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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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The Mawaddah Association is pleased

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to present to you *Portraits from the Lives of the Companions*

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by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,

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may Allah have mercy on him.

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Ja'far ibn Abi Talib,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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Among the Banu 'Abd Manaf were five men

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who bore the strongest resemblance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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so much so that those with weak eyesight would frequently mistake the Prophet for them.

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No doubt you wish to know these five who resembled your Prophet, upon him be the best of blessings and purest of peace.

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So come, let us get to know them.

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They are Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's cousin and foster brother;

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Qutham ibn al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, also the Prophet's cousin;

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al-Sa'ib ibn 'Ubayd ibn 'Abd Yazid ibn Hashim, the grandfather of Imam al-Shafi'i, may Allah be pleased with him;

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al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

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who bore the closest resemblance of all five to the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him;

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and Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, the brother of the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.

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So come, let us recount to you glimpses from the life of Ja'far.

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Despite his noble status in Quraysh and his high standing among his people,

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Abu Talib was a man of modest means and had many children to support.

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His situation worsened considerably due to a severe drought that struck Quraysh,

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destroying livestock and compelling people to consume decaying bones.

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There was no one among Banu Hashim at that time

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of greater means than Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah and his uncle al-'Abbas.

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Muhammad said to al-'Abbas:

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"O uncle, your brother Abu Talib has a large family,

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and the people have been struck, as you see, by severe drought and gnawing hunger.

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Let us go to him and relieve him of some of his dependents;

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I shall take one of his sons and you take another,

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so we may provide for the two of them on his behalf."

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Al-'Abbas replied:

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"You have indeed called to good and urged toward righteousness."

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Then they went together until they came to Abu Talib,

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and Muhammad said to him:

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"We wish to relieve you of some of the burden of your dependents

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until this hardship afflicting the people is lifted."

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Abu Talib said to them:

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"If you leave 'Aqil with me, then do as you wish."

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So Muhammad took 'Ali into his care,

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and al-'Abbas took Ja'far and added him to his household.

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'Ali remained with Muhammad until Allah sent him with the religion of guidance and truth,

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becoming the first among the youth to believe.

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Ja'far remained with his uncle al-'Abbas

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until he grew up, embraced Islam, and became self-sufficient.

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Ja'far ibn Abi Talib joined the caravan of light,

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along with his wife, Asma' bint 'Umays, from the very beginning of the journey.

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They both embraced Islam at the hands of al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him,

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before the Messenger entered the House of al-Arqam.

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The Hashimite youth and his young wife suffered at the hands of Quraysh's persecution and torment

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just as the early Muslims did.

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Yet they endured the harm patiently,

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knowing well that the path to Paradise is strewn with thorns

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and surrounded by hardships.

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But what troubled them and their brothers in faith most of all

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was that Quraysh stood between them and the practice of the rites of Islam,

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depriving them of tasting the sweetness of worship.

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For Quraysh lay in wait for them at every turn, watching their every breath.

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Thereupon, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib asked permission of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

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to emigrate with his wife and a group of the Companions to the land of Abyssinia.

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He granted them permission, sorrowful and grieved,

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for it weighed heavily upon him that these pure, righteous souls were forced

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to leave their homes and depart from the playgrounds of their childhood and the dwellings of their youth,

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without having committed any crime

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other than saying, "Our Lord is Allah."

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Yet he possessed neither the force nor the means to protect them from the persecution of Quraysh.

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The vanguard of the first emigrants set out for the land of Abyssinia,

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led by Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him.

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They settled under the protection of the Negus, its just and righteous king,

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tasting security for the first time since embracing Islam,

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and delighting in the sweetness of worship with nothing to disturb their devotion

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or cloud the serenity of their happiness.

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But no sooner did Quraysh learn of the departure of this group of Muslims to the land of Abyssinia,

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and discover how they had obtained safety for their religion under the protection of its king

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and security for their faith,

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than they hastened to conspire against them, seeking to kill them or bring them back to the great prison.

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So let us leave the narrative to Umm Salamah, that she may recount the event as her eyes saw it and her ears heard it.

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Umm Salamah said: "When we arrived in the land of Abyssinia, we found the finest hospitality;

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we were secure in our religion and worshipped Allah, our Lord, without being harmed or hearing anything we disliked.

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When this reached Quraysh, they plotted against us and dispatched to the Negus two formidable men:

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'Amr ibn al-'As and 'Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'ah.

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They sent with them many gifts for the Negus and his bishops, consisting of the finest rarities from the land of the Hijaz.

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They instructed them to give each bishop his gift before speaking to the King of Abyssinia regarding our affair.

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When they arrived in Abyssinia, they met the Negus's bishops and presented each with his gift.

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There was not a single bishop left to whom they did not give a present, saying to him:

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'Some foolish youths among us have arrived in the King's land; they have abandoned the religion of their forefathers and divided their people.

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When we speak to the King concerning them, advise him to surrender them to us without questioning them about their religion,

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for the nobles of their people know them best and understand what they believe.'

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The bishops agreed, saying, 'Yes.'

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Umm Salamah said:

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'Nothing was more abhorrent to 'Amr and his companion than the prospect of the Negus summoning any of us to hear our words.'

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Then they came before the Negus and presented him with the gifts,

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which he found delightful and admired.

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Then they spoke to him, saying:

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'O King, a group of our wicked youths have sought refuge in your kingdom;

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they have introduced a religion known neither to us nor to you.

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They have abandoned our religion without embracing yours.

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The nobles of their people—their fathers, uncles, and kinsmen—have sent us to you

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so that you may return them to their folk, for they know best the discord these youths have caused.'

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The Negus looked toward his bishops,

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and the bishops said:

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'They speak the truth, O King;

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their people know them best and are fully aware of what they have done.

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So return them to them, that they may decide their fate.'

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The King grew intensely angry at his bishops' words and said:

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'No, by Allah! I shall not surrender them to anyone until I summon them and question them about what has been attributed to them.

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If they are as these two men say, I will hand them over to them;

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but if they are otherwise, I shall protect them and grant them generous hospitality as long as they reside near me.'

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Umm Salamah said:

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'Then the Negus sent for us, summoning us to meet him.

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So we gathered before going to him,

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and we said to one another:

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"The King will surely ask you about your religion,

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so proclaim openly what you believe,

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and let Ja'far ibn Abi Talib speak on your behalf,

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and let no one else speak."'

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Umm Salamah said:

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'Then we went to the Negus,

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and we found that he had assembled his bishops,

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who sat to his right and to his left,

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donning their robes,

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wearing their cowls,

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with their scriptures laid out before them.

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We also found 'Amr ibn al-'As

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and 'Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'ah in his presence.

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When we were seated,

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the Negus turned to us and said:

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"What is this religion that you have innovated for yourselves,

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by which you have departed from the religion of your people,

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yet have not entered into my religion,

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nor into any of these other faiths?"

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Thereupon Ja'far ibn Abi Talib stepped forward and said:

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"O King,

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we were a people of ignorance (*jahiliyyah*),

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worshipping idols, eating unslaughtered carrion,

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committing abominations, severing ties of kinship,

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mistreating our neighbors,

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and the strong among us devoured the weak.

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We remained in this state

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until Allah sent to us a Messenger from among ourselves,

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whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and chastity we knew well.

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He called us to Allah,

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to declare His oneness and worship Him,

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and to cast off whatever we and our forefathers used to worship

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besides Him of stones and idols.

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He commanded us to speak the truth, to fulfill trusts,

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to maintain kinship ties, to be good neighbors,

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to refrain from forbidden acts and bloodshed.

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He forbade us from indecencies, false testimony,

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devouring the orphan's property, and slandering chaste women.

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He commanded us to worship Allah alone,

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“Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).” (3:64)

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to establish prayer, to pay zakat,

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and to fast during Ramadan.

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So we believed him and had faith in him,

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and we followed him in all that he brought from Allah.

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We deemed lawful what he made lawful for us,

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and we deemed forbidden what he prohibited to us.

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But our people, O King,

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attacked us with hostility,

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torturing us severely to turn us away from our religion

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and force us back to the worship of idols.

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So when they wronged us, subjugated us, constrained us,

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and stood between us and our religion,

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[we emigrated] to your country,

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chose you above all others,

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sought your protection,

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and hoped that we would not be wronged in your presence."

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Umm Salamah said:

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'The Negus then turned to Ja'far ibn Abi Talib

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and asked, "Do you have with you anything of what your Prophet brought from Allah?"

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He replied, "Yes."

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The Negus said, "Then recite it to me."

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So he recited the opening portion of Surah Maryam.

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Umm Salamah said:

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'The Negus wept until his beard was drenched with tears,

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and his bishops wept until their scriptures were soaked,

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upon hearing what was recited from the words of Allah.

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Thereupon the Negus said to us:

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"Verily, this which your Prophet has brought

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and that which Jesus brought

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emanate from the very same source of light."

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Then he turned to 'Amr and his companion

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and said to them, "Depart,

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for by Allah, I shall never surrender them to you!"'

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Umm Salamah said:

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'When we left the presence of the Negus,

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'Amr ibn al-'As threatened us,

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saying to his companion:

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"By Allah, I will come to the King tomorrow

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and mention something about them that will fill his chest with rage against them,

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charge his heart with hatred for them,

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and drive him to uproot them completely!"

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'Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'ah said to him:

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"Do not do so, O 'Amr,

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for they are our kinsmen,

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even if they have opposed us."

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But 'Amr said to him:

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"Leave this aside!

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"By Allah, I will surely tell him something that will shake the very ground beneath their feet!

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By Allah, I will tell him

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that they claim Jesus, son of Mary, is merely a servant!"

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The next morning,

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'Amr went to the Negus

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and said to him, "O King!

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Those whom you have sheltered and protected

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say a dreadful thing

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about Jesus, son of Mary!

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Send for them

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and ask them what they say about him."

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Umm Salamah said:

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"When we learned of this,

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we were overcome with such distress and grief

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as we had never experienced before.

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We said to one another,

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'What will you say about Jesus, son of Mary,

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when the King asks you about him?'

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We replied,

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'By Allah, we shall say nothing about him except what Allah has said,

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and we will not depart in the least

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from what our Prophet brought,

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come what may.'

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Then we agreed that the one who would speak

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on our behalf once again would be Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.

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When the Negus summoned us,

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we entered his court

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and found his bishops seated around him in the same manner

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as we had seen them before,

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and we found 'Amr ibn al-'As and his companion with him.

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When we stood before him,

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he addressed us immediately, saying,

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'What do you say about Jesus, son of Mary?'

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Ja'far ibn Abi Talib said to him,

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'We say concerning him only what our Prophet, peace be upon him, brought.'

235
00:14:11,539 --> 00:14:12,539
The Negus asked,

236
00:14:13,539 --> 00:14:14,539
'And what does he say about him?'

237
00:14:15,539 --> 00:14:16,539
Ja'far replied,

238
00:14:17,539 --> 00:14:18,539
'He says of him

239
00:14:19,539 --> 00:14:20,539
that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger,

240
00:14:21,539 --> 00:14:25,539
and His spirit and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, the virgin maiden.'

241
00:14:26,539 --> 00:14:28,539
No sooner had the Negus heard Ja'far's words

242
00:14:29,539 --> 00:14:31,539
than he struck the ground with his hand and said,

243
00:14:31,539 --> 00:14:32,539
'By Allah!

244
00:14:33,539 --> 00:14:38,539
By Allah, Jesus, son of Mary, did not exceed what your Prophet has brought by the width of a single hair!'

245
00:14:39,539 --> 00:14:41,539
At this, the bishops around the Negus snorted loudly

246
00:14:42,539 --> 00:14:43,539
in outrage at what they had heard from him.

247
00:14:44,539 --> 00:14:46,539
He said, 'Even if you snort!'

248
00:14:47,539 --> 00:14:48,539
Then he turned to us and said,

249
00:14:49,539 --> 00:14:50,539
'Go, for you are safe and secure.

250
00:14:51,539 --> 00:14:52,539
Whoever insults you shall be fined,

251
00:14:53,539 --> 00:14:54,539
and whoever harms you shall be punished.

252
00:14:55,539 --> 00:14:58,539
By Allah, I would not like to have a mountain of gold

253
00:14:58,539 --> 00:15:01,539
if it meant that any one of you should suffer harm.'

254
00:15:02,539 --> 00:15:04,539
Then he looked at 'Amr and his companion and said,

255
00:15:05,539 --> 00:15:07,539
'Return these two men's gifts to them,

256
00:15:08,539 --> 00:15:09,539
for I have no need of them.'"

257
00:15:10,539 --> 00:15:11,539
Umm Salamah said:

258
00:15:12,539 --> 00:15:14,539
"So 'Amr and his companion departed, broken and humiliated,

259
00:15:15,539 --> 00:15:17,539
dragging the tails of bitter disappointment.

260
00:15:18,539 --> 00:15:19,539
As for us,

261
00:15:20,539 --> 00:15:24,539
we stayed with the Negus in the best of abodes, under the care of the most generous host."

262
00:15:25,539 --> 00:15:26,539
Ja'far ibn Abi Talib spent,

263
00:15:26,539 --> 00:15:29,539
along with his wife, ten years in the realm of the Negus,

264
00:15:30,539 --> 00:15:32,539
living in safety and tranquility.

265
00:15:33,539 --> 00:15:34,539
In the seventh year of the Hijrah,

266
00:15:35,539 --> 00:15:38,539
he departed from the land of Abyssinia with a group of Muslims,

267
00:15:39,539 --> 00:15:40,539
heading for Yathrib.

268
00:15:41,539 --> 00:15:42,539
When they arrived there,

269
00:15:43,539 --> 00:15:45,539
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

270
00:15:46,539 --> 00:15:47,539
had just returned from Khaybar,

271
00:15:48,539 --> 00:15:49,539
after Allah had granted him victory over it.

272
00:15:50,539 --> 00:15:52,539
He rejoiced exceedingly at meeting Ja'far,

273
00:15:53,539 --> 00:15:54,539
so much so that he said,

274
00:15:54,539 --> 00:15:56,539
"I do not know which of the two delights me more:

275
00:15:57,539 --> 00:15:58,539
the conquest of Khaybar,

276
00:15:59,539 --> 00:16:00,539
or the arrival of Ja'far?"

277
00:16:01,570 --> 00:16:03,570
The joy of the Muslims in general,

278
00:16:04,570 --> 00:16:06,570
and the poor among them in particular, over Ja'far's return

279
00:16:07,570 --> 00:16:10,570
was no less than the joy of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

280
00:16:11,570 --> 00:16:14,570
For Ja'far had immense compassion for the weak

281
00:16:15,570 --> 00:16:16,570
and showed them abundant kindness,

282
00:16:17,570 --> 00:16:19,570
to the extent that he was called "the Father of the Poor."

283
00:16:20,570 --> 00:16:22,570
Abu Hurayrah narrated concerning him, saying:

284
00:16:22,570 --> 00:16:25,570
"The best of people to us, the community of the poor,

285
00:16:26,570 --> 00:16:27,570
was Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.

286
00:16:28,570 --> 00:16:29,570
He would take us to his home

287
00:16:30,570 --> 00:16:32,570
and feed us whatever he had.

288
00:16:33,570 --> 00:16:34,570
When his food ran out,

289
00:16:35,570 --> 00:16:37,570
he would bring out for us the leather container in which clarified butter was kept,

290
00:16:38,570 --> 00:16:39,570
even though nothing remained inside it,

291
00:16:40,570 --> 00:16:42,570
and we would slit it open and lick whatever was left sticking to its sides."

292
00:16:43,629 --> 00:16:46,629
Ja'far ibn Abi Talib's stay in Medina was not long.

293
00:16:47,629 --> 00:16:49,629
At the beginning of the eighth year of the Hijrah,

294
00:16:49,629 --> 00:16:52,629
the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, prepared an army

295
00:16:53,629 --> 00:16:55,629
to confront the Romans in the land of the Levant (al-Sham).

296
00:16:56,629 --> 00:16:58,629
He appointed Zayd ibn Harithah as commander of the army,

297
00:16:59,629 --> 00:17:01,629
saying, "If Zayd is killed or wounded,

298
00:17:02,629 --> 00:17:04,630
then the commander shall be Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.

299
00:17:05,630 --> 00:17:07,630
If Ja'far is killed or wounded,

300
00:17:08,630 --> 00:17:10,630
then the commander shall be 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah.

301
00:17:11,630 --> 00:17:13,630
And if 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah is killed or wounded,

302
00:17:14,630 --> 00:17:16,630
then let the Muslims choose a commander from among themselves."

303
00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:18,630
When the Muslims reached Mu'tah,

304
00:17:19,630 --> 00:17:22,630
a village located on the outskirts of the Levant in Jordan,

305
00:17:23,630 --> 00:17:25,630
they found that the Romans had prepared an army of one hundred thousand,

306
00:17:26,630 --> 00:17:28,630
reinforced by another one hundred thousand Christian Arabs

307
00:17:29,630 --> 00:17:32,630
from the tribes of Lakhm, Judham, Quda'ah, and others.

308
00:17:33,630 --> 00:17:35,630
As for the Muslim army,

309
00:17:36,630 --> 00:17:38,630
it consisted of only three thousand men.

310
00:17:39,630 --> 00:17:40,630
No sooner had the two forces clashed

311
00:17:41,630 --> 00:17:42,630
and the fierce battle commenced,

312
00:17:43,630 --> 00:17:45,630
than Zayd ibn Harithah fell,

313
00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:48,630
slain while charging forward without turning his back.

314
00:17:49,630 --> 00:17:51,630
Thereupon, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib swiftly leaped

315
00:17:52,630 --> 00:17:54,630
from the back of a reddish-blonde mare of his,

316
00:17:55,630 --> 00:17:56,630
hamstrung her with his sword

317
00:17:57,630 --> 00:17:59,630
so that the enemy could not make use of her after him,

318
00:18:00,630 --> 00:18:02,630
took up the banner, and plunged deep into the Roman ranks,

319
00:18:03,630 --> 00:18:04,630
chanting:

320
00:18:05,630 --> 00:18:06,630
"O welcome Paradise as it draws near,

321
00:18:07,630 --> 00:18:09,630
so sweet and with its refreshing, cool drinks!

322
00:18:10,630 --> 00:18:12,630
The Romans are Romans whose punishment is near,

323
00:18:13,630 --> 00:18:15,630
disbelievers of alien lineage;

324
00:18:16,630 --> 00:18:18,630
upon me is to strike them down when we meet!"

325
00:18:19,630 --> 00:18:21,819
He continued to charge through the enemy lines,

326
00:18:22,819 --> 00:18:24,819
striking and fighting with his sword,

327
00:18:25,819 --> 00:18:27,819
until a blow struck him, severing his right hand.

328
00:18:28,819 --> 00:18:30,819
He then seized the banner with his left hand,

329
00:18:31,819 --> 00:18:33,819
but soon another blow struck him, severing his left hand.

330
00:18:34,819 --> 00:18:36,819
He clasped the banner with his chest and upper arms,

331
00:18:37,819 --> 00:18:39,819
but soon a third blow struck him,

332
00:18:40,819 --> 00:18:42,819
cutting him into two halves.

333
00:18:43,819 --> 00:18:45,819
'Abdullah ibn Rawahah then took up the banner from him,

334
00:18:46,819 --> 00:18:48,980
until he too was united in martyrdom with his companions.

335
00:18:49,980 --> 00:18:51,980
News reached the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

336
00:18:52,980 --> 00:18:54,980
of the death of his three commanders,

337
00:18:55,980 --> 00:18:58,049
and he grieved over them with the deepest and most painful sorrow.

338
00:18:59,049 --> 00:19:01,049
He went to the house of his cousin, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib,

339
00:19:02,049 --> 00:19:04,049
and found his wife, Asma',

340
00:19:05,049 --> 00:19:07,049
preparing to receive her absent husband.

341
00:19:08,049 --> 00:19:10,049
She had kneaded her dough,

342
00:19:11,049 --> 00:19:13,049
washed her sons, anointed their hair, and dressed them in clean clothes.

343
00:19:14,049 --> 00:19:15,049
Asma' said:

344
00:19:15,049 --> 00:19:18,049
"When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, entered upon us,

345
00:19:19,049 --> 00:19:23,049
I saw a veil of sorrow cloaking his noble face,

346
00:19:24,049 --> 00:19:26,049
and fear crept into my heart,

347
00:19:27,049 --> 00:19:29,049
though I did not wish to ask him about Ja'far

348
00:19:30,049 --> 00:19:32,049
out of dread of hearing what I feared."

349
00:19:33,079 --> 00:19:34,079
He greeted her and said,

350
00:19:35,079 --> 00:19:36,079
"Bring me the children of Ja'far."

351
00:19:37,079 --> 00:19:38,079
She called them for him,

352
00:19:39,079 --> 00:19:41,079
and they rushed toward him full of joy and excitement,

353
00:19:42,079 --> 00:19:43,079
crowding around him,

354
00:19:43,079 --> 00:19:44,079
each wanting his full attention.

355
00:19:45,079 --> 00:19:46,079
He leaned over them,

356
00:19:47,140 --> 00:19:48,140
began to smell and embrace them,

357
00:19:49,140 --> 00:19:51,140
while his eyes overflowed with tears.

358
00:19:52,140 --> 00:19:53,140
She said, "O Messenger of Allah!

359
00:19:54,140 --> 00:19:56,140
May my father and mother be ransomed for you, what makes you weep?

360
00:19:57,140 --> 00:19:59,140
Has any news reached you regarding Ja'far and his companions?"

361
00:20:00,140 --> 00:20:01,140
He said, "Yes,

362
00:20:02,180 --> 00:20:03,180
they were martyred this day."

363
00:20:04,180 --> 00:20:05,180
At that moment,

364
00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,400
the smiles vanished from the children's faces

365
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,400
when they heard their mother weeping and wailing,

366
00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,400
and they froze in their places as though birds were perched on their heads.

367
00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,400
As for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

368
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,529
he walked away, wiping away his tears,

369
00:20:21,529 --> 00:20:22,529
and saying:

370
00:20:23,529 --> 00:20:25,529
"O Allah, look after Ja'far's children in his stead!

371
00:20:26,529 --> 00:20:28,529
O Allah, care for Ja'far's family in his stead!"

372
00:20:29,529 --> 00:20:30,529
Then he said:

373
00:20:31,529 --> 00:20:33,589
"I have seen Ja'far in Paradise,

374
00:20:34,589 --> 00:20:36,589
with two wings drenched in blood,

375
00:20:37,589 --> 00:20:38,589
flying wherever he wills."

376
00:20:38,589 --> 00:20:40,589
"I have seen Ja'far in Paradise,

377
00:20:41,589 --> 00:20:46,480
with two wings drenched in blood,

378
00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,640
flying wherever he wills."

379
00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,769
A noble hadith.