al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba

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Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba was a Thaqafi Companion known for his cleverness. On the mission to bring down al-Lat in 9 AH he pretended to fall, to show the people of Ta'if the idol could neither harm nor help, then broke its gate with the iron club until the house was razed.

Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba was a Thaqafi Companion famed for his wits. On the mission to demolish al-Lat in 9 AH he took the iron club and told his companions he would make them laugh at Thaqif: he struck, then fell running, and the people of Ta'if trembled saying the goddess had struck him — so he sprang up and said she is only stones and clay, then broke the gate, climbed the wall with the men, and al-Lat was leveled to the ground, its foundations dug up and its ornaments removed. Accounts also attribute to him — al-Sallabi rejects them as weak — advising Ali to confirm Mu'awiya and Uthman's governors.

Storytellers (10–12) read the Explorers text, then cross to the Scholars text.

Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba al-Thaqafi was a Companion famed for his wits. On the 9 AH mission to demolish al-Lat he took the club, promised to make his companions laugh at Thaqif, struck, then fell running so that the people of Ta'if trembled and said 'the goddess got him' — and he sprang up saying she is only stones and clay, broke the gate, climbed the wall with the men, and al-Lat was leveled until its foundations were dug and its ornaments and cloth removed. The counsel accounts attribute to him advising Ali to confirm Mu'awiya, Ibn Amir and Uthman's governors for their pledge then to remove them — Abu Mikhnaf's account adding his giving Talha and al-Zubayr Basra and Kufa — al-Sallabi rejects these as weak, reading them as painting him a flatterer in a hard hour, which his character and political record belie.

Summary

A Thaqafi Companion famed for cunning; he struck al-Lat's door with the iron mallet on the day of its demolition in year 9 AH, after terrifying al-Ta'if's people with his feigned fall ¹.

His account

In the mission to demolish al-Lat, al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba took the mallet and told his companions: "by God I will make you laugh at Thaqif" ¹. He struck with the mallet, then fell and rolled; al-Ta'if's people shuddered and cried: God keep al-Mughira far — the goddess has slain him! He sprang up saying: God confound you — she is naught but a lowly heap of stones and clay ¹. Then he struck the door and broke it, climbed her highest wall with the men, and al-Lat was demolished and razed to the ground until her foundation was dug up and her jewellery and covering brought out ¹.

For young visitors

A clever man who pretended to fall to show al-Ta'if's people that an idol neither harms nor helps — then broke its door, and the building was torn down.

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Umar ibn al-Khattab

Second caliph (634–644); under his rule the early community conquered Syria, Egypt and much of the Sasanian Empire. Remembered in Sunni tradition as al-Faruq, the model of just rule. ومن مناقبه في الصحيح القصر الذي رآه له النبي في الجنة فأخلى النظر إليه حياءً لغيرته ، ولبن الرؤيا الذي أوله النبي بالعلم فناوله إياه. ويروي هو صعوده إلى مشربة النبي حين اعتزل أزواجه فرأى أثر الحصير في جنبه فبكى فقال له «أما ترضى أن تكون لهم الدنيا ولنا الآخرة». ورأى حلة سيراء عند باب المسجد فعرضها على النبي ليلبسها يوم الجمعة وللوفد فقال «إنما يلبسها من لا خلاق له في الآخرة» ثم أهداها إليه بعد فكساها أخاً له مشركاً بمكة.

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Umar ibn al-Khattab