Mistah bin Athāthah
Mistah ibn Athatha ibn ʿAbbād ibn al-Muṭṭalib al-Muṭṭalibī[1] (Arabic: مسطح بن أثاثة بن عباد بن المطلب المطلبي), nicknamed as Abu ʿAbbād, was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. He participated in several in the Battle of Uhud, the Battle of Badr and other battles alongside the Prophet Muhammad.[2][3]
Life and Lineage
[edit]Misṭaḥ ibn Athātha was born to Umm Misṭaḥ bint Abī Rahm ibn al-Muṭṭalib ibn ʿAbd Manāf ibn Quṣayy. His mother was among those who pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad.[2] His lineage traces back to ʿAbd Manāf ibn Quṣayy. Misṭaḥ held several nicknames, including al-Muṭṭalibī, al-Muhājirī, and al-Badrī.[3]
Ibn Sa'd described Misṭaḥ as a short man with sunken eyes and thick fingers.[2]
Misṭaḥ was known to be poor and he received financial support from Abu Bakr because of Misṭaḥ's poverty and his relationship to him.[3]
The Prophet Muhammad established a brotherhood between Misṭaḥ ibn Athātha and Zayd ibn al-Mazīd, as narrated by Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq.[2]
The Prophet Muhammad gave Misṭaḥ and Ibn Ilyās fifty qīrs (a measurement of grain) in Khaybar.[2]
Involvement in the Incident of Al-Ifk
[edit]Misṭaḥ was among those involved in the incident of Al-Ifk[3], an incident that occurred when Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad, lost her necklace during a military expedition (Ghazwah). While the army departed, Aisha stayed behind to search for her necklace, eventually falling asleep. Safwan bin Al-Muattal, who was at the back of the army, found her the next morning and helped her return to the army. Upon their return, some individuals slandered Aisha, falsely claiming she had fornicated with Safwan.[4][5][6][7]
The situation was resolved when Surah 24:11–26 was revealed, revealing her innocence.[4][5][6][7]
During this incident, Misṭaḥ participated in the false accusations, which led Abu Bakr, who had been financially supporting him, to cut off his aid. However, when Surah 24:22 was revealed, "Do not let the people of virtue and affluence among you swear to suspend donations to their relatives, the needy, and the emigrants in the cause of Allah. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love to be forgiven by Allah? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful", Abu Bakr resumed his support for Misṭaḥ, forgave him and said "Yes, by Allah, I would like that Allah forgive me" and he also said "By Allah, I will never deprive him of it at all".[4][5][6][7]
Punishment and Repentance
[edit]As a result of his involvement in the slander, Misṭaḥ, alongside Hassan ibn Thabit and Hamna bint Jahsh, were later punished under the order of Prophet Muhammad[8] and he repented from his actions.[3]
It is said that his punishment was flogging.[9]
Wars
[edit]Mistah participated in several battles such as Battle of Uhud, the Battle of Badr and other battles alongside the Prophet Muhammad.[2][3]
It was said he also participated in Battle of Ṣiffīn in the band of Ali bin Abi Talib and therefore died on the year 37 A.H.[10][9]
Death
[edit]Misṭaḥ ibn Athātha passed away in the year 34 A.H at the age of fifty-six.[2][3], it is also said that he died in the year 37 A.H.[10][9]
References
[edit]- ^ Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd: 3/1/36, Nasab Quraysh: 95, Ṭabaqāt Khalīfa: 9, al-Maʿārif: 328, al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl: 8/425, Mashāhīr ʿUlamāʾ al-Amṣār: 33, Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ: 2/20, al-Istīʿāb: 10/248–249, Usd al-Ghābah: 5/156, Tadhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt: 2/89, al-ʿIbar: 1/35, al-ʿAqd al-Thamīn: 6/443–445 and 7/179, al-Iṣābah: 9/182–183
- ^ a b c d e f g al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā by Ibn Sa'd 3/53
- ^ a b c d e f g SIYAR 'ALAAM AN-NUBALAA [Biography of the Nobles] (in Arabic) (3rd ed.). Al Risala Foundation. 1985. pp. 187–188.
- ^ a b c Sahih al-Bukhari 4141
- ^ a b c Sahih al-Bukhari 4750
- ^ a b c Sahih al-Bukhari 2661
- ^ a b c Sahih Muslim 2770a
- ^ Sunan Abi Dawud 4474-4475
- ^ a b c Al-Istīʿāb fī Maʿrifat al-Aṣḥāb by Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr 3/637
- ^ a b Kitāb al-Jāmiʿ li-mā fī al-Muṣannafāt wa-al-Jawāmiʿ min Asmāʾ al-Ṣaḥāba by Abū Mūsā al-Ruʿīnī 1/188