WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.320 Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:22.320 to present to you snapshots from the lives of the Companions, 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.320 by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.350 may Allah have mercy on him. 00:00:27.350 --> 00:00:31.239 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan, 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:33.240 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:48.179 --> 00:00:51.179 The Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, retired 00:00:51.179 --> 00:00:53.179 to his bed after the Isha prayer; 00:00:53.179 --> 00:00:56.179 he wished to get some rest 00:00:56.179 --> 00:00:59.179 to help him conduct his night patrol. 00:00:59.179 --> 00:01:02.179 However, sleep eluded the eyes of the Caliph 00:01:03.179 --> 00:01:05.180 because the courier had brought him news 00:01:05.180 --> 00:01:08.180 that the Persian armies defeated before the Muslims— 00:01:08.180 --> 00:01:12.180 whenever his troops were about to finish them off— 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:15.180 received reinforcements from here and there, 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:19.250 so they quickly regained their strength and resumed fighting. 00:01:19.250 --> 00:01:21.250 It was said to him 00:01:21.250 --> 00:01:23.250 that the city of al-Ubullah 00:01:23.250 --> 00:01:27.250 was considered one of the most vital sources supplying the defeated Persian armies 00:01:27.250 --> 00:01:29.250 with wealth and men. 00:01:29.250 --> 00:01:32.310 Thus, he resolved to send an army to conquer al-Ubullah 00:01:32.310 --> 00:01:35.310 and cut off its supplies to the Persians. 00:01:35.310 --> 00:01:38.310 But he collided with a shortage of men at his disposal. 00:01:38.310 --> 00:01:43.310 That was because the young, mature, and elderly men among the Muslims 00:01:43.310 --> 00:01:48.310 had already set out across the lands as warriors in the cause of Allah, 00:01:48.310 --> 00:01:52.310 until hardly anyone remained with him in Medina except a very small number. 00:01:52.310 --> 00:01:55.469 So he resorted to his well-known strategy, 00:01:56.469 --> 00:02:00.469 which was compensating for the scarcity of troops with the strength of the commander. 00:02:00.469 --> 00:02:03.569 He emptied his quiver of men before him 00:02:03.569 --> 00:02:07.569 and began testing their strength one after another. 00:02:07.569 --> 00:02:09.569 Before long, he exclaimed, 00:02:09.569 --> 00:02:10.569 "I found him! 00:02:10.569 --> 00:02:12.569 Yes, I found him!" 00:02:12.569 --> 00:02:15.569 Then he proceeded to his bed, saying, 00:02:15.569 --> 00:02:17.569 "He is a true warrior 00:02:17.569 --> 00:02:21.569 known to Badr, Uhud, al-Khandaq, and their sister battles, 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:24.569 and attested to by al-Yamamah and its stands. 00:02:24.569 --> 00:02:28.569 His sword was never blunted, nor did his spear ever miss its mark. 00:02:28.569 --> 00:02:31.629 Moreover, he performed both migrations, 00:02:31.629 --> 00:02:35.629 and he was the seventh of seven people who embraced Islam on the face of the earth." 00:02:35.629 --> 00:02:37.789 When morning came, he said, 00:02:37.789 --> 00:02:40.789 "Call 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan for me." 00:02:40.789 --> 00:02:45.919 He appointed him commander over three hundred and some dozen men, 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:50.919 promising to reinforce him successively with whatever men became available. 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:54.919 As the small army prepared to depart, 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:58.919 al-Faruq stood to bid farewell to his commander, 'Utbah, advising him. 00:02:58.919 --> 00:02:59.919 He said to him: 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:01.919 "O 'Utbah, 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:04.919 I have directed you to the land of al-Ubullah, 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:07.919 which is one of the enemy's fortresses, 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:10.949 and I pray to Allah to aid you against it. 00:03:10.949 --> 00:03:12.949 When you arrive there, 00:03:12.949 --> 00:03:14.949 call its people to Allah; 00:03:14.949 --> 00:03:16.949 whoever responds to you, accept it from him, 00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:21.949 and whoever refuses, take the jizyah from him in submission and humility; 00:03:21.949 --> 00:03:25.949 otherwise, put the sword to their necks without relent. 00:03:25.949 --> 00:03:29.949 And fear Allah, O 'Utbah, regarding that over which you have been put in charge, 00:03:29.949 --> 00:03:34.949 and beware lest your soul tempt you to pride that spoils your Hereafter. 00:03:34.949 --> 00:03:39.949 Know that you accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:03:39.949 --> 00:03:42.949 and Allah honored you through him after humiliation, 00:03:42.949 --> 00:03:44.949 and strengthened you through him after weakness, 00:03:44.949 --> 00:03:47.949 until you became an authoritative ruler 00:03:47.949 --> 00:03:49.949 and an obeyed commander: 00:03:49.949 --> 00:03:51.949 you speak and you are heard, 00:03:51.949 --> 00:03:54.949 and you command and your order is obeyed. 00:03:54.949 --> 00:03:58.949 What a blessing it is, so long as it does not make you arrogant and deluded, 00:03:58.949 --> 00:04:01.949 driving you down into Hellfire— 00:04:01.949 --> 00:04:04.949 may Allah protect you and me from it!" 00:04:04.949 --> 00:04:08.270 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan set out with his men, 00:04:08.270 --> 00:04:11.270 accompanied by his wife and five other women 00:04:11.270 --> 00:04:14.270 from among the wives and sisters of the soldiers, 00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:17.269 until they camped in a reed-filled land 00:04:17.269 --> 00:04:20.269 not far from the city of al-Ubullah. 00:04:20.269 --> 00:04:23.339 They had nothing with them to eat, 00:04:23.339 --> 00:04:26.430 so when hunger severely pressed upon them, 00:04:26.430 --> 00:04:28.430 'Utbah said to a group of them, 00:04:28.430 --> 00:04:32.430 "Look for something in this land for us to eat." 00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:36.500 They rose to search for whatever might satisfy their hunger. 00:04:36.500 --> 00:04:40.500 They had a curious story regarding the food, which one of them narrated, 00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:42.500 saying: 00:04:42.500 --> 00:04:45.500 "While we were searching for something to eat, 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:48.500 we entered a thicket and found two large baskets; 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:50.500 in one of them were dates, 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:53.500 and in the other were small white grains 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:55.500 covered with a yellow husk. 00:04:55.500 --> 00:04:59.500 We dragged them until we brought them near the camp. 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:02.500 One of us looked into the basket containing the grain 00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:06.500 and said, 'This is poison prepared for you by the enemy, 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:08.720 so do not approach it!' 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:11.720 We turned to the dates and began eating them. 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:13.720 While we were doing so, 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.720 a horse broke its tether, 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.750 came over to the basket of grain, and started eating from it. 00:05:20.750 --> 00:05:23.750 By Allah, we were about to slaughter it before it died 00:05:23.750 --> 00:05:25.750 so that we could benefit from its meat, 00:05:25.750 --> 00:05:28.750 but its owner stood up and said to us, 00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:31.750 'Leave it, and I will guard it tonight; 00:05:31.750 --> 00:05:34.779 if I feel it is dying, I will slaughter it.' 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:37.779 When morning came, we found the horse perfectly healthy, 00:05:37.779 --> 00:05:40.069 with no harm done to it. 00:05:40.069 --> 00:05:41.069 My sister then said, 00:05:41.069 --> 00:05:43.069 'O my brother, 00:05:43.069 --> 00:05:45.069 I heard my father say 00:05:45.069 --> 00:05:49.069 that poison does no harm if placed over fire and cooked thoroughly.' 00:05:49.069 --> 00:05:53.100 She then took some of the grain, placed it in the pot, 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:55.100 and kindled a fire under it. 00:05:55.100 --> 00:05:57.100 Before long she said, 00:05:57.100 --> 00:05:59.100 'Come and see how its color has reddened!' 00:05:59.100 --> 00:06:02.100 Then its husks began to burst open 00:06:02.100 --> 00:06:05.259 and release its white grains. 00:06:05.259 --> 00:06:07.259 So we poured it into the bowl to eat it, 00:06:07.259 --> 00:06:09.259 and 'Utbah said to us, 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:12.259 'Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.' 00:06:12.259 --> 00:06:15.259 We ate it, and it turned out to be exceedingly delicious. 00:06:15.259 --> 00:06:19.259 We learned later that it was called rice." 00:06:19.259 --> 00:06:24.459 Al-Ubullah, toward which 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan had marched with his small army, 00:06:24.459 --> 00:06:29.459 was a fortified city standing on the banks of the Tigris. 00:06:29.459 --> 00:06:33.519 The Persians had turned it into a depot for their weapons 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:38.519 and made lookout points from its fortress towers to monitor their enemies. 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:41.519 Yet that did not deter 'Utbah from attacking it, 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:45.519 despite the scarcity of his men and the meager nature of his weaponry; 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:50.519 for he had gathered no more than 600 fighters, 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:54.519 accompanied by a small group of women, 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:58.519 and he had no weapons other than swords and spears. 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:02.579 He simply had to employ his intelligence. 00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:07.810 'Utbah prepared banners for the women, mounting them on spear shafts, 00:07:07.810 --> 00:07:10.810 and commanded them to march with them behind the army. 00:07:10.810 --> 00:07:14.810 He said to them, "When we draw near the city, 00:07:14.810 --> 00:07:18.810 stir up the dust behind us until you fill the air with it." 00:07:18.810 --> 00:07:23.839 When they approached al-Ubullah, the Persian troops marched out against them; 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.839 they saw their bold advance upon them, 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.839 looked at the banners fluttering behind them, 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.839 and found dust filling the air in their wake. 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:34.839 Some of them said to another, 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:36.839 "They are merely the vanguard of the army, 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:40.839 and behind them is a massive force kicking up the dust, 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:42.839 while we are few." 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:44.839 Panic then crept into their hearts, 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:46.839 and dread overcame them; 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:50.839 so they began carrying whatever was light in weight and high in value, 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:54.839 racing to board the ships anchored in the Tigris, 00:07:54.839 --> 00:07:56.839 and fled in retreat. 00:07:56.839 --> 00:08:01.839 'Utbah entered al-Ubullah without losing a single one of his men, 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:04.839 then opened the surrounding cities and villages, 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:08.839 winning spoils beyond count 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:10.839 and exceeding all estimation. 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:13.839 In fact, one of his men returned to Medina, 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:15.839 and the people asked him, 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:17.839 "How are the Muslims in al-Ubullah?" 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.839 He replied, "What are you asking about? 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:25.839 By Allah, I left them scooping up gold and silver by the measure!" 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:29.839 Hearing this, people began riding out to al-Ubullah. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.970 At that point, 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan realized 00:08:32.970 --> 00:08:35.970 that his soldiers' residing in conquered cities 00:08:35.970 --> 00:08:38.970 would accustom them to a life of ease, 00:08:38.970 --> 00:08:42.970 imbue them with the traits of the inhabitants of those lands, 00:08:42.970 --> 00:08:46.970 and blunt the edge of their resolve to continue fighting. 00:08:46.970 --> 00:08:48.970 So he wrote to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, 00:08:48.970 --> 00:08:51.970 requesting his permission to build Basra, 00:08:51.970 --> 00:08:54.970 describing to him the location he had chosen for it, 00:08:54.970 --> 00:08:56.970 and 'Umar granted him permission. 00:08:56.970 --> 00:09:00.000 'Utbah marked out the new city, 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:03.000 and the first thing he built was its great mosque. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:05.000 And no wonder; 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.000 for the sake of the mosque, 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:10.000 he and his companions had set out as warriors in the cause of Allah; 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.000 and through the mosque, 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:15.000 he and his companions were granted victory over the enemies of Allah. 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.000 Then the soldiers competed in allocating land 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.000 and building homes. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.000 Yet 'Utbah did not build a home for himself; 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:27.029 rather, he continued to live in a tent made of woven fabric. 00:09:27.029 --> 00:09:31.100 That was because he held a deep concern within his heart. 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:36.100 'Utbah saw that worldly spoils were pouring upon the Muslims in Basra 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:38.100 in a manner that might distract a person from their own soul, 00:09:38.100 --> 00:09:42.100 and that his men, who just a short while ago 00:09:42.100 --> 00:09:47.100 knew no finer food than rice boiled in its husk, 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:52.100 had now tasted the Persian delicacies of faludhaj, lawzinaj, and the like, 00:09:52.100 --> 00:09:54.159 and had developed a penchant for them. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.159 Thus, he feared for his religion because of his worldly life, 00:09:57.159 --> 00:10:00.159 and he trembled for the eternal over the fleeting present. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.159 So he gathered the people in the mosque of Basra and delivered a sermon to them, 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:04.159 saying: 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.190 "O people, 00:10:06.190 --> 00:10:09.190 indeed, this worldly life has announced its end, 00:10:09.190 --> 00:10:14.190 and you are departing from it to an abode that shall never cease; 00:10:14.259 --> 00:10:17.259 so depart to it with the best of your deeds. 00:10:17.259 --> 00:10:23.259 I remember when I was the seventh of seven with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:26.259 when we had no food except tree leaves, 00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:29.610 until the sides of our mouths became ulcerated from it. 00:10:29.610 --> 00:10:32.610 I once picked up a cloak, 00:10:32.610 --> 00:10:36.610 split it between myself and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, 00:10:36.610 --> 00:10:38.610 and wrapped half of it around my waist 00:10:38.610 --> 00:10:41.669 while Sa'd wrapped the other half around his. 00:10:41.669 --> 00:10:44.669 Yet today, there is not a single one of us 00:10:44.669 --> 00:10:47.669 who has not become a governor over one of the garrison cities! 00:10:47.669 --> 00:10:51.769 And indeed, I seek refuge in Allah from being great in my own eyes 00:10:51.769 --> 00:10:53.769 ...insignificant in the sight of Allah. 00:10:53.769 --> 00:10:56.899 Then he appointed a man from among them as his successor over them, 00:10:56.899 --> 00:10:59.899 bade them farewell, and set out for Medina. 00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:02.149 When he arrived before al-Faruq [Omar], 00:11:02.149 --> 00:11:05.149 he asked to be relieved of his governorship, but Omar refused to relieve him. 00:11:05.149 --> 00:11:07.149 He persisted in his plea, 00:11:07.149 --> 00:11:09.149 yet the Caliph remained firm with him, 00:11:09.149 --> 00:11:11.149 ordering him to return to Basra. 00:11:11.149 --> 00:11:14.149 So he reluctantly submitted to Omar's command, 00:11:14.149 --> 00:11:17.149 mounted his camel, and began praying: 00:11:17.149 --> 00:11:20.149 "O Allah, do not send me back to it! 00:11:20.149 --> 00:11:23.149 O Allah, do not send me back to it!" 00:11:23.149 --> 00:11:26.279 And Allah answered his supplication; 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:30.279 he had not traveled far from Medina when his camel stumbled, 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:34.279 and he fell from it, thrown to the ground, and passed away. 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:40.710 Truly, 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan holds an exalted station in Islam. 00:11:40.710 --> 00:11:43.059 Omar ibn al-Khattab... 00:11:48.990 --> 00:11:49.990 "O poetry, 00:11:49.990 --> 00:11:50.990 aid me that I may pour forth, 00:11:50.990 --> 00:11:53.990 for can praise ever do them justice?"