Hadith No: 6
Ibn Shabba al-Namaiyri - Tarikh al-Madina - The Enforcement of Hudud by Umar (ra) on the Near and Far
Volume: (3) - Page Number: (846 > 849)
[The text is lengthy, so only the relevant excerpt is provided here]
- Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us from Muhammad ibn Jaafar, who said: When al-'Ala ibn al-Hadhrami, the governor of Bahrain for Umar (ra), passed away, Umar (ra) appointed Qudamah ibn Muz'un as his successor. He set out to campaign against some lands of the Persians and encountered difficulties and excuses on their journey. They passed by an open house, and Qudamah, al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, Uyayesh ibn Abi Rabiyah al-Makhzumi, and Ibn Hanzhalah al-Ruzqi al-Ansari entered it.
They found abundant food and wine in jars, so Qudamah and some of those with him ate and drank from the wine. Then Abu Hurayrah (ra) caught up with them, passed by the house, and entered it. He found them and disapproved of what they had done. He said, "What business do you have with this, O son of his father?" Uyayesh replied, "By Allah, I was not in a position to influence their actions, nor did I drink what they drank." Umar (ra) then asked, "What is your reason for being with them?" He replied, "I found shade in their presence and scooped up a piece of bread, eating it and drinking water with it." Al-Jarud al-Abdali and a man from the clan of Bani Rabah ibn Yarbou', ibn Hanzhalah, who was a eunuch in the time of ignorance and was called the Eunuch of Bani Rabah, went with a group of people from Bahrain until they arrived before Umar (ra). They mentioned Qudamah's situation and testified against him for drinking wine. Umar (ra) became angry with them and was greatly displeased, rebuking them and refusing to dismiss them, while also preventing others from doing so. Al-Jarud passed by Umar's (ra) house, where his daughter was looking out; she was Qudamah's niece. She said, "By Allah, I hope that Allah will humiliate you!" He replied, "Allah only humiliates the eyes that resemble yours or your father will sin." Umar (ra) hoped they would retract their testimonies, but the more they were confronted, the more intense their resolve became. He sent for them and listened to what they had to say, saying, "By Allah, I have never appointed a leader for personal desire, except for Qudamah. Then, by Allah, Allah did not bless me in him." Then he wrote to Abu Hurayrah (ra): "If what they testified is true, then punish Qudamah accordingly and be just."
When Umar's letter came, Abu Hurayrah (ra) administered the punishment to Qudamah. Qudamah then came to Umar (ra) to complain about Abu Hurayrah, and Abu Hurayrah (ra) came forward. Umar (ra) sent for him and said, "Compete with Qudamah, for he has complained about you." He replied, "I will not do so until my mind is clear and the weariness of travel is gone from me. I have been deprived of sleep during my journey." He remained for three days, then competed with Qudamah in Umar's house, where Umar (ra) had Zaynab bint Muz'uun, the mother of Hafsah, and Abdullah, the sons of Umar, present. They exchanged arguments, and Abu Hurayrah (ra) was the most verbally adept among them. Zaynab bint Muz'uun became distressed and said, "May Allah curse you, O long-tongued old man, unjust!" Abu Hurayrah replied, "Indeed, may Allah curse you, O red, dusty old woman, with a foul tongue, who speaks immorally in her house!" Qudamah said, "O Commander of the Faithful, ask him why he punished me." He said, "I punished you for what I saw in you." Qudamah asked, "Did you see me drinking wine?" He replied, "No." Umar (ra) said, "Allah is the Greatest." Abu Hurayrah (ra) said, "May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr! Your wife insults me, you judge between me and your son-in-law in your house, and you help me with your exclamations of disapproval." Umar (ra) said, "So stand up." They all stood until we sat in the mosque, and people gathered around them. Qudamah said, "I ask you by Allah, did you see me drinking wine?" He replied, "No." Qudamah continued, "Did you see me buying it?" He said, "No." Qudamah asked, "Did you see me carrying it?" He said, "No." Qudamah then inquired, "Did you see it being carried to me?" He said, "No." Qudamah exclaimed, "Allah is the Greatest! Then why did you punish me?" He answered, "I punished you because I saw you vomiting it, expelling it from your stomach. So, how did you ingest it?" Qudamah replied, "And you consider yourself knowledgeable about wine?" He said, "Yes, by Allah! I could drink it, but I did not drink it after I pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny)." Umar (ra) said, "Repent to Allah, O Qudamah! Allah speaks the truth, and you lie, you show affection, and you act in excess. Repent to Allah." Ibn Jundab al-Hudhali came to him from Bahrain and he provided for him. When Umar (ra) struck him for drinking, Ibn Jundab said:
"I hope for good from Qudamah after he has been struck with the whip on every bone and joint.
You drank what is unlawful, O Qudamah, and sent upon you the whips of one who drinks wine from above."
"Do not drink wine, Qudamah, for it is *forbidden to the People of the Book."