WEBVTT 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:12.109 Pause and reflect on the Companions, the scholars, and the prominent figures. 00:00:12.109 --> 00:00:16.109 A new challenge: Who am I? 00:00:16.109 --> 00:00:23.510 I am a Companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his brother-in-law. 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. 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. 00:00:35.670 --> 00:00:38.670 My conversion to Islam was delayed because of my father. 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. 00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:47.859 I was born in Makkah five years before the Prophetic mission. 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:51.859 In my youth, I learned reading, writing, and arithmetic. 00:00:51.859 --> 00:00:57.960 I was of noble lineage and descent, fair-skinned, tall, and handsome. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:02.960 A physiognomist among the Arabs saw me when I was a young boy. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:09.019 He said, "I truly believe this boy will lead his people." 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!" 00:01:15.019 --> 00:01:19.150 "My son shall surely lead all the Arabs." 00:01:19.150 --> 00:01:25.920 I am the founder of the Umayyad State in the Levant and its first caliph. 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, 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:37.920 and they wrote a peace treaty between them, Islam took root in my heart. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:44.920 I mentioned this to my mother, and she said, "Beware of opposing your father." 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.920 So I kept it hidden within myself. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:53.950 By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, departed from al-Hudaybiyyah, 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. 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:02.019 The Prophet, peace be upon him, welcomed me, 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. 00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:11.020 He prayed for me, saying: 00:02:11.020 --> 00:02:14.020 "O Allah, make him a guide who is rightly guided, and guide others through him." 00:02:14.020 --> 00:02:16.020 And through him, many were guided. 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:21.909 I was skilled in governance and administration, forbearing, and wise. 00:02:21.909 --> 00:02:24.909 I was generous and open-handed with wealth. 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. 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. 00:02:39.909 --> 00:02:43.909 I won the hearts of my enemies before those of my own companions. 00:02:43.909 --> 00:02:49.909 I would exercise forbearance when forbearance was called for, and firmness when firmness was required. 00:02:49.909 --> 00:02:54.009 Yet, forbearance was my dominant trait. 00:02:54.009 --> 00:02:56.009 I used to say: 00:02:56.009 --> 00:03:00.009 "If there were a hair connecting me to the people, it would never break." 00:03:00.009 --> 00:03:03.009 "If they pulled it, I would slacken it," 00:03:03.009 --> 00:03:06.009 "and if they slackened it, I would pull it." 00:03:06.009 --> 00:03:10.780 It is upon this that the consensus of the scholars of the Ummah has been reached, 00:03:10.780 --> 00:03:13.780 from the Companions, the Tabi'un, and those who followed them, 00:03:13.780 --> 00:03:17.780 in praising me, affirming my worthiness for the Caliphate, 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:20.780 and acknowledging the excellence of my governance and my justice, 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:23.780 which established my place in the hearts of the people 00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:26.780 and led them to be unanimous in their love for me. 00:03:26.780 --> 00:03:30.810 The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 00:03:30.810 --> 00:03:36.810 "The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you," 00:03:36.810 --> 00:03:40.810 "and for whom you pray, and who pray for you." 00:03:40.810 --> 00:03:47.810 "And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and who hate you," 00:03:47.810 --> 00:03:50.810 "and whom you curse, and who curse you." 00:03:50.810 --> 00:03:53.129 So, who am I? 00:03:53.129 --> 00:04:01.189 Share your answers with us in the comments below the video. 00:04:01.189 --> 00:04:05.419 We will pin the correct answer in the comments 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:10.419 when the next episode is released, in sha' Allah.