Pause and reflect upon the Companions, the scholars, and the eminent figures.
A new challenge: Who am I?
I am the beloved of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, his companion, his freedman, his servant, and his adopted son before Islam.
When the Prophet, peace be upon him, was sent in Makkah,
I was among the first to follow him and believe in him.
I am the first of the freedmen to embrace Islam.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to me:
"You are my freedman, and you are of me, and you are to me."
"And you are the most beloved of the people to me."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, married me to the daughter of his paternal aunt,
Zaynab bint Jahsh, may Allah be pleased with her.
Then I divorced her,
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, married her by the command of Allah the Exalted.
Allah revealed verses regarding that which explicitly mentioned my name.
I am the only one among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
Whose name was explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, would appoint me to lead military expeditions and missions,
Until the Battle of Mu'tah took place,
Where the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent me as the commander of the Muslim army,
Which consisted of three thousand fighters.
He said to the army, "If this commander of yours is killed,"
"Then your commander after him is Ja'far ibn Abi Talib."
"And if Ja'far is killed, then your commander is 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah."
We set out until we reached Mu'tah,
Where we encountered the Roman army,
Which far outnumbered us by many times,
As their number was two hundred thousand fighters.
We sought the help of Allah against them and began the battle.
I carried the banner of the Muslims,
And I fought in defense of the religion until I was killed.
Then the banner was taken after me by Ja'far, may Allah be pleased with him, and he was killed.
Then the banner was taken after him by 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, and he was killed.
Until Khalid ibn al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, took it up,
And Allah granted victory through him.
The news of our martyrdom reached the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in Madinah,
And his eyes shed tears.
He informed the Companions who were with him of our martyrdom,
And that we were now in bliss in Paradise.
Then he prayed for my forgiveness three times,
And he prayed for the forgiveness of the second and third commanders once each.
So, who am I?
The next episode, if Allah wills.