Question:
Assalamualaikum Shaykh
Who is the man mentioned in Yasin 20 and is there any significance who he is?
Thank you and may Allah’s blessing be with the team.
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
The Story of Habib an-Najjar
It is mentioned in Surah Ya-Sin:
وَجَاء مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
{And there came a man running from the farthest part of the town. He said, “O my people! Obey the Messengers.”} (Surah Yasin 36:20.)
Jesus sent his apostles to that valley, to the people of the city of Antioch, who were idol-worshippers. When the people rejected and cursed these messengers, a devout local man, named Habib an-Najjar, came running from outside the city affirming to the people the message the apostles came with. They began to stone him while he was saying, “O God, guide my people for they do not know,” and they kept stoning him and despite that he never stopped praying for them, until finally they killed him.
Even after his death, his concern remained for his people, for God granted him to enter Paradise directly as a martyr, after being killed so violently. He did not consider how they harmed him, rather he forgave, and further wished that his people could know what he was seeing with his own eyes of the honor God granted him so that they would change their ways and turn to God.
`Abdullah ibn `Abbas, son of the Prophet (s)’s uncle al-`Abbas, was confirmed by the Prophet (s) as one of the foremost people in understanding and interpreting the Holy Qur’an, said, “He was sincere towards his people during his lifetime by saying:
يقَوْمِ اتَّبِعُواْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
{‘O my people! Obey the Messengers.‘} (Surah Yasin 36:20.)
and after his death by saying:
قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ – بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
{‘If only my people knew that my Lord has forgiven me, and made me among the honored ones! Because of my faith in my Lord and my belief in the Messengers.’} (Surah Yasin, 36:27)
He meant that if they could see the great reward and eternal blessings he had attained, it would have lead them to follow the messengers. This sacrifice he made in the hope that his people would be guided.
The Prophet (s) predicted that there will come a time when the Mahdi (as) will appear in that area of Antioch, as will the Anti-Christ and Jesus. Near the valley of Umuq, there will be a great battle in the time of the Mahdi (as). This is why in his book Al-`Aqidah Murshidah, Imam Ibn `Asakir mentioned that the Prophet (s) told his Sahaba that the Anti-Christ was coming from behind the date trees, and the Sahaba were looking behind the date trees, fully expecting him to appear in their time.
This didn’t happen yet, but can you say the Prophet (s) did not speak the truth? Anyone who could say that is completely outside the realm of belief. If he said that the Companions will see it, they will; Allah will send them to see it. The predictions of the Prophet (s) will always come true.
Grandshaykh ق said:
The Companions will see the Anti-Christ, Jesus (as), and Mahdi (as) through our eyes, and we are the children of the Companions, their descendents. When the Prophet (s) was talking to the Companions, by order of Gabriel (as) he was talking to us. We were sitting behind the Companions, we were listening to the Prophet (s) with our ears, and that is how the Friends of God hear and see, just as the Companions did.
That means if they tell you that you will see Mahdi (as), and it doesn’t happen in your lifetime, then your offspring will see him. Don’t question or doubt. Your descendents will see these things even if you don’t. These predictions are addressed to the entire human race: past, present and future. We too will see the war and we will get the rewards.
[excerpt from Banquet of the Soul, by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, published by Institute for Spiritual and Cultural Advancement]
Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani
