Wahshi bin Harb (r.a.)

Long years passed after Hz. Hamza was martyred by Wahshi bin Harb. As the time passed, the polytheists got weaker day by day and Islam got stronger.

In the course of time, Wahshi started to feel the guilt and agony of killing an Islamic hero Hz. Hamza more and more. Eventually, Makkah was conquered by Muslims and Wahshi escaped to Taif.

After a while, a group of people from Taif was making preparations to go to the Messenger of Allah in order to accept Islam. When Wahshi heard about it, he started to feel terrible. This place was also going to be part of the Islamic land. He felt scared. He believed that Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) was going to punish the murderer of his uncle severely. He started to think, “Where shall I go? To Damascus or Yemen? Which one will Muslims conquer first?” While he was thinking like that, somebody from the group came to Wahshi and said,

“Shame on you! Do you not know that a person who becomes a Muslim is not killed and he is not questioned for his previous sins?”

These words relieved Wahshi. He decided to go to the Messenger of Allah with the group of people from Taif. However, he was not sure. How was Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) going to treat him?

When they went into the presence of the Messenger of Allah, Wahshi uttered kalima ash-shahada without introducing himself. He was nervous. How was the Messenger of Allah going to treat him? The Messenger of Allah raised his head and asked him “Are you not Wahshi?” Wahshi said, “Yes, I am.” Without showing any signs of anger, the compassionate and tolerant prophet of Islam said, “Sit here.” Then, the Prophet asked him to describe how he killed his uncle. When Wahshi finished talking, the Messenger of Allah said,

“O Wahshi! Keep away from me. Do not let me see you.”

For, the Prophet was going to remember his uncle Hz. Hamza, who was a hero of Islam, whenever he saw Wahshi. It was not possible for his tender heart to put up with it. That is why he spoke to Wahshi like that.

Wahshi was no longer “wahshi (wild)”; he attained guidance. He became a Companion. He was going to be mentioned with respect by the phrase ‘May Allah be pleased with him!’ Belief makes people have so many things. It leads a person from being wild to being light.

After Wahshi bin Harb became a Muslim, he clung to it so much that he made his notoriety be forgotten. During the Battle of Yamama against Musaylima al-Kadhdhab, who was an impostor, Wahshi ran to the battlefield with enthusiasm. The enemies of Islam were standing against him. When he was an unbeliever, he killed a hero of Islam. He still felt a twinge of guilt about it. He had to do something to relieve it. Interestingly, Wahshi had the spear that had killed Hz. Hamza years ago in his hand.

He saw Musaylima al-Kadhdhab standing against him with his sword. He got ready to attack him. Just then, a Companion from Ansar also attacked him. Wahshi thrust his spear into his body and sent him to Hell. Thus, an important problem that disturbed Muslims was solved. Wahshi felt very happy. Referring to this incident, he spoke as follows later:

“During the period of my ignorance, I killed the best man; after I became a Muslim, I killed the worst man.”