The Story of Alqamah

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Sayyidina Anas (peace be upon him) reports that there was a person during the time of the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) by the name of Alqamah (peace be upon him). He exerted himself greatly for the cause of Islam and gave a lot of charity.  It once happened that he fell seriously ill.  His wife summoned the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) via another woman.

    The Holy Last Messenger  (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Sayyidina Ali, Bilal, Salman Farsi and Ammar (peace and blessings be upon them) to examine the situation.  They found Alqama in the throes of death and, try as they may, they could not get him to recite the kalimah.  Sayyidina Bilal (peace  be upon him) reported the situation to the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) asked whether his parents were alive, and was informed that his mother was alive, and that she was extremely old.  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Sayyidina Bilal (peace be upon him) to request her to come to him; otherwise, he would go to her.

  When the old lady received the message, she said, “May my soul be sacrificed for the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)! I shall go to him.” She then took the support of a stick and walked to meet the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).  When she arrived in the presence of the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), she greeted with salaam and sat down.

  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) replied to her greeting and told her, “Do reply truthfully to whatever I shall ask you. If you lie, I will be informed thereof by revelation.  Tell me, what kind of a person is Alqamah?” She replied, “He performs a lot of salah, fasts often and his spending in charity cannot even be estimated.”

  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) then asked her, “How is the relationship between the two of you?”  She replied, “ I am angry with him.” When the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) asked her the reason for this, she said, “Because he gives preference to his wife over me.  He listens to her more than he listens to me and accepts what she has to say.” The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The displeasure of his mother has prevented him from reciting the Kalimah.”  Turning to Sayyidina Bilal (peace be upon him), the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Bilal! Gather some wood so that I may burn Alqamah.”  The old lady was startled and asked the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), “Are you going to burn my son, the apple of my eye?  How can I tolerate this?”

  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) told her, “Allah’s punishment is more severe and eternal.  If you wish that Allah forgives your son, then be pleased with him.  By Allah!  His salah, fasting, etc can never be of avail without your pleasure.”  She immediately raised her hands and said, “Oh Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)! I call yourself and all those present here to witness that I am pleased with Alqamah!”

  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) then sent Sayyidina Bilal (peace be upon him) to see whether Alqamah (peace be upon him) could recite the kalimah.  He said, “it is just possible that she has declared her pleasure with Alqamah because of me, without being pleased with him from her heart.” As Sayyidina Bilal (peace be upon him) entered the door, he heard sayyidina Alqamah (peace be upon him) loudly reciting “La ilaha illAllah.”  Sayyidina Bilal (peace be upon him) told the people that the displeasure of Alqamah’s mother had kidnapped his tongue.

  Sayyidina Alqamah (peace be upon him) passed away the same day.  The Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the funeral (janazah) salah and then told the people, “Listen, O gathering of Muhajireen and Ansar!  Allah’s curse is on the person who prefers his wife to his mother.  Neither are his Faraidh (obligatory) nor his Nawafil (supererogatory) [acts of devotion for the Sake of Almighty God] accepted.”

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