Who was the man whose right hand the Prophet (PBUH) held and said, `In every nation there exists a man worthy of all trust and the trustworthy of this nation is Abu `Ubaidah lbn Al- Jarraah." Who was the man whom the Prophet sent with reinforcements to `Amr Ibn Al-'Aas in the Dhaat As-Salaasil Expedition and made commander of the army that included `Umar and Abu Bakr? Who was this Companion who was the first to be called the Commander of the Commanders? Who was that tall, slim man with gaunt face? Who was that strong, trustworthy man about whom `Umar lbn Al Khattaab said on his deathbed, "If Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarraah were alive, I would have entrusted him with the caliphate, and if Allah asked me about him, I would say, I assigned the caliphate to the trustworthy of Allah and His Prophet, Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al Jarraah.
He embraced Islam at the hands of Abu Bakr As-Siddiiq at the dawn of Islam, even before the Prophet walked into Daar Al-Arqam. He emigrated to Abyssinia during the second emigration, then returned to stand by the Prophet at Badr, Uhud, and the rest of the great battles.
Even after the Prophet's death, he continued to be strong and trustworthy in his striving during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and the Commander of the Faithful `Umar. He renounced the world and endured its hardships. He pursued his Islam with an admirable asceticism, piety, firmness, and trustworthiness. When Abu `Ubaidah took the oath of allegiance to the Messenger and dedicated his life in the way of Allah, he knew exactly what those words "in the way of Allah" meant. Moreover, he was ready to endure whatever this way required of self-sacrifice and self-denial. From the time he shook hands with the Prophet as a sign of his pledge, he looked upon himself and his life as something that Allah had entrusted to him to seek His pleasure and abandon every desire or fear that might distract away from Him. When Abu `Ubaidah fulfilled his pledge as other Companions did, the Prophet saw in his conscientiousness and life style that which made him worthy of the epithet he had given him, namely, "The Trustworthy of This Nation"
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Abu `Ubaidah's trustworthiness towards his responsibilities was one of his most outstanding traits. For instance, in the Battle of Uhud, he realized from the way the battle was conducted that the disbelievers' first priority was to kill the great Messenger (PBUH). To them, achieving victory was of secondary importance compared to killing the Prophet. Therefore, he decided to stay very close to where he was.
Abu Ubaidah thrust his sword into the army of paganism that craved to put out the light of Allah once and for all. Whenever the fierce fight led him far away from the Prophet, he fought ferociously while his eyes were fixed on where the Prophet stood, watching him with great concern. Whenever Abu `Ubaidah saw a potential danger approaching the Prophet, he jumped swiftly to send the enemies of Allah on their heels before they could injure the Prophet.
When the fight reached the height of ferocity, a group of disbelievers closed in upon Abu Ubaidah. Still his eyes were fixed on the Prophet like hawk eyes. Abu `Ubaidah lost his self-control when he saw an arrow hit the Prophet; yet he recollected himself and thrust his sword into those who closed in upon him as if his sword were a magic one. Finally, he managed to disperse them and darted towards the Messenger, who was wiping the noble blood that ran down his face with his right hand, then exclaimed, `How can they succeed after they tinged with blood the face of their Prophet who invites them to the way of Allah?"
When Abu `Ubaidah saw the two rings of the Prophet's chain mail that had pierced his cheeks, he rushed and held the first one with his front teeth and pulled it out. Yet as it fell, it took out his upper front teeth as well, and the same thing happened to the lower front teeth when he pulled out the second ring.
Now, Abu Bakr As-siddiiq will narrate what he saw in a more impressive way, so let us hear what he has to say: When the Battle of Uhud reached the apex of fierceness and ferocity, the Prophet was wounded, and two of the rings of the Prophet's mail penetrated his cheeks. As soon as I realized what had happened, I rushed to him. A man ran swiftly in the same direction and exclaimed, "Dear Allah, accept this deed as a sign of obedience." Then we both reached the Prophet, but Abu `Ubaidah was there before me, so he pleaded with me, "Please, by Allah, Abu Bakr, let me pull them out of the Prophet's cheeks," so I let him. Abu `Ubaidah held one of the rings with his front teeth and pulled it out along with his upper front teeth. Then he pulled out the second along with his lower front teeth. Thus, he lost his teeth.
Abu `Ubaidah, like all the Companions, fulfilled his responsibilities and obligations with great honesty, and trust worthiness. Accordingly, when the Prophet (PBUH) appointed him as a commander in Al-Khabat Expedition, he had no supplies except for a knapsack full of dates. Notwithstanding the difficult mission and long distance, Abu `Ubaidah withstood this against all odds with tremendous self-denial and joy. He and his soldiers marched for miles with nothing to eat but a few dates daily until they ran out of dates and had to pick up withered leaves with their bows and crush and swallow them with water. Hence, the expedition was called Al-Khabat (i.e. The Struggle). They proceeded regardless of the danger and the risks. They did not worry about starvation or deprivation. The only thing that mattered to them was to accomplish their glorious mission under the leadership of their strong and trustworthy commander.
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The Prophet (PBUH) loved this trustworthy one of his nation so much that he gave him preference over everyone else. For instance, when the Najraan delegation arrived from Yemen after they had embraced Islam, they asked the Prophet to send someone to them to teach them the Qur'aan, the Sunnah, and Islam. The Prophet told them, "I will send you a trustworthy man, a very trustworthy man. When the Companions heard this praise, every one of them prayed that the Prophet meant him with this praise and sincere recommendation.
`Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated thus. I have never craved command in my life except on that day, in hope that I would be the man whom the Prophet held in such high esteem. Therefore, I went in intense heat to perform my Dhuhr prayer. When the Prophet finished leading the prayer, he looked to his right, then to his left. I stood on my toes to draw his attention to me, yet he kept on looking round until he saw Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarraah and ordered him, "Go with them and judge in fruth between them in the matters in which they dispute." Afterwards, Abu `Ubaidah traveled with them.
This incident does not mean that Abu `Ubaidah was the only one whom the Prophet trusted or appreciated. He was one of the Companions who equally shared the Prophet's invaluable trust and generous appreciation. But he was the only one or one of few who was qualified to he absent from Al-Madiinah for this mission of calling people to accept Islamic monotheism, for he was the perfect man for this assignment. He maintained his trustworthiness as a Companion of the Prophet, and even after his death, he upheld his responsibilities with admirable integrity.
He adhered to the standard of Islam wherever he went, as a soldier in command with valor and esteem, and as a soldier under command with modesty and faithfulness.
When Khaalid Ibn Al-Wallid was the commander of the Muslim armies in one of the great decisive battles, the first action of `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, the new caliph at the time, was to dismiss Khaalid and assign Abu Ubaidah in his place. When Abu `Ubaidah received the message from `Umar he decided to conceal its purport. He pleaded with the messenger to keep it a secret with great admirable asceticism, intelligence, and fidelity. When Khaalid achieved his great victory, and only then, did Abu `Ubaidah relay to him the message with extraordinary politeness. On reading the Khaalid asked him, `May Allah bestow His mercy on you, Abu `Ubaidah. What made you keep that message from me?" The Trustworthy of the Nation answered, "I was afraid lest it should cause any confusion that might affect the army's morale. We do not crave life or its splendor. We are brothers before Allah."
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Thus, Abu `Ubaidah was assigned as the commander-in -chief in Syria. His army was the mightiest and best equipped among the Muslim armies. You could hardly distinguish him from the rank and file of the army. He was always unassuming. When he heard that the people of Syria were infatuated by him and by his new rank, he asked them to assemble, then addressed them saying, "Fellow men, I'm a Muslim from the Quraish tribe. I will follow any of you like his shadow regardless of the color of his skin, if he is more pious and righteous than me."
May Allah greet you, Abu `Ubaidah. May Allah bless the religion that refined you and the Prophet who instructed you. He said that he was a Muslim from the Quraish. His religion was Islam and his tribe was Quraish. For him, this sufficed as an identification. His being the commander -in-chief, the leader of the greatest Muslim army in number, equipment, and victory and the obeyed and respected ruler of Syria were not privileges in themselves. He was not ensnared by the web of conceit or haughtiness. As a matter of fact, all these titles and high positions were the means to a sublime ultimate end.
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One day, the Commander of the Faithful visited Syria and asked those who were at his reception, "Where is my brother?" They asked, "Who do you mean?" He answered, "Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al Jarraah." Soon Abu `Ubaidah arrived and hugged Umar, then he invited him over to his house, where he had no furniture. In fact, he had nothing but a sword, a shield, and a saddlebag. `Umar asked him, smiling, "Why don't you furnish your house as people do?" Abu `Ubaidah readily answered, "O Commander of the Faithful, as you see, I have a room to sleep in and that is enough for me."
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One day as the Commander of the Faithful Umar "Al-Faruuq" was conducting the affairs of the vast Muslim world, he received the sad news of Abu `Ubaidah's death. He tried to control himself, but his sadness got the better of him and his tears flowed. He asked Allah to bestow His mercy on his brother. He recalled his memories with Abu `Ubaidah (May Allah be pleased with him) with patience and tenderness. He exclaimed, "If I were to make a wish, I would have wished a house full of men just like Abu `Ubaidah."
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The Trustworthy of This Nation died in the land which he had purified from the paganism of the Persians and the oppression of the Romans. Today in Jordan lie his noble remains which once were full of life, goodness, and satisfaction. It does not matter if you know where he is buried or not, for if you want to find his grave, you will need no guide; the fragrance of his remains will lead you to it.
If you attempt to arrange the Prophet's Companions in the order of their embracing Islam, `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun will be number fourteen. Not only was he the first Muhaajir to die in Al Madiinah, but also the first Muslim to be buried in Al-Baqli'a. This glorious Companion whose life story you are about to hear was a great "monk". By "monk" here I mean a worshiper throughout life, not a monk sequestered in his hermitage, for life with all its commotion, turmoil, burdens, and virtues was his "hermitage". Life to him meant perseverance in the way of in the way of truth and unremitting self-denial good and righteousness.
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When we go back in time, when the fresh early rays of Islam were emanating from the Prophet's heart (PBUH) and from his words said in secret and seclusion, `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun was there. He was one of the few who rushed to the way of Allah and supported the Prophet. When the Prophet (PBUH) ordered the few oppressed believers to emigrate to Abyssinia, he wanted to save them from the Quraish's oppression, while he chose to be left behind to face it alone. `Uthmaan, who was at the head of the first group of fugitives, was accompanied by his son, As-Saa'ib. They set their faces towards a far-away land fleeing the plots of Abu Jahi, Allah's enemy, and the Quraish's atrocities.
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The emigration of `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun - and likewise for the rest of the emigrants to Abyssinia in the first and second emigrations - only made him hold more firmly to his Islam. Definitely, the two emigrations to Abyssinia represented a unique and glorious phenomenon in the cause of Islam, for those who believed in Muhammad
(PBUH) and followed the light that had been sent down to him had had enough of paganism, error, and ignorance. Their common sense shunned the idolatry of statues made of rocks and clay. When these fugitives emigrated to Abyssinia, they found an already prevalent and highly disciplined religion with an established clerical hierarchy of bishops and priests. Notwithstanding their attitude towards this religion, it was definitely remote from both the familiar paganism practiced back home and the usual idolatrous rites they had left behind. Undoubtedly, the clergy in Abyssinia exerted much effort to lure those emigrants to apostatize and embrace Christianity.
In spite of all this, those emigrants stood steadfast in their profound loyalty to Islam and to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They anxiously yearned for the day when they would return to their beloved country so as to worship Allah and support the great Prophet (PBUH) in the mosque in peacetime and in the battlefield when the power of disbelief forced them to take up arms. Thus, those emigrants who lived in Abyssinia felt secure and peaceful. `Uthmaan lbn Madh'uun was one of them, yet his expatriation did not make him forget his cousin Umaiyah Ibn Khalaf's plots and the abuse he dealt him and other Muslims. Hence, he used to amuse himself by rehearsing threats to him, saying, "I hope that all the arrows you aim will miss their target and strike back at you. You fought against generous and noble people and tortured them to death. You will soon be punished, and the common people you used to despise will get back at you."
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While the emigrants were, despite their exile, wrapped up in their worship of Allah and the study of the Qur'aan, news spread that the Quraish had submitted themselves to Islam and prostrated themselves to Allah, the One, the Irresistable.
Hurriedly, driven by their nostalgic feelings, the emigrants packed up their belongings and hastened to Makkah. However, no sooner had they reached Makkah's outskirts than they realized that the news about the Quraish's submission to Islam was only the bait to lure them to return. Suddenly, they realized that their excessive credulity had led them right into this trap, yet there was nothing they could do, for Makkah was in sight and there was no escape whatsoever. Makkah's unbelievers were overjoyed to hear that their long-awaited prey was caught in the trap they had laid.
At that time, the right of protection - to be under the assistance, support, refuge, and protection of his patron - was a sacred and honored Arab tradition. Consequently, if a weak man had a claim on a man of high standing, he would instantly enjoy the privileges of the right of protection and would be under an invincible protection and safety. Naturally, not all of those who returned to Makkah had claims on a high-ranking man. Therefore, few enjoyed the protection and safety guaranteed by this right. Among those who did was `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun, who had a claim on Al Waliid lbn Al-Mughiirah. Hence, he entered Makkah safely and peacefully and attended its councils without being humiliated or harmed.
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Yet, every time lbn Madh'uun - the man who had been refined by the Qur'aan and whom the Prophet (PBUH) had taught and disciplined - looked around, he saw his weak, poor Muslim brothers who had no claim on the right of protection being atrociously abused and unjustly haunted, while he sat safe and sound in his sanctuary away from the least provocation. His free spirit rebelled and his noble compassion got the better of him. Hence, he decided to throw aside Al-Waliid's patronage and take off his shoulders this burdensome sanctuary that deprived him of the bliss of enduring abuse in the way of Allah and of following his Muslim brothers who were the believing vanguard and the glad tidings of the world that would afterwards overflow with faith, monotheism, and light. Let us now call an eyewitness to narrate what occurred.
When `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun saw the affliction that had befallen the Prophet's Companions while he was free and safe under Al-Wallid lbn Al-Mughiirah's protection, he said to himself, "By Allah, 1 realize now that I have a fatal flaw in my character, for here I am sound under the protection of a disbeliever while my brothers and companions are being abused and tortured by disbelievers." Instantly, he hastened to Al-Waliid Ibn Al- Mughiirah and spoke. Aby Abd Shams, you have been a dutiful friend, you did your utmost to honor the ties of kinship. But now I must forsake my claim on you." Al-Waliid asked him," Why, nephew? Did any of my people lay a finger on you?" He answered, "No, but I'm fully satisfied with Allah's protection and sanctuary and I do not want to resort to anyone but Him. So please come with me to the mosque and withdraw your protection and support in public." They both hastened to the mosque. Then Al-Waliid cried out, "`Uthmaan has asked me to withdraw my protection and support from him." `Uthmaan said, "He was indeed a loyal, dutiful, and generous patron, but I do not like to resort to the protection and help of anyone but Allah."
As `Uthmaan was leaving, Lubaid ibn Rabii'ah was sitting in one of the Quraish's meetings reciting poetry, so he decided to join them and sat down and heard Lubaid recite, "Everything but Allah is falsehood." `Uthmaan nodded and said, "You spoke the truth." Lubaid continued, "Every blessing is transient." `Uthmaan objected saying, "You are a liar, for the blessings of Paradise are eternal." Lubaid said, "O you Quraish, by Allah, I have not heard before that anyone dared to call a man who was attending your meeting names." A man of Quraish explained, "Do not pay attention to what he says, for he is a fool who has turned apostate." `Uthmaan objected to the man's insult and both quarrelled until the man lost his temper and punched `Uthmaan's eye ruthlessly.
Nearby was Al-Waliid Ibn Al-Mughiirah, who saw what had happened and said, " By Allah, nephew, you could have spared yourself the pain if you had stayed under my invulnerable protection." `Uthmaan answered, "On the contrary, my healthy eye yearns for the pain of my abused eye. I am under the protection of Allah, Who is far better and more capable than you, Abu Abd Shams." Al-Waliid urged him saying, "Come on nephew, be sensible and return to my sanctuary and protection." Ibn Madh'uun said firmly, "No." After he left, the pain in his eye was severe yet his spirit was revived, strengthene, and reassured. On his way home he recited, "I don't care if a deluded disbeliever hurt my eye, for it was in the way of Allah. For the Most Merciful will reward me on the Day of Reckoning in compensation for it. My people, if Allah attempts to please someone, then he will be undoubtedly a happy man. Even if you say that I'm a misguided fool, my life will always be consecrated to the Prophet Muhammad's religion (PBUH). I will always do my utmost to please Allah, for our religion is the only truth despite abuse and oppression.
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Thus he set an example that was highly becoming of him. In fact, life witnessed the remarkable scene of an excellent man whose graceful, immortal words will resound: "By Allah, my healthy eye yearns to be hurt in the way of Allah. I am under the protection and care of Someone far better and more capable than you." Obviously the scenario of `Uthmaan's abuse at the hands of the Quraish after he had renounced Al-Waliid's protection was premeditated on his part. He provoked it and was overjoyed by it, for this abuse was to him like the fire that matures, purifies, and ennobles his faith. At last, he followed the foot steps of his believing brothers who did not accept intimidation.
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Afterwards, `Uthmaan decided to emigrate to Al-Madiinah where he would not be haunted or harassed by Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, Umaiyah, `Utbah, or any of the other ruthless disbelievers who abused and tormented the Muslims. He traveled to Al-Madiinah with those great Companions who survived the hardships, terror, and horror of the trials with admirable steadfastness and stoutness. They did not emigrate to Al-Madiinah to rest. On the contrary, Al-Madiinah was the springboard that enabled Muslims to strive in the way of Allah all over the world, clinging to allah's flag and spreading His words, signs, and guidance.
When `Uthmaan had settled in the illuminated Madiinah, his remarkable, great qualities were unveiled! He ultimately emerged as an ascetic, devout, and repentant worshiper. To sum up, he was the glorious and intelligent "monk" who was not sequestered in his hermitage but rather in life. He spent his life striving in the way of Allah. Indeed, he was the worshiper by night and the fighter by day. In fact, he was the worshipper and the fighter of both night and day.
Although all the Prophet's (PBUH) Companions at that time were inclined to asceticism and devoutness, yet Ibn Madh'uun had a certain strategy in that respect, for he was so remarkably absorbed in his asceticism and devoutness that he turned his life, day and night, into a perpetual blessed prayer and a sweet long glorification. No sooner had he sipped the sweetness of the engrossement in worship than he hastened to abandon all the enticing luxury and splendor of life. Therefore, he wore nothing but coarse clothes and ate nothing but coarse food.
One day, he walked into the mosque in which the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were sitting, and he had on a faded, worn-out garment that was patched with a piece of fur. As soon as the Prophet (PBUH) saw him, he sympathized with him, and the Companions' eyes were filled with tears, yet the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Would you like it if you were rich enough to have as many garments as you like and as much food as you like? Would you like your upholstery to be as expensive as the clothes used in covering the Ka'bah." The Companions answered, "We would indeed! We would like to live in luxury surrounded by the splendors of life." The Prophet (PBUH) commented, "You will be wealthy, but you are today far better in your piety and devoutness than you will when you are wealthy." Naturally, when Ibn Madh'uun heard the Prophet's words, he clung more and more to his austere and coarse life. He went so far as to renounce sexual intercourse with his wife, yet when the Prophet (PBUH) heard about this exaggerated attitude, he summoned him and said, "Your wife has the right to have sexual intercourse with you."
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The Prophet (PBUH) loved him dearly. When his pure spirit was embarking on its journey towards Heaven, the Prophet (PBUH) was next to him, paying his last farewell to the first Muhaajir to die in Al-Madiinah and the first to be raised to Paradise. He leaned to kiss his forehead and his amiable eyes flowed with tears that wet `Uthmaan's face, which looked remarkably graceful. The Prophet (PBUH) paid his last farewell to his beloved Companion by saying, "Allah bestow His mercy on you, Abu As-Saa'ib. You are now leaving life that was not able to seduce or mislead you."
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The revered Prophet (PBUH) did not forget his Companion after his death; on the contrary, he often mentioned and praised him. For instance, his very last words to his daughter Ruqaiyah on her deathbed were, "Go on, follow in the pious and devout `Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun's footsteps up to Paradise."
In the Battle of Mu'tah, the Prophet (PBUH) stood to pay his farewell to the departing Muslim army on its way to fight the Romans and to announce the name of the three successive commanders of the army: "Zaid Ibn Haarithah is your first commander, but in case he is wounded, Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib will take over the command, and if the latter is wounded then `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah will replace him." But who was Zaid Ibn Haarithah. Who was the beloved one of the Prophet (PBUH)?
Narrators and historians described his appearance as short, dark swarthy, and snub-nosed. As for his reality, he was truly a great Muslim.
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If we go back in time, we will see Haarithah, Zaid's father, just putting the luggage on the camel that was to carry his wife, Su`dah, to her family. Haarithah paid his farewell to his wife who carried Zaid - at that time a young child - in her arms. But every time he was about to leave his wife and child who were going with a caravan, to return to his house and work, he was driven by a mysterious and inexplicable urge to keep his wife and son in sight; yet it was time for them to set out on their way and Haarithah had to pay his last farewell to his wife and head back home. His tears flowed as he said goodbye and stood as if pinned to the ground until he lost sight of them. At that moment he felt broken-hearted.
Su'dah stayed with her family for a while. One day, suddenly her neighborhood was attacked by one of its opposing tribes. Taken by surprise, Bani Ma`n were defeated and Zai lbn Haarithah was captured along with other war prisoners. His mother returned home alone. When Haarithah heard the sad news, he was thunderstruck. He traveled everywhere and asked everyone about his beloved Zaid. He recited these lines of poetry on the spur of the moment to lament the loss of his son:
My heart was broken when I lost Zaid. I don't know if he is alive or dead or if I will ever see him again. By Allah, I still do not know if he was killed on the plain or slain on the mountain. His picture comes to the mind's eye whenever the sun rises or sets. Even when the wind blows, it brings along his memory. Alas, I am shrouded by my sadness, grief, and fear for him.
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At that time, slavery was a recognized and established social fact that turned into a necessity. This was the case in Athens, which had long enjoyed a flourishing civilization, in Rome, and in the entire ancient world, including the Arab Peninsula. When the opposing tribe attacked the Bani Ma'n, it headed to the market of `Ukaadh, held at that time, to sell its prisoners of war. The child Zaid, was sold to Hakiim Ibn Huzaam, who gave him to his aunt Khadiijah as a gift. At that time, khadiijah was married to Muhammad Ibn `Abd Allah but the revelation had not yet descended on him. However, he enjoyed all the promising great qualities of prophets (PBUH). Khadiijah, on her part, gave her servant Zaid as a gift to her husband, Allah's Prophet. He was very pleased with Zaid and manumitted him at once. His great and compassionate heart overflowed with care and love towards the boy.
Later on, during one of the Hajj seasons, a group of Haarithah's tribe ran into Zaid in Makkah and told him about his parents anguish and grief ever since they had lost him. Zaid asked them to convey his love and longing to his parents. He told them, "Tell my father that I live here with the most generous and loving father." No sooner did his father know his son's whereabouts than he hastened on his way to him, accompanied by his brother.
As soon as they reached Makkah, he asked about the trustworthy Muhammad. When he met him, he said, "O son of lbn Abd Al-Muttalib! O son of the master of his tribe! Your land is one of security and sanctuary and you are famous for helping the distressed and sheltering the captive. We have come here to ask you to give us back our son. So please confer a favor on us and set a reasonable ransom for him." The Prophet knew the great love and attachment Zaid carried in his heart for him, yet at the same time, he respected Haarithah's parental right. Therefore, he told Haarithah, "Ask Zaid to come here and make him choose between you and me. If he chooses you, he is free to go with you, but if he chooses me then, by Allah, I will not leave him for anything in the world." Haarithah's face brightened, for he did not expect such magnanimity; therefore, he said, "You are far more generous than us." Then the Prophet (PBUH) summoned Zaid. When he came he asked him, "Do you recognize these people?" Zaid said, "Yes, this is my father and this is my uncle."
The Prophet (PBUH) told him what he had told Haarithah. Zaid replied, "I will not choose anyone but you, for you are a father and an uncle to me." The Prophet's eyes were full of thankful and compassionate tears. He held Zaid's hand and walked to the Ka'bah, where the Quraish were holding a meeting, and cried out, "I bear witness that Zaid is my son, and in case I die first, he will inherit from me, and in case he dies first, I will inherit from him." Hiaarithah was overjoyed, for not only had his son been manumitted but he had also become the son of the man who was known by the Quraish as "The Honest and Trustworthy". Moreover, he was a descendant of Bani Haashim and was raised to a high station among his people.
Zaid's father and uncle returned back home leaving their son safe and sound after he had become master of himself and after the Prophet (PBUH) had set to rest their fears concerning his fate.
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The Prophet (PBUH) adopted Zaid and from that moment on he was known as Zaid Ibn Muhammad.
Suddenly, on a bright morning whose brightness has never been seen before or since, the revelation descended on Muhammad: "read! In the name of your Lord who created - created mankind from something which clings; read! And your Lord is the Most Noble; who taught by the pen; taught mankind what he did not know " (96:1-5). Then the revelation continued: "O you encovered--- Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord" (74:1-3). "O Messenger! Proclaim the message which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. Allah will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people who disbelieve"
(5 : 61).
As soon as the Prophet (PBUH) had shouldered the responsibility of his message, Zaid submitted himself to Islam. Narrators said that he was the second man and more probably the first man to embrace Al-Islam.
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The Prophet (PBUH) loved Zaid so dearly due to his singular loyalty, greatness of spirit, conscientiousness, honesty, and trust worthiness. All this and more, made Zaid Ibn Haarithah or Zaid the Beloved One, as the Companions used to call him, hold a distinguished place in the Prophet's heart (PBUH). `Aa'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said, "The Prophet (PBUH) never sent Zaid on an expedition but as a commander and if his life had not been so short, he would have made him his successor.
Was it possible for anyone to be held in such great esteem by the Prophet? What was Zaid really like?
As we have mentioned, he was that boy who had been kidnapped, sold, and manumitted by the Prophet (PBUH). He was this short, swarthy, snub-nosed man. Above all, he had a compassionate heart and a free soul. Therefore, he was raised to the highest position by his Islam and the Prophet's love for him, for neither Islam nor the Prophet (PBUH) took notice of descent or prestige. Muslims like Bilaal , Suhaib, Khabbaab, `Ammaar, Usaamah and Zaid were all alike according to this great religion. Each one of them played an important and distinctive role in gizing impetus to the rapidly spreading religion. These saintly ones and commanders were the sparkling stars of Islam. Islam rectified life values when the glorious Qur'aan said: "Surely, the most honorable among you in the sight of Allah are the most pious of you " (49:13). Moreover, it encouraged all promising talents and all pure, trustworthy, and productive potentialities.
The Prophet (PBUH) married his cousin Zainab to Zaid. It seems that Zainab (May Allah be pleased with her) accepted that marriage becaher shyness prevented her from turning down the Prophet's intercession. Unfortunately, the gap between them widened every day, and finally their marriage collapsed. The Prophet (PBUH) felt that he was , in a way, responsible for this marriage which ended up in divorce; therefore, he married his cousin and chose a new wife, Umm Kulthuum Bent `Uqbah for Zaid. The slanderers and the enemies of the Prophet spread doubt concerning the legality of Muhammad's marriage to his son's ex-wife. The Qur'aan refuted their claims by striking a distinction between sons and adopted sons. It abrogated adoption altogether saying: "Mohammed is not a father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets " (33:90). Hence, Zaid was called after his father's name once again, namely, Zaid Ibn Haarithah.
* * *
Now, do you see the Muslim troops that marched towards the Battle of Al-Jumuuh? Their commander was Zaid Ibn Haarithah Do you see those Muslims troops that marched to At- Tarf, Al-'Iis and Hismii and other battles? The commander of all those battles was Zaid Ibn Haarithah. Truly, as Aa'ishah May Allah be pleased with her) said, `The Prophet never sent Zaid on as expedition but as a commander.
At last, the Battle of Mu'tah took place. It seems that the Romans and their senescent empire were filled with apprehensions and forebodings about the rapid spread of Islam. They saw it as a genuine and fatal threat to their very existence, especially in Syria, which bordered the center of the new, sweeping religion. Therefore, they used Syria as a springboard to the Arab Peninsula and the Muslim nation.
* * *
The Prophet (PBUH) realized that the aim of the Roman skirmishes was to test the Muslim combat readiness. Therefore, he decided to take the initiative and exhibit in action Islam's determination to resist and to gain ultimate victory. On 1 Jumaadii A.H. 8, the Muslim army marched towards Al-Balqaa' in Syria until they reached its borders where Heraclius's armies of the Romans and Arabicized tribes residing at the borders were. The Roman army pitched camp at a place called Mashaarif, whereas the Muslim army pitched camp near a town called Mu'tah. Hence, the battle was named Mu'tah.
* * *
The Prophet (PBUH) knew how important and crucial this battle was; therefore he chose for its command three of those who were worshippers by night and fighters by day. Those three fighters sold their lives and property to Allah and renounced their needs and desires for the sake of great martyrdom which would pave their way to win Allah's pleasure and to see Allah, the Generous. These three commanders were in succession: Zaid Ibn Haarithah, Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib and Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah. (May Allah be pleased with them and they with Him, and may Allah be pleased with all the Companions.) Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) stood to bid farewell to his army and gave them his order saying, "Zaid Ibn Haarithah is your first commander, but in case he is wounded, Ja`far lbn Abi Taalib will take over the command, and if he is also wounded, `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah will take it over.
Although Ja'far lbn Abi Taalib was one of the Prophet's closest friends who had valor, fearlessness, and good lineage, yet the Prophet chose him as the second commander after Zaid. Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) stressed the fact that the new religion of Islam came to abolish corrupt human relationships based on false and superficial discrimination. It established new, rational human relationships instead.
* * *
It was as if the Prophet foresaw the proceedings of the imminent battle, for he assigned the command of the army to Zaid, Ja'far, and then `Abd Allah and strangely enough, all of them were raised to Allah in the same order set by him. When the Muslims saw the vanguard of the Roman army, which they had estimated at 200,000 warriors, they were stunned by its enormity that surpassed all expectation. But since when did the battles of faith depend on number?
At that moment, the Muslims flung themselves into the battlefield regardless of the consequences or jeopardy. Their commander, Zaid, carried the Prophet's standard and fought his way through the enemy's spears, arrows, and swords. He was not so much searching for victory as for concluding his deal with Allah, Who has purchased the lives and properties of Muslims in exchange for Paradise.
Zaid saw neither the sand of Al-Balqaa' nor the Roman forces. The only things that he saw were the hills of Paradise and its green cushions. These images flickered through his mind like the fluttering flags that had announced his wedding day. When he thrust and struck, he not only smote at the necks of his enemies, but also flung the doors open that stood in his way to the vast door through which he would reach the home of peace, the eternal Paradise and Allah's company. Zaid clung to his destiny. His spirit, on its way up to heaven, was overjoyed as it took its last glance at the body of its master that was not covered with soft silk but rather with pure blood shed in the way of Allah. His serene smile widened when he saw the second commander, Ja'far, dart towards the standard and hold it high before it touched the ground.
(20) JA'FAR IBN ABI TAALIB
You Resemble Your Prophet in Your Looks and Conduct.
Notice his majestic youth and blooming vigor, patience, compassion, piety, modesty, and devoutness. Notice his fearlessness, generosity, purity, chastity, honesty, and trustworthiness. Notice his magnificent nature, virtue, and greatness. Do not let the fact that all these excelling traits were found in one man astonish you, for you are looking at a man who resembled the Prophet in his looks and conduct. The Prophet gave him the epithet "Father of the Poor" and the agnomen "The Two Winged". You are about to meet the twittering heavenly sparrow, Ja'far Ibn Abii Taalib, one of the great Muslims who contributed much to shaping the conscience of life.
* * *
He embraced Islam and was raised to a high station among the early believers. On the same day, his wife, Asmaa' Bint `Umais, submitted herself to Islam. They had their share of abuse and oppression, which they withstood with courage and joy. When the Prophet (PBUH) advised his Companions to emigrate to Abyssinia, Ja'far and his wife were among those who acted upon his advice. There, they settled for a number of years, during which they had three children: Muhammad, `Abd Allah and `Awf.
In Abyssinia, Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib was the eloquent Companion who won through in the way of Allah and His prophet, for among Allah's graces bestowed on him were his noble heart, alert mind, sagacious spirit, and fluent speech. The Battle of Mu'tah, in which he was martyred, was his most magnificent, glorious and immortal feat. Yet the Day of Al-Mujaawarah, which he executed before An-Najaashii in Abyssinia, was not less in magnificence glory and grace. In fact, it was a singular battle of words and an impressive scene.
* * *
Now, the Muslim emigration to Abyssinia did not set the fears of the Quraish to rest nor lessen their grudges and spite against the Muslims. On the contrary, the Quraish were afraid lest the Muslims should gain momentum there and increase in number and power. If that did not happen, the Quraish's haughtiness and arrogance could not accept the fact that those fugitives had fled their tyranny and ruthlessness and had settled in another country which the Prophet (PBUH) saw as a promising land for Islam. Therefore, the Quraish leaders decided to send delegates to An-Najaashii with expensive gifts and the hope that he would expel those fugitives from his country. The two chosen delegates were `Abd Allah lbn Abi Rabii'ah and `Amr Ibn Al-Aas before they had embraced Islam.
* * *
An-Najaashii, or Negus, the emperor of Abyssinia, was an enlightened believer. Deep inside he embraced a rational and pure Christianity, void of deviation, fanaticism, and narrow-mindedness. He was renowned and highly admired for his justice. Hence, the Prophet (PBUH) chose his country for his Companions' immigration. Now, the Quraish were afraid lest they should not be able to convince him of their viewpoint. Therefore, their two delegates carried many expensive gifts for the bishops and archbishops of the church and were advised not to meet An-Najaashii until they had given those presents to the bishops and convinced them of their viewpoint so that they would support them before An-Najaashii.
As soon as the two delegates arrived in Abyssinia, they met the spiritual leaders and lavished the gifts on them. Then they sent An-Najaashii his presents. Afterwards, they began to incite the priests and bishops against the Muslim immigrants and asked them to support them in their plea to An-Najaashij to expel them. A day was set for the Muslims to meet An-Najaashii and confront, before his eyes, their spiteful and mischievous enemies.
* * *
On the appointed day, An-Najaashii sat on the throne in awesome dignity, surrounded by the bishops and his retinue. Right in front of him in the vast hall sat the Muslim immigrants, enveloped by Allah's calmness, tranquility, and mercy which He had sent down upon them. The two Quraish delegates stood to reiterate their accusation which they had presented before An-Najaashii in a private meeting right before this huge audience.
They said, "Your Majesty, you well know that a group of fools have turned renegade and have taken asylum in your country. They did not embrace your religion, but rather invented their own religion that neither of us know. We are people of high rank who are related to their fathers, uncles, and tribes, so that you would surrender those wretched renegades to us.
An-Najaashii addressed the Muslims saying, "What is that religion that made you abandon your people's religion and refuse to embrace our religion?" Ja'afar stood to perform the task for which he had been chosen by mutual consultation immediately before this meeting. Ja'far stood up slowly and gracefully, looked with appreciation at the hospitable king and said, "O your Majesty, we used to be a people of ignorance. We worshipped idols, ate dead animals, committed great sin, severed family relations, and acted according to the law of the jungle. We used to believe that survival was only for the fittest until Allah sent from among us a Prophet (PBUH) who was known for his noble descent, honesty, trustworthiness, and chastity. He invited us to worship Allah alone and abstain from worshipping stones and idols. He ordered us to speak nothing but the truth and to render back our trusts to those whom they are due. Moreover, he ordered us to keep our ties of kinship intact, be good to our neighbors, and abstain from what is forbidden. He also ordered us not to commit evil, nor to say false statements, nor to eat up the property of orphans, nor to accuse chaste women of wrong-doing without proof or witness. Hence, we believed in him and in Allah's message to him. We worshipped Allah alone. We rejected that which we used to associate with Him as His partners. We allowed as lawful what is halaal and prohibited as unlawful what is haraam. Consequently, we were harassed and abused by our people, who tried to turn us away from what Allah had sent down to the Prophet (PBUH) so that we may return to idol worshiping and the evil and unlawful deeds we used to do. We were oppressed, abused and straitened in a way that prevented us from the proper worship of Allah. They even tried to force us to turn apostate. Therefore, we fled to your country and asked for asylum to escape oppression and tyranny.
* * *
When Ja'far finished his glorious words which were as clear as daylight, An-Najaashii was gripped by compassion and grace. He addressed Ja`far saying, "Do you have a scroll on which you have written the words of your Prophet?" Ja'far replied, "Yes." An Najaashii ordered, "Read it aloud." Ja'far recited a number of verses from Surat Maryam in such a slow, sweet, subdued, and captivating voice that it made An-Najaashii and all his bishops cry.
When he wiped his tears he swiftly said to the Quraish delegates, "These words, of what had descended on `lisaa (Jesus), come from the very same source as that of `Iisaa. You are free men in a free land. By Allah, I will never surrender you to them."
* * *
The meeting was over. Allah had helped the Muslims and made their feet firm; whereas the Quraish delegates were bitterly defeated. Yet `Amr Ibn Al-'Aas was a resourceful, crafty man who could neither accept defeat nor despair easily. Therefore, no sooner had he returned to their residence than he sat turning the matter over in his mind. Then he addressed his comrade saying, "By Allah, I will go to An-Najaashli tomorrow and I will pluck the Muslims out from this land once and for all." His comrade replied, "You must not do that, for despite their disobedience, they are still related to us." `Amr said, "By Allah, I will tell An-Najaashii that they claim that `Iisaa Ibn Maryam is a slave like the rest of Allah's slaves." Thus the web was spun by the shrewd delegate so as to lead the Muslims unawares right into the trap. The Muslims were put in a fight corner, for if they said that `Iisaa was Allah's slave, they would incite the king and bishops against them, and if they denied the fact that he was human, then they would turn from their religion.
* * *
On the following day, `Amr hastened to meet the king and said, "Your Majesty, those Muslims utter an awful saying against `lisaa." At once, the bishops were agitated by this short but fatal sentence. They asked the Muslims once again to meet the king so as to clarify their religious standpoint concerning `lisaa.
When the Muslims found out about the new plot, they discussed the possibilities, then agreed to say nothing but the truth as said by the Prophet (PBUH), regardless of the consequences. Once again, the audience was held and An-Najaashii started it by asking Ja'far, "What does your religion say about Iisaa?" Ja'far, stood once again like a gleaming lighthouse and said, "We say what has descended on our Prophet (PBUH): he is Allah's slave, Messenger, His word which He bestowed, and a spirit created by Him. An-Najaashii cried out in assent and said that the same words had been said by `Iisaa to describe himself, but the lines of bishops roared in disapproval. Nevertheless, the enlightened, believing An-Najaashil declared, "You are free to go now. My land is your sanctuary. Anyone who dares . to abuse or mistreat you in any way will be severely punished. He addressed his retinue and pointed towards the Quraish delegation declaring, "Give them back their presents, for I do not want them. By Allah, Allah did not take a bribe from me when He restored my kingdom; therefore, I will not be bribed against Him!"
After the Quraish delegates had been utterly disgraced, they headed back to Makkah. The Muslims headed by Ja'far went on with their secure life in Abyssinia. They settled in the "most hospitable land of the most hospitable people' until Allah gave them permission to return to their Prophet (PBUH), who was celebrating with the Muslims the conquest of Khaibar when Ja'afar and the rest of the emigrants to Abyssinia arrived. The Prophet's (PBUH) heart was filled with joy, happiness, and optimism.
The Prophet (PBUH) hugged him and said, "I do not know which makes me feel happier, Khaibar's conquest or Ja'far's arrival." The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions traveled to Makkah to perform the Umrah to make up for the missed Umrah. Then they returned to Al-Madiinah. Ja'far was overjoyed with the news he heard concerning the heroism and valor of his believing brothers who had fought side by side with the Prophet (PBUH) in the Battles of Badr, Uhud and others. His eyes filled with tears over the Companions who had been true to their covenant with Allah and had fulfilled their obligations as obedient martyrs. Ja`far craved Paradise more than anything in the world. He awaited impatiently the glorious moment in which he would win martyrdom.
* * *
The Battle of Mu'tah, as we have already mentioned, was imminent. Ja'far realized that this battle was his lifetime chance to either achieve a glorious victory for Allah's religion or win martyrdom in the way of Allah. Therefore, he pleaded with the Prophet (PBUH) to let him fight in this battle. Ja'far knew beyond doubt that this battle was neither a picnic nor a limited war, but rather an unprecedented crucial war, for it was against the armies of a vast and powerful empire that excelled the Arabs and Muslims in numbers, equipment, expertise, and finance. He yearned to have a role in it.
Thus, he was the second of the three commanders. The two armies met in combat on a distressful day. Ja'far would have been excused if he had been gripped by terror when he saw the 200,000 warriors. Instead, he was gripped by overflowing exaltation, for he felt urged by the pride of the noble believer and the self-confidence of the hero to fight with his equals.
Again, hardly had the standard touched the sand as it slipped from Zaid lbn Haarithah's right hand, when Ja'far darted and picked it up and broke through the line of the enemy with incredible fearlessness. It was the fearlessness of a man who was not so much craving victory as martyrdom. When the Roman warriors closed in upon him in an encircling move, his horse restricted his movement, so he dismounted and thrust his sword into his enemies. Then he saw one of them approaching his horse so as to mount it. He did not want this impure disbeliever on his horse's back, so he thrust his sword into it and killed it.
He immediately broke through the encircled Roman warriors like a hurricane and recited these vehement lines of poetry:
How wonderful Paradise is.
I can see it approaching with its sweet and cool drink.
The time for the punishment of the Romans is drawing near.
Those unbelievers are not related to us in blood.
I must fight the Romans whenever I see one of their warriors.
The Roman soldiers were stunned by this warrior who fought like a full-armored army. Confounded by his fearlessness, they closed in upon him in a way that left him no escape, for they were determined to slay him. Instantly, they struck with their swords and cut off his right hand. Swiftly he caught the standard with his left hand before it reached the ground. When they struck off his left hand, he caught the standard with his upperarms. At the moment, the only thing that really mattered to him was not to let the standard of the Prophet (PBUH) touch the ground as long as he was alive. Although his pure body was struck down, his upperarm still hugged the standard. The sounds of its fluttering seemed to have summoned `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah, who darted swiftly and gripped it then galloped towards his great destiny!
* * *
Thus, Ja`far died an honorable death. He met Allah, the Most Great, the Most High, enveloped in self-sacrifice and heroism.
When Allah the All-Knower, the All-Aware, inspired His Prophet (PBUH) with the outcome of the battle and Ja'far's martyrdom, his tears flowed as he placed his spirit in Allah's hands. Then he went to his late cousin's house and called his children. He hugged and kissed them while his tears flowed. Then he went back to his meeting surrounded by the Companions. Hassaan lbn Thaabit, the poet laureate of Islam, lamented the death of Ja`afar and his Companions saying.
At daybreak a man of a blessed nature and graceful face Commanded the believers to death.
His face was as bright as the moon.
He was a proud man who descended from Al Haashim.
He was a valiant man who rushed to help the oppressed.
He fought until he was martyred.
And his reward was Paradise where there are lush.
green gardens.
Ja'far was loyal and obedient to Muhammad.
If Islam lost one of Al-Haashim,
There are still honorable and pious men of them.
Who are the support and pride of Islam.
After Hassaan finished reciting his poem, Ka`b Ibn Maalik recited.
I am griefstricken over the group.
Who were struck down in succession in the Battle of Mu'tah.
They strived and fought fiercely and didn't turn their back.
Allah sent His blessings on them.
For they were pious and loyal men.
Allah made the heavy rains water their bone.
They stood firm before death in Mu'tah
in obedience to Allah.
And for fear of His punishment.
They were guided by Ja'far's flag. He was the best Commander.
He broke through the line of the enemy and was struck down.
Owing to the fierce and ruthless fight.
Instantly, the bright moon darkened.
And the sun eclipsed to lament his death.
* * *
At the end, all the poor wept bitterly over the loss of their father, for Ja'afar (May Allah be pleased with him) was the "father of the poor". Abu Hurairah said, "The most generous man towards the poor was Ja'afar Ibn Abi Taalib." Indeed, when he was about to die, he wanted to be the most generous, self-denying and devoted martyr. `Abd Allah Ibn `Umar said, "I was with Ja'far in the Battle of Mu'tah and we looked around for him. We found that the enemy had sprayed his body with more than ninety stabs and strikes!"
But those killers did not scratch his invulnerable spirit. No, their swords and spears were the bridge which this glorious martyr crossed to be near Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most High. He was raised to a high station in heaven. His worn-out body was covered all over with the medals of war, namely, the wounds. Now, let us hear what the Prophet (PBUH) said about him: "I have seen him in Paradise. His head and wings - upper arms - were covered with blood!"
His story is a rather perplexing one. He was the deadly enemy of Muslims in the Battle of Uhud and the deadly enemy of the enemies of Islam in the remaining Muslim battles.
I feel at a loss concerning where to begin and what to begin with. He himself hardly believed that his life had really begun until that day on which he shook hands with the Prophet as a sign of his allegiance to him. If he could have ruled out all the years, even the days that preceeded that day, he would not have thought twice.
Let us then begin with that part of his life which he himself loved most. Let us begin from that glorious moment when his heart was affected by Allah and his spirit was blessed by the Most Merciful. Thus, it overflowed with devotion to His religion, His Prophet and to a memorable martyrdom in the way of the truth. This martyrdom enabled him to erase the burdens of his advocation of falsehood in the past.
* * *
One day, he sat alone in deep thought concerning that new religion that was gaining momentum and gaining ground every day. He wished that Allah, the All-Knower of what is hidden and unseen, would guide him to the right path. His blessed heart was revived by the glad tidings of certainty. Therefore, he said to himself, "By Allah, it is crystal clear now. This man is indeed a Prophet, so how long shall I procrastinate. By Allah, I will go and submit myself to Islam."
Now, let us hear him (May Allah be pleased with him) narrate his blessed visit to the Prophet (PBUH) and his journey from Makkah to Al-Madiinah to join the ranks of the believers: I hoped to find an escort, and I ran into `Uthmaan Ibn Talhah and when I told him about my intention, he agreed to escort me. We traveled shortly before daybreak and as we reached the plain, we ran into `Amr Ibn Al-' Aas.
After we had exchanged greetings, he asked us about our destination, and when we told him, it turned out that he himself was going to the same place to submit himself to Islam. The three of us arrived at Al-Madiinah on the first day of Safar in the eighth year. As soon as I laid my eyes on the Prophet, I said, "Peace be upon the Prophet," so he greeted me with a bright face. Immediately, I submitted myself to Islam and bore witness to the truth. Finally, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "I knew that you have an open mind and I prayed that it would lead you to safety." I took my oath of allegiance to the Prophet then asked him, "Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me for all the wrongdoings I have committed to hinder men from the path of Allah." The Prophet said, "Islam erases all the wrongdoings committed before it." Yet I pleaded with him, "Please pray for me. Finally, he supplicated Allah, "O Allah, forgive Khaalid for all the wrongdoings he committed before he embraced lslam." Then `Amr Ibn Al-'Aas and `Uthmaan Ibn Ialhah stepped forward and submitted themselves to Islam and gave their oath of allegiance to the Prophet.
* * *
Notice these words "Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me for all the wrongdoings I have committed in the past to hinder men from the path of Allah." Now, whoever has the perception and insight to read between the lines will find the true meaning of these words of Khaalid, who became the sword of Allah and the hero of Islam. When we come across various incidents in the course of his life story, these words are our key to understanding and elucidation.
For the time being, let us accompany Khaalid, who had just embraced Islam, and watch the Quraish's great warrior who had always had the reins of leadership. Let us see the subtlest of Arabs in the art of attack and retreat as he turned his back on the idols of his ancestors and the glory of his people and welcomed, along with the Prophet and the Muslims, the advent of a new world that Allah had destined to rise under the standard of Muhammad and the slogan of monotheism.
* * *
Let us hear the Muslim Khaalid's impressive story. To start with, do you recall the story of the three martyrs of the Battle of Mu'tah? They were Zaid Ibn Haarithah, Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib and `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah. They were the heroes of the Battle of Mu'tah in Syria, in which the Romans mobilized 200,000 warriors. Nevertheless, the Muslims achieved unprecedented victory.
Do you recall the glorious, sad words with which the Prophet announced the sad news of the death of the three commanders of the battle? "Zaid Ibn Haarithah took the standard and fought holding it until he died as a martyr; then Ja'far took it and fought clinging to it until he won martyrdom; and finally, `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah gripped it and held it fast until he won martyrdom."
This is only part of the Prophet's speech, which I have written before, but now I find it appropriate to write the rest of the story: "Then it was gripped by a sword of the swords of Allah and he fought until he achieved victory."
"Who was that hero? He was Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid, who threw himself into the battlefield as if he were an ordinary soldier under the three commanders whom the Prophet assigned. The first commander was Zaid Ibn Haarithah, the second was Ja`far Ibn Abi Taalib, and the third was `Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah. They won martyrdom in the same order on the vicious battlefield.
After the last commander had won martyrdom, Thaabit Ibn Aqram took the standard with his right hand and raised it high amidst the Muslim army. His purpose was to stop any potential disarray inside the lines. Thaabit then carried the standard and hastened towards Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid and said, " Take the standard, Abu Sulaimaan." Khaalid thought that he did not deserve to take it since he had newly embraced Islam. He had no right to preside over an army that included the Ansaar and Muhaajiruun who had preceded him in embracing Islam.
These qualities of decorum, modesty, and gratitude were becoming of Khaalid's worthiness. He said, "I will not dare to hold it. Go on, hold it, for you deserve it better than me. First, you are older. Second, you witnessed the Battle of Bad." Thaabit answered, "Come on, take it, you know the art of fighting far better than me. By Allah, I only held it to give it to you." Then he called on the Muslims, "Do you vote for Khaalid's command?" They readily answered, "Yes, we do!"
At that moment, the great warrior mounted his horse and thrust the standard forward with his right hand as if he were knocking on closed doors that had been closed for too long and whose time had finally come to be flung wide open. So this act was to lead the hero to a long but passable road on which he would leap during the Prophet's life and after his death until destiny brought his ingenuity to its inevitable end.
Although Khaalid was in charge of the army command, hardly any military expertise could change the already determined outcome of the battle, turning defeat into victory or turning victory into defeat. The only thing that a genius could manage to do was to prevent more casualties or damage in the Muslim army from occurring and end the battle with the remainder of the army intact. Sometimes a great commander must resort to that kind of preventive retreat measure that will prevent the annihilation of the rest of his striking force on the battlefield. However, such a retreat was potentially impossible, yet if the saying, "Nothing stands in the way of a fearless heart" is true, there was no one more fearless and ingenious than Khaalid.
Instantly, The Sword of Allah flung himself into the vast battlefield. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. His mind worked quickly, turning over all the potentialities in his mind. While the fierce fight raged, Khaalid quickly split his army into groups, with each assigned a certain task. He used his incredible expertise and outstanding craftiness to open a wide space within the Roman army through which the whole Muslim army retreated intact. This narrow escape was credited to the ingenuity of a Muslim hero. In this battle, the Prophet gave Khaalid the great epithet `The Sword of Allah".
* * *
Shortly thereafter, the Quraish violated their treaty with the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims marched under Khaalid's to conquer Makkah. The Prophet assigned the command of the right flank of the army to Khaalid Ibn Al-Wallid.
Khaalid entered Makkah as one of the commanders of the Muslim army and the Muslim nation. He recalled his youth when he galloped across its plains and mountains as one of the commanders of the army of paganism and polytheism. Khaalid stood there recollecting his childhood days playing on its wonderful pastures and his youthful memories of its wild entertainment. These memories of the past weighed down on him, and he was filled with remorse for his wasted life in which he worshipped inanimate and helpless idols. But before he bit the tips of his fingers in remorse, he was overpowered by the magnificence and spell of this scene of the glorious light that approached Makkah and swept away all that came before it. The astounding scene of the weak and oppressed people, on whose bodies the marks of torture and horror still showed, was magnificent as they returned to the land they had been unjustly driven out of. Only this time, they returned on horseback under the fluttering standard of Islam. Their whispers at Daar Al-Arqam's house yesterday turned today into loud and glorious shouts of "Allhu akbar (Allah is the Greatest)", that shook Makkah and the victorious cry "There is no god but Allah", with which the entire universe seemed to be celebrating a feast day.
How did this miracle come about? What is the explanation of what had happened? Simply, there was no logical or rational explanation whatsoever, but the power of the verse that the victorious marching soldiers repeated with their "There is no god but Allah" and "Allahu akbar" as they looked with joy at one another and said, " (It is) a Promise of Allah, and Allah fails not in His Promise" (30:6).
Then Khaalid raised his head and watched in reverence, joy and satisfaction as the standard of Islam fluttered on the horizon. He said to himself, "Indeed, it is a promise of Allah and Allah fails not in His promise." Then he bent his head in gratitude and thanks for Allah's blessing that had guided him to Islam and made him one of those who would usher Islam into Makkah rather than one of those who would be spurred by this conquest to submit themselves to Islam.
* * *
Khaalid was always near the Prophet. He devoted his excellent abilities to the service of the religion he firmly believed in and devoted his life to. After the glorious Prophet had died and Abu Bakr became the caliph, the sly and treacherous cyclone of those who apostatized from Islam shrouded the new religion with its deafening roar and devastating outbreak. Abu Bakr, quickly chose the hero of the battlefields and man of the hour, namely Abu Sulaimaan, The Sword of Allah, Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid. It is true that Abu Bakr himself was at the head of the first army that fought against the apostates; nevertheless, he saved Khaalid for the decisive day and Khaalid was truly the mastermind and inspired hero of the last crucial battle that was considered the most dangerous of all the apostasy battles.
* * *
When the apostate armies were taking measures to perfect their large conspiracy, the great Caliph Abu Bakr insisted on taking the lead of the Muslim army. The leaders of the Companions tried desperately to persuade him not to, yet his decision was final. Perhaps he meant to give the cause for which he mobilized and rallied this army a special importance, tinged with sanctity. He could not achieve his aim except by his actual participation in the deadly battle and his direct command of some or all of the Muslim troops. It was a battle between the power of belief against the power of apostasy and darkness.
The outbreak of apostasy posed serious threats, in spite of the fact that it started as an accidental insubordination. Soon, the opportunists and the malicious enemies of Islam, whether from the Arab tribes or from across the borders where the power of Romans and Persians perched, seized their last opportunity to hinder the sweeping tide of Islam. Therefore, they instigated mutiny and chaos from behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, mutiny flowed like an electric current through the Arab tribes, like Asad, Ghatfaan, `Abs, Tii, Dhubyaan, then Bani `Aamar, Hawaazin, Sulaim and Bani Tamiim. Hardly had the skirmishes started with limited numbers of soldiers than they were reinforced with enormous armies, often of thousands of warriors. The people of Bahrain, Oman and Al-Mahrah responded to this horrible plot.
Suddenly, Islam was facing a dangerous predicament, and the apostate enemy closed in upon the believers. But Abu Bakr was ready for them. He mobilized the Muslim armies and marched to where the armies of Bani `Abs, Bani Murah and Bani Dhubyaan gathered.
The battle started and went on for a long time before the Muslims achieved a great victory. No sooner had the victorious Muslim army reached Al-Madiinah than the caliph sent it on another expedition. News spread that the armies of the apostates were increasing in number and weapons by the hour.
Abu Bakr marched at the head of the second army, only this time, the prominent Companions lost their patience and clung to their opinion that the caliph should remain in Al-Madiinah. Accordingly, Imam `Aliy stood in Abu Bakr's way as he was marching at the head of the army and held the reins of his she camel and asked, "Where to, Caliph of the Prophet? I will tell you the same words that the Prophet told you in the Battle of Uhud: Sheathe your sword, Abu Bakr, and don't expose us to such a tragic loss at this critical time." The caliph had to comply with this consensus. Therefore, he split the army into eleven divisions and assigned a certain role for each one. Khaalid Ibn Al-waliid would be the commander over a large division. When the caliph gave every commander his standard, he addressed Khaalid saying, "I heard the Prophet say, `Khaalid is truly an excellent slave of Allah and a brother of the same tribe. He is a sword of Allah unsheathed against disbelievers and hypocrites."
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Khaalid and his army fought one battle after another and achieved one victory after another until they reached the crucial battle.
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It was in the Battle of Al-Yamaamah that Bani Hanijfah and their allies from the Arab tribes organized one of the most dangerous armies of the apostasy, led by Musailamah the Liar. A number of Muslim forces tried to defeat Musailamah's army but failed. Finally the caliph ordered Khaalid to march to where Bani Haniifah was camped.
No sooner had Musailamah heard that Khaalid was on his way to fight him than he reorganized his army, turning it into a devastating and horrible enemy machine. Both armies met in fierce combat. When you read the history of the Prophet (PBUH) a perplexing awe will take hold of you, for you will find yourself watching a battle that resembles our modern battles in its atrocity and horrors, though it differs in weapons and tactics.
Khaalid's army stopped at a sand dune that overlooked Al Yamaamah. At the same time, Musailamah marched haughtily and with great might followed by endless waves of his soldiers. Khaalid assigned the brigades and standard to the commanders of his army. As the two armies clashed in a terrible, large-scale, devastating war, the Muslim martyrs fell one by one like roses in a garden on which a stubborn tempest blew!. Immediately Khaalid realized that the enemy was about to win the battle, so he galloped up a nearby hill and surveyed the battlefield. He realized that his soldiers morale was waning under the pressure of the blitz of Musailamah's army.
Instantly, he decided to trigger a new feeling of responsibility inside the Muslim army, so he summoned the flanks and reorganized their positions on the battlefield. He cried out victoriously, "Fight together in your own groups and let us see who will surpass the other and win the field." They all obeyed and reorganized themselves in their own groups. Thus, the Muhaajiruun fought under their standard, the Ansaar fought under theirs, and every group fought under its standard. It became fairly easy to determine where defect came from. As a result, the Muslims were charged with a enthusiasm, firmness, and determination.
Every now and then, Khaalid was careful to cry out, "Allahu akbar" and "There is no god but Allah." He ordered his army in such a way that he turned the swords of his men into an inevitable victory that no one could escape. It was striking that, in a few minutes, the Muslim army turned the tables on Musailamah's army. Musailamah's soldiers fell in tens of hundreds and thousands like flies that were suffocated by the deadly spray of a pesticide. Khaalid ordered his soldiers with a kind of enthusiasm that flowed into them like an electric current. This was a manifestation of his striking genius. This was the manner in which the most decisive and fierce battle of apostasy was conducted. In the end, Musailamah was slain and the bodies of his men were scattered on the battlefield. Finally, the standard of the liar imposter was buried forever.
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On hearing the good news, the caliph offered the Prayer of Thanksgiving to Allah the Great and Most High for bestowing victory on the hands of this hero.
Abu Bakr had enough discernment and insight to realize the danger of the evil powers that perched on the borders, threatening the promising future of Islam and Muslims. These evil powers were the Persians in Iraq and the Romans in Syria. These two dwindling empires that clung tenaciously to the distorted remnant of their past glory were not only afflicting the people of Iraq and Syria with horrible torment, but also manipulating them. Notwithstanding the fact that the majority populations were Arabs, they instigated them to fight Muslim Arabs who carried the standard of the new religion which sought to pull down the vestiges of the ancient world and eradicate the decay and corruption in which it was steeped. The great and blessed caliph sent his orders to Khaalid to march towards Iraq, so the hero did so.
I wish that 1 were given more space to follow up in detail the proceedings of his magnificent victory.
Upon arriving in Iraq, the first thing that Khaalid did was to dispatch messages to every governor and deputy who ruled the provinces and cities of Iraq in the name of the emperor. These messages were as follows: In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid sends this message to the satraps of Persia. Peace will be upon him who follows the guidance. All praises and thanks be to Allah Who dispersed your power and thwarted your deceitful plots. On the one hand, he who performs our prayers directing his face to our Qiblah to face the Sacred Mosque in Makkah and eats our slaughtered animals is a Muslim. He has the same rights and duties that we have. On the other hand, if you do not want to embrace Islam, then as soon as you receive my message, send over the jizyah (tax levied upon non-Muslim people who are under the protection of a Muslim government) and I give you my word that I will respect and honor this covenant. But if you do not agree to either choice, then, by Allah, I will send to you people who crave death as much as you crave life.
Khaalid`s scouts whom he planted everywhere warned him against the enormity of the armies that were organized by the commanders of Persia in Iraq. As usual, Khaalid did not waste much time. Therefore, he flung his soldiers against the falsehood of disbelief so as to devastate it.
Victory followed him wherever he went, from Al-Ubullah, to As-Sadiir, An-Najaf, Al-Hiirah, Al-Anbaar then Al-Kaadhimiyah. There was one victory procession after another. The glad tidings of Khaalid's arrival blew like a fresh breeze wherever he went to usher in Islam. The weak and oppressed people found sanctuary in the new religion that saved them from the occupation and oppression of the Persians.
It was impressive that Khaalid's first order to his troops was, "Do not attack or hurt the peasants. Leave them to work at peace unless some of them attack you. Only then, I permit you to defend yourselves".
He marched on with his victorious army, swept his enemies, and cut through their ranks like a knife cutting through melting butter. The Aadhaan resounded everywhere. I wonder if it had reached the Romans in Syria? Did they realize that cries of "Allah is the Greatest" signaled the end of their deteriorating civilizations? Indeed, they must have heard. In fact, the Aadhaan cast terror into them, yet in a desperate attempt to recapture the phantom of their empire, they decided heedlessly to fight a battle of despair and perdition.
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Abu Bakr As-siddiiq mobilized his armies and chose a group of his prominent commanders such as Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarraah Mar Ibn Al-'Aas Yaziid Ibn Abi Sufyaan and Mu'aawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyaan to lead them.
When the Roman emperor heard the news of the mobilization of these armies, he advised his ministers and commanders to make peace with the Muslims to avoid inevitable defeat. However, his ministers and commanders insisted on fighting and maintained, "By our Lord, we will make Abu Bakr's hair stand on end before his horses breed in our land." Consequently, they mobilized an army estimated at 240,000 warriors.
The Muslim commanders dispatched this terrifying news to Abu Bakr, who pledged, "By Allah, I will rid them of their doubts through Khaalid." Thus, the antidote of their evil suggestions of mutiny, aggression, and disbelief, namely Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid, was ordered to go on an expedition to Syria, where he was to command the Muslim armies.
Khaalid promptly acted upon his orders and left Iraq under Al- Muthannaa Ibn Haarithah's supervision and marched with his troops until they reached the Muslim headquarters in Syria. His ingenuity enabled him to organize the Muslim armies and coordinate their different positions in no time. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he addressed his warriors after he had praised and thanked Allah, saying, "This is Allah's day. On this day, we must not give way to pride not let injustice overrule. I advise you to purify your jihaad and your deeds for Allah. Let us take turns in command. Let each and everyone of us take over the command for a day."
"This is Allah's day." What a wonderful onset! "We must not give way to pride nor let injustice overrule." This sentence is even more graceful, adequate, and awesome. On the one hand, the great leader was not lacking in self-denial and cleverness, for in spite of the fact that the caliph had assigned the command of the army to him, he did not want to give Satan a chance to whisper in the breasts of his soldiers. Therefore, he relinquished his absolute hold on the army to every soldier in the ranks even though he was already the commander. Thus, the commander of the army rotated from day to day.
The enormous and well-equipped Roman army was really terrifying. On the other hand, the Roman commander realized that time was in the Muslims' favor, for they were given to protracted battles which would guarantee their victory. Therefore, he decided to mobilize all their troops for a quick battle to finish off the Arabs once and for all.
Undoubtedly the courageous Muslims, on that day, were gripped by fear and anxiety, yet in such Predicaments they always resorted to their faith, in which they found hope and victory. Notwithstanding the might of the Roman armies, the experienced Abu Bakr had firm belief in Khaalid's abilities; therefore he said, "Khaalid is the man for it. By Allah, I will rid them of their doubts with Khaalid."
Let the Romans parade their terrifying, enormous forces, for the Muslims had the antidote. Ibn Al-Waliid mobilized and rallied his army, then divided it into brigades. He laid out a new plan for attack and defense that adhered to the Roman war strategy and tactics with which he was well-acquainted from his past experience with the Persians. He was ready for all possibilities. Strangely enough, the battle raged exactly as he had imagined it would, step by step and one fight after another. If he had actually counted the number of strokes of swords, he would not have been much more accurate. Before the two armies clashed, he was worried about the possibility that some of the soldiers, especially those who had newly embraced Islam, might flee upon seeing the terrifying and enormous Roman army.
Khaalid believed that the ingenuity of victory and firmness were one and the same. He believed that the Muslim army could not afford the loss of even one of its soldiers, for it was enough to spread malignant panic and havoc inside the army, which was something that even the entire Roman army could not succeed in doing. In consequence, he was extremely firm concerning anyone who deserted his post and weapon and ran away. In the Battle of Yarmuuk, in particular, and afterwards, his troops took their positions. He called the Muslim women and, for the first time, gave them swords. He ordered them to stand at the rear of the lines to "Kill anyone who flees." It was the magic touch of a mastermind.
Shortly before the battle erupted, the Roman commander asked Khaalid to show himself, for he wanted a few words with him. Khaalid rode towards him, then they galloped to the area that separated the two armies. Mahan, the Roman commander, addressed Khaalid saying, "We know that nothing but weariness and hunger made you leave your country and go on this expedition. If you wish, we shall give ten dinars, clothes, and food to every one of you, on one condition, that you return to your country and next year we will do the same.
Khaalid gnashed his teeth, as he was provoked by his flagrant lack of manners, yet he repressed himself and answered confidently, "We didn't leave our country out of hunger as you said, but we heard that Roman blood is very delicious and tasty, so we have decided to quench our thirst with it."
Swiftly, the hero rode back to the ranks of his army and raised the Muslim standard to the full length of his arm, then he launched the attack. Allahu akbar. Let the breeze of Paradise blow!
At once, his army was like a missile as it charged into the battlefield. They met in an extraordinary, monstrous, and deadly combat. The Romans rushed into the battlefield with an enormous number, yet they found that their foes were not an easy prey. The self-sacrifice and firmness that the Muslims displayed on that day were impressive.
In the first place, one of the Muslim soldiers rushed to Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al-jarraah (May Allah be pleased with him) during the battle and said, "I have set my mind on martyrdom. Do you want me to take a message to the Prophet (PBUH) when I meet him?" Abu `Ubaidah answered, "Yes, tell him we have indeed found true what our Lord had promised us." Immediately, the man darted like an arrow into the horrors of the battlefield. He craved death; therefore, he fought fiercely with one sword while thousands of swords were thrusted into him until he won martyrdom.
Secondly, Ikramah lbn Abu Jahl - yes, he was the son of the infamous Abu Jahl. He called out to the Muslims when the Romans were killing anyone who came within the sweep of their swords and said, "I fought against the Prophet before Allah guided me to Islam, so how can I possibly be afraid of fighting Allah's enemy after I submitted myself to Islam?"
Then he cried out, "Who gives me the pledge to death?' He was given the pledge to death by a group of Muslims. Then they broke through the enemy lines. They preferred martyrdom to victory. Allah accepted the bargain they had concluded through their pledge and they won martyrdom.
Thirdly, other Muslims were badly wounded and water was brought so that they might quench their thirst, yet when it was offered to the first one, he pointed to his brother who was lying next to him more seriously wounded and who was more thirsty. Again, when this brother was offered water, he in his turn pointed to his brother. Finally, the majority of them died thirsty after they had demonstrated an incredible example of self-denial and selfsacrifice. Indeed, the Battle of Al-Yarmuuk witnessed unprecedented and unmatched instances of self-sacrifice.
Among these striking masterpieces of self-sacrifice exhibited by the determined will of the Muslims was the extraordinary portrait of Khaalid lbn Al-Waliid at the head of only 100 soldiers who flung themselves against 40,000 Romans. Khaalid kept calling out to his 100 soldiers saying, `By Allah, the Romans seemed to have lost their patience and courage, therefore I pray to Allah to let you have the upper hand over them."
How could 100 soldiers have the upper hand over 40,000? It is, indeed, incredible! Yet, were not the hearts of these 100 soldiers filled with faith in Allah the Most High, the Most Great? Were they not filled with faith in His trustworthy and honest Prophet (PBUH)? Were they not filled with faith in that cause which represents the most persistent vital issue in life? This cause represents piety and righteousness. And was not their Caliph Abu Bakr As-siddiiq (Allah be pleased with him) the man who, while his flags were raised above the whole world, sat there in Al-Madiinah, the new capital of the new world, milking with his own hands the ewes of widows and kneading with his own hands the bread of orphans? Was not their Commander Khaalid lbn Al-Waliid the antidote for the doubts of tyranny, arrogance, oppression, and transgression? Was not the Sword of Allah drawn against the powers of backwardness, decay, and disbelief? Were not all these portraits a depiction of truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
So let the breeze of victory blow! Let it blow strong, mighty, And victorious!
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Khaalid's ingenuity impressed the Roman officers and commanders so much so that Jerjah, a Roman commander, asked Khaalid to show himself during a rest in the fighting. When they met, the Roman commander asked him, "Khaalid, tell me the truth and do not lie, for the freeman doesn't lie. Did Allah send down on your Prophet a heavenly sword and he gave it to you, so that it enables you to kill anyone who comes within its sweep?" Khaalid answered, "No." The man exclaimed, "Then why do they call you the Sword of Allah?" Khaalid explained, "Allah sent His Prophet to us. Some of us believed in him and others disbelieved in him. I was among the disbelievers until Allah guided my heart to Islam and to His Prophet (PBUH) and I gave him my allegiance. Therefore, the Prophet supplicated Allah for me and said, `You are the Sword of Allah."' The Roman commander asked, "What do you invite people to?" Khaalid answered, "We invite people to monotheism and to Islam." He asked, "Does anyone who submits himself to Islam have the same reward as you?" Khaalid answered, " Yes, and even better." Jerjah exclaimed, "How, when you embraced Islam before he did?"
Khaalid answered, "We lived with the Prophet and saw with our own eyes his signs and miracles. Now anyone who had the chance to see what we saw and hear what we heard was expected to submit himself to Islam sooner or later. As for you who did not see or hear him, if despite this you believe in him and in the unseen, you will find better and greater reward if you purify your conscience and intentions to Allah."
The Roman commander cried out as he urged his horse closer to Khaalid and stood next to him, "Please, Khaalid, teach me Islam!" He submitted himself to Islam and prayed two rak'ahs. Soon, combat erupted and once again, the Roman Jerjah fought, but this time on the Muslim side until he won martyrdom.
Now, let us watch closely how human greatness was manifested in one of its most remarkable scenes. The first version narrated by the historian said that while Khaalid was commanding the Muslim army in this bloody and crucial war and wresting victory out of the claws of the Romans with admirable master strokes, the new caliph, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, Commander of the Faithful, dispatched a message to him in which he saluted the Muslim army and announced the sad news of Abu Bakr's death (May Allah be pleased with him). Then he ordered Khaalid to give up his command to Abu `Ubaidah Ibn Al-jarraah. Khaalid read the message and supplicated Allah to have mercy on Abu Bakr and bestow His guidance on `Umar. Then he strictly ordered the messenger not to tell anyone about the purport of the message and not to leave his place or communicate with anyone.
Then Khaalid resumed his command of the combat and concealed the news of Abu Bakr's death and `Umar's orders until they had achieved victory. Finally, the hour of victory came and the Romans were defeated.
It was only then that the hero approached Abu `Ubaidah and saluted him. At first, Abu `Ubaidah thought that he did so in jest, yet he soon realized how serious and true this news was. Instantly, he kissed Khaalid between his eyes and praised his greatness.
The second version of the same incident is that the message was sent to Abu 'Ubaidah, who concealed the news from Khaalid until the burden of war was over. Which of the two versions is authentic is not our concern here. The only thing that interests us here is Khaalid's conduct, which was superb in both versions.
I cannot think of a situation in which Khaalid manifested more loyalty and sincerity than this one. It did not matter to him whether he was a commander or a soldier. Both ranks were one and the same to him as long as they enabled him to carry out his duties towards Allah Whom he believed in, the Prophet (PBUH) whom he gave allegiance to, and, finally, towards the religion which he embraced. This great self-control of Khaalid and of other Muslims was not possible without the help and guidance of the unique type of caliphs who were at the head of the Muslim nation at that time. These caliphs were Abu Bakr and `Umar. The mere mention of either name conjures up all the unique and great traits created in mankind. Notwithstanding the fact that Khaalid and `Umar were not exactly best friends; `Umar's decency, justice, and remarkable greatness were not in the least questioned by Khaalid. Hence, his decisions and judgments were not questioned. The unbiased conscience of the man who issued these orders reached the apex of piety, steadfastness, and veracity.
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`Umar, the Commander of the Faithful, had nothing against Khaalid but his overburdening and sharp sword. He vented these reservations when he suggested to Abu Bakr that Khaalid should be dismissed after the death of Maalik Ibn Nuwairah. He said, "Khaalid's sword is overburdening." He meant that it was swift, sharp, and harsh. The Caliph As-siddiiq said, "I would not sheathe what Allah had unsheathed against the disbelievers."
Notice that `Umar did not say that Khaalid was overburdening but used "overburdening" to describe the sword rather than the man! Not only did these words manifest the elevated politeness of the Commander of the Faithful but also his profound appreciation of Khaalid.
Khaalid was a man of war from head to toe. He dedicated his whole life before and after his Islam to becoming a shrewd and daring knight. Even his environment and the way he was brought up were devoted to that ultimate goal.
Whenever he traveled back in time, he saw the wars he waged against the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions and the strokes of his sword that had slain believers and worshipers. Those memories agitated him and made him conscience stricken: Therefore, his sword longed to devastate the pillars of disbelief to compensate for his wrongdoings in the past.
I think you still remember what went on between Khaalid and the Prophet (PBUH) at the beginning of this chapter, particularly when Khaalid asked the Prophet, "Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me for all the wrongdoings I committed to hinder men from Allah's path." You also remember that even when the Prophet told him that Islam erases all the wrongdoings committed before it, he pleaded with him until he finally promised him to ask Allah's forgiveness for him for all the mischief he had committed before he submitted himself to Islam.
Surely when the sword is carried by such an extraordinary knight as Khaalid and thrust upon the commands of a conscience, revived by the warmth of purification, sacrifice, and absolute loyalty to a religion that was surrounded by conspiracy and animosity, it will be impossible for this sword to throw aside its strict principles or its spontaneous sharpness.
For instance, when the Prophet (PBUH) sent him to some Arab tribes after the conquest of Makkah, he said to him, "I am sending you there not as a warrior, but as a Muslim who invites to the way of Allah." Unfortunately, his sword got the better of him and forced him into the role of the warrior, obliterating the role of the Muslim who invites to the way of Allah that the Prophet (PBUH) had ordered him to follow. When the Prophet (PBUH) heard what khaalid had done, he was stricken with anxiety and pain. Then he turned in the direction of the Qiblah and raised his hands in supplication and apology to Allah and said, "O Allah, I free myself from blame for what khaalid has committed." Then he sent `Ally to give compensatory blood-money to the family of the deceased. Narrators said that khaalid absolved himself from blame when he said that `Abd Allah lbn Hudhaafah As-Sahmii told him, "The Prophet has ordered you to attack them for their rejection of Islam." In spite of that, Khaalid possessed superhuman energy. He was overtaken by an irresistible urge to devastate the idolatry of the ancient world. If we watched him pulling down the `Uzzaa idol which the Prophet (PBUH) ordered him. to destroy, we would see that the resentment and wrath he showed while striking were so aggressive and violent that he did not seem to be striking at a mass of rock but at a whole army, cutting the throats of its soldiers and spreading death everywhere. For he kept striking with his right hand, then with his left hand, then with his foot. He yelled at the scattered rubble and dust, "`Uzzaa, I don't believe in you! Glory is not to be yours! I can see that Allah has humilitated you!"
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We will always repeat the words of `Umar the Commander of the Faithful about Khaalid: "Women who give birth to men like khaalid are extremely rare," as well as our earnest wish along with `Umar that his sword would lose its rashness.
On the day of his death, `Umar cried excessively. Later, people learned that his grief was not only caused by his personal loss, but also by the loss of his last chance to return the command to khaalid now that people were no longer infatuated with him. The reasons behind his dismissal were now gone. Only this time, unfortunately, the man was gone too.
Indeed, the great hero rushed to take his place in Paradise. For it was about time he caught his breath, considering the fact that no one on earth had been more restless than he. It was really about time his exhausted body would sleep for a while, considering that he was described by his friends and enemies alike as "A sleepless man who would not let anyone sleep!"
If it were for him to decide, he would have chosen to live on until he had demolished all the decaying ruins of the ancient world and continued his jihaad in the way of Allah and Islam.
The sweet fragrance of this man's spirit will linger forever more whenever horses neigh and the edge of swords glitter and the standards of monotheism flutter over Muslim armies. He used to say, "Nothing is dearer to me than a frosty night in the company of an infantry of Muhaajiruun when we are to attack the disbelievers in the morning. Not even the night in which I was wedded to a new bride or received the glad tidings of the birth of a new child."
Therefore, the tragedy of his life, in his Opinion, was dying in bed after he had spent his entire life on horseback, raising his glittering sword. It was difficult for him to accept that he was to die in bed after all the battles he had fought next to the Prophet (PBUH), and after he had annihilated the Roman and Persian empires and after he had galloped to Iraq where he achieved one victory after another until he had liberated it. Then he had turned to Syria where he had achieved one victory after another until he had set it free from the bonds of disbelief.
In spite of his position as a commander, he was so modest that if you had seen him you would not have distinguished him from among his soldiers, yet at the same time, you would have known at once that he must be a commander from the way he shouldered responsibilities and set himself as a good example.
Again, the tragedy of this hero's life was dying in bed. He said as his tears flowed, "All the battles I fought in left my body scarred with wounds and stabs everywhere, yet here I am dying in bed as if I had never witnessed war before. I hope that the cowards will not have a day's rest even after I am dead."
These words were becoming of such a man. When the moment of departure was close, he dictated his will. Can you guess to whom he left all his valuables? It was to `Umar lbn Al Khattaab himself. Can you guess what were his valuables? They were his horse and his weapon. And what? He had nothing else to bequeath but his horse and weapon.
Thus, his only obsession while he was alive was achieving victory over the enemies of truth. He was not in the least obsessed with life, with all its splendors and luxury. There was one thing that he obsessively cherished and treasured. It was his helmet. He lost it in the Battle of Al-Yarmuuk, and he exhausted himself and others in searching for it. When he was criticized for that, he said, "I keep it for luck, for it has some hairs of the Prophet's forehead. It makes me feel optimistic that victory is within reach."
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Finally, the body of the hero left his home carried on the shoulders of his companions. The deceased's mother took one last look at the hero, her eyes full of determination tinged with sadness as she commended him to Allah's protection and said, `there are far, far better than a thousand men who flung themselves into the battlefield. Do you ask me about his valor? He was much more courageous than a huge lion that protects its cubs in the time of danger. Do you ask me about his generosity? He was far more generous than an overwhelming torrential rain that slides down from the mountains!" `Umar's heart throbbed and his eyes flowed with tears when he heard her recite these lines of poetry: "You spoke the truth. By Allah, he was everything you said he was."
The hero was buried. His companions stood at his grave in reverence. They felt that the whole universe was so peaceful, humble, and silent that it seemed as if the whole world went into mourning.
I imagine that this awesome stillness was broken only by the neighing of a horse that tugged at its halter and went to its master's grave guided by his scent. As if reached the silent congregation and the moist grave, it shook its bead and neighed sharply as it used to do when the hero was on its back devastating the thrones of Persia and Rome, curing the delusions of paganism and oppression, and eliminating the powers of backwardness and disbelief to pave the way for Islam. As it fixed its eyes on the grave, it kept on raising and lowering its head as if it were bidding its last farewell to its master and hero. Then it stood still with its head raised, yet its eyes flowed with tears. khaalid bequeathed it along with his weapons to `Umar in the way of Allah. Yet who is valiant and great enough to deserve to mount it after Khaalid?
Alas, you hero of all victory, the dawn of all nights. You soared with your army above the horrors of war when you said to your soldiers, "The darkest hour is that before dawn." This became a saying afterwards.
May Allah bless your morning, Abu Sulaimaan. May Allah bestow glory, praise, and eternity on you, khaalid.
Let us now repeat after `Umar the Commander of the Faithful. The sweet elegy with which he paid his last farewell to Khaalid: "May Allah have mercy on you, Abu Sulaimaan. What you have now is far better than what you had in life, for you are now with Allah. You were honored in life and content in death."
Although he was young, the Ansaar treated him as a leader. They used to say, "If only we could buy him a beard!" He was not lacking in any of the characteristics that a leader should have except the traditional beard.
But who was this lad for whom his people were willing to spend their money to buy a beard that would make his appearance faultless and becoming of his genuine greatness and astonishing leadership?
This young man was Qais Ibn Sa'd lbn `Ubaadah. He belonged to one of the most distinguished and generous Arab houses, on which the Prophet (PBUH) commented, "Generosity is the prevailing trait of this family."
He was a crafty man, and there was no end to his tricks, skillfulness, and cleverness. He spoke the truth when he said, "If it were not for Islam, I would have used my craftiness to outwit all the Arabs."
He was sharp-witted, tricky, and resourceful. In the As-Siffiin Battle, he sided with `Aliy against Mu'aawiyah. He sat there turning over in his mind the plot that would make Mu'aawiyah and his men the worst losers, but the more he thought about his plot, the more he realized that it came under the heading of dangerous evil plotting. He then repeated Allah's verse " But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it" (35:43). Consequently, he rejected the plot altogether and asked Allah's forgiveness, saying, "By Allah, if Mu'aawiyah is destined to have the upper hand over us, he will not have it because he has out-witted us, but because our piety and fear of Allah have run short."
This man was one of the Ansaar from the Khazraj tribe. He belonged to a great family and inherited all the excellent qualities of his ancestors. He was the son of Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah, the Khazraj leader with whom we will be acquainted.
When Sa'd submitted himself to Islam, he held his son Qais's hand and introduced him to the Prophet (PBUH) saying, "This is your servant from now on." The Prophet (PBUH) saw in Qais all the qualities of excellence and righteousness, so he asked him to sit next to him and said, "This place will always be filled by him for the rest of his life." Anas, the Companion of Allah's Prophet (PBUH) said, "Qais Ibn Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah was to the Prophet like a chief officer to a commander."
Before his Islam, he was full of craftiness to the extent that no one was able to get the better of him. The people of Al-Madiinah and its surroundings fell short of his cunning. When he embraced Islam, it turned his life and even disposition upside-down as it taught him how to treat people with sincerity rather than with deceit. He was a truly faithful and loyal Muslim. Therefore, he threw aside his cunning and fatal maneuvers. Yet, whenever he faced a difficult situation, his restrained and thwarted craftiness tried to rebel and gain control over him and his actions, and the only thing that made him come to grips with it were these words: "If it were not for Islam I would have used my craftiness to outwit all the Arabs."
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His cleverness was surpassed only by his generosity. Generosity was not an accidental behavior on Qais's part, for he belonged to a family renowned for its generosity. It was the custom in those times for all the wealthy and generous people to bid a crier to stand on a high place in the daytime to call guests and passers by to come for food and rest; then, at night, he would light a fire to guide strangers to where food was. People at that time used to say, "He who likes fat and meat must go to Duliim Ibn Haarithah's house for food." Now, Duliim lbn Haarithah was Qais's great-grandfather. Thus, Qais was suckled amidst generosity and charity in this high-born family.
One day, both Abu Bakr and `Umar commented on his generosity saying, "If we let this lad give free rein to his generosity, he would exhaust his father's wealth." When Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah heard about what they had said, he cried out, "Abu Quhaafah and Ion Al khattaab should not have tried to encourage my son to become a miser!"
One day, he lent a debtor who was experiencing hard times a large sum of money. At the appointed time for repayment, this man went to repay his debt to Qais yet he refused saying, "I never take back anything that I have given.'
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Human nature is unchangeable. Both generosity and courage are inseparable. Indeed, genuine generosity and courage are like twins: neither is found on its own. If you meet a generous man who is not courageous, then be certain that what you have seen is not real generosity but a mere superficial pretence. On the other hand, if you find someone who is courageous but not generous, then be certain that what you have seen is not courage but a mere impetuous and reckless whim. Qais Ibn Sa'd held the reins of generosity with his right hand along with courage and valor. It seems as if he was meant by these lines of poetry:
If a flag was hoisted in celebration of glory
Then it must have been held by the right hand of an Arab.
His valor was outstanding in all the battles in which be fought when the Prophet (PBUH) was alive and even after his death.
When courage depends on honesty rather than craftiness, and on straight forwardness and confrontation rather than prevarication and maneuvering, then there must be difficult and endless trouble and intolerable hardships for its possessor. Ever since Qais threw aside his incredible skill of cunning and maneuvering and held onto his straightforward and conspicuous courage, he felt relieved and content, notwithstanding the problems he had to confront and the obligations he had to fulfill
Genuine courage stems solely out of its possessor's conviction. This conviction is not affected by desire or whim, but rather by truthfulness and honesty with himself.
Hence, when the conflict between `Aliy and Mu'aawiyah started, Qais sat alone trying to side with the one whom he believed to be in the right. Then as soon as he decided that `Aby was right, he did not hesitate to stand by his side with admirable pride, valor, and fearlessness.
Qais was one of the fearless heroes of As-sifiin, Al-jamal and An-Nahrawaan. He carried the Ansaar's standard and cried out, "The standard that I'm carrying now is the same one that I used to carry when we marched for war with the Prophet (PBUH) and had jibriil as our reinforcement. Any man who has no one but the Ansaar on his side is a lucky man."
Imam `Aliy assigned him to govern Egypt. Now, Mu'aawiyah's eyes were always set on Egypt, as he considered it the most precious stone in his prospective crown. Therefore, no Sooner had Mu'aawiyah heard that Qais was to govern Egypt than he lost his self-control and was gripped by apprehensions lest Qais should stand forever in his way to rule Egypt, even if he achieved a decisive victory over imam `Aliy. Hence, he used all his cunning methods and unscrupulous tricks to defame Qais before `Aliy.
Finally, Imam `Aliy ordered him to leave Egypt. Qais had a legitimate chance to use his cleverness, for he realized that Mu'aawiyah must have incited `Aliy against him through his sly and crafty tricks after he had failed to win him over to his side. He aimed at inciting Imam `Aliy against Qais by casting doubts on his loyalty to him. Therefore, the best answer to Mu'aawiyah's evil plots was to show more loyalty to `Aliy and what he represented. This loyalty was not a mere pretence or a means to an end on Qais's part, but rather his firm conviction and belief. Therefore, he did not feel for a moment that he was dismissed from his position, for Qais considered the governorship and all other positions as a means to the ultimate end, namely, to serve his faith and religion. He dedicated himself to the service of the truth. Whether he maintained his governorship of Egypt or stood by Imam `Aliy in the battlefield, it was one and the same thing for him, as long as they were a means to attain truth.
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When Mu'aawiyah left the Muslims no other way out but to unsheathe their swords against one another, Qais took the command of 5,000 Muslims who shared in mourning for Imam `Aliy's death.
Al-Hasan thought that it would be best to put an end to the prolonged suffering of Muslims and that deadly horrible conflict.
Therefore he agreed to negotiate with Mu'aawiyah and finally gave him his oath of allegiance. When this happened, Qais pondered the matter in his mind and decided that no matter how right Al Hasan was in his decision, his soldiers had every right to be consulted. Thus, he called them together and addressed them saying, "If you wish, we will keep on fighting to the last breath, or if you wish, I will ask Mu'aawiyah to guarantee your safety and security."
Naturally, Mu'aawiyah was relieved and overjoyed to be rid of one of his most dreaded and dangerous foes!
This man whose craftiness was tamed and subdued by Islam died in A.H. 59 in Al-Madiinah This was the man who used to say, "If I did not hear the Prophet say, `Craftiness and deceit reside in hell,' I would have been the craftiest man of the nation!" In the end he died, yet the fragrance of this trustworthy and disciplined Muslim still lingers on.
On the Day of Badr, he was one of the leaders who took up their swords to put an end to Islam. He was sharp-sighted and a perfect estimator, so his people delegated him to determine the number of Muslims who set forth with the Messenger and to see if the Muslims had ambushers or reinforcements behind them. `Umair Ibn Wahb Al-Jamhii galloped on his horse round the camp of the Muslims, then returned to his people and told them that there were about 300 men, and his estimation was right.
They asked him if they had reinforcements behind them. He said, "I found nothing. But O you Quraish, I saw horses carrying veritable death. They have neither fortitude nor refuge except their swords. By Allah! I see if one of them is killed, one of you will be killed also. If they killed the same number as you, what would be the benefit of life after that? Think wisely."
Some of the leaders of the Quraish were affected by his opinion and what he had said and were about to gather their men and return to Makkah without fighting, were it not for Abu Jahl who altered their opinion and ignited the fire of spite and war, in which he was its first victim.
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The Quraish gave him the epithet "The Satan of Quraish". On the Day of Badr, the Satan of Quraish fought fiercely and wildly, but the forces of the Quraish returned to Makkah completely beaten and `Umair Ibn Wahb left a part of himself at Al-Madiinah, as the Muslims had taken his son as a prisoner of war.
One day, he joined his cousin Safwaan Ibn Umaiyah who was chewing his enemies in deadly bitterness because his father Umaiyah Ibn Khalaf had been killed at Badr and his bones buried at Al-Qaliib.
Safwaan and `Umair sat together ruminating on their enemies. Let `Urwah Ibn Az- Zubair tell us their long dialogue:
Safwaan, mentioning those who were killed at Badr said, "By Allah, there isn't any good in life after them." `Umair said, "That's true. By Allah, were it not for debts that I'm unable to repay and my children who I fear might be vagabonds after me, I would ride to Muhammad and kill him. I have a plausable reason to give him. I'll say that I have come for the sake of my son, a prisoner of war." Safwaan seized the chance and said, "I'll repay your debts and maintain your children with mine and comfort them as long as they live." `Umair agreed and said, "Keep it secret." Then he ordered his sword to be sharpened and poisoned and set out.
When he arrived at Al-Madiinah, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab was sitting among some of the Muslims talking about the Day of Badr. `Umar looked and saw `Umair Ibn Wahb, girded with his sword, making his camel kneel at the door of the mosque. `Umar said, "That dog, the enemy of Allah, `Umair Ibn Wahb! By Allah, he has come for nothing but evil. It is he who provoked us on the Day of Badr." `Umar entered and said to the Messenger (PBUH), "O Prophet of Allah , here is the enemy of Allah, `Umair Ibn Wahb come girded with his sword."
The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Let him in." `Umar came and took him by the scabbard of his sword round his neck and said to some of the men, "Enter and sit with the Prophet (PBUH) and be cautious of that fellow, he is dishonest." Then `Umar entered holding the scabbard of his sword round his neck and when the Prophet saw him, he told `Umar to let him alone and said to `Umair, "Draw nearer. Umair approached and said, "Good morning." That was the salutation in the period of Jahiliyah.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah has honored us with a better salutation than yours. It is As-Salaam, the salutation of the believers in Paradise."
Umair said, " O, Muhammad, by Allah I have heard it recently."
The Prophet (PBUH) said, "What made you come, `Umair?" `Umair said, "I have come for the sake of this captive in your hands." The Prophet (PBUH) said, " Tell the truth, `Umair, what have you come for ?" `Umair, "I have come for that purpose." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "But you sat with Safwaan Ibn Umaiyah at Al-hijir and mentioned those of Al-Qalub from the Quraish, then you said, were it not for my debts and my children, I would ride and kill Muhmmad. Safwaan promised to repay your debts and maintain your children on condition that you kill me, but Allah prevented you from doing so."
At the moment, `Umair cried, "I witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are His Prophet. That matter wasn't attended by anyone except Safwaan and me. By Allah, Allah told it to you. Praise be to Allah who guided me to Islam." The Prophet (PBUH) said to his companions, "Teach your brother the religion and how to reach the Qur'aan and set free the prisoner of war."
* * *
Thus, `Umair Ibn Wahb embraced Islam. Thus, the Satan of Quraish was so overwhelmed by the light of the Prophet (PBUH) and the light of Islam that, in a moment, he embraced Islam and turned into the Disciple of Islam.
`Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "By Allah, I hated him more than I hated a pig, when he appeared. But now, I love him more than I love some of my sons."
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`Umair sat thinking deeply about the tolerance of this religion and the greatness of its Prophet. He remembered his previous days in Makkah when he was arguing and fighting against Islam before the Hijrah of the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions to Al-Madiinah. Then he remembered his fighting on the Day of Badr and his coming on this day to kill the Prophet. All that was abolished in a moment of saying, "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger."
What tolerance! What purity, what self confidence that this great religion carries. At such a moment Islam abolished all his previous sins, Muslims forgave all his crimes and hate, opened their hearts and embraced him. Is not he whose sword is still glimmering in front of their eyes, planning with devilish intention to commit the most ignoble deed? All that was forgotten and nothing was mentioned. `Umair became in a single moment, one of the Muslims and one of the Prophet's Companions with their rights and duties. Did not he whom `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab wanted to kill a short time ago become dearer to him than his sons?
If in one moment of truth when `Umair embraced Islam he deserved all the respect, honor, glory, and splendor of Islam, then Islam is indeed a great religion.
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Within a short period of time, `Umair knew that his duty towards this religion was to serve it as much as he had fought it, to support it as much as he had conspired against it and to show Allah and His Prophet what they liked of truth, struggle, and obedience. Thus, one day he came to the Prophet and said "O Prophet of Allah, I had been doing my best to put out the light of Allah and was fond of hurting the Muslims. I would like you to give me permission to go to Makkah to call them to Allah, His Prophet and to Islam. Allah may guide them, otherwise, I'll hurt them in their religion as I used to hurt your companions in their religion."
From the time `Umair left Makkah for Al-Madiinah, Safwaan lbn Umaiyah, who had persuaded `Umair to go and kill the Messenger, walked proudly in the streets of Makkah, and dropped into its meetings and clubs joyfully and merrily. And whenever his people and his brothers asked him about the reason for his merriment and ecstasy when the bones of his father were still warm in the sands of Badr, he rubbed his hands proudly and said to the people, "Hurrah ! After a few days, happy news will come and make you forget the Battle of Badr." Every morning he went out of Makkah and asked the caravans, `Hasn't any matter occurred in Al-Madiinah?" Their answers were in the negative, as none of them had heard or seen any important matter in Al-Madiinah.
Safwaan continued without despair asking caravan after caravan until one day he met one and said to them, "Hasn't anything taken place in Al-Madiinah?" The traveler said, "Yes, a very important matter occurred." With a radiant face and at the peak of ecstasy Safwaan asked the traveler anxiously, "What happened? Tell me!" The man said ,"`Umair Ibn Wahb has embraced Islam, and he is there learning the religion and the Qur'aan!"
Safwaan felt giddy, and the good new which he had announced to his people and for which they were waiting to make them forget the Battle of Badr came to him that day dreadful enough to cause his ruin!
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One day the traveler arrived, and `Umair returned to Makkah holding his sword, ready to fight, and Safwaan Ibn `Umaiyah was the first who met him. No sooner did Safwaan see `Umair than he got ready to attack him, but the combat-ready sword in the hand of Umair dissuaded him. He was satisfied with some insults vented on `Umair and went his way.
`Umair entered Makkah as a Muslim though he had left it a few days earlier as a polytheist. In his memory was the image of `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab when he embraced Islam, and cried, "By Allah! I'll sit as a believer in every place where I sat as a polytheist." Taking these words as a motto and that situation as a model, `Umair made up his mind to sacrifice his life for the religion that he had boldly fought against when he had the force to hurt any Muslim. And thus he began to compensate for what he had missed and to race with time by calling to Islam day and night, secretly and openly. In his heart faith floods upon him with safety, guidance, and light.
On his tongue are words of truth with which he calls to justice, charity, kindness and good. In this right hand is a sword with which he terrifies the severers who hinder the believers from the path of Allah and want it crooked. Within a few weeks, those who embraced Islam by the guidance of `Umair Ibn Wahb were becoming innumerable. `Umair set forth with them to Al- Madiinah in a delightful, long caravan.
The desert that they crossed during their journey could not hold its astonishment and wonder at that man who had crossed it a short while ago holding his sword and hurrying towards Al-Madiinah to kill the Prophet (PBUH). Then he had crossed it returning from Al Madiinah with quite a different face from the first one. He was reciting the Qur'aan on the back of his she-camel. Now, he was crossing the desert for the third time ahead of a long procession of believers filling the desert with the praise of Allah.
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Yes, it was a great announcement, that the Satan of the Quraish was turned by the guidance of Allah into a bold Disciple of Islam who stood beside the Prophet (PBUH) in battles and situations and whose loyalty to the religion of Allah continued to be firm even after the departure of the Prophet from life.
On the day of the Conquest of Makkah, he did not forget his companion and relative, to call him to Islam, especially after there was no doubt in the truth of the Prophet (PBUH) and his mission.
Safwaan had traveled to Jeddah on his way to Yemen by sea. `Umair pitied him so much that he decided to deliver him from Satan by all means. He hurried to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, "O Prophet of Allah, Safwaan Ibn `Umaiyah is the chief of his people. He set off escaping from you to throw himself into the sea. Give him safety. Peace be upon you." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He is safe." `Umair said "O Prophet of Allah, give me a token for his safety."The Prophet (PBUH) gave him his turban which he had worn when he entered Makkah.
We let `Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair complete the story: `Umair set off till he reached Safwaan when he was about to sail. `Umair said, "O Safwaan, I sacrifice my mother and father for you. Avert perishing yourself. This is the safety of the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) I came to you with." Safwaan said to him, "Woe to you! Go away, don't speak to me." `Umair said to him, "O Safwaan! I sacrifice my mother and father for you. The Prophet of Allah is the best, the most righteous, and the most clement of all people. His glory is yours and his honor is yours." Safwaan said, "I'm afraid." `Umair said, "He's more clement and more generous than that." He returned with him until they came to the Prophet (PBUH). Safwaan said to the Prophet, "He claims that you have given me safety." The Prophet said, "He speaks the truth." Safwaan said to the Prophet, "Give me the option for four months." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "You have the option for four months."
After a while Safwaan embraced Islam, and `Umair was extremely happy about his acceptance of Islam.
* * *
Ibn Wahb went on his blessed journey to Allah following the great Prophet by whom Allah saved people from straying and took them out of the depth of darkness into light.
While the armies of Islam were advancing victoriously, there lived in Al-Madiinah a wonderful philosopher and wise man whose wisdom flowed in his blooming bright words. He kept saying to those around him, "Can I tell you about the best of your deeds which are more thriving and better than invading your enemies, cutting their throats and cutting yours, and better than dirhams and dinars?" Those who listened to him craned and hurried to ask him; "And what is that, O Abu Ad-Dardaa'?" Abu Al-Dardaa' resumed his speech and his face glittered with the light of faith and wisdom, "The remembrance of Allah; the remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing in life."
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That wonderful wise man was not preaching an isolationist philosophy nor by his own words. He was not preaching negativism nor the retirement from the responsibilities of the new religion that considers struggle its cornerstone. Yes, Abu Ad-Dardaa' was not that kind of man, but rather he was the man who took up his sword and struggled with the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) since he had embraced Islam till the help and victory of Allah came.
However, he was that type who finds himself in his full lively existence whenever he is alone contemplating under shelter of the sanctuary of wisdom, and he dedicated his life to seeking truth and certitude. Abu Ad-Dardaa', the wise man of those great days (May Allah be pleased with him) was a person who looked forward to His Prophet (PBUH), and he also believed that this faith, with its duties and understanding, was the only ideal way to truth.
Thus, he was engrossed with his faith, dedicating himself to it and forming his life strictly, wisely, and seriously according to it. He walked on that path till he arrived at the truth and took his high position among the truthful ones when communing with his Lord and reciting this verse: "Truly, my prayer and my devotion, my life and my death are all for GOD, the Lord of the Worlds" (6 :162).
Yes, the struggle of Abu Ad-Dardaa against and with himself ended in the attainment of this high spiritual position, remote superiority, and personal sacrifice which made him dedicate all his life to Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds.
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Now, let us approach the saint and wise man. Do you observe the light that radiates round his forehead? Do you smell the good perfume coming from his direction? It is the light of wisdom and the perfume of faith. Faith and wisdom have come together happily in this man. His mother was asked about what he liked best; she answered, "Contemplation and consideration." This is completely in accord with the saying of Allah in more than one verse
"Therefore take warning, you, who have eyes to see! " (59 : 2).
When he urged his brothers to contemplate and think, he said to them, "Contemplation for an hour is better than worshipping for the whole night." Worshipping and contemplation and seeking after truth overpowered him and all his life.
On the day he embraced Islam and pledged his allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) in this glorious religion, he was a successful trader of Al-Madiinah. He spent a part of his life in trade before he embraced Islam and before the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims migrated to Al-Madiinah.
He had just embraced Islam a short time before when ... But, let him complete the speech for us: I embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet (PBUH) and I was a trader. I wanted to combine trade and worship, but they would never go together. I abandoned trade and retained worship. Today, it doesn't please me to sell and buy to earn 300 dinars a day, although my shop is at the door of the mosque. I can't say that Allah forbids selling, but I'd like to be of those whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from remembrance of Allah.
Do you see how he speaks completely and correctly, while wisdom and truth shine through his words. He hurries before we ask him, "Does Allah forbid trade, O Abu Ad-Dardaa'?" He hurries to sweep away this question from our minds and refers us to the superior goal that he was seeking and for which he left trade, in spite of his success as a trader. He was a man searching for spiritual excellence and superiority and looking for the maximum degree of perfection available to human beings. He wanted worship as a ladder that raises him to the highest level of goodness and approaches right in its glory and truth in its shining origin. If he wanted worship to be merely duties to be done and prohibition to be left, he could manage both his worship and his trade and deeds.
There are many good traders, and there are many good and pious persons working in trade. Among the Companions of the Prophet of Allah (PBUH), there were men whom neither traffic nor merchandise could divert from the remembrance of Allah. But they worked hard to develop their trade and their money by which they served the cause of Islam and satisfied the needs of the Muslims. But the method of those Companions does not diminish the method of Abu Ad-Dardaa', nor does his method diminish theirs, as everyone is fit for what he is created.
And Abu Ad-Dardaa' felt that he was created for what he devoted his life to: excellence in seeking after the truth by practicing the ultimate expression of celibacy according to the faith to which he was guided by Allah, His Prophet and Islam.
Call it mysticism if you wish, but it was the mysticism of a man who had plenty of them keenness of a believer, the capability of a philosopher, the experience of a fighter, and the jurisprudence of the Prophet's Companions. This made his mysticism a lively movement in establishing the soul and not merely shadows of this building.
Yes, that was Abu Ad-Dardaa', the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and his pupil. That was Abu Ad Dardaa', the saint and the wise man, a man who repelled life with both his hands, a man who secluded himself till he burnished and sanctified his soul and it became a dear mirror so that wisdom, rightness, and good reflected in it. That made Abu Ad-Dardaa' a great teacher and an upright wise man.
What happy persons are those who come and listen to him! Come and seek his wisdom, O people of understanding. Let us begin with his philosophy towards life and towards its delights and vanities. He was influenced to the depths of his soul by the saying of Prophet, "Little and satisfied is better than much and diverted." Allah Almighty said, " Woe to every taunting slanderer, backbiter, who piles up wealth and counts over it again and again ; thinking that his wealth will make him immortal! " (104 : 1-3).
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Leave the worries of life as far as possible," and "He who makes life his only aim, Allah will sunder his unity and make poverty between his two eyes. He who makes the Hereafter his only goal, Allah makes riches in his heart and makes every good hurry to him."
Therefore, he lamented over those who fell captive to the ambition of wealth and said, "I seek refuge with the Lord from the dispersion of the heart." He was asked, "What is dispersion of the heart, Abu Ad-Dardaa'?" He answered, "That means I have money every where." He called people to possess life by doing without it, that is the real possessing of it. But running after its endless enticements is the worst kind of slavery. Then he said, "He who can not do without life is lifeless."
In his opinion, money is only a means to a mild satisfied living. Thus, people should take it legitimately (in a halaal way) and earn it kindly and mildly and not covet it greedily. He said, "Don't eat anything unless it is good, don't earn any money unless it is good, don't take anything to your house unless it is good."
He wrote to his companions, "After that, any temporary thing you possess in life was possessed by someone else before you, and will be owned by another after you, and you have nothing except what you offered to yourself.
"Give preference over yourself to him from whom you are collecting money for your sons to inherit, since you collecting money for one of the two: either a good son who spends the money in obedience to Allah, thus he will be happy with what you earned and flee from troubles; or a disobedient son who spends it in sins and disobedience to Allah, and so you will be tortured by what you had collected for him. Entrust their living to the Bounty of Allah and save yourself"
The whole of life from Abu Ad-Dardaa's point of view is merely a loan. When Cyprus was conquered and the booty was carried to Al Madiinah, people saw Abu Ad-Dardaa' weep. Astonished, they approached and Jubair Ibn Nufair said to him, "Why are you weeping on the day that Allah supported Islam and the Muslims?" Abu Ad Dardaa' replied with wisdom and deep understanding, "Woe to you, Jubair.' What a trifling thing creatures are if they leave the commands of Allah. It was the best nation, having dominion, but if left the commands of Allah, and therefore it came to what you see." Yes, thus he reasoned the quick collapse to the armies of Islam in the conquered countries was caused by the bankruptcy of true spiritualism that protected them and connected them with Allah. So he feared for the Muslims in the coming days when the ties of faith would decline and the bonds to Allah, truth, and goodness would languish. Consequently, the loan would be taken from their hands as easily as it bad been put in their hands before.
* * *
As the whole of life was merely a loan in his view, it was also a bridge to an immortal and more magnificent life.
Once his companions went to visit him when he was ill and found him sleeping on a piece of leather. They said to him, "If you wish, you will have better and more comfortable bedding." He replied pointing with his forefinger and looking with his bright eyes at the far distance, "Our home is there. For it, we gather and to it we return. We travel to it and we work for it."
This look at life was not only a point of view but also a way of life. Yaziid lbn Mu'aawiyah wanted to marry his daughter, Ad Dardaa', but he refused him and married her to a poor pious Muslim. People were greatly astonished by that behavior but Abu Ad Darda'a taught them, saying, "What about Ad-Dardaa' if she had the servants and splendors and she was dazzled by the decorations and pleasures of the palace? What then would happen to her religion?" This was a wise man of upright morals and clear heart. He refused everything that attracted the brain and fascinated the heart and by doing so he did not escape from happiness but escaped to it. Real happiness, in his belief, was to possess life, not to be possessed by it. Whenever the needs of people are limited by contentment and uprightness, they will realize the reality of life as a bridge on which they cross to the home of permanence, return, and immortality. Whenever they do so, their share of real happiness is greater and plentiful. He also said, "It is not better to have much money and many sons, but it is better to have much clemency, much knowledge, and to compete with people in the worship of Allah."
During the caliphate of `Uthmaan (May Allah be pleased with him), Mu'aawiyah was the governor of Syria and Abu Ad-Dardaa' agreed to occupy the position of the judge according to the caliph's desire. There in Syria, he stood strictly as an example to all those who were tempted by the pleasures of life. He began to remind them of the method of the Prophet (PBUH), his asceticism and that of the early righteous Muslims and martyrs.
Syria at that time was an urbanized region overflowing with the pleasures and amenities of life, and the inhabitants were greatly annoyed by that person who embittered their lives by his preaching. He gathered them and stood among them preaching, "O people of Syria, you are brothers in religion, neighbors at home, and supporters against your enemies. But, why aren't you ashamed? You earn what you don't eat, and build what you don't dwell in, and hope for what you can't achieve. The peoples before you collected cautiously, and hoped confidently, and built firmly, but their gatherings became perdition, their hope became delusion, and their homes became graves.
Those were the people of `Aad who filled the region from Adan to Oman with wealth and sons. Then a wide sarcastic smile would be drawn on his two lips, and be would wave his arm to the astonished multitude and cry sarcastically, "Who will buy the inheritance of `Aad people from me for two dirhams?"
He was a brilliant, magnificent, and luminous man. His wisdom was faithful, his feelings were pious, and his logic was perfect and cautious. In his point of view, worship was neither vanity nor pride but a request for good and exposure to the mercy of Allah and continuous supplication that reminded man of his weakness and the favor of his Lord upon him.
He said, "Request the good all your life, and expose yourselves to the mercy of Allah. Allah has fragrance in His mercy which He ushers upon those whom He pleases among His servants. Ask Allah to hide your defects and make your hearts steady and firm in times of trouble."
This wise man was always open-eyed to vanity in worship, of which he warned people. That vanity makes those who have weak faith worship proudly and boast of their worship to others. Listen to him saying, "An atom's weight of benevolence from a pious man is much better than a mountain's weight of worship from the boaster." He also said, "Don't charge people with unwanted affairs and don't call them to account as if you are their Lord. Guard your own souls. He who follows up the deeds of people will have his grief increased."
Abu Ad-Dardaa' did not want the worshipper, whatever rank he reaches in worship, to call people to account as if he were the Lord. He should praise Allah for His reconciliation and help by prayer, noble feelings, and good intentions for those who cannot achieve such success. Do you know any better and brighter wisdom than that of this wise man?
His companion Abu Qalaabah, tells us about him: One day Abu Ad-Dardaa' passed by a man who had committed a sin, and people were insulting him. He prohibited them and said, "If you found him in a ditch, would you not take him out of it?" They said, "Yes." He said to them, "Don't insult him. Praise Allah that He protected you from such an evil." They said to him, "Don't you hate him?" He said, "No, I hate his deed, and if he leaves it, he will be my brother."
* * *
Yes, knowledge, in his opinion, was understanding, behavior, learning, method, idea, and life. Because this sanctification is of the wise, we find him claiming that the teacher is like the student in favor, recompense, and position. He saw that the greatness of life was dependent on goodness before anything else. He said, "Why do I see your scholars going away and your ignorant people learning nothing? The teacher and the student of goodness are equal in recompense and there is goodness in the other people besides the two." He also said, "People are of three types a scholar, an educated person, and a savage."
As we have seen before, knowledge was not separate from following the wisdom of Abu Ad-Dardaa' (May Allah be pleased with him). He said, "The greatest fear of my soul is that it should say to me on the Day of Resurrection, in front of all the creatures, O owner, did you know? and I would reply, Yes . It will say to me, What did you do with what you knew?
He used to respect scholars and honor them very much. Moreover, he used to pray to Allah saying, "O Lord Almighty, I take refuge in You against the curse of the scholars' hearts.
It was said to him, "How could you be cursed by their hearts?" He said, "Their hearts hate me." Do you see, he believed that the scholars hate is an unbearable curse; therefore he implored Allah to grant him refuge.
The wisdom of Abu Ad-Dardaa' (May Allah be pleased with him) recommended fraternity and established human relations on the basis of human nature itself. Thus he said, "To admonish your brother is better than to lose him. Give your brother advice and be tender with him, but do not agree with his covetousness lest you should be like him. Tomorrow death comes and you will lose him. And how can you weep over him after death when you did not give him his right while he lived?"
The fear of Allah in His servants is the strongest and hardest basis upon which Abu Ad-Dardaa' established the rights of fraternity. He (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "I hate to wrong anyone but I hate more and more to oppress the person who resorts to Allah, the Most High and the Most Great, for help against my injustice.
Abu Ad-Dardaa', what a great personality and bright soul you are! He warned people against delusion when they thought that unarmed weak people fell easy prey in their hands and power. He reminded them that those in their weakness have a destructive power when they implore Allah in their disability and offer their plea and the disgrace done to them by people.
* * *
This was Abu Ad-Dardaa', the wise man. He was Abu Ad- Dardaa' the hermit, the worshipper, ever seeking Allah. When people praised his piety and asked him to implore Allah for them, he replied in humility, "I can't swim well and I fear drowning."
* * *
All your wisdom, and you can not swim well, O Abu Ad Dardaa'? But what an astonishment, and you are nutured by the Prophet (PBUH), a student of the Qur'aan; son of early Islam, and a companion of Abu Bakr and Umar and the rest of those men!
One day the Prophet (PBUH) sat with a group of Muslims, and while they were talking, the Messenger paused, then spoke to those who were sitting around him saying, "Among you there is a man whose molar in He is greater than Mount Uhud."
Fright and terror appeared upon the faces of all those present because each one of them was afraid lest he should be the person about whom the Prophet (PBUH) prophesied a dreadful end.
Years passed and all those Companions met their ends as martyrs except Abu Hurairah and Ar-Rajjaal Ibn `Unfuwah, who were still alive. Abu Hurairah was extremely terrified by that prophecy and did not feel comfortable until fate revealed the secret of the unfortunate man: Ar-Rajjaal Ibn `Unfuwah, who apostatized from Islam and joined Musailamah the Liar, and thus witnessed the fulfillment of prophecy upon him.
One day, Ar-Rajjaal Ibn `Unfuwah went to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and acknowledged him and learned the teachings of Islam. Then he went to his people and did not return to Al Madiinah till the death of the Prophet and the choice of As-siddiiq as the Caliph of the Muslims. Ar-Rajjaal told Abu Bakr the news of the inhabitants of Al-Yamaamah and their support for Musailamah and proposed that he be sent to Al-Yamaamah as an envoy in order to confirm Islam among them! The Caliph gave him permission. Ar-Rajjaal went to Al-Yamaamah, and when he saw the numerous supporters of Musailamah, he believed that they would be the victors. His perfidious nature caused him to reserve a place in the prospective state of Musailamah. Consequently, he apostatized from Islam and joined Musailamah, who promised him a prosperous future.
Ar-Rajjaal was more dangerous to Islam than Musailamah himself because he exploited his previous association with Islam and the period he had lived with the Messenger in Al-Madiinah, memorizing many verses of the Holy Qur'aan, and his intercession to Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him), the Caliph of the Muslims. Ar-Rajjaal exploited all those things for evil purposes and cunningly supported and confirmed the sovereignty of Musailamah and his false prophethood.
He walked among people saying that he heard the Messenger of Allah say that he had taken Musailamah into partnership and when the Messenger (PBUH) died, he was worthy of carrying the banner of prophethood and revelation after him.
The number of Musailamah's supporters increased to a great extent because of the lies of Ar-Rajjaal and his cunning exploitation of his previous relationships with Islam and the Messenger (PBUH). When the news of Ar-Rajjaal reached Al-Madiinah, the Muslims were exceedingly angry because of the lies of this dangerous apostate who used to mislead people. His evil words and deeds expanded the range of the war and intensified the conflict the Muslims had with their enemies and adversaries. The most anxious and the most eager to meet Ar-Rajjaal was Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab, whose heroism and fame was outstanding in the biographies and books of Islamic history.
1 am sure that you have heard about Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab. He was the brother of `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (May Allah be pleased with both). Yes, he was his elder brother. He was older than `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab and he embraced Islam and gained the honor of martyrdom before him.
He was the ideal hero whose motto was "Actions speak louder than words." His faith in Allah and His Messenger and His religion was strong and firm. He never stayed away from the Messenger in any setting, and in every battle he sought martyrdom more than he sought victory.
On the Day of Uhud, when the fight between the believers and the polytheists was very fierce, Zaid was fighting boldly. His brother `Umar Ibn Al-khattaab (May Allah be pleased with him) saw him as his shield fell down and he was within reach of the enemies. `Umar cried, `O Zaid, take my shield and fight with it!" Zaid replied, `I want martyrdom as you want it." He continued fighting without his shield with astonishing heroism.
As we mentioned before, Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) was longing to meet Ar-Rajjaal, wishing to put an end to his devilish life.
In Zaid's opinion, Ar-Rajjaal was not only an apostate but also a hypocrite and self-seeker. Zaid was like his brother `Umar Ibn Al -khattaab in his abhorrence of hypocrisy and lying, especially when hypocrisy aimed at selfish gain and mean purposes. For those mean purposes Ar-Rajjaal committed his atrocious acts, resulting in the numbers of Musailamah's supporters greatly increasing and causing great numbers of deaths in the Apostate Battles . First he deceived them, and finally he led them to their deaths for the sake of his devilish hopes.
Zaid prepared himself to conclude his faithful life by annihilating that impiety not only in Musailamah's person but also in Ar-Rajjaal Ibn `Unfuwah, who was more dangerous and more cunning.
* * *
The Day of Al-Yamaamah began gloomy and dim. Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid gathered the Army of Islam and directed it to its positions and left the leadership of the army to Zaid lbn Al-Khattaab, who fought Bani Haniifah, the followers of Musailamah, boldly and fiercely. At the beginning, the battle was leaning towards the side of the polytheists, and many of the Muslims fell as martyrs. Zaid saw the feelings of horror in the hearts of some Muslims, so he climbed a hill and cried, "O people! Grit your teeth, fight your enemy and go straight By Allah, I'll never speak till Allah beats them or I meet Him and then I give my evidence." Then he descended, gritting his teeth, pressing this lips, never moving his tongue with even a whisper.
His only hope was to kill Ar-Rajjaal, so he began to penetrate the enemy army like an arrow searching for its target, until he saw him.
Then he began to attack him from right and left. Whenever the deluge of the battle swallowed Ar-Rajjaal and hid him, Zaid dived towards him until the waves pushed him to the surface again. Zaid approached him and stretched out his sword towards him, but the furious human waves swallowed Ar-Rajjaal again. Then Zaid followed and dived after him so as not to allow him to escape.
At last, Zaid held him by his neck and with the sword, he cut off his head which was full of vanity, lies, and villainy. By the death of the great liar, the ranks of its whole army began to fall. Musailamah and Al-Mahkam lbn At-Tufail were filled with horror. The killing of Ar-Rajjaal spread in Musailamah's army like a fire on a stormy day.
Musailamah used to promise them inevitable victory and that he, Ar-Rajjaal, and Al-Mahkam Ibn Attufail would promulgate their new religion and establish their state on the day following their victory! Now that Ar-Rajjaal was killed, the whole prophecy of Musailamah was seen as a lie, and tomorrow Al-Mahkam and Musailamah would meet the same fate. Thus the fatal blow of Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab caused all that destruction in the lines of Musailamah.
No sooner did the Muslims hear the news than they were filled with pride and dignity. The wounded men rose again holding their swords, taking no interest in their wounds.
Even for those who were about to die, nothing connected them with life except that very faint light caused by hearing the good news which was like a very beautiful and rosy dream. They wished, if they had any strength to fight with, they would be able to witness the triumph of the battle in its glorious conclusion. But how could that be? Since the doors of Paradise had opened to welcome them, they were now hearing their names while they were being called to immortality!
Zaid raised his hands towards Heaven supplicating Allah and thanking Him for His blessings. Then he returned to his sword and his silence, as he had sworn by Allah not to utter a word until he had completed the victory or gained the honor of martyrdom.
The battle began to lean to the side of the Muslims and their inevitable victory began to approach rapidly. At that moment Zaid did not desire a better conclusion to his life than praying to Allah to grant him martyrdom on that Day of Yamaamah! The wind of Paradise blew to fill his soul with longing, his eyes with tears, and his determination with firmness. He began to fight as if he were searching for his glorious destiny, and the hero fell. So he died a martyr, magnanimously, gracefully and happily. The Army of Islam returned to Al-Madiinah victorious.
While `Umar and the Caliph Abu Bakr were welcoming those who were returning trimuphantly, `Umar began to search for his homecoming brother with longing eyes.
Zaid was so tall that he could be easily recognized. But before `Umar had strained his eyes, one of the returning Muslims approached and consoled him. `Umar said, `May Allah have mercy upon Zaid, he preceded me in two instances. He embraced Islam before me and gained martyrdom before me, too."
In spite of the victories that Islam won and enjoyed, `Umar "Al Faaruuq" (Umar) never forgot his brother Zaid, and he always said, "Whenever the east wind blows, I smell the scent of Zaid."
Yes! The east wind carries the perfume of Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). But if the caliph gives me permission to add these words to his great expression so as to complete the meaning of his saying, these are the words. ''Whenever the winds of triumph blow on Islam since the Day of Al-Yamaamah, I am finds the scent, the struggles, the heroism, and the greatness of Zaid in these winds!" Blessings be upon Al-khattaab under the flag of the Messenger (PBUH). Blessed be they the moment they embraced Islam. Blessed be they when they fought and were martyred. And blessings be upon them in the hereafter.
"Of the believers are men who have been true to their pledge to GOD, from them some have fulfilled their pledges, and some are still in hope of doing so, and they never change at heart" (33 : 23).
The Prophet (PBUH) recited this glorious verse and then turned to his Companions, pointed to Talhah and said, "Anyone who wants to please himself by looking at a man walking on the earth who has fulfilled his pledge of martyrdom Should look at Talhah."
The Prophet's Companions never wished nor did their hearts ever aspire and long for a better announcement than the one the Prophet (PBUH) directed to Talhah Ibn `Ubaid Allah. By such words he could feel Secure towards his destiny and fate. He was going to live and die as One of those who have been true to their pledge so that neither civil strife could affect him lassitude influence him, nor any kind of
The Prophet (PBUH) announced Paradise to him. How then was the life of Such a one who deserved this fine announcement?
* * *
He was trading in the land of Basraa, when he met One of the most virtuous monks there. He told him that a Prophet who was going to appear in the Sacred Land and whose appearance was prophesied by all virtuous prophets had risen and his era had already begun. Talhah was very much afraid to miss the procession of guidance, mercy, and Salvation.
When Talhah returned to his homeland Makkah after having spent months in Basraa and traveling around, he found a lot of talk taking place here and there. Whenever he met someone or a group of Makkah inhabitants they would talk to him about Muhammad the Trustworthy, about the angel sent down to him, about the mission he was carrying to the Arabs in particular and all people in general.
The first thing he asked about was Abu Bakr. He learned that Abu Bakr had returned with a caravan and trade not long ago and that he was standing at the side of Muhammad, believing in and defending him
Talhah said to himself, "Muhammad and Abu Bakr? By Allah, both of them would never join each other and agree upon falsehood. Muhammad has already reached the age of 40. In all these years we've never heard him speak one single lie. Is it possible that he would now lie about Allah and say, `He sent me as a prophet and He sent me an angel'? It's something hard to believe."
He quickened his steps, directing them towards Abu Bakr's house. They did not talk for long because his long aspiration to meet the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and to swear to him the oath of allegiance was much faster than his heartbeats.
Abu Bakr accompanied him to the Prophet (PBUH) and he soon embraced Islam, joining there and then the blessed ranks!
That is how Talhah became one of the very early converts.
* * *
Despite his honorable rank among his clan, his vast wealth, and his successful trade, be had to taste his own portion of the Quraish's persecution. The task of torturing him and Abu Bakr was given to Nawfal Ibn Khuwailid, who was called The Lion of the Quraish. However, their persecution did not last long, as the Quraish soon felt ashamed and began to think about the consequences of their deeds.
Talhah emigrated to Al-Madiinah when the Prophet (PBUH) ordered the Muslims to emigrate. After that he experienced all the battles together with the Prophet (PBUH) except the Battle of Badr because the Prophet (PBUH) had sent him and Sa`iid Ibn Zaid on an assignment outside Al-Madiinah.
When they had fulfilled their task and were on their way back to Al Madiinah, the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were returning home after the battle. Talhah and his companion felt so sad and tormented for having missed the reward of joining the Prophet (PBUH) in his first jihaad battle.
However, the Prophet (PBUH) accorded them peace of mind when he informed them that their reward was exactly like the warrior's reward; moreover, he gave them a share of the booty exactly like the share he gave to each one who had fought the battle.
Then came the Battle of Uhud, when the Quraish, with all their might and tyranny, came to take blood revenge for the Day of Badr and to restore their dignity by defeating the Muslims once and for all, a defeat which was thought by the Quraish to be a simple matter and a predetermined fate. The fierce battle took place, and soon the battlefield was filled with its awful harvest: calamity overtook the polytheists.
Then when the Muslims saw them retreating, they laid down their weapons and the archers descended from their posts and began to collect their share of booty. Immediately and suddenly the Quraish army turned back to hold the field and tip the balance of the battle in their favor.
The fighting's ferocity, cruelty, and crushing resumed. The surprise attack had the effect of scattering the army.
Talhah saw that the side of the battlefield where the Prophet (PBUH) was standing had become the target of the polytheists' concentration. He immediately hurried towards the Prophet (PBUH).
He (May Allah be pleased with him) traversed a path, a long one, although it was in fact a short distance.
It was a path in which a single inch could not be traversed except by confronting tens of ferocious swords and tens of mad lances.
He could see from a far distance how the Prophet's (PBUH) cheek was bleeding and how he was silently suffering. It was then that Talhah got mad, leaped once or twice over the path of horror to reach the Prophet (PBUH), in front of whom he had to experience what he was afraid of: the swords of the polytheists drawn towards the Prophet (PBUH), surrounding him, wanting to get at him.
Talhah stood there like a raging army, striking with his sword to the left and right. He could see the Prophet (PBUH) bleeding and his pains becoming more and more unbearable. He helped him and carried him away from the hole where his foot had gotten stuck.
He supported the Prophet (PBUH) with his left hand and chest, backing up to a safe, secure place, while his right hand (May Allah bless his right hand) fought the swords of the polytheists who surrounded the Prophet and who swarmed the battlefield like locusts.
Let Abu Bakr As-siddiiq describe for us the whole scene of battle. `Aa'ishah once said: Whenever Abu Bakr recalled the Day of Uhud he used to say, It was the Tallaah's day. I was the first who approached the Prophet (PBUH). He said to me and to Abu Ubaidah lbn Al-Jarraah, "Watch out, for your brother." We looked at him, and we could see more than 70 stabs. His finger was cut off. We tried to remedy his condition.
* * *
In all the different events and battles, Talhah was always to be found in the forefront fighting in the cause of Allah, redeeming the Prophet's standard.
Talhah lived among the Muslim community, worshipping Allah with the worshipers, fighting in the cause of Allah with those who fought for truth, following the basic principles of the new religion which was revealed in order to bring people all people out of darkness into light.
After he fulfilled his duties towards Allah, he went on seeking the bounty of Allah, expanding and promoting his successful trade and business.
Talhah was one of the wealthiest Muslims. His whole fortune was put in the service of his religion, the standard of which he carried with the Prophet (PBUH). He spent it without measure, and so Allah increased it for him without measure.
The Prophet (PBUH) called him "Talhah the Excellent", " Talhah the Splendid and "Talhah the Generous" to demonstrate his bountiful generosity.
How often did he give his whole fortune away. Then Allah the Ever-Generous returned it to him manifold! His wife Su'adaa Bint `Awf reported: Once I approached Talhah. I saw him worried and asked him, "What's the matter?" He said, "The money which I possess is now so abundant that it worries me and makes me feel distressed." I told him, "Never mind, I'll distribute it." He set out to call people and to divide it among them till there wasn't a single dirham left.
On another occasion, he sold his land for a very high price, and when he looked at the pile of money, his tears rolled down and he said, " A man in whose house all that money is to remain for a night and he doesn't know for sure what will happen to him is certainly deceived by Allah."
Then he called some of his companions to carry his money with them and walk through the streets of Al-Madiinah distributing it until in the last part of the night he was without a single dirham of that money.
Jaabir Ibn Abd Allah described his wealth saying, "I never saw anybody giving out so much money without being asked as did Talhah lbn Ubaid Allah."
He was one of the kindest toward his relatives and kin. He supported them all, though they were numerous. It was once said about him, "He never left an orphan without supporting him and his dependents. He provided for the marriage of the unmarried ones, he provided service for the disabled ones, and paid the debts of the indebted ones.
As-Saa'i'b Ibn Zaid once said, " I accompanied Talhah during travels and during times of settlement. I never saw anybody more generous in terms of money, clothes, and food than Talhah."
The well known civil strife broke out during the caliphate of `Uthmaan. Talhah supported the argument of `Uthmaan's opponents, standing on their side in most of their quests to witness change and reformation.
Did he therefore, in such a position, call for `Uthmaan's murder, or even feel pleased by it? Never! If he had known that the civil strife would develop in such a way, bursting into mad spite, expressing itself in such cruel crime, the victim of which was "The Man of Two Lights" Uthmaan (May Allah be pleased with him)... We say, if he had known that the civil strife would in the long run lead to such an end and such a conflict, he would have resisted it, and it would have been resisted by the rest of the Companions who supported him at the beginning, recognizing it as a movement of opposition and warning, and no more.
However, Talhah's stance turned out to be his "life conflict" after the brutal way in which `Uthmaan was surrounded and killed. Imam `Aliy had hardly accepted the oath of allegiance from Talhah and Az-Zubair at Al-Madiinah, when they both asked permission to go to Makkah for `Umrah.
From Makkah they both turned to Al-Basrah, where a great multitude was gathering to avenge `Uthmaan's death.
At last it was the Battle of Al-Jamal, where those calling for revenge met with the party supporting `Aliy.
Whenever `Aliy thought about this difficult situation which Islam and Muslims were confronting in this horrible dispute, he burst into sorrowful tears and his laments grew louder and louder. He was forced into this difficult situation.
Being the Caliph of the Muslims, he could not and it was not his right to be tolerant towards any revolt against the state or any armed opposition to the established authority. To crush a rebellion of that sort, then, he had to face his brethren, his companions, friends and the followers of his Prophet and his religion, those with whom he had so often encountered and combated the polytheist armies and with whom he had so often joined under the standard of monotheism in battles that refined their Islamic behavior and melted away all weakness and disgrace, thereby turning them into brethren - and indeed brethren - supporting each other.
What a conflicting situation! What a difficult harsh test! In order to find a way out of such a conflict and to save the blood of the Muslims, Imam `Aliy did his utmost.
Nonetheless, the factors opposing Islam - and they were many -which had met their defeat at the hands of the Muslim state in the days of its great leader `Umar, had kindled the civil uprising and continued to stoke it and follow its events and magnitude.
* * *
He cried a lot and wept abundantly when he saw The Mother of the Faithful `Aa'ishah on her camel howdah at the head of the army which rose to fight him. When he saw Talhah and Az-Zubair, the disciples of the Prophet (PBUH), he called to them to come out to meet him, so they did. They approached him till their horses touched each other. He said to Talhah, "O Talhah! Did you come with the wife of the Messenger of Allah to use her in your fight while hiding your wife at home?" Then he said to Az-Zubair, "O Zubair! I ask you by Allah. Do you remember the day when the Prophet (PBUH) passed you when we were in such- and-such a place, then he said to you, `O Zubair! Do you love `Aliy?' You replied, `Why shouldn't I love my nephew and cousin and the follower of my religion? He said to you, "O Zubair! By Allah, you will fight him, being unjust to him. Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "Yes, now I remember, I had forgotten that. By Allah, I won't fight you. Az-Zubair and Talhah abstained from taking part in this civil war. They abstained as soon as things were clarified. When they saw `Ammaar lbn Yaasir fighting on `Aliy's side, they remembered the Prophet's prophecy to `Ammaar: "You will be killed by the unjust party." If `Ammaar were killed in that war in which Talhah was taking part, then Talhah was unjust.
* * *
Talhah and Az-Zubair retreated from the whole fight and had to pay for that retreat with their lives. But they met Allah pleased and delighted with what they had been endowed by Allah: insight and guidance.
As for Az-Zubair, a man named Amr lbn Jarmuuz followed him and killed him while he was praying.
As for Talhah he was pierced with a lance by Marwaan Ibn Al-Hakim , which killed him on the spot.
* * *
The murder of `Uthmaan represented in Talhah's conscience his "life conflict", as previously mentioned. Despite the fact that, he did not take part in the murder nor agree to it, he had just supported the opposition against him (Aliy) at a time when it was not obvious that it would intensify and develop into a more serious conflict until it turned into a dreadful crime.
When he took his place on the day of Al-Jamal amidst the army fighting against the Ibn Abi Taalib which sought to take revenge for `Uthmaan's murder, he wished that his position would be an atonement making him feel at ease towards the pressure of his conscience. Before the start of the battle he was supplicating with a voice choked with tears saying, "O my Lord, accept me this day in favor of `Uthmaan until You are pleased."
When they met `Aliy face to face, he and Az-Zubair both said they felt illuminated by `Aliy's words and thereby saw it to be right to leave the battlefield.
However, martyrdom had been reserved for them. Indeed, martyrdom was his fate, and he was to meet it and it was to meet him, wherever he was.
Did not the Prophet (PBUH) once say about him, "He's one of those who passed away. Whoever wants to please himself by seeing a martyr walking on the earth, go let him look at Talhah." Thereby did the martyr meet his inevitable fate, and the Battle of Al-Jamal was over. The Mother of the Believers realized that she had made a hasty decision; therefore she left Al-Basrah for the Sacred House and then Al-Madiinah, keeping aloof from the fighting and dispute. Imam `Aliy provided her with all means of comfort and respect.
When `Aliy inspected all the martyrs of the battle, he set out to pray the funeral prayer upon them, those who fought on his side as well as those who fought against him.
When he finished burying Talhah and Az-Zubair, he stood saluting them for the last time. He finished his words saying, "I wish to be with Talhah and Az-Zubair and `Uthmaan among those whom Allah described thus: "We removed from their hearts any malice therein, as brothers they shall rest upon couches facing each other " (15: 47).
Then he gazed at their grave with kind, gentle, pure, and sad eyes saying, "I've heard with my two ears the Prophet (PBUH) saying, "Talhah and Az-Zubair are my neighbors in Paradise".
"Of the believers are men who have been true to their pledge to GOD, from them some have fulfilled their pledges, and some are still in hope of doing so, and they never change at heart" (33 : 23).
The Prophet (PBUH) recited this glorious verse and then turned to his Companions, pointed to Talhah and said, "Anyone who wants to please himself by looking at a man walking on the earth who has fulfilled his pledge of martyrdom Should look at Talhah."
The Prophet's Companions never wished nor did their hearts ever aspire and long for a better announcement than the one the Prophet (PBUH) directed to Talhah Ibn `Ubaid Allah. By such words he could feel Secure towards his destiny and fate. He was going to live and die as One of those who have been true to their pledge so that neither civil strife could affect him lassitude influence him, nor any kind of
The Prophet (PBUH) announced Paradise to him. How then was the life of Such a one who deserved this fine announcement?
* * *
He was trading in the land of Basraa, when he met One of the most virtuous monks there. He told him that a Prophet who was going to appear in the Sacred Land and whose appearance was prophesied by all virtuous prophets had risen and his era had already begun. Talhah was very much afraid to miss the procession of guidance, mercy, and Salvation.
When Talhah returned to his homeland Makkah after having spent months in Basraa and traveling around, he found a lot of talk taking place here and there. Whenever he met someone or a group of Makkah inhabitants they would talk to him about Muhammad the Trustworthy, about the angel sent down to him, about the mission he was carrying to the Arabs in particular and all people in general.
The first thing he asked about was Abu Bakr. He learned that Abu Bakr had returned with a caravan and trade not long ago and that he was standing at the side of Muhammad, believing in and defending him
Talhah said to himself, "Muhammad and Abu Bakr? By Allah, both of them would never join each other and agree upon falsehood. Muhammad has already reached the age of 40. In all these years we've never heard him speak one single lie. Is it possible that he would now lie about Allah and say, `He sent me as a prophet and He sent me an angel'? It's something hard to believe."
He quickened his steps, directing them towards Abu Bakr's house. They did not talk for long because his long aspiration to meet the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and to swear to him the oath of allegiance was much faster than his heartbeats.
Abu Bakr accompanied him to the Prophet (PBUH) and he soon embraced Islam, joining there and then the blessed ranks!
That is how Talhah became one of the very early converts.
* * *
Despite his honorable rank among his clan, his vast wealth, and his successful trade, be had to taste his own portion of the Quraish's persecution. The task of torturing him and Abu Bakr was given to Nawfal Ibn Khuwailid, who was called The Lion of the Quraish. However, their persecution did not last long, as the Quraish soon felt ashamed and began to think about the consequences of their deeds.
Talhah emigrated to Al-Madiinah when the Prophet (PBUH) ordered the Muslims to emigrate. After that he experienced all the battles together with the Prophet (PBUH) except the Battle of Badr because the Prophet (PBUH) had sent him and Sa`iid Ibn Zaid on an assignment outside Al-Madiinah.
When they had fulfilled their task and were on their way back to Al Madiinah, the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were returning home after the battle. Talhah and his companion felt so sad and tormented for having missed the reward of joining the Prophet (PBUH) in his first jihaad battle.
However, the Prophet (PBUH) accorded them peace of mind when he informed them that their reward was exactly like the warrior's reward; moreover, he gave them a share of the booty exactly like the share he gave to each one who had fought the battle.
Then came the Battle of Uhud, when the Quraish, with all their might and tyranny, came to take blood revenge for the Day of Badr and to restore their dignity by defeating the Muslims once and for all, a defeat which was thought by the Quraish to be a simple matter and a predetermined fate. The fierce battle took place, and soon the battlefield was filled with its awful harvest: calamity overtook the polytheists.
Then when the Muslims saw them retreating, they laid down their weapons and the archers descended from their posts and began to collect their share of booty. Immediately and suddenly the Quraish army turned back to hold the field and tip the balance of the battle in their favor.
The fighting's ferocity, cruelty, and crushing resumed. The surprise attack had the effect of scattering the army.
Talhah saw that the side of the battlefield where the Prophet (PBUH) was standing had become the target of the polytheists' concentration. He immediately hurried towards the Prophet (PBUH).
He (May Allah be pleased with him) traversed a path, a long one, although it was in fact a short distance.
It was a path in which a single inch could not be traversed except by confronting tens of ferocious swords and tens of mad lances.
He could see from a far distance how the Prophet's (PBUH) cheek was bleeding and how he was silently suffering. It was then that Talhah got mad, leaped once or twice over the path of horror to reach the Prophet (PBUH), in front of whom he had to experience what he was afraid of: the swords of the polytheists drawn towards the Prophet (PBUH), surrounding him, wanting to get at him.
Talhah stood there like a raging army, striking with his sword to the left and right. He could see the Prophet (PBUH) bleeding and his pains becoming more and more unbearable. He helped him and carried him away from the hole where his foot had gotten stuck.
He supported the Prophet (PBUH) with his left hand and chest, backing up to a safe, secure place, while his right hand (May Allah bless his right hand) fought the swords of the polytheists who surrounded the Prophet and who swarmed the battlefield like locusts.
Let Abu Bakr As-siddiiq describe for us the whole scene of battle. `Aa'ishah once said: Whenever Abu Bakr recalled the Day of Uhud he used to say, It was the Tallaah's day. I was the first who approached the Prophet (PBUH). He said to me and to Abu Ubaidah lbn Al-Jarraah, "Watch out, for your brother." We looked at him, and we could see more than 70 stabs. His finger was cut off. We tried to remedy his condition.
* * *
In all the different events and battles, Talhah was always to be found in the forefront fighting in the cause of Allah, redeeming the Prophet's standard.
Talhah lived among the Muslim community, worshipping Allah with the worshipers, fighting in the cause of Allah with those who fought for truth, following the basic principles of the new religion which was revealed in order to bring people all people out of darkness into light.
After he fulfilled his duties towards Allah, he went on seeking the bounty of Allah, expanding and promoting his successful trade and business.
Talhah was one of the wealthiest Muslims. His whole fortune was put in the service of his religion, the standard of which he carried with the Prophet (PBUH). He spent it without measure, and so Allah increased it for him without measure.
The Prophet (PBUH) called him "Talhah the Excellent", " Talhah the Splendid and "Talhah the Generous" to demonstrate his bountiful generosity.
How often did he give his whole fortune away. Then Allah the Ever-Generous returned it to him manifold! His wife Su'adaa Bint `Awf reported: Once I approached Talhah. I saw him worried and asked him, "What's the matter?" He said, "The money which I possess is now so abundant that it worries me and makes me feel distressed." I told him, "Never mind, I'll distribute it." He set out to call people and to divide it among them till there wasn't a single dirham left.
On another occasion, he sold his land for a very high price, and when he looked at the pile of money, his tears rolled down and he said, " A man in whose house all that money is to remain for a night and he doesn't know for sure what will happen to him is certainly deceived by Allah."
Then he called some of his companions to carry his money with them and walk through the streets of Al-Madiinah distributing it until in the last part of the night he was without a single dirham of that money.
Jaabir Ibn Abd Allah described his wealth saying, "I never saw anybody giving out so much money without being asked as did Talhah lbn Ubaid Allah."
He was one of the kindest toward his relatives and kin. He supported them all, though they were numerous. It was once said about him, "He never left an orphan without supporting him and his dependents. He provided for the marriage of the unmarried ones, he provided service for the disabled ones, and paid the debts of the indebted ones.
As-Saa'i'b Ibn Zaid once said, " I accompanied Talhah during travels and during times of settlement. I never saw anybody more generous in terms of money, clothes, and food than Talhah."
The well known civil strife broke out during the caliphate of `Uthmaan. Talhah supported the argument of `Uthmaan's opponents, standing on their side in most of their quests to witness change and reformation.
Did he therefore, in such a position, call for `Uthmaan's murder, or even feel pleased by it? Never! If he had known that the civil strife would develop in such a way, bursting into mad spite, expressing itself in such cruel crime, the victim of which was "The Man of Two Lights" Uthmaan (May Allah be pleased with him)... We say, if he had known that the civil strife would in the long run lead to such an end and such a conflict, he would have resisted it, and it would have been resisted by the rest of the Companions who supported him at the beginning, recognizing it as a movement of opposition and warning, and no more.
However, Talhah's stance turned out to be his "life conflict" after the brutal way in which `Uthmaan was surrounded and killed. Imam `Aliy had hardly accepted the oath of allegiance from Talhah and Az-Zubair at Al-Madiinah, when they both asked permission to go to Makkah for `Umrah.
From Makkah they both turned to Al-Basrah, where a great multitude was gathering to avenge `Uthmaan's death.
At last it was the Battle of Al-Jamal, where those calling for revenge met with the party supporting `Aliy.
Whenever `Aliy thought about this difficult situation which Islam and Muslims were confronting in this horrible dispute, he burst into sorrowful tears and his laments grew louder and louder. He was forced into this difficult situation.
Being the Caliph of the Muslims, he could not and it was not his right to be tolerant towards any revolt against the state or any armed opposition to the established authority. To crush a rebellion of that sort, then, he had to face his brethren, his companions, friends and the followers of his Prophet and his religion, those with whom he had so often encountered and combated the polytheist armies and with whom he had so often joined under the standard of monotheism in battles that refined their Islamic behavior and melted away all weakness and disgrace, thereby turning them into brethren - and indeed brethren - supporting each other.
What a conflicting situation! What a difficult harsh test! In order to find a way out of such a conflict and to save the blood of the Muslims, Imam `Aliy did his utmost.
Nonetheless, the factors opposing Islam - and they were many -which had met their defeat at the hands of the Muslim state in the days of its great leader `Umar, had kindled the civil uprising and continued to stoke it and follow its events and magnitude.
* * *
He cried a lot and wept abundantly when he saw The Mother of the Faithful `Aa'ishah on her camel howdah at the head of the army which rose to fight him. When he saw Talhah and Az-Zubair, the disciples of the Prophet (PBUH), he called to them to come out to meet him, so they did. They approached him till their horses touched each other. He said to Talhah, "O Talhah! Did you come with the wife of the Messenger of Allah to use her in your fight while hiding your wife at home?" Then he said to Az-Zubair, "O Zubair! I ask you by Allah. Do you remember the day when the Prophet (PBUH) passed you when we were in such- and-such a place, then he said to you, `O Zubair! Do you love `Aliy?' You replied, `Why shouldn't I love my nephew and cousin and the follower of my religion? He said to you, "O Zubair! By Allah, you will fight him, being unjust to him. Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "Yes, now I remember, I had forgotten that. By Allah, I won't fight you. Az-Zubair and Talhah abstained from taking part in this civil war. They abstained as soon as things were clarified. When they saw `Ammaar lbn Yaasir fighting on `Aliy's side, they remembered the Prophet's prophecy to `Ammaar: "You will be killed by the unjust party." If `Ammaar were killed in that war in which Talhah was taking part, then Talhah was unjust.
* * *
Talhah and Az-Zubair retreated from the whole fight and had to pay for that retreat with their lives. But they met Allah pleased and delighted with what they had been endowed by Allah: insight and guidance.
As for Az-Zubair, a man named Amr lbn Jarmuuz followed him and killed him while he was praying.
As for Talhah he was pierced with a lance by Marwaan Ibn Al-Hakim , which killed him on the spot.
* * *
The murder of `Uthmaan represented in Talhah's conscience his "life conflict", as previously mentioned. Despite the fact that, he did not take part in the murder nor agree to it, he had just supported the opposition against him (Aliy) at a time when it was not obvious that it would intensify and develop into a more serious conflict until it turned into a dreadful crime.
When he took his place on the day of Al-Jamal amidst the army fighting against the Ibn Abi Taalib which sought to take revenge for `Uthmaan's murder, he wished that his position would be an atonement making him feel at ease towards the pressure of his conscience. Before the start of the battle he was supplicating with a voice choked with tears saying, "O my Lord, accept me this day in favor of `Uthmaan until You are pleased."
When they met `Aliy face to face, he and Az-Zubair both said they felt illuminated by `Aliy's words and thereby saw it to be right to leave the battlefield.
However, martyrdom had been reserved for them. Indeed, martyrdom was his fate, and he was to meet it and it was to meet him, wherever he was.
Did not the Prophet (PBUH) once say about him, "He's one of those who passed away. Whoever wants to please himself by seeing a martyr walking on the earth, go let him look at Talhah." Thereby did the martyr meet his inevitable fate, and the Battle of Al-Jamal was over. The Mother of the Believers realized that she had made a hasty decision; therefore she left Al-Basrah for the Sacred House and then Al-Madiinah, keeping aloof from the fighting and dispute. Imam `Aliy provided her with all means of comfort and respect.
When `Aliy inspected all the martyrs of the battle, he set out to pray the funeral prayer upon them, those who fought on his side as well as those who fought against him.
When he finished burying Talhah and Az-Zubair, he stood saluting them for the last time. He finished his words saying, "I wish to be with Talhah and Az-Zubair and `Uthmaan among those whom Allah described thus: "We removed from their hearts any malice therein, as brothers they shall rest upon couches facing each other " (15: 47).
Then he gazed at their grave with kind, gentle, pure, and sad eyes saying, "I've heard with my two ears the Prophet (PBUH) saying, "Talhah and Az-Zubair are my neighbors in Paradise".
It is almost impossible to mention Talhah without mentioning Az-Zubair, too, and almost impossible to mention Az-Zubair without mentioning Talhah as well.
When the Prophet (PBUH) was fraternizing with his Companions in Makkah before the Hijrah to Al-Madiinah, he fraternized with Talhah and Az-Zubair.
The Prophet (PBUH) often talked about them together, for example in his statement "Talhah and Ar-Zubair are my neighbors in Paradise."
Both of them were linked to the Prophet (PBUH) through relationship and descent. As for Talhah he is linked to the Prophet (PBUH) through Murah lbn Ka'b. Zubair's lineage is linked to the Prophet through Qusaii Ibn Kulaab. In addition to that, his mother Safiah is the Prophet's paternal aunt.
Talhah and Az-Zubair resembled each other tremendously in their fates. The similarity between them was enormous in terms of their upbringing, their wealth, their generosity, their religious solidarity, and their magnificent bravery. Both of them were early converts to Islam. Both of them were among the ten to whom Paradise was promised by the Prophet (PBUH) and among the six whom `Umar entrusted with the duty of choosing the next caliph following him. Even their destiny was one of complete similarity. In fact was one destiny.
As mentioned, Az-Zubair's embracement of Islam was an early one. Indeed he was one of the first seven who quickened their steps towards Islam and played a role with the blessed early converts at Daar Al-Arqam. At that time he was 15 years old; that is how he was endowed with guidance, light, and all the good while still a youth.
He was a horseman and a bold warrior from childhood, to the extent that historians mention that the first sword lifted in Islam was Az-Zubair's sword.
In the very early days of Islam, while the Muslims were still few in number, hiding in Daar Al-Arqam, a rumor spread that the Prophet (PBUH) had been killed. Az-Zubair had hardly heard that when he unsheathed his sword and hurried through the streets of Makkah although still so young.
First he went to learn the truth of what had been said, determined that if it were true, he would cut the whole of the Quraish into pieces until they killed him.
On the high hills of Makkah, the Prophet (PBUH) met him and asked, "What's the matter?" Az-Zubair told him the news. The Prophet (PBUH) prayed for him and asked Allah to bestow mercy and all good upon him, and victory upon his sword.
Despite Az-Zubair's nobility among his clan, he had to carry the burden of the Quraish's persecution and torment. It was his uncle who was in charge of his torture. He wrapped him in a mat, set it on fire to let him suffocate, and called to him while he was under the pressure of severe torture, "Disbelieve in Muhammad's Lord and I will ward off this torture."
Az-Zubair, who was at that time no more than a growing youth, replied in a horrible challenging way, "No! By Allah, I won't return to polytheism ever again."
Az-Zubair emigrated to Abyssinia twice, in the first and second migrations. Then he returned to take part in the battles with the Prophet (PBUH). No raid or battle ever missed him.
Plentiful were the stabs which his body had to receive and preserve even after his wounds had been healed. They were like medals telling of Az-Zubair's heroism and glory.
Let us listen to one of his companions, who once saw and described these medals, which crowded each other over his body: While accompanying Az- Zubair in one of his journeys, I saw his body spotted with sword scars. His chest was like hollow eyes due to the variety of stabs and wounds. I said to him, "I've seen on your body what I've never seen before." He replied, "By Allah, I haven't received one of them except while I was with the Prophet (PBUH) and in the cause of Allah."
During the Battle of Uhud, after the army of the Quraish had retreated towards Makkah, the Prophet (PBUH) assigned him together with Abu Bakr to follow the Quraish's army and to chase them so they would realize how strong the Muslim party was and would not think of reattacking Al-Madiinah and continuing the fight. Abu Bakr and Az-Zubair led 70 Muslims. Although they were chasing a victorious army, the military skill used by As-Siddiiq and Az-Zubair, made the Quraish think that they had overestimated the Tosses of the Muslim party. They thought that the powerful front row, whose strength Az-Zubair and As-Siddiiq successfully demonstrated, was nothing other than the advance guard of the Prophet's army, which seemed to approach in order to launch a horrible pursuit. The Quraish hastened away and quickened their pace towards Makkah.
On the Day of Al-Yarmuuk, Az-Zubair was an army in himself. When he saw most of the warriors under his command moving backwards when they saw the huge advancing Roman "mountains", he cried, "Allahu akbar! Allah is the greatest!" With a sharp striking sword he burst alone into those advancing "mountains", then he retreated, then penetrated the same horrible rows with his sword in his right hand, never tripping nor slipping.
May Allah be pleased with him who was so much in love with martyrdom, full of enthusiasm for dying in the cause of Allah. He said, "Talhah gives his sons names of the Prophets and he knows there is no prophet after Muhammad (PBUH). But I give my sons the names of martyrs, and may they die as martyrs!"
In this way he named one son `Abd Allah as a good omen, after the martyr Companion Abd Allah lbn Jahsh; another he named Al-Mundhir after the martyr Companion Al-Mundhir lim `Amr; another he named Urwah after the martyr Companion `Urwah Ibn `Amr; another he called Hamzah after the martyr Companion Hamzah Ibn Abi Taalib; another he called Ja'far after the martyr Companion Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib; another he called Mus`ab after the martyr Companion Mus'ab Ibn Umair and another he called Khaalid after the martyr Companion Khaalid lbn Sa`iid.
In this way he chose for his sons the names of martyrs, hoping that they would all die martyrs.
It is mentioned in his biography that he never held a governorship, nor the task of collecting taxes or tribute, but only the task of fighting in the cause of Allah.
His merit as a warrior can be seen in his total self-reliance and his complete self-confidence.
Even if 100,000 warriors were to join him in combat, you would still see him fighting as if standing alone on the battlefield, and as if the responsibility of fighting and for victory rested on him alone.
His merit as a warrior is represented in his firmness and the strength of his nerves.
He saw his uncle Hamzah on the Day of Uhud: the polytheists had cut his corpse into pieces in a dreadful way. He stood in front of him like a high firm rooted mountain, gritting his teeth while holding his sword tightly, having nothing in mind except a horrible revenge. Soon, however, a divine revelation prohibited the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims from even the slightest thought of such a thing.
When the Bani Quraidhah siege lasted a long period without their surrender, the Prophet (PBUH) sent him with `Aliy Ibn Abi Taalib. There in front of the insurmountable fortress he stood and repeated several times, "By Allah We will taste what Hamzah tasted or we will open their fortress." Then they two alone threw themselves into the fortress.
With admirable strong nerves, they were able to terrify the besieged inside it and to open its gates.
On the Day of Hunain he could see Maalik lbn `Awf, leader the of Hawaazin and of the polytheist army, after his defeat in Hunain standing in the midst of some of his companions and the remnants of his defeated army. He burst alone into their midst and single handedly scattered them and pushed them away from the place of ambush from which they kept an eye on the Muslim leaders who were returning from the battlefield.
* * *
His share of the Prophet's love and appreciation was great.
The Prophet (PBUH) was so proud of him that he said, "Every prophet has a disciple, and my disciple is Az-Zubair Ibn Al `Awaam." He was not only his cousin and the husband of Asmaa Bint Abu Bakr ("The Lady of the Two Belts") but, moreover, he was the powerful, loyal, brave, bold, generous, and bountiful, who gave away and devoted his life and money for Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
His characteristics were noble, his good qualities great. His bravery and generosity were always parallel to each other. He managed a successful trade, and his fortune was enormous; however, he spent all of that in the cause of Islam until he died in debt. His trust in Allah was the reason behind his generosity, bravery, and redemption.
Even when he generously gave up his soul, he asked his son to pay his debt. "If you're unable to pay it, then seek my Master's help." `Abd Allah asked him, "Which master do you mean?" He answered, "Allah. He is the best Guardian, the best Helper." `Abd Allah said afterwards, "By Allah I never fell into trouble because of his debt. I only said, `O Master of Zubair, pay his debt,' so He did."
On the Day of Al-Jamal, and in the same way previously mentioned about Talhah, was Az-Zubair's end and fate. After he saw it right to refrain from fighting, a group of those who had been keen to see the flames of civil strife continuously raging and never extinguished followed him. A treacherous murderer stabbed him while he was praying and standing between the hands of Allah.
The murderer went to Imam `Aliy, thinking that he would be announcing to him good news when telling him about his attack upon Az-Zubair and when putting into his hands the sword which he had stolen from him after committing his crime. When `Aliy knew that Az-Zubair's murderer was standing at his door asking permission to enter, he shouted ordering that he be expelled and said, "Announce Hell to the murderer of Safiah's son!" When they showed him Az Zubair's sword, Imam `Aliy kissed it and then cried painfully saying, "A sword whose owner had so long wiped the Prophet's grief."
* * *
Is there a better, more wonderful and eloquent salute to be directed to Az-Zubair at the end of our talk than the words of lmam `Aliy?
May peace be upon Az-Zubair in death after his life. Peaceful greeting after peaceful greeting upon the Prophet's disciple.
And now, pave the way for this hero. Come nearer from all directions, from everywhere. Come in any way you can and strive your utmost, come hurrying and submitting. Approach in order to be taught the lesson of sacrifice, an incomparable lesson. You will say, Weren't all the stories you have previously told lessons of incomparable sacrifice?
Indeed, they were lesson of uncomparable magnificence. Nothing whatsoever can be similar to it. However, you are now in front of a new master illustrating the art of sacrifice, a figure who, if you miss meeting him, then you have missed a great deal, indeed a great deal. Come to us, all people of faith in every nation and country. Come to us, lovers of exaltedness in every period and era. And you, too, who carry a heavy burden of illusion and you whose belief in creed and religions is one of falsehood and error. Come with your illusion. Come and see how Allah's religion built men. Come and see what glory, what strength, what firmness, what determination, what sacrifice, what loyalty!
To sum up, what extraordinary and amazing greatness has been granted by the belief in truth to its sincere followers.
Can you see the crucified body? It is our lesson today - to all mankind! Indeed, the crucified body in front of you is our subject, our lesson, our master. His name is Khubaib Ibn `Adiy. Remember this name well!
Remember it, sing it, it is an honor for anyone belonging to any religion, to any sect, belonging to any ethnic group and living in any era!
* * *
He belonged to the Aws tribe from Al-Madiinah. He belonged to the Ansaar.
Since the day of the Prophet's Hijrah to Al-Madiinah and since the day of his belief in Allah, Lord of the Worlds, he frequently visited the Prophet (PBUH).
His soul, spirit, and conscience were pure, and his belief was firm. He was described by Hassaan lbn Thaabit, Islam's poet: He looked like a falcon among the Ansaar. Allah endowed him with noble character and good morals."
When the standards of the Battle of Badr were lifted, he was there, a bold warrior and a daring fighter. Among the polytheists whom he killed with his sword during the battle was Al-Haarith Ibn `Aamir Ibn Nawfal.
After the battle was over and the defeated remnants of the Quraish had returned to Makkah, the sons of Al-Haarith learned that their father had been killed. They learned the name of his killer very well by heart: Khubaib Ibn `Adiy.
* * *
The Muslims returned from Badr to Al-Madiinah and persistently built their new community. Knubaib was a true worshiper, a pious devotee, carrying the nature of a devotee and the longing aspiration of a worshiper. There he turned to worship with the spirit of a passionate lover, praying at night, fasting during the day, glorifying Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
* * *
One day the Prophet (PBUH) wanted to know the Quraish's secrets so as to be fully aware of the target of their movements and any preparations for a new battle. Therefore, he chose ten of his Companions, among whom was Khubaib, and Aasim lbn Thaabit as leader.
The expedition set off towards its destination until they reached a place between `Asafaan and Makkah. News of them reached an area of Hudhail called Bani Hayaan. They hastened to them with 100 of their most skillful spearmen. They set out to pursue them and to follow their tracks.
They almost lost them but for the fact that one of them found some discarded date pits on the sand. He picked them up and, with the amazing skill Arabs were famous for, glanced at them, then shouted loudly so that the others could hear him, "They are date pits from Yathrib 1 . Let's follow them and they will surely guide us. They followed the discarded date pits until they could see in the distance what they were searching for.
`Aasim, the expedition's leader, felt that they were being chased, so he ordered his companions to mount the high peak of a mountain. The 100 spearmen approached and surrounded the foot of the mountain and besieged them thoroughly.
They asked them to surrender themselves after giving them their word not to hurt them. The ten turned to their leader, Aasim Ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaariy (May Allah be pleased with them all), and waited for his command. He then said, As for me, by Allah, I will never let myself fall into the protection of a polytheist. May Allah inform our Prophet about us."
The spearmen then began to throw their spears at them. Their leader Aasim was wounded and died as a martyr. In the same way seven others were wounded and died as martyrs.
The rest were then called and promised that they would be safe if they came down. The three descended, Khubaib and his two friends. The spearmen approached Khubaib and his companion,
Zaid Ibn Ad-Dithinnah, and tied them up. Their third one recognized the beginning of their deceipts, so he decided to die there where `Aasim and his companions had fallen. He died where he wished.
That is how some of the greatest, most faithful, most loyal to Allah and his Prophet (PBUH), and most sincere believers passed away. Khubaib and Zaid tried to untie themselves, but they were fled very thoroughly and tightly.
The deceptive spearmen took them to Makkah where they sold them to the polytheists. The name of Khubaib reached everyone's ear. The sons of Al-Haarith Ibn Aamir, who had been killed in Badr, remembered his name very well and were moved by spite and hatred. They hurried to buy him. Most of the inhabitants of Makkah, who had lost their fathers and leaders in the Battle of Badr, competed in purchasing him in order to take revenge. They enjoined each other to take revenge on him and commenced to prepare him for a fate to satisfy their desire for revenge, not directed at him, as such, but at all the Muslims.
Some other people took Khubaib's companion Zaid Ibn Ad- Dithinnah and set out to torture him severely.
* * *
Khubaib submitted his heart, his whole life, and destiny to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. He turned to His worship with a firm soul, unruffled and fearless, accompanied by a divine tranquility. Even hard, solid mountain rocks and terror itself might melt and simply vanish due to it.
Allah was with him, and he was with Allah. Allah's hand was over him, and he could almost feel His fingers within his chest.
One day, one of Al-Haarith's daughters entered where he was kept as a captive at Al-Haarith's house. She quickly hurried out, calling the people to see an unbelievable thing! `By Allah, I saw him holding a big bunch of grapes, eating from it while being fettered with iron chains - at a time when there isn't a single grape in Makkah. I can't think of it except as being a blessing from Allah!"
Indeed, it was a blessing given by Allah to His virtuous worshiper, as He gave to Maryam (Mary, mother of Jesus) daughter of `Imraan before: "Whenever Zakariya entered the sanctuary he found her furnished with provision, he said, "O Mary from where did you get this?" She said. "It is from GOD, surely GOD provides who He pleases without measure" (3 : 37).
* * *
The polytheists brought him the news of the death of his companion Zaid Ibn Ad-Dithinnah (May Allah be pleased with him). They hoped thereby to break down his nerves. However, they did not know that Allah, the Most Merciful, had invited him into His hospitality, blessing him with divine tranquility and mercy.
They set Out to bargain with him over his faith, promising to save his life if he disbelieved in Muhammad and his Lord, but they were like children trying to catch the sun by a mere arrow-shot.
Indeed, Khubaib's faith was like the sun in its strength, flame, light, and far-reachedness. He shed light upon those seeking light and warmed those seeking warmth, but the one who approached him to challenge him would be burned and destroyed.
When they lost hope of reaching their desire, they took the hero to face his destiny. They took him to a place called At- Tan'iim, where he would be killed.
As soon as they reached this place, Khubaib asked them to allow him to pray two rak'ahs. They allowed him with the hope that he would make up his mind to announce his surrender and disbelief in Allah, His Messenger and His religion.
Solemnly, peacefully and humbly Khubaib prayed two rak'ahs.
He felt the sweetness of faith within his soul, so that he wished that he could keep on praying and praying. However, he turned toward his killers and said to them, "By Allah, were it not for your thinking that I'm afraid of death, I would have continued praying." Then he lifted his hands towards the sky and said, "O Allah! Count them one by one and then perish them all!" Then he scanned their faces intently and set out singing:
When I am being martyred as a Muslim,
I do not care in what way I receive my death
For Allah's sake.
If He wishes,
He will bless the cut limbs.
* * *
It was perhaps the first time in Arab history to crucify a man then kill him on the cross. They had prepared out of palm tree trunks a huge cross on which they fixed Khubaib, his limbs tied tightly. The polytheists gathered in obvious glee at his suffering while spearmen prepared their lances.
All that cruelty was intentionally performed slowly in front of the crucified hero. He did not close his eyes, and amazing tranquility beamed from his face. Then spears began to skirmish and swords to tear his flesh into pieces.
One of the Quraish leaders approached him saying, `Would you like Muhammad to be in your place and you be healthy and secure among your kin?"
Only then did Khubaib burst like a thunderstorm, shouting to his killers, "By Allah, I woud not like to be among my relatives and sons enjoying all the world's health and well-being while even a tiny thorn hurts the Prophet."
They were the same great words spoken by Zaid Ibn Ad Dithinnah when he was being killed! The same amazing, dazzling strong words Zaid said one day before they were said by Khubaib. At that, Abu Sufyaan, who had not yet embraced Islam, had to shake his head and say astonished, "By Allah! I've never seen anybody love somebody else the way Muhammad's companions love Muhammad."
* * *
Khubaib's words were so provocative that the spears and swords began to tear the hero's body to pieces, attacking it with complete madness and cruelty.
Not far away from the scene, birds and buzzards were flying around as if waiting for the butchers to end their task and leave the spot so that they could approach the fresh dead body to have a delicious meal. However, soon they called to one another and gathered, and their beaks moved as if whispering and talking. Suddenly they flew away in the sky, far, far away. They smelled by their instinct the scent of a pious, repentant man which spread from his crucified body, so they were ashamed to approach him or to hurt him. The flock of birds flew away, just and pure, into the vastness of space.
The group of malicious polytheists returned to their dens in Makkah while the dead body of the martyr stayed there, guarded by a group of Quraishi spearmen.
When they were lifting Khubaib onto the palm trunk cross and tying him firmly, Khubaib turned his face towards the sky asking his Ever Magnificent Lord, "Allah! We fulfilled the mission of Your Messenger. Inform him in the early morning of what is happening to us.
Allah responded to his prayer. while he was in Al-Madiinah, the Prophet (PBUH) was filled with a strong feeling that his Companions were facing a severe trial, and he could almost see the crucified dead body of one of them.
Immediately the Prophet (PBUH) sent for Al-Miqdaad lbn `Amr and Az-Zubair lbn Al-'Awaam. They mounted their horses and set off to cross the land rapidly. Allah guided them to their desired destination. They lowered Khubaib's body to a pure spot of ground waiting to shelter him under its moist soil.
* * *
No one knows to this day where Khubaib's grave lies. May be that is better and more respectable for him so that he remains in history's memory and in the conscience of life a hero, a hero on the cross.
Do you remember Sa'iid Ibn `Aamir ? That ascetic and steady worshiper who was forced by the Commander of the Faithful `Umar to accept the governorship of Syria?
We spoke about him in the first part of this book, and we saw the wonder of wonders while talking about his asceticism, his renouncement of all worldly pleasure, and his piety.
But now we will meet on these pages a brother of his, better to say a twin brother, an identical twin in terms of piety, asceticism, elevation and greatness of soul, which is actually incomparable.
It is `Umair Ibn Sa'd. He was called by the Muslims "The Matchless". What do you think about a man about whom there was a public consensus that he deserved that title, a consensus of the Prophet's Companions, with all the merit, enlightment, and intellect they possessed?
* * *
His father was Sa'd, the reciter (May Allah be pleased with him). He experienced the Battle of Badr with the Messenger of Allah and all the following events and stayed loyal to his oath till he passed away as a martyr in the Battle of Al-Qaadisiyah. 1
He brought his son with him to the Prophet (PBUH) to swear the oath of allegiance and to embrace Islam.
From the day `Umair embraced Islam, he turned into a worshiper dwelling at Allah's mihrab (prayer niche), escaping and running away from the lights of fame, withdrawing to the tranquility and calmness of shadow.
It is absolutely out of the question that you find him in the front rows, except the row of prayer he stations himself in the front row to be granted the reward of the highest in faith - and the rows of jihaad - he hastens to the front row, hoping to be one of the martyrs. Other than that, he is dedicated to attaining righteousness, piety, and virtue. He is a returner to Allah, weeping for his sins! He is a devotee to Allah, hoping to be accepted as a faithful returner to Him ! He is a traveler to Allah in all journeys and all instances.
* * *
Allah blessed him with his companions love for him. He was the delight of their eyes and the darling of their hearts. That was because of his strong, firm belief, his pure soul, his calm nature, the scent of his good qualities, and his beaming appearance. All that made him the joy and pleasure of all those who met or saw him.
No one and nothing whatsoever was superior to his religion. He once heard Julaas Ibn Suwaid Ibn As-saamit, one of his close relatives, saying, "If the man is truthful, then we've more evil than mules!" He meant by "the man" the Prophet (PBUH). Julaas was one of those who embraced Islam out of fear.
When `Umair heard that statement, his calm, quiet spirit burst into anger and confusion. Anger because one of those who pretended to be a Muslim had insulted the Prophet by this wicked language. Confusion because a lot of thoughts came quickly to his mind, all revolving around his responsibility towards what he had just heard and denied.
Should he communicate all that he had heard to the Prophet? How, and what about the trustworthiness of private meetings? Should he keep silent and leave what he had heard within his breast? How? And where was his loyalty to the Prophet (PBUH) who was sent by Allah to guide them after having lived astray and to illuminate them after having lived in darkness?
However, his confusion did not last long. The truthfulness to himself helped him to find a way out. `Umair immediately behaved like a strong man and a pious believer. He turned to Julaas Ibn Suwaid, "O Julaas, by Allah, you're one of the most beloved to myself and the last one I would like to see afflicted by something he dislikes. You've now said something that if I spread it around, it would harm you; if I keep silent, I would ruin my religion, and the fulfillment of duty towards religion has priority. So I'm going to inform the Messenger of Allah what you've said!"
Here `Umair pleased his pious conscience completely. First, he fulfilled the duty of preserving the trustworthiness of private talks and elevated his great noble soul away from the role of a slandering listener. Second, he fulfilled his duty towards his religion and shed light on a suspicious hypocrite. Third, he gave Julaas a chance to reconsider his fault and to ask Allah for forgiveness. if he had done that straightforwardly, then his conscience would have found peace, because it would not have been necessary any more to inform the Prophet (PBUH).
However, Julaas's pride made him hold to his falsehood. His lips did not spell out the word "sorry" nor any other apology. `Umair left him saying, "I will inform the Prophet (PBUH) before a revelation makes me a partner of your sin."
The Prophet (PBUH) sent for Julaas, who denied and moreover swore by Allah that he had not said that! However, a Qur'aanic verse demonstrated clearly the true and the false: "They swear by GOD that they said nothing, but they indeed uttered the word of unbelief, and disbelieved after they had become Muslims, and they intended a plot but could not accomplish what they intended and they only showed hostility towards Islam after GOD and His Messenger had enriched them out of His Bounty, so if they repent it will be better for them, so if they turn away, GOD will chastise them with a painful chastisement in this world and the Hereafter, and on earth there will be none to protect or help them" (9 : 74).
Julaas found himself forced to confess his fault and to apologize, especially when he heard the holy verse which accused him, promising him at the same moment Allah's mercy if he repented and refrained from that: "So if they repent it will be better for them".
`Umair's action was a blessing for Julaas. Thus Julaas repented and his Islamic conduct turned to be more righteous than before. The Prophet (PBUH) held his ear and praised him, "O my boy! Your ear was loyal and your Lord believed you."
* * *
I was delighted when I met `Umair for the first time four years ago while composing my book Between the Hands of `Umar. I was amazed. Nothing could amaze me so much as what happened between him and the Commander of the Faithful. I am going to narrate to you that event for you to enjoy with me "excellence" in its most precious and magnificent form.
* * *
You all know that the Commander of the Faithful, `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) chose his governors very cautiously as if choosing his destiny He always chose them from among the ascetic, pious, honest, and truthful: those who escaped from power and authority and would not accept it unless forced by the Commander of the Faithful to do so.
Despite his unerring insight and his overwhelming experience, he was very deliberate when choosing his governors and counselors, dealing scrupulously with his decision.
He never stopped his famous statement: "I need a man who, if among his clan would seem to be their prince while he isn't so in reality, and who, if among them would seem to be an ordinary one while being their prince in reality. I need a governor who won't favor himself above the other people in terms of clothing, food, or dwelling; who will lead them in their prayers, distribute their dues among them fairly, and rule them justly, never shutting his door leaving their needs and wishes unfulfilled.
According to these strict requisites he chose `Umair Ibn Sa'd to be a governor over Homs. `Umair tried to free himself of that task and to save himself, but the Commander of the Faithful obligated him and imposed it upon him forcefully. `Umair asked Allah for proper guidance. Then he went to carry out his duty and task.
In Homs, a whole year passed and no land tax reached Al Madiinah, nor did a single message reach the Commander of the Faithful. The Commander of the Faithful called his scribe, to whom he said, "Write to `Umair ordering him to come here."
Will you allow me to tell you about the meeting between `Umar and `Umair as it was related in my previous book Between the Hands of `Umar? 2
One day the roads of Al-Madiinah witnessed a dusty, shaggy man, covered by the hardship of travel and hardly pulling his feet out from the hot sandy ground due to his long suffering and the tremendous effort he spent. On his left shoulder there was a sack and a wooden bowl. On his right shoulder there was a small waterskin filled with water. He supported his thin, weak, tired body with a stick.
He turned to `Umar's assembly with very slow, heavy steps. "O Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon you.
`Umar replied. Deeply afflicted by the scene of his weakness and over exertion, he asked him, `What's wrong with you, `Umair?"
"Can't you see I'm healthy, possessing a pure conscience and possessing the whole world?"
`Umar asked, "What do you have with you?"
`Umair replied, "I've a sack in which I carry my food, a bowl in which I eat, my utensils for my ablution and drink, and a stick to lean on and fight an enemy if he crosses my way. By Allah, the whole world is an obedient slave of my belongings."
"Did you come walking on foot?" "Yes."
"Didn't you find anyone who would give you an animal to ride on?"
"They didn't offer and I didn't ask them."
"What did you do with what we charged you with?"
"I went to the country to which you sent me. There I gathered all its virtuous inhabitants and made them in charge of levying the taxes, so when they did that I put the money there where it belongs. If anything had remained I would have sent it to you."
"Didn't you bring us anything?"
"no"
Hereby `Umar shouted, amazed and happy, `Reappoint `Umair." But `Umair replied with complete composure, "Those were old days. I won't work for you or for anyone else!"
This scene is not a written drama nor an invented conversation. It is a historical event 3 witnessed by the soil of Al Madiinah, the old capital of Islam during great unforgotten days. What kind of men were those unparalleled, elevated ones!
Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) was always wishing How much do I wish to have men like `Umair to assist me in ruling the Muslims!
That was because `Umair, who had been fairly described by his companions as being "The Matchless", could prove superiority over all human weakness caused by our material existence and our thorny life.
When this great saint was destined to face the test of power and authority, his piety was not afflicted. It rather became more elevated, raised beaming and bright.
When he was Governor of Homs, he drew a dear picture of the tasks of a Muslim ruler. How often did his words from the pulpit shake the multitude of Muslims: "Islam is a well-fortified wall and a firm gate. As for the wall, that's justice; and the gate is truth. If the wall is torn down and the gate destroyed, then Islam loses its protective strength. Islam remains well-fortified as long as its reign is mighty. The might of its reign cannot be realized by killing with swords or by slashing with whips; rather by the fulfillment of truth and justice!"
Now we greet `Umair for the last time, greeting him with humility and respect! Let us bow our heads for the best tutor, Muhmmad, the Imam of all the pious, Muhammad, Allah's mercy sent to the people in the midst of the heat and drought of life.
May Allah's peace be upon him, may Allah's mercy be upon him, may Allah's salutations be unto him, may Allah's blessings be upon him, and peace be upon all pious ones and peace be upon all his righteous Companions.
---------------------- Footnotes:
1. In Sirat Ibn Hishaam, p.519, Vol.1. The Halaby Second edition, it was mentioned that Sa'd's father was someone else, who died while the Prophet (PBUH) was still alive before the Battle of Tabuuk. But lbn Sa'd mentioned in At- Tabaqaat Al-Kubrah, Vol.4, p.324. Beirut Edition, that his father was Sa'd the reciter and we hold that opinion.
2. The first edition appeared in June 1964.
3. It was mentioned in Hiliat Al-Awliaa' Vol.1, one of our most fundamental sources.
If you hold the Holy Qur'aan with your right hand and concentrate your eyes upon it, and go on applying yourself eagerly and meticulously to its verdant meadows, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, remember that among those who deserve all gratitude and appreciation for such an accomplishment is a great venerable called Zaid Ibn Thaabit!
The event of compiling the Qur'aan into one Holy Book is only mentioned in relation with that great Companion.
When roses of honor are scattered on the day of remembrance of all the blessed ones who deserve credit for the compilation and preservation of the Qur'aan and putting it into its right order, Ibn Thaabit's share of those roses will be the greatest.
* * *
He was an Ansaar from Al-Madiinah. When the Prophet (PBUH) reached Al-Madiinah in his Hijrah, Zaid was eleven years old. The young boy embraced Islam together with the Muslims of his clan and was then blessed by a prophetic supplication of Allah.
His father took him to take part in the Battle of Badr, but the Prophet sent him back because of his tender age and body.
On the day of Uhud, Zaid went with a group of veterans to the Prophet (PBUH), begging humbly to be accepted into any of the veteran ranks. Their relatives were more insistent, begging and hoping. The Prophet (PBUH) took a thankful look at the young horseman, seeming as if he was going to apologize for not recruiting them in this battle also. However, one of them, Raafi' Ibn Khudaij, approached the Prophet (PBUH) holding a lance, moving it skillfully with his right hand He then said to the Prophet (PBUH), "As you can see, I am a spearman. I can throw very well. Please let me!"
The Prophet (PBUH) greeted the mature and energetic young man with a delightful smile, then he allowed him. The blood burst into the veins of his peers.
The second who approached was Samurah Ibn Jundub, who set off waving with this strong hands so that some of his relatives said to the Prophet,"Samurah will kill Raafi'." The Prophet (PBUH) greeted him with a kind smile and allowed him.
Both Samurah and Raafi" were already 15 years old, with strong manly shapes. Six of the young peers were left, among them Zaid Ibn Thaabit and `Abd Allah Ibn `Umar. They set out to do their best, humbly begging the first time, weeping and crying the second time, and flexing their muscles the third time. However, they were too young and their bodies were still unripe, so the Prophet (PBUH) promised them to take part in the next battle.
That is why Zaid Ibn Thaabit began to play the role of a warrior in the cause of Allah on the Day of Al-Khandaq, in A.H. 5.
His believing, faithful personality was developing rapidly and amazingly. He was not just proficient as a warrior but also as an intellectual possessing various different merits. He followed up the Qur'aanic revelation, learning it by heart, writing it for the Prophet (PBUH), proving to be exquisite in terms of knowledge and wisdom. When the Prophet (PBUH) began to proclaim his message to the outer world and to send his messages to kings and emperors, he ordered Zaid to get acquainted with some of their languages, which is what he actually did in a very short time.
In this way Zaid Ibn Thaabit's personality became brighter and occupied a high position in the newly built society and became subject to Muslims' respect and honor.
Ash- Sha'biy reported: Zaid Ibn Thaabit set out to ride, so Ibn Abbaas held the bridle. Zaid said to him, "O cousin of the Prophet (PBUH), let me pass." Ibn `Abbaas replied, "No, it's the way we treat our `Ulamaa (scholars)."
Qabaisah reported: Zaid was Al-Madiinah's most superior one in the field of judgment, jurisprudence, reciting, and the knowledge of obligatory duties.
Thaabit Ibn `Ubaid reported, "I've never seen a more cheerful man at home and a more respectable one at his assembly than Zaid." Ibn `Abbaas said, "The tutors of Qur'aanic recitation among the Companions of the Prophet knew that Zaid was one of those deeply rooted in knowledge."
All these qualities by which Zaid was described by the Prophet's Companions make us more acquainted with the person. Destiny would endow him with the honor of the assignment considered to be one of the most noble tasks in the entire Islamic history, the task of compiling the Qur'aan.
* * *
Since the divine revelation began to be revealed upon the Prophet's heart, he would be one of the warners! The message of the Qur'aan and the call to Allah started with these manificent verses: "Read: In the Name of your Lord Who created - created mankind from something which clings; Read ! And your Lord is the Most Noble; Who taught by the pen, Taught mankind what he did not know" (96: 1 -5)
Since the time the revelation started, the Prophet (PBUH) turned his face towards Allah, asking for his further enlightenment and guidance.
During all the years of the Islamic revelation, when the Prophet ended a battle to begin another one; and when he foiled his enemies' conspiracies and plans only to encounter a new foe and another and then another; when he was seriously building a new world, with all that seriousness means, the Qur'aan was sent down and the Prophet (PBUH) recited and proclaimed it. While there was a small blessed group moved by its keen interest in the Qur'aan from the very first day, some of them set out to learn what they could by heart, and others, who were talented in writing, set out to preserve the written verses.
During the course of almost 23 years the Qur'aan was sent down verse by verse, or some verses following other verses, responding to various circumstances and instances, while those reciters and scribes went on fulfilling their task with great success. The Qur'aan was not sent down as a whole; thus it was not a composed book nor an invented one. It is rather a guide for a new nation built in reality, step by step, day after day. Its faith is promoted and its heart, mind, and determination are shaped according to a divine will, a will not imposed from above, but rather by means of a total conviction in this divine will. That is how the human conduct of this nation is going to be guided.
Therefore, the revelation of the Qur'aan had to be piecemeal, in order to follow up the growth and advancement of such conduct and its ever changing situations and challenging difficulties.
Reciters as well as scribes competed and turned to recite the Qur'aan and to write it down. Leading them were `Aliy Ibn Abi Taalib, Ubaiy Ibn K'ab, `Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud, `Abd Allah Ibn `Abbaas, and the honorable Companion we are talking about right now, Zaid Ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with them all).
* * *
After it had been completely revealed and during the last period of revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) recited it to the Muslims with its chapters and verses put in order.
After the Prophet's death (PBUH) the Muslims were busy with the apostate battles.
During the Battle of Al-Yamaamah - which was mentioned when we talked about Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid and Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab - the number of reciters who died as martyrs was tremendous. The flames of war had hardly died down when Umar hurried to Caliph Abu Bakr Al-Siddiiq (May Allah be pleased with him) asking him insistingly to compile the Qur'aan quickly before the remaining reciters and scribes of the Qur'aan passed away.
The caliph asked Allah for guidance and consulted his companions, then sent for Zaid Ibn Thaabit and told him, "You're a rational youth, in whom we find no faults." Then he ordered him to begin compiling the Qur'aan, assisted by people of experience in that matter. Zaid carried on his work, upon which the whole destiny of Islam as a religion depended.
He stood the test in accomplishing the most difficult and crucial task. He went on compiling the chapters and verses from the reciters' memories and from the written work comparing , refuting and investigating until he could gather the whole Qur'aan and put it in order.
His success was attested to by the honorable record of the Companions' consensus (May Allah be pleased with them). They, especially the scholars, reciters, and scribes, had heard the Qur'aan being recited by the Prophet (PBUH) during all the different phases of Islam.
Zaid once described the tremendous difficulty which this holy, honorable task represented "By Allah, if they had asked me to move a whole mountain from its place, it would have been easier than the task of compiling the Qur'aan which they ordered me to fulfill"
Indeed, to carry a whole mountain, or several mountains, on his back would have pleased Zaid more than to make the slightest error in moving a verse or completing a chapter.
His conscience and religion could withstand any error except a mistake such as this, no matter how tiny or unintentional it may be. However, Allah's guidance accompanied him as well as His promise: "Indeed! We are the One Who has revealed the Qur'aan, and We will most surely preserve it" (15 : 9).
So he succeeded in accomplishing his work, his duty, and responsibility as well as it could be.
* * *
This was the first phase of the compilation of the Qur'aan. However, at that time it had been compiled and written down in more than one book. Although the little difference between these books was merely in the pronunciation, experience had proven the necessity of uniting them all in one book.
During the caliphate of `Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) the Muslims continued their expansions, spreading far from Al-Madiinah.
During those days, Islam received each day groups of new converts embracing Islam, one group following the other swearing the oath of allegiance. It was becoming more and more obvious what a danger the variety in the Holy Books might present, especially when different tongues recited the Qur'aan. Even the dialects of the earlier and later Companions differed.
At that stage, a group of Companions with Hudhaifah Ibn Al Yamaan went to the Caliph `Uthmaan explaining the necessity to unite the Holy Books into one.
The Caliph asked Allah for His guidance and consulted his Companions. As Abu Bakr Al-Siddiiq had sought Zaid's aid, so did `Uthmaan.
So, Zaid brought all his companions and assistants together and they brought all the different verses of the Qur'aan from the house of Hafsah the daughter of `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them), where they were kept safe. Thereupon Zaid and his comrades started to carry on their great task.
All those who helped Zaid were scribes of the revelation and Qur'aan reciters. Despite that, when they disagreed - which rarely happened - they always considered Zaid's word to be the final decision.
* * *
We can only imagine the tremendous difficulties encountered by those destined by Allah to gather and preserve the Qur'aan when we read it so easily or hear it recited.
It is exactly like the horrors they encountered and the souls they willingly gave away while fighting in the cause of Allah, in order to spread a virtuous, precious religion over the earth and to dispel darkness with a clear light.
Khaalid Ibn Sa`iid was born into a highly wealthy and power- oriented family. His family lived in luxury and abundance, and his father was proud of his influential high status among the Quraish. Khaalid descended from Ibn Umaiyah, Ibn `Abd Shams and Ibn' Abd Manaaf.
When the first rays of Islam crept in, slowly but surely over Makkah to announce in whispers that revelation had descended upon Muhammad the Trustworthy in the Cave of Hiraa' with a message from Allah to proclaim to His slaves, Khaalid's heart was revived and he gave an ear to the whispering which was like a wonderful light, and he was also heedful to it. He was thrilled with joy as if he had been waiting for this news all his life. He kept on following these rays of light wherever they went. Whenever he heard his people talking about the new religion, he would join them and listen carefully with repressed joy. Every now and then, he would participate in the conversation with a word or two that gave impetus to the new religion to achieve publicity, effect, and guidance.
If you had seen him in those days, you would have the impression that he was a quiet young man who kept discrete silence. Yet beyond this calm appearance lurked a commotion of human feeling that was full of movement and joy. You could almost hear sounds of drums, trumpets, prayers, and glorifications. You could almost see the hoisted flags. His inner-self was feasting in the full meaning of the world. You could feel the joy, thrill, and even the clamor and clatter of the feast day.
This young man kept this big feast to himself and concealed it from all people. He knew that if his father found out that he harbored all this love, enthusiasm, and support for Muhammad's invitation to Allah's way, he would offer him as a sacrifice to the `Abd Manaaf. But when our innerselves are full and saturated with a certain feeling, it is not long before we lose control over it and it overflows freely and excessively. One day. . . No, it was not yet daybreak, and Khaalid was in a state of alert sleepiness when he saw a vision that was highly impressionistic, effective, and telling.
To be more precise, one night, Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid saw in his sleep a vision of himself standing on the brink of a great fire. His father stood right behind him. Strangely enough, his father was incessantly pushing him towards the brink. He wanted to throw him right into the burning fire. Then Khaalid saw Allah's Prophet rush to him and pull him with his blessed right hand away from the burning fire.
When Khaalid woke up he knew what he had to do. He hastened to Abu Bakr's house and told him about his vision which was undoubtedly as clear as broad daylight. Abu Bakr said, "Allah chose you for His Mercy. This is the Prophet (PBUH). Follow him closely, for Islam will keep you away from hell."
Khaalid rushed looking for the Prophet until he found him. Then he asked the Prophet about his message. He (PBUH) answered him saying, "Worship Allah alone and join none with Him in worship. Believe in Muhammad, His slave and Prophet; and, finally, abandon the worship of idols which do not hear, see, or have power to either harm or benefit you."
The Prophet expressed his heartiest welcome as he shook Khaalid's hand. Khaalid instantly said, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger." Simultaneously, the repressed joyful songs within him were set free. In fact, his celebration burst forth, and his father found out about his Islam.
* * *
Now, on the day of Khaalid's Islam, only four or five people had already preceded him in embracing Islam. Sa'iid thought that his son's early Islam would expose him to the humiliation and ridicule of the Quraish people. The Islam of one of Sa'iid Ibn Al-'Aas's sons, had sufficed to shake the ground under Sa'iid's feet and throw doubts upon the credibility of his leadership.
Hence, he summoned Khaalid and asked him, "Is it true that you have followed Muhammad, despite his blasphemy against our gods?' Khaalid courageously answered, "By Allah, he speaks the truth. I do believe in him and I will follow and obey him."
No sooner had he finished these words than his father leaped on him and beat him ruthlessly. Then he threw him into a pitch dark room in his house, where he was imprisoned. He tortured him with thirst, hunger, and exhaustion. Yet Khaalid kept on crying out from behind his bars, "By Allah, he speaks the truth and I do believe in him."
Sa`iid realized that this torture was not enough; therefore, he dragged him to the sun-baked ground and dug a ditch for him between its heavy burning rocks and kept him there for three days without shade or cover. He had absolutely nothing to drink during those three days. His father gave up all hope that his son would turn back from his faith, so he dragged him back home and kept on luring him to apostatize from the new religion, then threatened him.
This maneuver of promising and threatening went on for a while, yet Khaalid was solid as a rock as he said to his father, "I will not turn apostate even if you promise me the world. I will live and die as a Muslim, so help me Allah." Sa'iid lost his temper and shouted fiercely, "Get out of my sight, you fool! By Al-Laat, I will not sustain you from now on." Khaalid answered, "Allah is the best of those who make provision."
Thus, he left the luxurious house that was full of food, clothes, and comfort. He left it to experience need and deprivation. But why should he worry when he had his faith by his side? Was he not in full control over his conscience and destiny? Then why should he be bothered by hunger, deprivation, or even torture? If a man found all he was looking for in the great truth that Muhammad was inviting people to believe in, there should be nothing in the whole world that could prove to be more important to him than his inner self, which he would then sell to Allah in a bargain in which Allah was both the owner and purchaser!
Thus, Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid subdued torture with sacrifice and overcame deprivation with faith. When the Prophet (PBUH) ordered his believing companions to embark on the second emigration to Abyssinia, Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid was one of the muhaajiiruun.
Khaalid settled there for the time destined by Allah. Then he returned to his house with his brethren in A.H. 7. When they arrived, the Muslims had just finished the conquest of Khaibar. Khaalid settled in Al-Madiinah amidst the new Muslim society whose nucleus he was a part of, being one of the five first Muslims who had witnessed its birth and established its foundations.
Khaalid did not miss a war or a battle. He was always the first to go forth during war time.
As one of the foremost Muslims, and highly conscientious and disciplined, Khaalid was always loved and honored.
He respected his conviction. Hence, he refused to hide or bargain with it. For instance, before the Prophet (PBUH) died, he assigned Khaalid to the post of Governor of Yemen. When he heard the news concerning Abu Bakr's nomination as caliph and the consensus of allegiance given to him, he left his work and set out for Al-Madiinah. He knew that Abu Bakr was an unmatched, righteous, and pious believer. However, he thought that the caliphate was Bani Haashim's right. He believed that Al-'Abbaas or `Aliy Ibn Abi Taalib should have been the caliph. He clung to his belief and did not take the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr. Notwithstanding that, Abu Bakr held no grudge against him. On the contrary, he kept his love and appreciation for him. He did not compel him to give the oath nor hate him for refusing. He was hardly mentioned among the Muslims without the great caliph justly praising him. In time, Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid changed his viewpoint, and one day he broke through the lines of the Muslims in the mosque while Abu Bakr was standing on the pulpit and gave the oath of allegiance to him. It was a true and confident pledge to Abu Bakr.
* * *
Abu Bakr marched with his armies to Syria and assigned the command of a regiment to khaalid Ibn Sa'iid. Thus, he became one of the commanders of the armies. But before the troops left Al Madiinah, `Umar objected to Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid's command and prevailed on the caliph until he changed his previous order. Khaalid heard what had happened, yet his only response was, "By Allah, I was not overjoyed with being a commander, nor was I broken-hearted for being dismissed!"
As-Siddiiq (May Allah be pleased with him) hastened to Khaalid's house to offer him his sincere apology and to explain his new decision. Then he asked Khaalid which of the commanders of the army he would like to accompany to Syria. He asked him if he would like to be with his cousin, `Amr Ibn Al-'Aas or with Shurahbiil Ibn Hasanah?
Khaalid's answered was highly revealing of his greatness and inner piety, for he answered, "My cousin is closer to me due to the relation of blood and Shurahbiil is closer to me due to his excellent piety." Then he chose to be a soldier in Shurahbiil Ibn Hasanah's regiment.
Abu Bakr summoned Shurahbill before the outbreak of the war and told him, "Take care of Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid. Treat him as you would like to be treated if you were in his position. You well know his high rank in Islam. You know that when the Prophet died, he was already his governor in Yemen. I myself assigned him as a commander, then I rescinded my decision. I hope that this revoked order will make him even more pious and righteous, for I think that command is a trial. I gave him the chance to choose his commander and he preferred you to his cousin. If you need the opinion of a pious and true adviser, you must resort to Abu Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarraah first; second, Mu'aadh Ibn Jabal; and third, Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid. You will definitely find good advice with them. I warn you against acting upon your viewpoint alone and without consulting them first."
The pioneer of those martyred and rewarded in the Battle of Marj As-Sufar, where the Muslims and Romans met in terrible and deadly combat, was a glorious martyr who took a course in his life, from his early youth to the moment of his martyrdom, characterized by true belief and courageous action.
When the Muslims were examining their wounded and martyred on the battlefield, he lay there as he always was, a quiet young man with a discrete silence and strong determination. They all cried out, "May Allah be pleased with Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid."
The Prophet (PBUH) entered Al-Madiinah and put an end to his successful Hijrah. He began his first blessed days in the place of his immigration which destiny had selected for unprecedented and unmatched feats.
Riding on his camel, the Messenger (PBUH) advanced among the massive crowd which overflowed with enthusiasm, love, and longing. People crowded around the camel's halter in competition with one another to offer Allah's Messenger their hospitality and accommodation. As soon as the procession reached the neighborhood of Bani Saalim Ibn `Awf, the crowd stood in the way of the procession and addressed the Prophet saying, "O Messenger of Allah, please do accept our hospitable accommodation, for we are influential people who are great in number and wealth. We can also guarantee your support and protection." The Prophet (PBUH) mildly urged them to loosen its halter and get out of its way, for it had been ordered by Allah to stop at a certain place.
The procession advanced to the neighborhoods of Bani Bayaadah, then Bani Saa'idah, then Bani Al-Haarith Ibn Al-Khazraj, then to the Bani `Adiy, Ibn An-Najaar. The people of every tribe tried to stop the camel and pleaded with the Prophet (PBUH) to honor them with his approval of their hospitable accommodation. Yet the Prophet (PBUH) gave them the same answer, smiling thankfully, "Get out of its way, for it has been ordered by Allah to go to a certain place." Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) left the choice of his abode to destiny.
Later, this abode would be of critical and glorious importance, for on this land the mosque out of which the words and light of Allah would emanate, illuminating the entire universe, would be built.
Next to this mosque, a dwelling or rather dwellings made of clay and bricks would be built with nothing inside them but that which is barely sufficient for sustenance and living. These dwellings would be inhabited by an inspired instructor and Prophet (PBUH) who dawned upon this world to revive its waning spirit and to bestow honor and peacefulness upon all those who have said that their Lord is only Allah and thereafter stood firm and straight in the Islamic faith by abstaining from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allah has forbidden and by performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained. They were those who believed in the Oneness of Allah, worshiped none but Him alone and did not confuse their belief with wrong. They were those who purified their religion to Allah and reformed the land and did not make mischief on the earth. Indeed, the Prophet (PBUH) was very careful to leave the choice of the place of his abode to Allah's determined decree.
Hence, he loosened the reins of his camel and did not pull it. Then he set his heart to Allah and supplicated, "Allah, pick and choose for me a place for my abode."
The camel knelt down in front of the house of Bani Maalik Ibn An-Najaar. Then it got up on its feet, circled around the place, then went back to the same spot again and knelt down, lowered its neck, and was motionless. The Prophet (PBUH) was optimistic and glad as he dismounted. One of the Muslims advanced towards the camel, took the saddle bags and carried them into his house. His face shone with joy and satisfaction as the Prophet (PBUH) who was enveloped with good fortune and blessings followed him right into his house. Would you like to know who was the happy, lucky man in front of whose house the camel knelt down, and the man in whose house the Prophet was guest, and the man whom all the people of the city envied for his great fortune? He was our hero, Abu Aiyuub Al Ansaariy, also known as Khaalid Ibn Zaid, the grandson of Maalik Ibn An-Najaar.
It was not the first meeting between the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Aiyuub Al-Ansaariy. They had met before when the Madiinah delegation journeyed to Makkah to take the oath of allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) in the famous Second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah. Abu Aiyuub Al-Ansaary was among the 70 believers who shook hands with the Prophet (PBUH) and gave him his support and loyalty. It seems that Abu Aiyuub's great fortune was that his house was chosen for the great Muhaajir and the generous Prophet (PBUH) to live in when the Messenger of Allah entered Al-Madiinah and established it as the capital of Allah's new religion.
The Prophet (PBUH) preferred to live on the first floor. However, no sooner had Abu Aiyuub Al-Ansaary ascended to his room on the upper floor then he shook with regret for yielding to the Prophet's wish and accepting to live and sleep above the Prophet (PBUH). Instantly, he pleaded with the Prophet to move to the upper floor. He prevailed upon him, and the Prophet moved to the upper floor. The Prophet (PBUH) stayed there until the mosque was built and his dwelling was built next to it.
Ever since the Quraish began to fight against Islam, to raid Al Madiinah, the land of Hijrah, and to instigate tribes and organize armies to put out Allah's light, Abu Aiyuub became a professional in warfare and jihaad. This hero was there in Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq and the rest of the battles and wars. He sold himself, his money, and property to Allah, the Lord of All the Worlds.
Even after the Prophet had died, Abu Aiyuub never lagged behind or turned his back on a battle that the Muslims were destined to fight in, notwithstanding the hardships and the atrocities. The slogan that he sang day and night, secretly and openly was Allah's verse "March forth, whether you are light or heavy" (9 :41).
He never missed an expedition, but once. He refused to fight in an army whose commander was a young Muslim assigned by the caliph. Abu Aiyuub was against this choice. This one and only mistake shook his inner-most self, and he was always full of regrets as he repeated, "It is none of my concern who was appointed by `Aliy." Ever since that slip, he never missed a battle, no matter what.
It sufficed him to live as a soldier in the Muslim army, fight under its standard, and defend its sanctity.
When conflict erupted between `Aliy and Mu'aawiyah, he sided with `Aliy without the slightest hesitation. He believed that `Aliy was the rightful Imam who had been chosen by the Muslims. When `Aliy died and Mu'aawiyah took over the caliphate, the ascetic, steadfast, and pious Abu Aiyuub held himself aloof. He craved nothing of this world but for a place in the battlefield among the mujaahiduun who strive in the way of Allah. Therefore, no sooner had he seen the Muslim army march forth towards Constantinople than he mounted his horse, raised his sword, and galloped towards a great and long awaited marytrdom.
In this particular battle, he was wounded. The commander of the army paid him a visit to check up on him. He breathed heavily as if his longing to meet Allah made him impatient with the few minutes left of his life. The commander, Yaziid Ibn Mu'aawiyah, asked him, "What is your last wish, Abu Aiyuub?"
I wonder if any of us can guess or imagine what Abu Aiyuub's last wish was? No, his last wish before he died was inconceivable and beyond the imagination of most human beings.
He asked Yaziid to carry his body to the furthest point inside the enemy lands and bury him there, then to break through the enemy line until he reached his grave so that Abu Aiyuub might hear the sound of the galloping Muslim horses clattering over it and realize that they had achieved victory. Do you think this is poetic verse? No, this is neither poetic verse nor a whim of imagination. No, it really happened!. It is a fact that the whole world witnessed one day, and stood there watching, unbelievingly, with its eyes wide open, and listening unbelievingly, with its own ears. Yaziid carried out Abu Aiyuub's will to the fullest extent.
Finally, the body of this very great man was buried in the heart of Constantinople - Istanbul nowadays. Even before Islam enveloped this part of the world with its light, the Romans of Constantinople looked up to Abu Aiyuub as a saint. Strangely enough, all the historians who registered the events that sustain the previous claim say, "The Romans looked after his grave, visited it, and asked Allah to send down rain for his sake during times of drought."
Notwithstanding the quick and regular tempo of the battles that Abu Aiyuub's life was full of, leaving him no time to sheathe his sword and take his breath, his life was tranquil and pure as the early morning breeze.
He heard the Prophet (PBUH) relate a hadith and he always cherished it. The Prophet said, "First, if you perform a prayer, perform it neatly as if it was your last prayer. Second, do not utter a word for which you will have to apologize later on. Third, rid yourself of the hope of having whatever is enjoyed by other people." Thus, he never spread slander or mischief, he never desired anything, and he spent his life absorbed in spiritual longing as a sincere worshiper and with the aloofness of someone on his death bed. When it was time for him to die, he desired nothing of this world but for this single wish that represented his heroism and greatness: "Carry my body far inside the Roman lands, then bury me there." He believed in victory. He had enough insight to for see that those distant parts of the world would soon be one of the oases of Islam and would be illumined by its light.
Hence, he wanted to be interred there at the capital of the country where the final decisive battle would take place and where he could, from his blessed grave, follow up the proceedings of the war: the sweeping Muslim armies, the fluttering flags, the neighing of the horses, their galloping, and the clash of swords. Today, he is lying over there, although he cannot hear the clash of swords and the neighing of horses any more, for the decree of Allah has been fulfilled upon him. Instead, he hears the magnificent sound of the Aadhaan five times a day emanating from the high minarets across the horizon:
Allahu akbar. Allah is the Greatest.
Allahu akbar. Allah is the Greatest.
His overjoyed spirit in its eternal and glorious home answers saying, "This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth."
The Provider of Water of the Two Harams The Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah and the Masjid An-Nabawi in Al-Madiinah
In the Year of Drought, the Commander of the Faithful `Umar, along with a great number of Muslims, went out into a vast open area to perform the prayer for rain and supplicate Allah the Most Merciful to send down rain. `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) held Al `Abbaas's right hand in his right hand and raised it towards the sky and supplicated, "O Almighty Allah, we used to ask You for rain for the Prophet's sake while he was alive. O Almighty Allah, today, we ask you for rain for the sake of the Prophet's uncle. So please send down rain on us." The Muslim congregation did not leave until rain poured announcing glad tidings, irrigation, and fertility.
The Companions rushed to embrace Al-'Abbaas and express their affection for his blessed status saying, "Rejoice! You are now the provider of water of the two Harams."
What was the man who was called the provider of water of the two Harams really like? Who was this man for whose sake `Umar beseeched Allah to send down rain, notwith- standing `Umar's piety, precedence, and high station well-known to Allah, His Prophet and the believers? He was Al-'Abbaas, the Prophet's (PBUH) uncle. The Prophet (PBUH) held him in great esteem. His reverence and love for him were inseparable. He always praised his good nature saying, "He is the only one left of my family."
* * *
Al-'Abbaas Ibn Abd Al-Muttalib was the most generous man of the Quraish. Moreover, he was good to his relatives and maintained the bond of kinship!
Al-Abbaas, just like Hamzah (May Allah be pleased with them both), was nearly the same age as the Prophet, being only two or three years older. Thus, Muhammad and his uncle Al- Abbaas were of the same age and generation as children and as young men. Being relatives was not the only bond that made them close friends. They were tied by the bonds of age and life- time friendship.
In addition, Al-'Abbaas's good nature and excellent manners complemented the Prophet's standards of judgment, for Al-'Abbaas was excessively generous, as if he was the sponsor of good and noble deeds towards humanity. He treasured kinship bonds and cherished his family and relatives. He put himself, his influence, and his money at their disposal.
Moreover, he was an extremely intelligent man. His intelligence was tinged with craftiness. This, along with his high station among the Quraish, enabled him to avert mischief and abuse against the Prophet (PBUH) when he began to invite people openly to embrace Islam.
* * *
As we have mentioned before, Hamzah treated the Quraish's oppression and injustice and Abu Jahl's arrogance and hostility with his devastating sword. As for Al-'Abbaas, he treated them with a kind of intelligence and craftiness that benefited Islam in the same way that swords did to protect and defend its existence and victory. A group of historians mentioned Al-Abbaas among those who were last in embracing Islam, for his Islam was not announced openly until the year of the Conquest of Makkah. However, others narrated that he was foremost in submitting himself to Islam but that he hid his faith.
Abu Raafi'a, the Prophet's (PBUH) servant, said, "I was Al `Abbaas lbn `Abd Al-Muttalib's slave when Islam dawned on the family of the house. Thus, Al-'Abbaas, Umm Al-Fadl and I submitted ourselves to Islam, but Al-`Abaas hid his Islam." This is Abu Raafi'a's statement in which he witnessed Al-' Abbaas's Islam before the Battle of Badr.
Consequently, Al-`Abbaas was a foremost Muslim. His staying in Makkah despite the Prophet's (PBUH) Hijrah was a premeditated plan which bore fruit. The Quraish neither hid their suspicions of Al Abbaas's real intentions, nor could they find a reason to show hostility to him, especially when he showed nothing but adherence to their way of life and religion.
When the Battle of Badr took place, the Quraish found their golden opportunity to unveil Al-`Abbaas's real allegiance. Al-`Abbaas was a shrewd man who detected, at once, the evil plots which the Quraish resorted to to alleviate their anguish and loss.
If Al-`Abbaas was able to inform the Prophet (PBUH) in Al Madiinah of the Quraish's plans and preparation! they would still succeed in leading him into a battle which he did not believe in and did not want. However, it would be a temporary success which would soon turn into a devastating upheaval.
* * *
The two armies met in combat in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet (PBUH) called his Companions saying, "There are men of Bani Haashim and of other clans of the tribe who were forced to march forth. They do not really want to fight us. Therefore if any of you meet one of them during the battle, I order you to spare his life. Do not kill Abu Al-Bakhtariy Ibn Hishaam Ibn Al-Haarith Ibn Assad. Do not kill Al-' Abbaas Ibn `Abd Al-Multalib, for he was forced to go forth in this battle."
Now, the Prophet (PBUH) was not favoring his uncle Al-`Abbaas with a privilege, for it was neither the occasion nor the time for privileges. Muhammad (PBUH) would not intercede on his uncle's behalf - while the battle reached the apex of atrocity and while he saw his companions struck down in the battle of truth - if he knew that his uncle was one of the disbelievers. Indeed, if the Prophet had been ordered not to even ask for Allah's forgiveness for his uncle Abi Taalib, despite his endless support, help, and sacrifice for Islam, then how could he order the Muslims who were killing their own disbelieving fathers and brothers in the Battle of Badr to make an exception for his uncle and spare his life? It certainly does not seem logical or feasible. The only logical explanation is that the Prophet knew his uncle's secret and hidden allegiance and his secret services for Islam. He also knew that he was forced to go forth to the battle. Therefore, it was his duty to save him as far as he was able to.
If Abu Al-Bakhtariy Ibn Al-Haarith won the Prophet's intercession although he did not hide his Islam nor support it as Al-'Abbaas did, it was because he refused to take part in the Quraish's abuse and oppression against the Muslims. Second, he went forth to battle out of embarrassment and compulsion. Was not a Muslim who hid his Islam and supported it openly and secretly in many notable situations more worthy of this intercession? Indeed, Al-'Abbaas was that Muslim and that helper. Let us go back in time to prove this statement.
* * *
When 73 men and two women from a delegation of the Ansaar came to Makkah during the Hajj season to take the oath of allegiance to the Prophet in the Second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah and to make preparations with the Prophet for the imminent emigration of the Muslims to Al-Madiinah, the Prophet (PBUH) informed his uncle Al `Abbaas concerning all that went on between him and the delegation and about the pledge, for he trusted his uncle and treasured his opinion.
When it was time for the secret meeting, the Prophet (PBUH) and his uncle Al-'Abbaas went to where the Ansaar were waiting for them. Al-`Abbaas wanted to test their loyalty and ability to help and protect the Prophet.
Now, let us hear one of the delegation, Ka'b Ibn Maalik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrate the proceedings of this meeting: We sat in the ravine waiting for the Prophet (PBUH) until he arrived accompanied by his uncle. Al-'Abbaas Ibn Abd Al- Muttalib said, "O people of Khazraj, you are well aware of Muhammad's lineage. We have prevented our people from abusing him. He lives here protected and supported by his people and in his own country, yet he prefers to accompany you and emigrate to Al-Madiinah. So, on the one hand, if you are certain that you will be capable of giving him sufficient help, protection, and safety, then fulfill your pledge to the fullest. On the other hand, if you intend to forsake and thwart him after he has emigrated to you, then you had better show him your true colors now before it is too late."
As Al-`Abbaas uttered these decisive words, his eyes were surveying the Ansaar's faces in order to trace and observe their reflexes and reaction to his words. Al-'Abbaas was not satisfied with what he saw, for his great intelligence was a practical one that investigated tangible and solid facts and confronted them from all their angles with the scrutiny of a calculating expert.
Hence, he posed an intelligent question: "Describe to me your combat readiness and war strategy." Al-'Abbaas was astute enough and experienced with the nature and disposition of the Quraish to realize that war between Islam and disbelief was inevitable, for on the one hand there was no way that the Quraish would accept to forsake their religion, glory, and arrogance. On the other hand, Islam would not yield its legitimate rights to the power of falsehood. The question was, Would the people of Al- Madiinah stand firmly behind the Prophet (PBUH) at the outbreak of war?
Were they, technically speaking, on the same level of expertise in the tactics of war, attack, and retreat as the Quraish were ? That was what Al-'Abbaas had in mind when he asked them to describe their combat readiness and war strategy.
The Ansaar were firm as a mass of mountain as they listened to Al- `Abbaas. No sooner had he finished asking this provocative question than the Ansaar spoke: "By Allah, we are given to warfare. We are men of soldierly bearing. We were raised on the tactics of war and trained to fight. We inherited excellent warfare expertise from our fathers and grandfathers. We have learned to keep on shooting arrows until the last one. We have learned to stab with our spears until they break. We have learned to carry our swords and strike hard until either we or our enemy is vanquished."
Al-'Abbaas was overjoyed as he said, "I can tell from what I have just heard that you are masters of warfare, but do you have armor?" They answered, "Of course, we have armor, shields, and helmets."
Afterwards, a great and magnificent dialogue occurred between the Prophet (PBUH) and the Ansar, which we will narrate in detail later on. That was Al-'Abbaas's attitude at The Second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah. Whether he had already embraced Islam or had not yet taken his final decision does not change the fact that his great attitude determined his forthcoming role in contributing to the eclipse of the power of darkness and the imminent dawn of Islam. Moreover, it sheds light on his outstanding stout-heartedness.
* * *
Finally, the Battle of Hunain took place, offering more evidence of the self-sacrifice of this quiet and compassionate man whose impressive and immortal heroism would be projected on the battlefield only under pressing necessity. Otherwise, this innate heroism would dwell in his innermost self, yet it would always be lurking there.
* * *
In A.H. 8 and after Allah had enabled His Prophet and Islam to achieve the Conquest of Makkah, some of the influential tribes in the Arab Peninsula were enraged by the quick victory that this new religion had achieved in such a short time. Therefore, the Hawaazan, Thaqiif, Nasr, Jusham, and other tribes held a meeting and agreed to wage a decisive war against the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims. Now, we should not let the word "tribes" mislead us into underestimating the gravity of the wars that the Prophet (PBUH) fought throughout his life. We must not think that they were small- scale skirmishes in the mountains. On the contrary, these tribal wars, fought at the tribes' strongholds, were far more difficult and atrocious than ordinary wars. If we bear this fact in mind we would not only have an accurate evaluation of the incredible effort exerted by the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions, but also a correct and trustworthy one of the value of this great victory achieved by Islam and the believers, and an illuminated insight into Allah's guidance that was conspicuous in their success and victory.
* * *
As we have said, the tribes gathered in endless waves of fierce warriors. There were 12,000 warriors in the Muslim army. Twelve thousand? Who were these warriors ? They were those who, not a long time before, had liberated Makkah, dragging the power of polytheism and idolatry to the last and bottomless abyss, and had raised their flags across the horizon without rivalry or competition.
This was undoubtedly an unprecedented victory that made pride stealthily creep into the victorious Muslims. In the final analysis, the Muslims were only human beings. Their large numbers and great achievement in Makkah made them vulnerable to pride. Consequently they said, "We shall not be overcome by a small group."
Their depending solely on their military power, solely and pride in their military conquest were unrighteous sentiments that they would quickly recover from through a painful yet curing shock which was awaiting them, for heaven was preparing them for a much more glorious and elevated end than war. The curing shock was a sudden large-scale defeat shortly after the two armies met in fierce combat. The Muslims at once supplicated Allah in humiliation and submission. They perceived that there was no fleeing from Allah, no refuge but with Him, and there was no power but His. These supplications flowed throughout the battlefield, turning defeat into victory.
Accordingly, the glorious Qur'aan descended addressing the Muslims: ... " on the Day of Hunain when you rejoiced at your great number but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight. Then Allah did send down His tranquility upon the Messenger and on the believers, and sent down forces which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers "
(9 : 25 - 26).
* * *
On that day, Al-`Abbaas's voice and firmness were the most outstanding manifestation of this calmness and tranquility and of self-sacrifice. For while the Muslims joined forces in one of the valleys waiting for the arrival of their enemies, the polytheists were already hidden throughout the ravines with unsheathed swords. They wanted to take the initiative. Suddenly, they flung themselves into the battlefield and attacked the Muslims ruthlessly. This blitzkrieg shook the Muslims and made them turn their backs to the battle and run away without even casting a glance at one another. When the Prophet (PBUH) saw the chaos that this sudden attack brought to the Muslim lines, he at once mounted his white mule and cried out at the top of his voice, "Where are my people? Come back and fight! I am truly the Prophet! I am the son of `Abd Al-Muttalib!"
At that moment, the Prophet (PBUH) stood there surrounded by Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Aliy lbn Abi Taalib, Al-' Abbaas lbn `Abd Al Muttalib, his son Al-Fadl Ibn Al-'Abbaas, Ja'far Ibn Al- Haarith, Rabii'ah Ibn Al-Haarith, Usaamah Ibn Zaid, Aiman Ibn `Ubaid and a few other Companions.
There was also a woman who was raised to a high station among those men and heroes, namely, Umm Suliim Bint Milhaan. When she saw the chaos and confusion that the Muslims had fallen into, she mounted her husband Abi Talhah's camel (May Allah be pleased with them both) and hastened towards the Prophet (PBUH). When her baby moved in her womb, she took off her outer garment and pulled it tight around her belly. As soon as she reached the Prophet (PBUH), she gave him her dagger. The Prophet (PBUH) smiled and asked, "Why do you give the dagger to me, Umm Suliim?" She answered, "You are dearer to me than my own father and mother. Kill those who turned their backs on you as you do your enemies, for they deserve the same punishment." The Prophet's face lit up, for he had strong faith in Allah's promise, and he said, "Allah sufficed us against them and has been good to us."
* * *
In those difficult moments, Al-' Abbaas was next to the Prophet (PBUH). In fact, he followed him like his shadow, holding the halter tightly and defying danger and death. The Prophet (PBUH) ordered him to cry out at the top of his voice, for he was a stout and loud voiced man, saying, `Come back and fight, O Ansaar people! Come back, for you took the oath of allegiance to Allah and His Prophet." His voice sounded throughout the battlefield as if it was both the caller and warner of destiny. As soon as those terrified and dispersed Muslims heard his voice, answered in one breath,
"Here I am at your service. Here I am at your service." They flung themselves into the battlefield like a hurricane. They dismounted the horses and camels which would not move and ran with their shields, swords, and bows as if they were pulled by Al-`Abbaas's voice. Once again, the two armies met in fierce combat. The Prophet (PBUH) cried out, "Now it is time for fierce fighting." It was really a ferocious fight. The bodies of Hawaazan and Thaqiif rolled down the battlefield. Allah's warriors defeated the warriors who worshiped the idol of Al-Laat. Allah had sent down His calmness and tranquility on the Prophet and the believers.
* * *
The Prophet (PBUH) loved his uncle Al-`Abbaas dearly, to the extent that he could not sleep when the Battle of Badr lay down its burden and his uncle was captured. The Prophet (PBUH) did not try to hide his feelings. When he was asked about the reason for his sleeplessness, despite his sweeping victory, he said, "I heard Al `Abbaas moan in his fetters." As soon as a group of Muslims heard the Prophet's words, they rushed to where the captives were, untied Al-`Abbaas, and returned to the Prophet and said, "O Prophet, we loosened Al-'Abbaas's fetters a little." But why should Al-`Abbaas alone enjoy this privilege? Consequently, the Prophet ordered them, "Go and do that to all the prisoners."
Indeed, the Prophet's love for Al-'Abbaas did not mean that he should receive special treatment that distinguished him from other captives. When it was decided that a ransom would be taken in exchange for the captives' freedom, the Prophet (PBUH) asked his uncle, "O Abbaas, pay the ransom for yourself and your nephew Aqiil Ibn Abi Taalib, Nawfal lbn Al-Haarith and your ally, `Utbah lbn `Amr and the brothers of Bani Al-Haarith Ibn Fahr, for you can afford it." Al-`Abbaas wanted to be set free without paying a ransom, saying, "O Mesenger of Allah, I was a Muslim but my people forced me to go forth in this battle." But the Prophet (PBUH) insisted on it. The glorious Qur'aan descended to comment on this incident saying! " O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is oft forgiving! Most Merciful" (8:70).
Hence Al-'Abbaas paid the ransom for himself and his friends and returned to Makkah. From that point onwards the Quraish lost their influence over him and their benefit from his insight and guidance. Therefore, Al-`Abbaas took his money and luggage and joined the Prophet in Khaibar so as to have a place in the ranks of islam and the believers. The Muslims loved, revered, and honored him, especially when they realized how much the Prophet (PBUH) loved and honored him when he said, "Al-`Abbaas was like a twin brother to my father. Consequently! if anyone annoyed Al-'Abbaas, it would be as though he personally annoyed me."
Al-`Abbaas had blessed offspring. `Abd Allah lbn Abbaas, the learned of the Muslim nation, was one of those blessed sons
* * *
On Friday, the 14th of Rajab, A.H. 32, the people of Al Awaalii in Al-Madiinah heard a crier cailling out, "May Allah have mercy on whoever saw Al-'Abbaas Ibn Abd Al-Muttalib." They realized at once that Al-'Abbaas had died.
An unprecedented large congregation of people! such as Al-Madiinah had not experienced before, accompanied the funeral procession to the graveyard. The Commander of the Faithful `Uthmaan (May Allah be pleased with him) performed the funeral prayer. The body of Abu Al-Fadl was laid in Al-Baqii'. He sleeps comforted and delighted among the faithful who have been true to their covenant with Allah.
He was one of two brothers who lived for the cause of Allah and who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and kept their pledge in the course of time.
The first brother was Anas Ibn Maalik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). His mother, Umm Sulaim, took him to the Messenger at the age of ten and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this is Anas, your lad! He will serve you; invoke Allah for him." The Messenger kissed him between his eyes and invoked a blessing upon him that led his long life towards good and blessing. He said, "O Allah, let him have plenty of money and sons. Bless him and let him enter Paradise." So, he lived for 99 years, and Allah bestowed upon him plenty of sons and grandsons and provided him with a spacious garden that gave fruits twice a year!
* * *
The second of these brothers was Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik, who led a great brave life. His motto was "Allah and Paradise!" Whoever would see him fighting in the cause of Allah would be totally amazed, for when Al-Baraa' was fighting polytheists with his sword, he was not one of those who was looking for victory - although victory then was the greatest end -- but he was looking for martyrdom. His utmost hope was to be a martyr and to die on the field of a glorious battle for the sake of the truth and Islam. For this reason, he missed neither a battle nor an expedition.
One day his brothers went to visit him. He read their faces and said, "I guess you're afraid I will die in bed. No, by Allah, He will not deprive me of martyrdom." Allah made his thoughts come true, as Al-Baraa' did not die in bed, but was martyred in one of the most glorious battles of Islam.
* * *
Al-Baraa's bravery on the Day of Al-Yamaamah revealed the personality of this hero whom "Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab forbade to ever be a leader because his boldness, courage, and search for death made it a great risk for him to lead other fighters.
On the Day of Al-Yamaamah, the Islamic armies were preparing to fight under the leadership of khaalid. Al-Baraa' stood licking his lips while the seconds were passing away as if they were years until the leader gave his order to advance. His sharp eyes were moving quickly all over the battlefield as if searching for the most suitable place for the hero to be martyred. Yes, nothing preoccupied him in the world but this aim. With the edge of his striking sword, a great harvest of the polytheists who called for darkness and falsehood were cut down. Then at the end of the battle, the hand of a polytheist gave him a stroke that made his body fall on the ground while his soul found its way to the angels among the group of martyrs and the blessed.
* * *
Khaalid shouted, "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)!" So the close ranks burst forth to their fate, and so did the lover of death, Al-Baraa' lbn Maalik. He started bringing down the followers of Musailamah the Liar with his sword, and they were falling like autumn leaves because of his extreme courage.
Musailamah's army was not weak or small, but was the most dangerous army of the apostasy. With its numbers, equipment, and the death-defiance of its fighters, the army posed an extremely serious challenge. They answered the Muslims' attack with such an excessively aggressive defense that they were about to gain the initiative and transform their defense into an attack. Just then, some sort of anxiety pervaded the Muslim ranks. Their leaders and orators started giving words of encouragement from their horses, and they were reminded of Allah's promise.
Al-Baraa' had a nice loud voice. His leader Khaalid called him saying, "Speak, Baraa'!" So, Baraa' shouted with very strong and meaningful words, "O people of Al-Madiinah! Today you have no Madiinah, but it's Allah and Paradise!" These words demonstrate the spirit of their speaker and reveal his characters. Yes, it is Allah and Paradise. In this situation, thoughts had to do with nothing but this. They should not even have thought of Al-Madiinah, the capital of Islam, where they had left their houses, women, and children, because if they were defeated on that day, there would not be any Madiinah to return to.
Al-Baraa's words spread like ... like what? Any simile would be unfair in comparison with its true effect. Let us say only that Al Baraa's words spread, and that is it.
It was a short time before the battle returned to its former advantage. The Muslims were proceeding towards a certain victory and the polytheists were falling in a shocking defeat, while Al-Baraa was walking along with his brothers carrying the standard of Muhammad (PBUH) to its great appointment. The polytheists withdrew and fled, seeking refuge within a big garden which they entered. The Muslims' enthusiasm abated; it seemed that it was now possible to change the battle's outcome by this trick that Musailamah's followers and army had resorted to. Just then Al Baraa' ascended a high hill and cried, "O Muslims, carry me and throw me over to them in the garden."
Did I not tell you? He was not looking for victory but martyrdom, and this plan, he thought, would be the best end of his life and the best way to die. If he was thrown into the garden, he would open its gate to the Muslims, and at the same time his body would be torn into pieces by the polytheists' swords. At the same time, also, the doors of Paradise would be preparing to receive a new glorious groom.
* * *
However, Al-Baraa' did not wait for his people to carry and throw him. He climbed the wall by himself, threw himself inside the garden, opened the gate, and the armies of Islam rushed in. But Al Baraa's dream did not come true: neither did the polytheists swords kill him, nor did he die as he wished.
Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth when he said, "Strive for death and you will live!" On that day the hero received from the polytheists' swords over eighty strikes, over eighty wounds that caused Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid to continue supervising his nursing and care for an entire month.
All of this, however, was not what he wished. But it did not make Al-Baraa' hopeless. He waited for another battle ! The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had prophesied that his supplication to Allah would be answered. He only had to keep invoking Allah to grant him martyrdom, and he did not have to be in a hurry, for every matter there is a decree.
After Al-Baraa' was healed of the wounds of Al-Yamaamah he rushed with the armies of Islam that went to escort the powers of darkness to their final resting place. Two evanescent empires existed: The Romans (Byzantines) and the Persians occupied with their unjust armies the countries of Allah and enslaved His servants. Al-Baraa started fighting with his sword, and in the place of each strike was built a great wall in the building of the new world that rapidly grew under the standard of Islam like the rising sun.
* * *
In one of the Iraqi wars, the Persians in their fight resorted to every means of barbarity. They used hooks fixed on the ends of chains heated in fire and threw them from their castles so that they would hit any of the Muslims who could not avoid them. Al-Baraa and his great brother Anas Ibn Maalik were assigned together with some of the Muslims to deal with one of these castles. But one of these hooks suddenly fell and caught Anas, and he could not touch the chain to save himself as it was flaming hot.
When Al-Baraa' saw the scene, he hurried towards his brother while the burning chain was taking him up the castle wall. Al-Baraa grasped the chain with his hands and started bravely dealing with it till he broke it. Anas was saved, but when Al-Baraa' and those who were with him took a look at his hands, they did not find them in their place. All the flesh on them was gone; only their burned bones remained. And the hero spent another period of time in a slow treatment till he was healed.
* * *
Is it not time for the lover of death to reach his end? Yes, it is. Here comes the Battle of Tustur where the Muslims met the Persian armies. This was such a feast for Al-Baraa'.
* * *
The people of Al-Ahwaaz and of Persia gathered in a large army to fight the Muslims. The Commander of the Faithful `Umar Ibn Al Khattaab wrote to Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqaas in Kufa and to Abu Muusaa Al-Ash'ariy in Basra to each send an army to meet Al Ahwaaz. He told Abu Muusaa in his message, "Make Suhail Ibn `Adiy their leader and send Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik with him."
Thus, those coming from Kufa met those coming from Basra to face Al-Ahwaaz and the Persian armies in a fierce battle. The two great brothers Anas Ibn Maalik and Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik were among the believing soldiers.
The war started with dueling, and AL-Baraa' alone killed a hundred swordsmen of the Persians. Then the armies joined in battle, and the killed fell from both sides in large numbers. During the fight some of the Companions came near Al-Baraa' and said, "Remember the Messenger's words about you, Baraa': Perhaps there is a person with uncombed, dusty hair that people will not look at, but if he swears by Allah, He will fulfill his prayer. Among them is Al-Baraa Ibn Maalik.'O Baraa'; swear by Allah, entreat Him to defeat them and render us victorious."
Hence, Al-Baraa' raised his arms towards the sky and supplicated, "O Allah, render them defeated and us victorious, and let me catch Your Prophet today." He took a long look at his brother Anas, who was fighting near him, as if saying goodbye. Then the fighting intensified and the Muslims fought as nobody in the world had done, and they were clearly victorious.
Among the martyrs of the battle was Al-Baraa', with a happy smile on his face and his right hand grasping a handful of dust soaked with his pure blood. His sword was lying beside him. It was strong, without notches, undamaged.
Finally, the traveler arrived at his home. Together with his brother martyrs, he ended the journey of a great noble age. And it will be cried out to them, "This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you did."
Tomorrow You'll See the Nature of the Rulers after Me.
Among the foremost Muslims and the first Muhaajiruun to Abyssinia and then Al-Madiinah, among the extraordinary fighters who proved themselves brave in the cause of Allah was this towering , bright-faced, and humble-hearted man, Utbah lbn Ghazwaan.
* * *
He was among the first seven who embraced Islam and extended their right hands to the right hand of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). They pledged themselves to him while challenging the Quraish with all their fortitude and power for revenge. In the first days of the mission, the days of difficulty and terror, `Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan, together with his brothers, stood bravely, which turned out later to be the very provision that nourished the human conscience and made it grow in the course of time.
When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered his Companions to emigrate to Abyssinia, `Utbah went with them, but his yearning for the Prophet (PBUH) did not allow him to settle there. Soon he hurried back to Makkah where he stayed near the Messenger until it was time for the Hijrah to Al-Madiinah. So, `Utbah emigrated again with the Muslims.
After the Quraish started their provocations and wars, `Utbah was always carrying his lance and bow, using them expertly and contributing with his believing brothers to the destruction of the old world, including all its idols and lies. He did not, however, put his weapons down after the noble Messenger had died, but kept fighting. His jihaad against the Persian armies was great.
* * *
The Commander of the Faithful `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab sent him to conquer Al-Abullah and purify its land of the Persians who regarded it as a dangerous zone of action from which to launch out at the Muslim troops that would be marching across the land of the Persian Empire, trying to save the countries and slaves of Allah. While `Umar was bidding him and his army farewell, he said, "Proceed on your way until you reach the remotest Arab country and the nearest foreign country. Go, and may Allah bless you. Invite to Allah whoever answers you, and impose jizyaad upon whoever refuses or else use your sword without mercy. Wear the enemy down, and fear Allah your Lord."
* * *
Utbah advanced, heading an army that was not big until they reached Al-Abullah, where the Persians were massing one of their strongest armies. `Utbah organized his troops and stood at the front carrying his lance that never missed its target. He called out his soldiers, "Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest), and Allah will fulfill His Promise," as if he were reading something invisible. It was no more than blessed patrols before Al-Abullah surrendered. Its land was purified of the Persian soldiers, its people were liberated from the tyranny that had often tormented them, and the Great Allah had fulfilled His promise.
* * *
In the same place as Al-Abullah, `Utbah planned the city of Al Basrah, constructed it, and built its great mosque. When he wanted to leave the city and return to Al-Madiinah, escaping from the responsibilities of rule, the Commander of the Faithful ordered him to stay. `Utbah stayed in his place leading people in prayer, instructing them in religion, judging between them with justice, and giving them the most wonderful example in asceticism, piety, and simplicity. He fiercely fought the extravagance and luxury of those who liked comforts and desires.
One day he made a speech addressing them. He said. "By Allah, I was the seventh of the first seven with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), eating nothing but leaves of trees until the corners of our mouths were sore. I was given a garment. I cut it into two halves and gave one half to Sa'd lbn Maalik and I wore the other half."
`Utbah used to fear the extravagance of the world, and in order to protect his religion and the Muslims, he tried to persuade them to practice asceticism and moderation. Many people tried to turn him from his way, to arouse a sense of ruling in his soul, and draw his attention to the right of ruling, especially in those countries that were never accustomed to such type of ascetic rulers and whose people used to respect high-ranking supercilious appearances. But `Utbah used to answer them saying: "I seek refuge in Allah from being great in your world and small in the sight of Allah." When he found people bored with his austerity he induced them to be earnest and modest saying, tomorrow you'll see the rulers after me."
When it was the Hajj season, he appointed one of his brothers as successor and went to make the Hajj. When he finished, he traveled to Al-Madiinah and asked the Commander of the Faithful to discharge him from the rule. But `Umar would not lose the reverent ascetic who fled from what the mouths of mankind watered for. He used to say to them, "You burden me with your trusts and leave me alone? No, by Allah, I'll never discharge you." And that was what he said to `Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan.
As `Utbah could do nothing but obey, he took his camel and rode it back to Al-Basrah. But before he mounted it he turned to the Qiblah and raised his imploring hands to heaven and invoked Almighty Allah not to return him to Al-Basrah or to government rule again. His invocation was answered, for while he was on his way to this rule, he died. His spirit was given up to its Creator. It was happy with what it had exerted and given, with its asceticism and continence, with the favor that Allah had completed upon it, and with the reward that Allah had prepared for it.
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