Suraqa ibn Malik

He is Suraqah ibn Malik ibn Ja'sham ibn Malik ibn Amr ibn Taym ibn Madlij ibn Murrah ibn Abd Manaf ibn Kinana al-Kanani, nicknamed Suraqah Abu Sufyan. He is a noble companion. It is said that he is from the people of Mecca, and it is said that he is from the people of Medina. It was mentioned that he lived in Qudayd, and his date of birth is unknown.

Life of Suraqah ibn Malik before Islam

Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was known in the pre-Islamic era for tracking footprints and divination, called "Qiyafa". The Banu Kinana, especially the Banu Madlij, were renowned for this skill. This is further confirmed by the fact that Abu Sufyan asked him to follow the trace of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when the Prophet set out to migrate with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq to Medina.

From here, Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who followed the trace of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) before his conversion to Islam. However, when he met the Prophet (peace be upon him) on that day, something changed the events during and after that, which becomes apparent when discussing his position in the Hijra (migration).

Conversion of Suraqah ibn Malik to Islam

The companion Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was not among those who embraced Islam at the beginning of the Islamic call, but his conversion came after the strength of the Islamic call. Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated the story of his conversion, which was mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari. In summary, the incident is that Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) met the Messenger (peace be upon him) during the Hijra. According to the narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave him a security document, which Suraqah ibn Malik kept until the day of the conquest of Mecca.

He met the Prophet (peace be upon him) in an area between Mecca and Taif called Al-Ji'rana. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had set out with a detachment, and that detachment tried to bring back Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) from following the noble Messenger. However, Suraqah had raised the security document that the Prophet had given him on the day of migration, and at that time, the noble Prophet allowed him to approach him. That day was Suraqah ibn Malik's (may Allah be pleased with him) conversion to Islam.

Position of Suraqah ibn Malik in the Prophet's Hijra

Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was not a Muslim when the Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated from Mecca to Medina. Rather, he was among those searching for the Prophet (peace be upon him), almost reaching the noble Prophet and his companion Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) on that journey. However, that situation was managed by the Prophet's tact and wisdom and by Allah's protection. Allah saved him from the Quraysh and their plots, and they arrived in Medina safely and securely.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was migrating from Mecca to Medina, Abu Sufyan had requested Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) before his conversion to Islam to determine the location of the noble Prophet and his companion al-Siddiq, as Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for tracking footprints.

He followed the Prophet (peace be upon him) until he reached him, but a miracle prevented him from continuing to follow them. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) promised him a security document if he returned to Mecca without disclosing the Prophet's location, and it is said that he was promised Kasra's bracelets.

Narration of Suraqah ibn Malik for Hadith

Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for narrating hadiths from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and some of the hadiths he narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) include:

- Hadith of the Migration

Beginning of the hadith: "(The envoys of the disbelievers of Quraysh came to us, intending to impose blood money for each of them: whoever kills him or captures him. While I was sitting in a gathering of my people, the Banu Madlij, a man from them, approached until he stood up to us while we were sitting. He said: 'O Suraqah, I have seen a dark caravan on the coast, I see Muhammad and his companions.' Suraqah said: 'I recognized that they are they.' I said to him: 'They are not them, but you have seen so-and-so and so-and-so, they departed before our eyes...'," This hadith includes a longer story detailing what happened during the migration, and it was mentioned by al-Bukhari in his Sahih.

- His Question about Deeds and Fate

Suraqah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) once, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, clarify for us our religion as if we were just created now. What is the matter with deeds today? Are they what the pens have dried with and what the measures have run with, or are they about what we anticipate?" He said: "No, rather, they are what the pens have dried with and what the measures have run with". He said: "Then what is the matter with deeds?" Zuhair said: "Then Abu al-Zubayr spoke about something I did not understand, so I asked: What did he say? He said: 'Work, for everything is made easy'". The Story of Suraqah ibn Malik and Kasra's Bracelets

The hadiths narrated about the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the story of his promise to Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) with Kasra's bracelets do not reach the level of authenticity. Nevertheless, the books of the Prophet's biography and the scholars have relied on narrations that support the Prophet's promise to him.

Furthermore, when Kasra was conquered during the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), and Kasra's bracelets were brought to him, a request was sent to Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) and the two bracelets were handed to him, so that his action would fulfill the Prophet's (peace be upon him) promise and realize the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) prophecy of the conquest of the Kingdom of Kasra.

Suraqah ibn Malik's Narration with the Devil at Badr

In the interpretation of the verse: (And when the devil adorned their deeds and said, "There is no victory today for you, [O Muhammad] and for your followers". And I am your protector), which narrates the incident of Satan's whispering, there are three opinions related to the story of Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) with the Devil and his representation in the form of Suraqah on the day of the Battle of Badr. The following opinions are mentioned:

- First Section

This is the section that mentions two views on how the adornment occurred. The first: that the adornment was a whisper without material embodiment. The second: that Satan manifested in a physical form as the companion Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). No one has favored one opinion over the other in this section, including Al-Zamakhshari, Al-Fakhr al-Razi, and Al-Alusi.

- Second Section

This is the section that states that the adornment was sensory, meaning that the Devil during the Battle of Badr manifested in a physical form, specifically in the form of a human that was said to resemble Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). Those who stated this include Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, and Al-Qurtubi.

- Third Section

This is the section that favors the meaning of adornment without embodiment. It states that the intended meaning of the verses is merely whispering without a real physical manifestation in the form of a human. Those who stated this include Sahib al-Manar.

And while these opinions have been stated, there is no preference for any of the mentioned views; all opinions require clear evidence to decisively conclude this matter. Therefore, there is no definitive proof of the Devil manifesting in the form of the companion Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) on the day of Badr.

Death of Suraqah ibn Malik

It is mentioned in biographical books that Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) died during the caliphate of our master Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). It is mentioned that Suraqah ibn Malik's (may Allah be pleased with him) death occurred in the 24th year of the Hijra, and other books narrate that his death incident occurred after that time.

Lessons Learned from the Biography of the Companion Suraqah ibn Malik

The story of Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) and the situations that occurred between him and the Messenger (peace be upon him) during the migration and after it contains many lessons and morals, including:

Trust in Allah's Victory and His Assistance

This lesson is derived from what happened to the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he migrated with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq from Mecca to Medina, despite Quraysh opposing and fighting him by all means and even setting a great bounty for whoever captures the Messenger (peace be upon him).

Moreover, Abu Sufyan ordered Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) to track their trace. Despite all that, Allah Almighty protected His noble Prophet and granted him victory, making Suraqah a means to conceal their trace and complete their migration. Thus, Allah was with them, supporting and aiding them.

High Morale

This lesson is derived from the day of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) migration. Quraysh appointed Suraqah ibn Malik to track the Prophet's trace, but the result was that his horse's feet sank into the sand, and Suraqah realized that Allah Almighty protected the Prophet. In light of all these circumstances, the Prophet promised him Kasra's bracelets. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had very high morale, believing in Allah's promise of victory and the empowerment of his call.

The Infallibility of Allah, the Exalted, and His Prophet (peace be upon him)

This lesson is derived from the day of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) migration. On that day, Allah Almighty performed a miracle of protection for His Messenger (peace be upon him) when Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the noble Prophet to inform Quraysh of his location and carry out his mission. However, Allah protected him from Suraqah ibn Malik infallibly by a miracle that made his horse sink into the sand, preventing him from achieving his intent.