A painting from Siyer-i Nebi, Ali beheading Nadr ibn al-Harith in the presence of Muhammad and his companions.

Al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAlqama ibn Kalada ibn ʿAbd Manāf ibn Abd al-Dār ibn Quṣayy (Arabic: النضر إبن الحارث) (d. 624 CE) was an Arab pagan physician who is considered one of the greatest Qurayshi opponents to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was captured after the Battle of Badr as one of the pagan fighters and flag-bearers and was sentenced to death for his participation and persecution of Muhammed and Muslims in Mecca.[1] The execution was conducted by Ali Ibn Abi Talib by beheading him in front of Muhammad and companions at as-Safra', before they had returned to Medina from the battle.

According to the Seerah, two captives – Al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith and 'Uqbah ibn Abū Mu'ayṭ were executed during this event, the former by Ali and the latter by Asim bin Thabit Al-Ansari. According to Professor Sarah Bowen Savant, the event is claimed to have inspired Nadr's relative Qutayla to compose an elegy on his death, upbraiding Muhammad for the execution.[2]

Life

During the Meccan period, Nadr was known as one of the authors a document advocating for the boycott of the small Muslim community by withholding the sale of any goods, effectively leading to their starvation.[3] He is also considered one of the greatest opponents to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his message during the Meccan era, and a propeller of their persecution.[1] Per Islamic traditionists like Muqatil ibn Sulayman, Nadr had also accused Muhammad of plagiarism in his Quranic verses based on the stories of ancient people. He was captured after the Battle of Badr after his army was defeated in their offensive and was executed for his participation and involvements in Meccan persecutions. Muhammad Mohar Ali also names Al-Nadr as one of the assassins who tried to kill Muhammad before his migration to Medina. British Orientalist David Samuel Margoliouth, however, claims that he was executed for his challenge and ridiculing Muhammad, and that this version is supported by some ninth and tenth-century Muslim sources including Tabari who cites an oral report of Muhammad justifying his order on basis of Nadr accusing him.[4] Al-Waqidi mentions a report that when Nadr asked the Muslims why he was to be executed, they replied that it was for his persecuting and torturing the Muslim as well as ridiculing the Quran.[5][6]

Quran verse about the beheading of an-Nadir bin al-Harith

See also: Capital punishment in Islam

Ibn Kathir also mentions this incident in his book Tafsir Ibn Kathir and states the Quran verse Quran 8:31 was revealed about an-Nadir bin al-Harith. Ibn Kathir's commentary on Quran 8:31 and Quran 8:5 is as follows:[7][8]

An-Nadr visited Persia and learned the stories of some Persian kings, such as Rustum and Isphandiyar. When he went back to Makkah, he found that the Prophet was reciting the ayats of Qur'an sent from Allah to the people. Whenever the Prophet would leave an audience in which an-Nadr was sitting, an-Nadr began narrating to them the stories that he learned in Persia, proclaiming afterwards, Who, by Allah, has better tales to narrate, I or Muhammad. When Allah allowed the Muslims to capture an-Nadr in Badr, the Messenger of Allah commanded that his head be cut off before him, and that was done, all thanks are due to Allah. The meaning of,

(...tales of the ancients)

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, on Quran 8:31]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Al-Mubarakpuri, Safi-Ur-Rahman (2015). The Sealed Nectar (Ar-Raheeq Al-mMakhtum): Biography of the Noble prophet (Revised ed.). Darussalam Publications. p. 274. ISBN 978-1591440710.
  2. ^ Sarah Bowen Savant, The New Muslims of Post-Conquest Iran: Tradition, Memory and Conversion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013), p. 176. E.g. Ibn Khallikan's Biographical Dictionary, trans. by Bn Mac Guckin de Slane, Oriental Translation Fund (Series), 57, 4 vols (Paris: Printed for the Oriental translation fund of Great Britain and Ireland, 1842-71), I 372.
  3. ^ Ibn Kathir. Bidaya Wa Nihaya. Translated by Le Gassick, Trevor (Volume 2 ed.). pp. 30–31.
  4. ^ Sarah Boven Savant (30 September 2013). The New Muslims of Post-Conquest Iran: Tradition, Memory, and Conversion. Cambridge University Press. pp. 174, 175. ISBN 978-1107292314.
  5. ^ Rizwi Faizer (5 September 2013). The Life of Muhammad: Al-Waqidi's Kitab Al-Maghazi. Routledge. pp. 53, 54. ISBN 978-1136921148.
  6. ^ Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic economics, Volume 3. al-Majlis al-'Ilmī bi-Jāmi'at al-Malik 'Abd al-'Azīz. p. 106.
  7. ^ Quran 8:31 and Quran 8:5
  8. ^ Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman, The Meaning and Explanation of the Glorious Qur'an (Vol 3) 2nd Edition, p. 412, ISBN 1861797699, MSA Publication Limited, 2009. (online)
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