Soldiers with tunnels
Imam Ibn Qutiba has narrated an incident in his famous book "Ayun al-Akhbar" (1266). A fort was besieged by Hazrat Muslimah, the commander of the Muslim forces. Forty days passed but the fort remained impregnable. After deliberation, they planned to enter the city through a tunnel and open the main gates. The job was high risk, so instead of forcing anyone, he instructed anyone to volunteer to submit their name. But none of the army came forward. In the evening a soldier came forward, his face hidden in his battle mask. He risked his life and entered the fort through the tunnel and opened the Sadar gate for the Muslims. Thus Allah blessed the Muslims with victory.
After the victory, Hazrat Muslimah made a public announcement that the soldier who entered the tunnel should come forward so that he could be openly treated with respect and honour, but no one came. The announcement was made continuously for three days, but the result remained the same. Exhausted, he announced that I have given permission to my special servant that the mujahid entering the tunnel can come to meet me whenever he wants. He can come directly to me. He will not be stopped and I swear to him that he must come and meet me once.
After this preaching, a person came in the late hours of the night and requested the servant to take him to Hazrat Muslimah. The audience and God asked, "Are you the soldier with the tunnel?"
He said: "I am not him, but I can tell you about him." When the servants went and told this to Hazrat Muslimah, she immediately agreed to meet them.
When the meeting took place, the man said: "The soldier with the tunnel has set three conditions for meeting you. One is that his name should not be mentioned before the Caliph of the Muslims. The second is that he should not be given any kind of reward. Third. That he should not be asked who he is, what tribe he belongs to, and where his home is." Hazrat Muslimah agreed to the three conditions, then the man said: "I am the soldier with the tunnel and left."
The narrator says that after this incident, it was the custom of Hazrat Muslimah to pray alone or to lead the congregation. Say: O Allah, give your anonymous servant a place in your paradise and honor him with the dignity he deserves.
Every time I remember this incident, the strangeness comes to my mind. Are some tunnelers visible in our ranks today?
Are there some tunnellers in our movements and parties?
Are there any tunnelers in our institutions?
Let alone others, are we tunnellers ourselves or do we have the courage and determination to be like them?
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