The Fragrant Biography of Al-Baljaa' Al-Khuzamiyya

Al-Baljaa’ Al-Khuzamiyya was a good mujahid [1] woman from Bani Yarboo’ who lived between Basra and Ahwaz, and she was one of the diligent Ibadhis who followed the teachings of Imam Abu Bilal Mirdas ibn Hudair A’Shari[2]. She was famous for knowledge, piety, asceticism, and ritual. She was inciting against Ziyad's son Obaidullah and telling about his arrogance and bad conduct. Ziyad and his son followed a harsh and terrifying way towards those who call for truth and justice, as did the oppressive officers of Banu Omiyya.

It was reported about Al-Baljaa’ that Ghilan ibn Khurshah Al-Dhabi met Abu Bilal Mirdas bin Hudair, and said to him: “Yesterday I heard Prince Obaidullah ibn Ziyad mentioning Al-Baljaa’, and I think she will be taken”. So Abu Bilal went to her and said to her: "Allah has extended to the believers in caution (taqiyah)[3], so be absent and hide, because this the extreme on himself, the arrogant and the stubborn has mentioned you”. She said: "If he takes me he will be miserable. I, also, don’t want anyone to be harmed because of me". So Obaidullah ibn Ziyad sent to her and she was brought. He said to her: “you are Haruriyyah[4], shaved head”. She said to him: “No, I am not”. He said to his companions:  “I will show you amazing things against her. Uncover her head”. She prevented them, so he said: “I will uncover the best part of you”. She said: “I have covered it when your mother did not cover it”. He said: "Eh, what are you witnessing against me?” She said: “Allah has witnessed against you three times by saying: {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers}, {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the unjust}, and {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the immoral}, and you witnessed against yourself because your start was by adultery and your end was by allegation”. So, he bit his lips and ordered to mutilate her.

Then came those who are in charge of it with iron and ropes. She said: “Wait! I speak with words that will be remembered for me by those who would hear of them”. She thanked Allah and praised him and then said: “This is my last day in this world and it is not regrettable and I hope it is my first day of the Hereafter which is the desired day” and then said: “By Allah, it is my knowledge of its annihilation that made me ascetic in staying in it, and easy on all of its calamities, and I do not like to hasten what Allah has delayed or to delay what Allah has hastened”.

He ordered to cut off her hands and legs, and to gouge out her eyes. She said: “Thank Allah for good and bad times and for wellness and calamities, I was hoping in Allah more than this”.

And when she was cut off, the blood did not stop, and she did not say a word. Then fire was brought to cauterize her, and when she saw the fire, she screamed. And it was said to her: "When your hands and legs were cut off, you did not say anything, but when you have seen the fire, you screamed before it is coming closer to you." She said, "I did not scream because of your fire and not on your world I regretted, but I remembered the great fire, so you saw of that screaming.”

So, he ordered to gouge out her eyes. She said: “O Allah, has longed in this world my sorrow, give me pleasure in the Hereafter, O my soul, a life of dignity and good death because you have received what you hoped, and gained many of the rewards of Allah, You have always been pleased, so that you will not be harmed by hardship of living or men controversy in the evanescent dwelling”. Then she was disturbed until her soul was gone to her Creator and the smile appeared on her shining, pure face, and Angels received her with joy and delight, to bask in the paradise of eternity with wildan[5] and hoor[6]. The last thing she said was: {and your patience is not but through Allah}, {but to bear yourselves with patience is indeed far better for those who are patient in adversity}. Then she said: “If I was insightful of my matter, this would be a little compared to what I ask of the reward of Allah.” He threw her naked in the market place, so she gained, may Allah bless her, the honor of the martyrdom. That was before the year 61 after Hijra in Basra.

When Abu Bilal passed through the market, he bit on his lips and said: “This soul is happier with the death than you Abu Mirdas. No death I love to experience better than the death of Al-Baljaa’”. Abu Bilal went out in her funeral, and said: “If I know that I would be resurrected in what she will be resurrected in, I would know that we are resurrected upright on a straight path”. Her goal was to obtain the martyrdom, which has no reward except paradise. The goal was achieved, and the history wrote her attitude in the finest pages and her remembrance remained in the people of the earth as an image that would not be repeated.

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[1] Mujahid: who strive and fight

[2] Shira’: Sacrifice of one’s life

[3] Taqiyah: Religious dissimulation

[4] Al-Haruriyyah refer to the Muslims who rejected arbitration between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Mu’awiya at the Battle of Siffin.

[5] Wildan: young boys

[6] Hoor: Fair women

References:

The Fragrant Biography of the Ibadhi Woman, by Badria Hamad Al-Shaqsia.

Quotations from the Biographies of the Righteous, by Badria Hamad Al-Shaqsia

Translated by Om Mohammed.

Prepared and reviewed by Bint Ibadh.