WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.609 --> 00:00:17.609 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:17.609 --> 00:00:22.609 to present to you "Portraits from the Lives of the Companions," 00:00:22.609 --> 00:00:25.640 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:30.550 may Allah have mercy upon him. 00:00:30.550 --> 00:00:32.549 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 00:00:32.549 --> 00:00:34.549 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:52.240 Our Companion this time 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:55.240 is an Ansari, a participant in al-'Aqabah, and a veteran of Badr. 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.240 It is enough distinction that he possessed these three great virtues, 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:01.240 which are badges of honor and nobility in this world, 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:05.239 and testaments of divine pleasure and nearness to Allah in the Hereafter. 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:09.430 As for his father, he was named Al-Samit, 00:01:09.430 --> 00:01:13.430 his mother was called Qurrat al-'Ayn, 00:01:13.430 --> 00:01:17.430 and people knew him as 'Ubadah. 00:01:17.430 --> 00:01:22.430 And who among us, O assembly of Muslims, does not know 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit? 00:01:22.430 --> 00:01:27.430 For he is one of the pure and righteous who gave shelter and aid; 00:01:27.430 --> 00:01:32.430 he is one of the seventy-three who pledged allegiance at the Pledge of al-'Aqabah; 00:01:32.430 --> 00:01:38.430 and he is one of the veterans of Badr, whom Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, looked upon 00:01:38.430 --> 00:01:42.430 and said: "Do whatever you wish, for I have forgiven you." 00:01:42.430 --> 00:01:44.430 And if you add to that 00:01:44.430 --> 00:01:50.430 that he was one of five men who compiled the Qur'an during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:01:50.430 --> 00:01:53.430 then he truly attained the pinnacle of honors, 00:01:53.430 --> 00:01:57.430 reaching the loftiest heights and the most exalted ranks. 00:01:57.430 --> 00:02:03.750 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit spent his life as a warrior striving in the cause of Allah, a devout worshipper, and a teacher. 00:02:03.750 --> 00:02:07.750 On the battlefields, he was a fearless lion, 00:02:07.750 --> 00:02:12.750 in the stillness of the night, he was a deeply devoted and sorrowful worshipper, 00:02:12.750 --> 00:02:14.750 and in times of peace, 00:02:14.750 --> 00:02:17.750 he taught the Muslims the Book of Allah 00:02:17.750 --> 00:02:19.750 and instructed them in the fiqh of Allah's religion. 00:02:20.750 --> 00:02:25.039 When Allah granted the Muslims victory and opened the lands of the Levant, 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:28.039 they sought to open minds and hearts 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:31.039 just as they had conquered strongholds and fortresses. 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:38.039 So the governor of Damascus wrote to the Caliph of the Muslims, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:42.039 "The Muslims in the lands of the Levant have grown numerous, 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:45.039 and they are in need of someone to teach them the Qur'an 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.039 and instruct them in the fiqh of the religion of Allah. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:51.039 So assist me, O Commander of the Faithful, with men who can teach them." 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:54.039 Thereupon, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, summoned 00:02:54.039 --> 00:03:00.039 the group of five who had compiled the Qur'an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:03.039 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:05.039 Mu'adh ibn Jabal, 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:07.039 Ubayy ibn Ka'b, 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.039 Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:11.039 and Abu al-Darda', 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:13.039 may Allah be pleased with them all, 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:19.039 and may He grant them the most gracious reward on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:21.259 When they stood before him, 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:25.259 he said to them: "Your brethren among the people of the Levant 00:03:25.259 --> 00:03:28.259 have asked me to send those who can teach them the Qur'an 00:03:28.259 --> 00:03:31.259 and instruct them in what is lawful and unlawful. 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:35.259 So help me, may Allah have mercy upon you, by sending three from among you; 00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:38.259 and if you wish, cast lots between yourselves." 00:03:38.259 --> 00:03:42.259 They replied: "We would never cast lots, O Commander of the Faithful; 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:45.259 for Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is an elderly shaykh, 00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:48.259 Ubayy ibn Ka'b is an ailing man, 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:51.259 and that leaves the three of us." 00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:55.300 So 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and them, dispatched them 00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:57.300 to the lands of the Levant: 00:03:57.300 --> 00:04:00.300 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit settled in Homs, 00:04:00.300 --> 00:04:03.300 Abu al-Darda' took up residence in Damascus, 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:06.300 and Mu'adh ibn Jabal stayed in Palestine. 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:08.550 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 00:04:08.550 --> 00:04:11.550 when he pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, 00:04:11.550 --> 00:04:13.550 on the night of al-'Aqabah, 00:04:13.550 --> 00:04:16.550 had pledged to hear and obey, 00:04:16.550 --> 00:04:19.550 to speak the truth wherever he might be, 00:04:19.550 --> 00:04:22.550 and never to fear the blame of any critic for the sake of Allah. 00:04:22.550 --> 00:04:25.649 So when he saw from the governor of the Levant, 00:04:25.649 --> 00:04:28.649 Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:04:28.649 --> 00:04:30.649 something that he could not accept, 00:04:30.649 --> 00:04:33.649 he confronted him over what he had observed and denounced it. 00:04:33.649 --> 00:04:36.649 But Mu'awiyah did not accept his view 00:04:36.649 --> 00:04:38.649 and demanded his compliance. 00:04:38.649 --> 00:04:41.649 Thereupon, 'Ubadah became angry and said: 00:04:41.649 --> 00:04:44.649 "By Allah, I shall never dwell in the same land as you!" 00:04:44.649 --> 00:04:47.649 and he turned around and went back to Medina. 00:04:47.649 --> 00:04:51.680 When he came before 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.680 'Umar asked him: "What has brought you back, O 'Ubadah?" 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:59.680 So he informed him of the disagreement between himself and Mu'awiyah. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.680 'Umar said: "Return to your post! 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:06.680 May Allah dishonor any land in which neither you nor the likes of you reside." 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:09.680 Then he wrote to Mu'awiyah, saying: 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.680 "You have no authority over 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit; 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:15.680 he is an authority unto himself." 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.970 Later, 'Amr ibn al-'As marched toward Egypt as a conqueror, 00:05:19.970 --> 00:05:22.970 which was then under the rule of the Byzantines. 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:25.970 He began liberating its cities and villages 00:05:25.970 --> 00:05:28.970 until he was held up by the Fortress of Babylon, 00:05:28.970 --> 00:05:31.970 situated on the bank of the Nile, 00:05:31.970 --> 00:05:33.970 near modern-day Cairo. 00:05:33.970 --> 00:05:37.060 The reason the fortress resisted him was 00:05:37.060 --> 00:05:41.060 that the Byzantines had dug a great trench around it, 00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:45.060 and had embedded iron caltrops along the roads leading to it 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:49.060 to hinder the advance of infantry and cavalry toward it. 00:05:49.060 --> 00:05:52.060 They also packed it with soldiers and equipment, 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:55.060 and brought into it their statesmen 00:05:55.060 --> 00:05:57.060 and the notables of the Copts from the people of Egypt, 00:05:57.060 --> 00:05:59.060 headed by the Muqawqis, 00:05:59.060 --> 00:06:02.060 the Patriarch and ruler of Egypt. 00:06:02.060 --> 00:06:04.290 'Amr ibn al-'As besieged the fortress, 00:06:04.290 --> 00:06:08.290 hoping that its defenders would grow weary of the siege 00:06:08.290 --> 00:06:10.290 and surrender to him. 00:06:10.290 --> 00:06:13.290 However, the Nile soon flooded, 00:06:13.290 --> 00:06:16.290 so the Byzantines breached the dykes and cut off the bridges, 00:06:16.290 --> 00:06:20.290 causing the water to surround the Muslims from every side, 00:06:20.290 --> 00:06:22.290 and they were nearly overwhelmed by drowning. 00:06:22.290 --> 00:06:25.290 At that point, 'Amr ibn al-'As wrote 00:06:25.290 --> 00:06:28.290 to the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, 00:06:28.290 --> 00:06:31.379 requesting that he support him with reinforcements from his side. 00:06:31.379 --> 00:06:33.379 'Umar promptly reinforced him 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:36.379 with four thousand Muslim soldiers, 00:06:36.379 --> 00:06:39.379 appointing over every thousand a commander 00:06:39.379 --> 00:06:41.379 who equaled a thousand men himself: 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:43.379 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 00:06:43.379 --> 00:06:45.379 Al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam, 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:47.379 Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, 00:06:47.379 --> 00:06:49.379 and Maslamah ibn Mukhallad. 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:52.480 The Muqawqis learned of the reinforcements 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.480 that had reached the Muslim army, 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:56.480 so he sent to 'Amr ibn al-'As 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:58.480 a delegation of his finest men 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:00.480 to negotiate with them. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:02.480 He instructed them to observe closely 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.480 the conditions of the Muslims, 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:07.480 and to bring back a precise 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:09.480 and clear portrait of their way of life, 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:12.610 as though he were seeing it with his own eyes. 00:07:12.610 --> 00:07:14.610 The men of the delegation stayed 00:07:14.610 --> 00:07:17.610 as guests of the Muslims for three nights. 00:07:17.610 --> 00:07:18.610 When they returned, 00:07:18.610 --> 00:07:20.610 the Muqawqis asked them 00:07:20.610 --> 00:07:22.610 about what they had seen and heard. 00:07:22.610 --> 00:07:23.610 They said: 00:07:23.610 --> 00:07:26.610 "By Allah, we have seen a people 00:07:26.610 --> 00:07:29.610 to whom death is more desirable than life, 00:07:29.610 --> 00:07:31.610 and humbleness is dearer than high status. 00:07:31.610 --> 00:07:33.610 They sit upon the bare dust 00:07:33.610 --> 00:07:35.610 and eat while kneeling on their knees. 00:07:35.610 --> 00:07:38.610 Their commander is just like one of them; 00:07:38.610 --> 00:07:41.610 their master cannot be distinguished from his subordinate, 00:07:41.610 --> 00:07:44.610 nor their nobleman from the commoner. 00:07:44.610 --> 00:07:46.610 Whenever the prayer is called, 00:07:46.610 --> 00:07:49.610 not a single one of them stays behind; 00:07:49.610 --> 00:07:52.610 they wash their limbs and faces with water, 00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:55.610 and humble themselves devoutly before their Lord in prayer." 00:07:55.610 --> 00:07:57.610 The Muqawqis said: 00:07:57.610 --> 00:08:00.610 "By Allah, if these people were to confront the mountains, 00:08:00.610 --> 00:08:02.610 they would move them, 00:08:02.610 --> 00:08:05.800 and if they were to battle the jinn, they would destroy them." 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:07.800 It was as if the Muqawqis wished 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:09.800 to see with his own eyes 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:11.800 what his men had described to him, 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:14.800 so he wrote to 'Amr ibn al-'As, saying: 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.800 "Send envoys from among you 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:19.800 so that we may negotiate and make a treaty with them." 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:22.800 So he sent ten of his men to him, 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.990 placing 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit in command over them. 00:08:25.990 --> 00:08:29.990 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit was a tall man of imposing stature, 00:08:29.990 --> 00:08:32.990 with thick hair and an intensely commanding presence, 00:08:32.990 --> 00:08:35.990 filling anyone who looked upon him with awe and veneration. 00:08:35.990 --> 00:08:38.990 When he stepped forward to face the Muqawqis, 00:08:38.990 --> 00:08:40.990 the Muqawqis was struck with immense awe of him, 00:08:40.990 --> 00:08:43.990 and a great fear took hold of his heart. 00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:46.990 So he said to the members of the delegation: 00:08:46.990 --> 00:08:48.990 "Take this man away from me, 00:08:48.990 --> 00:08:51.990 and bring forward someone else to speak to me!" 00:08:51.990 --> 00:08:54.990 They replied: "This is our commander, 00:08:54.990 --> 00:08:57.990 and 'Amr ibn al-'As instructed us 00:08:57.990 --> 00:08:59.990 never to step ahead of him, 00:08:59.990 --> 00:09:01.990 nor to disobey any command of his." 00:09:01.990 --> 00:09:04.990 The Muqawqis then said to 'Ubadah: 00:09:04.990 --> 00:09:06.990 "Come forward, O man, 00:09:06.990 --> 00:09:08.990 and speak to me gently, 00:09:08.990 --> 00:09:10.990 for your appearance fills me with dread." 00:09:10.990 --> 00:09:12.990 'Ubadah said to him: 00:09:12.990 --> 00:09:14.990 "I see that you fear me, 00:09:14.990 --> 00:09:16.990 but what would you think if you saw my companions? 00:09:16.990 --> 00:09:18.990 Among them are a thousand men, 00:09:18.990 --> 00:09:21.990 every one of them far stronger and more formidable than I." 00:09:21.990 --> 00:09:23.990 The Muqawqis asked him: 00:09:23.990 --> 00:09:26.990 "What brought you out of your lands, 00:09:26.990 --> 00:09:29.990 and what do you want from us?" 00:09:29.990 --> 00:09:31.990 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit said: 00:09:31.990 --> 00:09:34.990 "By Allah, we have only set out 00:09:34.990 --> 00:09:37.990 seeking the pleasure of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. 00:09:37.990 --> 00:09:42.990 Our Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, charged us 00:09:42.990 --> 00:09:45.990 that none of us should seek from this world 00:09:45.990 --> 00:09:49.990 anything more than what satisfies his hunger and covers his nakedness; 00:09:49.990 --> 00:09:52.990 for the pleasure of this world is no true bliss— 00:09:52.990 --> 00:09:55.990 true bliss is only the bliss of the Hereafter." 00:09:55.990 --> 00:09:57.990 The Muqawqis said to him: 00:09:57.990 --> 00:09:59.990 "I have heard your words, 00:09:59.990 --> 00:10:02.990 and by my life, you have only achieved what you achieved 00:10:02.990 --> 00:10:04.990 by virtue of what you mentioned; 00:10:04.990 --> 00:10:07.990 nor have you triumphed over those you defeated 00:10:07.990 --> 00:10:10.990 except because of their love for this world 00:10:10.990 --> 00:10:12.990 and your disdain for it. 00:10:12.990 --> 00:10:14.990 "However, the Romans have gathered against you 00:10:14.990 --> 00:10:16.990 numbers beyond reckoning, 00:10:16.990 --> 00:10:19.990 and we know well that you will never overpower them, 00:10:20.990 --> 00:10:23.990 given your few numbers and your severe poverty. 00:10:23.990 --> 00:10:25.990 Yet, we are willing 00:10:25.990 --> 00:10:28.990 to give each man among you two dinars, 00:10:28.990 --> 00:10:30.990 your commander a hundred dinars, 00:10:30.990 --> 00:10:33.990 and your Caliph a thousand dinars, 00:10:33.990 --> 00:10:35.990 provided that you depart from us 00:10:35.990 --> 00:10:38.990 before that strikes you which you have no power to bear." 00:10:38.990 --> 00:10:42.019 Thereupon, 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit said to him: 00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:45.019 "That with which you try to terrify us regarding the Roman multitudes 00:10:45.019 --> 00:10:48.019 will never deter us from our ultimate objective! 00:10:48.019 --> 00:10:51.019 Indeed, we are utterly certain of attaining 00:10:51.019 --> 00:10:53.019 one of the two best outcomes: 00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:55.019 for if we triumph over you, 00:10:55.019 --> 00:10:57.019 our worldly gain will be immense; 00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:59.019 and if you triumph over us, 00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:02.179 our reward in the Hereafter will be supreme! 00:11:02.179 --> 00:11:05.179 And know that there is not a single man among us 00:11:05.179 --> 00:11:08.179 who does not supplicate Allah after every prayer 00:11:08.179 --> 00:11:10.179 to grant him martyrdom, 00:11:10.179 --> 00:11:14.179 and not to return him to his family disappointed! 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:16.179 Every single one of us 00:11:16.179 --> 00:11:19.179 has already entrusted his family and children to Allah's care." 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:22.340 He then presented to al-Muqawqis the three choices: 00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:26.340 Islam, the jizyah, or fighting. 00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:29.340 But the people of al-Muqawqis refused Islam, 00:11:29.340 --> 00:11:31.340 and disdainfully rejected paying the jizyah. 00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:34.379 Thus, nothing remained except battle. 00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:38.379 At that point, the Muslims resolved to storm the fortress, 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:40.379 no matter how steep the price might be. 00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:43.379 Then al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam stood up and declared: 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:46.379 "I dedicate my soul to Allah, the Exalted and Glorious!" 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:51.379 He took a tall ladder to scale the wall of the fortress, 00:11:51.379 --> 00:11:53.379 and instructed the Muslim soldiers 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:56.379 to proclaim the takbir in unison after him 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:58.379 as soon as they heard his takbir. 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:00.570 It was only a matter of moments 00:12:00.570 --> 00:12:03.570 before that valiant knight 00:12:03.570 --> 00:12:05.570 was mounting the ramparts of the fortress, 00:12:05.570 --> 00:12:07.570 his sword drawn unsheathed, 00:12:07.570 --> 00:12:09.570 as the cry of "Allahu Akbar!" 00:12:09.570 --> 00:12:12.570 burst resoundingly from his mouth. 00:12:12.570 --> 00:12:15.570 Thousands of throats instantly echoed behind him, 00:12:15.570 --> 00:12:17.570 thundering: "Allahu Akbar!" 00:12:17.570 --> 00:12:21.570 Its reverberation shook hearts and shattered resolves. 00:12:21.570 --> 00:12:24.570 Al-Zubayr threw himself inside the fortress, 00:12:24.570 --> 00:12:28.570 and a contingent of the Muslim soldiers followed him, 00:12:28.570 --> 00:12:31.570 putting their swords to the necks of the Romans, 00:12:31.570 --> 00:12:33.570 who were entirely paralyzed by shock, 00:12:33.570 --> 00:12:37.570 and they threw open the gates of the fortress before the Muslims. 00:12:37.570 --> 00:12:42.629 Thereupon, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, surged in, 00:12:42.629 --> 00:12:45.629 led at the forefront by 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit. 00:12:45.629 --> 00:12:49.629 The millstones of a fierce, grinding battle turned between the two sides, 00:12:49.629 --> 00:12:52.629 wherein Allah decreed victory for His soldiers, 00:12:52.629 --> 00:12:54.629 and the pearl of the world—Egypt— 00:12:54.629 --> 00:12:57.629 was joined to the realm of the Qur'an. 00:12:57.629 --> 00:13:02.580 "May Allah repudiate any land 00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:06.580 in which there is no 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit and his likeness!" 00:13:06.580 --> 00:13:08.929 'Umar ibn al-Khattab... 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:15.500 With his companions, the towering edifice was breached. 00:13:15.500 --> 00:13:19.240 O poetry, assist in praising them! 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.240 Is there anyone to lend aid?