CHAPTER TWO: CLOSE COMPANIONS – PART 4
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was concerned about the living conditions of his Companions:
The noble Companions endured all kinds of hardships and struggles, specifically those of them that were living in luxury before Islam. For example, Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr (a young Companion who was very rich before embracing Islam) left everything he had and left his mother and family so he could migrate to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
‘Ali ibn Abu Taalib narrated:
“I came out on a winter day from the house of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, hungry and very cold. I took a skin that was missing some hair, put my head through it and then tied the rest around me and tightened it with a palm leaf so I could
stay warm.
I was extremely hungry, and if there was any food in the house of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, I would have eaten it. I left to search for food, and I passed by a Jew in his land who was getting water from his well. I looked at him through an opening in the wall. He said to me, ‘What is the matter with you, O Bedouin? Would you like to draw water and for every bucket you will get one date?’ I said: ‘Yes, open the door so I may enter.’ He opened it, I entered and he gave me the bucket. Every time I filled it, he would give me a date. When I got a handful, I left the bucket and said: ‘That is enough for me.’ So I ate them and then drank from the water.
I then came to the mosque and found the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, there. While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the mosque, Mus’ab ibn Umayr came wearing only a cloak patched with fur. When the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw him he cried, because of his former life of luxury and how was living then. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said: “How will it be with you when one of you goes out in the morning wearing a garment, and goes out at the end of the day wearing another? When one dish is placed before him and another is lifted up [meaning there will be much food], and you cover your houses just as the Ka’bah is covered?” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we shall be better on that day, we can free our time for worship, and our needs will be taken care of.” He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Indeed, you are better today than you will be at that time.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi (2473) and (2476).)
Meaning, that the matter is not as you said: because a rich person is usually busy with his wealth and would not seclude himself and devote himself for worship. Unlike the person who only has what suffices him, because the former would be busy earning and collecting wealth, while the latter would have the time to devote to worship.
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cheered them up if he did not give them a share of wealth for some reason:
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri narrated:
“When the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave gifts to Quraysh and the tribes of the Arabs, he did not give anything to the Ansaar. They felt badly because of that, and they began to speak, until one of them said: ‘The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu
‘alayhi wa sallam, has given to his people.’ So Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah (a Companion) entered upon the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, these people (the Ansaar) felt badly regarding you for the way you distributed the booty you received. You gave great wealth to the Arab tribes, and the Ansaar did not receive anything.’
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “What do you think about that, O Sa’d?” He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am only a man from among my people, and who am I (to be asked for an opinion)?’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Gather your people in this place” so Sa’d went and brought them.
Some men from the Muhaajireen came, so the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, allowed them to enter, and then others came and he sent them away. When everyone had gathered, Sa’d came to him and said: ‘The Ansaar have gathered for you.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to them and praised Allah, and then he said: “O Ansaar, what is this speech that I have heard about you, that you are upset amongst yourselves? Did I not come to you when you were misguided, so Allah guided you? You were poor, so Allah made you wealthy, and you were enemies, so Allah brought your hearts together?” They said: ‘Rather, Allah and His Messenger have great favours upon us.’ He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Will you not answer me, O Ansaar?” They said: ‘What should we answer you with, and to Allah and His Messenger belong the bounties?’
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If you wished, you could have said: and you would have been truthful, and I would have confirmed it. You came to us denied [by your people], so we believed in you. You had no help, so we supported you. You were expelled, so we sheltered you, and poor so we made you wealthy. Have you become upset, O Ansaar, over some small things from this worldly life that I gave to bring people’s hearts closer [to the religion], while I have entrusted you to your Islam? Are you not pleased, O Ansaar, that the people will go with a sheep and a camel, and you will go back to your homes with the Messenger of Allah? By The One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, were it not for the migration I would have been one of the Ansaar. If the people went one way, and the Ansaar went another, I would have gone the way of the Ansaar. O Allah, have mercy on the Ansaar, and the children of the Ansaar, and the grandchildren of the Ansaar.”
The people then cried until their beards became wet, and they said: ‘We are happy with the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as (our) portion and lot.’ Then the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, left and we dispersed.” (Reported by Ahmad (11322).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, treated his Companions according to their specific qualities:
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was mindful of the jealousy of ‘Umar. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “While I was sleeping, I saw [in my dream] myself in Paradise, and there was a woman performing ablution by the side of a palace. I said: ‘Who does this palace belong to?’ They said: ‘It belongs to ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab.’ I wanted to enter to look in it, but I remembered your jealousy, so I turned back and went away.” ‘Umar cried and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, could I at all feel any jealousy about you?’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari ( 3242) and Muslim (2395).)
This narration shows how the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cared about the feelings of his Companions, and it is also a clear virtue of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was mindful of the shyness of ‘Uthman:
As narrated by ‘Aa’ishah:
“The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was lying down in my home and his thighs (or shins) were uncovered. Abu Bakr asked permission to enter, so he gave him permission while he was in that state, and they talked. Then ‘Umar asked permission to enter, so he gave him permission while he was in that state, and they
talked. Then ‘Uthmaan asked permission to enter, so the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sat up and fixed his garment, and then he entered and they spoke.”
When he left, I asked him, “When Abu Bakr entered, you did not mind him, and when ‘Umar entered, you did not mind him. Then when ‘Uthmaan entered, you sat up and fixed your clothing?” He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Should I not be shy from a man even the angels are shy of!” (Reported by Muslim (2401).)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave them glad tidings of their good end:
As in the narration of Anas ibn Maalik: that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, climbed Mount Uhud with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, when it shook. The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Be firm, O Uhud, because there is upon you a Prophet, a Siddeeq [truthful one, i.e. Abu Bakr], and two martyrs ]i.e. ‘Umar and ‘Uthman].” (Reported by Al-Bukhari (3675).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave the glad tidings of Paradise to a number of Companions by name:
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Abu Bakr is in Paradise, ‘Umar is in Paradise, ‘Uthmaan is in Paradise, ‘Ali is in Paradise, Talhah is in Paradise, Az-Zubayr ibn Al-’Awwaam is in Paradise, Sa’d is in Paradise, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf is in Paradise, and Sa’eed ibn Zayd is in Paradise.” (Reported by Abu Dawood (4649), At-Tirmidhi (3748) and Ibn Maajah (134) on the authority of Sa’eed ibn Zayd.)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said: “Hasan and Husayn are the leaders of the youth in Paradise.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi (3768) on the authority of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri.)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I saw Paradise, and I saw [in it] the wife of Abu Talhah, and I heard a sound in front of me, and it was Bilaal.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari (3679) and Muslim (2457) on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah.)
The Companions who were given the glad tidings of Paradise are many, however, this is not the appropriate place for them all to be listed.
Conclusion:
Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, managed to win the hearts of his close relatives and followers from around the Arabian peninsula, and to convey the message of Allah to the world successfully because of his refined manners and wise leadership. It is now the Muslims’ turn to relive the conduct of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and embrace it in their daily lives. If Muslims claim that they love their Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, they have to demonstrate this
love by following the Prophet’s footsteps and his guidance in all walks of life; at home, at work, with their families, with relatives, with friends, with neighbours regardless of their race, faith, colour or status.
If we sincerely love the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, like the Companions and follow his guidance, Allah The Almighty will love us, and we will be among those closest to him in the Hereafter.
By Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid
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