Hakim ibn Hazm: The Only Person to Have Been Born Inside the Ka'abah

Hakim bin Hazm is the only person in the history of mankind to have been born inside the Kabah. On that particular day the Ka’abah was open because of a festive occasion. 

Together with a group of friends, his mother had gone inside the Ka’abah to inspect it while she was pregnant. Labor pains suddenly gripped her and she was unable to leave the Ka’abah. A leather mat was brought to her and she gave birth on it hence, he was nicknamed 'The Son of The Ka'abah'. 

His father, Hazm bin Asad, was the son of Khuwaylid. Hakim grew up in a wealthy and noble family in Makkah. He was held in such esteem that he was given the responsibility giving assistance to the needy and he sometimes helped needy pilgrims from his own resources. Hakim was a very close friend of the Prophet (SAW) before his prophet hood even though he was older than the Prophet. 

Their friendship was further strengthened when the Prophet (SAW) married his aunt, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. Surprisingly, Hakim did not embrace Islam until the conquest of Makkah, more than twenty years after the start of the Prophet's mission. 

On the night before the liberation of Makkah, Muhammad (SAW) said to his companions: "There are four persons in Makkah whom I consider to be above having any dealing with shirk and I would dearly like them to accept Islam." 

"Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?" asked the companions. "Attab ibn Usayd, Jubayr ibn Mutim, Hakim ibn Hazm and Suhayl ibn Amr," replied the Prophet. 

When the Prophet (SAW) entered Makkah to liberate it, he ordered the soldiers to proclaim: "Whoever declares that there is no god but Allah alone, that He has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, he is safe... Whoever sits at the Kabah and lays down his weapons, he is safe. Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan, he is safe. Whoever enters the house of Hakim ibn Hazm, he is safe...".

Hakim embraced Islam wholeheartedly and vowed that whatever he had spent in opposing Islam he would spend the same in the cause of Islam. As soon as he embraced Islam, he began to feel deep regret for every moment of his life as a polytheist. 

His son once saw him weeping and asked: "Why are you weeping, my father?" and he said, "Many things cause me to weep, my dear son. The most grievous is the length of time it took for me to become a Muslim. Acceptance of Islam would have given me so many opportunities to do good which I missed even if I were to have spent the earth in gold. My life was spared at the battle of Badr and also at the battle of Uhud. After Uhud. I said to myself. I would not help any Quraysh against Muhammad (SAW) and I would not leave Makkah. Then, whenever I felt like accepting Islam I would look at other men among the Quraysh, men of power and maturity who remained firmly attached to the ideas and practices of ignorance and I would fall in line with them and their neighbors... Oh, how I wish I had not done so. Nothing has destroyed us except the blind following of our forefathers and elders. Why should I not weep, my son?"

Hakim owned the Dar an-Nadwah (a historic building in Makkah) where the Quraysh held their meetings. Hakim got rid of it, he sold it for one hundred thousand dirhams. A Qurayshi youth said to him: "You have sold something of great historical value and pride to the Quraysh, uncle." 

Hakim replied him, "Come now, my son, all vain pride and glory has now gone and all that remains of value is consciousness of ALLAH. I have only sold the building in order to acquire a house in Paradise. I swear to you that I have given the proceeds from it to be spent in the path of Almighty ALLAH." 

Hakim ibn Hazm performed the Hajj after becoming a Muslim. He took with him one hundred camels and sacrificed them all in order to achieve nearness to ALLAH. In the following Hajj, he stood on Arafat. With him were one hundred slaves. To each he gave a pendant of silver on which was engraved: "Free for the sake of Almighty ALLAH from Hakim ibn Hazm." 

On a third Hajj, he took with him one thousand sheep and sacrificed them all at Mina to feed the poor Muslims in order to attain nearness to ALLAH.

At a certain period, Hakim was fond of asking for favours from the Prophet (SAW) and the Prophet always granted him but on one occasion the Prophet (SAW) said to him: "O Hakim! This wealth is indeed sweet and attractive. Whoever takes it and is satisfied will be blessed by it and whoever takes out of greed will not be blessed. He would be like someone who eats and is not satisfied. The upper hand is better than the lower hand (it is better to give than to receive)." 

These words of advice had a deep and immediate effect on Hakim. He was mortified and said to the Prophet: "O Messenger of God! By Him who has sent you with the truth, I shall not ask anyone after you for anything."

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Hakim was called several times to collect his stipend from the Bayt al-mal but he refused to take any money. 

He did the same during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab Hakim remained faithful to his word. He did not take anything from anyone until he passed away. From the Prophet, he had learnt the great truth that contentment is riches beyond compare. 

According to most reports, when Hakim bin Hazm passed away in Madina, he was over one hundred and twenty years old. May Allah be please with him.

LESSONS

• Proof of Prophethood: Muhammad (SAW) mentioned the names of four people (Attab ibn Usayd, Jubayr ibn Mutim, Hakim ibn Hazm and Suhayl ibn Amr) and prophesied that they will all embrace Islam and so it happened.
• Compassion Even in War: Muhammad (SAW) made a declaration as the conquest of Makkah was about to begin: "Whoever declares that there is no god but Allah alone, that He has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, he is safe... Whoever sits at the Kabah and lays down his weapons, he is safe. Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan, he is safe. Whoever enters the house of Hakim ibn Hazm, he is safe...". With this, it becomes obvious that those who say Islam advocates the killing of anyone who is not a Muslim is making a false allegation.
• Forceful Conversions: Hakim bin Hazm himself was captured in battle twice as a polytheist and was never forced to embraced Islam. He embraced Islam of his own volition.
• Hesitation to Accept Faith: It is obvious that Hakim bin Hazm intended to embrace Islam earlier than the conquest of Makkah. He hesitated because he feared what worldly status he would have lost. What if he died earlier?
• Slavery and Islam: Hakim bin Hazm liberated 100 hundred slaves in one Hajj just to please Allah. This refutes the claims of those who say ‘Islam encourages slavery’.
• Begging is not Desirable but Beggars should not be Scorned: Hakim bin Hazm was fond of begging for things. Muhammad (SAW) made him realize how undesirable it is. But, the Prophet still went ahead to give him. This is a lesson to those Muslims who try to make beggars a pariah in the community. A Muslim beggar is your brother hence, you must feel his pain and assist him albeit showing him a better way.
• Keeping a Vow: Hakim bin Hazm vowed to never take anything from anybody again in his life. He lived for over 120 years and never broke that promise.