Stories Of The Companions :: قصص الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم  -- 'Abbaad Ibn Bishr | ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas | ‘Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas | 'Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi | 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh | 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'uud | 'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah | 'Abdullah Ibn Sailam | 'Abdallah Ibn 'Umar | 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum | 'Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair | 'Abd Ar- Rahman Ibn Abi Bakr | 'Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn 'Awf | Abu Ad-Dardaa | Abu Ayuub Al-Ansaariy | Abu Dhar Al-Ghifaariy | Abu Jabir Abdallah bin Amr bin Hiram | Abu Hurairah | Abu-l Aas ibn ar-Rabiah | Abu Muusaa Al-Ash'ariy | Abu Sufyaan Ibn Al-Haarith | Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah | 'Adiyy ibn Hatim | 'Aishah bint Abi Bakr | Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik | Al-Miqdaad Ibn 'Amr | 'Ammaar Ibn Yaasir | 'Amr Ibn Al -'Aas | 'Amr Ibn Al-Jamuuh | An-Nuayman ibn Amr | An-Numan ibn Muqarrin | Asmaa bint Abu Bakr | At-Tufail Ibn 'Amr Ad-Dawsiy | Az-Zubair Ibn Al-'Awaam | Barakah | Bilaal Ibn Rabaah | Fatimah bint Muhammad | Fayruz ad-Daylami | Hakim ibn Hazm | Hamzah Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan | Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl | Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib | Julaybib | Habib Ibn Zaid | Khabbab ibn al-Arat | Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid | Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid | Khubaib Ibn 'Adiy | Mi'aadh Ibn Jabal | Muhammad ibn Maslamah | Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair | Nuaym ibn Masud | Rabiah ibn Kab | Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan | Rumaysa bint Milhan | Qais Ibn Sad Ibn Ubaadah | Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqaas | Sa'd Ibn Mitaadh | Sa'd Ibn 'Ubaadah | Sa'iid Ibn Aamir | Sa'iid ibn Zayd | Saalim Mawlaa Abi Hudhaifah | Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa' | Salmaan Al-Faarisiy | Suhayb ar-Rumi | Suhayb Ibn Sinaan | Suhayl Ibn'Amr | Talhah Ibn - Ubaid Allah | Thaabit Ibn Qais | Thumamah ibn Uthal | 'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit | Ubaiy Ibn Ka'b | Umair Ibn Sa'd | Umair Ibn Wahb | 'Umraan Ibn Husain | Umm Salamah | Uqbah ibn Aamir | Usaamah Ibn Zaid | Usaid Ibn Hudair | 'Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan | 'Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun | Zayd al-Khayr | Zayd Ibn Al-Khattaab | Zayd Ibn Haarithah | Zayd Ibn Thaabit

Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa'

The Infantry Hero

His son lyaas summarized all his virtues in just one sentence:
"My father never lied." To be described by this singular virtue makes a person elligible for a highly elevated position among the pious and virtuous. Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa achieved such a position, one which he deserved. Salamah was one of the rare Arab spearmen, but he was also famous for his courage, generosity, and charitable deeds.

He sincerely submitted himself to Islam; then it was Islam that molded his personality according to its system.

Salamah was one of those who attended the Pledge of Radwaan.

In A.H. 6, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions aimed at visiting the Sacred House in Makkah, but the Quraish hindered them from doing so.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent 'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan to tell them that he came as a visitor, not as a fighter. While they awaited ‘Uthmaan's return, a rumor spread that the Quraish had killed him. The Prophet (PBUH) sat under a shady tree to take the Companion's oath of allegiance, one by one. They gave him their word to be ready to die.

Salamah reported: I swore the oath of allegiance in front of the Prophet to be ready to die. Then I stepped aside. When the crowd of people nearly ended, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said," O Salamah, aren't you going to swear your oath of allegiance?" I said, "I've already done that." He said," Again." I swore the oath again.

Salamah had redeemed his oath long before that day. He redeemed it since the day he admitted that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger. He said, "I joined the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in seven battles and joined Zaid Ibn Haarithah in nine battles."

He was one of the most skillful warriors as an infantryman and one of the best to shoot arrows and throw spears. His tactics were similar to present day guerilla warfare: if an enemy approached, he retreated waiting for him to move backwards or to take a rest, in order to attack him by suprise. In this way he was able to chase alone the force led by Uyainah Ibn Hifi. Al-Fizaarii which raided the environs of Al-Madiinah in the Dhii Qarad Raid. Totally alone, he followed their traces, then continued fighting and pushing them away from Al- Madiinah until the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reached him with a great number of Companions. On that day the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to the Companions, "Our best infantryman is Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa.

Salamah never knew deep sorrow and anxiety except when his brother 'Aamir Ibn Al-Akwa' died during the Battle of Al- Khaibar.

‘Aamir was the one singing in front of the Muslim army:
Had it not been for You
We would not have been guided,
Nor prayed nor given charity.
Bless us with tranquility,
And let us be strong and firm-hearted
when meeting our enemies.

In that battle 'Aamir wanted to strike a polytheist with his sword. However, his sword bent and its edge injured him fatally. Some Muslims said, "Poor ‘Aamir, he has been deprived of martyrdom."

Salamah's anxiety was severe because he thought, like others, that his brother, who had killed himself accidently, was deprived of the recompense of jihaad and the reward of martyrdom. But soon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) put things in their right order when Salamah went to him saying. "O Messenger of Allah, is it true that by dying in this way ‘Aamir has been deprived of the reward of all his previous deeds?" The Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) answered, "He has been killed as a mujaahid. He is to be granted two rewards. He is right now swimming in the rivers of Paradise."

Salamah was very generous. However, he was more so when asked to give something for the sake of Allah. If someone had asked him to give away his life for the sake of Allah, he would not have hesitated to do so. People knew this attitude of his, so when anyone needed something, he just asked him for the sake of Allah. He always said, "If someone would not give for the sake of Allah, for whose sake then would he give?"

On the day of Uthmaan's murder (May Allah be pleased with him) the great mujaahid realized that the gates of sedition had been opened. How could it be possible for him who had fought among his brethren all his life to turn into a warrior against his brethren? It was not his right to use his fighting skill, which had been praised by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), against believers and Muslims.

It was therefore more proper that he carry his belongings and leave Al-Madiinah for a place called Ar-Rabzah, the same place to which Abu Dhar chose to emigrate and settle.

Salamah spent the rest of his life at Ar-Rabzah. In A.H. 74 his burning desire took him to Al-Madiinah, where he spent one or two days as a visitor, and on the third day he died. It was as if the dear, moist earth of Al-Madiinah appealed to him to offer his body a cool, safe shelter, as it had previously offered all the blessed Companions and pious and virtuous marytrs.

©  EsinIslam.Com

Links To Sahabah The Companions Of Prophet Muhammad (SAW):

Stories Of The Companions :: قصص الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم  -- 'Abbaad Ibn Bishr | ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas | ‘Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas | 'Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi | 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh | 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'uud | 'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah | 'Abdullah Ibn Sailam | 'Abdallah Ibn 'Umar | 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum | 'Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair | 'Abd Ar- Rahman Ibn Abi Bakr | 'Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn 'Awf | Abu Ad-Dardaa | Abu Ayuub Al-Ansaariy | Abu Dhar Al-Ghifaariy | Abu Jabir Abdallah bin Amr bin Hiram | Abu Hurairah | Abu-l Aas ibn ar-Rabiah | Abu Muusaa Al-Ash'ariy | Abu Sufyaan Ibn Al-Haarith | Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah | 'Adiyy ibn Hatim | 'Aishah bint Abi Bakr | Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik | Al-Miqdaad Ibn 'Amr | 'Ammaar Ibn Yaasir | 'Amr Ibn Al -'Aas | 'Amr Ibn Al-Jamuuh | An-Nuayman ibn Amr | An-Numan ibn Muqarrin | Asmaa bint Abu Bakr | At-Tufail Ibn 'Amr Ad-Dawsiy | Az-Zubair Ibn Al-'Awaam | Barakah | Bilaal Ibn Rabaah | Fatimah bint Muhammad | Fayruz ad-Daylami | Hakim ibn Hazm | Hamzah Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan | Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl | Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib | Julaybib | Habib Ibn Zaid | Khabbab ibn al-Arat | Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid | Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid | Khubaib Ibn 'Adiy | Mi'aadh Ibn Jabal | Muhammad ibn Maslamah | Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair | Nuaym ibn Masud | Rabiah ibn Kab | Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan | Rumaysa bint Milhan | Qais Ibn Sad Ibn Ubaadah | Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqaas | Sa'd Ibn Mitaadh | Sa'd Ibn 'Ubaadah | Sa'iid Ibn Aamir | Sa'iid ibn Zayd | Saalim Mawlaa Abi Hudhaifah | Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa' | Salmaan Al-Faarisiy | Suhayb ar-Rumi | Suhayb Ibn Sinaan | Suhayl Ibn'Amr | Talhah Ibn - Ubaid Allah | Thaabit Ibn Qais | Thumamah ibn Uthal | 'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit | Ubaiy Ibn Ka'b | Umair Ibn Sa'd | Umair Ibn Wahb | 'Umraan Ibn Husain | Umm Salamah | Uqbah ibn Aamir | Usaamah Ibn Zaid | Usaid Ibn Hudair | 'Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan | 'Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun | Zayd al-Khayr | Zayd Ibn Al-Khattaab | Zayd Ibn Haarithah | Zayd Ibn Thaabit | Muhammad The Messenger Of Allah :: محمّد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم  -- Biography by a Muslim, Muhammad Hamidullah | Biography by a non-Muslim, K. Rao | The Prophet (s.a.w.) as a blessing to mankind | Description Of The Prophet (s.a.w.) | Finality of Prophethood | Last Sermon Of The Prophets (s.a.w.) | What other scholars say about the Prophet (s.a.w.) and additional sayings | The Rightly Guided Caliphs :: الخلفاء الراشدون رضوان عليهم | The First Caliph, Abu Bakr (632-634 A.C.)  | The Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.) | The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.) | The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.) | Muslim Profiles -- Imam Abu Hanifa | Imam Ibn Hanbal | Imam Malik | Imam Al Shafi’i | Al Ayoubi | Al Battani | Al Biruni | Al Buzjani | Al Farghani | Al Kindi | Al Idrisi | Al Khayyam | Al Khawarizmi | Al Tusi | Al Zahrawi | Dan Fodio | Ibn Al-Baitar | Ibn Al Nafis | Ibn Batuta | Ibn Haiyan | Ibn Khaldun | Ibn Rushd | Ibn Qurra | Ibn Sina | Ibn Ziyad | Ibn Zuhr | Sheikh Abdulfattah Abu-Abdullah Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas)