118. Bridegroom Is Shot On The Wedding Night
Practical scholar, Aga Hajj Sayyid Muhammad Ali Sabtus narrated:
In the suburbs of Baghdad, a Shaykh and a rich man of the community arranged the marriage of his son with a girl among his relatives and the practice prevalent among them was that the wedding and consummation took place the same evening.
He invited his friends and relatives on the appointed day, arranged a special feast, dinner and celebrations and invited Shaykh Mahdi Khalisi who was the point of reference in Islamic law (Maraja Taqleed) for the people of Iraq during that period to recite the Nikah formula.
After the Shaykh arrived and arrangements were complete, some young men went to escort the bridegroom to the gathering in a special manner. This was accompanied by shouting of slogans and firing of guns. Suddenly a person shot the bridegroom in the chest by mistake and he died immediately. The shooter fled the scene in fright. Then this tragic matter was reported to the bridegroom's father.
Late Shaykh Mahdi Khalisi advised him to be patient and said: Do you know that the Messenger of Allah (S) has a very important right on us and all of us are needful of his intercession. When the bridegroom 's father nodded, the Shaykh said: That young man did not do this intentionally. It was a mistake and he died by destiny. Now, you must forgive that Sayyid for the sake of his ancestor. Be patient in this tragedy and submit to the will of the Almighty so that Allah may reward you with the reward reserved for the patient.
The father remained quiet for some time and considered this. Then he said: I considered this matter much and concluded that we had organized a feast and invited. Now, it is not good that this gathering of joy should change into a gathering of mourning.
Also, in order to fulfill the right of the Messenger of Allah (S) I would like that young Sayyid, who shot my son to marry that same girl.
The Shaykh congratulated him and people searched for that Sayyid and found him. He could not believe that they were not going to take revenge from him, but when the people gave him assurances, he at last came and his marriage was performed and the guests departed after dinner. The dead boy was buried the following day.
Steadfastness In Hard Times
There are some astonishing points, some morals and also some points worth consideration in this story, which we shall explain as follows:
(1) We should learn bravery valor, modesty and forbearance from this noble Arab. Brave is one, who remains steadfast in hard times. He should not become confused and display restlessness. He should control himself. The fact is that the most severe calamity is sudden death of a child, and that also on the night of his wedding and that also in an accident.
A person who remains patient in such circumstances and does not lose control of his emotions. who considers his death to be divinely decreed, who knows that his son has gone to Allah and that he will also have to go to Him one day, should know that he would be rewarded for his patience. The Imam ('a) has compared a believer to be a strong mountain, which cannot be moved by storms.
On the contrary, those who lose patience and very soon get deviated from the way of logic and faith and become angry at destiny are like strands of grass, which are shaken up by the slightest breeze. So much so that they even fall victims to shock and heart attacks.
It is also very astonishing how all the guests in that gathering remained patient; but it was due to the blessings of their elders; same as in the case of Lady Zainab ('a), other ladies of the household also remained patient because of her.
Accepting Advice Is Proof Of Wisdom
(2) When a wise and kind advisor dispenses advice to a person and advocates patience in some hardship, he should accept it immediately and not express his arrogance and ignorance. He must not say: Keep quiet; you don't know the state of my mind. Keep your advice to yourself etc. etc. For such a person only increases his evil nature.
The Qur’an says in this regard:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ ۚ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ
"And when it is said to him, guard against (the punishment of) Allah; pride carries him off to sin, therefore hell is sufficient for him; and certainly it is an evil resting place." (Surah al-Baqara 2:206).
According to a Persian couplet:
One who does not listen to an advisor, would have to face the repercussions.
Heed To The Call Of The Afflicted
(3) A divine practice, which is mentioned in Surah Asr, is that when a person sees another afflicted and in some calamity, he should advise him patience. He shou l d also remind him about the hereafter and greatness of Almighty. He should reiterate the temporality of this world etc. as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.
A Believer Is A Good Host
(4) In the same way, is the importance of being a good host, which is among the necessary requirements of faith. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (S) stated: One who has faith in Almighty Allah and Judgment Day should respect his guest.
There are a large number of traditional reports regarding the importance of being a good host and they say that one who accords importance to this would be raised with Prophet Ibrahim ('a). It is obvious that a part of being a good host is to assure that the guest gets all comforts and happiness; also if the guest learns that the host is in trouble he would be worried; so the host must ensure that his personal problems do not cause distress to guests.
What can be said about the valor of that Arab noble, who prevented the feast from becoming a gathering of mourning and saved those people from unnecessary distress!
Devotion And Favor To The Sayyids
(5) Regarding this, it is sufficient to state that according respect to Sayyids is an established matter and the following verse of Qur’an is a witness to it:
لْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ
"Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it, but love for my near relatives." (Surah ash-Shura 42:23).
And another occasion the Qur’an says:
قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ
"Say: Whatever reward I have asked of you, that is only for yourselves." (Surah Saba 34:47).
It is that through the mediation of that devotion Muslims would be able to get the intercession of the Prophet. Thus, he says: On Judgment Day, I would only intercede for those who have accorded respect to my descendants and helped them in hardships and fulfilled their needs.1
And devotion to the Messenger of Allah (S) necessarily requires one to love h is progeny as well, and to such a limit that the descendants of the Prophet should be more beloved to a person than his own self and his children.
Thus, Allamah Amini (r.a.) has narrated from Dailami in Musnad, Hafiz Baihaqi in Shob ul-Eimaan, Abu Shaykh in Kitab Sawab, and many other scholars have also reported that the Holy Prophet (S) said:
No one has complete faith in Almighty Allah till I am not dearer to him than his own life, and till my progeny is not dearer to him than his own progeny.2
The fact is complete faith, true love and real valor was a part of that noble Arab, who that night agreed to marry the Sayyid youth to the girl his own son was about to marry. I am confused how God and the Messenger of Allah (S) would deal with that gentleman on Judgment Day.
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ
"So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that, which will refresh the eyes." (Surah Sajdah 32:17).
The aim of narrating this story is that readers recognize the example of and true form of the men of God and learn the lesson of faith, love and valor.
Amir ul-Mu’minin ('a) says: Brave is one, who is victorious on his selfish desire.3 That is he should turn away from his personal inclinations and have the capability of heedlessness. He should not be selfish and egotist. On the contrary, a coward is one, whom even the smallest desire influences and in not succeeding in it, he despairs and becomes hopeless. He is a prisoner of his selfish desires. That is why it is mentioned in traditions that the folks of Paradise are kings.
Yes, the true king is one who is dominant over his self and does not consider himself needful of any human capacity or person. In other words, he should consider himself needless of everything other than h is Creator.
(6) Another important point, which is necessary to be mentioned in the explanation of this story is that if a person commits a mistake or a crime unintentionally, it is wrong to be angry and revengeful to him; like it happened in the case of that young Sayyid. It is a matter accepted by reason as well as Islamic law.
As far as reason is concerned, if a person commits an unintentional mistake, the people of justice do not condemn and chastise him, except if he did that intentionally. On the contrary, it is said that he has not been shortcoming. And a particular system is devised to make up for the loss. As for the Islamic stand. it is mentioned in verse 5 of Surah Ahzab that:
وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَٰكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ
"And there is no blame on you concerning that, in which you made a mistake, but (concerning) that, which your hearts do purposely (blame may rest on you)." (Surah al-Ahzaab 33:5).
Yes, the one against whom the mistake has been committed is given the choice of demanding blood money or less than that; and he can also forgive the unintentional culprit, but forgiving is best and its reward is guaranteed by Almighty Allah. The blood money of killing a human being is a thousand gold coins or ten thousand silver coins. The blood money of each part of the human body is mentioned in code of laws of all jurists.
Killing A Human Being Is A Serious Matter
Especially, since killing a human being is a very serious matter, one should be very particular, that he should not commit it by mistake. A person holding a loaded gun should act with extreme precaution, because if he kills someone, in addition to paying the blood money, he would also have to free a slave. And if it is not possible, he would have to observe fasting for sixty days as is fixed in the following verse of Surah Nisa:
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا
"And it does not behoove a believer to kill a believer except by mistake, and whoever kills a believer by mistake, he should free a believing slave, and blood money should be paid to his people unless they remit it as alms." (Surah Nisa 4:92).
On the basis of this, one who is harmed or the successors of one who is killed are supposed to forgive the unintentional culprit and leave the matter to the Almighty; but if they cannot, they should only demand blood money and nothing else. They are not supposed to bear malice or take revenge from the believer culprit. The matter of malice to believers is explained in detail in the book of Immaculate Conscience, under the discussion of malice.
