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SALIM
MAWLA ABI HUDHAYFAH Radhia
Allahu Anaha
In
giving advice to his companions, the noble Prophet, peace
be on him, once said: "Learn the Quran from four
persons: Abdullah ibn Masud, Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah,
Ubayy ibn Kab and Muadh ibn Jabal."
We
have read about three of these companions before. But who
was this fourth companion in whom the Prophet had so much
confidence that he considered him a hujjah or competent
authority to teach the Quran and be a source of reference
for it?
Salim
was a slave and when he accepted Islam he was adopted as a
son by a Muslim who was formerly a leading nobleman of the
Quraysh. When the practice of adoption (in which the
adopted person was called the son of his adopted father)
was banned, Salim sim ply became a brother, a companion
and a mawla (protected person) of the one who had adopted
him, Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah. Through the blessings of
Islam, Salim rose to a position of high esteem among the
Muslims by virtue of his noble conduct and his piet y.
Both
Salim and Abu Hudhayfah accepted Islam early. Abu
Hudhayfah himself did so in the face of bitter opposition
from his father, the notorious Utbah ibn Rabi'ah who was
particularly virulent in his attacks against the Prophet,
peace be upon him, and his companions.
When
the verse of the Quran was revealed abolishing adoption,
people like Zayd and Salim had to change their names. Zayd
who was known as Zayd ibn Muhammad had to be called after
his own natural father. Henceforth he was known as Zayd
ibn Harithah. Sali m however did not know the name of his
father. Indeed he did not know who his father was. However
he remained under the protection of Abu Hudhayfah and so
came to be known as Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah.
In
abolishing the practice of adoption, Islam wanted to
emphasize the bonds and responsibilities of natural
kinship. However, no relationship was greater or stronger
than the bond of Islam and the ties of faith which was the
basis of brotherhood. The ea rly Muslims understood this
very well. There was nobody dearer to anyone of them after
Allah and His Messenger than their brethren in faith.
We
have seen how the Ansar of Madinah welcomed and accepted
the Muhajirin from Makkah and shared with them their homes
and their wealth and their hearts. This same spirit of
brotherhood we see in the relationship between the Quraysh
aristocrat, Abu Hudhay fah, and the despised and lowly
slave, Salim. They remained to the very end of their lives
something more than brothers; they died together, one body
beside the other one soul with the other. Such was the
unique greatness of Islam. Ethnic background and s ocial
standing had no worth in the sight of God. Only faith and
taqwa mattered as the verses of the Quran and the sayings
of the Prophet emphasized over and over again:
"The
most honorable of you in the sight of God, is the most
God-fearing of you," says the Quran.
"No
Arab has an advantage over a non-Arab except in taqwa
(piety)," taught the noble Prophet who also said:
"The son of a white woman has no advantage over the
son of a black woman except in taqwa."
In
the new and just society rounded by Islam, Abu Hudhayfah
found honor for himself in protecting the one who was a
slave.
In
this new and rightly-guided society rounded by Islam,
which destroyed unjust class divisions and false social
distinctions Salim found himself, through his honesty, his
faith and his willingness to sacrifice, in the front line
of the believers. He was the "imam" of the
Muhajirin from Makkah to Madinah, leading them in Salat in
the masjid at Quba which was built by the blessed hands of
the Prophet himself. He became a competent authority in
the Book of God so much so that the Prophet recommended
that t he Muslims learn the Quran from him. Salim was even
further blessed and enjoyed a high estimation in the eyes
of the Prophet, peace be on him, who said of him.
"Praise
be to God Who has made among my Ummah such as you."
Even
his fellow Muslim brothers used to call him "Salim
min as-Salihin - Salim one of the righteous". The
story of Salim is like the story of Bilal and that of tens
of other slaves and poor persons whom Islam raised from
slavery and degradation and 'made them, in the society of
guidance and justice - imams, leaders and military
commanders.
Salim's
personality was shaped by Islamic virtues. One of these
was his outspokenness when he felt it was his duty to
speak out especially when a wrong was committed.
A
well-known incident to illustrate this occurred after the
liberation of Makkah. The Prophet sent some of his
companions to the villages and tribes around the city. He
specified that they were being sent as du'at to invite
people to Islam and not as figh ters. Khalid ibn al-Walid
was one of those sent out. During the mission however, to
settle an old score from the days of Jahiliyyah, he fought
with and killed a man even though the man testified that
he was now a Muslim.
Accompanying
Khalid on this mission was Salim and others. As soon as
Salim saw what Khalid had done he went up to him and
reprimanded him listing the mistakes he had committed.
Khalid, the great leader and military commander both
during the days of Jahil iyyah and now in Islam, was
silent for once.
Khalid
then tried to defend himself with increasing fervor. But
Salim stood his ground and stuck to his view that Khalid
had committed a grave error. Salim did not look upon
Khalid then as an abject slave would look upon a powerful
Makkan nobleman. Not a t all. Islam had placed them on an
equal footing. It was justice and truth that had to be
defended. He did not look upon him as a leader whose
mistakes were to be covered up or justified but rather as
an equal partner in carrying out a responsibility and an
obligation. Neither did he come out in opposition to
Khalid out of prejudice or passion but out of sincere
advice and mutual self-criticism which Islam has hallowed.
Such mutual sincerity was repeatedly emphasized by the
Prophet himself when he said:< P> "Ad-dinu
an-Nasihah. Ad-din u an-Nasihah. Ad-din u
an-Nasihah." "Religion is sincere advice.
Religion is sincere advice. Religion is sincere
advice."
When
the Prophet heard what Khalid had done, he was deeply
grieved and made long and fervent supplication to his
Lord. "O Lord," he said, "I am innocent
before you of what Khalid has done." And he asked:
"Did anyone reprimand him?"
The
Prophet's anger subsided somewhat when he was told:
"Yes,
Salim reprimanded him and opposed him." Salim lived
close to the Prophet and the believers. He was never slow
or reluctant in his worship nor did he miss any campaign.
In particular, the strong brotherly relationship which
existed between him and Ab u Hudhayfah grew with the
passing days.
The
Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, passed
away to his Lord. Abu Bakr assumed responsibility for the
affairs of Muslims and immediately had to face the
conspiracies of the apostates which resulted in the
terrible battle of Yamamah. Among t he Muslim forces which
made their way to the central heartlands of Arabia was
Salim and his "brother", Abu Hudhayfah.
At
the beginning of the battle, the Muslim forces suffered
major reverses. The Muslims fought as individuals and so
the strength that comes from solidarity was initially
absent. But Khalid ibn al-Walid regrouped the Muslim
forces anew and managed to achie ve an amazing
coordination.
Abu
Hudhayfah and Salim embraced each other and made a vow to
seek martyrdom in the path of the religion of Truth and
thus attain felicity in the hereafter. Yamamah was their
tryst with destiny. To spur on the Muslims Abu Hudhayfah
shouted: "Yaa ahl al-Qu ran - O people of the Quran!
Adorn the Quran with your deeds," as his sword
flashed through the army of Musaylamah the imposter like a
whirlwind. Salim in his turn shouted:
"What
a wretched bearer of the Quran am I, if the Muslims are
attacked from my direction. Far be it from you, O Salim!
Instead, be you a worthy bearer of the
With
renewed courage he plunged into the battle. When the
standard-bearer of the Muhajirin, Zayd ibn al-Khattab,
fell. Salim bore aloft the flag and continued fighting.
His right hand was then severed and he held the standard
aloft with his left hand whi le reciting aloud the verse
of the glorious Quran:
"How
many a Prophet fought in God's way and with him (fought)
large bands of godly men! But they never lost heart if
they met with disaster in God's way, nor did they weaken
(in will) nor give in. And God loves those who are firm
and steadfast." What an i nspiring verse for such an
occasion! And what a fitting epitaph for someone who had
dedicated his life for the sake of Islam!
A
wave of apostates then overwhelmed Salim and he fell. Some
life remained with him until the battle came to an end
with the death of Musaylamah. When the Muslims went about
searching for their victims and their martyrs, they found
Salim in the last thro es of death. As his life-blood
ebbed away he asked them: "What has happened to Abu
Hudhayfah?" "He has been martyred," came
the reply. "Then put me to lie next to him,"
said Salim.
"He
is close to you, Salim. He was martyred in this same
place." Salim smiled a last faint smile and spoke no
more. Both men had realized what they had hoped for.
Together they entered Islam. Together they lived. And
together they were martyred.
Salim,
that great believer passed away to his Lord. Of him, the
great Umar ibn al-Khattab spoke as he lay dying: "If
Salim were alive, I would have appointed him my
successor."
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