EXTREMELY HEART TOUCHING....

As Muslims we seem to be familiar with our Prophet's (saw) journey from Mecca to Medina. We know of Ali bin Abi Talib's selflessness in taking the place of our Prophet at night as the Quraysh were waiting to ambush him. Similarly, we may have heard of the story of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq being bitten by a snake as the two of them were hiding in the cave of Tur – where he did not want to move for fear of waking the Prophet (saw). However, there is one other companion who played an equally vital role in the Prophet's (saw) hijrah from Mecca to Medina. His name was Mus'ab ibn 'Umair (May Allah be pleased with him).

Musab ibn Umair RA was among the Companions of Prophet Muhammad SAW. He was the flower of the Quraish, the most handsome and youthful. Historians and narrators describe him as 'The most charming of the Makkans'.

Also known as "Mus'ab the Good" among Muslims. The drastic changes that Mus'ab (ra) made in his life after accepting Islam gained legendary fame even during his own lifetime, and he was always portrayed as a role model among Muslims for his indifference towards worldly riches. A wealthy and prosperous young man living in luxury and enjoying the best of everything material life could offer, Mus'ab turned his back on all that to attain eternal peace and salvation.

He was born and brought up in wealth, and he grew up with its luxuries. Perhaps there was no boy in Makkah who was pampered by his parents like Mus'ab lbn Umair. He was one of those made by Islam and fostered by the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

His story is a pride of all mankind. The youth heard one day what the people of Makkah had begun to hear about Muhammad the Truthful, that Allah had sent him as bearer of glad tidings and a warner to call them to the worship of Allah the One God. When Makkah slept and awoke there was no other talk but the Prophet Muhammad SAW and his religion, and this boy was one of the most attentive listeners.

That was because, although he was young, the flower of clubs and assemblies, the outward appearance of wisdom and common sense were among the traits of Mus'ab.

He heard that the Prophet SAW and those who believed in him were meeting far away from the dignitaries and great men of the Quraish at As-Safaa in the house of Al-Arqam lbn Al-Arqam daar Al- Arqam. He wasted no time. He went one night to the Daar Al Arqam, yearning and anxious. There, the Prophet SAW was meeting his Companions, reciting the Qur'an to them and praying with them to Allah the Most Exalted. Mus'ab had hardly taken his seat and contemplated the verses of Qur'an recited by the Prophet SAW when his heart became the promised heart that night.

The Prophet welcomed him, and with his noble hand tenderly touched Musab's heart as it throbbed with excitement. A deep feeling of tranquility came over him.

Musab was totally overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard. The words of the Quran had made a deep and immediate impression on him.

In this first meeting with the Prophet, the young and decisive Musab declared his acceptance of Islam. It was a historic moment. The keen mind of Musab, his tenacious will and determination, his eloquence and his beautiful character were now in the service of Islam and would help change the course of men's destinies and of history.

On accepting Islam Musab had one major concern-his mother. Her name was Khunnas bint Malik. She was a woman of extraordinary power. She had a dominant personality and could easily arouse fear and terror. When Musab became a Muslim, the only power on earth he might have feared was his mother. All the powerful nobles of Makkah and their attachment to pagan customs and traditions were of little consequence to him. Having his mother as an opponent, however, could not be taken lightly,so he thought quickly and decided to keep his Islam secret until Allah willed.

He continued to frequent Daar Al-Arqam and take lessons from the Prophet SAW. He was satisfied with his faith and avoided the anger of his mother, who had no knowledge of his embracing Islam.

However, Makkah at that time kept no secret, for the eyes and ears of the Quraish were everywhere, very alert and checking every footprint in its hot sands. Once, Uthman Ibn Talhah RA saw him steadily entering Arqam's house, then he saw him a second time praying the prayer like Muhammad. No sooner had he seen him than he ran quickly with the news to Mus'ab's mother, who was astonished by it.

Mus'ab stood before his mother, the people, and the nobles of Makkah who assembled around him, telling them the irrefutable truth and reciting the Qur'an with which the Prophet SAW cleansed their hearts and filled them with honour, wisdom, justice, and piety. His mother aimed a heavy blow at him, but the hand which was meant as an arrow soon succumbed to the powerful light which increased the radiance of his face with innocent glory because it demanded respect with its quiet confidence.

However, his mother, under the pressure of her motherliness, spared him the beating and the pain, although it was within her power to avenge her gods whom he had abandoned. Instead she took him to a rough corner of her house and shut him in it. She put shackles on him and imprisoned him there until he heard the news of the emigration (hijab) of some of the believers to Abyssinia. He thought to himself and was able to delude his mother and his guards, and so escaped to Abyssinia.

Then with utmost haste he joined the other refugees and before long they sailed together across the Red Sea to Africa.

There he stayed in Abyssinia with his fellow emigrants and then returned with them to Makkah. He also emigrated to Abyssinia for the second time with the Companions whom the Prophet SAW advised to emigrate and they obeyed. But whether Mus'ab was in Abyssinia or Makkah, the experience of his faith proclaimed itself in all places and at all times.

When Musab returned to Makkah again, his mother made a last attempt to gain control of him and threatened to have him tied up again and confined. Musab swore that if she were to do that, he would kill everyone who helped her. She knew very well that he would carry out this threat for she saw the iron determination he now had.

Separation was inevitable. When the moment came, it was sad for both mother and son but it revealed a strong Persistence in kufr on the part of the mother and an even greater persistence in iman on the part of the son. As she threw him out of her house and cut him off from all the material comforts she used to lavish on him.

For a young man with a heart as tender as Mus'ab, you can imagine how much of a crushing disappointment that must have been for him. For one's mother to disown her child is one thing, but the pain of Mus'ab knowing that his mother will never embrace Islam is quite another.

Musab thus left her home and the luxury and comforts he used to enjoy. The elegant, well-dressed youth would henceforth be seen only in the coursest of attire. He now had more important concerns. He was determined to use his talents and energies in acquiring knowledge and in serving God and His Prophet.

Mus'ab became confident that his life had become good enough to be offered as a sacrifice to the Supreme Originator and great Creator.

One day, several years later, Musab came upon a gathering of Muslims sitting around the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace. They bowed their heads and lowered their gaze when they saw Musab, and some were even moved to tears because they saw him wearing worn out garments.They were immediately taken back to the days before his acceptance of Islam, when his clothes had been like garden flowers, elegant and fragrant.

The Prophet SAW saw him with the eyes of wisdom, thankful and loving, and his lips smiled gracefully as he said, 'I saw Mus'ab here, and there was no youth in Makkah more petted by his parents than he. Then he abandoned all that for the love of Allah and His Prophet!'The Prophet then went on to say:

"There will come a time when God will grant you victory over Persia and Byzantium. You would have one dress in the morning and another in the evening and you would eat out of one dish in the morning and another in the evening."

In other words, the Prophet predicted that the Muslims would become rich and powerful and that they would have material goods in plenty. The companions sitting around asked the Prophet:

"O Messenger of Allah, are we in a better situation in these times or would we be better off then?" He replied:

"You are rather better off now than you would be then. If you knew of the world what I know you would certainly not be so much concerned with it."

So Mus'ab left the great luxury in which he had been living. He became satisfied with a hard life he had never seen before, wearing the roughest clothes, eating one day and going hungry another. This spirit, which was grounded in the strongest faith, adorned with the light of Allah, made him another man, one who appeals to the eyes of other great souls.

While he was in this state, the Prophet SAW commissioned him with the greatest mission of his life, which was to be his envoy to Al-Medina. His mission was to instruct the Ansar who believed in the Prophet SAW and had pledged their allegiance to him at 'Aqabah, to call others to Islam, and to prepare Al-Medina for the day of the great Hijrah.

There were among the Companions of the Prophet SAW at that time others who were older than Mus'ab and more prominent and nearer to the Prophet SAW by family relations. But the Prophet SAW chose Mus'ab the Good, knowing that he was entrusting to him the most important task of that time, putting into his hands the destiny of Islam at Al- Medina.

The radiant city of Al-Medina was destined to be the home of Hijrah, the springboard of Islamic preachers and the liberators of the future. Mus'ab was equal to the task and trust which Allah had given him and he was equipped with an excellent mind and noble character. He won the hearts of the Medinites with his piety, uprightness and sincerity. And so they embraced the religion of Allah in flocks. At the time the Prophet SAW sent him there, only twelve Muslims had pledged allegiance to the Prophet SAW at the Pledge of 'Aqabah.

He had hardly completed a few months when they answered to the call of Allah and the Prophet SAW. During the next pilgrimage season, the Medinite Muslims sent a delegation of 70 believing men and women to Makkah to meet the Prophet SAW.

They came with their teacher and their Prophet's envoy, Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair. Mus'ab had proven, by his good sense and excellence, that the Prophet SAW knew well how to choose his envoys and teachers.

Mus'ab had understood his mission well. He knew that he was a caller to Allah and preacher of His religion, which calls people to right guidance and the straight path. Like the Prophet SAW in whom he believed, he was no more than a deliverer of the message. There he stood fast, with As'ad Ibn Zoraarah as host, and both of them used to visit the tribes, dwellings, and assemblies, reciting to the people what he had of the Book of Allah, instilling in them that Allah is no more than One God.

The first envoy of the Prophet SAW succeeded without comparison. It was a success which he deserved and to which he was equal.

The days and years passed by. The Prophet SAW and his Companions emigrated to Al-Medina, and the Quraish were raging with envy and their ungodly pursuit after the pious worshippers. So the Battle of Badr took place, in which they were taught a lesson and lost their strong hold. After that they prepared themselves for revenge, and thus came the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims mobilised themselves, and the Prophet SAW stood in their midst to sort out among their faithful faces and to choose one to bear the standard. He then called for Mus'ab the Good, and he advanced and carried the standard.

The terrible battle was raging, the fighting furious. The archers disregarded the orders of the Prophet SAW by leaving their positions on the mountain when they saw the polytheists withdrawing as if defeated. But this act of theirs soon turned the victory of the Muslims to defeat. The Muslims were taken at unawares by the cavalry of the Quraish at the mountain top, and many Muslims were killed by the swords of the polytheists as a consequence.

When they saw the confusion and horror splitting the ranks of the Muslims, the polytheists concentrated on the Prophet of Allah to finish him off. Mus'ab saw the impending threat, so he raised the standard high, shouting, 'Allahu Akbar! Allah is the Greatest!' like the roar of a lion. He turned and jumped left and right, fighting and killing the foe. All he wanted was to draw the attention of the enemy to himself in order to turn their attention away from the Prophet SAW. He thus became as a whole army in himself.

Mus'ab went alone to fight as if he were an army of giants raising the standard in sanctity with one hand, striking with his sword with the other. But the enemies were multiplying on him. They wanted to step on his corpse so that they could find the Prophet SAW.

Let us allow a living witness to describe for us the last scene of Mus'ab the Great.

Ibn Sa'd said: Ibrahim lbn Muhammad lbn Sharhabil Al-'Abdriy related from his father, who said:

Mus'ab lbn 'Umair carried the standard on the Day of Uhud. When the Muslims were scattered, he stood fast until he met lbn Qumah who was a knight. He struck him on his right hand and cut it off, but Mus'ab said, 'and Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him ' (Qur'an 3:144). He carried the standard with his left hand and leaned on it. He struck his left hand and cut it off, and so he leaned on the standard and held it with his upper arms to his chest, all the while saying, 'And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him'. Then a third one struck him with his spear, and the spear went through him. Mus'ab fell and then the standard.

After the bitter battle, they found the corpse of the upright martyr lying with his face in the dust, as if he feared to look while harm fell on the Prophet SAW. So he hid his face so that he would avoid the scene. Or perhaps, he was shy when he fell as a martyr, before making sure of the safety of the Prophet of Allah, and before serving to the very end, guarding and protecting him.

Allah is with you, O Mus'ab! What a great life story!

Rasulullah SAW and his Companions came to inspect the scene of the battle and bid farewell to the martyrs. Pausing at Mus'ab's body, many tears dripped from Rasulullah's eyes.

Khabbab ibn Al-Arat RA narrated: We emigrated with the Rasul of Allah's for cause, so our reward became due with Allah SWT. Some of us passed away without enjoying anything in this life of his reward, and of them was Mus'ab ibn 'Umair RA, who was martyred on the Day of Uhud. He did not leave behind anything except a sheet of shredded woolen cloth. If we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered, and if we covered his head,his feet was uncovered. Rasulullah SAW said to us,

"Cover his head with it and put idhkhir (a kind of aromatic shrub) over his feet".

(Bukhari, Janaiz 27; Ibn Sa'd ibid, III, 121).

To make all kinds of sacrifices in the way of God, His Messenger and Islam, to face all kinds of difficulties and to be a martyr in the end, to be deprived of a shroud to be covered and to be covered by plants! A scene full of lessons to be drawn and full of honor!

It was narrated on the authority of 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf, may Allah be pleased with him, that a meal was once brought to him as he was finishing a fast; he responded, "Mus'ab bin 'Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred, and he was better than I, and there was nothing to shroud him in but a Burdah [a sheet]. Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with him, or another person, was martyred and he was better than I, and there was nothing to shroud him in but a Burdah. Then, worldly wealth was bestowed upon us and we were given a great deal of it. We are afraid that the reward of our deeds has been given to us in advance in this life." 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf, may Allah be pleased with him, then started weeping so much that he left the food. [Al-Bukhari]

These were the people with whom Allah Almighty was pleased and who were pleased with Him. In times of prosperity they remembered their brothers, and kept in mind their previous state. Allah Almighty has given them all glad tidings of paradise. May Allah continue to elevate their rank.

Despite the deep, sad pain which the Prophet SAW suffered over the loss of his uncle Hamzah and the mutilation of his corpse by the polytheists in a manner that drew tears from the Prophet SAW and broke his heart; despite the fact that the field of battle was littered with the corpses of his Companions, all of whom represented the peak of truth, piety and enlightenment; despite all this, he stood at the corpse of his first envoy, bidding him farewell and weeping bitterly. The Prophet SAW stood at the remains of Mus'ab lbn Umair saying, while his eyes were flowing with tears, love and loyalty,

'Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah ' (Qur'an 33:23).

He remembered Musab as he first saw him in Makkah, stylish and elegant, and

Then he gave a sad look at the short garment which was now the only garment he possessed and said, "I saw you at Makkah, and there was not a more precious jewel, nor more distinguished one than you ,and here you are bare-headed in a garment!"

Then Rasulullah SAW looked at all the martyrs in the battlefield and said,

"The Rasul of Allah witnesses that you are martyrs to Allah SWT on the Day of Resurrection."

Then he gathered his living Companions around him and said,

"O people, visit them, come to them, and salute them. By Allah, no Muslim will salute them but that they will salute him in return."

Peace be on You, O

Peace be on you, O .

Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you!...

Hamnah bint Jahsh, who was the wife of Mus'ab, met the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] on the way back, and he announced the death of her brother — 'Abdullah bin Jahsh — to her. She said: "To Allah we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask Allah's forgiveness." Then he announced the death of her maternal uncle Hamzah bin 'Abdul Muttalib. She said: "To Allah we belong and to Him we will verily return. I ask Allah's forgiveness." But when he announced the death of her husband Mus'ab bin 'Umair to her, she shouted and woed. Seeing her doing so, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] said: "The woman's husband is extremely dear to her."

This story shows us what a great sacrifice Mus'ab had made when he became Muslim. He left the entire materialistic world that he had, everything he could possibly want in this dunya was at his very feet yet he rejected it all for Islam, all for the sake of Allah.

Now is the time to question ourselves, how many times have we put the dunya before Allah?