It cannot be denied that the Companions of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) contributed immensely to the development of Islam. Their sacrifices in building a successful community of faith are second to none. Their noble character, in emulating the life of the beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. serve as a paragon of virtues for the inheritors of Prophetic message.

No other generation of Muslims has received the attention that the Companions of the Prophet have. The Companions constituted what is believed to have been the best society ever to have existed in the history of Islam, such that whatever they said or did was worthy of observation and emulation by all Muslims.

Today's story is about a brave young Sahabah from a courageous family who his mother was an exceptional woman. Enjoy and I hope we benefit from it. Let us follow this awesome story from the beginning.

Habib ibn Zaid Al-Ansar (ra) grew up in a home filled with the fragrance of iman, and in a family where everyone was imbued with the spirit of sacrifice.

He is the son of Zaid Ibn Asim (ra) and his mother is the well-known lioness of Uhud Nusaibah bint Ka'ab (ra).

His father, Zaid ibn Asim (ra), was one of the first in Madinah to accept Islam and his mother, the celebrated Nusaibah bint Ka'ab (ra) known as Umm Ammarah, was the first woman to bear arms in defense of Islam and in support of the blessed Prophet.

Habib ibn Zaid, still at a tender age, was privileged to go with his mother, father, maternal aunt and brother to Makkah with the pioneering group of seventy-five who pledged fealty to Rasulullah SAW at Aqabah in Mina and played a decisive role in shaping the early history of Islam.

At Aqabah, in the darkness of the night, the young Habib ibn Zaid stretched out his small hand and pledged loyalty to Rasulullah SAW. From that day, Rasulullah SAW became dearer to Habib ibn Zaid than his own mother or father and Islam became more important to him than any care for his personal safety.

He did not participate in the battle of Badr or the battle of Uhud because he was considered too young to bear arms. Thereafter, however, he took part in all the engagements which Rasulullah SAW fought, and in all Habib ibn Zaid distinguished himself by his bravery and willingness to sacrifice. Although each of these battles had its own importance and was demanding in its own way, they served to prepare Habib ibn Zaid for what was to prove the most terrible encounter of his life, the violence of which is profoundly soul-shaking.

By the ninth year after the Hijrah, Islam had spread widely and had become the dominant force in the Arabian peninsula. Delegations of tribes from all over the land came to Makkah to meet the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, and announce before him, their acceptance of Islam.

Among these delegations was one from the highlands of Najd, from the Banu Hanilab. At the outskirts of Makkah, the members of the delegation tethered their mounts and appointed Musaylamah ibn Habib as their spokesman and representative. Musaylamah went to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and announced his people's acceptance of Islam. The Prophet welcomed them and treated them most generously. Each, including Musaylamah, was presented with a gift.

On his return to Najd the ambitious and self-seeking Musaylamah recanted and gave up his allegiance to the Prophet. He stood among the people and proclaimed that a prophet had been sent by God to the Banu Hanifah just as God had sent Muhammad ibn Abdullah to the Quraysh.

For various reasons and under a variety of pressures, the Banu Hanilab began to rally around him. Most followed him out of tribal loyalty.Indeed one member of the tribe declared:

"I testify that Muhammad is indeed truthful and that Musaylamah is indeed an imposter. But the imposter of Rabiah (the tribal confederation to which the Banu Hanilab belonged) is dearer to me that the genuine and truthful person from Mudar (the tribal confederation to which the Quraysh belonged)."

Before long, the number of Musaylamah's followers increased and he felt powerful, powerful enough to write the following letter to the Prophet, peace be upon him:

"From Musaylamah, the messenger of God to Muhammad, the messenger of God. Peace be on you. I am prepared to share this mission with you. I shall have (control over) half the land and you shall have the other half. But the Quraysh are an aggressive people."

Musaylamah despatched two of his men with the letter to the Prophet. When the letter was read to the Prophet, he asked the two men: "And what do you yourselves say about this matter?" "We affirm what the letter says," they replied. "By God," said the Prophet, "were it not for the fact that emissaries are not killed I would have smitten both your necks."

He then wrote to Musaylamah: "In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Compassionate. From Muhammad the Messenger of God, to Musaylamah the imposter.Peace be upon whoever follows the guidance. God will bequeath the earth to whosoever of His servants He wishes and the final triumph will be for those who are careful of their duty to God." He sent the letter with the two men.

Rasulullah's words were direct and crystal clear. They exposed the liar of the Bani Hanilab who thought that Prophethood was a kingdom, so he demanded his piece of the cake, namely, half the earth and its people. The messengers carried the Rasulullah's answer to Musailamah, yet it only made him more mischievous and corrupt.

He went on spreading his falsehood and slander and went on abusing the believers and instigating people against them.

Musaylamah's evil and corrupting influence continued to spread and the Prophet considered it necessary to send another letter to him inviting him to abandon his misguided ways. The Prophet chose Habib ibn Zayd Al-Ansar to take this letter to Musaylamah. Habib was by this time in the prime of his youth and a firm believer in the truth of Islam with every fibre of his being.

Habib ibn Zaid (ra) hastened enthusiastically with the glorious mission Rasulullah SAW had entrusted him with. He hoped that Musailamah heart would be guided to the right path and that he would be rewarded endlessly in the Hereafter.

He undertook his mission eagerly and proceeded as quickly as he could to the highlands of the Najd, the territory of the Banu Hanilab. He presented the letter to Musaylamah.

Musaylamah was convulsed with bitter rage. His face was terrible to behold. He ordered Habib to be put in chains and to be brought back before him the following day.

Musailamah was really no more than a flagrant liar. He indeed behaved accordingly. He lacked the least manliness, sense of honor or decency of the Arabs which might have prevented him from shedding the blood of a messenger, which was highly respected and even held sacred by all Arabs.

It was as though this noble religion Islam wanted to give humanity a new lesson of greatness and heroism. Only this time, both its subject matter and its tutor were one and the same person, Habib Ibn Zaid RA.

On the following day, Musaylamah the Liar called upon people to witness one of his so-called memorable days. The messenger of Rasulullah SAW, Habib ibn Zaid RA, was brought in. Musaylamah presided over his assembly. On his right and on his left were his senior advisers, there to further his evil cause. The common people were allowed to enter. He then ordered Habib, shackled in his chains, to be brought before him.

Habib stood in the midst of this crowded, hate-filled gathering. He remained upright, dignified and proud like a sturdy spear firmly implanted in the ground, unyielding.

Musaylamah turned to him and asked: "Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God?" "Yes," Habib replied. "I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

Musaylamah was visibly angry. "And do you testify that I am the Messenger of God?" He was almost insisting, rather than questioning. "My ears have been blocked against hearing what you claim," replied Habib.

Musaylamah's face changed color, his lips trembled in anger and he shouted to his executioner, "Cut off a piece of his body."

With sword in hand, the menacing executioner advanced towards Habib and severed one of his limbs.

Musaylamah then put the same question to him once more and Habib's answers were the same. He affirmed his belief in Muhammad as the Messenger of God and at the expense of his own life he refused to acknowledge the messengership of any other. Musaylamah thereupon ordered his henchman to cut off another part of Habib's body. This fell to the ground beside the other severed limb. The people looked on in amazement at Habib's composure and steadfastness.

Faced with Musaylamah's persistent questioning and the terrible blows of his henchman, Habib kept on repeating:

"I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." Habib could not survive this torture and these inhuman atrocities much longer and he soon passed away. On his pure lips, as his life-blood ebbed away, was the name of the blessed Prophet to whom he had pledged loyalty on the night of Aqabah, the name of Muhammad, the Messenger of God.

It was as though he wanted to celebrate his Islam until the very last moment of his life. Now, if Habib ibn Zaid, on that day, had tried to escape this horrible death by a pretense of his faith in Musailamah prophet hood, his faith would not have been questioned, doubted or blemished in any way. But he was a man who had witnessed the Second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah along with his father, mother, brother, and aunt, and ever since those decisive blessed moments he had carried upon his shoulders the responsibility that ensued his oath and faith to the fullest.

Habib ibn Zaid (ra) could not for a moment hold his life and principles as separable. Therefore he found a rare opportunity to win his life once and for all. His life was an embodiment of his faith. It embodied his stead-fastness, greatness, heroism, sacrifice, and martyrdom for the sake of Right and Truth, the splendor of which surpassed all victories.

Rasulullah SAW received the sad news of Habib ibn Zaid martyrdom with patience, for Allah's inspiration made him see the future fate of Musailamah. He could almost see his death with his own eyes. As for Nusaibah bint Ka'b, Habib ibn Zaid mother, her reaction was simply to say:

"It was for such a situation that I prepared him... He pledged allegiance to the Prophet on the night of Aqabah as a small child and today as an adult he has given his life for the Prophet. If God were to allow me to get near to Musaylamah, I would certainly make his daughters smite their cheeks and lament over him."

she then swore a solemn oath to avenge her son's death upon Musailamah and to thrust her sword and spear right into his wicked body.

It seemed that fate watched her anguish, patience, and courage on receiving this news and showed great admiration and sympathy for her calamity and decided all at once to stand by her until she fulfilled her oath.

The day that she wished for was not long in coming. After the death of the Prophet, peace be on him, Abu Bakr declared war on the imposter. the Battle of Al-Yamamah took place. This battle was the bloodiest battle so far fought by the Muslims.

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA organized an army to march to Al Yamamah where Musailamah had already organized a huge army. With the Muslim army that went out to confront the forces of Musaylamah were Habib's mother, Nusaybah, and another of her courageous sons, Abdullah ibn Zayd.

During the Battle of Yamamah the mother of Habib ibn Zayd, Nusaibah bint Ka'ab RA was seen cutting through the ranks of soldiers. When Nusaibah bint Ka'ab eventually reached Musailamah, he had already been killed by Wahshy ibn Harb and her son Habib was avenged.

In this battle, Wahshi (ra) was the one who managed to hit Musaylamah by piercing him through the stomach with a spear. He crumpled forward and Abu Dujanah (ra) finished him off. This is where Wahshi said his famous phrase: "Before Islam I killed the best of people(Hamza (ra), and after Islam I killed the worst of people."

At Habib's death, Rasulullah SAW had commended him and his entire family and had prayed:

"May Allah bless this household. May Allah have mercy on this household."

Life has its ups and downs, with some good days and plenty of gloomy days. There are times when we feel devoid of meaning and purpose. In truth, this is the best time to prove ourselves, for patience in the face of challenges is a sign of strength, a common trait of the Prophets a.s. and the pious people.