Abu Bakr an-Nabulsi [d.363 AH] was one of the scholars who sacrificed his life in order that this religion might be preserved as it is for us today.
He was Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Sahl bin Nasr ar-Ramli, commonly known as an-Nabulsi. He was a devout and pious worshiper who was not attached to the pleasures of this world. He always stood for the truth. He would fast every other day, and was an influence on all people around him.
He was a scholar of Fiqh and Hadith. He was considered to be one of the greatest scholars of Hadith of his time, as he narrated from the likes of at-Tabarani and Ibn Qutaybah. Also, he taught the likes of ad-Daraqutni, Ali al-Midani, and ‘Ali bin ‘Umar al-Halabi.
In his time ‘Ubaydallah al-Mahdi established the Fatimid state, and took the city of al-Mahdiyyah – after which he is named – as its capital. This city is located on the coast of Tunisia, and it is about 16 miles from the southeast section of the city of Qayrawan (The famous Imam Abu Muhammad Abdullah Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (310-389 AH) was from the same city). Then, the sons of ‘Ubaydallah al-Mahdi continued his expansionist policy until Abu Tamim bin Isma’il – also known as al-Mu’iz li-Dinillah – conquered Egypt. He entered it on Friday, on the 8th of Ramadan in the year 362 H, and established the city of Cairo. The rulers of this Fatimid state ascribed themselves to the Shiite idealogy, while the people of Egypt and Palestine were Sunnis.
The tribulations presented by the Fatimid dynasty were a great trial for the Muslims. When they colonised Palestine, the righteous and poor people escaped from Jerusalem because the Fatimids would force the scholars of the Muslims to curse all of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) during their speeches and sermons. From these scholars who escaped the Fatimids was al-Imam an-Nabulsi, who escaped to Damascus. When al-Mu’iz li-Dinillah arrived in Syria and conquered it, he began to personally call to his heretical idealogy, forbidding people from praying the Tarawih and Duha prayers, and forcing them to make qunut during the Dhuhr prayers.
As for an-Nabulsi, he was from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, and he considered it an obligation to fight these Fatimids. He said, in regards to these Fatimid rulers: “If I had ten spears in my possession, I would throw one of them at the Romans, and I would throw the other nine at these tyrannical Fatimids.”
When the ruler of Damascus – Abu Mahmud al-Kitami – was able to defeat the Qaramitah (who were the enemies of the Fatimids), he arrested al-Imam an-Nabulsi and put him in prison in Ramadan. When the commander of the army of al-Mu’iz li-Dinillah arrived in Damascus, an-Nabulsi was handed over to them and taken to Egypt.
It is mentioned in Imam Ath-Thahabi’s Siyar A’alam An-Nubula; 16/148 – 150
When an-Nabulsi arrived in Egypt, he was taken to al-Mu’iz li-Dinillah, who said to him:“I have been informed that you said that if a man has ten spears, then he should throw one of them at the Romans, and nine of them at us!”
So, an-Nabulsi said: “I did not say this!!”
So, the Fatimid ruler smiled, and assumed that the Imam would retract his statement. So, he asked him: “So, what did you say, then?”
So, an-Nabulsi responded to him – with strength and boldness – “If a man has ten spears, then he should throw nine of them at you, then he should throw the tenth one at you, as well!!!”
So, al-Mu’iz asked him, in shock: “And why is that?”
So, the Imam answered him back with the same boldness: “Because you changed the religion of the Ummah, and you killed the righteous people, and you put out the divine light of guidance, and you usurped that which did not belong to you!”
So, the Fatimid ruler ordered for him to be brought out in front of the public. The next day, he was whipped severely. On the third day, an-Nabulsi was nailed to a cross, and a Jewish butcher was brought out to peel off his flesh – after the Muslim butchers had refused to do so. By the time the flesh was peeled from the top of his head down to his face, he was still patiently engaging in the remembrance of Allah and repeating the verse from the Qur’an: {“…and that is written in the Book of Our Decrees.”} [al-Isra’; 58]. When the butcher had finally gotten to an-Nabulsi’s arms, he decided to put him out of his misery, and took a knife of his and stabbed it into an-Nabulsi’s heart, after which he died.
It was later reported by eyewitnesses that while an-Nabulsi was on the cross, the recitation of the Qur’an could be heard coming from his dead body.
Also, Ibn ash-Sha’sha’ al-Misri narrated that he saw an-Nabulsi in a dream after he had been killed, looking very beautiful and joyous. So, he asked him: “What has Allah done with you?”
So, an-Nabulsi replied:
My Lord Loved me in eternal honor * And He Promised me closeness and friendship to Him
And He brought me close to Him * And Said: “Rejoice in an everlasting life
Similarly it is mentioned in Ibn Kathir’s ‘al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah’; 11/241]
Ibn Al-Jawzi mentioned concerning Jawhar As-Siqilli the Fatimid general that he said to Abu Bakr An-Nabulsi: “It has reached us that you have said that if a man has ten arrows, he must shoot one arrow at the Romans, and nine at us [The Fatimid Shiites]. He [Abu Bakr] said: “I haven’t said that. Rather, I said that if he has ten arrows, he must shoot nine at you, and the tenth he must shoot at you also! For indeed you have changed the religion, killed the righteous and claimed divine light”. So he [the general] had him brought into public, then beaten and then he ordered a Jew who peeled off his skin.”Abu Tharr Al-Hafith said: “Banu ‘Ubaid imprisoned him and they crucified him [for being] upon the Sunnah. I heard Ad-Daraqutni mention him while crying, saying: While being skinned he was reciting:
{كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَسْطُورًا}
{That has been written in The Book [of decrees]} – [Al-Israa:58]”
Ma’mar Ibn Ahmad said: “A trustworthy individual informed me that Abu Bakr was skinned from the crown of his head to his face. He was making remembrance of Allah and was patient until he [the skinner] reached his chest. The skinner then had pity on him and so stabbed him with a knife into his heart putting an end to his life.”
He also said: “…And when he had been skinned, recitation of The Qur’an could be heard from his body”
“Ibn As-Sa’saa’ Al-Misri related that he saw Abu Bakr Ibn An-Nabulsi in a dream after he had been crucified while he was in the best appearance. So he said: “What did Allah do with you?” He replied:
“My Lord gifted me with eternal honour ~ And He promised me imminent victory
And He brought me close and near to Him ~ And He said: Live delightfully in a life next to Me”
Excerpts: and Ibn Kathir’s ‘al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah’; 11/241]
Taken from a lecture delivered by the noble Shiekh Abdullah Bukhari
Pearls of knowledge 