1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,669 --> 00:00:17,670 Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:17,670 --> 00:00:19,670 to present to you 4 00:00:19,670 --> 00:00:21,670 "Glimpses from the Lives of the Companions," 5 00:00:21,670 --> 00:00:23,670 by 'Abd al-Rahman 6 00:00:23,670 --> 00:00:25,739 Ra'fat al-Basha, 7 00:00:25,739 --> 00:00:30,359 may Allah have mercy on him. 8 00:00:30,359 --> 00:00:32,359 Salamah ibn Qays, 9 00:00:32,359 --> 00:00:34,520 may Allah be pleased with him. 10 00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:53,659 Al-Faruq spent his night— 11 00:00:53,659 --> 00:00:55,659 that very night—awake, 12 00:00:55,659 --> 00:00:57,659 patrolling the quarters of Medina 13 00:00:57,659 --> 00:00:59,659 so that the people might sleep peacefully, 14 00:00:59,659 --> 00:01:01,659 secure and at ease. 15 00:01:01,659 --> 00:01:03,659 During his rounds among the homes 16 00:01:03,659 --> 00:01:05,659 and markets, 17 00:01:05,659 --> 00:01:07,659 he was considering in his mind the men of glory, 18 00:01:08,659 --> 00:01:10,659 intending to entrust one of them 19 00:01:10,659 --> 00:01:12,659 with the banner over the army departing 20 00:01:12,659 --> 00:01:14,659 to conquer al-Ahwaz. 21 00:01:14,659 --> 00:01:15,659 Before long, he exclaimed, 22 00:01:15,659 --> 00:01:16,659 saying: 23 00:01:16,659 --> 00:01:17,659 "I have found him!" 24 00:01:17,659 --> 00:01:18,659 "Yes, 25 00:01:18,659 --> 00:01:20,659 I have found him, Allah willing!" 26 00:01:20,659 --> 00:01:22,659 When morning came upon him, 27 00:01:22,659 --> 00:01:24,659 he summoned Salamah ibn Qays 28 00:01:24,659 --> 00:01:25,659 al-Ashja'i 29 00:01:25,659 --> 00:01:26,659 and said to him: 30 00:01:26,659 --> 00:01:28,659 "I have appointed you commander over the army 31 00:01:28,659 --> 00:01:30,659 heading to al-Ahwaz. 32 00:01:30,659 --> 00:01:32,659 So march in the name of Allah, 33 00:01:32,659 --> 00:01:34,659 and fight in the cause of Allah 34 00:01:34,659 --> 00:01:35,659 against those who disbelieve in Allah. 35 00:01:35,659 --> 00:01:38,659 When you meet your enemy among the polytheists, 36 00:01:38,659 --> 00:01:40,659 invite them to Islam. 37 00:01:40,659 --> 00:01:41,659 If they accept Islam, 38 00:01:41,659 --> 00:01:44,659 they may choose either to remain in their lands 39 00:01:44,659 --> 00:01:47,659 without participating with you in fighting others, 40 00:01:47,659 --> 00:01:49,659 in which case they owe nothing except zakat 41 00:01:49,659 --> 00:01:52,659 and have no share in the spoils of war (*fay'*); 42 00:01:52,659 --> 00:01:55,659 or they may choose to fight alongside you, 43 00:01:55,659 --> 00:01:57,659 in which case they shall have the same rights as you 44 00:01:57,659 --> 00:02:00,659 and the same duties as you. 45 00:02:00,659 --> 00:02:02,659 If they refuse Islam, 46 00:02:02,659 --> 00:02:04,659 call upon them to pay the jizyah. 47 00:02:04,659 --> 00:02:06,659 If they agree, leave them be, 48 00:02:06,659 --> 00:02:08,659 protect them from their enemies, 49 00:02:08,659 --> 00:02:11,659 and do not burden them beyond their capacity. 50 00:02:11,659 --> 00:02:14,659 But if they refuse, then fight them, 51 00:02:14,659 --> 00:02:17,659 for Allah will grant you victory over them. 52 00:02:17,659 --> 00:02:19,719 If they take refuge in a fortress 53 00:02:19,719 --> 00:02:23,719 and then ask you to let them surrender under the judgment of Allah and His Messenger, 54 00:02:23,719 --> 00:02:25,719 do not grant them that, 55 00:02:25,719 --> 00:02:29,719 for you do not know what the judgment of Allah and His Messenger would be. 56 00:02:29,719 --> 00:02:33,719 And if they ask you to grant them the protection (*dhimmah*) of Allah and His Messenger, 57 00:02:33,719 --> 00:02:36,719 do not grant them the protection of Allah and His Messenger; 58 00:02:36,719 --> 00:02:39,719 rather, grant them your own protection. 59 00:02:39,719 --> 00:02:41,719 When you triumph in battle, 60 00:02:41,719 --> 00:02:44,719 do not be extravagant, do not act treacherously, 61 00:02:44,719 --> 00:02:47,719 do not mutilate, and do not kill a child." 62 00:02:47,719 --> 00:02:49,719 Salamah replied, 63 00:02:49,719 --> 00:02:52,719 "To hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful!" 64 00:02:52,719 --> 00:02:54,750 Then 'Umar bade him a warm farewell, 65 00:02:54,750 --> 00:02:56,750 grasped his hands firmly, 66 00:02:56,750 --> 00:02:58,750 and prayed fervently for him, 67 00:02:58,750 --> 00:03:01,780 for he fully appreciated the magnitude of the task 68 00:03:01,780 --> 00:03:05,780 he had placed upon his shoulders and those of his soldiers. 69 00:03:05,780 --> 00:03:09,780 That was because al-Ahwaz was a mountainous region with rugged paths 70 00:03:09,780 --> 00:03:11,780 and fortified strongholds, 71 00:03:11,780 --> 00:03:14,780 situated between Basra and the borders of Persia, 72 00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:18,780 inhabited by a fierce people from among the Kurds. 73 00:03:18,780 --> 00:03:22,780 The Muslims had no choice but to conquer or control it 74 00:03:22,780 --> 00:03:26,780 to protect their rear from Persian attacks on Basra, 75 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:29,780 and to prevent them from using it as a staging ground for their troops, 76 00:03:29,780 --> 00:03:33,780 which would jeopardize the safety and security of Iraq. 77 00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:38,780 Salamah ibn Qays set out at the head of his army, campaigning in the cause of Allah. 78 00:03:38,780 --> 00:03:42,780 However, no sooner had they penetrated a short distance into the land of al-Ahwaz 79 00:03:42,780 --> 00:03:46,780 than they entered into a bitter struggle with its harsh terrain. 80 00:03:46,780 --> 00:03:51,819 The army began to suffer from its crumbling mountains as they climbed, 81 00:03:51,819 --> 00:03:55,819 endure its disease-ridden swamps as they traversed the plains, 82 00:03:56,819 --> 00:04:02,819 and fight off its deadly snakes and venomous scorpions, awake or asleep. 83 00:04:02,819 --> 00:04:06,939 Yet the pure, faithful spirit of Salamah ibn Qays 84 00:04:06,939 --> 00:04:10,939 hovered with its wings over his troops, 85 00:04:10,939 --> 00:04:15,169 making hardship feel sweet and difficulties feel smooth. 86 00:04:15,169 --> 00:04:20,170 He would regularly uplift them with admonitions that stirred their souls, 87 00:04:20,170 --> 00:04:23,170 and fill their nights with the fragrance of the Qur'an, 88 00:04:23,170 --> 00:04:28,170 so that they were immersed in its light and swimming in its radiance, 89 00:04:28,170 --> 00:04:31,170 forgetting the exhaustion and toil that had touched them. 90 00:04:31,170 --> 00:04:35,170 Salamah ibn Qays obeyed the command of the Caliph of the Muslims. 91 00:04:35,170 --> 00:04:41,170 As soon as he encountered the people of al-Ahwaz, he invited them to enter the religion of Allah, 92 00:04:41,170 --> 00:04:43,170 but they turned away and recoiled. 93 00:04:43,170 --> 00:04:47,170 He then called upon them to pay the jizyah, but they refused and grew arrogant. 94 00:04:47,170 --> 00:04:51,170 Thus, nothing remained for the Muslims except to take up spearheads, 95 00:04:51,170 --> 00:04:54,170 so they mounted their steeds as fighters in the cause of Allah, 96 00:04:54,170 --> 00:04:57,170 desiring the fair reward that is with Him. 97 00:04:57,170 --> 00:05:02,199 Fierce battles broke out, burning with raging heat and scattering sparks, 98 00:05:02,199 --> 00:05:05,199 in which both sides displayed such feats of valor 99 00:05:05,199 --> 00:05:07,199 as warfare had rarely witnessed, 100 00:05:07,199 --> 00:05:09,199 except on the rarest of occasions. 101 00:05:09,199 --> 00:05:13,199 Before long, the battles culminated in a decisive victory 102 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:17,199 for the believers fighting to elevate the Word of Allah, 103 00:05:17,199 --> 00:05:21,199 and a crushing defeat for the polytheists, the enemies of Allah. 104 00:05:21,199 --> 00:05:24,199 When the war laid down its burdens, 105 00:05:24,199 --> 00:05:28,199 Salamah ibn Qays hastened to distribute the spoils of war among his soldiers. 106 00:05:28,199 --> 00:05:31,199 Among the spoils, he found a precious piece of jewelry, 107 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:34,199 and he wished to present it as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful. 108 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:36,199 He said to his soldiers, 109 00:05:36,199 --> 00:05:38,199 "If this piece of jewelry were divided among you, 110 00:05:38,199 --> 00:05:41,199 it would amount to nothing for each of you. 111 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:45,199 Would you be pleased if we send it to the Commander of the Faithful?" 112 00:05:45,199 --> 00:05:47,259 They said, "Yes." 113 00:05:47,259 --> 00:05:49,259 So he placed the jewelry in a small chest— 114 00:05:49,259 --> 00:05:51,259 that is, a small container— 115 00:05:51,259 --> 00:05:54,259 and dispatched a man from his tribe, Banu Ashja', 116 00:05:54,259 --> 00:05:55,259 saying to him: 117 00:05:55,259 --> 00:05:58,259 "Go to Medina, you and your servant, 118 00:05:58,259 --> 00:06:00,259 give the Commander of the Faithful the glad tidings of victory, 119 00:06:00,259 --> 00:06:03,420 and present him with this gift of jewelry." 120 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:06,420 The Ashja'i man's encounter with 'Umar ibn al-Khattab 121 00:06:06,420 --> 00:06:09,420 contains a story filled with lessons and admonitions. 122 00:06:09,420 --> 00:06:11,420 Let us leave the narration to him, so that he may recount 123 00:06:11,420 --> 00:06:13,420 his story himself. 124 00:06:13,420 --> 00:06:15,490 The Ashja'i man said: 125 00:06:15,490 --> 00:06:18,490 My servant and I proceeded to Basra, 126 00:06:18,490 --> 00:06:22,490 where we bought two mounts using what Salamah ibn Qays had given us, 127 00:06:22,490 --> 00:06:24,490 and loaded our surplus provisions onto them. 128 00:06:24,490 --> 00:06:27,490 Then we set our faces toward Medina. 129 00:06:27,490 --> 00:06:30,490 When we reached it, I inquired about the Commander of the Faithful, 130 00:06:30,490 --> 00:06:33,490 and found him standing, feeding the Muslims, 131 00:06:33,490 --> 00:06:37,490 leaning on his staff as a shepherd does. 132 00:06:37,490 --> 00:06:39,490 He was going around the large serving platters, 133 00:06:39,490 --> 00:06:42,490 saying to his servant, Yarfa': 134 00:06:42,490 --> 00:06:45,490 "O Yarfa', give these people more meat! 135 00:06:45,490 --> 00:06:48,490 O Yarfa', give these people more bread! 136 00:06:48,490 --> 00:06:51,490 O Yarfa', give these people more broth!" 137 00:06:51,490 --> 00:06:54,490 When I approached him, he said, "Sit down." 138 00:06:54,490 --> 00:06:56,490 So I sat among the lowest-ranking of the people, 139 00:06:56,490 --> 00:06:59,490 and food was brought to me, so I ate. 140 00:06:59,490 --> 00:07:01,490 When the people finished their meal, 141 00:07:01,490 --> 00:07:04,490 he said, "O Yarfa', clear the platters." 142 00:07:04,490 --> 00:07:07,490 Then he walked away, and I followed him. 143 00:07:07,490 --> 00:07:10,490 When he entered his home, I asked permission to enter, 144 00:07:10,490 --> 00:07:12,490 and he granted me permission. 145 00:07:12,490 --> 00:07:15,490 There he was, sitting on a piece of haircloth, 146 00:07:15,490 --> 00:07:19,490 leaning on two leather cushions stuffed with palm fiber. 147 00:07:19,490 --> 00:07:22,490 He tossed one of them to me, so I sat upon it. 148 00:07:22,490 --> 00:07:25,490 Behind him was a curtain, 149 00:07:25,490 --> 00:07:27,490 so he turned toward the curtain and said: 150 00:07:27,490 --> 00:07:30,490 "O Mother of Kalthum, bring us our lunch!" 151 00:07:30,490 --> 00:07:32,490 I said to myself: 152 00:07:32,490 --> 00:07:35,490 "What could the lunch of the Commander of the Faithful possibly be, 153 00:07:35,490 --> 00:07:37,709 which he has reserved for himself?" 154 00:07:37,709 --> 00:07:39,709 She handed him a loaf of bread with oil, 155 00:07:39,709 --> 00:07:41,709 sprinkled with coarse, unground salt. 156 00:07:41,709 --> 00:07:43,899 He turned to me and said: 157 00:07:43,899 --> 00:07:45,899 "Eat." 158 00:07:45,899 --> 00:07:47,899 I obeyed and ate a little, 159 00:07:47,899 --> 00:07:49,899 while he ate. 160 00:07:49,899 --> 00:07:52,899 I have never seen anyone eat with better manners than him. 161 00:07:52,899 --> 00:07:54,899 Then he said, "Give us something to drink." 162 00:07:54,899 --> 00:07:58,899 They brought him a cup containing a drink made of barley gruel (*sawiq*). 163 00:07:58,899 --> 00:08:01,899 He said, "Give the man first." 164 00:08:01,899 --> 00:08:03,899 So they gave it to me, 165 00:08:03,899 --> 00:08:06,899 and I took the cup and drank a little from it, 166 00:08:06,899 --> 00:08:09,939 for my own barley meal back home was tastier and of better quality. 167 00:08:09,939 --> 00:08:12,939 Then he took it and drank from it until his thirst was quenched. 168 00:08:12,939 --> 00:08:14,939 Then he said: 169 00:08:14,939 --> 00:08:17,939 "Praise be to Allah, who has fed us and satisfied us, 170 00:08:17,939 --> 00:08:19,939 and given us drink and quenched our thirst." 171 00:08:19,939 --> 00:08:23,000 At that point, I turned to him and said: 172 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,000 "I have come to you with a message, O Commander of the Faithful." 173 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,000 He asked, "From where?" 174 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,000 I replied, "From Salamah ibn Qays." 175 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,000 He said: 176 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,000 "Welcome to Salamah ibn Qays, and welcome to his messenger! 177 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,000 Tell me about the Muslim army." 178 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,000 I said, "It is as you would wish, O Commander of the Faithful: 179 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,000 safety and victory over their enemy and the enemy of Allah." 180 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,000 I gave him the glad tidings of victory 181 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,000 and informed him of the army's news in full detail. 182 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,000 He said, "Praise be to Allah, 183 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,000 Who bestows favor out of grace and confers blessings abundantly." 184 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Then he asked, "Did you pass through Basra?" 185 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,000 I replied, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful." 186 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,000 He asked, "How are the Muslims doing?" 187 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,000 I said, "In good condition, by the grace of Allah." 188 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,100 He asked, "How are the prices?" 189 00:09:14,100 --> 00:09:17,100 I said, "Their prices are the cheapest of prices." 190 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:20,159 He asked, "And how is the meat? 191 00:09:20,159 --> 00:09:23,159 For meat is the staple of the Arabs, 192 00:09:23,159 --> 00:09:26,159 and the Arabs do not thrive without their staple." 193 00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:29,159 I said, "Meat is plentiful and abundant." 194 00:09:29,159 --> 00:09:32,190 Then he turned to the chest I had with me and asked: 195 00:09:32,190 --> 00:09:34,190 "What is this in your hand?" 196 00:09:34,190 --> 00:09:38,190 I said, "When Allah granted us victory over our enemy, 197 00:09:38,190 --> 00:09:40,190 we gathered the spoils of war. 198 00:09:40,190 --> 00:09:42,190 Salamah saw this piece of jewelry among them, 199 00:09:42,190 --> 00:09:44,190 He said to the army, 200 00:09:44,190 --> 00:09:48,190 "If this were to be distributed among you, it would amount to almost nothing for each of you. 201 00:09:48,190 --> 00:09:52,190 Would you be willing to let me send it to the Commander of the Faithful?" 202 00:09:52,190 --> 00:09:54,190 They replied, "Yes." 203 00:09:54,190 --> 00:09:56,259 "I then handed the casket over to him. 204 00:09:56,259 --> 00:09:58,350 When he opened it 205 00:09:58,350 --> 00:10:03,350 and saw the gems inside—red, yellow, and green— 206 00:10:03,350 --> 00:10:05,350 he leapt up from his seat, 207 00:10:05,350 --> 00:10:07,350 placed his hand on his hip, 208 00:10:07,350 --> 00:10:09,350 and threw the casket onto the ground, 209 00:10:09,350 --> 00:10:13,350 scattering its contents to the right and to the left. 210 00:10:13,350 --> 00:10:16,350 The women thought I intended to assassinate him, 211 00:10:16,350 --> 00:10:18,350 so they rushed toward the curtain. 212 00:10:18,350 --> 00:10:21,350 Then he turned to me and said, 'Gather it up!' 213 00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:23,419 And he said to his servant, Yarfa', 214 00:10:23,419 --> 00:10:25,419 'Beat him, and make it painful!' 215 00:10:25,419 --> 00:10:27,419 So I began gathering what had scattered from the casket 216 00:10:27,419 --> 00:10:29,419 while Yarfa' was beating me. 217 00:10:29,419 --> 00:10:31,639 Then he said, 218 00:10:31,639 --> 00:10:34,639 'Leave, unpraised—neither you nor your companion!' 219 00:10:34,639 --> 00:10:36,700 I said, 220 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:39,700 'Then grant me a mount to carry me and my servant back to Ahvaz, 221 00:10:39,700 --> 00:10:42,700 for your servant has taken my riding camel.' 222 00:10:42,700 --> 00:10:44,700 He said, 223 00:10:44,700 --> 00:10:46,700 'O Yarfa', 224 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:49,700 give him two riding camels from the zakat camels, for him and his servant.' 225 00:10:49,700 --> 00:10:51,700 Then he said to me, 226 00:10:51,700 --> 00:10:53,700 'When you have fulfilled your need with them 227 00:10:53,700 --> 00:10:56,700 and find someone in greater need of them than you, 228 00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:58,700 hand them over to him.' 229 00:10:58,700 --> 00:10:59,700 I said, 230 00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:01,700 'I shall do so, O Commander of the Faithful. 231 00:11:01,700 --> 00:11:02,700 Yes, 232 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:04,769 I shall do so, Allah willing.' 233 00:11:04,769 --> 00:11:06,769 Then he turned to me and said, 234 00:11:06,769 --> 00:11:11,769 'By Allah, if the army disperses before these jewels are distributed among them, 235 00:11:11,769 --> 00:11:14,769 I will surely inflict a crushing calamity upon you and your companion!' 236 00:11:14,769 --> 00:11:17,929 So I departed immediately until I reached Salamah, 237 00:11:17,929 --> 00:11:18,929 and I said, 238 00:11:18,929 --> 00:11:21,929 'May Allah not bless what you singled me out with! 239 00:11:21,929 --> 00:11:23,929 Distribute these jewels among the army 240 00:11:23,929 --> 00:11:26,929 before a disaster befalls me and you!' 241 00:11:26,929 --> 00:11:28,929 I informed him of what had happened, 242 00:11:28,929 --> 00:11:33,019 and he did not leave his seat until he had distributed them among the men."