Sixth sign.Part2

and of His Messenger. This kind of love augments the love of the Prophet, and becomes a means to love God Almighty. Thus, it is permissible, and its excess is not harmful or aggressive, nor does it call for reproach and hostility towards others.

The Second Kind of love takes the means as the object, it is to love something or someone for itself or himself. In it, one does not think of the Prophet, (PBUH) but devotes one’s love to ‘Ali on account of his bravery, and to Hasan and Husayn on account of their greatness and lofty qualities, no matter if one knows the Prophet or recognizes God. This love is not a means of love for God and His Prophet; besides, when excessive, it results in censure and enmity for others. It is on account of this kind of love that such people held themselves at a distance from Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and fell into loss. Their negative love, indeed, is the source of misfortune.

According to an authentic narration, God’s Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) declared: “When Persian and Roman girls serve you, then calamity and misfortune will be with you, and your struggles will be between yourselves, with the wicked preying on the virtuous.” After thirty years, his predictions came true.

Again, according to an authentic narration, he declared: “The fortress of Khaybar will be conquered at Ali’s hand.” As a miracle of his prophethood and beyond all expectation, the following day ‘Ali ripped off the gate of the fortress of Khaybar, used it as a shield, and seized the fortress. When he threw it aside after the conquest, eight strong men or according to another version, forty tried to lift it, but could not do so. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also predicted the Battle of Siffin between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiya, saying: “The hour shall not come until two parties with a single claim fight each other.” He also declared that a group of rebels would kill ‘Ammar.  When ‘Ammar was killed at the Battle of Siffin, ‘Ali cited this as a proof that Mu‘awiya’s followers were rebellious; but Mu‘awiya interpreted it differently, and also ‘Amr b. al-‘As said: “The rebels are murderers, not all of us.”

The Noble Prophet (PBUH) also said: “As long as ‘Umar is alive, no sedition will erupt among you.” And so it happened.

Before accepting faith, Sahl b. ‘Amr was once captured in a battle. ‘Umar said to the God’s Messenger: “Allow me to pull out his teeth, for he, with his eloquent speech, incited the idolatrous Quraysh to wage war against us.” God’s Messenger replied: “It may be that he will assume a stance pleasing to you, O ‘Umar.” In fact, at the time of the Prophet’s demise, which caused panic and agitation, Sahl, with his well-known eloquence, calmed and comforted the Companions in Makkah with an address; while in Madinah Abu Bakr, with his great firmness, was also giving a very important address to comfort the Companions. Surprisingly, the two addresses resemble each other in regard to their wording.

To Suraqa, the Prophet once said: “You will wear the two bracelets of Chosroes.”  Chosroes was wiped out during the Caliphate of ‘Umar. When Chosroes’ jewelry arrived, ‘Umar put the bracelets on Suraqa, saying, “Praise be to God Who took these off Chosroes and put them on Suraqa.”  This confirmed the report of the Prophet.

The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also declared: “Once Chosroes the Persian has gone, there will be no other.”  So it turned out.

He once said to Chosroes’ envoy: “Chosroes has now been killed by his son Shirviya Parviz.”  Upon investigating and finding out that he had indeed been murdered at that very time, the envoy accepted Islam. The name of the envoy occurs in some narrations as Firuz.

According to an authentic narration, the Noble Prophet (PBUH) once mentioned a secret letter that Khatib b. Balta‘a had sent to the Quraysh.

He sent ‘Ali and Miqdad to fetch it, saying, “There is a person at such-and-such a location bearing such-and-such a letter. Take it and bring it here.” They went and brought exactly the letter he had described from exactly the place. The Prophet (PBUH) summoned Khatib and asked him why he had done it. Khatib apologized, and the Prophet pardoned him.

Again, according to an authentic narration concerning ‘Utba b. Abi Lahab, God’s Messenger prayed: “May he be eaten by one of the dogs of God!”,  predicting the terrible fate of ‘Utba. For while on his way to the Yemen, ‘Utba was devoured by a lion. Both the malediction and the prediction of the Prophet were thus confirmed.

At the conquest of Makkah, as is also related in an authentic narration, Bilal al-Habashi went up onto the roof of the Ka‘ba and made the call to prayer, while Abu Sufyan, ‘Attab b. Asid, and Harith b. Hisham, from among the leaders of the Quraysh, were sitting together nearby. ‘Attab said: “My father was fortunate enough not to witness this moment.” Harith said contemptuously about Bilal: “Could Muhammad have not found someone other than this black crow to make the mu’ezzin?” Abu Sufyan said: “I am afraid to say anything, for he will come to know of whatever I say. Even if nothing else informs him, the rocks of this Batha [Makkah] will do so.” Indeed, a little later the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) encountered them and repeated to them their conversation word for word.  That very moment ‘Attab and Harith became Muslims.