WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.320 Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:22.320 to present to you snapshots from the lives of the Companions 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.320 by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.350 may Allah have mercy on him. 00:00:27.350 --> 00:00:31.339 'Asim ibn Thabit, 00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:33.340 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:47.609 --> 00:00:50.609 Quraysh set out with their whole force, young and old, 00:00:50.609 --> 00:00:55.609 their nobles and their slaves, to confront Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah at Uhud. 00:00:55.609 --> 00:00:59.609 Malice filled their breasts to the brim, 00:00:59.609 --> 00:01:04.609 and the desire for revenge for those slain at Badr raged like a fire in their blood. 00:01:04.609 --> 00:01:06.609 Even this was not enough for them; 00:01:06.609 --> 00:01:10.609 rather, they brought along the noblewomen of Quraysh as well, 00:01:10.609 --> 00:01:13.609 to incite the men to fight, 00:01:13.609 --> 00:01:16.609 ignite zeal in the hearts of the warriors, 00:01:16.609 --> 00:01:20.609 and bolster their resolve whenever they wavered or showed weakness. 00:01:20.609 --> 00:01:23.700 Among those who went out with them were 00:01:23.700 --> 00:01:26.700 Hind bint 'Utbah, wife of Abu Sufyan; 00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:28.700 Raytah bint Munabbih, 00:01:28.700 --> 00:01:30.700 wife of 'Amr ibn al-'As; 00:01:30.700 --> 00:01:32.700 and Sulafah bint Sa'd, 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:36.700 accompanied by her husband Talhah and her three sons: 00:01:36.700 --> 00:01:39.700 Musafi', al-Julas, and Kilab; 00:01:39.700 --> 00:01:42.700 alongside many other women. 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.829 When the two forces met at Uhud 00:01:45.829 --> 00:01:47.829 and the fires of war began to rage, 00:01:47.829 --> 00:01:51.829 Hind bint 'Utbah and the women with her stood up 00:01:51.829 --> 00:01:53.829 and took their positions behind the ranks. 00:01:53.829 --> 00:01:55.829 Holding tambourines in their hands, 00:01:55.829 --> 00:01:58.829 they beat them while chanting: 00:01:58.829 --> 00:02:00.829 "If you advance, we embrace you, 00:02:00.829 --> 00:02:02.829 and spread out soft cushions; 00:02:02.829 --> 00:02:04.829 but if you retreat, we depart— 00:02:04.829 --> 00:02:06.829 a departure without love." 00:02:06.829 --> 00:02:10.960 Their chant ignited zeal in the breasts of the knights 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:14.960 and worked like magic on the souls of their husbands. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:17.960 Then the battle drew to a close, 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.960 and victory was decreed for Quraysh over the Muslims. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:22.960 The women stood up, 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.960 inflamed by the fervor of victory, 00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:29.960 and began roaming through the battlefield ululating, 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:33.960 committing the most horrific mutilations upon the slain. 00:02:33.960 --> 00:02:35.960 They ripped open bellies, 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:37.960 gouged out eyes, 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:40.960 and cut off ears and noses. 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.960 Indeed, one of them was not satisfied in her rage 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:47.960 until she fashioned necklaces and anklets from those noses and ears, 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:49.960 adorning herself with them 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:54.960 in revenge for her father, brother, and uncle who had been killed at Badr. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.960 But Sulafah bint Sa'd 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:01.960 was in a very different state from her fellow Qurayshi women. 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:04.960 She was anxious and distressed, 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:09.960 waiting for her husband or one of her three sons to come to her, 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:11.960 so she could learn their news 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:14.960 and share in the joy of victory with the other women. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:18.990 However, her long wait proved to be in vain. 00:03:18.990 --> 00:03:20.990 She ventured deep into the battlefield 00:03:20.990 --> 00:03:23.990 and began searching among the faces of the slain, 00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:28.990 only to find her husband struck down, drenched in his own blood. 00:03:28.990 --> 00:03:30.990 She bolted like a panicked lioness 00:03:30.990 --> 00:03:35.990 and began casting her gaze in every direction, searching for her sons: 00:03:35.990 --> 00:03:38.990 Musafi', Kilab, and al-Julas. 00:03:38.990 --> 00:03:42.990 It was not long before she saw them laid out on the slopes of Uhud. 00:03:42.990 --> 00:03:44.990 As for Musafi' and Kilab, 00:03:44.990 --> 00:03:47.990 they had already passed away. 00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:48.990 As for al-Julas, 00:03:48.990 --> 00:03:52.990 she found him with a faint spark of life still remaining. 00:03:52.990 --> 00:03:56.990 Sulafah bent over her son as he suffered the agonies of death, 00:03:56.990 --> 00:03:59.990 placed his head in her lap, 00:03:59.990 --> 00:04:02.990 and began wiping the blood from his forehead and mouth, 00:04:02.990 --> 00:04:06.990 her tears dried up in her eyes from the horror of the tragedy. 00:04:06.990 --> 00:04:09.990 Then she turned to him, saying: 00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:11.990 "Who struck you down, my son?" 00:04:11.990 --> 00:04:14.020 He tried to answer her, 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:17.019 but the death rattle prevented him. 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:19.019 She persisted in asking him, 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:21.019 so he said: 00:04:21.019 --> 00:04:23.019 "'Asim ibn Thabit struck me down, 00:04:23.019 --> 00:04:25.019 and he struck down my brother Musafi'." 00:04:25.019 --> 00:04:28.019 Then he drew his last breath. 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:31.180 Sulafah bint Sa'd went mad with grief. 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:33.180 She began to wail and sob, 00:04:33.180 --> 00:04:36.180 and swore by Allah and al-'Uzza 00:04:36.180 --> 00:04:38.180 that her anguish would not subside, 00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:40.180 nor would a tear dry from her eyes, 00:04:40.180 --> 00:04:44.180 unless Quraysh took revenge for her against 'Asim ibn Thabit, 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:48.180 and gave her the skull of his head so she could drink wine from it. 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:50.180 She then pledged to whoever captured him, 00:04:50.180 --> 00:04:52.180 or killed him and brought her his head, 00:04:52.180 --> 00:04:56.180 to give him whatever precious wealth he desired. 00:04:56.180 --> 00:04:59.220 News of her vow spread throughout Quraysh, 00:04:59.220 --> 00:05:02.220 and every young man among the youth of Mecca 00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:05.220 wished that he might overcome 'Asim ibn Thabit 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:07.220 and present his head to Sulafah, 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:10.220 in hopes of winning her prize. 00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:13.339 The Muslims returned to Medina after Uhud, 00:05:13.339 --> 00:05:17.339 and began reminiscing about the battle and what had transpired, 00:05:17.339 --> 00:05:21.339 asking Allah's mercy for the heroes who were martyred 00:05:21.339 --> 00:05:25.339 and commending the brave warriors who fought valiantly. 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:28.339 Among those they mentioned was 'Asim ibn Thabit, 00:05:28.339 --> 00:05:34.339 expressing wonder at how he happened to slay three brothers from a single household 00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:36.339 among those he had brought down. 00:05:36.339 --> 00:05:38.339 One of them said: 00:05:38.339 --> 00:05:40.339 "Is there any wonder in that? 00:05:41.339 --> 00:05:45.339 Do you not remember the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:05:45.339 --> 00:05:49.339 when he asked us shortly before Badr, 'How do you fight?' 00:05:49.339 --> 00:05:51.339 'Asim ibn Thabit stood up before him, 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:54.339 took his bow in his hand, and said: 00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:57.339 'When the enemy is close to me—within a hundred cubits— 00:05:57.339 --> 00:05:59.339 the engagement is by shooting arrows. 00:05:59.339 --> 00:06:02.339 When they draw closer so that spears can reach us, 00:06:02.339 --> 00:06:06.339 there is thrusting until the spears break. 00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:08.439 When the spears break, 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:11.439 we set them aside and draw our swords, 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.439 and then comes hand-to-hand combat.' 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:15.500 Upon this, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:17.500 'This is how war is fought. 00:06:17.500 --> 00:06:21.500 Whoever fights, let him fight as 'Asim fights.'" 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:24.540 Not long after Uhud, 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:27.540 the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, dispatched 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:29.540 six noble Companions 00:06:29.540 --> 00:06:31.540 on an expedition, 00:06:31.540 --> 00:06:34.540 appointing 'Asim ibn Thabit as their commander. 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:40.569 The noble group set out to carry out what the Prophet, peace be upon him, had commanded them. 00:06:40.569 --> 00:06:44.569 While they were on the way, not far from Mecca, 00:06:44.569 --> 00:06:47.569 a group from the tribe of Hudhayl learned of their presence. 00:06:47.569 --> 00:06:49.569 They rushed toward them swiftly 00:06:49.569 --> 00:06:52.699 and surrounded them like a collar around a neck. 00:06:52.699 --> 00:06:55.699 'Asim and those with him drew their swords, 00:06:55.699 --> 00:06:59.699 intending to engage those who had surrounded them. 00:06:59.699 --> 00:07:01.699 The men of Hudhayl said to them: 00:07:01.699 --> 00:07:03.699 "You are no match for us, 00:07:03.699 --> 00:07:06.699 and by Allah, we intend you no harm 00:07:06.699 --> 00:07:08.699 if you surrender to us. 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:11.699 You have Allah's covenant and pledge to that effect." 00:07:11.699 --> 00:07:15.730 The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, began 00:07:15.730 --> 00:07:17.730 looking at one another, 00:07:17.730 --> 00:07:20.730 as if consulting on what to do. 00:07:20.730 --> 00:07:23.949 'Asim turned to his companions and said: 00:07:23.949 --> 00:07:27.949 "As for me, I will never descend under the protection of a polytheist." 00:07:27.949 --> 00:07:30.949 Then he remembered the vow that Sulafah had made, 00:07:31.949 --> 00:07:33.949 drew his sword, and prayed: 00:07:33.949 --> 00:07:37.949 "O Allah, I have protected and defended Your religion, 00:07:37.949 --> 00:07:39.949 so protect my flesh and bones, 00:07:39.949 --> 00:07:43.949 and do not let any of the enemies of Allah violate them." 00:07:43.949 --> 00:07:45.949 He then charged at the men of Hudhayl, 00:07:45.949 --> 00:07:47.949 followed by two of his companions, 00:07:47.949 --> 00:07:49.949 and they continued fighting 00:07:49.949 --> 00:07:52.949 until they were slain one after another. 00:07:52.949 --> 00:07:54.949 As for the rest of his companions, 00:07:54.949 --> 00:07:56.949 they surrendered to their captors, 00:07:56.949 --> 00:07:59.949 who shortly thereafter betrayed them in the most treacherous manner. 00:07:59.949 --> 00:08:03.050 At first, the men of Hudhayl 00:08:03.050 --> 00:08:05.050 did not know that 'Asim ibn Thabit 00:08:05.050 --> 00:08:07.050 was among those they had killed. 00:08:07.050 --> 00:08:09.050 But when they realized who he was, 00:08:09.050 --> 00:08:11.050 they rejoiced exceedingly 00:08:11.050 --> 00:08:14.050 and entertained hopes of a lavish reward. 00:08:14.050 --> 00:08:16.050 And no wonder— 00:08:16.050 --> 00:08:18.050 had not Sulafah bint Sa'd 00:08:18.050 --> 00:08:20.050 pledged that if she captured 00:08:20.050 --> 00:08:22.050 'Asim ibn Thabit, 00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:24.050 she would drink wine from his skull? 00:08:24.050 --> 00:08:27.050 Had she not promised whoever brought him to her, 00:08:27.050 --> 00:08:28.050 dead or alive, 00:08:28.050 --> 00:08:30.050 whatever wealth he desired? 00:08:30.050 --> 00:08:33.429 Only a few hours 00:08:33.429 --> 00:08:35.429 had passed since the death of 'Asim ibn Thabit 00:08:35.429 --> 00:08:37.429 when Quraysh learned of his killing, 00:08:37.429 --> 00:08:39.429 for Hudhayl were encamped 00:08:39.429 --> 00:08:41.429 near Mecca. 00:08:41.429 --> 00:08:43.429 The leaders of Quraysh dispatched 00:08:43.429 --> 00:08:46.429 an envoy from among them to 'Asim's killers, 00:08:46.429 --> 00:08:48.429 asking them for his head 00:08:48.429 --> 00:08:51.429 to slake the vengeful thirst of Sulafah bint Sa'd, 00:08:51.429 --> 00:08:53.429 fulfill her oath, 00:08:53.429 --> 00:08:55.429 and alleviate some of her grief 00:08:55.429 --> 00:08:57.429 over her three sons 00:08:57.429 --> 00:09:00.429 whom 'Asim had slain with his own hand. 00:09:00.429 --> 00:09:03.429 They entrusted the messenger with vast wealth, 00:09:03.429 --> 00:09:06.429 instructing him to offer it generously to Hudhayl 00:09:06.429 --> 00:09:08.429 in exchange for 'Asim's head. 00:09:08.429 --> 00:09:12.500 The men of Hudhayl went to the body of 'Asim ibn Thabit 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:14.500 to sever his head from his body, 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:16.500 but they were startled by swarms of bees 00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:18.500 and clusters of hornets that settled upon him 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:21.500 and surrounded him from every side. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:24.500 Whenever they attempted to approach his corpse, 00:09:24.500 --> 00:09:26.500 the insects flew into their faces 00:09:26.500 --> 00:09:29.500 and stung them on their eyes, foreheads, 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:31.500 and every part of their bodies, 00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:33.529 driving them away from him. 00:09:33.529 --> 00:09:35.529 When they despaired of reaching him 00:09:35.529 --> 00:09:39.529 after trying time and time again, 00:09:39.529 --> 00:09:41.529 some of them said to one another: 00:09:41.529 --> 00:09:44.529 "Leave him until night falls upon him, 00:09:44.529 --> 00:09:47.529 for when darkness descends, the hornets 00:09:47.529 --> 00:09:49.529 will leave him and grant you access to him." 00:09:49.529 --> 00:09:52.559 Then they sat waiting not far away. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:56.620 But no sooner had the day passed and the night drawn near 00:09:56.620 --> 00:10:00.620 than the sky became overcast with dark, thick clouds. 00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:03.620 Thunder roared and the storm raged, 00:10:03.620 --> 00:10:05.620 and torrential rain poured down incessantly, 00:10:05.620 --> 00:10:08.620 the likes of which the oldest elders had never witnessed 00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:10.620 since they first lived upon that land. 00:10:10.620 --> 00:10:13.750 Soon the mountain passes overflowed, 00:10:13.750 --> 00:10:16.750 the flatlands filled, and the valleys were submerged. 00:10:16.750 --> 00:10:19.750 A flood swept through the region like the legendary flood of the dam. 00:10:19.750 --> 00:10:21.820 When morning dawned, 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:25.820 the tribe of Hudhayl set out searching everywhere for the body of 'Asim, 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:28.820 yet they could find no trace of him. 00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:32.879 This was because the flood had carried him far, far away, 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.879 taking him to a place unknown to them. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.980 Thus, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, answered 00:10:38.980 --> 00:10:40.980 the supplication of 'Asim Ibn Thabit. 00:10:40.980 --> 00:10:44.980 He protected his pure body from being mutilated 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:49.070 and safeguarded his noble head from having wine drunk out of its skull, 00:10:50.070 --> 00:10:54.070 leaving the polytheists no way to triumph over the believer. 00:10:54.070 --> 00:11:01.929 "Whoever fights, let him fight as 'Asim Ibn Thabit fought." 00:11:01.929 --> 00:11:05.120 Muhammad Ibn 'Abdullah.