The Martyrdom of Sayyidina Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy (r.a.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Sayyidina Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy (r.a.) was taken captive and escorted in a procession of thousands, which was led by men like Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and Sayyidina Swafwan ibn ‘Umayyah (r.a.), and which included Sayyidina Sa’id ibn ‘Amir (r.a.).  The women and children pushed him to the place set for his death.  Sayyidina Khubayb’s (r.a.) death was to avenge Quraysh losses in the Battle of Badr.  When the assembled throng arrived at the appointed place with him, the prisoner, Sayyidina Khubayb (r.a.) said in a firm but quiet voice amid the shouting of women and children, “If you would, leave me to pray two rak’ah before my death.” 

This, the Quraysh allowed.  Sayyidina Khubayb (r.a.) faced the Ka’bah and prayed two rak’ah.  Then, Sayyidina Khubayb (r.a.) faced the Quraysh leaders.  “By Allah, if you thought that I asked to pray out of fear of death, I would think the prayer not worth the trouble,” he said. 

He was tied to a wooden cross.  Then the Quraysh set about dismembering Sayyidina Khubayb’s (r.a.) body while he was yet alive and taunting him in the process.  “Would you like Muhammad to be in your place while you go free?” 

With his blood flowing, he replied, “By Allah, I would not want to be safe and secure among my family while even a thorn hurts Muhammad.”  People shook their fists in the air and the shouting increased. 

“Kill him!  Kill him!” 

Sayyidina Khubayb (r.a.) lifted his eyes to the heavens above the wooden cross.  And it was then that the sweet voice of Sayyidina Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy (r.a.) was heard.  With a perfect spirituality which held everyone in its spell and caused some to cast themselves down on the earth in fear, he said, “O Allah!  We have delivered the message of Thy Messenger; so tell him tomorrow what has been done to us.  O Allah!  Reckon them by number and kill them one by one, let none of them remain.”  Thereafter, it could not be counted the number of swords and spears which cut through Sayyidina Khubayb’s (r.a.) body.