Why did Muhammad go into the middle of the desert, in the middle of the night, plan and meet with a group of NAKED men? Why was a group of naked men “riding(Yarkabun يَرْكَبُونَ)” Muhammad? Who is this group of men – The Al-Zutt?
Abdullah ibn Masud one of Islams most trusted transmitter of the Haddiths
The Hadith Quote:
It is reported from Ibn Masud that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, sent for me. We went out until we reached such and such a place. He drew a line for me and said, “Stay within the boundary of this line and do not leave it, for if you leave it you will perish.”
I stayed within it. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, went on some distance, a short while or somewhat farther. Then beings appeared, described as resembling the Zutt, or something similar. They were naked, I could not see their private parts, they were tall and thin, with little flesh.
They came and began to ride the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Prophet of God was reciting to them. They would come toward me, circling around me and crossing in front of me. I was terrified of them with intense fear, and I sat down.
Then the column of dawn broke, they began to depart. Then the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, came back feeling heavy and in pain from how they rode him. He said that he felt heavy. He placed his head in my lap.
-Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal 3778
The Hadith Quote:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked me to accompany him. We went out until we reached a certain place, where he drew a line on the ground for me and said, “Stay within this boundary and do not leave it. If you leave it, you will perish.”
I remained inside it. The Messenger of Allah went on some distance away. Then there appeared beings who resembled the Zutt. They wore no clothes, though I could not see their private parts. They were tall and lean.
They came and began to ride the Messenger of Allah, and he began reciting over them. They also approached me, circling around me and obstructing me. I was seized by an intense fear of them and sat down.
When the light of dawn broke, they departed.
After that, the Messenger of Allah returned feeling heavy and in pain from what they had done to him, saying that he felt weighed down. He then placed his head in my lap.
-Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal 3688
The Al-Zutt are known (Al-Tabari 923 AD) to be are a group from either Indian or Pakistani origin. The Al-Zutt are known to be lustful and hyper sexual. Also see Al-Masudi and Al-Jahiz.
(Yarkabun يَرْكَبُونَ) Meaning and Breakdown:
- Root: ر – ك – ب (r-k-b), which relates to mounting, riding, or getting on top of something.
- Grammar: It is a third-person masculine plural present (non-past) verb. It means a group of males are currently riding or getting on a vehicle, animal, or ship.
- Literal Translation: They ride, they mount, they board, or they travel by (a vehicle or animal)
- Slang: If used on a person , this word turns the context into a sexual meaning.
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أحمد:٣٧٨٨ – حَدَّثَنَا عَارِمٌ وَعَفَّانُ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو تَمِيمَةَ عَنْ عَمْرٍو لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ قَالَ الْبِكَالِيَّ يُحَدِّثُهُ عَمْرٌو عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ عَمْرٌو إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ قَالَ
اسْتَتبْعَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، قَالَ: فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ مَكَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَخَطَّ لِي خِطَّةً، فَقَالَ لِي: «كُنْ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْ هَذِهِ، لَا تَخْرُجْ مِنْهَا؛ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ هَلَكْتَ». قَالَ: فَكُنْتُ فِيهَا، قَالَ: فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حَذَفَةً أَوْ أَبْعَدَ شَيْئًا أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ ذَكَرَ هَنِينًا كَأَنَّهُمْ الزُّطُّ (قَالَ عَفَّانُ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ عَفَّانُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ)، لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ، وَلَا أَرَى سَوْآتِهِمْ، طِوَالًا قَلِيلٌ لَحْمُهُمْ، قَالَ: فَأَتَوْا فَجَعَلُوا يَرْكَبُونَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ، قَالَ: وَجَعَلَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِمْ، قَالَ: وَجَعَلُوا يَأْتُونِي فَيُخَيِّلُونَ أَوْ يَمِيلُونَ حَوْلِي وَيَعْتَرِضُونَ لِي، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ: فَأُرْعِبْتُ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا شَدِيدًا، قَالَ: فَجَلَسْتُ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: فَلَمَّا انْشَقَّ عَمُودُ الصُّبْحِ جَعَلُوا يَذْهَبُونَ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ جَاءَ ثَقِيلًا وَجِعًا أَوْ يَكَادُ أَنْ يَكُونَ وَجِعًا مِمَّا رَكِبُوهُ، قَالَ: «إِنِّي لَأَجِدُنِي ثَقِيلًا» أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، فَوَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ فِي حِجْرِي أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ إِنَّ هَنِين أَتَوْا عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ بِيضٌ طِوَالٌ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، وَقَدْ أَغْفَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ: فَأُرْعِبْتُ مِنْهُمْ أَشَدَّ مِمَّا أُرْعِبْتُ الْمَرَّةَ الْأُولَى، قَالَ عَارِمٌ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: قَالَ: فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: لَقَدْ أُعْطِيَ هَذَا الْعَبْدُ خَيْرًا أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا؛ إِنَّ عَيْنَيْهِ نَائِمَتَانِ أَوْ قَالَ عَيْنَهُ أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا، وَقَلْبَهُ يَقْظَانُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَالَ عَارِمٌ وَعَفَّانُ: قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: هَلُمَّ فَلْنَضْرِبْ لَهُ مَثَلًا أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا، قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: اضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلًا وَنُؤَوِّلُ نَحْنُ، أَوْ نَضْرِبُ نَحْنُ وَتُؤَوِّلُونَ أَنْتُمْ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: مَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ سَيِّدٍ ابْتَنَى بُنْيَانًا حَصِينًا، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى النَّاسِ بِطَعَامٍ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْتِ طَعَامَهُ أَوْ قَالَ لَمْ يَتْبَعْهُ عَذَّبَهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا. قَالَ الْآخَرُونَ: أَمَّا السَّيِّدُ فَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَأَمَّا الْبُنْيَانُ فَهُوَ الْإِسْلَامُ، وَالطَّعَامُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَهُوَ الدَّاعِي، فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ كَانَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، قَالَ عَارِمٌ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتَّبِعْهُ عُذِّبَ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ اسْتَيْقَظَ، فَقَالَ: «مَا رَأَيْتَ يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ؟» فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ: رَأَيْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «مَا خَفِيَ عَلَيَّ مِمَّا قَالُوا شَيْءٌ». قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ: «هُمْ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ» أَوْ قَالَ: «هُمْ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ» أَوْ كَمَا شَاءَ اللهُ.