1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,259 --> 00:00:18,260 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:18,260 --> 00:00:22,260 to present to you portraits from the lives of the Companions 4 00:00:22,260 --> 00:00:25,260 by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,260 --> 00:00:27,320 may Allah have mercy on him. 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:33,789 Usamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him. 7 00:00:47,229 --> 00:00:51,229 We are now in the seventh year before the Hijrah in Mecca, 8 00:00:51,229 --> 00:00:59,229 and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was enduring relentless persecution from Quraysh against himself and his Companions, 9 00:00:59,229 --> 00:01:02,229 bearing from them and from the burdens of the call 10 00:01:02,229 --> 00:01:08,230 what turned his life into an unbroken succession of sorrows and afflictions. 11 00:01:08,230 --> 00:01:10,459 Amidst all of this, 12 00:01:10,459 --> 00:01:13,459 a gleaming ray of joy illuminated his life: 13 00:01:13,459 --> 00:01:16,549 a bearer of good tidings came to him 14 00:01:16,549 --> 00:01:19,549 with the news that Umm Ayman had given birth to a boy. 15 00:01:19,549 --> 00:01:24,549 The features of his face, peace and blessings be upon him, beamed with delight, 16 00:01:24,549 --> 00:01:27,549 and his noble countenance glowed with joy. 17 00:01:27,549 --> 00:01:30,549 So who was this fortunate boy 18 00:01:30,549 --> 00:01:36,650 who brought so much happiness to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him? 19 00:01:36,650 --> 00:01:39,709 It was Usamah ibn Zayd. 20 00:01:39,709 --> 00:01:44,709 None of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was surprised 21 00:01:44,709 --> 00:01:46,709 by his profound joy over the newborn, 22 00:01:46,709 --> 00:01:51,709 owing to the dear place his parents held with him and their esteemed standing in his heart. 23 00:01:51,709 --> 00:01:54,000 The boy's mother 24 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,000 was Barakah the Abyssinian, 25 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 known by the kunyah Umm Ayman. 26 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,159 She had been the bondwoman of Aminah bint Wahb, 27 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:05,159 mother of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. 28 00:02:05,159 --> 00:02:07,189 She had nurtured him during Aminah's lifetime 29 00:02:07,189 --> 00:02:10,189 and took him into her maternal care after her death, 30 00:02:10,259 --> 00:02:12,259 so that he opened his eyes to this world 31 00:02:12,259 --> 00:02:16,259 knowing no other mother than her. 32 00:02:16,259 --> 00:02:19,259 He loved her with the deepest and most sincere affection, 33 00:02:19,259 --> 00:02:21,259 and he would often say: 34 00:02:21,259 --> 00:02:23,259 "She is my mother after my mother, 35 00:02:24,259 --> 00:02:26,259 and the last remaining member of my household." 36 00:02:26,259 --> 00:02:29,419 Such was the mother of this blessed boy. 37 00:02:29,419 --> 00:02:31,419 As for his father, 38 00:02:31,419 --> 00:02:34,419 he was the beloved of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: 39 00:02:34,419 --> 00:02:36,419 Zayd ibn Harithah, 40 00:02:36,419 --> 00:02:39,419 his adopted son before Islam, 41 00:02:39,419 --> 00:02:42,419 his closest companion and confidant, 42 00:02:42,419 --> 00:02:47,419 one of his household, and the most beloved of people to him in Islam. 43 00:02:47,419 --> 00:02:51,610 The Muslims rejoiced at the birth of Usamah ibn Zayd 44 00:02:51,610 --> 00:02:54,610 as they had never rejoiced at the birth of any child, 45 00:02:54,610 --> 00:02:58,610 for whatever brought joy to the Prophet brought joy to them, 46 00:02:58,610 --> 00:03:02,610 and whatever pleased his heart delighted theirs. 47 00:03:02,610 --> 00:03:06,610 Thus, they bestowed upon the fortunate boy the title: 48 00:03:06,610 --> 00:03:08,610 "The Beloved, Son of the Beloved." 49 00:03:08,610 --> 00:03:11,740 Nor were the Muslims exaggerating 50 00:03:11,740 --> 00:03:15,740 when they gave this title to the young boy, Usamah, 51 00:03:15,740 --> 00:03:19,860 for the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, loved him 52 00:03:19,860 --> 00:03:23,860 with a love that the entire world would envy. 53 00:03:23,860 --> 00:03:30,060 Usamah was close in age to his grandson, al-Hasan ibn Fatimah al-Zahra'. 54 00:03:30,060 --> 00:03:35,180 Al-Hasan was fair-skinned, radiant, and strikingly handsome, 55 00:03:35,180 --> 00:03:39,219 bearing a profound resemblance to his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah; 56 00:03:39,219 --> 00:03:43,219 while Usamah was dark-skinned and flat-nosed, 57 00:03:43,219 --> 00:03:47,409 closely resembling his Abyssinian mother. 58 00:03:47,409 --> 00:03:51,409 Yet the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, 59 00:03:51,409 --> 00:03:54,500 made no distinction between the two in love. 60 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:56,500 He would take Usamah 61 00:03:56,500 --> 00:03:58,500 and seat him on one of his thighs, 62 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:00,500 then take al-Hasan 63 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:02,500 and seat him on the other thigh, 64 00:04:02,500 --> 00:04:06,500 then draw them both to his chest and say: 65 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:10,729 "O Allah, I love them both, so love them." 66 00:04:10,729 --> 00:04:13,729 So great was the Prophet's love for Usamah 67 00:04:13,729 --> 00:04:16,730 that once, when the boy tripped over the doorstep 68 00:04:16,730 --> 00:04:20,730 and cut his forehead, causing blood to flow from his wound, 69 00:04:20,730 --> 00:04:23,730 the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, signaled 70 00:04:23,730 --> 00:04:26,730 to 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, 71 00:04:26,730 --> 00:04:28,730 to wipe the blood from his wound. 72 00:04:28,730 --> 00:04:30,730 When she felt reluctant to do so, 73 00:04:30,730 --> 00:04:34,730 the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, got up and went to him himself, 74 00:04:34,730 --> 00:04:38,730 gently sucking the cut, spitting out the blood, 75 00:04:38,730 --> 00:04:43,730 and comforting him with words overflowing with sweetness and tenderness. 76 00:04:43,730 --> 00:04:47,920 Just as the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, loved 77 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:49,920 Usamah in his childhood, 78 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,920 he loved him equally in his youth. 79 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,920 Hakim ibn Hizam, 80 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:56,920 one of the notables of Quraysh, once presented 81 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,920 to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 82 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:01,920 a precious robe 83 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,920 he had purchased in Yemen for fifty gold dinars, 84 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,920 which had belonged to Dhu Yazan, one of their kings. 85 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,920 But the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, refused 86 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:12,920 to accept it as a gift, 87 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,920 because Hakim was an idolater at the time, 88 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:17,920 and instead purchased it from him for its price. 89 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:22,920 The noble Prophet wore it only once, on a Friday, 90 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,920 and then bestowed it upon Usamah ibn Zayd, 91 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:31,920 who would go out wearing it, walking proudly among his peers from the young men of the Muhajirun and the Ansar. 92 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,920 When Usamah ibn Zayd reached maturity, 93 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,920 he displayed such noble characteristics and splendid traits 94 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,920 as made him truly worthy of the love of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. 95 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,949 He was exceptionally intelligent and sharp-witted, 96 00:05:48,949 --> 00:05:50,949 remarkably courageous, 97 00:05:50,949 --> 00:05:54,949 wise and discerning in putting things in their proper place, 98 00:05:54,949 --> 00:05:57,949 chaste, despising all baseness, 99 00:05:57,949 --> 00:06:00,949 sociable and easy to love, endeared to the people, 100 00:06:00,949 --> 00:06:03,949 and pious and devout, beloved to Allah. 101 00:06:03,949 --> 00:06:06,050 On the day of Uhud, 102 00:06:06,050 --> 00:06:10,050 Usamah ibn Zayd came along with a group of young boys from among the Companions, 103 00:06:10,050 --> 00:06:13,050 wishing to fight in the cause of Allah. 104 00:06:13,050 --> 00:06:16,050 The Messenger accepted some of them 105 00:06:16,050 --> 00:06:19,050 and turned back others because of their tender age, 106 00:06:19,050 --> 00:06:23,050 and among those turned back was Usamah ibn Zayd. 107 00:06:23,050 --> 00:06:28,050 He departed with his young eyes brimming with tears of sorrow 108 00:06:28,050 --> 00:06:32,050 that he could not fight beneath the banner of the Messenger of Allah. 109 00:06:32,050 --> 00:06:34,050 At the Battle of the Trench, 110 00:06:34,050 --> 00:06:37,050 Usamah ibn Zayd came once again, 111 00:06:37,050 --> 00:06:40,050 accompanied by a group of youths from among the Companions, 112 00:06:40,050 --> 00:06:43,050 and he began stretching himself upward 113 00:06:43,050 --> 00:06:45,050 so that the Messenger of Allah would accept him. 114 00:06:45,050 --> 00:06:49,050 The Prophet, peace be upon him, took pity on him and allowed him, 115 00:06:49,050 --> 00:06:52,050 so he bore the sword in jihad for the cause of Allah 116 00:06:52,050 --> 00:06:55,050 when he was only fifteen years old. 117 00:06:55,050 --> 00:06:58,050 On the day of Hunayn, when the Muslims were thrown into disarray, 118 00:06:58,050 --> 00:07:02,050 Usamah ibn Zayd stood firm alongside al-'Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, 119 00:07:02,050 --> 00:07:05,050 Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith, his cousin, 120 00:07:05,050 --> 00:07:09,050 and six other noble Companions. 121 00:07:09,050 --> 00:07:12,050 With this small, faithful, and valiant band, 122 00:07:12,050 --> 00:07:15,050 the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was able 123 00:07:15,050 --> 00:07:19,050 to turn the defeat of his companions into victory, 124 00:07:19,050 --> 00:07:22,050 and to shield the retreating Muslims 125 00:07:22,050 --> 00:07:25,050 from being slaughtered by the polytheists. 126 00:07:25,050 --> 00:07:27,050 On the day of Mu'tah, 127 00:07:27,050 --> 00:07:31,050 Usamah fought beneath the banner of his father, Zayd ibn Harithah, 128 00:07:31,050 --> 00:07:34,050 while not yet eighteen years of age. 129 00:07:34,050 --> 00:07:37,050 He saw with his own eyes the martyrdom of his father, 130 00:07:37,050 --> 00:07:40,050 yet he neither faltered nor wavered; 131 00:07:40,050 --> 00:07:44,050 rather, he fought on beneath the banner of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib 132 00:07:44,050 --> 00:07:47,050 until Ja'far fell slain before his very eyes, 133 00:07:47,050 --> 00:07:50,050 then beneath the banner of 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah 134 00:07:50,050 --> 00:07:53,050 until he too joined his two companions, 135 00:07:53,050 --> 00:07:56,050 and finally beneath the banner of Khalid ibn al-Walid, 136 00:07:56,050 --> 00:08:00,139 until he rescued the small army from the clutches of the Byzantines. 137 00:08:00,139 --> 00:08:03,139 Usamah returned to Medina, 138 00:08:03,139 --> 00:08:06,139 surrendering his father to Allah's reward, 139 00:08:06,139 --> 00:08:09,139 leaving his pure body on the frontiers of the Levant, 140 00:08:09,139 --> 00:08:12,139 and riding the very steed upon which his father had been martyred. 141 00:08:12,139 --> 00:08:15,139 In the eleventh year of the Hijrah, 142 00:08:15,139 --> 00:08:18,139 the noble Messenger ordered the preparation of an army to invade the Byzantines, 143 00:08:18,139 --> 00:08:21,139 enlisting in it Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 144 00:08:21,139 --> 00:08:24,139 Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, 145 00:08:24,139 --> 00:08:27,139 Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, 146 00:08:27,139 --> 00:08:30,139 and other senior Companions. 147 00:08:30,139 --> 00:08:33,139 He placed Usamah ibn Zayd in command of the army, 148 00:08:33,139 --> 00:08:36,139 though he had not yet reached twenty years of age, 149 00:08:36,139 --> 00:08:39,139 and ordered him to lead the cavalry into the territory of al-Balqa' 150 00:08:39,139 --> 00:08:42,139 and the fortress of al-Darum near Gaza, 151 00:08:42,139 --> 00:08:45,139 in the lands of the Byzantines. 152 00:08:45,139 --> 00:08:48,139 While the army was making ready, 153 00:08:48,139 --> 00:08:51,139 the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, fell ill. 154 00:08:51,139 --> 00:08:54,139 When his illness worsened, the army halted 155 00:08:54,139 --> 00:08:59,139 waiting to see the outcome of the condition of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. 156 00:08:59,139 --> 00:09:01,139 Usamah said: 157 00:09:01,139 --> 00:09:04,139 "When the illness bore heavily upon the Prophet of Allah, 158 00:09:04,139 --> 00:09:07,139 I went to him, and the people entered with me. 159 00:09:07,139 --> 00:09:09,139 I walked in to see him 160 00:09:09,139 --> 00:09:11,139 and found that he had fallen silent, 161 00:09:11,139 --> 00:09:14,139 unable to speak under the weight of the affliction. 162 00:09:14,139 --> 00:09:17,139 He began raising his hands to the sky 163 00:09:17,139 --> 00:09:19,139 and then placing them upon me, 164 00:09:19,139 --> 00:09:22,299 and I knew that he was supplicating for me." 165 00:09:22,299 --> 00:09:25,299 Shortly thereafter, the Messenger departed this life, 166 00:09:25,299 --> 00:09:28,299 and the oath of allegiance was given to Abu Bakr, 167 00:09:28,299 --> 00:09:31,299 who immediately ordered the dispatch of Usamah's expedition. 168 00:09:31,299 --> 00:09:35,299 However, a faction of the Ansar felt the expedition should be delayed, 169 00:09:35,299 --> 00:09:39,299 and they asked 'Umar ibn al-Khattab to speak to Abu Bakr about it, 170 00:09:39,299 --> 00:09:41,299 saying to him: 171 00:09:41,299 --> 00:09:43,299 "If he insists on proceeding, 172 00:09:43,299 --> 00:09:46,299 then convey to him on our behalf that he should appoint over us a man 173 00:09:46,299 --> 00:09:48,370 older in years than Usamah." 174 00:09:48,370 --> 00:09:52,370 No sooner had al-Siddiq heard the message of the Ansar from 'Umar 175 00:09:52,370 --> 00:09:55,370 than he sprang to his feet from where he sat, 176 00:09:55,370 --> 00:09:57,370 seized al-Faruq by his beard, 177 00:09:57,370 --> 00:09:59,370 and said in anger: 178 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:02,370 "May your mother be bereft of you and lose you, O son of al-Khattab! 179 00:10:02,370 --> 00:10:06,370 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, appointed him, 180 00:10:06,370 --> 00:10:08,370 and you command me to dismiss him?! 181 00:10:08,370 --> 00:10:10,370 By Allah, that shall never be!" 182 00:10:10,370 --> 00:10:13,370 When 'Umar returned to the people, 183 00:10:13,370 --> 00:10:15,370 they asked him what he had accomplished, 184 00:10:15,370 --> 00:10:16,370 and he said: 185 00:10:16,370 --> 00:10:18,370 "Move forward, may your mothers be bereft of you! 186 00:10:18,370 --> 00:10:23,370 I have suffered what I suffered from the successor of the Messenger of Allah on your account!" 187 00:10:23,370 --> 00:10:27,370 When the army set forth under the command of its youthful leader, 188 00:10:27,370 --> 00:10:32,370 the successor of the Messenger of Allah walked alongside him to see him off, while Usamah rode. 189 00:10:32,370 --> 00:10:34,370 Usamah said: 190 00:10:34,370 --> 00:10:36,370 "O successor of the Messenger of Allah, 191 00:10:36,370 --> 00:10:39,370 by Allah, you must ride or I shall dismount!" 192 00:10:39,370 --> 00:10:41,370 Abu Bakr replied: 193 00:10:41,370 --> 00:10:43,370 "By Allah, you shall not dismount, 194 00:10:43,370 --> 00:10:45,370 and by Allah, I shall not ride! 195 00:10:45,370 --> 00:10:49,370 What harm is there in dusting my feet in the cause of Allah for an hour?" 196 00:10:49,370 --> 00:10:51,620 Then he said to Usamah: 197 00:10:51,620 --> 00:10:56,620 "I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust, and the end of your deeds, 198 00:10:56,620 --> 00:11:00,620 and I charge you to execute that which the Messenger of Allah commanded you." 199 00:11:00,620 --> 00:11:02,620 Then he leaned toward him and said, 200 00:11:02,620 --> 00:11:05,620 "If you see fit, assist me by letting ‘Umar stay." 201 00:11:05,620 --> 00:11:08,620 So he permitted him to remain with me. 202 00:11:08,620 --> 00:11:11,720 Thus, Usamah permitted ‘Umar to remain. 203 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,720 Usamah ibn Zayd proceeded with the army, 204 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,720 and he carried out everything the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had commanded him to do. 205 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,720 He led the Muslim cavalry to the borders of al-Balqa’, 206 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,720 and the fortress of al-Darum in the land of Palestine. 207 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,720 He stripped away the awe of the Romans from the hearts of the Muslims, 208 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:32,720 and paved the way before them for the conquest of the lands of the Levant, Egypt, 209 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,750 and the entire North African coast, all the way to the Sea of Darkness. 210 00:11:36,750 --> 00:11:38,750 Then Usamah returned, 211 00:11:38,750 --> 00:11:42,750 riding the very horse upon which his father had been martyred, 212 00:11:42,750 --> 00:11:46,750 carrying spoils of war that exceeded the estimates of those who appraised them, 213 00:11:46,750 --> 00:11:53,750 to the point that it was said no army had ever been safer or more laden with spoils than the army of Usamah ibn Zayd. 214 00:11:53,750 --> 00:11:57,940 Usamah ibn Zayd lived on, 215 00:11:57,940 --> 00:12:00,940 a figure held in high esteem and affection by the Muslims, 216 00:12:00,940 --> 00:12:04,940 out of loyalty to the Messenger of Allah and in honor of his own person. 217 00:12:04,940 --> 00:12:07,980 For the Faruq (the Caliph ‘Umar) had allotted him a stipend, 218 00:12:07,980 --> 00:12:11,980 greater than what he had allotted to his own son, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. 219 00:12:11,980 --> 00:12:15,980 ‘Abdullah said to his father, "O my father, 220 00:12:15,980 --> 00:12:20,980 you have allotted four thousand to Usamah, while you allotted three thousand to me, 221 00:12:20,980 --> 00:12:24,980 yet his father did not possess more merit than you, 222 00:12:24,980 --> 00:12:28,980 nor does he possess more merit than I." 223 00:12:28,980 --> 00:12:31,980 The Faruq replied, "Far from it! 224 00:12:31,980 --> 00:12:35,980 His father was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than your father, 225 00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:39,980 and he himself was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than you." 226 00:12:39,980 --> 00:12:43,980 So ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was satisfied with the stipend allotted to him. 227 00:12:43,980 --> 00:12:48,139 Whenever ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab would meet Usamah ibn Zayd, 228 00:12:48,139 --> 00:12:51,139 he would say, "Welcome, my commander." 229 00:12:51,139 --> 00:12:54,139 And if he saw anyone expressing surprise at this, he would say, 230 00:12:54,139 --> 00:12:59,139 "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, appointed him as my commander." 231 00:12:59,139 --> 00:13:03,200 May Allah have mercy on those great souls. 232 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:09,200 For history has never known anyone greater, more perfect, or more noble than the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. 233 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:15,799 Indeed, the father of Usamah was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than your father, 234 00:13:15,799 --> 00:13:20,179 and he himself was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than you. 235 00:13:20,179 --> 00:13:26,549 From the words of the Faruq to his son.