One of the objections of the Wahabis is as follows:
The ultimate point mentioned in the report is that Lady Zahra (r)
was threatened by Umar; and with a threat, which was for the welfare of Islam
and Muslim society.
In none of the reports is there clarification that this threat
was put into practice; and if issuing a threat is a crime then the threat of
the Messenger of Allah (s) to those who opposed participation in congregational
prayers would also be a crime, as it is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s)
that he said:
“By Him in Whose Hands my life is, I was about to order for
collecting fire wood and then order someone to pronounce the Adhan for the
prayer and then order someone to lead the people in prayer and then I would go
from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the
(compulsory congregational) prayer. By Him in Whose Hands my life is, if anyone
of you had known that he would receive a bone covered with meat or two (small)
pieces of meat present in between two ribs, he would come for `Isha’ prayer.”[1]
No sane person would conclude anything more than that the
Messenger of Allah (s) only threatened those who opposed congregational prayer
and he only aimed to announce the importance of congregational prayer. Thus, Umar
also issued a threat and to consider it more than this is unjust and a
consequence of bias.
