WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.580 --> 00:00:17.579 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:17.579 --> 00:00:22.579 to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions, 00:00:22.579 --> 00:00:25.579 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.579 --> 00:00:30.140 may Allah have mercy upon him. 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:32.140 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:35.140 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:50.429 --> 00:00:53.560 Has the news of Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' reached you? 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.560 He was a marvel among the marvels of the age, 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.560 and a rarity among the rarities of time. 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:01.560 He was a runner who could not be outpaced, 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:03.560 an archer who never missed, 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:05.560 a daring warrior who knew no fear, 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:07.560 and an adventurer whose endless 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:09.689 tales of adventure 00:01:09.689 --> 00:01:11.689 read like accounts of heroism 00:01:11.689 --> 00:01:15.689 that might seem to you like legends. 00:01:15.689 --> 00:01:17.689 Yet they are not legends, 00:01:17.689 --> 00:01:20.689 for the two Shaykhs, Muslim and al-Bukhari, narrated them, 00:01:20.689 --> 00:01:23.750 and authenticated them in their two Sahih collections. 00:01:23.750 --> 00:01:27.750 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' had wealth and property in Makkah, 00:01:27.750 --> 00:01:29.750 but he embraced Islam, 00:01:29.750 --> 00:01:33.750 migrated to Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, 00:01:33.750 --> 00:01:36.750 and left behind everything he owned. 00:01:36.750 --> 00:01:39.750 He began working in Madinah as a groom 00:01:39.750 --> 00:01:41.750 for the horse of Talhah Ibn 'Ubayd Allah, 00:01:41.750 --> 00:01:43.750 in exchange for his food. 00:01:43.750 --> 00:01:45.750 He desired nothing from this world 00:01:45.750 --> 00:01:48.750 other than a few morsels to sustain his strength, 00:01:48.750 --> 00:01:50.750 and to help him in the obedience of Allah 00:01:50.750 --> 00:01:52.750 and striving in His cause. 00:01:52.750 --> 00:01:55.879 Perhaps, dear listener, 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:57.879 you have been stirred by a longing 00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:00.879 to hear a portion of the stories of this knight 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.879 and to learn of some of his wonders. 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:05.879 So here is a part of them. 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:08.979 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, set out 00:02:08.979 --> 00:02:11.979 with one thousand five hundred of his Companions, 00:02:11.979 --> 00:02:15.979 among them Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', intending to perform 'Umrah. 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:18.979 When the news of his departure reached the Quraysh, 00:02:18.979 --> 00:02:22.979 they rose up to prevent him from reaching the Sacred House. 00:02:22.979 --> 00:02:24.979 So the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped 00:02:24.979 --> 00:02:26.979 with those who were with him at al-Hudaybiyah, 00:02:26.979 --> 00:02:29.979 and he sent 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan to Makkah 00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:31.979 as an ambassador between him and the Quraysh. 00:02:31.979 --> 00:02:35.099 But the news soon arrived 00:02:35.099 --> 00:02:38.099 that the Quraysh had killed 'Uthman. 00:02:38.099 --> 00:02:41.099 The Messenger, peace be upon him, resolved 00:02:41.099 --> 00:02:43.099 to fight them, 00:02:43.099 --> 00:02:45.099 and he called upon the Muslims who were with him 00:02:45.099 --> 00:02:48.099 to pledge their allegiance to him for battle and death. 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:50.099 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' said: 00:02:50.099 --> 00:02:54.099 "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, called us 00:02:54.099 --> 00:02:56.099 to pledge allegiance to him at the tree, 00:02:56.099 --> 00:02:58.099 I was the first of the people to pledge allegiance to him. 00:02:58.099 --> 00:03:01.099 Then the Muslims began to pledge their allegiance, 00:03:01.099 --> 00:03:04.099 and when about half the people had pledged, 00:03:04.099 --> 00:03:06.099 he turned to me and said: 00:03:06.099 --> 00:03:08.099 'Pledge, O Salamah.' 00:03:08.099 --> 00:03:11.099 I said: 'I have already pledged to you, O Messenger of Allah, 00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:13.099 among the first of the people.' 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:15.099 He said: 'And again.' 00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:17.099 So I pledged to him a second time. 00:03:17.099 --> 00:03:20.099 At that moment, the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw me 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:22.099 without any weapons, 00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:24.099 so he gave me a shield to protect myself. 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:27.099 Then the Muslims continued to pledge their allegiance, 00:03:27.099 --> 00:03:30.099 and when it reached the last of the people, 00:03:30.099 --> 00:03:32.099 he turned to me and said: 00:03:32.099 --> 00:03:34.099 'Will you not pledge to me, O Salamah?' 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:37.099 I said: 'I have already pledged to you, O Messenger of Allah, 00:03:37.099 --> 00:03:40.099 among the first and in the middle of them.' 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:42.099 He said: 'And again.' 00:03:42.099 --> 00:03:44.099 So I pledged to him a third time. 00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:46.099 Then he looked at my hand and said: 00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:49.099 'Where is the shield I gave you?' 00:03:49.099 --> 00:03:51.099 I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, 00:03:51.099 --> 00:03:53.099 my uncle 'Amir met me, 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:55.099 and I found him unarmed, 00:03:55.099 --> 00:03:57.099 so I gave it to him.' 00:03:57.099 --> 00:04:00.099 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, laughed." 00:04:00.099 --> 00:04:02.099 Salamah said: 00:04:02.099 --> 00:04:05.099 "Then the polytheists sent word to us for peace, 00:04:05.099 --> 00:04:08.099 and we and the people of Makkah made a truce, 00:04:08.099 --> 00:04:10.169 and we began to mingle with one another. 00:04:10.169 --> 00:04:14.169 I came to a tree, cleared the thorns from beneath it, 00:04:14.169 --> 00:04:16.170 and lay down in its shade. 00:04:16.170 --> 00:04:18.170 It was only a short while 00:04:18.170 --> 00:04:21.170 before four of the polytheists came to me, 00:04:21.170 --> 00:04:24.170 hung their weapons on the tree, 00:04:24.170 --> 00:04:26.170 and lay down near me. 00:04:26.170 --> 00:04:30.170 They began to speak ill of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:04:30.170 --> 00:04:32.170 so I grew to hate them, 00:04:32.170 --> 00:04:35.170 and I moved away from them, fearing that I would be provoked 00:04:35.170 --> 00:04:37.170 and start a fight with them. 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:39.170 While they were in that state, 00:04:39.170 --> 00:04:42.170 a caller shouted from the bottom of the valley: 00:04:42.170 --> 00:04:44.170 'O for the Muhajirun! 00:04:44.170 --> 00:04:47.170 The polytheists have killed Ibn Zunaym!' 00:04:47.170 --> 00:04:49.170 I drew my sword in my right hand, 00:04:49.170 --> 00:04:51.170 leaped upon their weapons, 00:04:51.170 --> 00:04:54.170 gathered them into a bundle in my left hand, 00:04:54.170 --> 00:04:57.170 and charged at them before they could rise, 00:04:57.170 --> 00:04:59.170 all in the blink of an eye. 00:04:59.170 --> 00:05:02.170 Then I confronted them, saying: 00:05:02.170 --> 00:05:06.170 'By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him, 00:05:06.170 --> 00:05:09.170 if any one of you raises his head, 00:05:09.170 --> 00:05:11.170 I will strike off his neck.' 00:05:11.170 --> 00:05:13.170 Then I bound them, 00:05:13.170 --> 00:05:15.170 tied them to one another, 00:05:15.170 --> 00:05:17.170 and brought them along, driving them 00:05:17.170 --> 00:05:20.170 to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him." 00:05:20.170 --> 00:05:23.420 Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:05:23.420 --> 00:05:25.420 continued with his Companions, 00:05:25.420 --> 00:05:27.420 and with him was Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 00:05:27.420 --> 00:05:29.420 until he reached Madinah. 00:05:29.420 --> 00:05:31.420 No sooner had he settled there for a while 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:34.420 than he ordered his servant, Rabah, 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:36.420 to go out with his camels 00:05:36.420 --> 00:05:38.420 to graze in the desert. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:40.420 Salamah decided to go out with him 00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:44.420 to graze the horse of Talhah Ibn 'Ubayd Allah as well. 00:05:44.420 --> 00:05:46.420 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' slung his bow over his shoulder, 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:48.420 carried his arrows, 00:05:48.420 --> 00:05:50.420 and set out with his companion 00:05:50.420 --> 00:05:53.420 until they reached a place north of Madinah 00:05:53.420 --> 00:05:55.420 called al-Ghar. 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:57.420 They let their animals rest there, 00:05:57.420 --> 00:06:00.420 and spent the night there. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:03.420 In the last watch of the night, 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:06.420 he awoke to a troop of Ghatafan horsemen, 00:06:06.420 --> 00:06:09.420 numbering forty riders, 00:06:09.420 --> 00:06:13.420 who had raided the camels of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:06:13.420 --> 00:06:15.420 and driven them away, 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:17.420 killing a son of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari 00:06:17.420 --> 00:06:19.420 who was with the camels. 00:06:19.420 --> 00:06:21.420 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' said: 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:23.420 "At that, I said to Rabah: 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:27.420 'Take this horse and return it to its owner, 00:06:27.420 --> 00:06:30.420 and inform the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:33.420 that the polytheists have raided his camels.' 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:37.420 Then I climbed a hill above Thaniyat al-Wada', 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:39.420 faced toward Madinah, 00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:41.420 and called out at the top of my voice: 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:43.420 'O morning alarm!' three times. 00:06:43.420 --> 00:06:46.420 Then I went out, running in pursuit of the people, 00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:49.420 until I was not far from them. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:51.420 I strung my bow, 00:06:51.420 --> 00:06:53.420 and shot one of them with an arrow, 00:06:53.420 --> 00:06:55.420 which lodged in his shoulder. 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:57.420 I said: 00:06:57.420 --> 00:06:59.420 'Take that! I am Ibn al-Akwa', 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:01.420 and today is the day of the young warriors.' 00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:05.420 Then I began to chase them, shooting at them and reciting verses. 00:07:05.420 --> 00:07:07.420 Every time they turned, 00:07:07.420 --> 00:07:09.420 they would leave behind some 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:12.420 of the camels of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:07:12.420 --> 00:07:16.420 so I would put them behind me and continue in their pursuit. 00:07:16.420 --> 00:07:20.420 If a horseman among them turned back to kill me, 00:07:20.420 --> 00:07:22.420 I would stop running, 00:07:22.420 --> 00:07:25.420 seek out a tree, and take cover behind its trunk, 00:07:25.420 --> 00:07:28.420 and begin shooting at him until he turned away from me. 00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:30.420 I continued to chase them 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:35.420 until they entered a narrow path flanked by two mountains. 00:07:35.420 --> 00:07:37.420 I climbed one of them 00:07:37.420 --> 00:07:40.420 and began to rain down stones upon them from above, 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:44.420 which fell upon them and in front of their hands and feet. 00:07:44.420 --> 00:07:46.420 I never ceased following them 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, 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:53.420 remained except that they had left it between me and them, 00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:55.420 and I had placed it behind me. 00:07:55.420 --> 00:07:59.420 But that did not deter me from pursuing them. 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:03.420 They began to throw away their burdens to lighten their load, 00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:07.420 casting off more than thirty cloaks and thirty spears. 00:08:07.420 --> 00:08:10.420 Every time they threw something, 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:13.420 I would mark it with stones 00:08:13.420 --> 00:08:17.420 so that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, could find it, 00:08:17.420 --> 00:08:19.420 and I left it behind me. 00:08:19.420 --> 00:08:22.459 Then I caught up with them, and exhaustion overtook me, 00:08:22.459 --> 00:08:25.459 so they sat down to rest and eat lunch, 00:08:25.459 --> 00:08:28.459 and I sat on the top of a mountain not far from them, 00:08:28.459 --> 00:08:30.459 watching them and keeping an eye on them. 00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:32.460 While they were in that state, 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:34.460 a man from their people came to them, 00:08:34.460 --> 00:08:36.460 looked at what had befallen them, 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:38.460 and said: 00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:40.460 'What is this that I see?' 00:08:40.460 --> 00:08:42.460 They pointed at me and said: 00:08:42.460 --> 00:08:45.460 'We have suffered from the misfortune of this man what we have suffered. 00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:48.460 By Allah, he has not left us since the early dawn, 00:08:48.460 --> 00:08:50.460 shooting at us 00:08:50.460 --> 00:08:53.460 until he took everything we had in our hands.' 00:08:53.460 --> 00:08:54.460 He said: 00:08:54.460 --> 00:08:57.460 'Let a group of four of you rise against him.' 00:08:57.460 --> 00:08:59.460 So four of them climbed up toward me. 00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:01.460 When they drew near to me, 00:09:01.460 --> 00:09:03.460 so that they could hear my speech, 00:09:03.460 --> 00:09:04.460 I said to them: 00:09:04.460 --> 00:09:06.460 "Do you know who I am?" 00:09:06.460 --> 00:09:07.460 They replied, "No." 00:09:07.460 --> 00:09:09.460 "And who are you?" 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:10.460 I said, 00:09:10.460 --> 00:09:12.460 "I am Salamah Ibn al-Akwa'." 00:09:12.460 --> 00:09:16.460 "By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him," 00:09:16.460 --> 00:09:20.460 "I shall not pursue any man among you but that I will overtake him," 00:09:20.460 --> 00:09:23.460 "And no man among you shall pursue me and overtake me." 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:25.460 One of them said, 00:09:25.460 --> 00:09:27.460 "I believe that to be true." 00:09:27.460 --> 00:09:29.460 Then they turned away from me. 00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:31.460 I did not leave my position, 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:35.460 Until I saw the horsemen of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:37.460 Approaching from Medina. 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:40.460 The first of them was al-Akhram al-Asadi. 00:09:40.460 --> 00:09:43.460 Following him was Abu Qatadah al-Ansari. 00:09:43.460 --> 00:09:47.460 And following him was al-Miqdad Ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi. 00:09:47.460 --> 00:09:49.460 No sooner did the group see them, 00:09:49.460 --> 00:09:52.460 Than they panicked and fled in retreat. 00:09:52.460 --> 00:09:54.460 Al-Akhram intended to pursue them, 00:09:54.460 --> 00:09:56.460 So I took hold of his horse's bridle, 00:09:56.460 --> 00:09:59.460 And stood in his path, saying to him, 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:02.460 "Beware, O Akhram, of pursuing them," 00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:05.460 "Lest they cut you off from us and isolate you." 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:09.460 "Wait until the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arrives," 00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:11.460 "With his Companions." 00:10:11.460 --> 00:10:13.460 He replied, "O Salamah," 00:10:13.460 --> 00:10:17.460 "If you believe in Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him," 00:10:17.460 --> 00:10:19.460 "And the Last Day," 00:10:19.460 --> 00:10:22.460 "And you know that Paradise is true," 00:10:22.460 --> 00:10:23.460 "And the Fire is true," 00:10:23.460 --> 00:10:26.460 "Then do not stand between me and martyrdom." 00:10:26.460 --> 00:10:27.460 Salamah said, 00:10:27.460 --> 00:10:29.460 "So I let him go." 00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:33.460 He set off after them until he met the vanguard of the group. 00:10:33.460 --> 00:10:35.460 He hamstrung the leader's horse, 00:10:35.460 --> 00:10:37.460 But the man turned back upon al-Akhram, 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:40.460 And struck him with a blow that brought him down. 00:10:40.460 --> 00:10:42.460 He fell, a fallen martyr. 00:10:42.460 --> 00:10:44.460 Salamah said, 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:48.460 "By the One who honored the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him," 00:10:48.460 --> 00:10:50.460 "I pursued them after that," 00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:52.460 "Running on foot," 00:10:52.460 --> 00:10:55.460 "Until I was separated from the Muslim horsemen." 00:10:55.460 --> 00:10:58.460 I could neither see them nor catch a glimpse of their dust. 00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:01.519 When the sun neared its setting, 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.519 They wanted to turn toward a mountain pass, 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:06.519 Known as Dhu Qarad, 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.519 To drink from it. 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:10.519 But when they saw me following them, they abandoned it. 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:13.519 They did not taste a single drop of it. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:15.519 Then they sped off, 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:17.519 Leaving behind two horses. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:21.519 I brought them to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:26.519 And found him and his Companions at the water I had driven them away from. 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:29.519 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:33.519 Had already taken the camels I had rescued from them, 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:38.519 And had placed his hand upon every spear and cloak they had left behind. 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:41.519 Bilal had slaughtered a camel, 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:45.519 And was roasting for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:47.519 Some of its liver and hump. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.519 Salamah said, 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:52.519 "When morning came, we prepared to depart," 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.519 "And the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, let me ride," 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:57.519 "Behind him on his she-camel, al-'Adba'." 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:01.649 I traveled with him until we reached Medina. 00:12:01.649 --> 00:12:03.649 How fortunate for Salamah Ibn al-Akwa', 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. 00:12:08.649 --> 00:12:13.649 His body touched the body of the noble Prophet, peace be upon him. 00:12:13.649 --> 00:12:15.649 And how fortunate for Islam, 00:12:15.649 --> 00:12:18.649 To have such a bold and courageous youth. 00:12:18.649 --> 00:12:21.649 May Allah be pleased with Salamah Ibn al-Akwa'. 00:12:21.649 --> 00:12:23.649 The wonder among horsemen, 00:12:23.649 --> 00:12:29.340 And the one who outraced the finest steeds. 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:34.429 Salamah Ibn al-Akwa' was among the most valiant of men, 00:12:34.429 --> 00:12:39.460 Outrunning horses, as the historians record.