1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,609 --> 00:00:17,609 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:17,609 --> 00:00:21,609 to present to you vignettes from the lives of the Companions, 4 00:00:21,609 --> 00:00:25,640 authored by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,140 may Allah have mercy upon him. 6 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:34,140 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with him. 7 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:53,390 'Amr ibn Tha'labah committed a manslaughter among his people, 8 00:00:53,390 --> 00:00:58,390 leaving him with no choice but to leave the homelands of his tribe, Bahra', 9 00:00:58,390 --> 00:01:00,390 or else expose himself to blood vengeance. 10 00:01:00,390 --> 00:01:03,490 He preferred the former over the latter 11 00:01:03,490 --> 00:01:05,489 and fled to Hadhramaut. 12 00:01:05,489 --> 00:01:08,489 There he established a home for himself, 13 00:01:08,489 --> 00:01:11,810 and it was not long before he married a local woman of Hadhramaut, 14 00:01:11,810 --> 00:01:15,810 who bore him a boy whom he named Al-Miqdad. 15 00:01:15,810 --> 00:01:20,870 Al-Miqdad inherited most of his physical and character traits from his father: 16 00:01:20,870 --> 00:01:22,870 he was exceptionally tall, 17 00:01:22,870 --> 00:01:24,870 dark-complexioned—so dark 18 00:01:24,870 --> 00:01:28,870 that he could rightfully be described as black— 19 00:01:28,870 --> 00:01:32,870 and broadly built, inspiring awe and grandeur in the eyes of any who beheld him. 20 00:01:32,870 --> 00:01:37,870 In addition, he was fiercely resolute and strong-willed, 21 00:01:37,870 --> 00:01:40,870 full of zeal, magnanimity, and sharp fervor. 22 00:01:40,870 --> 00:01:43,060 One day, 23 00:01:43,060 --> 00:01:48,060 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr got into a dispute with one of the noble chieftains of Hadhramaut, 24 00:01:48,060 --> 00:01:50,060 Abu Shamir ibn Hajar. 25 00:01:50,060 --> 00:01:54,129 A harsh word slipped from the Hadhrami elder, 26 00:01:54,129 --> 00:01:58,159 which wounded the youth's pride and stirred his rage. 27 00:01:58,159 --> 00:02:02,159 He drew his sword and brought it down upon the Hadhrami elder, 28 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:04,510 severing his leg. 29 00:02:04,510 --> 00:02:09,509 Thereupon, Al-Miqdad realized he had to depart from Hadhramaut, 30 00:02:09,509 --> 00:02:13,509 just as his father had departed before him from the dwellings of his tribe, Bahra'. 31 00:02:13,509 --> 00:02:16,539 So he set his face toward Mecca. 32 00:02:16,539 --> 00:02:20,539 From the moment his feet stepped into Mecca, Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr realized 33 00:02:20,539 --> 00:02:26,539 that no one could live in this Qurayshite society in safety and tranquility 34 00:02:26,539 --> 00:02:31,539 unless he had a tribe to protect him or a tribal alliance to defend him. 35 00:02:31,539 --> 00:02:37,580 As for strangers like himself, they had no choice but to choose between two options: 36 00:02:37,580 --> 00:02:41,610 either ally themselves with one of the noble chieftains, 37 00:02:41,610 --> 00:02:44,610 thereby living under his care and finding safety in his protection, 38 00:02:44,610 --> 00:02:48,610 or expose themselves to humiliation and disgrace. 39 00:02:48,610 --> 00:02:51,830 Thus, he allied himself with one of the chieftains of Quraysh, 40 00:02:51,830 --> 00:02:54,830 Al-Aswad ibn 'Abd Yaghuth al-Zuhri. 41 00:02:54,830 --> 00:02:56,830 But Al-Aswad ibn 'Abd Yaghuth 42 00:02:56,830 --> 00:03:02,830 soon saw in the Hadhrami youth such marks of manhood, noble character, 43 00:03:02,830 --> 00:03:04,830 and traits of courage and chivalry 44 00:03:04,830 --> 00:03:07,830 that his heart was filled with love for him. 45 00:03:07,830 --> 00:03:12,860 He took him by the hand and went with him to the gatherings of Quraysh near the Ka'bah. 46 00:03:12,860 --> 00:03:17,930 Standing before them, he announced his adoption of him, saying, 47 00:03:17,930 --> 00:03:19,930 "Bear witness, O assembly of Quraysh, 48 00:03:19,930 --> 00:03:22,930 that this is my son: I shall inherit from him, and he shall inherit from me." 49 00:03:22,930 --> 00:03:28,930 From that day forward, people called him Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad. 50 00:03:28,930 --> 00:03:33,020 Although Islam later abolished adoption, 51 00:03:33,020 --> 00:03:37,020 most people continued to call him by that name, 52 00:03:37,020 --> 00:03:40,020 owing to how frequently it rolled off their tongues 53 00:03:40,020 --> 00:03:43,020 and how widely they had used it among themselves. 54 00:03:43,020 --> 00:03:49,280 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr—or Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, as they used to call him—was not 55 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,280 comfortable in that pre-Islamic society, 56 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,280 in which blood was shed unjustly and aggressively, 57 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,280 sacred rights were violated through transgression and wrongdoing, 58 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,280 the strong oppressed the weak, 59 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,280 and blind fanatical allegiances prevailed. 60 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:10,439 For despite having been adopted by one of the nobles of Quraysh, 61 00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:13,439 he remained, in the eyes of the people, an outcast stranger 62 00:04:13,439 --> 00:04:16,439 who could not marry into any of their families, 63 00:04:16,439 --> 00:04:21,439 because in their custom he was not an equal match for any of their daughters, 64 00:04:21,439 --> 00:04:24,439 no matter how modest her standing. 65 00:04:24,439 --> 00:04:28,470 Al-Miqdad used to hear what was being said by the fortune-tellers 66 00:04:28,470 --> 00:04:30,470 and narrated by the Jewish rabbis: 67 00:04:30,470 --> 00:04:33,470 that a prophet whose time was at hand 68 00:04:33,470 --> 00:04:36,470 would fill the world with righteousness, goodness, and justice. 69 00:04:36,470 --> 00:04:40,470 So he would say to himself, "Perhaps it will be soon." 70 00:04:40,470 --> 00:04:43,600 Only a short time passed after that 71 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,600 before Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 72 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,600 with the religion of guidance and truth. 73 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,600 No sooner did Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr hear of him 74 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,600 than he hastened to him, placed his hand in his hands, 75 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,600 and bore witness that there is no god but Allah, 76 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,600 and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. 77 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,629 He then proceeded to the gatherings of Quraysh near the Ka'bah 78 00:05:05,629 --> 00:05:09,629 and announced his Islam openly before the assembly of the people. 79 00:05:09,629 --> 00:05:12,629 Thus, he became the seventh person to declare his acceptance of Islam 80 00:05:12,629 --> 00:05:14,980 on the face of the earth. 81 00:05:14,980 --> 00:05:17,980 When Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr set out 82 00:05:17,980 --> 00:05:20,980 for the gatherings of Quraysh to declare his entry 83 00:05:20,980 --> 00:05:22,980 into the religion of Allah openly and publicly, 84 00:05:22,980 --> 00:05:25,980 he was not ignorant of how Quraysh would react, 85 00:05:25,980 --> 00:05:28,980 nor was he unaware of the harm and severe punishment 86 00:05:28,980 --> 00:05:30,980 they would inflict upon him. 87 00:05:30,980 --> 00:05:33,980 But he also knew 88 00:05:33,980 --> 00:05:35,980 that a message like the message of Islam 89 00:05:35,980 --> 00:05:37,980 inevitably required sacrifices, 90 00:05:37,980 --> 00:05:41,980 and he was determined to be one of its witnesses and martyrs. 91 00:05:41,980 --> 00:05:45,180 Quraysh poured out upon Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr 92 00:05:45,180 --> 00:05:49,180 such brutal force and torment as would shake mountains, 93 00:05:49,180 --> 00:05:52,180 yet he did not waver nor falter. 94 00:05:52,180 --> 00:05:54,180 The torture served only to increase 95 00:05:54,180 --> 00:05:56,180 his steadfastness in his religion 96 00:05:56,180 --> 00:05:59,180 and the firmness of his faith and conviction. 97 00:05:59,180 --> 00:06:03,240 When the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, permitted 98 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,240 his Companions to migrate to Medina, 99 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,240 Quraysh refused to allow Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr 100 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,240 to leave their great prison, 101 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,240 for their hatred toward him 102 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,240 matched his defiance of them. 103 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,240 For this reason, he was among the last of the Muslims to make the migration, 104 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,240 and he was unable to break free from Quraysh 105 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,240 except through a clever stratagem. 106 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,240 When he arrived in Medina, 107 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,240 the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, rejoiced 108 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:30,240 at his arrival, 109 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,240 for he loved him with immense love 110 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:34,240 and used to say: 111 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,240 "Indeed, Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, has commanded me to love four people, 112 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,240 and He informed me that He loves them: 113 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,240 'Ali, Al-Miqdad, 114 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,560 Abu Dharr, and Salman." 115 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,560 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, divided 116 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,560 the Emigrants among his Companions into groups of ten, 117 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,560 placing every ten in a house. 118 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,560 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr was among the ten 119 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:01,560 who were blessed to reside in the household of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 120 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,560 blessed to experience his noble character, 121 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,720 and recipient of much of his benevolence and compassion. 122 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,720 Al-Miqdad narrated, saying: 123 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:15,720 "I was among the ten whom the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, chose 124 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,720 to be with him in his home. 125 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:23,720 The family of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had three female goats 126 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,720 which we would milk, distributing their milk among ourselves. 127 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:32,750 We used to set aside for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, his share. 128 00:07:32,750 --> 00:07:36,750 One night, I came along with two companions of mine, 129 00:07:36,750 --> 00:07:42,750 hunger having so exhausted us that we were on the verge of not being able to see or hear. 130 00:07:42,750 --> 00:07:46,750 As for my two companions, they drank their shares and went to sleep. 131 00:07:46,750 --> 00:07:50,750 As for me, what I drank was not enough for me, 132 00:07:50,750 --> 00:07:55,750 and I remained empty-stomached, unable to sleep due to severe hunger. 133 00:07:55,750 --> 00:08:04,750 Satan whispered to me, 'What harm would it do if you drank this draught that was saved for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him? 134 00:08:04,750 --> 00:08:08,750 For the Prophet, peace be upon him, receives visits from the Ansar, 135 00:08:08,750 --> 00:08:12,750 who present him with similar gifts whenever he wishes.' 136 00:08:12,750 --> 00:08:16,819 He kept enticing me with it until I drank it. 137 00:08:16,819 --> 00:08:22,819 When I drank it, Satan came to make me regret what I had done, saying, 138 00:08:22,819 --> 00:08:24,819 'What have you done to yourself? 139 00:08:24,819 --> 00:08:27,819 Now Muhammad will come and find no drink, 140 00:08:27,819 --> 00:08:30,879 so he will pray against you, and you will perish!' 141 00:08:30,879 --> 00:08:32,879 It was a cold night, 142 00:08:32,879 --> 00:08:38,879 and I had on a small cloak: if I placed it over my head, my feet remained exposed, 143 00:08:38,879 --> 00:08:42,879 and if I covered my feet with it, my head was uncovered. 144 00:08:42,879 --> 00:08:46,879 Whenever the Messenger, peace be upon him, arrived at night, 145 00:08:46,879 --> 00:08:49,879 he would offer a greeting in a tone audible to one who was awake, 146 00:08:49,879 --> 00:08:51,879 yet without waking one who was asleep. 147 00:08:51,879 --> 00:08:55,909 It was not long before he arrived and gave the greeting, 148 00:08:55,909 --> 00:08:58,909 then prayed as much as Allah willed for him to pray, 149 00:08:58,909 --> 00:09:01,909 while I watched him from beneath the cloak. 150 00:09:01,909 --> 00:09:04,909 Then he checked his drink and found nothing, 151 00:09:04,909 --> 00:09:06,909 so he raised his hands. 152 00:09:06,909 --> 00:09:09,909 I said to myself, 'Now he will invoke against me, and I shall perish!' 153 00:09:09,909 --> 00:09:11,909 But he said: 154 00:09:11,909 --> 00:09:13,909 'O Allah, feed him who feeds me, 155 00:09:13,909 --> 00:09:15,909 and give drink to him who gives me drink!' 156 00:09:15,909 --> 00:09:17,909 So I said to myself: 157 00:09:17,909 --> 00:09:20,909 'I shall feed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 158 00:09:20,909 --> 00:09:22,909 and gain the blessing of his supplication!' 159 00:09:22,909 --> 00:09:25,909 So I slipped away from my place, took my knife, 160 00:09:25,909 --> 00:09:29,909 and said, 'I will slaughter one of the goats for him, 161 00:09:29,909 --> 00:09:32,909 and let happen whatever may happen after that.' 162 00:09:32,909 --> 00:09:34,909 Then I went to the goats 163 00:09:34,909 --> 00:09:38,909 and began feeling them to see which of them was the fattest, 164 00:09:38,909 --> 00:09:41,909 only to find that their udders were overflowing with milk, 165 00:09:41,909 --> 00:09:44,909 even though they had been milked just a short while before. 166 00:09:44,909 --> 00:09:47,909 So I took a vessel and milked one of them 167 00:09:47,909 --> 00:09:49,909 until it was full and topped with froth. 168 00:09:49,909 --> 00:09:53,909 Then I brought it to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 169 00:09:53,909 --> 00:09:55,909 and he drank. 170 00:09:55,909 --> 00:09:57,909 Then he handed it to me, and I drank. 171 00:09:57,909 --> 00:09:59,909 Then I handed it to him, and he drank. 172 00:09:59,909 --> 00:10:01,909 Then he handed it to me, and I drank, 173 00:10:01,909 --> 00:10:03,909 whereupon I laughed. 174 00:10:03,909 --> 00:10:05,909 He said to me: 175 00:10:05,909 --> 00:10:07,909 'This is one of your antics, O Miqdad! 176 00:10:07,909 --> 00:10:09,909 What makes you laugh?' 177 00:10:09,909 --> 00:10:11,909 So I told him what I had done, 178 00:10:11,909 --> 00:10:13,909 and he said: 179 00:10:13,909 --> 00:10:16,909 'This was nothing less than a mercy from Allah Almighty! 180 00:10:16,909 --> 00:10:19,909 If only you had awakened your two companions, 181 00:10:19,909 --> 00:10:22,909 they could have shared in the milk we drank.' 182 00:10:22,909 --> 00:10:24,909 I said: 183 00:10:24,909 --> 00:10:26,909 'By Him Who sent you with the truth, 184 00:10:26,909 --> 00:10:28,909 as long as you have drunk from it 185 00:10:28,909 --> 00:10:31,909 and I have drunk from your leftovers, I do not care 186 00:10:31,909 --> 00:10:33,909 if no one else drinks!'" 187 00:10:33,909 --> 00:10:36,909 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr settled in Medina, 188 00:10:36,909 --> 00:10:38,909 having not yet married. 189 00:10:38,909 --> 00:10:41,909 While he was sitting with 'Abd al-Rahman— 190 00:10:41,909 --> 00:10:44,909 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Auf, may Allah be pleased with them both— 191 00:10:44,909 --> 00:10:46,909 'Abd al-Rahman said to him: 192 00:10:46,909 --> 00:10:49,909 "Why do you not marry, O Miqdad?" 193 00:10:49,909 --> 00:10:51,909 Al-Miqdad replied: 194 00:10:51,909 --> 00:10:53,909 "Marry me to your daughter." 195 00:10:53,909 --> 00:10:54,909 'Abd al-Rahman said: 196 00:10:54,909 --> 00:10:57,909 "My daughter? I will not marry my daughter to you," 197 00:10:57,909 --> 00:11:00,980 and he uttered a harsh word to him that displeased him. 198 00:11:00,980 --> 00:11:03,980 Al-Miqdad stood up, saying: 199 00:11:03,980 --> 00:11:06,980 Is there still a remnant of the pre-Islamic Jahiliyyah remaining within us? 200 00:11:06,980 --> 00:11:09,980 Has Islam not leveled all distinctions among its adherents, 201 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:13,070 making the most honorable among them in the sight of Allah the most God-fearing? 202 00:11:13,070 --> 00:11:17,070 He then went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 203 00:11:17,070 --> 00:11:21,070 and related to him what had occurred with 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf. 204 00:11:21,070 --> 00:11:24,070 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him, 205 00:11:24,070 --> 00:11:28,070 "Would it not satisfy you, O Miqdad, to become an in-law of the Messenger of Allah?" 206 00:11:28,070 --> 00:11:31,070 Al-Miqdad could hardly believe his ears, 207 00:11:31,070 --> 00:11:34,070 and exclaimed, "Indeed, O Messenger of Allah! 208 00:11:34,070 --> 00:11:37,070 But who would grant me such an honor?" 209 00:11:37,070 --> 00:11:39,070 He replied, "I guarantee it for you." 210 00:11:39,070 --> 00:11:41,070 So he married him to his own cousin, 211 00:11:41,070 --> 00:11:44,070 Duba'ah bint al-Zubayr ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib. 212 00:11:44,070 --> 00:11:48,070 Thus he became an in-law of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), 213 00:11:48,070 --> 00:11:51,070 and that alone was a sufficient source of nobility and pride for him. 214 00:11:51,070 --> 00:11:53,259 Then came the Battle of Badr, 215 00:11:53,259 --> 00:11:57,259 when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out 216 00:11:57,259 --> 00:12:01,259 with three hundred and some odd men from among his Companions, 217 00:12:01,259 --> 00:12:04,259 without intending to engage in an all-out war. 218 00:12:04,259 --> 00:12:07,259 But when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) found 219 00:12:08,259 --> 00:12:10,259 himself compelled to fight, 220 00:12:10,259 --> 00:12:14,259 it was essential for him to secure the endorsement of his men. 221 00:12:14,259 --> 00:12:16,259 So he laid the matter before them. 222 00:12:16,259 --> 00:12:18,259 Abu Bakr spoke and spoke well, 223 00:12:18,259 --> 00:12:21,259 'Umar spoke and spoke well, 224 00:12:21,259 --> 00:12:26,259 yet the situation still demanded a decisive, resolute statement 225 00:12:26,259 --> 00:12:29,259 to dispel hesitation and bolster resolve. 226 00:12:29,259 --> 00:12:33,259 The honor of delivering this statement fell to Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr, 227 00:12:33,259 --> 00:12:36,259 who turned to the Prophet (peace be upon him) 228 00:12:36,259 --> 00:12:39,259 with his towering stature and booming voice, 229 00:12:39,259 --> 00:12:41,259 and said, "O Messenger of Allah, 230 00:12:41,259 --> 00:12:44,259 proceed to whatever Allah has shown you, for we are with you! 231 00:12:44,259 --> 00:12:49,259 By Allah, we will not say to you as the Children of Israel said to Moses, 232 00:12:49,259 --> 00:12:51,259 “They said: O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here.” (5:24) 233 00:12:51,259 --> 00:12:53,259 'We are sitting right here!' 234 00:12:53,259 --> 00:12:55,259 Rather, we say to you, 235 00:12:55,259 --> 00:12:58,259 “They said: O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here.” (5:24) 236 00:12:58,259 --> 00:13:01,259 'We will fight alongside you both!' 237 00:13:01,259 --> 00:13:03,259 By Him Who has sent you with the truth, 238 00:13:03,259 --> 00:13:06,259 even if you were to lead us to the distant shores of Birk al-Ghimad, 239 00:13:06,259 --> 00:13:09,259 we would fight by your side against anyone standing in your way until you reach it!" 240 00:13:09,259 --> 00:13:13,259 The noble face of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) beamed 241 00:13:13,259 --> 00:13:14,259 with joy, 242 00:13:14,259 --> 00:13:18,259 and he spoke words of goodness to him and prayed for his well-being. 243 00:13:18,259 --> 00:13:21,360 On that day, Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr was 244 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,360 the only warrior who fought at Badr on horseback, 245 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,360 while the rest were either on foot or riding camels. 246 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,360 Thus, the history of jihad in Islam recorded for him 247 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:36,360 that he was the first to charge on horseback in the cause of Allah. 248 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:41,360 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr tasted the sweetness of striving in the cause of Allah on the day of Badr, 249 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:46,360 and he took an oath upon himself to remain a warrior exalting the word of Allah 250 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,360 as long as his sword remained gripped in his hand. 251 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,360 And he indeed fulfilled his oath. 252 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:56,360 For during the caliphate of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), he was seen 253 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,360 sitting on a money-changer's chest 254 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,360 in one of the markets of Homs, 255 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,360 advanced in years and approaching the age of seventy, 256 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,360 his body having become heavy and overflowing the chest, 257 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,360 while his sword lay across his lap. 258 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,460 A man from among the people asked him, 259 00:14:13,460 --> 00:14:18,460 "What are you doing here, O Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?" 260 00:14:18,460 --> 00:14:23,460 He replied, "I am waiting for the combatants to set out for the front lines so that I may join them." 261 00:14:23,460 --> 00:14:27,460 The man said to him, "Why do you not return home? 262 00:14:27,460 --> 00:14:29,460 Surely Allah has excused you, 263 00:14:29,460 --> 00:14:31,460 surely Allah has excused you, 264 00:14:31,460 --> 00:14:34,549 after reaching the advanced age that you have reached." 265 00:14:34,549 --> 00:14:37,549 He replied, "Far from it, my son! 266 00:14:37,549 --> 00:14:40,549 Surat al-Ba'uth has forbidden us from staying behind"— 267 00:14:40,549 --> 00:14:42,549 meaning Surat al-Anfal— 268 00:14:42,549 --> 00:14:44,549 "Have you not heard the saying of Allah Almighty: 269 00:14:44,549 --> 00:14:47,549 'Go forth, light and heavy'? 270 00:14:47,549 --> 00:14:51,679 Do you find anywhere in it that Allah has exempted me?" 271 00:14:51,679 --> 00:14:56,679 Al-Miqdad ibn 'Amr lived until he reached seventy-three years of age, 272 00:14:56,679 --> 00:15:00,740 striving in the cause of Allah, entirely indifferent to positions of authority. 273 00:15:00,740 --> 00:15:02,740 When death came to him, 274 00:15:02,740 --> 00:15:08,740 the remaining remnant of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) laid him to rest in his grave, 275 00:15:08,740 --> 00:15:10,740 saying as they did so: 276 00:15:10,740 --> 00:15:14,740 "A sword from among the swords of Allah has returned to its sheath, 277 00:15:14,740 --> 00:15:17,740 after a long journey of toil and heroic service, 278 00:15:30,620 --> 00:15:32,620 striving in the cause of Allah."