Hamza b. Abd al-Muttalib: Difference between revisions

The battle of Uhud happened on Saturday, 15th of Shawwal 3 AH. In that battle, Hamza was martyred by Wahshi b. Harb, the Ethiopian slave of the daughter of Harith b. 'Amir b. Nawfal or the slave of Jubayr b. Mut'im.

According to a report, Harith's daughter promised Wahshi to free him if he killed Muhammad (s), Hamza or Ali (a) as a revenge for her father who was killed in the battle of Badr. According to another report, Jubayr b. Mut'im promised Wahshi freedom if he could take revenge of his uncle Tughayma b. 'Adi who was killed in the battle of Badr. However, undoubtedly, the motives of Hind, daughter of 'Utba, wife of Abi Sufyan was greater than that of Jubayr or the daughter of Harith to take revenge for her father, brother and uncle who were killed in the battle of Badr. According to some reports, Hind encouraged Wahshi to that with the promise of giving him money.

According to a report, Hind had a vow to eat the liver of Hamza. First, Wahshi promised to kill Ali (a), but in the battlefield, he martyred Hamza and took his liver to Hind. Hind gave Wahshi her clothes and jewels and promised to give him ten Dinars in Mecca. Then, she came to the body of Hamza and mutilated his body and by those parts of his body she cut, later made earrings, bracelet and anklets for herself. It is said that Mu'awiya b. Mughayra and Abu Sufyan also mutilated or injured the body of Hamza.

Due to the savagery of the things happened to the body of Hamza, some companions of the Prophet (s) swore that they would mutilate 30 or more of the people of Quraysh, but the verse 126 of Surah Nahl was revealed and although it gave them the permission for doing the same but regarded patience a better act instead.

Hamza was the first martyr of the battle of Uhud that the Prophet (s) performed prayer upon and then other martyrs were brought in different times and were laid beside him and then the Prophet (s) performed prayer upon them. Therefore, he (s) did prayer upon the martyrs individually or collectively about 70 times. Hamza was shrouded in a piece of cloth, his sister Safiyya had brought, since he was idolaters had stolen all his clothes.

When the noble Prophet (s) saw Hamza that way, cried and when he (s) heard the Helpers crying for their martyrs, he (s) said, "but Hamza does not have anyone to mourn for him!" Sa'd b. Ma'adh heard this and took women to the house of the Prophet (s) and they mourned for Hamza. Since then, any woman from the Helpers who wanted to mourn for a deceased person, would first mourn for Hamza. It is said that Zaynab, daughter of Abu Salama wore black clothes of mourning for Hamza.

It is said that Lady Fatima (s) used to visit Hamza's grave and had marked it with stones.

Due to their enmity for the family of the Prophet (s), Umayyads badly treated the graves of Hamza and other martyrs of Uhud. It is said that in the rule of Uthman, Abu Sufyan trampled on the grave of Hamza and addressed him saying, "what you draw sword on us for to defend is now the toy of our youths!" Mu'awiya too, around 40 years after the event of Uhud, used the excuse of flowing the water of a spring on that area, or due to his enmity with the family of the Prophet (s) ordered that the martyrs of Uhud (including Hmaza) to be exhumed and their bodies be replaced. Thus apparently, the graves of some martyrs of Uhud and also Hamza might have been changed.

The grave of Hamza used to have a tomb and a mosque beside it, but after Wahhabis and Saudis came to power, they destroyed his tomb and the mosque beside it in 1344 AH and built another mosque which is now known as the mosque of Uhud, Ali and Hamza in the west side of it. Grave of Hamza has been a common place of visit by Shia pilgrims especially Iranians from long ago.

An example of the great influence of Hamza's personality and his popularity was that after he was martyred, some of the companions of the Prophet (s) named their sons after him. The martyrdom of Hamza and Ja'far b. Abi Talib has been considered the cause of diminishing the power of Bani Hashim against Quraysh and Ali b. Abi Talib's (a) loss of the caliphate after the Prophet (s).

In their debates against their opponents, Imam Ali (a) and other Imams (a) mentioned their relation with Hamza and Ja'far as an honor.

There are many hadiths about the virtues of Hamza. The Prophet (s) called Hamza, Ja'far b. Abi Talib and Ali (a) best of people and among his seven best relatives among Bani Hashim. He (s) also called them best of martyrs. He (s) used to say that Hamza did justice to kinship and had many good deeds.

Hamza's children were three sons with the names of 'Amara, Ya'li and 'Amir. 'Amara (biggest son of Hamza) was present in conquering Iraq. Ya'li had five sons. Although, it is mentioned in sources that his progeny did not continue but in 10th century, some people were considered his descendants.