Malik ibn Nuwayrah
Malik ibn Nuwayrah | |
|---|---|
| مالك بن نويرة | |
| Born | Arabia |
| Died | 632 CE (10/11 AH) |
| Spouse(s) | Layla bint al-Minhal |
| Parent(s) | Nuwayrah |
Malik ibn Nuwayrah (Arabic: مالك بن نويرة), also spelled as Malik ibn Nuwera was a contemporary to Muhammad, a chief of the Bani Yarbu', a clan of the Banu Hanzala, a large section of the powerful tribe of Bani Tamim which inhabited the north-eastern region of Arabia, between Bahrain and Najd. The tribe was pagan until Islam came to Arabia. The centre of Malik's clan was Butah.
In view of his distinguished position in the tribe and his unquestionable talents, Muhammad appointed him as an officer over the clan of Bani Handhalah. His main responsibility was the collection of taxes and their dispatch to Madinah.
Assassination
After Muhammad's demise, Abu Bakr was chosen as the caliph. Meanwhile, apostasy spread throughout Arabia and Malik ibn Nuwayra reportedly entered into an Anti-Rashidun alliance with the self-declared prophetess Sajah.[1] Malik was also accused of rebelling against Medina, the capital of the caliphate. The commander Khalid ibn al-Walid then searched for Malik and eventually founded him. Khalid then arrested the latter, along with his tribesmen of the Banu Yarbu. Then, Khalid asked them about the pact they signed with the self-proclaimed prophetess Sajah. Malik responded it was merely for revenge against their enemies.[2] Malik reportedly said 'Your master said this, your master said that', probably referring to Muhammad. After this, Khalid declared Malik an apostate and executed him. Ali and Umar criticized Khalid.[3]
Khalid's marriage to Malik's wife
Mālik b. Nuwayra was the Prophet's (s) representative to collect alms from his tribe. After the demise of the Prophet (s), Malik refused to give allegiance to Abu Bakr, so Khalid b. Walid went to his tribe and beheaded him even though he did not have any will to wage a battle against him. Then, he enslaved his wife and made intercourse with her. Although some people such as Abu Qutada and 'Umar condemned this act of Khalid and 'Umar called for his stoning, but Abu Bakr did not punish Khalid and said that he had made a mistake and paid the blood money for Malik from the bayt al-mal (public treasury).
Narration of Tarikh Al Tabari
‘Umar told Khalid: “You enemy of Allah! You killed a Muslim man and thereafter took his wife. By Allah, I will stone you".[4]
The chain of narration on the authority of which this report reached al Tabari is as follows:
Al Tabari — (narrates from) — (Muhammad) ibn Humaid (al Razi )— (who narrates from) — Salamah (ibn al Fadl al Razi) — (who narrates from) — Muhammad ibn Ishaq — (who narrates from)— Talhah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr — who says that it used to be Abu Bakr al Siddiq's instruction to his armies
References
- ^ Tibbetts 2018, p. Khalid ibn al-Walid section.
- ^ Tabari: Vol 9 p. 501-2.
- ^ Na, Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im; Naʻīm, ʻAbd Allāh Aḥmad (2009-06-30). Islam and the Secular State. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-03376-4.
- ^ Tarikh al Tabari 2 p. 274
See also
- 6th-century births
- 7th-century deaths
- 7th-century Arabs
- Ridda wars