'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, Commander of
the Faithful, sat down to distribute
money from the treasury among the
Muslims.
It was 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar's turn,
and 'Umar gave him his share. Then it
was the turn of Usaamah Ibn Zaid.
'Umar gave him double of what he gave
his son 'Abd Allah. As 'Umar gave
people according to their merit and
endeavor, 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar was
afraid that his position was not as
highly acknowledged as he desired, to be
one of the closest to Allah through his
obedience, endeavor, piety, and
asceticism.
Therefore, he asked his father,
"You preferred Usaamah, although I
experienced with the Messenger of Allah
what he did not." 'Umar answered,
"Usaamah was more beloved by the
Prophet (PBUH) than you were, and his
father was more beloved by the Prophet (PBUH)
than your father was."
Who
was it, together with his father that
was so close to the Prophet's heart and
love? It was a high position which Ibi 'Umar
did not reach, nor did his father,
'Umar himself.
Who
was it? It was Usaamah Ibn Zaid who has
been called among the Prophet's
Companions "The Beloved Son of the
Beloved".
His
father was Zaid Ibn Haarithah*, the
Prophet's servant, who preferred the
Prophet (PBUH) over own his father,
mother,and kin. He was with him when the
Prophet (PBUH) stood in front of a large
group of Companions saying," I let
you bear witness that Zaid is my son,
inheriting from me and I inheriting from
him."
His
name remained Zaid Ibn Muhammad until
the practice of child adoption was
abolished by the Qur'aan. Usaamah is his
son. His mother was Umm Aiman, the
Prophet's servant and nurse maid.
Usaamah's
physical appearance made him appear a
good-for-nothing. Historians and
narrators described him as being
dark-skinned and snub-nosed. By these
two words, not more, did history
summarize Usaamah's physical appearance.
However,
since when did Islam ever care about a
person's physical characteristics? Was
it not the Prophet (PBUH) who said,
"Maybe a Muslim's hair is unkempt
and his feet covered with dust and his
clothes are not neat, but, if he swore
by Allah he would fulfill his
oath?"
Therefore,
let us set his appearance aside. Leave
his dark skin and snub nose alone;
nothing of that sort has weight in
Islam. Let us instead take stock of his
loyalty. How was his devotion? How was
his virtue? How was his honesty? How was
his piety? How great was his soul? On
account of the qualities of his soul, he
reached a worthiness that made him
eligible to receive the Prophet's
infinite love and acknowledgement:"
Usaamah Ibn Zaid is the most beloved to
me and I wish him to be one of the
virtuous. I recommend you to treat him
well"
Usaamah
(May Allah be pleased with him) had all
the great characteristics which enabled
him to be so dose to the Prophet's heart
and beloved in his eyes. He was the son
of two generous Muslims belonging to the
first converts to Islam who, at the same
time, were the closest and most loyal to
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
As one
of the true sons of Islam, he was
nurtured from his first days by Islam's
pure nature without experiencing the
murkiness of the pagan period.
Despite
his young and tender age, he was a firm
believer and a staunch Muslim fulfilling
all the duties of his faith with deep
loyalty and an unbreakable will. With
great intellect and humility, limits to
his devotion to Allah and His Prophet (PBUH)
could not found.
Furthermore,
he represented the victims of all kinds
of discrimination who were saved by
Islam. How could this dark-skinned,
snub-nosed fellow attract the heart of
the Prophet (PBUH) and Muslims to such
an elevated rank! This could only be
possible when Islam corrected human
norms and values dealing with
discrimination against people: <
Surely the most honourable of you in the
sight of Allah is the most pious of you
> (49 : 13).
On the
day of the Conquest of Makkah, the
Prophet's Companion who was riding
behind him on horseback was that
dark-skinned, snub-nosed Usaamah Ibn
Zaid. Among the most victorious days of
Islam was the day of the Conquest of
Makkah. On that day, on the Prophet's
right and left were Bilaal and Usaamah,
two dark-skinned men; however Allah's
word which they carried in their pure,
virtuous hearts made them deserving of
all kinds of merit and elevated
position.
Usaamah
had not yet reached the age of 20 when
the Prophet (PBUH) ordered him to be
head of an army which had among its
soldiers Abu Bakr and 'Umar. A growl
spread around among a group of Muslims
who were distressed by this matter and
who found it too much for a youth such
as Usaamah Ibn Zaid to command an army
which included a large number of
Muhaajiruun and elderly Ansaar. Their
whispers reached the Messenger of Allah
(PBUH), so he ascended the pulpit,
thanked and praised Allah and then said,
"Some people criticized Usaamah's
army command; they criticized his
father's command before him. His father
deserved to be the commander as well as
Usaamah. He is the most beloved to me
next to his father, and I hope he is
among the virtuous ones. I request you
to treat him well."
The
Prophet (PBUH) died before the army set
off towards its destination; however the
Prophet had left his wise testament to
his Companions: "Fulfill Usaamah's
commission. Fulfil Usaamah's
commission."
Despite
the new circumstances created by the
Prophet's death, Abu Bakr As-Siddiiq,
the first caliph, insisted upon
fulfilling the Prophet's testament.
Usaamah's army set off to its
destination; the caliph only requested
Usaamah to allow 'Umar to stay behind
to be with him in Al-Madiinah.
At the
same time, the Roman (Byzantine) emperor
heard the news of the Prophet's death
and that an army headed by Usaamah Ibn
Zaid was attacking the borders of Syria.
He could not hide his astonishment and
wonder about the strength of the
Muslims, whose plans and potential were
not affected by the Prophet's death.
Consequently, the Romans abstained from
utilizing the Syrian borders as a
leaping point upon Islam's center in the
Arabian Peninsula, and thereby their
power began to shrink.
Usaamah's
army returned safely without any
casualities so that the Muslims said,
"We've never seen a safer army than
Usaamah's."
It was by the Prophet (PBUH) himself
that Usaamah had been taught the lesson
of his life, a very wise lesson. Usaamah
lived according to its wisdom from the
Prophet's death until he himself left
our world during the latter phase of
Mu'aawiyah's caliphate.
Two
years before the Prophet's death,
Usaamah was sent by the Prophet (PBUH)
to lead a detachment which was meeting
some polytheists attacking Islam and its
followers. It was the first time for
Usaamah to be appointed head of a
detachment. He accomplished his duty
successfully and victoriously. News of
his victory preceded his arrival and the
Prophet (PBUH) was indeed glad.
Let us
leave the rest of the story to be
narrated by Usaamah himself: When I
reached the Prophet (PBUH) the
proclamation of good news had already
reached him. The Prophet's face beamed
jubilantly. He asked me to sit closer to
him and said, "Tell me." I
went on telling and narrating. I
mentioned to him that at one point the
polytheists were defeated and I could
reach a man, at whom I pointed my spear.
The man said, "There is no god but
Allah. Nevertheless I pierced and killed
him with my lance. The Prophet's
attitude changed. He said, "Woe
unto you! How dare you do that when he
said. There is no god but Allah. Woe
unto you! How dare you do that when he
said. There is no god but Allah."
He continued saying that to such an
extent that I wished to rid myself of
all my deeds and embrace Islam afresh on
that day. No, by Allah, I will never
fight anyone saying. There is no god but
Allah, after what I have heard from the
Prophet (PBUH).
Usaamah
was guided by the wisdom of this lesson
throughout his life.
What a
wise lesson! A lesson revealing the
Prophet's humanity, his justice, the
eminence of his principles , the
greatness of his faith and manners.
Despite the fact that it was a
polytheist warrior who had been killed
by Usaamah, the killing was much
regretted by the Prophet (PBUH).
At the
same moment this warrior said,
"There is no god but Allah,"
he was holding a sword in his right
hand, a sword upon which pieces of
Muslim flesh were still hanging. He said
it to save his soul or to give himself
another chance to change his direction
or resume fighting.
Nevertheless,
because he said it, his blood became
inviolate and his life secure and safe
at the same moment and for the same
reason, whatever his intention or his
inward desire may have been. Usaamah
understood the lesson fully. If the
Prophet (PBUH) forbids the killing of a
man in such a situation for the reason
that he said, "There is no god but
Allah," what about the true
believers and true Muslims? Therefore,
Usaamah held a neutral position during
the period of the civil strife between
Imam 'Aliy with his followers on one
hand and Mu'aawiyah on the other.
He
loved 'Aliy very much and could see the
truth on his side. But after having been
blamed by the Prophet (PBUH) for the
murder of a polytheist who said,
"There is no god but Allah,"
how could he ever kill a Muslim
believing in Allah and His Prophets?
Therefore, he sent a message to 'Aliy
saying, "If you were in a lion's
jaw, I would love to enter it with you.
But I've never seen a situation like
this before."
He
kept within doors during the whole
period of the fighting and war. When
some of his companions came to argue
with him over his decision, he simply
said, "I will never fight anyone
saying. There is no god but Allah."
Once,
one cited him the verse < And
continue fighting them until there is no
more persecution and GOD'S Religion
prevails > (2:193). He
replied," Those are the polytheists
and we fought them until there wasn't
any persecution and Allah's religion
prevailed."
In
A.H. 54 Usaamah longed to meet with
Allah. On that day the gates of Paradise
opened to receive one of the most
reverent and pious believers.
Sheikh Abdulfattah Abu-Abdullah Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas),
a West African Islamic Academic founded AWQAF Africa, of
which he's the first al Amir (i.e. President).
Sheikh Dr. Adelabu was studying Postgraduate Degrees in
Damascus early 1990's during when Syria reviewed its
national security after an �Oslo Accord'...
Syria like many other countries around the world
witnessed, during this period, the flood of refugees
from war troubled nations like Somalia, arrival of
people from Algeria during the brutal struggling between
the Mujahidun and the government, resettlement of the
Palestinians fleeing from sophisticated guns of the
Israelis as well as adventure of African migrants for
reasons uncountable�
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