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Comment by Aliyatul Hikmah on November 4, 2010 at 2:11am

Hamza Ibn Abdul-Mutallib, The Lion of Allah

Hamza Ibn Abdul Mutalib Ibn Hashim Ibn Manaf. He was born in Mecca before the Prophet's birth in two years so he was very close to the Prophet . He was also the brother of the Prophet by feeding; (the same woman had feed them both, she was Halima Al-Saadiya). He took the right path and become Muslim in the second year of the Prophet's message after his story with Abu Jahal:
It is recorded that the Prophet was one day seated on Safa when Abu Jahl happened to pass by and attacked the religion preached by him. The prophet Mohammed, however, kept silent and did not utter a single word. Abu Jahl went on unchecked, took a stone and cracked the Prophet’s head, which began to bleed. The aggressor then went to join the Quraishites in their assembly place.

It so happened shortly after that, Hamza, while returning from a hunting expedition, passed by the same way, his bow hanging by his shoulder. A slave-girl belonging to ‘Abdullah bin Jada‘an, who had noted the rudeness of Abu Jahl, told him the whole story of the attack on the Prophet . On hearing that, Hamza was deeply offended and hurried to Al-Ka‘bah and there, in the courtyard of the Holy Sanctuary, found Abu Jahl sitting with a company of Quraishites. Hamza rushed upon him and struck his bow upon his head violently and said: "Ah! You have been abusing Mohammed ; I too follow his religion and profess what he preaches." The men of Bani Makhzum came to his help, and men of Bani Hashim wanted to render help, but Abu Jahl sent them away saying: "Let Abu ‘Ummarah alone, by Allah I did revile his nephew shamelessly."

This story tells us that Hamza was one of the bravest men in Mecca and many people feared him. He was so close to the Prophet and it was reported that the first army leading was handed to Hamza to attack a trading group by Abu Jahal in the way Mecca . Abu Jahal escaped Hamza so no killing happened. Also the Prophet have handed the flag of the Muslims during three of the Prophet's wars: Bouat, Al-Abwa'a and Bany Gainga'a. Also in the fight of Bader, Hamza was one of its heroes; he has killed a huge group of Quraish greatest and strongest men. He was killed in the war of O'hood: After Hamza had killed tons of non-believers in Bader; many Quraish people wanted to get revenge on him. One of these people was a woman called Hind Ibn Abi Otba. This woman had had her father and brother killed by Hamza in Bader so she wanted revenge. So she ordered an Ethiopian slave called Wahshi who was a great spear thrower to kill Hamza with his spear.
Assassination of Asadullah (the Lion of Allah ) Hamza bin ‘Abdul Muttalib:
Hamza’s assassin described how he killed Hamza. He said: "I was a slave working to Jubair bin Mut‘im, whose paternal uncle Tu‘aimah bin ‘Adi was injured at Badr Battle. So when Quraish marched to Uhud, Jubair said to me: ‘If you kill Hamza, the uncle of Mohammed , stealthily you shall be freed.’ "

"So I marched with the people to Uhud…when the two parties fought, I set out seeking Hamza. I saw him amidst people fighting. He was like a white and black striped camel, striking severely with his sword and no one could stand on his way. By Allah ! When I was getting ready and trying to seize the fit opportunity to spear him, hiding sometimes behind a tree or a rock hoping that he might draw nearer and be within range - at that moment I caught sight of Siba‘ bin ‘Abd Al-‘Uzza going closer towards him. When Hamza observed him, he said: ‘Come on! O son of the ‘clitoris-cutter.’ - for his mother used to be a circumciser. Then he struck one strong stroke that could hardly miss his head."

Wahshi said: "Then I balanced my spear and shook it till I was content with it, then I speared him and it went down into his stomach and issued out between his legs. He attempted moving towards me but his wound overcame him. I left him there with the spear till he died. Then I came to him, pulled out my spear and returned to the encampment place. I stayed there and did not go out, for he was the only one I sought. I only killed him to free myself. So as soon as I got back to Makkah, I became a free man."

Hind bin ‘Utbah ripped open the liver of Hamza and chewed it; but finding it unpleasant, she spat it out. She even made the ears and noses of Muslims into anklets and necklaces.

When the Messenger of Allah saw how his uncle and foster brother, Hamza, was mutilated, he was extremely grieved. When his aunt Safiyah came to see her brother Hamza, the Messenger of Allah ordered her son Az-Zubair to dismiss her in order not to see what happened to her brother. She refused and said, "But why should I go away. I have been informed that they have mutilated him. But so long as it is in the way of Allah , whatever happens to him satisfies us. I say: Allah is Sufficient and I will be patient if Allah wills." She approached, looked at him and supplicated Allah for him and said: "To Allah we all belong and to Him we will verily return." and she implored Allah to forgive him. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered that he should be buried with ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh - who was his nephew as well as his foster brother.

Ibn Mas‘ud said: We have never seen the Messenger of Allah weeping so much as he was for Hamza bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. He directed him towards Al-Qiblah, then he stood at his funeral and sobbed his heart out.

The sight of the martyrs was extremely horrible and heart-breaking. Describing Hamza’s funeral, Khabbab said: "No shroud long enough was available for Hamza except a white-darkish garment. When they covered his head with it, it was too short to cover his feet. Similarly if they covered his feet his head would be revealed. Finally they covered his head with it and put some plant called ‘Al-Idhkhir’ to cover his feet."

Comment by Aliyatul Hikmah on November 4, 2010 at 2:04am

MUS'AB BIN 'UMAIR

Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (May Allah be pleased with him) was a very handsome young man. He was the son of ‘Umair’ a wealthy person. He brought up his son in quite a luxurious fashion. Mus‘ab enjoyed the best of food, finest dresses and the best perfumes. Whenever Mus‘ab passed through the streets, dressed in precious clothes and profusely perfumed, the sweet smell scented the atmosphere all around and the people gazed at him with amazement and appreciation. His beauty and charm was the talk of the town. Every person knew that Mus‘ab’s parents were bringing up their son with great affection and care. Whenever the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) talked of him, he said

“There is nobody more handsome in Mecca than Mus‘ab. There is no person in the city better clothed and fed than Mus‘ab. There is no child brought up with mote affection and love than him.”

Due to his charming personality and being a lovely son of wealthy parents, every one- your or old- had a great regard for him. When he embraced Islam he was given a respectable place in Muslim society. But it was not due to his beauty, charm, good dress, good manners or wealth, but due to his piety and fear of God. When he embraced Islam, he was put to severe hardships torture. The beauty and charm of his person faded. He was also deprived of the affection and care of his parents. But his virtues and piety won the appreciation of Allah and His Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). In his pursuit for winning the favour of Allah and his His Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), Mus‘ab cared neither for good food, nor good dress. He was no more inclined towards costly cosmetics and perfumes; instead he devoted himself whole heartedly to serve the noble cause of Islam.

Mus‘ab accepted Islam at a time when life had been made unbearable for Muslims. He was turned out of his home. Nobody talked to him. He was social boycotted. He had to suffer countless miseries. This pampered young man embraced Islam at a time when those who believed in Islam were refused food and water and were thrown in dark prison cells. Many bloodthirsty tyrants not satisfied with the infliction of pain and injury, often murdered their Muslim victims. There were other hardhearted fellows who had invented various forms of torments, to inflict on poor Muslims. They enjoyed the writhing and wriggling of their Muslim prisoners. A Muslim thrown flat on the burning Arabian sand in the mid-day sun with very heavy stones placed his breast, or forcibly stretched on red hot coals to the enjoyment of the spectators, was an every day scene in Mecca.

Hadrat Mus‘ab accepted Islam during that difficult period. One day a non believer saw him offering prayers. He at once informed his parents who turned hostile to their son. All the affection of his mother vanished. Al the love and care of his father changed into anger and grief. They admonished him. But, when they knew that he was firm, they tied him with ropes and threw him in a dark cell. He was kept in prison for a long time, but his belief in Islam was so deep that the torment of prison did not change his mind. He sacrificed everything and remained calm and quiet. When the Muslims were ordered to migrate to Abyssinia, this Youngman, brought up like a Prince, also went to Abyssinia, along with the other devotees of Allah. When he returned from Abyssinia, people saw in him a different person- all the luster and gaiety was gone. He who would have scoffed at the most precious raiment, was wearing a dress made of coarse, worn-out blanket. The spectacle inspired amazement, and awe among the onlookers. His mother, too, pitied her son’s condition and repented of the harsh treatment, she had shown to him.

Meanwhile, Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair presented himself to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in such a condition that he had only a piece of skin with patches here and there to cover his body. When the Companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) saw this, they hung their heads in awe. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) observed, “Al-hamd-o-Lillah ! Now the condition of the world and worldly people should change. This is the young man who had no equal in Mecca in the luxurious style in which he was brought up. But the regard for virtue and love for Allah and his Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) have made him indifferent to all worldly pleasures.”

During this period many people of Medina had accepted Islam. They requested the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to send them a preacher for teaching them the fundamentals of Islam. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) selected Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair for this purpose ; he gave him some instructions and sent him to Medina. Later events showed that mus‘ab bin ‘Umair proved himself worthy of the confidence reposed in him. On reaching Medina Hadrat Mus‘ab begant to perform the duty entrusted to him with all the sagaci6ty necessary for a preacher. He went from door to door to convince the people for the message of Islam. Initially he talked to each person in terms which that person could understand, and then presented to him the message of Islam at the right moment. He recited before the people selected verses of the Holy Qur’an, which had a profound effect on their minds. He treated his visitors very politely. He had a natural gift for soft speech and people who approached him instantly became his friends. An incident is related below, as an example:
One day Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair was explaining some Islamic precepts to a group of Muslims. By chance elite of Medina, Sa ‘ad bin ma ‘az happened to come there. He had heard about Mus‘ab bin “Umair’s preaching for Islam and was very angry with him. He said to an influential person, Usaid bin Huzair, “Turn this preacher of Islam out of your neighborhood. He has turned many persons away from the path of their ancestral faith. If I was not a relation of SA‘ad ( with who Mus‘ab was staying), I would not have asked you to do that, but would have done it myself.” Usaid at once took his spear and went to Sa ‘ad’s house. He called both of them and said furiously, “Who has called you here to lead the people astray? If your lives are dear to you, go away from this place at once.”

To this Hadrat Mus‘ab replied very gently, “Please sit down and listen to us calmly. If you like what we say, then you may accept it otherwise we shall leave this place.” Us‘ad stuck his spear in the ground and sat down to listen to what Mus ‘ab recited some verses of the Holy Qur‘an. He explained to the audience the identity of Allah as the Creator, the Master and the Merciful, in such an impressive manner that in a short time Usaid was filled with the light of fidelity and he exclaimed, “What an excellent faith, How can I embrace Islam? After that he recited the Kalima and embraced Islam.

After some time Sa ‘ad bin Mu‘az also arrived there mad with rage. But, he too was softened like wax by the sublime eloquence of Hadrath Mus‘ab, and before he left he had already recited the Kalima about the Oneness of Allah and become a Muslim. Soon after all the inhabitants of Medina except a few, accepted Islam. It was in Medina too that Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair did a remarkable work which shows his intelligence and tact in propagating the call of Islam. When the number is Muslims increased in Medina, he organized them in a body and requested permission of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to lay the foundation of Friday prayers.

When the permission of Friday prayers was granted his first talks was to deliver a very impressive address. Then he led the congregational Friday prayers with great reverence. In this way Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair had the honour of founding the Friday prayers. True, when Allah is please with a person. He entrusts him with such noble works. The successes which by the grace of Allah Hadrat Mus‘ab achieved at Medina were constantly reported to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). When Mus‘ab’s mission had been fully acomplished he led a group of Muslims to Mecca to bring the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to Medina. On arrival at Mecca the first thing which Hadrat Mus‘ab did was to approach the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to give him a full report of the success of his mission. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was very pleased with Mus‘ab’a account. A true Muslim (Momin) does not require anything else but the pleasure of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) of Allah.

Hadrat Mus‘ab’s mother learnt that her son had returned home at last; and that he was staying with someone else. She felt annoyed and sent him word: “My son! You have returned to a town, in which I reside. But woe to me! You have not come to see me!” The reply which Hadrat Mus‘ab sent to his mother shows his sincere devotion to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He said, “I will not see anybody before I have paid homage to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)".

The account of Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (peace be upon him) give above presents before ‘us an exemplary proof of the great love he had for Islam and the pains he took in presenting Islam to the non-believers. He sacrificed everything he possessed for the sake of Islam-his charm and beauty, his wealth and worldly belongings, his luxurious style of living and shed his attachment to his parents, his home- land, his people and his own country. In short everything which was dear to him, was sacrificed by him for Islam. But this chapter of the history of Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him) will remain incomplete without an account of his death.

It may be recollected that Hadrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him) was not only very handsome, he did not only possess the qualities of submission and sacrifice, and he was not only a master of high intelligence and good eloquence, but he was also a gallant soldier, a fearless warrior and an able General. It was because of his gallantry that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had entrusted him with the charge of the highest banner of war, in the battle of Badr. At the battle of Uhud also he got the rare honor of holding the Muslim banner. The way in which the high office of holding the war banner was discharged in the two battles by this great devotee of Islam may be judged from the events of the Battle of Uhud.

In the battle of Uhud it so happened that the battle was lost for a while by a casual mistake of the Muslims. The non-believers of Mecca attacked the Muslims in the rear and thus disorganized the Muslim army. At that critical time Hadrat Mus‘ab (Allah be pleased with him) kept the Islamic banner flying high. He attacked the forces of the enemy all alone. He could not think of acting against the order of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and making a retreat. At that time many non-believers attacked the Muslim warrior simultaneously and surrounded him. There were countless attacks on him by sword and spear.

With great valour he with stood the attack. He bore the cuts of the enemy on his breast, but held the Islamic banner in his hands firmly. During this attack one of the enemies stepped forward and cut off his right hand with one stroke of the sword. The hand fell on the ground. The banner was about to fall when he transferred it to his left hand. The enemy now took another chance and struck a second blow of sword on his left hand. Still Hadrat Mus‘ab did not lose courage; he did not allow the banner to fall down; he held it by his breast, within the circle of his arms. The enemy was irritated to see such intrepid devotion.

In savage fury, he threw the sword on the ground and flung a spear at the breast of mus‘ab. The pointed end of the blade pierced the chest, broke and remained embedded there. The great hero, thus fell to the ground reciting the following Qur’anic verse : Quranic Ayat (Al Imran) Wa ma Muhammad-dun illa rasulun qad khalat min qablehil rusul). Meaning: “And Muhammad (peace be upon him) is only a prophet of Allah. Many other Prophets have passed away before him.

When the keeper of Islamic banner fell, the banner fluttered in the air. Seeing this Abul Room bin ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him), brother of the martyr, moved forward and took over the banner. He protected its honour till the last.
When the battle came to an end the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) stood by the dead body of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him) and recited the verse: Ayat Al Ahzab (Minal momeneena rejalun sadqu ma ‘ahadullaha ‘ alaihe) Meaning : “There are some persone among the devoted Muslims (momeneen) who kept ther promise made to Allah.”

Then the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed the dead body thus: “When I saw you for the first time in Mecca there was nobody more handsome and well-dressed than you. But, I see that today your hair is uncombed and only a sheet of clothe covers your body!”

The martyrs of Uhud could not get proper shrouds because in those days Muslims were poor and lacked money. Hadrat Mus ‘ab bin ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him) had only a sheet of cloth over his body; if the head was covered, the feet were bare and when the feet were covered the head was left bare. At last his head was covered and the feet were covered with grass. Such was the shroud of Hadrat Mus ‘ab bin ‘Umair (Allah be pleased with him) - the great martyr of the Muslim nation.
Subhanallah....

Comment by nur-inn on December 29, 2009 at 4:06pm

Suhayl ibn Amr (RA)
At the Battle of Badr, when Suhayl fell into the hands of the Muslims as a prisoner, Umar ibn al-Khattab came up to the Prophet and said: "Messenger of God! Let me pull out the two middle incisors of Suhayl ibn Amr so that he would not stand up and be able to speak out against you after this day."

"Certainly not, Umar," cautioned the Prophet. "I would not mutilate anyone lest God mutilate me even though I am a Prophet." And calling Umar closer to him, the blessed Prophet said:

"Umar, perhaps Suhayl will do something in the future which will please you."

Suhayl ibn Amr was a prominent person among the Quraysh. He was clever and articulate and his opinion carried weight among his people. He was known as the khatib or spokesman and orator of the Quraysh. He was to play a major role in concluding the famous truce of Hudaybiyyah.

Towards the end of the sixth year after the Hijrah, the Prophet and about fifteen hundred of his Sahabah left Madinah for Makkah to perform Umrah. To make it known that they were coming in peace, the Muslims were not armed for battle and carried only their travellers swords. They also took with them animals for sacrifice to let it be known that they were really coming on pilgrimage.

The Quraysh learnt of their approach and immediately prepared to do battle with them. They vowed to themselves that they would never allow the Muslims to enter Makkah. Khalid ibn al-Walid was despatched at the head of a Quraysh cavalry force to cut off the approaching Muslims. Khalids army stood waiting for them at a place called Kara al-Ghamim.

The Prophet learnt in advance of Khalid's position. Although committed to the struggle against them, he was keen not to have any encounter then with the Quraysh forces. He asked: "Is there any man who could take us (to Makkah) on a different route to avoid the Quraysh?"

A man from the Aslam tribe said he could and took the Muslims through the difficult terrain of Warah and then on fairly easy marches, finally approaching Makkah from the south. Khalid realized what the Muslims had done and returned frustrated to Makkah.

The Prophet camped near Hudaybiyyah and indicated that if the Quraysh would give any hint of a truce out of veneration for the sacred time and place, he would respond. The Quraysh sent Badil ibn Warqa with a group of men from the Khuzaah tribe to find out why the Muslims had come. Badil met the Prophet and when he returned to the Quraysh and informed them of the peaceful intentions of the Prophet and his companions, they did not believe him because they said he was from the Khuzaah who were allies of Muhammad. "Does Muhammad intend," they asked, "to come upon us with his soldiers (in the guise of) performing Umrah? The Arabs would hear that he moved against us and entered Makkah by force white a state of war existed between us. By God this will never happen with our approval."

The Quraysh then sent Halis ibn Alqamah, the chieftain of the Ahabish who were allies of the Quraysh. When the Prophet, peace be on him, saw Halis he said, "This man is from a people who think greatly of animal sacrifice. Drive the sacrificial animals in full view of him so that he can see them. This was done and Halis was greeted by the Muslims chanting the talbiyyah: "Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk." On his return, Halis exclaimed: "Subhana Allah - Glory be to God. These people should not be prevented from entering Makkah. Can lepers and donkeys perform the Hajj while the son of alMuttaIib (Muhammad) be prevented from (visiting) the House of God? By the Lord of the Kabah, may the Quraysh be destroyed. These people have come to perform Umrah."

When the Quraysh heard these words, they scoffed at him: "Sit down! You are only a nomad Arab. You have no knowledge of plots and intrigues."

Urwah ibn Masud, the Thaqafi chieftain from Tail, was then sent out to assess the situation. He said to the Prophet: "O Muhammad! You have gathered all these people and have come back to your birthplace. The Quraysh have come out and pledged to God that you would not enter Makkah against them by force. By God, all these people might well desert you." At that Abu Bakr went up to Urwah and said with disdain: "We desert him (Muhammad)? Woe to you."

As Urwah was speaking, he touched the Prophet's beard and Mughirah ibn Shubah rapped his hand saying, "Take away your hand," and Urwah retorted: "Woe to you! How crude and coarse you are." The Prophet smiled. "Who is this man, O Muhammad?" asked Urwah. "This is your cousin, Al-Mughirah ibn Shubah." "What perfidy!" Urwah hissed at Al-Mughirah and continued to insult him.

Urwah then surveyed the companions of the Prophet. He saw that whenever he gave them an order, they hastened to carry it out. When he made ablutions they vied with one another to help him. When they spoke in his presence, they lowered their voices, and they did not look him in the eye out of respect for him.

Back with the Quraysh, Urwah showed that he was obviously impressed: "By God, O people of the Quraysh, I have been to Chosroes in his kingdom and I have seen Caesar the Byzantine emperor in the plenitude of his power, but never have I seen a king among his people like Muhammad among his companions. I have seen a people who would not abandon him for anything. Reconsider your position. He is presenting you with right guidance. Accept what he has presented to you. I advise you sincerely... I fear that you will never gain victory over him."

"Don't speak like that," said the Quraysh. "We will have him go back this year and he can return in the future." Meanwhile, the Prophet summoned Uthman ibn Allan and sent him to the Quraysh leaders to inform them of his purpose in coming to Makkah and to ask their permission for the MusIims to visit their relatives. Uthman was also to cheer up the Mustadafin among the Muslims who still lived in Makkah and inform them that liberation would not be long in coming...

Uthman delivered the Prophet's message to the Quraysh and they repeated their determination not to allow the Prophet to enter Makkah. They suggested that Uthman could make tawaf around the Kabah but he replied that he would not make tawaf while the Messenger of God was prevented from doing so. They then took Uthman into custody and a rumor spread that he was killed. When the Prophet heard this, his attitude changed.

"We shall not depart," he said, "until we fight." He summoned the Muslims to take bayah, an oath of allegiance, to fight. The herald cried out: "O people, al-bayah, al-bayah." They flocked to the Prophet as he sat under a tree and swore allegiance to him that they would fight. Soon after however, the Prophet ascertained that the rumor was false.

It was at this point that the Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr to the Messenger of God with the brief to negotiate and persuade the Prophet to return to Madinah without entering Makkah. Suhayl was chosen no doubt because of his persuasiveness, his toughness and his alertness major qualities of a good negotiator. When the Prophet saw Suhayl approaching, he immediately guessed the change in the position of the Quraysh. "The people want reconciliation. That's why they have sent this man."

The talks between the Prophet and Suhayl continued for long until finally agreement was reached in principle. Umar and others were very upset with the terms of the agreement which they considered to be harmful to the cause of Islam and a defeat for the Muslims. The Prophet assured them that this was not the case and that he would never go against the command of God and that God would not neglect him. He then called Ali ibn Abi Talib to write down the terms of the treaty: "Write: Bismillahi-r Rahmani-r Rahim." "I don't know this (phrase)", interjected Suhayl. "Write instead 'Bismika Allahumma - In Your name, O Allah."

The Prophet conceded and instructed Ali to write 'Bismika Allahumma.' He then said: "Write: 'This is what has been agreed between Muhammad the Messenger of God and Suhayl ibn Amr..." Suhayl objected: "If I had testified that you were indeed the Messenger of God, I would not be fighting you. Write instead you name and the name of your father." So the Prophet again conceded this and instructed Ali to write: 'This is what has been agreed upon by Muhammad the son of Abdullah and Suhayl ibn Amr. They have agreed to suspend war for ten years in which people would enjoy security and would refrain from (harming) one another. Also, that whoever from among the Quraysh should come to Muhammad without the permission of his wali (legal guardian), Muhammad would send him back to them and that if any who is with Muhammad should come to the Quraysh, they would not send him back to him.

Suhayl had managed to save the Makkans face. He had attempted to and got as much as possible for the Quraysh in the negotiations. Of course he was assisted in this by the noble tolerance of the Prophet.

Two years of the Hudaybiyyah treaty elapsed during which the Muslims enjoyed a respite from the Quraysh and were freed to concentrate on other matters. In the eighth year after the Hijrah however the Quraysh broke the terms of the treaty by supporting the Banu Bakr in a bloody aggression against the Khuzaah who had chosen to be allies of the Prophet.

The Prophet took the opportunity to march on Makkah but his object was not revenge. Ten thousand Muslims converged on Makkah reaching there in the month of Ramadan. The Quraysh realized that there was no hope of resisting let alone of defeating the Muslim forces. They were completely at the mercy of the Prophet. What was to be their fate, they who had harried and persecuted the Muslims, tortured and boycotted them, driven them out of their hearths and homes, stirred up others against them, made war on them?

The city surrendered to the Prophet. He received the leaders of the Quraysh in a spirit of tolerance and magnanimity. In a voice full of compassion and tenderness he asked: "O people of the Quraysh! What do you think I will do with you?" Thereupon, the adversary of Islam of yesterday, Suhayl ibn Amr, replied: "We think (you will treat us) well, noble brother, son of a noble brother. ". "A radiant smile flashed across the lips of the beloved of God as he said: "Idhhabu... wa antum at-tulaqaa. Go, for you are free."

At this moment of unsurpassed compassion, nobility and greatness, all the emotions of Suhayl ibn Amr were shaken and he announced his Islam or submission to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. His acceptance of Islam at that particular time was not the Islam of a defeated man passively giving himself up to his fate. It was instead, as his later life was to demonstrate, the Islam of a man whom the greatness of Muhammad and the greatness of the religion he proclaimed had captivated.

Those who became Muslims on the day Makkah was liberated were given the name "At-Tulaqaa" or the free ones. They realized how fortunate they were and many dedicated themselves in sincere worship and sacrifice to the service of the religion which they had resisted for years. Among the most prominent of these was Suhayl ibn Amr.

Islam moulded him anew. Ali his earlier talents were now burnished to a fine excellence. To these he added new talents and placed them all in the service of truth, goodness and faith. The qualities and practices for which he became known can be described in a few words: kindness, generosity, frequent Salat, fasting, recitation of the Quran, weeping for the fear of God. This was the greatness of Suhayl. In spite of his late acceptance of Islam, he was transformed into a selfless worshipper and a fighting fidai in the path of God.

When the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, passed away, the news quickly reached Makkah, where Suhayl was still resident. The Muslims were plunged into a state of confusion and dismay just as in Madinah. In Madinah, Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, quelled the confusion with his decisive words: "Whoever worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. And whoever worships Allah, Allah is indeed Living and will never die."

In Makkah Suhayl performed the same role in dispelling the vain ideas some Muslims may have had and directing them to the eternal truths of Islam. He called the Muslims together and in his brilliant and salutary style, he affirmed to them that Muhammad was indeed the Messenger of Allah and that he did not die until he had discharged his trust and propagated the message and that it was the duty of all believers after his death to apply themselves assiduously to following his example and way of life.

On this day more than others, the prophetic words of the Messenger shone forth. Did not the Prophet say to Umar when the latter sought permission to pull out Suhayls teeth at Badr: "Leave them, for one day perhaps they would bring you joy"?

When the news of Suhayl's stand in Makkah reached the Muslims of Madinah and they heard of his persuasive speech strengthening the faith in the hearts of the believers, Umar ibn al-Khattab remembered the words of the Prophet. The day had come when Islam benefitted from the two middle incisors of Suhayl which Umar had wanted to pull out.

When Suhayl became a Muslim he made a vow to himself which could be summarized in these words: to exert himself and spend in the cause of Islam at least in the same measure as he had done for the mushrikin. With the mushrikin, he had spent long hours before their idols. Now he stood for long periods with the believers in the presence of the one and only God, praying and fasting.

Before he had stood by the mushrikin and participated in many acts of aggression and war against Islam. Now he took his place in the ranks of the Muslim army, fighting courageously, pitting himself against the fire of Persia and the injustice and oppression of the Byzantine empire.

In this spirit he left for Syria with the Muslim armies and participated in the Battle of Yarmuk against the Byzantines, a battle that was singularly ferocious in its intensity.

Suhayl was someone who loved his birthplace dearly. In spite of that, he refused to return to Makkah after the victory of the MusIims in Syria. He said: "I heard the Messenger of God, peace be on him, say: 'The going forth of anyone of you in the path of God for an hour is better for him than his life's works in his household.' "He vowed: "I shall be a murabit in the path of God till I die and I shall not return to Makkah."

For the rest of his life, Suhayl remained true to his pledge. He died in Palestine in the small village of 'Amawas near Jerusalem.

source:islamicport

Comment by nur-inn on December 25, 2009 at 8:25am

A very touching story in history about our Beloved & noble prophet (pbuh) which has touched if not brought tears in the eyes of every lover. It was the Prophets (PBUH)'s Journey to Taif.


The Prophet's (pbuh) Journey to Taif
For nine years, since his selection by Allah for his mission, The Prophet (pbuh) had been delivering the message of Allah in Mecca and making all out efforts to guide and reform his community. Excepting a few persons who had either embraced Islam or who had helped him though not accepting his creed, all the rest in Mecca left no stone unturned in persecuting and deriding him and his followers. His uncle Abu Talib was one of the good-hearted people who helped him, in spite of him not entering into Islam.

The following year, on the death of Abu Talib, the Quresh got a free hand and therefore accelerated their sinister pursuits without check and hindrance. At Taif the second biggest town in Hijaz, there lived the Banu Thaqif, a clan strong in number. The Prophet (pbuh) left for Taif with the hope of winning them over to Islam, thus giving quarter to Muslims from the persecution of the Quresh, and also establishing a base for the future propagation of Islam. On reaching Taif he visited the three chieftains of the clan seperately, and placed before each of them the message of Allah, and called upon him to stand by his (Prophet's pbuh) side. Instead of accepting his message, they refused even to listen to him and notwithstanding the proverbial Arab hospitality, each of them treated him most contemptuously and rudely. They plainly told him that they did not like his stay in their town. The Prophet (pbuh) had expected a civil, even a cordial treatment and due courtesy in speech from them, as they were the heads of the clan. But one of them sneered:

"Hey, Allah has made you a Prophet ! "

The other exclaimed with derision:

"Could Allah not lay His hand on anyone else, beside you, to make him His Prophet?"

The third one gibed at him:

"I do not want to talk to you, for if you are in fact a Prophet, then to oppose you is to invite trouble, and if you, only pretend to be one, why should I talk with an imposter?"

The Prophet (pbuh) who was a rock of steadfastness and perserverance, did not lose heart over this check from the chieftains, and tried to approach the common people, but nobody would listen to him. Instead they asked him to clear off from their own town and go wherever he liked. When he realised that further efforts were in vain, he decided to leave the town. But they would not let him depart in peace , and set the street urchins after him, to hiss, to hoot, to jeer at, and to stone him. He was so much pelted with stones that his whole body was covered with blood, and his shoes were clogged to his feet. He left the town in this woeful plight. When he was far out of the town, and safe from the rabble he prayed to Allah Thus:

"O my Allah! To Thee I complain of the feebleness of my strenghth, of my lack of resources and my being unimportant in the eyes of people. O, Most Merciful of those capable of showing mercy! Thou art the lord of the weak, and Thou art my own Lord. To Whom art Thou to entrust me; to an unsympathetic foe who would sullenly frown at me, or to an alien to whom thou hast given control over my affairs? Not in the least do i care for anything except that i may have Thy protection for my self. I seek shelter in your light - the light which illuminates the Heavens and dispels all sorts of darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be that i should incur Thy wrath, or that Thou should be displeased with me. I must remove the cause of Thy displeasure till Thou art pleased. There is no strenghth nor power but Thee".

The Heavens were moved by the prayer, and Jibreal (AS) appeared before the Prophet (pbuh) greeting him with Asalamualykum and said "Allah Knows all that has passed between you and these people. He has deputed an angle incharge of the mountains to be at your command"

saying this , Jibreal (AS) ushered the angle before the Prophet (pbuh). The angle greeted the Prophet (pbuh) and said: "O, Prophet of Allah! I am at your service. If you wish, i can cause the mountains overlooking this town on both sides to collide with each other, so that all the people therein would be crushed to death, or you may suggest any other punishment for them".

The Merciful and Noble Prophet (pbuh) said:

"Even if these people do not accept Islam, I do hope from Allah that there will be persons from among their progeny who would worship Allah and serve his cause".

Behold the conduct of our Noble Prophet (pbuh), whom we profess to follow! We get so much irritated over a little trouble or a mere abuse from somebody that we keep on torturing and taking our revenge throughout our lives in every possible manner. Does it become people who claim to follow the magnanimous Prophet (pbuh)? Look, even after so much suffering at the hands of the Taif mob, he neither curses them nor does he work for any revenge, even when he has the full opprotunity to do so.

source:islamicport

Comment by nur-inn on December 25, 2009 at 4:03am

Hadith on the importance of following Sunnah
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: "All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those that refuse.Those who were with him (the Sahaabah) said, "And who will refuse?" He (SAW) said: Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys me will have refused."
( Sahih Al- Bukhari )

Abu Dawud also reported from al-’Irbaad ibn Saariyah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that “the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) led us in prayer one day, then he turned to us and exhorted us strongly . . . (he said), ‘Pay attention to my sunnah (way) and the way of the Rightly-guided Khaleefahs after me, adhere to it and hold fast to it.’” (Sahih Abi Dawud, Kitaab al-Sunnah).

"There will be a man with full stomach, reclining on his pillow, who will hear a command from me and say, "Let the judge between us (in this matter) be Allah's Book: we obey whetever we find in it." [Know that] indeed, I have been given the Book and, with it, that which is similar to it (the Sunnah)." (Ahmad, Abu Dawud Vol. IV, p. 200, Saheeh ul-Jaami, Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba, Vol. I, p. 488)

Al-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Raafi’ and others that the Prophet (SAW) said: “I do not want to see any one of you reclining on his couch and, when he hears of my instructions or prohibitions, saying ‘I don’t accept it; we didn’t find any such thing in the Book of Allaah.’” Abu ‘Eesaa said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. (See Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Shaakir edition, no. 2663).

Al-’Irbaad ibn Saariyah(RAA) reportedthat the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Would any of you think, reclining on his couch, that Allah would only describe what is forbidden in the Qur’aan? I tell you, by Allah, that I have warnedand commanded and prohibited things that are as important as what is in the Qur’aan, if not more so.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, Kitaabal-Khiraj wa’l-imaarah wa’l-fay’).

Anas (RA) reported that Rasoolullaah (SAW) said:["Whoever possesses three qualities will taste the sweetness of Imaan.
1. That Allaah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else.
2. To love a person only for Allaah sake.
3. And To hate to revert to disbelief, after Allaah had saved him from it, as he would hate to be thrown into the fire."] (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
And Anus (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said:
"None of you will have faith until he has more love for me than for his parents, his children, and all humanity." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Al-Irbaadh bin Saariyah reported that Allaah’s Messenger gave the Companions (Sahaabah) an exhortation one-day after the fajr Prayer which caused their eyes to shed tears and their hearts to quiver. So a man said, "This sounds like a final exhortation, so counsel us, O Allaah’s Messenger (SAW)." He (SAW) said,"I counsel you to fear and revere Allaah, and to listen and obey (your Muslim ruler) – even if an Ethiopian slave becomes your leader. Those who will live (after me) will see much dissension (among the Muslims); so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah (way) of the rightly guided successors after me; cling to that with your teeth. Beware of novelties (in the Deen), for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is a deviation (from the true guidance). "
(At-Tirmidthee who reported it to be (authentic) Sahih)

Comment by nur-inn on December 21, 2009 at 8:16am

Principles of Success—
In the light of Seerah
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

It is a well-known fact that the Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) was the supremely successful man in the entire human history.. According to the Qur’an, he was a good example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.
By studying the life of the Prophet we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet. In short, the Prophet of Islam was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

First Principle: To begin from the possible
This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier choice." (Al-Bukhari)To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.


Second Principle: To see advantage in disadvantage
In the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in the Qur’an was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94:5-6).This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail the opportunities.

Third Principle: To change the place of action
This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Mecca to Medina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

Fourth Principle: To make a friend out of an enemy
The prophet of Islam was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time the Qur’an enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as the Qur’an added, "You will see your direst enemy has become your closest friend" (41:34).
It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet is a historical proof of this principle.
Fifth Principle: To turn minus into plus
After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam: He faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure.

Sixth Principle: The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence
When Mecca was conquered, all of the Prophet’s direst opponents were brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word. But the Prophet did not order to kill them. He simply said: "Go, you are free." The result of this kind behavior was miraculous. They immediately accepted Islam.

Seventh Principle: Not to be a dichotomous thinker
In the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid bin Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was unproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Medina, some of the Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar" (O deserters!) The Prophet said "No. They are Kurrar" (men of advancement)."
Those Medinan people were thinking dichotomously, either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find a time to strengthen yourself. Now history tells us that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they won a resounding victory.
Eighth Principle: To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field
This principle is derived from the Ghazwa of Hudaibiyya. At that time, the unbelievers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting, because obviously they were in an advantageous position. But the Prophet, by accepting their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten-year peace treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and non-Muslims had been on the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple reason of its ideological superiority.

Ninth Principle: Gradualism instead of radicalism
This principle is well-established by a hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah says that the first verses of the Qur’an were related mostly to heaven and hell. And then after a long time when the people’s hearts had softened, the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed in the Qur’an.This is a clear proof that for social changes, Islam advocates the evolutionary method, rather than the revolutionary method.

Tenth Principle: To be pragmatic in controversial matters
During the writing of Hudaibiyyah treaty, the Prophet dictated these words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Qurayshi delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet promptly changed the word and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.

These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam gained that success which has been recognized by historians as the supreme success.

Comment by nur-inn on December 12, 2009 at 9:08pm

Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib
by Abdul Waahid Haamid
From 'Companions of the Prophet'
In spite of his noble standing among the Quraysh, Abu Taalib, an uncle of the Prophet, was quite poor. He had a large family and did not have enough means to support them adequately. His poverty-stricken situation became much worse when a severe drought hit the Arabian Peninsula. The drought destroyed vegetation and livestock and, it is said, people were driven to eat bones in the struggle for survival.

It was during this time of drought, before his call to prophethood, that Muhammad said to this uncle, al-'Abbaas: "Your brother Abu Taalib, has a large family. People as you see have been afflicted by this severe drought and are facing starvation. Let us go to Abu Taalib and take over responsibility for some of his family. I will take one of his sons and you can take another and we will look after them."

"What you suggest is certainly righteous and commendable," replied al-'Abbaas, and together they went to Abu Taalib and said to him:

"We want to ease some of the burden of your family until such a time as this distressing period has gone."

Abu Taalib agreed.

"If you allow me to keep 'Aqeel (one of his sons older than 'Alee), then you may do whatever you like," he said.

It was in this way that Muhammad took Alee into his household and al-'Abbaas took Ja'far into his.

Ja'far had a very close resemblance to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. It is said that there were five men from the Haashim clan who resembled the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam so much, they were often mistaken for him. They were: Abu Sufyaan ibn al-Haarith and Qutham ibn al-'Abbaas - both of whom were cousins of his; as-Saa'ib ibn 'Ubayd, the grandfather of Imaam ash-Shaafi'i; al-Hasan ibn 'Alee, the grandson of the Prophet, who resembled him most of all; and Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib.

Ja'far stayed with his uncle, al-'Abbaas, until he was a young man. Then he married Asmaa' bint Umays, a sister of Maymoonah who was later to become a wife of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. After his marriage, Ja'far went to live on his own. He and his wife were among the first persons to accept Islâm. He became a Muslim at the hands of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, may God be pleased with him.

The young Ja'far and his wife were devoted followers of Islâm. They bore the harsh treatment and the persecution of the Quraysh with patience and steadfastness because they both realised the road to Paradise was strewn with thorns and paved with pain and hardship.

The Quraysh made life intolerable for them both and for their brethren in faith. They tried to obstruct them from observing of performing the duties and rites of Islâm. They prevented them from tasting the full sweetness of worship undisturbed. The Quraysh waylaid them at every turn and severely restricted their freedom of movement.

Ja'far eventually went to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and sought permission for himself and a small group of Sahaabah, including his wife, to make hijrah to the land of Abyssinia. With great sadness, the Prophet gave his permission. It pained him that these pure and righteous souls should be forced to leave their homes and the familiar and cherished scenes and memories of their childhood and youth, not for any crime but only because they said, "Our Lord is One. Allaah is our Lord."

The group of Muhaajiroon left Makkah bound for the land of Abyssinia. Leading them was Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib. Soon they settled down in this new land under the care and protection of the Negus, the just and righteous ruler of Abyssinia. For the first time since they became Muslims, they savoured the taste of freedom and security and enjoyed the sweetness of worship undisturbed.

When the Quraysh learnt of the departure of the small group of Muslims and the peaceful life they enjoyed under the protection of the Negus, they made plans to secure their extradition and their return to the great prison that was Makkah. They sent two of their most formidable men, 'Amr ibn al-'Aas and 'Abdullaah ibn Abee Rabi'aah, to accomplish this task and loaded them with valuable and attractive presents for the Negus and his bishops.

In Abyssinia, the two Quraysh emissaries presented their gifts to the bishops and to each of them they said:

"There are some wicked young people moving about freely in the King's land. They have attacked the religion of their forefathers and caused disunity among their people. When we speak to the King about them, advise him to surrender them to us without his asking about their religion. The respected leaders of their own people are more aware of them and know better what they believe."

The bishops agreed.

'Amr and 'Abdullaah then went to the Negus himself and presented him with gifts which he greatly admired. They said to him:

"O King, there is a group of evil persons from among our youth who have escaped to your kingdom. They practice a religion which neither we nor you know. They have forsaken our religion and have not entered into your religion. The respected leaders of their people - from among their own parents and uncles and from their own clans - have sent us to you to request you to return them. They know best what trouble they have caused."

The Negus looked towards his bishops who said:

"They speak the truth, O King. Their own people know better than them and are better acquainted with what they have done. Send them back so that they themselves might judge them."

The Negus was quite angry with this suggestion and said:

"No! By God, I won't surrender them to anyone until I myself call them and question them about what they have been accused. If what these two men have said is true, then I will hand them over to you. If however it is not so, then I shall protect them so long as they desire to remain under my protection."

The Negus then summoned the Muslims to meet him. Before going, they consulted with one another as a group and agreed that Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib and no one else should speak on their behalf.

In the court of the Negus, the bishops, dressed in green surplises and impressive headgear, were seated on his right and left. The Qurayshite emissaries were also seated when the Muslims entered and took their seats.

The Negus turned to them and asked:

"What is this religion which you have introduced for yourself and which has served to cut you off from the religion of your people? You also did not enter my religion nor the religion of any other community."

Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib then advanced and made a speech that was moving and eloquent and which is still one of the most compelling descriptions of Islâm, the appeal of the noble Prophet and the message and method of Islâm. He said:

"O King, we were a people in a state of ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals, committing all sorts of abomination and shameful deeds, breaking the ties of kinship, treating guests badly and the strong among us exploited the weak.

"We remained in this state until God sent us a Prophet, one of our own people whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity were well-known to us.

"He called us to worship God alone and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and our ancestors used to worship besides God.

"He commanded us to speak the truth, to honour our promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbours, to cease all forbidden arts, to abstain from bloodshed, to avoid obscenities and false witness, not to appropriate an orphan's property nor slander chaste Women.

"He ordered us to worship God alone and not to associate anything with Him, to uphold Prayer, to give Zakat and fast in the month of Ramadaann.

"We believed in him and what he brought to us from God and we follow him in what he has asked us to do and we keep away from what he forbade us from doing.

"Thereupon, O King, our people attacked us, visited the severest punishment on us to make us renounce our religion and take us back to the old immorality and the worship of idols.

"They opposed us, made life intolerable for us and obstructed us from observing our religion. So we left for your country, choosing you before anyone else, desiring your protection and hoping to live in justice and in peace in your midst''

It was a passionate and moving speech. The Negus was greatly impressed and was eager to hear more. He asked Ja'far:

"Do you have with you something of what your Prophet brought concerning God?"

"Yes," replied Ja'far.

"Then read it to me," requested the Negus.

Ja'far, in his rich, melodious voice recited for him the first portion of Surah Maryam which deals with the story of Jesus and his mother Mary.

On hearing the words of the Qur'aan, the Negus was moved to tears. To the Muslims, he said:

"The message of your Prophet and that of Jesus came from the some source...''

To 'Amr and his companion, he said:

"Go. For, by God, l will never surrender them to you."

That, however, was not the end of the matter. The wily 'Amr made up his mind to go to the King the following day "to mention something about the Muslims' belief which will certainly fill his heart with anger and make him detest them." On the morrow, 'Amr went to the Negus and said:

"O King, these people to whom you have given refuge and whom you protect say something terrible about Jesus the son of Mary - that he is a slave. Send for them and ask them what they say about him.''

The Negus summoned the Muslims once more and Ja'far acted as their spokesman. The Negus put the question:

"What do you say about Jesus, the son of Mary?"

"Regarding him, we only say what has been revealed to our Prophet," replied Ja'far.

"And what is that?" enquired the Negus.

"Our Prophet says that Jesus is the Servant of God and His Prophet, His spirit and His word which He cast into Mary the Virgin."

The Negus was obviously excited by this reply and exclaimed:

"By God, Jesus the son of Mary was exactly as your Prophet has described him."

The bishops around the Negus grunted in disgust at what they had heard and were reprimanded by the Negus.

He turned to the Muslims and said:

"Go, for you are safe and secure. Whoever obstructs you will pay for it and whoever opposes you will be punished. For, by God I would rather not have a mountain of gold than that anyone of you should come to any harm."

Turning to 'Amr and his companion, he instructed his attendants: -

"Retum their gifts to these two men. I have no need of them."

'Amr and his companion left broken and frustrated. The Muslims stayed on in the land of the Negus who proved to be most generous and kind to his guests.

Ja'far and his wife Asmaa' spent about ten years in Abyssinia which became a second home for them. There, Asmaa' gave birth to three children whom they named 'Abdullaah, Muhammad and 'Awn. Their second child was possibly the first child in the history to be given the name Muhammad after the noble Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.

In the seventh year of the hijrah, Ja'far and his family left Abyssinia with a group of Muslims and headed for Madeenah. When they arrived the Prophet was just returning from the successful conquest of Khaybar. He was so overjoyed at meeting Ja'far that he said: "I do not know what fills me with more happiness, the conquest of Khaybar or the coming of Ja'far."

Muslims in general and the poor among them especially were just as happy with the return of Ja'far as the Prophet was. Ja'far quickly became known as a person who was much concerned for the welfare of the poor and indigent. For this he was nicknamed, "the Father of the Poor." Abu Hurayrah said of him:

"The best of men towards us indigent folk was Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib. He would pass by us on his way home and give us whatever food he had. Even if his own food had run out, he would send us a pot in which he had placed some butterfat and nothing more. We would open it and lick it clean..."

Ja'far's stay in Madeenah was not long. At the beginning of the eighth year of the hijrah, the Prophet mobilized an army to confront Byzantine forces in Syria because one of his emissaries who had gone in peace had been treacherously killed by a Byzantine governor. He appointed Zayd ibn Haarithah as commander of the army and gave the following instructions:

"If Zayd is wounded or killed, Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib would take over the command. lf Ja'far is killed or wounded, then your commander would be 'Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah. If 'Abdullàh ibn Rawaahah is killed, then let the Muslims choose for themselves a commander."

The Prophet had never given such instructions to an army before and the Muslims took this as an indication that he expected the battle to be tough and that they would even suffer major losses.

When the Muslim army reached Mu'tah, a small village situated among hills in Jordan, they discovered that the Byzantines had amassed a hundred thousand men backed up by a massive number of Christian Arabs from the tribes of Lakhm, Judhaam, Qudaah and others. The Muslim army only numbered thirty thousand.

Despite the great odds against them, the Muslim forces engaged the Byzantines in battle. Zayd ibn Haarithah, the beloved companion of the Prophet, was among the first to fall. Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib then assumed command. Mounted on his ruddy-complexioned horse, he penetrated deep into the Byzantine ranks. As he spurred his horse on, he called out:

"How wonderful is Paradise as it draws near!

How pleasant and cool is its drink!

Punishment for the Byzantines is not far away!"

Ja'far continued to fight vigorously but was eventually slain. The third in command, 'Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah, also fell. Khaalid ibn al-Waleed. the inveterate fighter who had recently accepted Islâm, was then chosen as the commander. He made a tactical withdrawal, redeployed the Muslims and renewed the attack from several directions. Eventually, the bulk of the Byzantine forces fled in disarray.

The news of the death of his three commanders reached the Prophet in Madeena. The pain and grief he felt was intense. He went to Ja'far's house and met his wife Asmaa'. She was getting ready to receive her absent husband. She had prepared dough and bathed and clothed the children. Asmaa' said:

''When the Messenger of God approached us, I saw a veil of sadness shrouding his noble face and I became very apprehensive. But I did not dare ask him about Ja'far for fear that I would hear some unpleasant news. He greeted and asked, "Where are Ja'far's children?" I called them for him and they came and crowded around him happily, each one wanting to claim him for himself. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his eyes.

'O Messenger of God,' I asked, 'Why do you cry? Have you heard anything about Ja'far and his two companions?'

'Yes,' he replied, 'Tney have attained martyrdom.'"

The smiles and the laughter vanished from the faces of the little children when they heard their mother crying and wailing. Women came and gathered around Asmaa'.

"O Asmaa'," said the Prophet, "Don't say anything objectionable and don't beat your breast." He then prayed to God to protect and sustain the family of Ja'far and assured them that he had attained Paradise. The Prophet left Asmaa's house and went to his daughter Faatimah who was also weeping. To her, he said: "For such as Ja'far, you can (easily) cry yourself to death. Prepare food for Ja'far's family for today they are beside themselves with grief."
source:sunnahonline

Comment by nur-inn on November 27, 2009 at 4:42pm

The Story of Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf
By Prof. Shahul Hameed
The Companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are, by definition, all those who accompanied him, even if it was only for an hour, or even if they met him only once.

One way to assess the personality of Prophet Muhammad is to study the impact of his life and teachings on his close Companions. The transformation the Prophet wrought on those wild Arab men around him was nothing short of miraculous. On the virtues of these transformed men, God Almighty Himself says what means:
[Muhammad is God's Apostle; and those who are (truly) with him are firm towards all deniers of the truth, (yet) full of mercy towards one another. You can see them bowing down, pros­trating themselves (in prayer), seeking grace with God and (His) goodly acceptance: their marks are on their faces, traced by prostration. This is their parable in the Torah as well as their parable in the Gospel: (they are) like a seed that brings forth its shoot, and then He strengthens it, so that it grows stout, and (in the end) stands firm upon its stem, delighting the sowers. (Thus will God cause the believers to grow in strength), so that through them He might confound the deniers of the truth. (But) unto such of them as may (yet) attain to faith and do righteous deeds, God has promised forgiveness and a reward supreme.] (Al-Fath 48:29)

[Indeed, God has turned in His mercy unto the Prophet, as well as unto those who have forsaken the domain of evil and those who have sheltered and succored the Faithful — those who followed him in the hour of distress, after the hearts of a party of them were about to deviate from faith. And once again: He has turned unto them in His mercy - surely to them He is Compassionate, Merciful.] (At-Tawbah 9:117)

Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf was one of the greatest among the Companions of the Prophet, and his place is close to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and Umar ibn Al-Khattab.
He came into the fold of Islam just two days after Abu Bakr became Muslim. His original name was Abu Amr; and it was the Prophet himself who named him "Abdul -Rahman", meaning "the Servant of the All-Merciful".

Thus Abdul-Rahman became one of the first and foremost among the Prophet's Companions who had to suffer the terrible persecution and hardships inflicted upon the Prophet and his close followers. He was one of those who participated in the first immigration to Abyssinia in the group led by Jafar ibn Abi Talib.

Along with the Prophet and other Companions, Abdul-Rahman emigrated to Madinah. On reaching there, he was the guest of Saad ibn Al-Rabiah, who was one of the richest among the nobles of Madinah.

Saad, in the spirit of generosity and magnanimity with which the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) greeted the Muhajirin (immigrants to Madinah), said to Abdul-Rahman:

"My brother, among the people of Madinah I have the most wealth. I have two orchards and I have two wives. See which of the two orchards you like and I shall vacate it for you and which of my two wives is pleasing to you and I will divorce her for you."
Abdul-Rahman answered:

"May God bless you in your family and your wealth! But just show me where the market is." (Al-Bukhari)

Reaching the market of Madinah, Abdul-Rahman started trading in a humble way that became the starting point of a fabulous career of business success. Indeed, he never tasted failure in his business ventures, so much so that he once said that if he lifted a stone he expected to find gold or silver under it.

Abdul-Rahman was the wealthiest and the most generous of the Prophet's Companions, probably with the exception of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq. Indeed, his service to Islam with his wealth was not less significant than his service to Islam on the battlefield. He fought most valiantly in both the battles of Badr and Uhud, where he suffered several severe wounds.

When the Prophet was once organizing a military campaign, he sent for his companions to seek their financial support. Abdul-Rahman was one of the first to come forward with help. He said to the Prophet:

"O Messenger of God, I have four thousand dinars. I offer two thousand as a gift to my Lord and two thousand I leave for my family." (Ibn Abi Hatim)

At the time of the expedition to Tabuk, the Prophet's need for resources was great, because the Byzantine army was a mighty and well-equipped force. And Madinah was facing a terrible year of drought and scarcity at the time, and so provisions were in short supply.

The Prophet called his Companions to generously support the war effort, and assured them of their reward from God Almighty. Of those who came forward to help, Abdul-Rahman was in the forefront.

On the way to Tabuk, the Prophet was once absent when it was the time for prayer. Abdul-Rahman was chosen as the imam (prayer leader), and before the first unit of the prayer was over, the Prophet joined the worshippers and performed the prayer behind Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf.

This was indeed a great blessing and honor God Almighty conferred on Abdul-Rahman, because by this, he could become the imam of the imam of the prophets of Allah, Muhammad.

The Prophet's love for Abdul-Rahman is borne out by an incident in the story of Banu Khuzaimah. Khalid ibn Al-Waleed ordered the killing of the enemies to continue, even while they were crying aloud that they embraced Islam. Abdul-Rahman prevented him from this, and there ensued an altercation between the two of them. And then Khalid said to Abdul-Rahman: "You only disregard us because you preceded us (in entering Islam)."

Abdul-Rahman complained to the Prophet about this. And the Prophet said to Khalid:

"Do not abuse my Companions. By Him who holds my soul in His hand, had any of you spent in charity the weight of Mount Uhud in gold, he would not attain the standard of any one of them, or even half that." (Al-Bukhari)

Abdul-Rahman became the richest man among the Companions of the Prophet, but he was never attached to his wealth, and he never allowed it to corrupt him.

Abdul-Rahman's trading caravans continued to grow larger and larger, bringing to the people of Madinah large quantities of commodities they needed, and exporting whatever they had in surplus.

Once he brought to Madinah a huge caravan of seven hundred camels laden with plenty of goods, and they crowded the streets. There was much shouting and excitement as people came out to witness the sight and see what goods and sustenance the caravan had brought. Abdul-Rahman did not hesitate to distribute the whole wealth he brought to the people of Madinah.

Abdul-Rahman continued giving, secretly and openly. On account of this fabulous generosity, Aishah, the widow of the Prophet said:

"May God allow him to drink from the water of Salsabil (a spring in Paradise)." (Al-Tirmidhi)

After the demise of the Prophet, Abdul-Rahman took on the responsibility of looking after the needs of "the Mothers of the Faithful", the Prophet's wives. He even performed Hajj with them to ensure that all their needs were met.

When a share of Abdul-Rahman's legacy reached Aishah, she said she was reminded of the Prophet's saying to her: "No one will feel compassion towards you after I die except the patient and resolute ones." (Al-Tirmidhi)


And it is no wonder that Abdul-Rahman was one of the ten Companions of the Prophet who were guaranteed Paradise according to a saying of Prophet Muhammad.

Comment by nur-inn on November 27, 2009 at 9:24am

The Farewell Pilgrimage

After the accomplishment of the Call, the proclamation of the Message and the establishment of a new society on the basis of ‘There is no god but Allâh,’ and on Muhammad’s mission, a secret call uprose in the heart of the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) telling him that his stay in the Lower World was about to terminate. That was clear in his talk to Mu‘adh whom he had dispatched to Yemen in the tenth year of Al-Hijra: “O, Mu‘adh! You may not see me after this current year. You may even pass by this very Mosque of mine and my tomb.” Upon hearing that Mu‘adh cried for fear that he would part with the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him).

Allâh’s care was so bounteous as to let the Prophet (Peace be upon him) see the fruits of his Call for the sake of which he suffered various sorts of trouble for over twenty years. Those twenty years had elapsed actively. He used to spend his last days meeting, at the outskirts of Makkah, members of tribes and their representatives who used to consult him and learn the laws and legislation of Islam from him, and in return he used to exact their testimony that he had delivered trust and communicated the Message and counselled the people.

The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) announced an intention to proceed with this blessed pilgrimage journey himself. Enormous crowds of people came to Madinah, all of whom seek the guidance and Imamate of the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) in the pilgrimage (Al-Hajj). On a Saturday of the last four days of Dhul-Qa‘dah, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) started the departure preparations procedure. He combed his hair, applied some perfume, wore his garment, saddled his camel and set off in the afternoon. He arrived at Dhul-Hulaifa before the afternoon prayer. He performed two Rak‘a and spent the night there. When it was morning he said to his Companions:

“A comer, sent by my Lord, has called on me tonight and said: ‘Pray in this blessed valley and say: I intend ‘Umrah combined with pilgrimage (‘Umrah into Al-Hajj).

Before performing the noon prayer, he bathed for Ihram (ritual consecration), and ‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) perfumed him on both his body and head with her hand with a Dharira (a plant) and with a perfume containing musk. The thick sticky layer of perfume could be seen among his parts of hair and beard. He left it unwashed, wore his loincloth and garment. He performed the noon prayer shortened, two Rak‘a. He proclaimed pilgrimage procedure associated with ‘Umrah at his prayer-place. He, then mounted his she-camel ‘Al-Qaswa’, and proclaimed: ‘There is no god but Allâh’. When he moved into the desert, he acclaimed the Name of Allâh.

He proceeded with his journey till he approached Makkah. He spent the night at Dhi Tuwa and entered Makkah after performing the dawn prayer. He had a bath on Sunday morning, the fourth of Dhul-Hijjah the tenth year of Al-Hijra. He spent eight days on the way, which was an average period. As soon as he entered Al-Haram Mosque he circumambulated Al-Ka‘bah and walked to and fro (Sa‘i) between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. He did not finish the Ihram (ritual consecration) because he was Qarin (i.e. intending ‘Umrah and Al-Hajj associated). He then took Al-Hadi (i.e. the sacrificial animals) in order to slaughter them. He camped on a high place of Makkah — Al-Hajun. As for circumambulation, he performed only that of Al-Hajj (pilgrimage circumambulation).

Those of his Companions who had no Hadi with them to sacrifice, were ordered to observe Ihram (i.e. the state of ritual consecration) into ‘Umrah (i.e. lesser pilgrimage), and circumambulate Al-Ka‘bah and stride ritually to and fro between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. After that they could relieve themselves from Ihram. They, however, showed reluctance to do what they had been told. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) said: ”Had I known beforehand what I knew afterward, I would not bring Hadi, and if I did not have Hadi, I would break Ihram. On hearing these words, his Companions obeyed the orders to the latter.

On the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah — that is the Day of Tarwiyah, he left for Mina where he performed the noon, the afternoon, the sunset, the evening and the dawn prayers. — i.e. five prayers. Then he stayed for a while till the sun rose up then he passed along till he reached ‘Arafah, where there was a tent built for him at Namirah. He sat inside till the sun went down. He ordered that Al-Qaswa’, his she-camel, should be prepared for him. They saddled it and had it ready, so he went down the valley where a hundred thousand and twenty-four or forty-four thousand people gathered round him. There he stood up and delivered the following speech:

“ O people! Listen to what I say. I do not know whether I will ever meet you at this place once again after this current year. It is unlawful for you to shed the blood of one another or take (unlawfully) the fortunes of one another. They are as unlawful, (Haram) as shedding blood on such a day as today and in such a month as this Haram month and in such a sanctified city as this sacred city (i.e. Makkah and the surrounding areas).”

“Behold! all practices of paganism and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood-revenge of the Days of Ignorance (pre-Islamic time) are remitted. The first claim on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabi‘a bin Harith who was nursed in the tribe of Sa‘d and whom Hudhail killed. Usury is forbidden, and I make a beginning by remitting the amount of interest which ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib has to receive. Verily, it is remitted entirely.”

“O people! Fear Allâh concerning women. Verily you have taken them on the security of Allâh and have made their persons lawful unto you by Words of Allâh! It is incumbent upon them to honour their conjugal rights and, not to commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives refrain from impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably.”

“Verily, I have left amongst you the Book of Allâh and the Sunnah (Traditions) of His Messenger which if you hold fast, you shall never go astray.”

“O people, I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So I recommend you to worship your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadan and to offer the Zakat (poor-due) of your provision willingly. I recommend you to do the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then you will be awarded to enter the Paradise of your Lord.”

“And if you were asked about me, what wanted you to say?”

They replied:

“We bear witness that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry.”

He then raised his forefskywards and then moved it down towards people while saying:

“O Allâh, Bear witness.”

He said that phrase thrice.

The one who repeated the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him)statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi‘a bin Omaiyah bin Khalaf.

As soon as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had accomplished delivering the speech, the following Qur’ânic verse was revealed to him:

“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [5:3]

Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar cried. “What makes you cry?” He was asked. His answer was: “Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection.”

Bilal called for prayer after the speech, and then made the second call. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) performed both of the noon and the afternoon prayers separately, with no prayers in between. He then mounted his she-camel Al-Qaswa’, approached the location of the vigil, directed his face towards Al-Qiblah, kept on standing till sunset when the sky yellow colour vanished a bit and the disc of the sun disappeared. Osamah added that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) moved onward to Muzdalifa. where he observed the sunset and the evening prayers with one ‘First call’ and two ‘second calls’. He did not entertain the Glory of Allâh between the two prayers. Then he lay down till it was dawn prayer time. He performed it with one first call and one second call at almost daybreak time. Mounting on his Al-Qaswa’, he moved towards Al-Mash‘ar Al-Haram. He faced Al-Qiblah and started supplicating: “Allâh is the Greatest. There is no god but Allâh.” He remained there till it was clear morning and before the sun rose high, he made his way to Mina. He walked a little and threaded the mid-road leading to the big Jamrah where he stopped and pelted seven pebbles at it saying “Allâh is the Greatest” each time. They were like small pebbles hurled from the bottom of the valley. Then he set off to the sacrificial place, where he sacrificed sixty-three camels with his hands, and asked ‘Ali to slaughter the others, a hundred and thirty-seven altogether. He made ‘Ali share him in Al-Hadi. A piece of meat from each slaughtered animal was ordered to be cooked in a pot and from which both men ate, and drank the soup.

Then the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) mounted his she-camel and returned to the House where he observed the noon prayer at Makkah and there he came upon the children of ‘Abdul Muttalib were supplying drinking water to people at Zamzam Well. “Draw up water, children of ‘Abdul Muttalib, I would draw up with you if I were not afraid that people would appropriate this honour after me.” They handed him a pail of water and he drank to his fill.

At the daytime of the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah on the Slaughtering Day (Yaum An-Nahr) The Prophet (Peace be upon him) delivered another speech. That was at high time morning, while he was mounting a grey mule. ‘Ali conveyed his statements to the people, who were standing or sitting. He repeated some of the statements that he had previously said the day before. The two Sheikh (Bukhâri and Muslim) reported a version narrated by Abi Bakrah who said:

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) made a speech on Yaum An-Nahr (day of slaughtering) and said:

“Time has grown similar in form and state to the time when Allâh created the heavens and the earth. A year is twelve months. Four of which are Sacred Months (Hurum). Three of the four months are successive. They are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Al-Muharram. The fourth Month is Rajab Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha‘ban.”

“What month is this month?” He asked. We said: “Allâh and His Messenger know best of all.” He kept silent for a while till we thought he would attach to it a different appellation. “Is it not Dhul-Hijjah?” He wondered. “Yes. It is.” We said. Then he asked, “What is this town called?” We said: “Allâh and His Messenger know best of all.” He was silent for a while till we thought he would give it a different name. “Is it not Al-Baldah? (i.e. the town)” asked he. “Yes. It is.” We replied. Then he asked again, “What day is it today?” We replied: “Allâh and His Messenger know best of all.” Then he kept silent for a while and said wondering: “Is it not ‘An-Nahr’ (i.e. slaughtering) Day?” “Yes. It is.” Said we. Then he said:

“(Shedding) the blood of one another and eating or taking one another’s provisions (unwillingly) and your honour are all inviolable (Haram). It is unlawful to violate their holiness. They must be as sacred to one another as this sacred day, in this sacred month, in this sacred town.”

“You will go back to be resurrected (after death) to your Lord. There you will be accounted for your deeds. So do not turn into people who go astray and kill one another.”

“Have I not delivered the Message (of my Lord)?” “Yes you have.” Said they. “O Allâh! Bear witness! Let him that is present convey it unto him who is absent. For haply, many people to whom the Message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience,.” said he.

In another version it is said that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had said in that very speech:

“He whoever plunges into misfortune will certainly aggrieve himself. So let no one of you inflict an evil upon his parents. Verily Satan has utterly despaired being worshipped in this country of yours; but he will be obeyed at your committing trivial things you disdain. Satan will be contented with such things.”

The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) spent At-Tashreeq Days (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) in Mina performing the ritual teachings of Islam, remembering Allâh (praying), following the ways of guidance of Ibrahim, wiping out all traces and features or polytheism. On some days of At-Tashreeq he delivered some speeches as well. In a version to Abu Da’ûd with good reference to Sira,’ the daughter of Nabhan; she said: “The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) made us a speech at the Ru’us (Heads) Day in which he said: “Is it not this the middle day of At-Tashreeq Days.”

His speech that day was similar to that of An-Nahr Day’s. It was made after the revelation of Surat An-Nasr.

On the second day of An-Nafr (i.e. Departure) — on the thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) proceeded with An-Nafr to Mina and stayed at a high place of a mountain side at Bani Kinanah from Al-Abtah. He spent the rest of that day and night there — where he performed the noon, the afternoon, the sunset and the evening prayers.

Then he slept for a short while and mounted leaving for the Ka‘bah. He performed the Farewell Circumambulation (Tawaf Al-Wada‘), after ordering his Companions to do the same thing.

Upon the accomplishment of his religious rituals he quickened his move to the purified Madinah. He went there not to seek rest but to resume the strife and struggle in the way of Allâh.
~ Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar)~

Comment by nur-inn on November 26, 2009 at 5:35pm

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