1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:12,109 Pause and reflect on the Companions, the scholars, and the prominent figures. 2 00:00:12,109 --> 00:00:16,109 A new challenge: Who am I? 3 00:00:16,109 --> 00:00:23,510 I am a Companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his brother-in-law. 4 00:00:23,510 --> 00:00:28,510 I was one of the scribes of the Revelation and among the most astute of the Arabs. 5 00:00:28,510 --> 00:00:35,670 I am the King of Islam, the Commander of the Faithful, and the maternal uncle of the Muslims. 6 00:00:35,670 --> 00:00:38,670 My conversion to Islam was delayed because of my father. 7 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:43,859 For my father was the leader of the Quraysh in both the Age of Ignorance and in Islam. 8 00:00:43,859 --> 00:00:47,859 I was born in Makkah five years before the Prophetic mission. 9 00:00:47,859 --> 00:00:51,859 In my youth, I learned reading, writing, and arithmetic. 10 00:00:51,859 --> 00:00:57,960 I was of noble lineage and descent, fair-skinned, tall, and handsome. 11 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,960 A physiognomist among the Arabs saw me when I was a young boy. 12 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:09,019 He said, "I truly believe this boy will lead his people." 13 00:01:09,019 --> 00:01:15,019 My mother replied, "May he be bereaved of his mother if he is only to lead his own people!" 14 00:01:15,019 --> 00:01:19,150 "My son shall surely lead all the Arabs." 15 00:01:19,150 --> 00:01:25,920 I am the founder of the Umayyad State in the Levant and its first caliph. 16 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,920 When the year of al-Hudaybiyyah came and the Quraysh barred the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, from the Sacred House, 17 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,920 and they wrote a peace treaty between them, Islam took root in my heart. 18 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:44,920 I mentioned this to my mother, and she said, "Beware of opposing your father." 19 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,920 So I kept it hidden within myself. 20 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:53,950 By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, departed from al-Hudaybiyyah, 21 00:01:53,950 --> 00:01:59,019 and I was a believer in him, though I only openly declared my Islam on the day of the Conquest. 22 00:01:59,019 --> 00:02:02,019 The Prophet, peace be upon him, welcomed me, 23 00:02:02,019 --> 00:02:08,020 appointed me as a scribe of the Revelation, and gave me a share of the spoils of Hunayn. 24 00:02:08,020 --> 00:02:11,020 He prayed for me, saying: 25 00:02:11,020 --> 00:02:14,020 "O Allah, make him a guide who is rightly guided, and guide others through him." 26 00:02:14,020 --> 00:02:16,020 And through him, many were guided. 27 00:02:16,020 --> 00:02:21,909 I was skilled in governance and administration, forbearing, and wise. 28 00:02:21,909 --> 00:02:24,909 I was generous and open-handed with wealth. 29 00:02:25,909 --> 00:02:32,909 I served as the governor of the Levant for twenty years under the authority of 'Umar and 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them. 30 00:02:32,909 --> 00:02:39,909 And I held the Caliphate for twenty years after the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. 31 00:02:39,909 --> 00:02:43,909 I won the hearts of my enemies before those of my own companions. 32 00:02:43,909 --> 00:02:49,909 I would exercise forbearance when forbearance was called for, and firmness when firmness was required. 33 00:02:49,909 --> 00:02:54,009 Yet, forbearance was my dominant trait. 34 00:02:54,009 --> 00:02:56,009 I used to say: 35 00:02:56,009 --> 00:03:00,009 "If there were a hair connecting me to the people, it would never break." 36 00:03:00,009 --> 00:03:03,009 "If they pulled it, I would slacken it," 37 00:03:03,009 --> 00:03:06,009 "and if they slackened it, I would pull it." 38 00:03:06,009 --> 00:03:10,780 It is upon this that the consensus of the scholars of the Ummah has been reached, 39 00:03:10,780 --> 00:03:13,780 from the Companions, the Tabi'un, and those who followed them, 40 00:03:13,780 --> 00:03:17,780 in praising me, affirming my worthiness for the Caliphate, 41 00:03:17,780 --> 00:03:20,780 and acknowledging the excellence of my governance and my justice, 42 00:03:20,780 --> 00:03:23,780 which established my place in the hearts of the people 43 00:03:23,780 --> 00:03:26,780 and led them to be unanimous in their love for me. 44 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:30,810 The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 45 00:03:30,810 --> 00:03:36,810 "The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you," 46 00:03:36,810 --> 00:03:40,810 "and for whom you pray, and who pray for you." 47 00:03:40,810 --> 00:03:47,810 "And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and who hate you," 48 00:03:47,810 --> 00:03:50,810 "and whom you curse, and who curse you." 49 00:03:50,810 --> 00:03:53,129 So, who am I? 50 00:03:53,129 --> 00:04:01,189 Share your answers with us in the comments below the video. 51 00:04:01,189 --> 00:04:05,419 We will pin the correct answer in the comments 52 00:04:05,419 --> 00:04:10,419 when the next episode is released, in sha' Allah.