Abdullah bin Ubayy & Funeral Prayers of Hypocrites
On the return from the expedition of Bani Mustaliq, an incident occurred which has been narrated in Sahih Muslim. Hazrat Jabir (ra) bin Abdillah narrates:
“We were with the Holy Prophet (sa) during an expedition”, i.e. the expedition of Bani Mustaliq, “when someone from among the Muhajireen struck an individual from among the Ansar on his back. The man from the Ansar called out to the Ansar and the muhajir man called out to the Muhajireen”, i.e. both called out for help from their people. “This news reached the Holy Prophet (sa) and when he heard the commotion he said, ‘What is this cry of the Jahiliyya period?’ They said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! A man from the Muhajireen struck a man from the Ansar on his back.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Leave that, for it is a senseless act’”, i.e. to quarrel over the smallest of matters is futile. “When Abdullah bin Ubayy, who was present there at the time, heard this, he said, ‘He may have done this, i.e. a muhajir may have hit a man from the Ansar, even if it was a slap, but by Allah, if we return to Medina, then certainly the most honourable (God-forbid) would throw out the most wretched.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) submitted, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Grant me permission to sever the head of this hypocrite.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Leave him. I do not wish for people to say that Muhammad kills his companions.’”
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa al-Silah, Bab Nasr al-Akh Zaliman aw Mazluma, Hadith 2583)
The details of this incident are mentioned in Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin [The Life and Character of the Seal of the Prophets] – I will leave this as it has already been mentioned previously.
Nonetheless, in Sirat Ibn Hisham, it is mentioned that in his final days, whenever Abdullah bin Ubayy would say such things, his people would label him to be extremely indolent. When the Holy Prophet (sa) learnt of his condition, he said to Hazrat Umar (ra), “O Umar! The day you asked me permission to kill him, had I granted you permission, people would have scorned and curled their lips. But now, if I command these very people to kill, who would have previously shown contempt, they would readily do it now. However, due to our patience and now that his matter has come to light, those very people who supported him previously, have turned against him and can even go to the extent of killing him.” Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “By Allah! I now know that the verdict of the Holy Prophet (sa) was far greater and more blessed than my suggestion.”
(Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], p. 672)
When the Holy Prophet (sa) was about to lead the funeral prayer of Abdullah bin Ubayy, chief of the hypocrites, Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “Allah the Almighty has forbidden to lead the funeral prayers of hypocrites.” The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “I have been given the choice whether to seek forgiveness for them or not.” Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) led his funeral prayer. When Allah the Almighty outright prohibited leading the funeral prayers of such people, the Holy Prophet (sa) never led the funeral prayer of any hypocrite thereafter.
(Ibn Abd al-Barr, Al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3, Abdullah bin Abdillah Ansari [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 1992], p. 941)