From the history of the companions they tell you not to talk about

The history we do not talk about can provide us with epic elements, mythological characters, and fairy-tale heroes. On the other hand, the ruling powers can thus prevent the examination of the period(s) in question.

In this respect, it is not for nothing that history is silenced and its hands and feet are tied. Those in power will invent all sorts of excuses for this and will not want us to talk about history. The history of the companions (Sahaba) is one of those histories. However, I will not ignore those pages that have been rendered mute; when the time and place come, I will certainly leave the podium to that history.

Uyeyne b. Hısn is one of the names of that covered-up time. Uyeyne, whose real name is Huzeyfe, is also the leader of the Fezare tribe. What Uyeyne experienced both during the time of the Prophet and afterwards is of a nature that explains why a certain period is not wanted to be opened up and why it has been obscured.

Let us begin then.

The first encounter between the tribal leader Uyeyne and the Prophet of Islam took place in the years 626/627. The place is Dumetülcendel on the Hejaz-Caravan route. It is a time of drought, and Uyeyne's animals are in Tağlemeyn. The Prophet allows these animals belonging to the tribal leader to graze in the mentioned region. However, not long after, Uyeyne appears before the Prophet this time during a war; the name of the war is the Battle of the Trench. Medina is under siege.

Uyeyne takes his place alongside the Meccans against the Prophet. During this time, an agreement comes to the agenda. Specifically, the Prophet says that in return for withdrawing from the siege, he will give Uyeyne one-third of Medina's annual date harvest. The offer is accepted, and the parties come face to face to reach an agreement. However, one of the Prophet's scribes, Üseyd b. Hudayr, objects to the agreement and addresses the Prophet as follows:

“If this is a command from the heavens, then carry it out. If it is not, we have nothing to give them but the sword. How long have they been eyeing our property? They were in places called ilhiz, where they would shed blood on animal wool and roast it out of desperation, and they could not get a single date from us except through hospitality or purchase. Are we to pay tribute to these lowlifes after Allah sent you to us and honored us with you?”

As can be seen, the tone of the warning is quite harsh. The accusations are heavy. Upon this, the Prophet consults the opinions of important figures of the period, Sa’d b. Ubade and Sa’d b. Muaz. They also say words similar to Üseyd's. Thereupon, the agreement is cast into the void without being put on paper.

Uyeyne and the Prophet come face to face in a few more places after this. Those events are also quite striking. The first encounter takes place four months after the Battle of the Trench. Because Uyeyne's forces steal camels on the Medina-Syria road. At that time, Abu Dharr and his family are in charge of the camels. During the attack, Abu Dharr's son is killed, and his wife is kidnapped. Upon hearing of the incident, the Prophet sends a unit loyal to him against Uyeyne, and a clash breaks out again. In this clash, his own son and nephew are also killed.

Let us continue.

As the calendar pages show 628/629 this time, the Prophet organizes a military expedition to the Khaybar region and informs Uyeyne, who is there again, that he will give him a share of Khaybar's annual date harvest. Uyeyne does not respond negatively to this request, but when the Islamic armies advance towards Uyeyne's homeland before Khaybar, he leaves Khaybar. However, towards the end of the war, he returns to Khaybar and asks for the share offered to him in return for remaining neutral in Khaybar. As might be expected, this request does not find a response either.

Ultimately, during the process of the conquest of Mecca, Uyeyne becomes a Muslim! And he participates in the Battle of Hunayn, which takes place around the same time. The striking part of the matter is that Uyeyne is counted among the Muallaf-i Kulub (those whose hearts are to be reconciled) and receives a larger share of the spoils.

In other words, the picture at the stage reached is as follows: Someone who has periodically taken up the sword against the Muslims and the Prophet, and who has personally extorted the Prophet's camels, is now in a position to count spoils alongside the Muslims (!). He is now a privileged person; the reason for his privilege comes from his heart not being fully warmed to Islam!

Indeed, this person is given 100 camels from the spoils obtained from the Hawazin tribe and one-fourth of the gold bullion sent by Ali b. Abu Talib from Yemen. If we adapt the amounts we mentioned to today, they amount to hundreds of thousands of liras. In the meantime, let us note as a footnote that while the captives were being returned to the Hawazin after the negotiations, Uyeyne resisted not giving an elderly female captive who fell to his share, first asking for a hundred camels for the woman, and later settling for six camels. Events continue like this..

I think you must have thought that after all these things happened, Uyeyne would no longer stand against the Muslims. After all, he is a privileged member of the spoils. However, it does not happen that way; after the Prophet dies, he supports Tuleyha b. Huwaylid al-Asadi, who declares his own prophethood, and declares his allegiance to him.!

I can hear you saying, “Well, after this point, what privilege does Uyeyne have left, and what place does he have in Islamic society?” But again, it does not happen that way.. Although he fought against the Muslims this time in the ranks of Tuleyha, he is pardoned by Caliph Abu Bakr. By the way, I must also drop a note here; he is also the father-in-law of Caliph Uthman.

Let us continue from where we left off, if you wish.

Uyeyne wants to maintain his privilege during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr as well. And one day he goes to Abu Bakr with Zibrikan b. Badr and Akra b. Habis. This trio asks for a piece of land to be allocated to them. The Caliph accepts their request and sends them to Umar b. Khattab to have the document he signed approved. However, not only does Umar not approve this document, he tears it up and turns to them and says:

“This was a share that the Messenger of Allah gave you to warm your hearts to Islam. But today, Allah has strengthened His religion. If you remain steadfast in Islam and remain as Muslims, then well and good; otherwise, the swords will speak between us.”

This is thought-provoking, of course; ultimately, Umar does not sign the document that the Caliph approved. Well, who is the Caliph then? According to the rumor, this trio asks the same question to Abu Bakr. The answer is striking: “If he wishes, he is the Caliph,” says Abu Bakr.

As we finish our article, let us also state this; despite all this, there are also rumors that the Prophet never liked Uyeyne, even accusing him of being a “fool” in one account, and saying “he is among the worst of people.”

We are not writing all this information, the relayed rumors, and the events that took place ourselves today. What we want to do is to bring the events that are already written and contain, in our opinion, very striking information together with today, to shed light on today while questioning yesterday; to be able to talk about political economy simultaneously. As we stated at the beginning of our article, when the subject comes to this point, they want to hijack the history podium and drown the word in accusations, smears, and slander. It will not be so, of course. One should not allow them to darken either the past or the present. Those podiums have been established once; we will certainly claim the history that conveys the word.

 Aydın Tonga, Tarihin Arka Yüzü (The Backside of History), Doğu Kitabevi.

 Ali Dadan, Câhiliye Bedevî Arap Zihninin Son Peygamberle İmtihanı: Uyeyne b. Hısn Örneği (The Test of the Jahiliyyah Bedouin Arab Mind with the Last Prophet: The Example of Uyeyne b. Hısn), İstem Journal.