BISMILLAH ABDUR RAHMAN BIN AUF R.A A WEALTHY AND PIOUS MUSLIM PART 2. In the year 23H Umar bin Khattab R.A, the second Khalifah performed his last Hajj and he had made arrangements to take the wives of Muhammad S.A.W with him for Hajj. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A and Uthman bin Affan R.A escorted the ladies. A few days after returning from this Hajj, Umar bin Khattab R.A stood up to lead Fajr in the Masjid Nabi. A Persian slave named Firoz (Abu Lulu), stabbed him with a dagger and was seriously injured in this attack. The incident took place on Wednesday, the 26th day of Zul Hijjah in the year 23H. Umar bin Khattab R.A pulled Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A near him and asked him to lead the Salah. Most of the Muslims found out about the attack on the life of their Khalifah, only after the Salah was over. Umar bin Khattab R.A, achieved Shahadah (Martyrdom) three days later and was laid to rest in his grave by Uthman bin Affan R.A, Ali bin Abu Talib R.A, Sad bin Abu Waqqas R.A, Zubayr bin Al Awwam R.A and Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A. He was buried in the room of Aishah bint Abu Bakr R.A, near the feet of Muhammad S.A.W and Abu Bakr R.A was also buried there earlier. Before his death, Umar bin Khattab R.A had nominated a panel of six Sahabah and the next Khalifah was to be elected from this panel. He said, “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) died while pleased with them.” This panel had the following six: 1. Uthman bin Affan R.A. 2. Ali bin Abu Talib R.A. 3. Sad bin Abu Waqqas R.A. 4. Zubayr bin Al Awwam R.A. 5. Talhah bin Ubaydullah R.A. 6. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A. Selection of the next Khalifah from this distinguished panel was not an easy task. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A helped resolve this difficult situation. He was one of the richest Muslims but was a very humble person and voluntarily withdrew himself out of the panel although he had the same support among the Muslims as Ali bin Abu Talib R.A and Uthman bin Affan R.A. The fingers were pointing at Ibn Awf. Some Companions even conversed with him about his right to win succession, but he said, “By Allah, it is better for me to put a knife in my throat. After three days of discussions, Uthman bin Affan R.A was elected as the third Khalifah. In the year 24H, Uthman bin Affan R.A could not go for Hajj so He deputed Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A as the Amir Hajj. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R was very close to Uthman bin Affan R.A, He always supported him. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A was a very generous person who used to donate large amounts of money to the poor, needy and also spent a lot of money for the cause of Islam. He had donated 40,000 Dinar twice, 500 horses and 500 camels to the Muslim army. Once he sold a piece of land for 40,000 Dinar to Uthman bin Affan R.A and distributed a major part of this amount among the needy of his clan, the Banu (Family of) Zuhrah of the Quraysh tribe. He also gifted a part of this money to the wives of Muhammad S.A.W and had earlier given them an orchard, which was sold for 400,000 Dinar. He donated 40,000 horses to the cause of Allah, a little before his death and also gifted 400 Dinar for each of the Sahabah Badr, who fought with him in the Battle of Badr by which time about 100 of them were alive. Even Uthman Ibn Affaan R.A took his share of the bequeathal inspite of his riches and said, Abdur Rahman’s money is halaal and pure. Its food gives health and blessing.” Abdul Rahman R.A used to issue Fatawa (Religious judgments) during the lifetime of Muhammad S.A.W. One day while Al-Madinah was calm, heavy dust was accumulating near it till it covered the horizon. The wind pushed these quantities of yellow dust coming from the soft sand of the desert so that they came near the gates of Al-Madinah, blowing strongly over the streets. People thought it was a raging storm, but soon they heard beyond the dust the noise of a great caravan. After a while, 700 heavily laden camels were crowding the streets. People were calling each other to see the festive scene and rejoicing at the provisions the caravan might be carrying. Aishah, (R.A) heard about the coming caravan and asked, “What’s going on in Al-Madinah?” She was answered, “It’s a caravan of Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf coming from Syria carrying his goods.” Aishah R.A said, “But can one caravan make all this tremor ?” “Yes, The Mother of the Faithful. There are 700 camels.” Aishah R.A nodded and looked away as if searching for the memory of a scene she had witnessed or a conversation she had heard, then she said,” I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) saying, ‘I saw Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf crawling into Paradise.’” When some of his friends informed him of what Aishah R.A said, he remembered that he heard the Prophet (S.A.W) say this hadith more than once in various forms. Before unloading the camels, he hastened to Aisha R.A’s house and told her, “I call you to witness that this caravan with all its loads is in the cause of Allah Almighty.” And the loads of 700 camels were distributed among the people of Al-Madinah and the places around it in a great charity festival. Abdur Rahman bin Auf R.A died in Levant in the year 32H and his funeral prayer was led by Uthman bin Affan R.A. Aishah R.A, wanted then to bestow on him a special honor, proposing as he was dying to bury him in her room near the Messenger (S.A.W) , Abu Bakr, and Umar. But as a Muslim he was so refined that he was too modest to put himself in this rank. Besides, he had made a previous promise. One day, he and Uthmaan Ibn Madh’uun had promised each other that whoever died after the other would be buried near his friend. He was buried on a hill to the north-east of present day Amman, Jordan. While his soul was preparing for its new journey, his eyes were dripping tears and his tongue was stammering, “I’m afraid of being held up by my friends because of what I had of abundant money.” But soon, Allah’s calmness overwhelmed him, and tender happiness covered his peaceful face. His ears listened closely, as if there were a sweet voice coming near them. Perhaps he was listening then to the truth of the Messenger’s words (S.A.W) to him, “Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf will enter Paradise.” Maybe he was listening also to Allah’s promise in His book: Those who spend their wealth in Cause of Allah, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Quran 2:262) Ibn ‘Awf was master of his money, not its slave. The proof of this was that he did not have trouble gathering it. He used to gather halaal money with much ease. Besides, he did not enjoy it alone, but together with his family, relatives, brethren, and all his community. He was so generous and hospitable that he used to say, “The people of Al-Madinah are partners of Ibn Awf in his money. He lends to a third of them, pays the debts of a third, and strengthens his ties of kinship and gives away a third.” He was very much a successful merchant and rich man. He was the wise believer who refused that his portion of this life would sweep away his portion of religion, or that his fortune would make him lag behind the caravan of belief or the reward of Paradise. He would generously sacrifice his fortune and feel satisfied. These riches would not have made him comfortable or happy if they did not make him capable of adhering to his religion and supporting his brethren. Nevertheless, he was always apprehensive of these riches. In addition, his large fortune never brought pride on him, so much so that they said of him, “If a stranger sees him sitting among his servants, he wouldn’t be able to distinguish him from the others.” One day some of his friends gathered around food in his house. Just as it was put in front of them, he wept. They asked him, “What makes you weep, O Abu Muhammad?” He answered, “The Messenger of Allah (S.AW) died when he and his family had not even satisfied their appetites with barley bread. I can’t see that our latter days have shown something better.” THIS WAS A REAL RICH MAN IN ISLAM. DID YOU SEE WHAT ISLAM DID TO HIM, PUTTING HIM ABOVE RICHES WITH ALL ITS TEMPTATIONS, AND HOW IT MOLDED HIM IN THE BEST WAY ??? HOW HAVE YOUR YOUR RICHES BENEFITED YOU ??? RICH MEN WITH TAQWA (GOD FEARING) LIVED LONG AGO AND THE WORLD WILL NEVER HAVE PEOPLE RICHER THAN THEM, BUT HOW HAVE YOU PASSED THE TEST OF MONEY GIVEN TO YOU BY ALLAH. ®UMAR IDRIS BIN MATANDA
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:11:00 +0000