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The
Prophet's Disciple !
It is
almost impossible to mention Talhah
without mentioning Az-Zubair, too, and
almost impossible to mention Az-Zubair
without mentioning Talhah as well.
When the Prophet (PBUH) was fraternizing
with his Companions in Makkah before the
Hijrah to Al-Madiinah, he fraternized
with Talhah and Az-Zubair.
The Prophet (PBUH) often talked about
them together, for example in his
statement "Talhah and Az-Zubair are
my neighbors in Paradise."
Both of them were linked to the Prophet
(PBUH) through relationship and descent.
As for Talhah, he is linked to the
Prophet (PBUH) through Murah Ibn Ka'b.
Zubair's lineage is linked to the
Prophet through Quaaii Ibn Kulaab. In
addition to that, his mother Safiah is
the Prophet's paternal aunt.
Talhah and Az-Zubair resembled each
other tremendously in their fates. The
similarity between them was enormous in
terms of their upbringing, their wealth,
their generosity, their religious
solidarity, and their magnificent
bravery. Both of them were early
converts to Islam. Both of them were
among the ten to whom Paradise was
promised by the Prophet (PBUH) and among
the six whom 'Umar entrusted with the
duty of choosing the next caliph
following him. Even their destiny was
one of complete similarity. In fact it
was one destiny.
As mentioned, Az-Zubair's embracement of
Islam was an early one. Indeed, he was
one of the first seven who quickened
their steps towards Islam and played a
role with the blessed early converts at
Daar Al-Arqam. At that time he was 15
years old; that is how he was endowed
with guidance, light, and all the good
while still a youth.
He was a horseman and a bold warrior
from childhood, to the extent that
historians mention that the first sword
lifted in Islam was Az-Zubair's sword.
In the very early days of Islam, while
the Muslims were still few in number,
hiding in Daar Al-Arqam, a rumor spread
that the Prophet (PBUH) had been killed.
Az-Zubair had hardly heard that when he
unsheathed his sword and hurried through
the streets of Makkah although still so
young.
First he went to learn the truth of what
had been said, determined that if it
were true, he would cut the whole of the
Quraish into pieces until they killed
him.
On the high hills of Makkah, the Prophet
(PBUH) met him and asked, "What's
the matter?" Az-Zubair told him the
news. The Prophet (PBUH) prayed for him
and asked Allah to bestow mercy and all
good upon him, and victory upon his
sword.
Despite Az-Zubair's nobility among his
clan, he had to carry the burden of the
Quraish's persecution and torment. It
was his uncle who was in charge of his
torture. He wrapped him in a mat, set it
on fire to let him suffocate, and called
to him while he was under the pressure
of severe torture, "Disbelieve in
Muhammad's Lord and I will ward off this
torture."
Az-Zubair, who was at that time no more
than a growing youth, replied in a
horrible challenging way, "No! By
Allah, I won't return to polytheism ever
again."
Az-Zubair emigrated to Abyssinia twice,
in the first and second migrations. Then
he returned to take part in the battles
with the Prophet (PBUH). No raid or
battle ever missed him.
Plentiful were the stabs which his body
had to receive and preserve even after
his wounds had been healed. They were
like medals telling of Az-Zubair's
heroism and glory.
Let us listen to one of his companions,
who once saw and described these medals,
which crowded each other over his body:
While accompanying Az- Zubair in one of
his journeys, I saw his body spotted
with sword scars. His chest was like
hollow eyes due to the variety of stabs
and wounds. I said to him, "I've
seen on your body what I've never seen
before." He replied, "By
Allah, I haven't received one of them
except while I was with the Prophet (PBUH)
and in the cause of Allah."
During the Battle of Uhud, after the
army of the Quraish had retreated
towards Makkah, the Prophet (PBUH)
assigned him together with Abu Bakr to
follow the Quraish's army and to chase
them so they would realize how strong
the Muslim party was and would not think
of reattacking Al-Madiinah and
continuing the fight.
Abu Bakr and Az-Zubair led 70 Muslims.
Although they were chasing a victorious
army, the military skill used by Ag-Siddiiq
and Az-Zubair, made the Quraish think
that they had overestimated the losses
of the Muslim party. They thought that
the powerful front row, whose strength
Az-Zubair and As-Siddiiq successfully
demonstrated, was nothing other than the
advance guard of the Prophet's army,
which seemed to approach in order to
launch a horrible pursuit. The Quraish
hastened away and quickened their pace
towards Makkah.
On the Day of Al-Yarmuuk, Az-Zubair was
an army in himself. When he saw most of
the warriors under his command moving
backwards when they saw the huge
advancing Roman "mountains",
he cried, "AUahu akbar' Allah is
the greatest!" With a sharp
striking sword he burst alone into those
advancing "mountains", then he
retreated, then penetrated the same
horrible rows with his sword in his
right hand, never tripping nor slipping.
May Allah be pleased with him who was so
much in love with martyrdom, full of
enthusiasm for dying in the cause of
Allah. He said, "Talhah gives his
sons names of the Prophets and he knows
there is no prophet after Muhammad (PBUH).
But I give my sons the names of martyrs,
and may they die as martyrs !"
In this way he named one son 'Abd Allah
as a good omen, after the martyr
Companion "Abd Allah Ibn Jahsh;
another he named Al-Mundhir after the
martyr Companion Al-Mundhir Ibn 'Amr;
another he named 'Urwah after the martyr
Companion 'Urwah Ibn "Amr; another
he called Hamzah after the martyr
Companion Hamzah Ibn Abi laalib; another
he called Ja'far after the martyr
Companion Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib; another
he called Mus'ab after the martyr
Companion Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair and another
he called Khaalid after the martyr
Companion Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid.
In this way he chose for his sons the
names of martyrs, hoping that they would
all die martyrs.
It is mentioned in his biography that he
never held a governorship, nor the task
of collecting taxes or tribute, but only
the task of fighting in the cause of
Allah.
His merit as a warrior can be seen in
his total self-reliance and his complete
self-confidence.
Even if 100,000 warriors were to join
him in combat, you would still see him
fighting as if standing alone on the
battlefield, and as if the
responsibility of fighting and for
victory rested on him alone.
His merit as a warrior is represented in
his firmness and the strength of his
nerves.
He saw his uncle Hamzah on the Day of
Uhud: the polytheists had cut his corpse
into pieces in a dreadful way. He stood
in front of him like a high firm rooted
mountain, gritting his teeth while
holding his sword tightly, having
nothing in mind except a horrible
revenge. Soon, however, a divine
revelation prohibited the Prophet (PBUH)
and the Muslims from even the slightest
thought of such a thing.
When the Bani Quraidhah siege lasted a
long period without their surrender, the
Prophet (PBUH) sent him with 'Ali Ibn
Abi Taalib. There in front of the
unsurmountable fortress he stood and
repeated several times, "By Allah !
We will taste what Hamzah tasted or we
will open their fortress." Then
they two alone threw themselves into the
fortress.
With admirable strong nerves, they were
able to terrify the besieged inside it
and to open its gates.
On the Day of Hunain he could see Maalik
Ibn 'Awf, leader the of Hawaazin and of
the polytheist army, after his defeat in
Hunain standing in the midst of some of
his companions and the remnants of his
defeated army. He burst alone into their
midst and single-handedly scattered them
and pushed them away from the place of
ambush from which they kept an eye on
the Muslim leaders who were returning
from the battlefield.
His share of the Prophet's love and
appreciation was great. The Prophet (PBUH)
was so proud of him that he said,
"Every prophet has a disciple, and
my disciple is Az-Zubair Ibn Al-"Awaam."
He was not only his cousin and the
husband of Asmaa' Bint Abu Bakr
("The Lady of the Two Belts")
but, moreover, he was the powerful,
loyal, brave, bold, generous, and
bountiful, who gave away and devoted his
life and money for Allah, Lord of all
the worlds.
His characteristics were noble, his good
qualities great. His bravery and
generosity were always parallel to each
other. He managed a successful trade,
and his fortune was enormous; however,
he spent all of that in the cause of
Islam until he died in debt. His trust
in Allah was the reason behind his
generosity, bravery, and redemption.
Even when he generously gave up his
soul, he asked his son to pay his debt.
"If you're unable to pay it, then
seek my Master's help." "Abd
Allah asked him," Which master do
you mean?" He answered,
"Allah. He is the best Guardian,
the best Helper." 'Abd Allah said
afterwards, "By Allah I never fell
into trouble because of his debt. I only
said, '0 Master of Zubair, pay his
debt,' so He did."
On the Day of Al-Jamal, and in the same
way previously mentioned about Talhah,
was Az-Zubair's end and fate. After he
saw it right to refrain from fighting, a
group of those who had been keen to see
the flames of civil strife continuously
raging and never extinguished followed
him. A treacherous murderer stabbed him
while he was praying and standing
between the hands of Allah.
The murderer went to Imam 'Aliy,
thinking that he would be announcing to
him good news when telling him about his
attack upon Az-Zubair and when putting
into his hands the sword which he had
stolen from him after committing his
crime. When 'Ally knew that Az-Zubair's
murderer was standing at his door asking
permission to enter, he shouted ordering
that he be expelled and said,
"Announce Hell to the murderer of
Safiah's son!" When they showed him
Az-Zubair's sword. Imam 'Ally kissed it
and then cried painfully saying, "A
sword whose owner had so long wiped the
Prophet's grief."
Is there a better, mo re wonderful and
eloquent salute to be directed to
Az-Zubair at the end of our talk than
the words of Imam 'Ali (Radhi Allahu
anhu)?
May peace be upon Az-Zubair in death
after his life. Peaceful greeting after
peaceful greeting upon the Prophet's
disciple.
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