1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,580 --> 00:00:17,579 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:17,579 --> 00:00:22,579 to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions, 4 00:00:22,579 --> 00:00:25,579 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,579 --> 00:00:30,140 may Allah have mercy upon him. 6 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:32,140 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 7 00:00:33,140 --> 00:00:35,140 may Allah be pleased with him. 8 00:00:50,429 --> 00:00:53,560 Has the news of Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' reached you? 9 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,560 He was a marvel among the marvels of the age, 10 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,560 and a rarity among the rarities of time. 11 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,560 He was a runner who could not be outpaced, 12 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,560 an archer who never missed, 13 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,560 a daring warrior who knew no fear, 14 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,560 and an adventurer whose endless 15 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:09,689 tales of adventure 16 00:01:09,689 --> 00:01:11,689 read like accounts of heroism 17 00:01:11,689 --> 00:01:15,689 that might seem to you like legends. 18 00:01:15,689 --> 00:01:17,689 Yet they are not legends, 19 00:01:17,689 --> 00:01:20,689 for the two Shaykhs, Muslim and al-Bukhari, narrated them, 20 00:01:20,689 --> 00:01:23,750 and authenticated them in their two Sahih collections. 21 00:01:23,750 --> 00:01:27,750 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' had wealth and property in Makkah, 22 00:01:27,750 --> 00:01:29,750 but he embraced Islam, 23 00:01:29,750 --> 00:01:33,750 migrated to Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, 24 00:01:33,750 --> 00:01:36,750 and left behind everything he owned. 25 00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:39,750 He began working in Madinah as a groom 26 00:01:39,750 --> 00:01:41,750 for the horse of Talhah Ibn 'Ubayd Allah, 27 00:01:41,750 --> 00:01:43,750 in exchange for his food. 28 00:01:43,750 --> 00:01:45,750 He desired nothing from this world 29 00:01:45,750 --> 00:01:48,750 other than a few morsels to sustain his strength, 30 00:01:48,750 --> 00:01:50,750 and to help him in the obedience of Allah 31 00:01:50,750 --> 00:01:52,750 and striving in His cause. 32 00:01:52,750 --> 00:01:55,879 Perhaps, dear listener, 33 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:57,879 you have been stirred by a longing 34 00:01:57,879 --> 00:02:00,879 to hear a portion of the stories of this knight 35 00:02:00,879 --> 00:02:03,879 and to learn of some of his wonders. 36 00:02:03,879 --> 00:02:05,879 So here is a part of them. 37 00:02:05,879 --> 00:02:08,979 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, set out 38 00:02:08,979 --> 00:02:11,979 with one thousand five hundred of his Companions, 39 00:02:11,979 --> 00:02:15,979 among them Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', intending to perform 'Umrah. 40 00:02:15,979 --> 00:02:18,979 When the news of his departure reached the Quraysh, 41 00:02:18,979 --> 00:02:22,979 they rose up to prevent him from reaching the Sacred House. 42 00:02:22,979 --> 00:02:24,979 So the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped 43 00:02:24,979 --> 00:02:26,979 with those who were with him at al-Hudaybiyah, 44 00:02:26,979 --> 00:02:29,979 and he sent 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan to Makkah 45 00:02:29,979 --> 00:02:31,979 as an ambassador between him and the Quraysh. 46 00:02:31,979 --> 00:02:35,099 But the news soon arrived 47 00:02:35,099 --> 00:02:38,099 that the Quraysh had killed 'Uthman. 48 00:02:38,099 --> 00:02:41,099 The Messenger, peace be upon him, resolved 49 00:02:41,099 --> 00:02:43,099 to fight them, 50 00:02:43,099 --> 00:02:45,099 and he called upon the Muslims who were with him 51 00:02:45,099 --> 00:02:48,099 to pledge their allegiance to him for battle and death. 52 00:02:48,099 --> 00:02:50,099 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' said: 53 00:02:50,099 --> 00:02:54,099 "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, called us 54 00:02:54,099 --> 00:02:56,099 to pledge allegiance to him at the tree, 55 00:02:56,099 --> 00:02:58,099 I was the first of the people to pledge allegiance to him. 56 00:02:58,099 --> 00:03:01,099 Then the Muslims began to pledge their allegiance, 57 00:03:01,099 --> 00:03:04,099 and when about half the people had pledged, 58 00:03:04,099 --> 00:03:06,099 he turned to me and said: 59 00:03:06,099 --> 00:03:08,099 'Pledge, O Salamah.' 60 00:03:08,099 --> 00:03:11,099 I said: 'I have already pledged to you, O Messenger of Allah, 61 00:03:11,099 --> 00:03:13,099 among the first of the people.' 62 00:03:13,099 --> 00:03:15,099 He said: 'And again.' 63 00:03:15,099 --> 00:03:17,099 So I pledged to him a second time. 64 00:03:17,099 --> 00:03:20,099 At that moment, the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw me 65 00:03:20,099 --> 00:03:22,099 without any weapons, 66 00:03:22,099 --> 00:03:24,099 so he gave me a shield to protect myself. 67 00:03:24,099 --> 00:03:27,099 Then the Muslims continued to pledge their allegiance, 68 00:03:27,099 --> 00:03:30,099 and when it reached the last of the people, 69 00:03:30,099 --> 00:03:32,099 he turned to me and said: 70 00:03:32,099 --> 00:03:34,099 'Will you not pledge to me, O Salamah?' 71 00:03:34,099 --> 00:03:37,099 I said: 'I have already pledged to you, O Messenger of Allah, 72 00:03:37,099 --> 00:03:40,099 among the first and in the middle of them.' 73 00:03:40,099 --> 00:03:42,099 He said: 'And again.' 74 00:03:42,099 --> 00:03:44,099 So I pledged to him a third time. 75 00:03:44,099 --> 00:03:46,099 Then he looked at my hand and said: 76 00:03:46,099 --> 00:03:49,099 'Where is the shield I gave you?' 77 00:03:49,099 --> 00:03:51,099 I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, 78 00:03:51,099 --> 00:03:53,099 my uncle 'Amir met me, 79 00:03:53,099 --> 00:03:55,099 and I found him unarmed, 80 00:03:55,099 --> 00:03:57,099 so I gave it to him.' 81 00:03:57,099 --> 00:04:00,099 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, laughed." 82 00:04:00,099 --> 00:04:02,099 Salamah said: 83 00:04:02,099 --> 00:04:05,099 "Then the polytheists sent word to us for peace, 84 00:04:05,099 --> 00:04:08,099 and we and the people of Makkah made a truce, 85 00:04:08,099 --> 00:04:10,169 and we began to mingle with one another. 86 00:04:10,169 --> 00:04:14,169 I came to a tree, cleared the thorns from beneath it, 87 00:04:14,169 --> 00:04:16,170 and lay down in its shade. 88 00:04:16,170 --> 00:04:18,170 It was only a short while 89 00:04:18,170 --> 00:04:21,170 before four of the polytheists came to me, 90 00:04:21,170 --> 00:04:24,170 hung their weapons on the tree, 91 00:04:24,170 --> 00:04:26,170 and lay down near me. 92 00:04:26,170 --> 00:04:30,170 They began to speak ill of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 93 00:04:30,170 --> 00:04:32,170 so I grew to hate them, 94 00:04:32,170 --> 00:04:35,170 and I moved away from them, fearing that I would be provoked 95 00:04:35,170 --> 00:04:37,170 and start a fight with them. 96 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:39,170 While they were in that state, 97 00:04:39,170 --> 00:04:42,170 a caller shouted from the bottom of the valley: 98 00:04:42,170 --> 00:04:44,170 'O for the Muhajirun! 99 00:04:44,170 --> 00:04:47,170 The polytheists have killed Ibn Zunaym!' 100 00:04:47,170 --> 00:04:49,170 I drew my sword in my right hand, 101 00:04:49,170 --> 00:04:51,170 leaped upon their weapons, 102 00:04:51,170 --> 00:04:54,170 gathered them into a bundle in my left hand, 103 00:04:54,170 --> 00:04:57,170 and charged at them before they could rise, 104 00:04:57,170 --> 00:04:59,170 all in the blink of an eye. 105 00:04:59,170 --> 00:05:02,170 Then I confronted them, saying: 106 00:05:02,170 --> 00:05:06,170 'By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him, 107 00:05:06,170 --> 00:05:09,170 if any one of you raises his head, 108 00:05:09,170 --> 00:05:11,170 I will strike off his neck.' 109 00:05:11,170 --> 00:05:13,170 Then I bound them, 110 00:05:13,170 --> 00:05:15,170 tied them to one another, 111 00:05:15,170 --> 00:05:17,170 and brought them along, driving them 112 00:05:17,170 --> 00:05:20,170 to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him." 113 00:05:20,170 --> 00:05:23,420 Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 114 00:05:23,420 --> 00:05:25,420 continued with his Companions, 115 00:05:25,420 --> 00:05:27,420 and with him was Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 116 00:05:27,420 --> 00:05:29,420 until he reached Madinah. 117 00:05:29,420 --> 00:05:31,420 No sooner had he settled there for a while 118 00:05:31,420 --> 00:05:34,420 than he ordered his servant, Rabah, 119 00:05:34,420 --> 00:05:36,420 to go out with his camels 120 00:05:36,420 --> 00:05:38,420 to graze in the desert. 121 00:05:38,420 --> 00:05:40,420 Salamah decided to go out with him 122 00:05:40,420 --> 00:05:44,420 to graze the horse of Talhah Ibn 'Ubayd Allah as well. 123 00:05:44,420 --> 00:05:46,420 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' slung his bow over his shoulder, 124 00:05:46,420 --> 00:05:48,420 carried his arrows, 125 00:05:48,420 --> 00:05:50,420 and set out with his companion 126 00:05:50,420 --> 00:05:53,420 until they reached a place north of Madinah 127 00:05:53,420 --> 00:05:55,420 called al-Ghar. 128 00:05:55,420 --> 00:05:57,420 They let their animals rest there, 129 00:05:57,420 --> 00:06:00,420 and spent the night there. 130 00:06:00,420 --> 00:06:03,420 In the last watch of the night, 131 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:06,420 he awoke to a troop of Ghatafan horsemen, 132 00:06:06,420 --> 00:06:09,420 numbering forty riders, 133 00:06:09,420 --> 00:06:13,420 who had raided the camels of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 134 00:06:13,420 --> 00:06:15,420 and driven them away, 135 00:06:15,420 --> 00:06:17,420 killing a son of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari 136 00:06:17,420 --> 00:06:19,420 who was with the camels. 137 00:06:19,420 --> 00:06:21,420 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' said: 138 00:06:21,420 --> 00:06:23,420 "At that, I said to Rabah: 139 00:06:23,420 --> 00:06:27,420 'Take this horse and return it to its owner, 140 00:06:27,420 --> 00:06:30,420 and inform the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 141 00:06:30,420 --> 00:06:33,420 that the polytheists have raided his camels.' 142 00:06:33,420 --> 00:06:37,420 Then I climbed a hill above Thaniyat al-Wada', 143 00:06:37,420 --> 00:06:39,420 faced toward Madinah, 144 00:06:39,420 --> 00:06:41,420 and called out at the top of my voice: 145 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:43,420 'O morning alarm!' three times. 146 00:06:43,420 --> 00:06:46,420 Then I went out, running in pursuit of the people, 147 00:06:46,420 --> 00:06:49,420 until I was not far from them. 148 00:06:49,420 --> 00:06:51,420 I strung my bow, 149 00:06:51,420 --> 00:06:53,420 and shot one of them with an arrow, 150 00:06:53,420 --> 00:06:55,420 which lodged in his shoulder. 151 00:06:55,420 --> 00:06:57,420 I said: 152 00:06:57,420 --> 00:06:59,420 'Take that! I am Ibn al-Akwa', 153 00:06:59,420 --> 00:07:01,420 and today is the day of the young warriors.' 154 00:07:01,420 --> 00:07:05,420 Then I began to chase them, shooting at them and reciting verses. 155 00:07:05,420 --> 00:07:07,420 Every time they turned, 156 00:07:07,420 --> 00:07:09,420 they would leave behind some 157 00:07:09,420 --> 00:07:12,420 of the camels of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 158 00:07:12,420 --> 00:07:16,420 so I would put them behind me and continue in their pursuit. 159 00:07:16,420 --> 00:07:20,420 If a horseman among them turned back to kill me, 160 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:22,420 I would stop running, 161 00:07:22,420 --> 00:07:25,420 seek out a tree, and take cover behind its trunk, 162 00:07:25,420 --> 00:07:28,420 and begin shooting at him until he turned away from me. 163 00:07:28,420 --> 00:07:30,420 I continued to chase them 164 00:07:30,420 --> 00:07:35,420 until they entered a narrow path flanked by two mountains. 165 00:07:35,420 --> 00:07:37,420 I climbed one of them 166 00:07:37,420 --> 00:07:40,420 and began to rain down stones upon them from above, 167 00:07:40,420 --> 00:07:44,420 which fell upon them and in front of their hands and feet. 168 00:07:44,420 --> 00:07:46,420 I never ceased following them 169 00:07:46,420 --> 00:07:51,420 until not a single one of the camels of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 170 00:07:51,420 --> 00:07:53,420 remained except that they had left it between me and them, 171 00:07:53,420 --> 00:07:55,420 and I had placed it behind me. 172 00:07:55,420 --> 00:07:59,420 But that did not deter me from pursuing them. 173 00:07:59,420 --> 00:08:03,420 They began to throw away their burdens to lighten their load, 174 00:08:03,420 --> 00:08:07,420 casting off more than thirty cloaks and thirty spears. 175 00:08:07,420 --> 00:08:10,420 Every time they threw something, 176 00:08:10,420 --> 00:08:13,420 I would mark it with stones 177 00:08:13,420 --> 00:08:17,420 so that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, could find it, 178 00:08:17,420 --> 00:08:19,420 and I left it behind me. 179 00:08:19,420 --> 00:08:22,459 Then I caught up with them, and exhaustion overtook me, 180 00:08:22,459 --> 00:08:25,459 so they sat down to rest and eat lunch, 181 00:08:25,459 --> 00:08:28,459 and I sat on the top of a mountain not far from them, 182 00:08:28,459 --> 00:08:30,459 watching them and keeping an eye on them. 183 00:08:30,459 --> 00:08:32,460 While they were in that state, 184 00:08:32,460 --> 00:08:34,460 a man from their people came to them, 185 00:08:34,460 --> 00:08:36,460 looked at what had befallen them, 186 00:08:36,460 --> 00:08:38,460 and said: 187 00:08:38,460 --> 00:08:40,460 'What is this that I see?' 188 00:08:40,460 --> 00:08:42,460 They pointed at me and said: 189 00:08:42,460 --> 00:08:45,460 'We have suffered from the misfortune of this man what we have suffered. 190 00:08:45,460 --> 00:08:48,460 By Allah, he has not left us since the early dawn, 191 00:08:48,460 --> 00:08:50,460 shooting at us 192 00:08:50,460 --> 00:08:53,460 until he took everything we had in our hands.' 193 00:08:53,460 --> 00:08:54,460 He said: 194 00:08:54,460 --> 00:08:57,460 'Let a group of four of you rise against him.' 195 00:08:57,460 --> 00:08:59,460 So four of them climbed up toward me. 196 00:08:59,460 --> 00:09:01,460 When they drew near to me, 197 00:09:01,460 --> 00:09:03,460 so that they could hear my speech, 198 00:09:03,460 --> 00:09:04,460 I said to them: 199 00:09:04,460 --> 00:09:06,460 "Do you know who I am?" 200 00:09:06,460 --> 00:09:07,460 They replied, "No." 201 00:09:07,460 --> 00:09:09,460 "And who are you?" 202 00:09:09,460 --> 00:09:10,460 I said, 203 00:09:10,460 --> 00:09:12,460 "I am Salamah Ibn al-Akwa'." 204 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:16,460 "By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him," 205 00:09:16,460 --> 00:09:20,460 "I shall not pursue any man among you but that I will overtake him," 206 00:09:20,460 --> 00:09:23,460 "And no man among you shall pursue me and overtake me." 207 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:25,460 One of them said, 208 00:09:25,460 --> 00:09:27,460 "I believe that to be true." 209 00:09:27,460 --> 00:09:29,460 Then they turned away from me. 210 00:09:29,460 --> 00:09:31,460 I did not leave my position, 211 00:09:31,460 --> 00:09:35,460 Until I saw the horsemen of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 212 00:09:35,460 --> 00:09:37,460 Approaching from Medina. 213 00:09:37,460 --> 00:09:40,460 The first of them was al-Akhram al-Asadi. 214 00:09:40,460 --> 00:09:43,460 Following him was Abu Qatadah al-Ansari. 215 00:09:43,460 --> 00:09:47,460 And following him was al-Miqdad Ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi. 216 00:09:47,460 --> 00:09:49,460 No sooner did the group see them, 217 00:09:49,460 --> 00:09:52,460 Than they panicked and fled in retreat. 218 00:09:52,460 --> 00:09:54,460 Al-Akhram intended to pursue them, 219 00:09:54,460 --> 00:09:56,460 So I took hold of his horse's bridle, 220 00:09:56,460 --> 00:09:59,460 And stood in his path, saying to him, 221 00:09:59,460 --> 00:10:02,460 "Beware, O Akhram, of pursuing them," 222 00:10:02,460 --> 00:10:05,460 "Lest they cut you off from us and isolate you." 223 00:10:05,460 --> 00:10:09,460 "Wait until the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arrives," 224 00:10:09,460 --> 00:10:11,460 "With his Companions." 225 00:10:11,460 --> 00:10:13,460 He replied, "O Salamah," 226 00:10:13,460 --> 00:10:17,460 "If you believe in Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him," 227 00:10:17,460 --> 00:10:19,460 "And the Last Day," 228 00:10:19,460 --> 00:10:22,460 "And you know that Paradise is true," 229 00:10:22,460 --> 00:10:23,460 "And the Fire is true," 230 00:10:23,460 --> 00:10:26,460 "Then do not stand between me and martyrdom." 231 00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:27,460 Salamah said, 232 00:10:27,460 --> 00:10:29,460 "So I let him go." 233 00:10:29,460 --> 00:10:33,460 He set off after them until he met the vanguard of the group. 234 00:10:33,460 --> 00:10:35,460 He hamstrung the leader's horse, 235 00:10:35,460 --> 00:10:37,460 But the man turned back upon al-Akhram, 236 00:10:37,460 --> 00:10:40,460 And struck him with a blow that brought him down. 237 00:10:40,460 --> 00:10:42,460 He fell, a fallen martyr. 238 00:10:42,460 --> 00:10:44,460 Salamah said, 239 00:10:44,460 --> 00:10:48,460 "By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him," 240 00:10:48,460 --> 00:10:50,460 "I pursued them after that," 241 00:10:50,460 --> 00:10:52,460 "Running on foot," 242 00:10:52,460 --> 00:10:55,460 "Until I was separated from the Muslim horsemen." 243 00:10:55,460 --> 00:10:58,460 I could neither see them nor catch a glimpse of their dust. 244 00:10:58,460 --> 00:11:01,519 When the sun neared its setting, 245 00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:04,519 They wanted to turn toward a mountain pass, 246 00:11:04,519 --> 00:11:06,519 Known as Dhu Qarad, 247 00:11:06,519 --> 00:11:08,519 To drink from it. 248 00:11:08,519 --> 00:11:10,519 But when they saw me following them, they abandoned it. 249 00:11:10,519 --> 00:11:13,519 They did not taste a single drop of it. 250 00:11:13,519 --> 00:11:15,519 Then they sped off, 251 00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:17,519 Leaving behind two horses. 252 00:11:17,519 --> 00:11:21,519 I brought them to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 253 00:11:22,519 --> 00:11:26,519 And found him and his Companions at the water I had driven them away from. 254 00:11:26,519 --> 00:11:29,519 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 255 00:11:29,519 --> 00:11:33,519 Had already taken the camels I had rescued from them, 256 00:11:33,519 --> 00:11:38,519 And had placed his hand upon every spear and cloak they had left behind. 257 00:11:38,519 --> 00:11:41,519 Bilal had slaughtered a camel, 258 00:11:41,519 --> 00:11:45,519 And was roasting for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 259 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:47,519 Some of its liver and hump. 260 00:11:47,519 --> 00:11:49,519 Salamah said, 261 00:11:49,519 --> 00:11:52,519 "When morning came, we prepared to depart," 262 00:11:52,519 --> 00:11:55,519 "And the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, let me ride," 263 00:11:55,519 --> 00:11:57,519 "Behind him on his she-camel, al-'Adba'." 264 00:11:57,519 --> 00:12:01,649 I traveled with him until we reached Medina. 265 00:12:01,649 --> 00:12:03,649 How fortunate for Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 266 00:12:03,649 --> 00:12:08,649 That he became the rider behind the Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him. 267 00:12:08,649 --> 00:12:13,649 His body touched the body of the noble Prophet, peace be upon him. 268 00:12:13,649 --> 00:12:15,649 And how fortunate for Islam, 269 00:12:15,649 --> 00:12:18,649 To have such a bold and courageous youth. 270 00:12:18,649 --> 00:12:21,649 May Allah be pleased with Salamah Ibn al-Akwa'. 271 00:12:21,649 --> 00:12:23,649 The wonder among horsemen, 272 00:12:23,649 --> 00:12:29,340 And the one who outraced the finest steeds. 273 00:12:29,340 --> 00:12:34,429 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' was among the most valiant of men, 274 00:12:34,429 --> 00:12:39,460 Outrunning horses, as the historians record.