1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,609 --> 00:00:17,609 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:17,609 --> 00:00:22,609 to present to you portraits from the lives of the Companions, 4 00:00:22,609 --> 00:00:25,640 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,260 may Allah have mercy upon him. 6 00:00:30,260 --> 00:00:35,259 Thabit ibn Qays al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him. 7 00:00:49,070 --> 00:00:57,729 Thabit ibn Qays al-Ansari was a prominent leader among the Khazraj, 8 00:00:57,729 --> 00:01:00,729 and one of the most distinguished figures of Yathrib. 9 00:01:00,729 --> 00:01:05,859 Beyond that, he was sharp-witted and quick-thinking, 10 00:01:05,859 --> 00:01:08,859 possessing a magnificent eloquence and a powerful voice. 11 00:01:08,859 --> 00:01:10,859 When he spoke, he surpassed all other speakers, 12 00:01:10,859 --> 00:01:13,920 and when he delivered a sermon, he captivated his listeners. 13 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,920 He was among the first in Yathrib to embrace Islam, 14 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,920 for no sooner had he heard the verses of the Wise Reminder, 15 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,920 recited by the young Meccan missionary Mus'ab ibn Umayr, 16 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,920 with his melodious voice and gentle tone, 17 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,920 than the Qur'an captured his hearing with the sweetness of its impact, 18 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,920 took hold of his heart with its marvelous eloquence, 19 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,920 and enchanted his soul with the guidance and legislation it contained. 20 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,920 Thus, Allah expanded his breast to faith, 21 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,920 and elevated his status and raised his renown by bringing him under the banner of the Prophet of Islam. 22 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:52,079 When the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, arrived in Medina as an emigrant, 23 00:01:52,079 --> 00:01:59,079 Thabit ibn Qays welcomed him with a large group of his people's horsemen in the most honorable reception, 24 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:03,079 and greeted him and his companion, al-Siddiq, with the most beautiful welcome. 25 00:02:03,079 --> 00:02:06,079 He delivered a profound sermon before him, 26 00:02:06,079 --> 00:02:10,080 which he opened by praising Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, 27 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,080 and by invoking peace and blessings upon His Prophet. 28 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,080 He concluded it by saying, 29 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,080 "We pledge to you, O Messenger of Allah, 30 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:23,080 that we shall protect you with that which we protect ourselves, our children, and our women." 31 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,080 "What shall we have in return for that?" 32 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,080 He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied, "Paradise." 33 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,080 No sooner had the word "Paradise" touched the ears of the people 34 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,080 than their faces shone with joy, 35 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,080 and their features beamed with delight, 36 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:44,080 and they said, "We are satisfied, O Messenger of Allah." 37 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:51,300 From that day on, the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appointed Thabit ibn Qays as his orator, 38 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:54,300 just as Hassan ibn Thabit was his poet. 39 00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:57,300 So, whenever delegations of the Arabs came to him, 40 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:03,300 seeking to boast or debate using the tongues of their most eloquent orators and poets, 41 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:07,300 he would delegate Thabit ibn Qays to challenge the orators, 42 00:03:07,300 --> 00:03:11,300 and Hassan ibn Thabit to compete with the poets. 43 00:03:11,300 --> 00:03:15,340 Thabit ibn Qays was a believer of deep faith, 44 00:03:15,340 --> 00:03:18,340 pious and truly righteous, 45 00:03:18,340 --> 00:03:20,340 possessing an intense fear of his Lord, 46 00:03:20,340 --> 00:03:24,340 and great caution against everything that might anger Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. 47 00:03:24,340 --> 00:03:30,340 One day, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw him in a state of panic and distress, 48 00:03:30,340 --> 00:03:33,340 his limbs trembling with fear and awe. 49 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:36,340 He asked, "What is the matter with you, O Abu Muhammad?" 50 00:03:36,340 --> 00:03:41,340 He replied, "I fear that I have perished, O Messenger of Allah." 51 00:03:41,340 --> 00:03:43,340 He asked, "Why?" 52 00:03:43,340 --> 00:03:46,340 He said, "Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, has forbidden us 53 00:03:46,340 --> 00:03:50,340 from wishing to be praised for what we have not done, 54 00:03:50,340 --> 00:03:52,340 yet I find that I love praise. 55 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:54,340 And He has forbidden us from arrogance, 56 00:03:54,340 --> 00:03:57,400 yet I find that I love vanity." 57 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:02,400 The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, continued to calm his fears, 58 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:03,400 until he said, 59 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,400 "O Thabit, 60 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,400 are you not pleased to live a life of praise, 61 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,400 to be killed as a martyr, 62 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,400 and to enter Paradise?" 63 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,400 Thabit’s face shone with this good news, and he said, 64 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,399 "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." 65 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:18,399 "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." 66 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:21,399 Then he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, 67 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:23,399 [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. 68 00:04:23,399 --> 00:04:27,399 Despite his intense love for him and his excessive attachment to him, 69 00:04:27,399 --> 00:04:33,399 he remained in his house, barely leaving except for the obligatory prayers. 70 00:04:33,399 --> 00:04:36,399 The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, missed him, 71 00:04:36,399 --> 00:04:39,399 and asked, "Who will bring me news of him?" 72 00:04:39,399 --> 00:04:41,399 A man from the Ansar said, 73 00:04:41,399 --> 00:04:43,399 "I will, O Messenger of Allah." 74 00:04:43,399 --> 00:04:45,399 He went to him, 75 00:04:45,399 --> 00:04:48,399 and found him in his house, sorrowful and with his head bowed. 76 00:04:48,399 --> 00:04:50,399 He asked, 77 00:04:50,399 --> 00:04:52,399 "What is the matter with you, O Abu Muhammad?" 78 00:04:52,399 --> 00:04:54,399 He replied, "Evil." 79 00:04:54,399 --> 00:04:56,459 He asked, "What is that?" 80 00:04:56,459 --> 00:05:00,459 He said, "You know that I am a man with a loud voice, 81 00:05:00,459 --> 00:05:05,459 and that my voice often rises above the voice of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 82 00:05:05,459 --> 00:05:09,459 Verses of the Qur'an have been revealed, as you know, 83 00:05:09,459 --> 00:05:12,459 and I fear that my deeds have been rendered void, 84 00:05:12,459 --> 00:05:14,459 and that I am among the people of the Fire." 85 00:05:14,459 --> 00:05:18,529 The man returned to the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 86 00:05:18,529 --> 00:05:21,529 and informed him of what he had seen and heard. 87 00:05:21,529 --> 00:05:22,529 He said, 88 00:05:22,529 --> 00:05:24,529 "Go to him and tell him: 89 00:05:24,529 --> 00:05:26,529 'You are not among the people of the Fire, 90 00:05:26,529 --> 00:05:29,529 but rather you are among the people of Paradise.'" 91 00:05:29,529 --> 00:05:32,560 This was a great piece of good news for Thabit, 92 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,560 the hope of which he cherished throughout his life. 93 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:41,560 Thabit ibn Qays witnessed all the battles with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 94 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,560 except for Badr. 95 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:49,560 He would throw himself into the thick of battle, seeking the martyrdom the Prophet had promised him, 96 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,560 yet it would elude him every time, even when it was within reach. 97 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,560 Until the Wars of Apostasy occurred between the Muslims and Musaylimah the Liar, 98 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,560 during the reign of al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. 99 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:07,560 Thabit ibn Qays was at that time the commander of the Ansar forces, 100 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,560 and Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, was the commander of the Muhajirun forces, 101 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,560 while Khalid ibn al-Walid was the commander of the entire army, 102 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:19,560 including the Ansar, the Muhajirun, and the tribesmen among them. 103 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:26,779 The tide of battle in most of the engagements was turning against the Muslim armies in favor of Musaylimah and his men, 104 00:06:26,779 --> 00:06:31,779 to the point that they breached the tent of Khalid ibn al-Walid, 105 00:06:31,779 --> 00:06:34,779 and intended to kill his wife, Umm Tamim, 106 00:06:34,779 --> 00:06:38,779 and they cut the ropes of the tent and tore it to shreds. 107 00:06:38,779 --> 00:06:46,040 On that day, Thabit ibn Qays saw such weakness among the Muslims that his heart was filled with grief and anguish, 108 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,040 and he heard their mutual accusations, which filled his chest with sorrow and distress. 109 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,040 The Medinans were accusing the tribesmen of cowardice, 110 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:59,040 and the tribesmen were describing the Medinans as unskilled in combat, 111 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,040 and ignorant of the nature of war. 112 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,139 At that moment, Thabit applied his perfume and donned his shroud, 113 00:07:05,139 --> 00:07:08,139 stood before the witnesses, and said, 114 00:07:08,139 --> 00:07:10,139 "O assembly of Muslims, 115 00:07:10,139 --> 00:07:15,139 this is not how we used to fight alongside the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 116 00:07:15,139 --> 00:07:19,139 How wretched is the boldness you have accustomed your enemies to show against you, 117 00:07:19,139 --> 00:07:23,139 and how wretched is the cowardice you have accustomed yourselves to show them!" 118 00:07:23,139 --> 00:07:26,139 Then he raised his gaze to the sky and said, 119 00:07:26,139 --> 00:07:31,139 "O Allah, I disavow before You what these people have brought of polytheism," 120 00:07:31,139 --> 00:07:34,139 meaning Musaylimah and his people, 121 00:07:34,139 --> 00:07:37,139 "and I disavow before You what these people are doing," 122 00:07:37,139 --> 00:07:39,170 meaning the Muslims. 123 00:07:39,170 --> 00:07:41,170 Then he charged like a fierce lion, 124 00:07:41,170 --> 00:07:44,170 shoulder to shoulder with the noble, blessed ones: 125 00:07:44,170 --> 00:07:46,170 al-Bara' ibn Malik al-Ansari, 126 00:07:46,170 --> 00:07:48,170 Zayd ibn al-Khattab, 127 00:07:48,170 --> 00:07:51,170 the brother of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab, 128 00:07:51,170 --> 00:07:54,170 Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, 129 00:07:54,170 --> 00:07:58,170 and others among the early believers. 130 00:07:58,170 --> 00:08:00,170 He fought with great valor, 131 00:08:00,170 --> 00:08:03,170 filling the hearts of the Muslims with zeal and determination, 132 00:08:03,170 --> 00:08:06,170 and filling the hearts of the polytheists with weakness and terror. 133 00:08:06,170 --> 00:08:09,170 He continued to strike in every direction, 134 00:08:09,170 --> 00:08:11,170 fighting with every weapon, 135 00:08:11,170 --> 00:08:14,170 until his wounds overcame him. 136 00:08:14,170 --> 00:08:17,170 He fell, struck down on the battlefield, 137 00:08:17,170 --> 00:08:21,170 his eyes comforted by the martyrdom Allah had decreed for him, 138 00:08:21,170 --> 00:08:26,170 which his beloved, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had promised him, 139 00:08:26,170 --> 00:08:31,170 his heart content with the victory Allah had achieved for the Muslims at his hands. 140 00:08:31,170 --> 00:08:34,330 Thabit was wearing a precious suit of armor, 141 00:08:34,330 --> 00:08:36,330 and a man from the Muslims passed by him, 142 00:08:36,330 --> 00:08:39,330 stripped it from him, and took it for himself. 143 00:08:39,330 --> 00:08:42,490 On the night following his martyrdom, 144 00:08:42,490 --> 00:08:45,490 a man from the Muslims saw him in his dream, 145 00:08:45,490 --> 00:08:47,490 and he said to the man, 146 00:08:47,490 --> 00:08:48,490 "I am Thabit ibn Qays. 147 00:08:48,490 --> 00:08:50,490 Do you recognize me?" 148 00:08:50,490 --> 00:08:52,490 He said, "Yes." 149 00:08:52,490 --> 00:08:53,490 He said, 150 00:08:53,490 --> 00:08:55,490 "I have a will for you, 151 00:08:55,490 --> 00:08:59,490 so do not say 'this is just a dream' and neglect it. 152 00:08:59,490 --> 00:09:01,580 When I was killed yesterday, 153 00:09:01,580 --> 00:09:05,580 a man from the Muslims passed by me, whose description is such and such, 154 00:09:05,580 --> 00:09:08,580 and he took my armor and went with it toward his tent, 155 00:09:08,580 --> 00:09:11,580 at the far end of the camp in such and such a direction, 156 00:09:11,580 --> 00:09:14,580 and he placed it under a cooking pot, 157 00:09:14,580 --> 00:09:16,580 and placed a saddle on top of the pot. 158 00:09:16,580 --> 00:09:18,580 Go to Khalid ibn al-Walid, 159 00:09:18,580 --> 00:09:22,580 and tell him to send someone to the man to take the armor from him, 160 00:09:22,580 --> 00:09:25,580 for it is still in its place. 161 00:09:25,580 --> 00:09:27,580 And I have another will for you, 162 00:09:27,580 --> 00:09:31,580 so do not say 'this is just a dream' and neglect it. 163 00:09:31,580 --> 00:09:33,580 Tell Khalid: 164 00:09:33,580 --> 00:09:38,580 'When you arrive at the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Medina, 165 00:09:38,580 --> 00:09:39,580 tell him: 166 00:09:39,580 --> 00:09:43,580 Thabit ibn Qays owes such and such a debt, 167 00:09:43,580 --> 00:09:47,580 and such and such of my slaves are free.' 168 00:09:47,580 --> 00:09:50,580 So let him pay my debt and free my slaves." 169 00:09:50,580 --> 00:09:52,649 The man woke up, 170 00:09:52,649 --> 00:09:54,649 went to Khalid ibn al-Walid, 171 00:09:54,649 --> 00:09:56,649 and informed him of what he had heard and seen. 172 00:09:56,649 --> 00:10:00,649 Khalid sent someone to retrieve the armor from the one who had taken it, 173 00:10:00,649 --> 00:10:02,649 and they found it in its place, 174 00:10:02,649 --> 00:10:04,649 and brought it back just as it was. 175 00:10:04,649 --> 00:10:07,649 When Khalid returned to Medina, 176 00:10:07,649 --> 00:10:12,649 he told Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, about the story of Thabit ibn Qays and his will. 177 00:10:12,649 --> 00:10:15,649 Al-Siddiq carried out his will, 178 00:10:15,649 --> 00:10:21,649 and no one before or after him had their will carried out after their death, except him. 179 00:10:21,649 --> 00:10:24,840 May Allah be pleased with Thabit ibn Qays and grant him satisfaction, 180 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,840 and place his abode in the highest of the high. 181 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:36,659 No one's will has been carried out after their death, 182 00:10:36,659 --> 00:10:40,659 except the will of Thabit ibn Qays.