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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 knowledge 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 keep 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 refugees 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 first 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
off 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 afflicted 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 assigned 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 them 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 the 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 standard 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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