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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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The best of generations in stances and exemplary conduct,

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Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.

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Mawaddah Association

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Presents:

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Portraits from the Lives of the Tabi'un,

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By Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,

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May Allah have mercy on him.

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Rabi'ah al-Ra'y,

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May Allah have mercy on him.

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Here we are in the fifty-first year of the Hijrah,

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And here are the Muslim battalions journeying through the vast expanses of the earth, east and west,

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Carrying to humanity the edifying creed,

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Extending toward it a reforming, compassionate hand,

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And spreading throughout its lands the divine law that liberates mankind from the servitude of mankind,

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Directing all allegiance to Allah alone, without partner.

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And here is the venerable Companion,

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Al-Rabi' ibn Ziyad al-Harithi,

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The governor of Khurasan,

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The conqueror of Sijistan,

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And the triumphant commander,

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Advancing at the head of his army, campaigning in the path of Allah,

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Accompanied by his valiant youth, Farrukh.

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For after Allah had blessed him with the conquest of Sijistan and other territories, he resolved

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To crown his eventful life

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By crossing the Jaxartes River (Sayhun),

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And raising the banners of monotheism over the peaks of those realms

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Known as Transoxiana.

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Al-Rabi' ibn Ziyad made full preparations for the fateful battle,

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Readied all necessary provisions,

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And strictly dictated both its time and place to the enemies of Allah.

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When the fighting broke out,

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Al-Rabi' and his valiant soldiers acquitted themselves with an excellence

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That history still recalls with moist praise

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And deep veneration.

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In the arenas of combat, his youth Farrukh displayed

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Such forms of valor and acts of daring

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As increased Al-Rabi's admiration, veneration,

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And esteem for his noble qualities.

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The battle concluded in a decisive victory for the Muslims;

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They shook the ground beneath their enemy's feet,

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Tore through their ranks, and scattered their hosts.

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Then he crossed the river that had long separated them from sweeping across the lands of the Turks,

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Preventing their advance toward the land of China,

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And deep into the Kingdom of Sogdia.

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Sogdia was a region located in Central Asia.

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No sooner had the great commander crossed the river

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And set foot firmly upon the opposite bank,

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Than he and his soldiers hastened to perform ablution from its water,

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Completing their ablution thoroughly.

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He faced the Qiblah,

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And they prayed two rak'ahs in gratitude to Allah, the Granter of victory.

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Then the great commander rewarded his youth Farrukh for his exceptional valor,

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Manumitting him from bondage,

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Allotting him his share of the vast and abundant spoils of war,

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And giving him a generous extra portion of his own accord.

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Life did not long continue after that radiant, glorious day

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For Al-Rabi' ibn Ziyad al-Harithi;

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His appointed term arrived just two years after fulfilling his great dream,

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And he departed to his Lord, well-pleased and pleasing to Him.

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As for the brave and valiant young man, Farrukh,

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He returned to Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah,

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Bearing with him his substantial share of the spoils,

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And the lavish gift bestowed upon him by his great commander.

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Above all, he carried his precious freedom,

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And his rich memories of magnificent heroism,

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Crowned with the dust of battlefields.

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When Farrukh arrived in the city of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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He was a young man in the prime of his youth,

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Brimming with vitality,

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Full of vigor and chivalry,

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Approaching thirty years of age.

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Farrukh resolved to acquire a home of his own wherein he could settle,

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And a wife in whom he could find tranquility.

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So he purchased a house in an average neighborhood of the city,

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And chose a woman of sound intellect,

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Complete virtue, and steadfast religious commitment,

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Close to him in age,

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And he married her.

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Farrukh lived happily in the home with which Allah had blessed him,

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And found in his wife's companionship a delightful life, affectionate treatment, and radiant joy

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Far exceeding what he had ever hoped or anticipated.

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Yet that well-established home,

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Despite all the comforts it afforded,

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And that righteous wife,

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Despite all the noble characteristics and illustrious virtues Allah had endowed her with,

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Could not overpower the faithful knight's yearning to plunge into battles,

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His longing to hear the clash of blades upon blades,

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And his passion for resuming jihad in the path of Allah.

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Whenever news echoed throughout the city of victories won by Muslim armies

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Campaigning in the path of Allah,

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His yearning for jihad was rekindled,

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And his longing for martyrdom intensified.

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One Friday,

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Farrukh heard the preacher in the Prophet's Mosque

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Announcing glad tidings to the Muslims of the Muslim armies' victories on multiple fronts,

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Urging people to engage in jihad in the path of Allah,

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And encouraging them toward martyrdom to bring honor to His religion

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And seek His pleasure.

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He returned home,

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Having firmly resolved to join one of the banners of the Muslims

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Deployed beneath every star.

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He made this resolve known to his wife,

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And she said to him:

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"O Abu Abd al-Rahman,

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To whom do you leave me, and this child I carry in my womb?

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You are a stranger to this city,

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Having neither family nor kinfolk here."

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He said:

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"I leave you in the care of Allah and His Messenger.

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Moreover, I have left behind thirty thousand dinars for you,

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Which I gathered from the spoils of war.

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Safeguard them and invest them profitably,

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And spend from them on yourself and your child honorably,

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Until I return to you safely with spoils,

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Or Allah grants me the martyrdom I long for."

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Then he bade her farewell and set out for his destination.

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A few months after her husband's departure, the dignified lady gave birth,

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And it was a boy of radiant countenance,

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Charming features,

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And striking appearance.

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She rejoiced over him with immense joy,

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Which almost made her forget the parting from his father,

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And she named him Rabi'ah.

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Marks of noble distinction appeared upon the young boy from his earliest childhood,

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And signs of intelligence manifested in his deeds and words.

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So his mother entrusted him to teachers,

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Instructing them to educate him well,

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And summoned tutors for him,

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Urging them to discipline and cultivate him thoroughly.

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Before long, he had mastered writing and reading;

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Then he memorized the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic,

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Reciting it fresh and moist,

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Just as it had been revealed unto the heart of Muhammad, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.

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He learned whatever hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was made easy for him,

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And memorized of the speech of the Arabs

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Whatever was befitting for one of his stature to retain,

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Acquiring proper understanding of religious matters as required.

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Rabi'ah's mother generously lavished money and gifts

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Upon her son's teachers and tutors;

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Whenever she saw him increase in knowledge,

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She increased their reward and honor.

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She constantly awaited the return of his absent father,

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Striving to make the boy a source of joy and pride for both of them.

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But Farrukh's absence grew long,

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And conflicting reports circulated concerning him:

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Some said he had fallen captive into enemy hands,

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Others said he was still free and actively pursuing jihad,

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While a third group, returning from the fields of combat, said

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That he had attained the martyrdom he so desired.

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This last report seemed most probable to Rabi'ah's mother due to the cessation of all news from him,

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And she grieved over him with a sorrow that weighed heavily upon her,

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Before seeking her solace and reward with Allah.

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By that time, Rabi'ah had grown into adolescence, approaching manhood.

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Well-wishers said to his mother:

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"Here is Rabi'ah;

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He has attained all the reading and writing a youth like him should master,

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And surpassed his peers,

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Having memorized the Qur'an and narrated hadith.

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If only you would choose a trade for him,

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He would quickly master it

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And spend upon you and himself from its earnings."

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She replied:

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"I ask Allah to choose for him what holds righteousness for his worldly life and the Hereafter.

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Rabi'ah has chosen knowledge for himself,

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And has resolved to live as a student and a teacher

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For as long as life may last."

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Rabi'ah proceeded along the path he had charted for himself, never faltering nor falling short.

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He turned eagerly toward the circles of knowledge that filled the Prophet's Mosque,

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Just as the thirsty rush toward sweet springs of water.

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He attached himself to the remaining noble Companions,

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Foremost among them Anas ibn Malik,

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The servant of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him;

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And he learned from the first generation of the Tabi'un,

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At their head Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab,

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Makhul al-Shami, and Salamah ibn Dinar.

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He joined the toil of his nights to the toil of his days until exhaustion wore him down.

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Whenever someone spoke to him about that and urged him to be gentle with himself,

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He said:

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"We heard our teachers say:

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'Knowledge will never give you a part of itself

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Until you give it your entire self.'"

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Before long, his renown spread,

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His star rose, his companions grew numerous,

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His students became devoted to him, and his people recognized him as their leader.

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The Madinan scholar's life progressed peacefully and serenely:

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One part of his day spent at home with his family and brothers,

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And another in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

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Attending assemblies and study circles of sacred knowledge.

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His life continued in this steady course,

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Until something completely unexpected took place.

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"I have never seen anyone with a greater retention of the Sunnah than Rabi'ah."

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— Ibn al-Majishun.

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They departed, leaving in the conscience a lingering question:

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Has a star ever risen and shone as brightly as they did?

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They filled life with glories through their deeds,

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And our lands flourished through them.