LEARNING FROM THE EARLY MUSLIMS (PART 1) CONT MUSAB IBN `UMAIR The days and years passed by. The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions emigrated to Al-Madiinah, and the Quraish were raging with envy and their ungodly pursuit after the pious worshippers. So the Battle of Badr took place, in which they were taught a lesson and lost their strong hold. After that they prepared themselves for revenge, and thus came the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims mobilized themselves, and the Prophet (PBUH) stood in their midst to sort out among their faithful faces and to choose one to bear the standard. He then called for Mus`ab the Good, and he advanced and carried the standard. The terrible battle was raging, the fighting furious. The archers disregarded the orders of the Prophet (PBUH) by leaving their positions on the mountain when they saw the polytheists withdrawing as if defeated. But this act of theirs soon turned the victory of the Muslims to defeat. The Muslims were taken at unawares by the cavalry of the Quraish at the mountain top, and many Muslims were killed by the swords of the polytheists as a consequence. When they saw the confusion and horror splitting the ranks of the Muslims, the polytheists concentrated on the Prophet of Allah to finish him off. Mus`ab saw the impending threat, so he raised the standard high, shouting, allahu Akbar! Allah is the Greatest! like the roar of a lion. He turned and jumped left and right, fighting and killing the foe. All he wanted was to draw the attention of the enemy to himself in order to turn their attention away from the Prophet (PBUH). He thus became as a whole army in himself. Nay, Mus`ab went alone to fight as if he were an army of giants raising the standard in sanctity with one hand, striking with his sword with the other. But the enemies were multiplying on him. They wanted to step on his corpse so that they could find the Prophet (PBUH). Let us allow a living witness to describe for us the last scene of Mus`ab the Great. Ibn Sa`d said: Ibraahiim lbn Muhammad lbn Sharhabiil Al-Abdriy related from his father, who said: Mus`ab lbn `Umair carried the standard on the Day of Uhud. When the Muslims were scattered, he stood fast until he met lbn Qumaah who was a knight. He struck him on his right hand and cut it off, but Mus`ab said, and Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him (3:144). He carried the standard with his left hand and leaned on it. He struck his left hand and cut it off, and so he leaned on the standard and held it with his upper arms to his chest, all the while saying, And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. Then a third one struck him with his spear, and the spear went through him. Mus`ab fell and then the standard. Nay, the cream of martyrdom had fallen! He fell after he had struggled for the sake of Allah in the great battle of sacrifice and faith. He had thought that if he fell, he would be a stepping stone to the death of the Prophet (PBUH) because he would be without defense and protection. But he put himself in harms way for the sake of the Prophet (PBUH). overpowered by his fear for and love of him, he continued to say with every sword stroke that fell on him from the foe, and Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him (3:144). This verse was revealed later, after he had spoken it. * * * After the bitter battle, they found the corpse of the upright martyr lying with his face in the dust, as if he feared to look while harm fell on the Prophet (PBUH). So he hid his face so that he would avoid the scene. Or perhaps, he was shy when he fell as a martyr, before making sure of the safety of the Prophet of Allah, and before serving to the very end, guarding and protecting him. Allah is with you, O Mus`ab! What a great life story! The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions came to inspect the scene of the battle and bid farewell to its martyrs. Pausing at Mus`abs body, tears dripped from the Prophets eyes. Khabbaab lbn Al-Arat narrated: We emigrated with the Prophet (PBUH) for Allahs cause, so our reward became due with Allah. Some of us passed away without enjoying anything in this life of his reward, and one of them was Mus`ab Ibn`Umair, who was martyred on the Day of Uhud. He did not leave behind anything except a sheet of shredded woolen cloth. If we covered his head with it, his feet were uncovered, and if we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered. The Prophet (PBUH) said to us, Cover his head with it and put lemon grass over his feet. Despite the deep, sad pain which the Prophet (PBUH) suffered over the loss of his uncle Hamzah and the mutilation of his corpse by the polytheists in a manner that drew tears from the Prophet (PBUH) and broke his heart; despite the fact that the field of battle was littered with the corpses of his Companions, all of whom represented the peak of truth, piety and enlightenment; despite all this, he stood at the corpse of his first envoy, bidding him farewell and weeping bitterly. Nay, the Prophet (PBUH) stood at the remains of Mus`ab lbn `Umair saying, while his eyes were flowing with tears, love and loyalty, Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah (33:23). Then he gave a sad look at the garment in which he was shrouded and said, I saw you at Makkah, and there was not a more precious jewel, nor more distinguished one than you, and here you are bareheaded in a garment! Then the Prophet (PBUH) looked at all the martyrs in the battlefield and said, The Prophet of Allah witnesses that you are martyrs to Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Then he gathered his living Companions around him and said, O people, visit them, come to them, and salute them. By Allah, no Muslim will salute them but that they will salute him in return. Peace be on you, O Mus`ab. Peace be on you, O Martyrs. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you! * * * ****If after reading this you didnt shed tear, it means you are stronger than me****
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 17:29:55 +0000
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