The First Muslim To Perform Umrah

The companion that we are relating today is about a figure no one on earth more hateful to Rasulullah ﷺ – a staunch non-believer Thumamah Ibn Uthal and as it was mentioned in my previous article he was tied on the pillar of tawbah before Lubabah Abdal Mundhir R.A. 

In the sixth year after the Hijrah, Rasulullah ﷺ decided to expand the scope of his mission. He sent eight letters to rulers in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding areas inviting them to Islam. One of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal. Thumamah ibn Uthal was one of the most powerful Arab rulers in pre-Qur’anic times. This is not surprising since he was a chieftain of the Banu Hanifah and one of the rulers of Yamamah whose word no one dared to challenge or disobey. When Thumamah ibn Uthal received the Rasulullah ﷺ’s letter, he was consumed by anger and rejected it. Thumamah ibn Uthal refused to listen to the invitation of Truth and goodness. More than that, he felt a strong desire to go and kill Rasulullah ﷺ and bury his mission with him. Thumamah ibn Uthal waited for a convenient time to carry out his design against Rasulullah ﷺ. In the pursuit of his evil desire against Rasulullah ﷺ, Thumamah Ibn Uthal met and killed a group of Rasulullah ﷺ’s companions. Rasulullah ﷺ thereupon declared Thumamah Ibn Uthal “a wanted man” who could lawfully be killed on sight. Not long afterwards, Thumamah Ibn Uthal decided to perform Umrah. So Thumamah Ibn Uthal left Yamamah for Makkah. As Thumamah Ibn Uthal was passing near Madinah, group of Muslims were patrolling the districts of Madinah and they came upon Thumamah Ibn Uthal and captured him but they did not know who he was. They took him to Madinah and tied him to one of the columns in the mosque. They waited for the Prophet ﷺ himself to question the man and decide what should be done with him. When Rasulullah ﷺ was about to enter the mosque, he saw Thumamah Ibn Uthal and asked his companions, “Do you know whom you have taken?”

“No, Messenger of Allah,” they replied. “This is Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Hanafi,” he ﷺ said. “You have done well in capturing him.” Rasulullah ﷺ then returned home to his family and said, “Get what food you can and send it to Thumamah ibn Uthal.” He then ordered his camel to be milked for him. All this was done before he met Thumamah Ibn Uthal or had spoken to him. Rasulullah ﷺ then approached Thumamah Ibn Uthal hoping to encourage him to become a Muslim. “What do you have to say for yourself,” he asked. But the answer was negative, he didn’t want to embrace Islam. Rasulullah ﷺ then left him for two days, but still personally sent him food and drink and milk from his camel. Rasulullah ﷺ went back to Thumamah Ibn Uthal and asked, “What do you have to say for yourself?” Thumamah Ibn Uthal repeated what he had said the day before. Rasulullah ﷺ then left and came back to him the following day. “What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked again and Thumamah Ibn Uthal repeated what he had said once more. Then Rasulullah ﷺ turned to his companions and said, “Set him free.”

Thumamah Ibn Uthal left the mosque of Rasulullah ﷺ and rode until he came to a palm grove on the outskirts of Madinah. Thumamah Ibn Uthal watered his camel and washed himself well. Then Thumamah Ibn Uthal turned back and made his way to Rasulullah ﷺ 's mosque. There, he stood before a congregation of Muslims and said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.” Thumamah Ibn Uthal then went to Rasulullah ﷺ, upon whom be peace, and said: “O Muhammad, by Allah, there was never on this earth a face more detestable than yours. Now, yours is the dearest face of all to me. I have killed some of your men,” he continued, “I am at your mercy. What will you have done to me?” “There is now no blame on you, Thumamah,” replied Rasulullah ﷺ. “Becoming a Muslim obliterates past actions and marks a new beginning.” Thumamah Ibn Uthal R.A. was greatly relieved. His face showed his surprise and joy and he vowed, “By Allah, I shall place my whole self, my sword, and whoever is with me at your service and at the service of your religion. O Rasulullah,” he went on, “when your horsemen captured me I was on my way to perform umrah. What do you think I should do now?” “Go ahead and perform your Umrah,” replied Rasulullah ﷺ, “but perform it according to the laws of Allah and His Messenger.” Rasulullah ﷺ then taught him how to perform Umrah according to Islamic rules. Thumamah Ibn Uthal RA left to fulfill his intention. When he reached the valley of Makkah, he began shouting in a loud, resonant voice:

“Here I am at Your command O Lord, Here I am. Here I am. No partner have You. Here I am. Praise, bounty and Dominion belong to You. No partner have You.”

He was thus the first Muslim on the face of the earth to enter Makkah reciting the talbiyyah and the first Muslim to perform Umrah after Rasulullah ﷺ’s hijrah to Madinah.

Joybori kalon” women’s secondary

specialized Islamic college

Shomurodova M.F.