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.
[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.
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