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O My
Soul, Death Is Inevitable,
So It Is Better for You to Be Martyred
When the Prophet (PBUH) met secretly
with Al-Madiinah's delegation on the
outskirts of Makkah away from the
disbelievers of the Quraish, twelve
representatives of the Ansaar took an
oath of allegiance in the first Pledge
of 'Aqabah. 'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah was
one of those representatives who ushered
Islam to Al-Madiinah and who paved the
way for the Hijrah, which was considered
an excellent springboard for Allah's
religion, Islam. 'Abdullah was also one
of the great 73 of the Ansaar who gave
the Prophet (PBUH) the Second Pledge of
'Aqabah in the following year. After the
Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions
emigrated and settled in Al-Madiinah,
'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah was the most
active Muslim of the Ansaar who strived
to support the thriving religion. He was
also the most alert Muslim to the plots
of 'Abdullah Ibn Ubaiy whom the people
of Al-Madiinah were about to crown king
before the Muslims arrived. He never got
over the bitterness he felt for losing
the chance of his lifetime to become a
king. Therefore, he used his craftiness
to weave deceitful plots against Islam,
while 'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah kept on
tracing and detecting this craftiness
with remarkable insight that frustrated
most of Ibn Ubaiy's maneuvers and plots.
Ibn Rawaahah (May Allah be pleased with
him) was a scribe at a time in which
writing was not prevalent. He was a
poet. His poetry flowed with admirable
fluency and strength. Ever since his
Islam he devoted his poetic genius to
its service. The Prophet (PBUH) always
admired his poetry, asking him to recite
more of it. One day, as he was sitting
among his Companions, "Abdullah Ibn
Rawaahah joined them, so the Prophet (PBUH)
asked him, "How do you compose a
poem?" 'Abdullah answered,
"First I think about its subject
matter, then I recite." He
immediately recited:
O the good descendants of Al Haashim
Allah raised you to a high station
Of which you are worthy above all
mankind.
My intuition made me realize at once
Your excelling nature,
Contrary to the disbelievers' belief in
you.
If you asked some of them for support
and help,
They would turn you down.
May Allah establish the good that
descends
On you firmly
And bestow victory upon you as He did to
Muusaa.
The Prophet (PBUH) was elated and said,
"I hope that Allah will make your
feet firm, too." When the Prophet
was circumambulating the Ka'bah in the
compensatory "Umrah, Ibn Rawaahah
recited to him:
Were it not for Allah, we would not
have been
Guided to the Right path nor charitable
Nor able to perform our prayers.
So descend, peace of mind and
reassurance,
On us and establish our feet firmly
When we meet our enemy
In combat. If our oppressors tried to
spread
Affliction and trial, unrest, among us
We will not give them way.
Muslims reiterated his graceful lines.
The active poet was saddened when the
glorious verse descended saying: <And
for the poets, only the erring people
follow them > (26:224). But
soon he was contented to hear another
verse saying: <Except those
who believe and do deeds of
righteousness, and remember GOD
frequently, and defend themselves after
being oppressed > (26 : 227).
When Islam rose up in arms in
self-defense, Ibn Rawaahah saw service
in all the battles: Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq,
Al Hudaibiyyah, and Khaibar. His
perpetual slogan was these lines of
poetry: "O my soul, death is
inevitable, so it is better for you to
be martyred."
He shouted at the disbelievers in every
battle, "0 disbelievers, get out of
my way. My Prophet (PBUH) has all the
excellent qualities."
The Battle of Mu'tah started, and, as we
have mentioned, he was the third of the
Commanders after Zaid and Ja'far. Ibn
Rawaahah (May Allah be pleased with him)
stood there as the army was about to
leave Al- Madiinah and recited:
I truly ask the Most Beneficient's
forgiveness and a mortal stroke of a
sword that will strike me down foaming
or a mortal stab with a spear by a
stubborn disbeliever that will make my
liver and intestine show out of my body.
So that when people pass by my grave,
they will say: By Allah, you are the
most righteous warrior.
Indeed, a stroke or a stab that would
convey him into the world of rewarded
martyrs was his utmost wish. The army
marched towards Mu'tah. When the Muslims
saw their enemies, they estimated them
at 200,000, for they saw endless waves
of warriors. The Muslims glanced back at
their small group and were stunned. Some
of them suggested, "Let us send a
message to the Prophet (PBUH) to tell
him of the enormity of the enemy that
surpassed all our expectations so he
will either order us to wait for
reinforcements or to pierce through the
enemy lines."
However, Ibn Rawaahah stood amidst the
lines of the army and said: "0 my
people, by Allah, we do not fight our
enemies with numbers, strength or
equipment, but rather with this religion
which Allah has honored us with. So go
right ahead: it is either one of two
equally good options, victory or
martyrdom." The Muslims, who were
lesser in number and greater in faith,
cried out, "By Allah, you spoke the
truth." The smaller army broke
through the mighty host of 200,000
warriors in terrible and cruel fighting.
As we have mentioned, both armies met in
fierce combat. The first commander, Zaid
Ibn Haarithah, was struck down, he
winning glorious martyrdom. The second
in command was Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib,
who was overjoyed to be martyred.
"Abdullah took over the command and
grabbed the standard from Ja'far's
failing upper arms. The fight reached
the peak of ferocity. The smaller army
was indistinct amidst the waves of the
mighty hosts of Heraclius.
When Ibn Rawaahah was a soldier, he
attacked heedlessly and confidently. But
now the command placed great
responsibilities for the army's safety
on his shoulders. It seemed that for a
moment he was overtaken by hesitation
and dread, yet he instantly shook off
those apprehensions, summoned his innate
fearlessness and cried out, "0 my
soul, you look as if you were afraid to
cross the way that leads to Paradise. 0
my soul, I took an oath to fight. 0 my
soul, death is inevitable, so you had
better be martyred. Now I will
experience the inevitability of death.
What you have cared for so long is
finally yours. So go ahead, for if you
follow these two heroes, you will be
guided to the way of Paradise." He
meant the two heroes who had preceded
him in martyrdom, Zaid and ]a'Sar.
He darted into the Roman armies,
fiercely and ruthlessly. Were it not for
a previous ordainment from Allah that he
was to be martyred on that day, he would
have annihilated the fighting hosts. But
destiny called and he was martyred. His
body was struck down, yet his pure,
valiant spirit was raised to the
heavens. His most precious wish finally
came true, so that "When people
pass by my grave, they will say: By
Allah you are the most righteous
warrior."
The fierce attack in Al-Balqaa' in Syria
went on. Back in Al-Madiinah the Prophet
(PBUH) was talking peacefully and
contentedly with his Companions when he
suddenly stopped talking. He closed his
eyes a little, then opened them. A gleam
flashed from them, yet it was tinged
with sadness and compassion. He looked
around sadly and said, "Zaid took
the standard and fought until he was
martyred." He was silent for a
while, then continued 'Ja'far grasped it
and fought until he was marytred. Then
'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah grasped it and
fought until he was martyred." He
was silent for a while, then his eyes
sparkled with elation, tranquility,
longing, and joy as he said, "They
were all raised to Paradise."
What a glorious journey it must have
been! What a happy succession! They all
marched to conquer, they all were raised
up to Paradise. The best salute to
immortalize their memory rests in the
Prophet's words: "They were raised
up to await me in Paradise."
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