> His name was unusual and incomplete. Julaybib means small grown > being the diminutive form of the word Jalbab . The name is an > indication that Julaybib was small and short, even of dwarf-like > stature. More than that, he is described as being damim which means > ugly, deformed, or of repulsive appearance. > Even more disturbing, for the society in which he lived, Julaybibs > lineage was not known. There is no record of who his mother or his > father was or to what tribe he belonged. This was a grave disability > in the society in which he lived. Julaybib could not expect any > compassion or help, any protection or support from a society that > placed a great deal of importance on family and tribal connections. In > this regard, all that was known of him was that he was an Arab and > that, as far as the new community of Islam was concerned, he was one > of the Ansar. Perhaps he belonged to one of the outlying tribes beyond > Madinah and had drifted into the city or he could even have been from > among the Ansar of the city itself. > The disabilities under which Julaybib lived would have been enough to > have him ridiculed and shunned in any society and in fact he was > prohibited by one person, a certain Abu Barzah of the Aslam tribe, > from entering his home. He once told his wife: > Do not let Julaybib enter among you. If he does, I shall certainly do > (something terrible to him). Probably because he was teased and > scoffed at in the company of men, Julaybib used to take refuge in the > company of women. > Was there any hope of Julaybib being treated with respect and > consideration? Was there any hope of his finding emotional > satisfaction as an individual and as a man? Was there any hope of his > enjoying the relationships which others take for granted? And in the > new society emerging under the guidance of the Prophet SA, was he so > insignificant as to be overlooked in the preoccupation with the great > affairs of state and in the supreme issues of life and survival which > constantly engaged the attention of the Prophet SA? > Just as he was aware of the great issues of life and destiny, the > Prophet of Mercy was also aware of the needs and sensibilities of his > most humble companions. With Julaybib in mind, the Prophet SA went to > one of the Ansar and said: I want to have your daughter married. > How wonderful and blessed, O Messenger of God and what a delight to > the eye (this would be), replied the Ansari man with obvious joy and > happiness. I do not want her for myself, added the Prophet SA. Then > for whom, O Messenger of God? asked the man, obviously somewhat let > down. For Julaybib, said the Prophet SA. > The Ansari must have been too shocked to give his own reaction and he > merely said: I will consult with her mother. And off he went to his > wife. The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, > wants to have your daughter married, he said to her. She too was > thrilled. What a wonderful idea and what a delight to the eye (this > would be). she said. He doesnt want to marry her himself but he > wants to marry her to Julaybib, he added. She was flabbergasted. > To Julaybib! No, never to Julaybib! No, by the living God, we shall > not marry (her) to him. she protested. > As the Ansari was about to return to the Prophet SA to inform him of > what his wife had said, the daughter who had heard her mothers > protestations, asked: Who has asked you to marry me? > Her mother told her of the Prophets request for her hand in marriage > to Julaybib. When she heard that the request had come from the Prophet > SA and that her mother was absolutely opposed to the idea, she was > greatly perturbed and said: > Do you refuse the request of the Messenger of God? Send me to him for > he shall certainly not bring ruin to me. This was the reply of a > truly great person who had a clear understanding of what was required > of her as a Muslim. What greater satisfaction and fulfillment can a > Muslim find than in responding willingly to the requests and commands > of the Messenger of God! No doubt, this companion of the Prophet SA, > whose name we do not even know had heard the verse of the Quran: Now > whenever God and His Apostle have decided a matter, it is not for a > believing man or believing woman to claim freedom of choice in so far > as they themselves are concerned. And he who disobeys God and His > Prophet has already, most obviously, gone astray. (The Quran, Surah > al-Ahzab, 33:36). > This verse was revealed in connection with the marriage of Zaynab bint > Jahsh and Zayd ibn al-Harithah which was arranged by the Prophet SA to > show the egalitarian spirit of Islam. Zaynab at first was highly > offended at the thought of marrying Zayd a former slave and refused to > do so. The Prophet SA prevailed upon them both and they were married. > The marriage however ended in divorce and Zaynab was eventually > married to the Prophet SA himself. It is said that the Ansari girl > read the verse to her parents and said : > I am satisfied and submit myself to whatever the Messenger of God > deems good for me. The Prophet SA heard of her reaction and prayed > for her: O Lord, bestow good on her in abundance and make not her > life one of toil and trouble. > Among the Ansar, it is said there was not a more eligible bride than > she. She was married by the Prophet SA to Julaybib and they lived > together until he was killed. > And how was Julaybib killed? He went on an expedition with the > Prophet, peace be on him, and an encounter with some mushrikin ensued. > When the battle was over, the Prophet SA asked his companions: Have > you lost anyone? They replied giving the names of their relatives of > close friends who were killed. He put the same questions to other > companions and they also named the ones they had lost in the battle. > Another group answered that they had lost no close relative whereupon > the Prophet SA said: > But I have lost Julaybib. Search for him in the battlefield. They > searched and found him beside seven mushrikin whom he had struck > before meeting his end. The Prophet SA stood up and went to the spot > where Julaybib, his short and deformed companion, lay. He stood over > him and said: He killed seven and then was killed? This (man) is of > me and I am of him. > He repeated this two or three times. The Prophet SA then took him in > his arms and it is said that he had no better bed besides the forearms > of the messenger of God. The Prophet SA then dug for him a grave and > himself placed him in it. He did not wash him for martyrs are not > washed before burial. > Julaybib and his wife are not usually among the companions of the > Prophet SA whose deeds are sung and whose exploits are recounted with > reverence and admiration as they should be. But in the meagre facts > that are known about them and which have here been recounted we see > how humble human beings were given hope and dignity by the Prophet SA > where once there was only despair and self-debasement. > The attitude of the unknown and unnamed Ansari girl who readily agreed > to be the wife of a physically unattractive man was an attitude which > reflected a profound understanding of Islam. It reflected on her part > the effacement of personal desires and preferences even when she could > have counted on the support of her parents. It reflected on her part a > total disregard for social pressures. It reflected above all a ready > and implicit confidence in the wisdom and authority of the Prophet SA > in submitting herself to whatever he deemed good. This is the attitude > of the true believer. > In Julaybib, there is the example of a person who was almost regarded > as a social outcast because of his appearance. Given help, confidence > and encouragement by the noble Prophet SA, he was able to perform acts > of courage and make the supreme sacrifice and deserve the commendation > of the Prophet SA: He is of me and I am of him.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 06:21:08 +0000