Balazari has mentioned in Al-Ansab that Hakam bin Abil Aas was a
neighbor of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) during the period of Ignorance and
Islam. He caused the most distress to the Prophet and after conquest of Mecca, he
came to Medina. He was defective in his faith, and always walked behind the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and mimicked him with his eyes, nose and mouth.
When Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) prayed, he used to stand behind and make
gestures, till shaking of eyes and eyebrows became his permanent feature.
One day, when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) was in the chamber of one
of his wives, he peeped and the Prophet noticed him in this act. He came out with
a staff and said: “Who would help me against this lizard?” Then he said: “He and
his son would not live with us in one place and then had them expelled to Taif.
After the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) passed away, Uthman recommended
his case to Abu Bakr to allow him to return, but he refused, saying: “I will not
give refuge to one, whom the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) drove out.
When Umar became the Caliph, Uthman requested him similarly and he also
replied like Abu Bakr. When Uthman became the Caliph, he brought him to
Medina and said: I spoke to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) regarding them and requested
him to allow them to return and he promised me that he would give them
permission, but before he could issue the permission, he passed away. But
Muslims took objections against him for allowing Hakam back into Medina.
Waqidi has written: Hakam bin Abil Aas died in Medina during Caliphate of
Uthman. Uthman prayed his funeral prayer and made a tent over his grave.
It is narrated from Saeed bin Musayyab that: Uthman delivered a sermon
and ordered them to slaughter pigeons; and he said: “Pigeons have increased in
your houses and archery has increased and some arrows have wounded us.”
People said: “He is ordering slaughter of pigeons, while given refuge to those,
who were banished by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).”
Balazari in Al-Ansab,1 and Hakim in Mustadrak,2 have said regarding this
report that it is valid, and Waqidi, as is mentioned in Seerah Halabiyya,3 has
narrated through chains of Amr bin Murrah that:
Hakam sought from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) permission to enter.
The Prophet heard his voice and said:
“Allow him, curse of God on him and one, who emerges from his loins,
except believers [from them] and they are few, these are people of deception. They are given material things, but have no share in the hereafter.4
Hakam in Quran
Ibne Marduya has narrated from Husain bin Ali that: The Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.a.) passed the night till morning, while he was extremely aggrieved.
He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), what is the matter?”
He replied: “I saw in as if Bani Umayyah are going up and down this pulpit
of mine.”
“I was told: ‘O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), don’t be aggrieved, this is the
world, which they would obtain,’” and Almighty Allah revealed the verse of:
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّه يَا الَّتِي
“And We did not make the vision which We showed you but a trial for men…”5
Tabari, Qurtubi and others have narrated from chains of Sahal bin Saad that:
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) saw in dream Bani Umayyah jumping on his pulpit
like monkeys. This distressed him very much, and after that he was never seen
smiling till he passed away. Allah, Mighty and High revealed the verse:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“And We did not make the vision which We showed you but a
trial for men and the cursed tree in the Quran as well; and We
cause them to fear, but it only adds to their great inordinacy.”6
Qurtubi and Nishapuri have narrated from Ibne Abbas that: “The accursed
tree are Bani Umayyah.”7
Alusi has written:8 The implication of this dream is that it would be a test
and trial for them, and Ibne Musayyab has interpreted it as such and this trial was
with regard to Bani Umayyah Caliphs, who did what they did.
They deviated from the path of truth and did not act according to justice and
after them, with regard to their agents, who committed vile deeds and those who assisted them in any way. It is possible that it implies: “We have not made their
Caliphate, except a test.”