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MUSAB
IBN UMAYR Radhia
Allahu Anaha
Musab
ibn Umayr was born and grew up in the lap of affluence and
luxury. His rich parents lavished a great deal of care and
attention on him. He wore the most expensive clothes and
the most stylish shoes of his time. Yemeni shoes were then
considered to be very elegant and it was his privilege to
have the very best of these.
As
a youth he was admired by the Quraysh not only for his
good looks and style but for his intelligence. His elegant
bearing and keen mind endeared him to the Makkan nobility
among whom he moved with ease. Although still young, he
had the privilege of attending Quraysh meetings and
gatherings. He was thus in a position to know the issues
which concerned the Makkans and what their attitudes and
strategies were.
Among
Makkans there was a sudden outburst of excitement and
concern as Muhammad, known as al-Amin (the Trustworthy),
emerged saying that God had sent him as a bearer of good
tidings and as a warner. He warned the Quraysh of terrible
chastisement if they did not turn to the worship and
obedience of God and he spoke of Divine rewards for the
righteous. The whole of Makkah buzzed with talk of these
claims. The vulnerable Quraysh leaders thought of ways of
silencing Muhammad. When ridicule and persuasion did not
work, they embarked on a campaign of harassment and
persecution.
Musab
learnt that Muhammad and those who believed in his message
were gathering in a house near the hill of as-Safa to
evade Quraysh harassment. This was the house of al-Arqam.
To satisfy his curiosity, Musab proceeded to the house
undererred by the know ledge of Quraysh hostility. There
he met the Prophet teaching his small band of companions,
reciting the verses of the Quran to them and performing
Salat with them in submission to God, the Great, the Most
High.
The
Prophet welcomed him, and with his noble hand tenderly
touched Musab's heart as it throbbed with excitement. A
deep feeling of tranquility came over him.
Musab
was totally overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard. The
words of the Quran had made a deep and immediate
impression on him.
In
this first meeting with the Prophet, the young and
decisive Musab declared his acceptance of Islam. It was a
historic moment. The keen mind of Musab, his tenacious
will and determination, his eloquence and his beautiful
character were now in the service of Islam and would help
change the course of men's destinies and of history.
On
accepting Islam Musab had one major concern his mother.
Her name was Khunnas bint Malik. She was a woman of
extraordinary power. She had a dominant personality and
could easily arouse fear and terror. When Musab became a
Muslim, the only power on earth he might have feared was
his mother. All the powerful nobles of Makkah and their
attachment to pagan customs and traditions were of little
consequence to him. Having his mother as an opponent,
however, could not be taken lightly.
Musab
thought quickly. He decided that he should conceal his
acceptance of Islam until such time as a solution should
come from God. He continued to frequent the House of
al-Arqam and sit in the company of the Prophet. He felt
serene in his new faith and by keeping all indications of
his acceptance of Islam away from her, he managed to stave
off his mother's wrath, but not for long.
It
was difficult during those days to k eep anything secret
in Makkah for long. The eyes and ears of the Quraysh were
on every road. Behind every footstep imprinted in the soft
and burning sand was a Quraysh informer. Before long,
Musab was seen as he quietly entered the House of
al-Arqam, by someone called Uthman ibn Talhah.
At
another time, Uthman saw Musab praying in the same manner
as Muhammad prayed. The conclusion was obvious.
As
winds in a storm, the devastating news of Musab's
acceptance of Islam spread among the Quraysh and
eventually reached his mother.
Musab
stood before his mother, his clan and the Quraysh nobility
who had all gathered to find out what he had done and what
he had to say for himself.
With
a certain humility and calm confidence, Musab acknowledged
that he had become a Muslim and no doubt he explained his
reasons for so doing. He then recited some verses of the
Quran - verses which had cleansed the hearts of the
believers and brought them back to the natural religion of
God. Though only few in number, their hearts were now
filled with wisdom, honor, justice and courage.
As
Musab's mother listened to her son on whom she had
lavished so much care and affection, she became
increasingly incensed. She felt like silencing him with
one terrible blow. But the hand which shot out like an
arrow staggered and faltered before the light which
radiated from Musab's serene face. Perhaps, it was her
mother's love which restrained her from actually beating
him, but still she felt she had to do something to avenge
the gods which her son had forsaken. The solution she
decided upon was far worse for Musab than a few blows
could ever have been. She had Musab taken to a far corner
of the house. There he was firmly bound and tethered. He
had become a prisoner in his own home.
For
a long time, Musab remained tied and confined under the
watchful eyes of guards whom his mother had placed over
him to prevent him from any further contact with Muhammad
and his faith. Despite his ordeal, Musab did not waver. He
must have had news of how other Muslims were being
harassed and tortured by the idolators. For him, as for
many other Muslims, life in Makkah was becoming more and
more intolerable. Eventually he heard that a group of
Muslims were preparing secretly to migrate to Abyssinia to
seek refuge and relief. His immediate thoughts were how to
escape from his prison and join them. At the first
opportunity, when his mother and his warders were
off-guard, he managed to slip away quietly. Then with
utmost haste he joined the other refugee s and before long
they sailed together across the Red Sea to Africa.
Although
the Muslims enjoyed peace and security in the land of the
Negus, they longed to be in Makkah in the company of the
noble Prophet. So when a report reached Abyssinia that the
conditions of the Muslims in Makkah had improved, Musab
was among the fi rst to return to Makkah. The report was
in fact false and Musab once again left for Abyssinia.
Whether
he was in Makkah or Abyssinia, Musab remained strong in
his new faith and his main concern was to make his life
worthy of his Creator.
When
Musab returned to Makkah again, his mother made a last
attempt to gain control of him and threatened to have him
tied up again and confined. Musab swore that if she were
to do that, he would kill everyone who helped her. She
knew very well that he would carry out this threat for she
saw the iron determination he now had.
Separation
was inevitable. When the moment came, it was sad for both
mother and son but it revealed a strong Persistence in
kufr on the part of the mother and an even greater
persistence in iman on the part of the son. As she threw
him out of her house and cut him off from all the material
comforts she used to lavish on him, she said:
"Go
to your own business. I am not prepared to be a mother to
you." Musab went up close to her and said:
"Mother,
I advise you sincerely. I am concerned about you. Do
testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad
is His servant and His Messenger."
"I
swear by the shooting stars, I shall not enter your
religion even if my opinion is ridiculed and my mind
becomes impotent," she insisted.
Musab
thus left her home and the luxury and comforts he used to
enjoy. The elegant, well-dressed youth would henceforth be
seen only in the coursest of attire. He now had more
important concerns. He was determined to use his talents
and energies in acquiring knowledge and in serving God and
His Prophet.
One
day, several years later, Musab came upon a gathering of
Muslims sitting around the Prophet, may God bless him and
grant him peace. They bowed their heads and lowered their
gaze when they saw Musab, and some were even moved to
tears. This was because his jalbab was old and in tatters
and they were immediately taken back to the days before
his acceptance of Islam when he was a model of sartorial
elegance. The Prophet looked at Musab, smiled gracefully
and said:
"I
have seen this Musab with his parents in Makkah. They
lavished care and attention on him and gave him all
comforts. There was no Quraysh youth like him. Then he
left all that seeking the pleasure of God and devoting
himself to the service of His Prophet." The Prophet
then went on to say:
"There
will come a time when God will grant you victory over
Persia and Byzantium. You would have one dress in the
morning and another in the evening and you would eat out
of one dish in the morning and another in the
evening."
In
other words, the Prophet predicted that the Muslims would
become rich and powerful and that they would have material
goods in plenty. The companions sitting around asked the
Prophet:
"O
Messenger of Allah, are we in a better situation in these
times or would we be better off then?" He replied:
"You
are rather better off now than you would be then. If you
knew of the world what I know you would certainly not be
so much concerned with it."
On
another occasion, the Prophet talked in a similar vein to
his companions and asked them how they would be if they
could have one suit of clothes in the morning and another
in the evening and even have enough material to put
curtains in their houses just as the Kabah was fully
covered. The companions replied that they would then be in
a better situation because they would then have sufficient
sustenance and would be free for ibadah (worship). The
Prophet however told them that they were indeed better o
ff as they were.
After
about ten years of inviting people to Islam, most of
Makkah still remained hostile. The noble Prophet then went
to Taif seeking new adherents to the faith. He was
repulsed and chased out of the city. The future of Islam
looked bleak.
It
was just after this that the Prophet chose Musab to be his
"ambassador" to Yathrib to teach a small group
of believers who had come to pledge allegiance to Islam
and prepare Madinah for the day of the great Hijrah.
Musab
was chosen above companions who were older than he or were
more closely related to the Prophet or who appeared to
possess greater prestige. No doubt Musab was chosen for
this task because of his noble character, his fine manners
and his sharp intellect. His knowledge of the Quran and
his ability to recite it beautifully and movingly was also
an important consideration.
Musab
understood his mission well. He knew that he was on a
sacred mission. to invite people to God and the straight
path of Islam and to prepare what was to be the
territorial base for the young and struggling Muslim
community.
He
entered Madinah as a guest of Sad ibn Zurarah of the
Khazraj tribe. Together they went to people, to their
homes and their gatherings, telling them about the
Prophet, explaining Islam to them and reciting the Quran.
Through the grace of God, many accepted Islam. This was
especially pleasing to Musab but profoundly alarming to
many leaders of Yathribite society.
Once
Musab and Sad were sitting near a well in an orchard of
the Zafar clan. With them were a number of new Muslims and
others who were interested in Islam. A powerful notable of
the city, Usayd ibn Khudayr, came up brandishing a spear.
He was livid with rage. Sad ibn Zararah saw him and told
Musab:
"This
is a chieftain of his people. May God place truth in his
heart." "If he sits down, I will speak to
him," replied Musab, displaying all the calm and tact
of a great daiy.
The
angry Usayd shouted abuse and threatened Musab and his
host. "Why have you both come to us to corrupt the
weak among us? Keep away from us if you want to stay
alive." Musab smiled a warm and friendly smile and
said to Usayd: "Won't you sit down and listen? If you
are pleased and satisfied with our mission. accept it and
if you dislike it we would stop telling you what you
dislike and leave."
"That's
reasonable," said Usayd and, sticking his spear in
the ground, sat down. Musab was not compelling him to do
anything. He was not denouncing him. He was merely
inviting him to listen. If he was satisfied, well and
good. If not, then Musab would leave his district and his
clan without any fuss and go to another district.
Musab
began telling him about Islam and recited the Quran to
him. Even before Usayd spoke, it was clear from his face,
now radiant and expectant, that faith had entered his
heart. He said:
"How
beautiful are these words and how true! What does a person
do if he wants to enter this religion?"
"Have
a bath, purify yourself and your clothes. Then utter the
testimony of Truth (Shahadah), and perform Salat. Usayd
left the gathering and was absent for only a short while.
He returned and testified that there is no god but Allah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. He then
prayed two rakats and said:
"After
me, there is a man who if he follows you, everyone of his
people will follow him. I shall send him to you now. He is
'Sad ibn Muadh."
Sad
ibn Muadh came and listened to Musab. He was convinced and
satisfied and declared his submission to God. He was
followed by another important Yathribite, Sad ibn Ubadah.
Before long, the people of Yathrib were all in a flurry,
asking one another.
"If
Usayd ibn Khudayr, Sad ibn Muadh and Sad ibn Ubadah have
accepted the new religion, how can we not follow? Let's go
to Musab and believe with him. They say that truth
emanates from his lips."
The
first ambassador of the Prophet, peace be on him, was thus
supremely successful. The Prophet had chosen well. Men and
women, the young and the old, the powerful and the weak
accepted Islam at his hands. The course of Yathribite
history had been changed forever. The way was being
prepared for the great Hijrah. Yathrib was soon to become
the center and the base for the Islamic state.
Less
than a year after his arrival in Yathrib, Musab returned
to Makkah. It was again in the season of pilgrimage. With
him was a group of seventy-five Muslims from Madinah.
Again at Aqabah, near Mina, they met the Prophet. There
they solemnly undertook to defend the Prophet at all cost.
Should they remain firm in their faith, their reward, said
the Prophet, would be nothing less than Paradise. This
second bayah or pledge which the Muslims of Yathrib made
came to be called the Pledge of War.
From
then on events moved swiftly. Shortly after the Pledge,
the Prophet directed his persecuted followers to migrate
to Yathrib where the new Muslims or Ansar (Helpers) had
shown their willingness to give asylum and extend their
protection to the afflic ted Muslims. The first of the
Prophet's companions to arrive in Madinah were Musab ibn
Umayr and the blind Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. Abdullah also
recited the Quran beautifully and according to one of the
Ansar, both Musab and Abdullah recited the Quran for the
people of Yathrib.
Musab
continued to play a major role in the building of the new
community. The next momentous situation in which we meet
him was during the great Battle of Badr. After the battle
was over, the Quraysh prisoners of war were brought to the
Prophet who assig ned them to the custody of individual
Muslims. "Treat them well," he instructed.
Among
the prisoners was Abu Aziz ibn Umayr, the brother of
Musab. Abu Aziz related what happened: "I was among a
group of Ansar...Whenever they had lunch or dinner they
would give me bread and dates to eat in obedience to the
Prophet's instructions to th em to treat us well.
"My
brother, Musab ibn Umayr, passed by me and said to the man
from the Ansar who was holding me prisoner:
'Tie
him firmly... His mother is a woman of great wealth and
maybe she would ransom him for you.'" Abu Aziz could
not believe his ears. Astonished, he turned to Musab and
asked: "My brother, is this your instruction
concerning me?"
"He
is my brother, not you," replied Musab thus affirming
that in the battle between iman and kufr, the bonds of
faith were stronger than the ties of kinship.
At
the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet called upon Musab, now
well-known as Musab al-Khayr (the Good), to carry the
Muslim standard. At the beginning of th e battle, the
Muslims seemed to be gaining the upper hand. A group of
Muslims then went against the orders of the Prophet and
deserted their positions. The mushrikin forces rallied
again and launched a counterattack. Their main objective,
as they cut through the Muslim forces, was to get to the
noble Prophet.
Musab
realized the great danger facing the Prophet. He raised
the standard high and shouted the takbir. With the standa
rd in one hand and his sword in the other, he plunged into
the Quraysh forces. The odds were against him. A Quraysh
horseman moved in close and severed his right hand. Musab
was heard to repeat the words:
"Muhammad
is only a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before
him," showing that however great his attachment was
to the Prophet himself, his struggle above all was for the
sake of God and for making His word supreme. His left hand
was then severed also and as he held the standard between
the stumps of his arms, to console himself he repeated:
"Muhammad is only a Messenger of God. Messengers have
passed away before him." Musab was then hit by a
spear. He fell and the standard fell. The words he
repeated, every time he was struck were later revealed to
the Prophet and completed, and became part of the Quran.
After
the battle, the Prophet and his companions went through
the battlefield, bidding farewell to the martyrs. When
they came to Musab's body, tears flowed. Khabbah related
that they could not find any cloth with which to shroud
Musab's body, except his own garment. When they covered
his head with it, his legs showed and when his legs were
covered, his head was exposed and the Prophet instructed:
"Place
the garment over his head and cover his feet and legs with
the leaves of the idhkhir (rue) plant."
The
Prophet felt deep pain and sorrow at the number of his
companions who were killed at the Battle of Uhud. These
included his uncle Hamzah whose body was horribly
mutilated. But it was over the body of Musab that the
Prophet stood, with great emotion. He remembered Musab as
he first saw him in Makkah, stylish and elegant, and then
looked at the short burdah which was now the only garment
he possessed and he recited the verse of the Quran:
"Among
the believers are men who have been true to what they have
pledged to God."
The
Prophet then cast his tender eyes over the battle field on
which lay the dead companions of Musab and said: "The
Messenger of God testifies that you are martyrs in the
sight of God on the day of Qiyamah."
Then
turning to the living companions around him he said:
"O People! Visit them, send peace on them for, by Him
in whose hand is my soul, any Muslim who sends peace on
them until the day of Qiyamah, they would return the
salutation of peace."
As-salaamu alayka yaa Musab...
As-salaamu alaykum, ma'shar ash-shudhadaa.
As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.
Peace be on you, O Musab...
Peace be on you all, O martyrs. .
Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of God.
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