1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,220 --> 00:00:18,219 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:18,219 --> 00:00:22,219 to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions, 4 00:00:22,219 --> 00:00:25,219 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,219 --> 00:00:27,260 may Allah have mercy upon him. 6 00:00:27,260 --> 00:00:33,060 Al-Bara' ibn Malik al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him. 7 00:00:45,020 --> 00:00:50,490 He was disheveled, dusty, slight of frame, and lean of bone; 8 00:00:50,490 --> 00:00:52,490 one might overlook him at first glance, 9 00:00:52,490 --> 00:00:54,490 and turn away from him in disdain. 10 00:00:54,490 --> 00:00:56,490 Yet, despite this, 11 00:00:56,490 --> 00:00:58,490 he killed one hundred of the polytheists 12 00:00:59,490 --> 00:01:01,490 in single combat, 13 00:01:01,490 --> 00:01:05,489 not counting those he slew in the heat of battle alongside the warriors. 14 00:01:05,489 --> 00:01:08,489 He was a brave, daring, and intrepid knight, 15 00:01:08,489 --> 00:01:12,489 concerning whom the Faruq (Umar ibn al-Khattab) wrote to his governors in the provinces, 16 00:01:12,489 --> 00:01:16,489 instructing them never to appoint him as a commander over any Muslim army, 17 00:01:16,489 --> 00:01:19,489 for fear that his reckless bravery might lead them to destruction. 18 00:01:19,489 --> 00:01:22,489 He is al-Bara' ibn Malik al-Ansari, 19 00:01:22,489 --> 00:01:24,489 the brother of Anas ibn Malik, 20 00:01:24,489 --> 00:01:27,489 the servant of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 21 00:01:27,489 --> 00:01:31,489 If I were to set out to recount for you the tales of al-Bara' ibn Malik’s heroism, 22 00:01:31,489 --> 00:01:34,489 the discourse would be long and the time insufficient. 23 00:01:34,489 --> 00:01:40,489 Therefore, I have chosen to present to you one story from his heroic exploits, 24 00:01:40,489 --> 00:01:43,489 which will inform you of the rest. 25 00:01:43,489 --> 00:01:46,489 This story begins in the early hours 26 00:01:46,489 --> 00:01:50,489 following the death of the noble Prophet and his joining the Highest Companion. 27 00:01:50,489 --> 00:01:55,489 At that time, the Arab tribes began to leave the religion of Allah in droves, 28 00:01:55,489 --> 00:01:58,489 just as they had entered it in droves, 29 00:01:58,489 --> 00:02:03,489 until none remained upon Islam except the people of Makkah, Madinah, and Ta'if, 30 00:02:03,489 --> 00:02:06,489 and scattered groups here and there 31 00:02:06,489 --> 00:02:10,490 whose hearts Allah had made firm in faith. 32 00:02:10,490 --> 00:02:13,490 The Siddiq (Abu Bakr), may Allah be pleased with him, stood firm 33 00:02:13,490 --> 00:02:16,490 against this destructive, blind tribulation, 34 00:02:16,490 --> 00:02:18,490 with the steadfastness of immovable mountains. 35 00:02:18,490 --> 00:02:22,490 He prepared eleven armies from the Muhajirun and the Ansar, 36 00:02:22,490 --> 00:02:26,490 bestowed eleven banners upon their commanders, 37 00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:29,490 and dispatched them across the Arabian Peninsula 38 00:02:29,490 --> 00:02:33,490 to return the apostates to the path of guidance and truth, 39 00:02:33,490 --> 00:02:37,520 and to bring the wayward back to the straight path by the edge of the sword. 40 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,520 The most formidable and numerous of the apostates 41 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,520 were the Banu Hanifah, the followers of Musaylimah the Liar. 42 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:50,520 For Musaylimah had gathered from his people and their allies forty thousand 43 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,520 fierce warriors. 44 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,520 Most of them followed him out of tribal partisanship, 45 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,520 not out of belief in him. 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,520 Indeed, some of them would say, 47 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,520 "I bear witness that Musaylimah is a liar and Muhammad is truthful, 48 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:10,520 but the liar of Rabi'ah is dearer to us than the truthful one of Mudar." 49 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,520 Musaylimah defeated the first army sent against him from the Muslim forces, 50 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,520 led by 'Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, 51 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,520 and drove them back. 52 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,520 So the Siddiq sent him a second army, 53 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,520 led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, 54 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,520 in which he gathered the elite of the Companions from the Ansar and the Muhajirun. 55 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,520 And in the vanguard of them all 56 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,520 was al-Bara' ibn Malik al-Ansari, 57 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,520 along with a group of the bravest Muslim warriors. 58 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,520 The two armies met on the land of al-Yamamah in Najd. 59 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,520 It was but a short time 60 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,520 before the tide turned in favor of Musaylimah and his companions, 61 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,520 and the earth shook beneath the feet of the Muslim soldiers. 62 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,520 They began to retreat from their positions, 63 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,520 until Musaylimah’s men stormed the tent of Khalid ibn al-Walid, 64 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,520 uprooted it from its foundations, 65 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,520 and nearly killed his wife, 66 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,520 had one of them not granted her protection. 67 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,520 At that moment, the Muslims felt the imminent danger, 68 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,520 and realized that if they were defeated by Musaylimah, 69 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,520 Islam would never rise again after this day. 70 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,519 Khalid rushed to his army, 71 00:04:16,519 --> 00:04:18,519 reorganized it, 72 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:21,519 distinguished the Muhajirun from the Ansar, 73 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:25,519 and distinguished the Bedouins from both groups. 74 00:04:25,519 --> 00:04:29,519 He gathered the men of each lineage under the banner of one of their own, 75 00:04:29,519 --> 00:04:32,519 to see the performance of each group in battle, 76 00:04:32,519 --> 00:04:35,519 and to know from where the Muslims were being attacked. 77 00:04:35,519 --> 00:04:39,519 A fierce battle raged between the two sides, 78 00:04:39,519 --> 00:04:42,519 the likes of which the Muslim wars had never seen before. 79 00:04:42,519 --> 00:04:45,519 Musaylimah’s people stood firm on the battlefield 80 00:04:45,519 --> 00:04:48,519 with the steadfastness of immovable mountains, 81 00:04:48,519 --> 00:04:51,519 unconcerned by the heavy casualties they sustained. 82 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:54,519 The Muslims displayed such extraordinary heroism 83 00:04:54,519 --> 00:04:59,519 that, if gathered, it would form an epic among the greatest epics. 84 00:04:59,519 --> 00:05:01,519 There was Thabit ibn Qays, 85 00:05:01,519 --> 00:05:03,519 the standard-bearer of the Ansar, 86 00:05:03,519 --> 00:05:05,519 who perfumed and shrouded himself, 87 00:05:05,519 --> 00:05:08,519 dug a pit in the ground for himself, 88 00:05:08,519 --> 00:05:11,519 stood in it up to his shins, 89 00:05:11,519 --> 00:05:13,519 and remained firm in his position, 90 00:05:13,519 --> 00:05:18,519 defending his people’s banner until he fell as a martyr. 91 00:05:18,519 --> 00:05:20,519 And there was Zayd ibn al-Khattab, 92 00:05:20,519 --> 00:05:23,519 the brother of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them both, 93 00:05:23,519 --> 00:05:25,519 calling out to the Muslims, 94 00:05:25,519 --> 00:05:29,519 "O people, bite down on your molars, 95 00:05:29,519 --> 00:05:32,519 strike at your enemy, and press forward! 96 00:05:32,519 --> 00:05:38,519 O people, by Allah, I shall never speak again after these words 97 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:40,519 until Musaylimah is defeated, 98 00:05:40,519 --> 00:05:43,519 or I meet Allah and present my plea to Him." 99 00:05:43,519 --> 00:05:48,519 Then he charged the enemy and continued fighting until he was killed. 100 00:05:48,519 --> 00:05:51,519 And there was Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, 101 00:05:51,519 --> 00:05:53,519 carrying the banner of the Muhajirun. 102 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:57,519 His people feared he might weaken or falter, 103 00:05:57,519 --> 00:06:01,519 so they said to him, "We fear that we might be attacked from your side." 104 00:06:01,519 --> 00:06:04,519 He replied, "If you are attacked from my side, 105 00:06:04,519 --> 00:06:06,519 then I would be a wretched bearer of the Qur'an." 106 00:06:06,519 --> 00:06:12,519 Then he charged the enemies of Allah with heroic intensity until he was struck down. 107 00:06:12,519 --> 00:06:15,649 Yet the heroism of all these men 108 00:06:15,649 --> 00:06:19,649 pales in comparison to the heroism of al-Bara' ibn Malik, 109 00:06:19,649 --> 00:06:22,649 may Allah be pleased with him and with them all. 110 00:06:22,649 --> 00:06:27,649 For when Khalid saw the heat of battle intensifying, 111 00:06:27,649 --> 00:06:30,649 he turned to al-Bara' ibn Malik and said, 112 00:06:30,649 --> 00:06:32,649 "Charge them, O youth of the Ansar!" 113 00:06:32,649 --> 00:06:35,649 Al-Bara' turned to his people and said, 114 00:06:35,649 --> 00:06:37,649 "O company of the Ansar, 115 00:06:37,649 --> 00:06:41,649 let none of you think of returning to Madinah; 116 00:06:41,649 --> 00:06:43,649 there is no Madinah for you after today, 117 00:06:43,649 --> 00:06:47,649 there is only Allah alone, then Paradise!" 118 00:06:47,649 --> 00:06:50,649 Then he charged the polytheists, and they charged with him, 119 00:06:50,649 --> 00:06:52,649 and he began to cleave through the ranks, 120 00:06:52,649 --> 00:06:55,649 wielding his sword against the necks of the enemies of Allah, 121 00:06:55,649 --> 00:06:59,649 until the feet of Musaylimah and his companions faltered. 122 00:06:59,649 --> 00:07:01,649 They retreated into the garden, 123 00:07:01,649 --> 00:07:05,649 which became known in history thereafter as the Garden of Death, 124 00:07:05,649 --> 00:07:08,649 due to the number of those killed there that day. 125 00:07:08,649 --> 00:07:12,649 This Garden of Death was vast in its expanse, 126 00:07:12,649 --> 00:07:14,649 with towering walls. 127 00:07:14,649 --> 00:07:19,649 Musaylimah and thousands of his soldiers locked themselves inside, 128 00:07:19,649 --> 00:07:22,649 fortified by its high walls, 129 00:07:22,649 --> 00:07:26,649 and began raining arrows down upon the Muslims from within, 130 00:07:26,649 --> 00:07:29,649 falling upon them like rain. 131 00:07:29,649 --> 00:07:33,649 At that point, the brave Muslim warrior stepped forward, 132 00:07:33,649 --> 00:07:35,649 al-Bara' ibn Malik, and said, 133 00:07:35,649 --> 00:07:37,649 "O people, 134 00:07:37,649 --> 00:07:39,649 place me on a shield, 135 00:07:39,649 --> 00:07:41,649 raise the shield on your spears, 136 00:07:41,649 --> 00:07:44,649 and toss me into the garden near its gate. 137 00:07:44,649 --> 00:07:46,649 Either I shall be martyred, 138 00:07:46,649 --> 00:07:48,649 or I shall open the gate for you." 139 00:07:48,649 --> 00:07:50,649 In the blink of an eye, 140 00:07:50,649 --> 00:07:53,649 al-Bara' ibn Malik sat on a shield— 141 00:07:53,649 --> 00:07:56,649 for he was slight and lean of body— 142 00:07:56,649 --> 00:07:58,649 and dozens of spears lifted him up, 143 00:07:58,649 --> 00:08:01,649 and cast him into the Garden of Death, 144 00:08:01,649 --> 00:08:04,649 among the thousands of Musaylimah’s soldiers. 145 00:08:04,649 --> 00:08:07,649 He descended upon them like a thunderbolt, 146 00:08:07,649 --> 00:08:10,649 and continued to fight them before the garden gate, 147 00:08:10,649 --> 00:08:12,649 wielding his sword against their necks, 148 00:08:12,649 --> 00:08:16,649 until he killed ten of them and opened the gate. 149 00:08:16,649 --> 00:08:19,649 He bore over eighty wounds, 150 00:08:19,649 --> 00:08:21,649 from arrow shots 151 00:08:21,649 --> 00:08:23,649 or sword strikes. 152 00:08:23,649 --> 00:08:26,649 The Muslims then flooded into the Garden of Death 153 00:08:26,649 --> 00:08:28,649 over its walls and through its gates, 154 00:08:28,649 --> 00:08:31,649 and set their swords upon the necks of the apostates, 155 00:08:31,649 --> 00:08:33,649 leaving none within its walls, 156 00:08:33,649 --> 00:08:36,649 until they had killed nearly twenty thousand of them, 157 00:08:36,649 --> 00:08:38,649 and reached Musaylimah, 158 00:08:38,649 --> 00:08:40,649 and struck him down. 159 00:08:40,649 --> 00:08:42,679 Al-Bara' ibn Malik was carried 160 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,679 to his tent to be treated, 161 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,679 and Khalid ibn al-Walid stayed by him 162 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:49,679 for a month, tending to his wounds, 163 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,809 until Allah granted him recovery. 164 00:08:52,809 --> 00:08:54,809 And it was by his hands 165 00:08:54,809 --> 00:08:56,809 that victory was written for the Muslim army. 166 00:08:56,809 --> 00:08:58,809 Al-Bara' ibn Malik al-Ansari remained 167 00:08:58,809 --> 00:09:01,809 yearning for the martyrdom that had eluded him 168 00:09:01,809 --> 00:09:03,809 on the day of the Garden of Death. 169 00:09:03,809 --> 00:09:05,809 He continued to engage in battles, 170 00:09:05,809 --> 00:09:07,809 one after another, 171 00:09:07,809 --> 00:09:10,809 longing to achieve his greatest wish, 172 00:09:10,809 --> 00:09:13,809 and yearning to join his noble Prophet. 173 00:09:13,809 --> 00:09:16,809 Until the day of the conquest of Tustar 174 00:09:16,809 --> 00:09:18,809 in the lands of Persia. 175 00:09:18,809 --> 00:09:21,809 The Persians had fortified themselves in one of the impregnable fortresses, 176 00:09:21,809 --> 00:09:23,809 so the Muslims besieged them, 177 00:09:23,809 --> 00:09:26,809 surrounding them like a bracelet around a wrist. 178 00:09:26,809 --> 00:09:28,940 When the siege dragged on, 179 00:09:28,940 --> 00:09:30,940 and the hardship intensified for the Persians, 180 00:09:30,940 --> 00:09:33,940 they began to lower from the fortress walls 181 00:09:33,940 --> 00:09:35,940 iron chains, 182 00:09:35,940 --> 00:09:38,940 to which were attached steel hooks 183 00:09:38,940 --> 00:09:40,940 heated in the fire, 184 00:09:40,940 --> 00:09:43,940 until they glowed brighter than embers. 185 00:09:43,940 --> 00:09:46,940 They would snag the bodies of the Muslims, 186 00:09:46,940 --> 00:09:48,940 and hook onto them, 187 00:09:48,940 --> 00:09:50,940 and they would hoist them up, either dead 188 00:09:50,940 --> 00:09:52,940 or on the verge of death. 189 00:09:52,940 --> 00:09:55,940 One of these hooks caught Anas ibn Malik, 190 00:09:55,940 --> 00:09:57,940 the brother of al-Bara' ibn Malik. 191 00:09:57,940 --> 00:09:59,940 As soon as al-Bara' saw him, 192 00:09:59,940 --> 00:10:01,940 he leaped onto the fortress wall, 193 00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:04,940 grabbed the chain holding his brother, 194 00:10:04,940 --> 00:10:06,940 and began to work the hook 195 00:10:06,940 --> 00:10:08,940 to extract it from his body. 196 00:10:08,940 --> 00:10:11,940 His hand began to burn and smoke, 197 00:10:11,940 --> 00:10:13,940 yet he paid it no mind, 198 00:10:13,940 --> 00:10:15,940 until he saved his brother, 199 00:10:15,940 --> 00:10:17,940 He descended to the earth 200 00:10:17,940 --> 00:10:21,940 after his hand had been reduced to bone, stripped of all flesh. 201 00:10:21,940 --> 00:10:23,940 During this battle, 202 00:10:23,940 --> 00:10:25,940 Al-Bara' Ibn Malik 203 00:10:25,940 --> 00:10:28,940 al-Ansari prayed to Allah to grant him martyrdom, 204 00:10:28,940 --> 00:10:30,940 and Allah answered his prayer, 205 00:10:30,940 --> 00:10:34,000 for he fell as a martyr, 206 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,000 rejoicing in his meeting with Allah. 207 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,000 May Allah brighten the face of Al-Bara' Ibn Malik 208 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,000 in Paradise, 209 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,000 and gladden his eyes with the companionship of His Prophet, 210 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,000 Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 211 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 and may He be pleased with him and grant him contentment. 212 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,379 Do not appoint Al-Bara' 213 00:10:50,379 --> 00:10:53,379 to lead any of the Muslim armies, 214 00:10:53,379 --> 00:10:56,450 for fear that his boldness might lead his soldiers to their destruction, 215 00:10:56,450 --> 00:10:59,019 said 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab.