QUESTION:
Why do Shias love the Zoroastrian Abu-Lu’lu’a? Why are they pleased with him? Despite the fact that he wasn’t a Muslim, but was rather a Zoroastrian?
Al-Jazi
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Abu-Lu’lu’a al-Nahawandi (may Allah’s satisfaction be upon him) was not a Zoroastrian, but he was, in fact, a believing Muslim, and the accusations made against by Omar’s followers, claiming that he was a Zoroastrian, are nothing but slanders and lies! It is sufficient to prove his belief in Islam by merely because when he stabbed the accursed Omar, he was in the Holy Mosque of the Prophet. Some ‘Sunni’ narrations even mention that he was behind him between the rows of those who performed the prayers. Let the ‘Sunnis’ explain to us how a disbelieving Zoroastrian was allowed entry by the Muslims to the mosque to pray inside!? And how could he previously enter and exit the mosque before the incident took place, such as when he told Omar to rule against Al-Mughira, son of Shu’ba, whilst being inside the mosque?!
This means that he was a Muslim. If he wasn’t, then he wouldn’t have been allowed entry by the Muslims to the mosque. Why did they even allow him to remain in the Holy city of Medina? The Prophet (may Allah’s blessings be upon him and his family) forbade the polytheists to remain in Medina as well as in Mecca. The fact that he remained in Medina during all those years proves that he was a Muslim.
Moreover, the ‘Sunni’ scholars have acknowledged the fact that his daughter (Lu’lu’a) was a Muslim girl who believed in Islam, as mentioned by Al-San’ani in his Musannaf, saying:
Then he (Ubaydullah, son of Omar) came to the daughter of Abi-Lu’lu’a, a little girl who believed in Islam, and he killed her. During that day, the city of Medina darkened upon its people.
Musannaf al-San’ani, volume 5, page 479, and Al-Muhalla, by Ibn Hazm, volume 11, page 115, and others.
Hence we know that Abu-Lu’lu’a was a Muslim. The fact that a little daughter believed in Islam is evident to that her father had taught her about Islam, because – normally – if small children believe in Islam, they do so by following their parents! Also, the rest of Medina’s population – including those whom the ‘Sunnis’ label as ‘Sahaba’ (companions) – treated this girl as a Muslim girl, and the sadness they expressed for the unjust killing of her, by Ubaydullah, son of Umar, to such a degree that Medina darkened upon its people… All this is evident that her father was a Muslim. If he was a disbeliever, however, then none would have regarded his daughter as a Muslim, nor would anyone have grieved over her death, nor would anyone have demanded Ubaydullah, son of Omar, to be killed in revenge for his unjust act, because a Muslim shall not be killed if he is to kill a disbeliever. Additionally, the historians have confirmed that several of those whom the ‘Sunnis’ refer to as ‘Sahaba’ demanded Uthman, son of Affan, to kill Ubaydullah, son of Omar, due to his unjust killing of Abu-Lu’lu’a’s daughter. This confirms the fact that she was a Muslim, and hence her father is also a Muslim.
Refer to Tareekh al-Tabari, volume 3, page 302, and Tareekh Dimashq, by Ibn Asakir, volume 38, page 68, and others, where it’s mentioned that Ali (may peace be upon him) along with Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) and others who demanded Ubaydullah, son of Omar, to be put to death in revenge for his unjust killing of Abu-Lu’u’a’s daughter (may Allah’s mercy be upon them both).
It has been narrated that Ahlul-Bayt (may peace be upon them) asked Allah to have mercy upon Abi-Lu’lu’a (may Allah’s satisfaction be upon him) as well as they’ve given him glad tidings for Paradise because he killed Omar (may the curse of Allah be upon him) in revenge for the daughter of Allah’s Messenger, Fatima al-Zahra (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon her), who was killed by Omar when he along with other scoundrels attacked her and broke her rib and made her lose her unborn son, Al-Muhassin (may peace be upon him), and hit her with the lash, and kicked her, and slapped her, and hit the side of her body with the sheath of his sword, in a disgusting and monstrous attack to force her and her husband to pledge allegiance to his companion, Abu Bakr (may Allah’s curse be upon him).
For this reason, we respect Abu-Lu’lu’a Fairouz al-Nahawandi (may Allah’s satisfaction be upon him), who was a hero of Islam.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib
