1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:15,570 --> 00:00:17,570 Mawaddah Association is pleased 3 00:00:17,570 --> 00:00:22,570 to present to you snapshots from the lives of the Companions, 4 00:00:22,570 --> 00:00:25,570 written by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 5 00:00:25,570 --> 00:00:30,030 may Allah have mercy on him. 6 00:00:30,030 --> 00:00:32,060 Mu'adh ibn Jabal, 7 00:00:32,060 --> 00:00:35,090 may Allah be pleased with him. 8 00:00:49,850 --> 00:00:53,850 When the Arabian Peninsula shone with the light of guidance and truth, 9 00:00:53,850 --> 00:00:57,850 the Yathribite youth Mu'adh ibn Jabal was a young man approaching maturity. 10 00:00:57,850 --> 00:01:02,850 He distinguished himself among his peers by his sharp intelligence, persuasive eloquence, 11 00:01:02,850 --> 00:01:05,849 magnificent expression, and lofty ambition. 12 00:01:05,849 --> 00:01:08,849 In addition, he was handsome and good-looking, 13 00:01:08,849 --> 00:01:12,849 with dark kohl-like eyes, wavy hair, and gleaming white front teeth. 14 00:01:12,849 --> 00:01:16,849 He captivated the eye of anyone who looked at him and won over their heart. 15 00:01:16,849 --> 00:01:23,010 The youth Mu'adh ibn Jabal embraced Islam at the hands of the Meccan caller to Islam, Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr. 16 00:01:23,010 --> 00:01:25,010 On the Night of 'Aqabah, 17 00:01:25,010 --> 00:01:30,010 his youthful hand reached out, shook the hand of the noble Prophet, and pledged allegiance. 18 00:01:30,010 --> 00:01:35,040 For Mu'adh was among the group of seventy-two who set out for Mecca 19 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,040 to enjoy the bliss of meeting the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 20 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,040 to have the honor of giving him their pledge, 21 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:46,040 and to write the most glorious and radiant page in the annals of history. 22 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,069 No sooner had the young man returned from Mecca to Medina 23 00:01:49,069 --> 00:01:55,069 than he and a small group of his peers formed a band to smash idols 24 00:01:55,069 --> 00:02:00,069 and remove them from the houses of the polytheists in Yathrib, both secretly and openly. 25 00:02:00,069 --> 00:02:04,069 As a result of the efforts of these young men, 26 00:02:04,069 --> 00:02:07,069 a prominent elder among the notables of Yathrib embraced Islam, 27 00:02:07,069 --> 00:02:09,069 namely 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh. 28 00:02:09,069 --> 00:02:13,169 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh was a chieftain among the chieftains of Banu Salimah 29 00:02:13,169 --> 00:02:15,169 and one of their most noble figures. 30 00:02:15,169 --> 00:02:19,169 He had acquired a personal idol carved from precious wood, 31 00:02:19,169 --> 00:02:21,169 as nobles were accustomed to do. 32 00:02:21,169 --> 00:02:26,169 The elder of Banu Salimah took utmost care of his idol; 33 00:02:26,169 --> 00:02:28,169 he would drape it in fine silk 34 00:02:28,169 --> 00:02:31,169 and perfume it every morning with fragrant oils. 35 00:02:32,169 --> 00:02:36,169 Under the cover of darkness, the young men crept up to his idol, 36 00:02:36,169 --> 00:02:38,169 carried it away from its place, 37 00:02:38,169 --> 00:02:41,169 took it behind the houses of Banu Salimah, 38 00:02:41,169 --> 00:02:45,169 and threw it into a pit where trash and refuse collected. 39 00:02:45,169 --> 00:02:50,259 When morning came, the old chief missed his idol and could not find it. 40 00:02:50,259 --> 00:02:52,259 He searched for it everywhere 41 00:02:52,259 --> 00:02:56,259 until he found it thrown face down in the pit, 42 00:02:56,259 --> 00:02:58,259 submerged in refuse. 43 00:02:58,259 --> 00:02:59,259 He exclaimed: 44 00:02:59,259 --> 00:03:03,259 "Woe to you! Who dared attack our god this night?" 45 00:03:03,259 --> 00:03:05,330 He then pulled it out, washed it, 46 00:03:05,330 --> 00:03:07,330 cleansed it, perfumed it, 47 00:03:07,330 --> 00:03:10,330 returned it to its place, and said to it: 48 00:03:10,330 --> 00:03:11,330 "By Manah, 49 00:03:11,330 --> 00:03:15,330 by Allah, if I knew who did this to you, I would surely humiliate them!" 50 00:03:15,330 --> 00:03:18,419 When evening fell and the old man went to sleep, 51 00:03:18,419 --> 00:03:20,419 the young men slipped back to his idol 52 00:03:20,419 --> 00:03:23,419 and did to it what they had done the previous night. 53 00:03:23,419 --> 00:03:28,620 He kept searching for it until he found it in another one of those pits. 54 00:03:28,620 --> 00:03:30,620 So he pulled it out, washed it, 55 00:03:30,620 --> 00:03:32,620 cleansed it, and perfumed it, 56 00:03:32,620 --> 00:03:35,620 uttering the sternest threats against whoever had attacked it. 57 00:03:35,620 --> 00:03:38,650 When they repeated this several times, 58 00:03:38,650 --> 00:03:40,650 he retrieved it from the town dump, 59 00:03:40,650 --> 00:03:41,650 washed it, 60 00:03:41,650 --> 00:03:44,650 and then brought his sword and hung it around its neck, 61 00:03:44,650 --> 00:03:46,650 saying as he addressed it: 62 00:03:46,650 --> 00:03:50,650 "By Allah, I do not know who is doing this to you that you see. 63 00:03:50,650 --> 00:03:53,650 If there is any good in you, O Manah, 64 00:03:53,650 --> 00:03:54,650 then defend yourself— 65 00:03:54,650 --> 00:03:56,650 here is the sword with you." 66 00:03:57,650 --> 00:03:59,780 When evening came and the old man fell asleep, 67 00:03:59,780 --> 00:04:01,780 the youths targeted the idol once more. 68 00:04:01,780 --> 00:04:04,780 They took the sword hanging from its neck, 69 00:04:04,780 --> 00:04:07,780 tied the idol to the neck of a dead dog, 70 00:04:07,780 --> 00:04:10,780 and threw them both into one of those pits. 71 00:04:10,780 --> 00:04:12,969 When morning broke, the old chief 72 00:04:12,969 --> 00:04:14,969 earnestly sought his idol, 73 00:04:14,969 --> 00:04:17,970 until he found it cast among the refuse, 74 00:04:17,970 --> 00:04:19,970 bound to a dead dog, 75 00:04:19,970 --> 00:04:21,970 thrown face down. 76 00:04:21,970 --> 00:04:24,970 At that moment, he looked at it and declared: 77 00:04:24,970 --> 00:04:27,970 "By Allah, were you a god, you would not have ended up 78 00:04:27,970 --> 00:04:30,970 joined with a dog in a pit, tied in a rope!" 79 00:04:30,970 --> 00:04:35,060 Thereupon, the chief of Banu Salimah embraced Islam, and his Islam proved sincere. 80 00:04:35,060 --> 00:04:39,220 When the noble Messenger migrated to Medina, 81 00:04:39,220 --> 00:04:41,220 the young man Mu'adh ibn Jabal attached himself to him 82 00:04:41,220 --> 00:04:43,220 like a shadow following its master. 83 00:04:43,220 --> 00:04:45,220 He learned the Qur'an directly from him 84 00:04:45,220 --> 00:04:48,220 and received the rulings of Islam at his hands, 85 00:04:48,220 --> 00:04:52,220 until he became one of the most proficient Companions in the Book of Allah 86 00:04:52,220 --> 00:04:54,290 and the most knowledgeable among them regarding His law. 87 00:04:54,290 --> 00:04:56,290 Yazid ibn Qutayb narrated: 88 00:04:56,290 --> 00:04:58,290 "I entered the mosque of Homs, 89 00:04:58,290 --> 00:05:01,290 and there I saw a youth with wavy hair, 90 00:05:01,290 --> 00:05:03,290 around whom people had gathered. 91 00:05:03,290 --> 00:05:05,290 Whenever he spoke, 92 00:05:05,290 --> 00:05:08,290 it was as if light and pearls were flowing from his mouth. 93 00:05:08,290 --> 00:05:10,290 I asked, 'Who is this?' 94 00:05:10,290 --> 00:05:13,290 They replied, 'Mu'adh ibn Jabal.'" 95 00:05:13,290 --> 00:05:16,420 Abu Muslim al-Khawlani narrated: 96 00:05:16,420 --> 00:05:18,420 "I came to the mosque of Damascus, 97 00:05:18,420 --> 00:05:22,420 and there was a circle containing mature men from the Companions of Muhammad, 98 00:05:22,420 --> 00:05:24,420 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 99 00:05:24,420 --> 00:05:28,420 Among them was a young man with dark kohl-like eyes and gleaming white teeth. 100 00:05:28,420 --> 00:05:32,420 Whenever they disagreed on anything, they referred it to that youth. 101 00:05:32,420 --> 00:05:35,420 I asked a companion sitting next to me, 'Who is this?' 102 00:05:35,420 --> 00:05:38,420 He said, 'Mu'adh ibn Jabal.'" 103 00:05:38,420 --> 00:05:40,449 This is hardly surprising, 104 00:05:40,449 --> 00:05:46,449 for Mu'adh was raised in the school of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from early childhood 105 00:05:46,449 --> 00:05:48,449 and graduated at his hands. 106 00:05:48,449 --> 00:05:51,449 He drank knowledge from its abundant springs 107 00:05:51,449 --> 00:05:54,449 and acquired wisdom from its purest source; 108 00:05:54,449 --> 00:05:58,449 thus he was the finest student to the finest teacher. 109 00:05:58,449 --> 00:06:04,639 It suffices as a testimony for Mu'adh that the Messenger, peace be upon him, said of him: 110 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:09,639 "The most knowledgeable of my Ummah regarding the lawful and the prohibited is Mu'adh ibn Jabal." 111 00:06:09,639 --> 00:06:12,769 It is merit enough for him over the Ummah of Muhammad 112 00:06:12,769 --> 00:06:14,769 that he was one of the six individuals 113 00:06:14,769 --> 00:06:20,769 who collected the Qur'an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 114 00:06:20,769 --> 00:06:26,769 For this reason, whenever the Companions of the Messenger conversed while Mu'adh ibn Jabal was among them, 115 00:06:26,769 --> 00:06:30,769 they would look to him out of awe for him and veneration for his knowledge. 116 00:06:30,769 --> 00:06:36,899 The noble Messenger and his two successors after him placed this unique intellectual caliber 117 00:06:36,899 --> 00:06:39,899 in the service of Islam and the Muslims. 118 00:06:39,899 --> 00:06:42,959 Here was the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 119 00:06:42,959 --> 00:06:46,959 seeing the crowds of Quraysh entering the religion of Allah in throngs 120 00:06:46,959 --> 00:06:47,959 after the Conquest of Mecca, 121 00:06:48,959 --> 00:06:54,959 and sensing the need of the new Muslims for a great teacher to instruct them in Islam 122 00:06:54,959 --> 00:06:56,959 and give them deep understanding of its laws. 123 00:06:56,959 --> 00:07:00,959 So he appointed 'Attab ibn Asid as his deputy over Mecca 124 00:07:00,959 --> 00:07:05,959 and retained Mu'adh ibn Jabal with him to teach the people the Qur'an 125 00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:09,089 and give them deep understanding of the religion of Allah. 126 00:07:09,089 --> 00:07:14,089 When the envoys of the kings of Yemen came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 127 00:07:14,089 --> 00:07:17,089 announcing their acceptance of Islam and that of their people, 128 00:07:17,089 --> 00:07:21,089 and asking him to send someone to teach the people their religion, 129 00:07:21,089 --> 00:07:26,089 he assigned a group of callers to guidance from among his Companions for this mission, 130 00:07:26,089 --> 00:07:30,089 appointing Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, as their leader. 131 00:07:30,089 --> 00:07:35,089 The noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went out 132 00:07:35,089 --> 00:07:37,089 to bid farewell to this delegation of guidance and light. 133 00:07:37,089 --> 00:07:40,089 He began walking beside the mount of Mu'adh 134 00:07:40,089 --> 00:07:42,089 while Mu'adh was riding. 135 00:07:42,089 --> 00:07:45,089 The noble Messenger walked with him for a long time, 136 00:07:45,089 --> 00:07:49,089 as if he wished to take his fill of looking at Mu'adh. 137 00:07:49,089 --> 00:07:51,089 Then he advised him, saying: 138 00:07:51,089 --> 00:07:57,089 "O Mu'adh, you may not meet me again after this year of mine, 139 00:07:57,089 --> 00:08:00,089 and perhaps you will pass by my mosque and my grave." 140 00:08:00,089 --> 00:08:08,089 Thereupon, Mu'adh wept bitterly out of grief over parting from his Prophet and beloved, Muhammad, peace be upon him, 141 00:08:08,089 --> 00:08:10,089 and the Muslims wept along with him. 142 00:08:10,089 --> 00:08:13,220 The prophecy of the noble Messenger came true, 143 00:08:13,220 --> 00:08:19,220 for the eyes of Mu'adh, may Allah be pleased with him, never again delighted in seeing the Prophet, peace be upon him, 144 00:08:19,220 --> 00:08:21,220 after that hour. 145 00:08:21,220 --> 00:08:27,220 The noble Messenger passed away before Mu'adh returned from Yemen. 146 00:08:27,220 --> 00:08:31,279 No doubt Mu'adh wept when he returned to Yathrib, 147 00:08:31,279 --> 00:08:36,279 finding it desolate without the comforting presence of his beloved, the Messenger of Allah. 148 00:08:36,279 --> 00:08:40,600 When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, assumed the Caliphate, 149 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,600 he sent Mu'adh to Banu Kilab to divide their stipends among them 150 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,600 and distribute the zakat collected from their wealthy to their poor. 151 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,600 He carried out the task entrusted to him, 152 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:58,730 and returned to his wife carrying only the coarse saddle-cloth he had left with, wrapped around his neck. 153 00:08:58,730 --> 00:09:00,820 His wife said to him: 154 00:09:00,820 --> 00:09:05,820 "Where is what you brought back, such as other governors bring home as gifts for their families?" 155 00:09:05,820 --> 00:09:10,919 He replied: "I had a vigilant inspector with me, keeping strict account of me." 156 00:09:10,919 --> 00:09:15,919 She said: "You were trustworthy in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr, 157 00:09:15,919 --> 00:09:19,919 and then 'Umar comes along and sends an inspector with you to keep strict account of you?!" 158 00:09:19,919 --> 00:09:22,919 She spread this rumor among the wives of 'Umar 159 00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:24,919 and complained to them about him. 160 00:09:24,919 --> 00:09:26,919 When word of this reached 'Umar, 161 00:09:26,919 --> 00:09:28,919 he summoned Mu'adh and said: 162 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:31,919 "Did I send an inspector with you to keep account of you?" 163 00:09:31,919 --> 00:09:34,919 He replied: "No, O Commander of the Faithful, 164 00:09:34,919 --> 00:09:39,919 but I could find no excuse to offer her other than that." 165 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:42,919 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, laughed, 166 00:09:42,919 --> 00:09:46,919 gave him something, and said to him: "Satisfy her with this." 167 00:09:46,919 --> 00:09:49,139 During the reign of al-Faruq, 168 00:09:49,139 --> 00:09:54,139 his governor over the Levant, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, wrote to him saying: 169 00:09:54,139 --> 00:09:56,139 "O Commander of the Faithful, 170 00:09:56,139 --> 00:09:59,139 the people of the Levant have grown numerous and filled the cities, 171 00:10:00,139 --> 00:10:03,139 and they are in need of scholars to teach them the Qur'an 172 00:10:03,139 --> 00:10:05,139 and give them deep understanding of the religion. 173 00:10:05,139 --> 00:10:09,139 So assist me, O Commander of the Faithful, with men who can instruct them." 174 00:10:09,139 --> 00:10:15,179 Thereupon, 'Umar summoned the five individuals who had collected the Qur'an during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him: 175 00:10:15,179 --> 00:10:18,179 Mu'adh ibn Jabal, 176 00:10:18,179 --> 00:10:20,179 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 177 00:10:20,179 --> 00:10:22,179 Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, 178 00:10:22,179 --> 00:10:24,179 Ubayy ibn Ka'b, 179 00:10:24,179 --> 00:10:26,179 and Abu al-Darda'. 180 00:10:26,179 --> 00:10:28,179 He said to them: 181 00:10:28,179 --> 00:10:33,210 "Your brothers among the people of the Levant have asked me for help through scholars to teach them the Qur'an 182 00:10:33,210 --> 00:10:35,210 and give them deep understanding of the religion. 183 00:10:35,210 --> 00:10:39,240 So assist me, may Allah have mercy on you, with three of you. 184 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,240 If you wish, draw lots among yourselves, 185 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,240 or else three of you may volunteer." 186 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,240 They said: 187 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,240 "Why should we draw lots? 188 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,240 Abu Ayyub is an old man, 189 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,240 Ubayy is a sick man, 190 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,269 and so the three of us remain." 191 00:10:54,269 --> 00:10:55,269 'Umar said: 192 00:10:55,269 --> 00:10:57,269 "Start in Homs; 193 00:10:57,269 --> 00:10:59,269 if you are satisfied with the condition of its people, 194 00:10:59,269 --> 00:11:01,269 leave one of you behind there, 195 00:11:01,269 --> 00:11:04,269 while one of you goes to Damascus 196 00:11:04,269 --> 00:11:06,269 and the other goes to Palestine." 197 00:11:06,269 --> 00:11:09,529 So the three Companions of the Messenger of Allah carried out 198 00:11:09,529 --> 00:11:12,529 what al-Faruq had commanded them in Homs. 199 00:11:12,529 --> 00:11:15,529 They then left 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit there, 200 00:11:15,529 --> 00:11:18,529 while Abu al-Darda' went to Damascus, 201 00:11:18,529 --> 00:11:21,529 and Mu'adh ibn Jabal proceeded to Palestine. 202 00:11:21,529 --> 00:11:23,720 And there, 203 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,720 Mu'adh was stricken with the plague. 204 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,879 When death approached him, 205 00:11:27,879 --> 00:11:31,879 he faced the Qiblah and began to repeat this chant: 206 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:34,879 "Welcome, death, welcome! 207 00:11:34,879 --> 00:11:36,879 A visitor arriving after a long absence, 208 00:11:36,879 --> 00:11:39,879 a beloved returning to one who yearned for him." 209 00:11:39,879 --> 00:11:43,360 Then he began gazing toward the sky, saying: 210 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,360 "O Allah, You surely knew 211 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,360 that I did not love this world 212 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,360 or a long life in it 213 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,360 for planting trees or digging flowing rivers, 214 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,419 but rather for enduring the thirst of scorching middays, 215 00:11:55,419 --> 00:11:57,419 struggling through the long hours of night worship, 216 00:11:57,419 --> 00:12:00,419 and pressing knee-to-knee alongside the scholars 217 00:12:00,419 --> 00:12:02,460 in the circles of remembrance. 218 00:12:02,460 --> 00:12:04,460 O Allah, accept my soul 219 00:12:04,460 --> 00:12:07,460 with the best acceptance You grant a believing soul." 220 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:10,519 Then his pure soul departed, 221 00:12:10,519 --> 00:12:13,519 far away from his family and kin, 222 00:12:13,519 --> 00:12:16,519 calling people to Allah and emigrating in His cause. 223 00:12:16,519 --> 00:12:23,370 "The most knowledgeable of my Ummah regarding the lawful and the prohibited 224 00:12:23,370 --> 00:12:25,370 is Mu'adh ibn Jabal." 225 00:12:25,370 --> 00:12:27,370 — Muhammad, 226 00:12:27,370 --> 00:12:29,370 the Messenger of Allah.