for his cool temperament and no one could make him angry. Thus, one person claimed that he would make him angry. He went to him (Muawiyah) and said: ‘I would like to ask you to marry your mother to me because she had a large sweet tasting vagina.’ Muawiyah replied, ‘That is why my father loved her’. Muawiyah then ordered his treasurer to give him 1000 coins so that he might buy a slave girl for himself”.
Rawudh al-Akhbar al-Muntakhab min Rabee al-Abrar, pages 220-221

Comment

No legitimate son would tolerate any man taking about his honorable mother in this manner. Since Muawiyah was the illegitimate son of a shameless prostitute, the fifth khalifa of Ahle Sunnah must have assumed that the individual was a client taking from experience. Rather than face further humiliation, he felt it better to pay him and get him out of his sight!

Third example – Umar bin Khattab performed intercourse with a slave girl during her menses

One of the esteemed books of the Salafi & Deobandi cults namely Sunan Behaqqi, Volume 1 page 316 contains the following episode about their beloved Sahabi:

بهذا الإسناد عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه أنه كانت له امرأة تكره الرجال فكان كلما أرادها اعتلت له بالحيضة فظن أنها كاذبة فأتاها فوجدها صادقة فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فأمره أن يتصدق بخمسي دينار

Umar bin al-Khatab may Allah be pleased with had a slave girl who used to hate men. Whenever Umar wanted to have sexual intercourse with her, she apologized by advancing an excuse that she was having a period, hence Umar thought that she was telling lie, then (when he had sexual intercourse with her) he found that she was telling the truth. He then he went to the prophet (pbuh) and He (s) ordered him to pay fifty dinars as charity.

Comment

Just observe the total disregard Umar had for this poor woman. Rasulullah (s) had stressed that men should always indulge in foreplay with their women before they proceed to sexual intercourse. Had Umar done this he would have automatically realized that the poor woman was telling the truth. He clearly did not do that, which entitles us to infer that he in effect jumped onto the poor woman and proceeded to penetrate her when she rejected his advances. He would have only realized that she was telling the truth when he entered inside her! Is this the way that women should be treated? How did the poor woman feel? Already unwell on account of her menstrual state, she was accused of lying about her condition and was then forced to have sex against her will! Is this not shameless conduct?

Fourth example – The Sahabi Umar married a woman against her will and then raped her

We read in Tabaqat Ibn Saad, Volume 6 page 195:

We have been told by Afan Ibn Muslim – Hama’d Ibn Salamah – Ali Ibn Zayd that Attika Bintu Zayd was married to Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr, he died, but prior to his death he told her never to marry after him. She hence sat and did not marry afterwards; men asked for her hand and she refused. Umar spoke to her Guardian: ‘Mention me to her’ – so he (her Guardian) did and she refused Umar. Umar said: ‘Marry her to me’ -and so he did; then Umar came to her and restrained her physically until he subdued her, he then slept with her. When he released, he said: ‘Uff Uff Uff’.
Tabaqat Ibn Saad, Volume 8 page 265

Afan bin Muslim: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Thiqah’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v1 p679), Imam Al-Ejli said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Kamal, v20 p164), Imam Ibn Saad said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Tahdib, v7 p234), Ibn Qane said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Tahdib, v7 p234). Hamaad bin Salamah: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Thiqah’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v1 p238), Al-Ejli said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Tahdib, v3 p14), Al-Saji said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Tahdib, v3 p14), Yahya bin Moin said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Kamal, v7 p262). Ali bin Zayd: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Seduq’ (Fatah al-Bari, v11 p82). Al-Ejli said: ‘Nothing bad about him’ (Tahdib al-Kamal, v20 p438), Al-Saji said: ‘Truthful’ (Tahdib al-Tahdib, v7 p324), Yaqoob bin Shayba said: ‘Thiqah’ (Tahdib al-Kamal, v20 p438).

Comment

Our crucial observation of this tragic episode is as follows:

(1)- Atika did not want to marry Umar and she rejected his offer. Despite this rejection he still approached her Guardian who gave his blessing to the union. In Islam, a legitimate marriage has to be validated by a woman’s consent to marry the Groom, its absence in this case hence renders the marriage void. Why was Umar proceeding with a marriage that he knew the girl had not consented to? Atika went further than not giving her consent, she had made her intentions clear to Umar that she did not want to marry him! Umar’s ignoring the intention of the girls and getting the consent of her Guardian to marry proves the total disregard he had for women and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s).

(2)- On their wedding night, Umar approached her, struggled with her until he defeated her against her will, which is a disturbing move for one that Salafis deem the just / fair Commander of the Faithful. The struggle of ‘Aatika proves that she did not want Umar as her husband, otherwise, if she did Umar wouldn’t have to struggle with her, so as to consummate the marriage.

This is a shocking example of how a woman’s opinion bore no value in the eyes of Khalifa Umar. He set out with the desire to destroy her desire not to marry, and sought to do this through any means necessary, even if that involved marrying her without her consent and then raping her. Atika’s desire not to remarry following the death of her first husband can be further proven after a eulogy she recited after his death, making her intention not to marry quite explicit. This intention was so well known, that news of her remarriage surprised Imam Ali (as) who felt that something untoward had occurred. We read:

Then Umar married her in year 12, hence he made a banquet and invite a group, Ali bin Abi Talib was among them. He (Ali) said: ‘Oh commander of believers, let me talk to Atika’. He (Umar) replied: ‘Go ahead’. He (Ali) stood next to the door and said: ‘Oh you the enemy of your own self, what happened to your statement: ‘I would not let my eyes forgot the sadness for you, and would let my skin dusty’. Then she started to weep, hence Umar said: ‘Oh Aba al-Hassan, what is the reason to say such thing, all the women do this (marriage)’. He (Ali) said: ‘Allah almighty said: ‘O you who believe! why do you say that which you do not do?’ It is most hateful to Allah that you should say that which you do not do.’
Udsul Ghaba, Volume 1 page 1381 Biography of Atika bint Zaid
Istiab, Volume 2 page 107 Biography of Atika bint Zaid

What was the reason behind Imam Ali (as) seeking to publicly humiliate the poor woman in this way? It was clear that there was more to it. Imam Ali (as) was suspicious as to why she had remarried and quizzed her to ascertain the true facts, namely that she was the victim of a forced marriage. The suspicion of Imam Ali (as) was about to be confirmed as true, as can be evidenced from the fact that Atika then broke down in tears. Umar was by now fully aware that the poor woman had not given her consent and that he had raped her, which is why he quickly interjected stating that marriage is a norm for all women. This response essentially cut the conversation dead before Atika was able to open her mouth. Umar’s hasty intervention is clear proof of him seeking to hide something from Ali (as). If there was nothing to hide, why didn’t he allow his new bride to respond to the question?

Nasibis always try to convince their Western readers that in Islam, marriage is based around the doctrine of consent. This might indeed be the case but your esteemed Sahaba certainly did not see things that way. Umar’s misogynist attitude can be evidenced by the fact that he had asked for the hand of a woman that clearly did not want to marry him. Her reaction on the wedding night was such that any decent man would have sought to rectify the situation by either:

• terminating the wedding, which would have been simple after all Umar had introduced the doctrine of issuing three talaq recitals in one sittingor:
• leaving Aatika in peace. It is not uncommon for women to be apprehensive on their wedding night. Umar could have left the matter and then revisited the physical relationship when love developed between the couple.

Umar chose not to pursue either option, and in fact despite her opposition overpowered Atika and raped her. Is this how women are treated in the Salafi madhab? Is it right to deem a rapist with clear misogynistic attitude towards women to be a just / fair Islamic hero? Why should the Nasaibi object if we wish to distance ourselves from such an individual? It is all too common to read of tragic stories of fathers marrying their daughters without their consent, and these poor girls being raped by their husbands. Muslim communities residing in the West are increasingly being asked to understand the root causes of this problem so it can be addressed. Unfortunately this problem will remain as long as these communities continue to seek spiritual guidance from Khalifa Umar who partook in a forced marriage and raped his ‘bride’. If Salafis and Deobandis partake in forced marriage, one needs to understand that they are merely implementing the Sunnah of the Sahaba. Since all the Sahaba are deemed (by them) to be just and truthful, the forced marriage and marital rape undertaken by Umar should likewise be praise as a just trustworthy action.

Fifth example – The Sahabi Khawat bin Jubair Ansari raped a girl

Khawat bin Jubair Ansari was one of the companions of Holy Prophet (s) (Taqrib al-Tahdib, page 196 Biography 1759) and Sunni scholar Shaykh Salah-uddin Khalil bin Aybak al-Safadi (d. 764 H) records the following account in his famed work Al-Wafei bil Wafyat, Volume 13 page 266:

فكانت امرأة من تيم الله، حضرت سوق عكاظ ومعها نحيا سمن، فاستخلى بها خوات هذا ليبتاعهما منها، ففتح أحدهما وذاقه ودفعه إليها، فأخذته بإحدى يديها، ثم فتح الآخر وذاقه ودفعه إليها، فأمسكته بيدها الأخرى. ثم غشيها وهي لا تقدر على الدفع عن نفسها لحفظها فم النحيين وشحها على السمن. فلما فرغ، قام عنها فقالت: لا هنأك

There was a woman that came to the Ukaz market holding a tin of ghee, then Khawat started talking to her so as to buy (the ghee) from her. He opened the first tin to taste it and then he gave it to her, she held it in one hand. He then opened the second tin in order to taste it and then gave it to her, she held it in the other hand. He then raped her and she wasn’t able to push him away because she didn’t want to lose the ghee. When he finished, she said to him: ‘I hope you didn’t enjoy it’.

Comment

Just look at the disgraceful conduct of this Sahabi. You often read such tragic stories in the newspapers, wherein a poor woman is duped and then raped. Here we see the rapist is a Sahabi, and Nawasib would demand that we speak of him with respect.

Sixth example – The Sahabi Umro bin Hamza performed Zina

Ibn Atheer records about him:

‘He attended Hudaybia along with Allah’s messenger (pbuh), then he went to Madina and after that he asked Prophet (s)’s permission to go back to his homeland hence He (s) granted him the permission, then he went back, while he was on his way in an area called S’awa, he saw a beautiful Arabian slave girl, then Satan whispered him till he had sexual intercourse with her.’
Usud al-Ghaba, Volume 1 page 846

Seventh example – According to Nawasib, a Sahabi namely Heet was homosexual

We read the following ‘appraisal’ of a Sahabi in two esteemed books of Ahle Sunnah:

هيت المخنث

“Heet the homosexual”
1. Usad al-Ghaba, Volume 1 page 1319
2. Al-Isaba, Volume 6 page 563

Comment

Salafis and Neo Deobandis demand that respect should be afforded to all the Sahaba, since Allah (swt) is pleased with all of them. We congratulate them for affording respect to Sayyidina Heet (ra).

Eighth example – The Sahabi Hakam bin al-Aas was homosexual

Hakam bin al-Aas, the notorious uncle of Uthman has been included as a Sahaba by Imam Ibn Hajar Asqalani (Al-Isaba, Volume 2 page 104) and Imam Dhahabi (Syar alam alnubala, volume 2 page 107). Let us read the following characteristics of this beloved relative of Uthman recorded by Allamah Damiri in his famed work Hayat al-Haywan, Volume 2 page 247:

قال ابن ظفر. وكان الحكم بن أبي العاص يرمى بالداء العضال وكذلك أبو جهل.

Ibn al-Zafar said: ‘al-Hakam bin Abi al-Aas was homosexual and so was Abu Jahl’

Nineth example – The Sahabi Amro bin al-Aas offered/exposed his buttocks to his enemy in order to save his life

We read in Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Volume 7 page 293:

One day Ali attacked Amro bin al-Aas, he threw a spear and Amro fell to the ground, Amro fell to the ground and he then exposed his buttocks. Ali then turned away his face, [people said]: ‘This was Amro bin Aas’. Ali replied: ‘He showed me his anus and this made me merciful to him’. When Amro ibn Aas returned, Mu’awiya said: ‘You should praise Allah and your anus’.

Tenth example – The Sahaba love triangle

 Imam Ahmed has recorded the following account of an extra marital affair that a married female and a male companion of Prophet (s).  The two lovers undertook an illicit affair, in doing so they cheated on another companion of the Prophet (s) that too right during the era of Holy Prophet (s):

Anas narrates that Halal bin Umayya accused his wife of committing adultery with Shoraik bin Sehma. The Holy prophet (s) said: ‘Take care of this lady, if a baby is born to her with curly hair, eyes of this feature, and thin thighs, he belongs to Shoraik bin Sehma, if he is fair complexioned with straight hair, and sunken eyes, he belongs to of Halal bin Umayya’. When the baby was born his characteristics resembled those of the first one (namely Shoraik bin Sehma).
Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal, Volume 19 page 435 Hadith 12450

Shaikh Shoib al-Arnaut has stated that the chain of narration is Sahih on as per the standards of Bukhari and Muslim.

Biography of Sahabi Shoraik bin Abda bin Mugheeth also known as Shuraik bin Sehma has been recorded by Imam Ibn Abdul Barr in Al-Istiab, volume 2 page 705, he was amongst  combatants at Uhud. Halal bin Umaya al-Ansari partook in the battle of Badar as mentioned in al-Istiab, volume 4, page 1542.   AS for the female companion at the centre of this love triangle, namely Khawla bint Asim, her biography has been recorded by Imam Ibn Hajar Aasalani in al-Isaba, volume 8, page 118 No. 1119.