WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.570 --> 00:00:17.570 Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:17.570 --> 00:00:22.570 to present to you snapshots from the lives of the Companions, 00:00:22.570 --> 00:00:25.570 written by 'Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.570 --> 00:00:30.030 may Allah have mercy on him. 00:00:30.030 --> 00:00:32.060 Mu'adh ibn Jabal, 00:00:32.060 --> 00:00:35.090 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:49.850 --> 00:00:53.850 When the Arabian Peninsula shone with the light of guidance and truth, 00:00:53.850 --> 00:00:57.850 the Yathribite youth Mu'adh ibn Jabal was a young man approaching maturity. 00:00:57.850 --> 00:01:02.850 He distinguished himself among his peers by his sharp intelligence, persuasive eloquence, 00:01:02.850 --> 00:01:05.849 magnificent expression, and lofty ambition. 00:01:05.849 --> 00:01:08.849 In addition, he was handsome and good-looking, 00:01:08.849 --> 00:01:12.849 with dark kohl-like eyes, wavy hair, and gleaming white front teeth. 00:01:12.849 --> 00:01:16.849 He captivated the eye of anyone who looked at him and won over their heart. 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. 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:25.010 On the Night of 'Aqabah, 00:01:25.010 --> 00:01:30.010 his youthful hand reached out, shook the hand of the noble Prophet, and pledged allegiance. 00:01:30.010 --> 00:01:35.040 For Mu'adh was among the group of seventy-two who set out for Mecca 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, 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:41.040 to have the honor of giving him their pledge, 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:46.040 and to write the most glorious and radiant page in the annals of history. 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.069 No sooner had the young man returned from Mecca to Medina 00:01:49.069 --> 00:01:55.069 than he and a small group of his peers formed a band to smash idols 00:01:55.069 --> 00:02:00.069 and remove them from the houses of the polytheists in Yathrib, both secretly and openly. 00:02:00.069 --> 00:02:04.069 As a result of the efforts of these young men, 00:02:04.069 --> 00:02:07.069 a prominent elder among the notables of Yathrib embraced Islam, 00:02:07.069 --> 00:02:09.069 namely 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh. 00:02:09.069 --> 00:02:13.169 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh was a chieftain among the chieftains of Banu Salimah 00:02:13.169 --> 00:02:15.169 and one of their most noble figures. 00:02:15.169 --> 00:02:19.169 He had acquired a personal idol carved from precious wood, 00:02:19.169 --> 00:02:21.169 as nobles were accustomed to do. 00:02:21.169 --> 00:02:26.169 The elder of Banu Salimah took utmost care of his idol; 00:02:26.169 --> 00:02:28.169 he would drape it in fine silk 00:02:28.169 --> 00:02:31.169 and perfume it every morning with fragrant oils. 00:02:32.169 --> 00:02:36.169 Under the cover of darkness, the young men crept up to his idol, 00:02:36.169 --> 00:02:38.169 carried it away from its place, 00:02:38.169 --> 00:02:41.169 took it behind the houses of Banu Salimah, 00:02:41.169 --> 00:02:45.169 and threw it into a pit where trash and refuse collected. 00:02:45.169 --> 00:02:50.259 When morning came, the old chief missed his idol and could not find it. 00:02:50.259 --> 00:02:52.259 He searched for it everywhere 00:02:52.259 --> 00:02:56.259 until he found it thrown face down in the pit, 00:02:56.259 --> 00:02:58.259 submerged in refuse. 00:02:58.259 --> 00:02:59.259 He exclaimed: 00:02:59.259 --> 00:03:03.259 "Woe to you! Who dared attack our god this night?" 00:03:03.259 --> 00:03:05.330 He then pulled it out, washed it, 00:03:05.330 --> 00:03:07.330 cleansed it, perfumed it, 00:03:07.330 --> 00:03:10.330 returned it to its place, and said to it: 00:03:10.330 --> 00:03:11.330 "By Manah, 00:03:11.330 --> 00:03:15.330 by Allah, if I knew who did this to you, I would surely humiliate them!" 00:03:15.330 --> 00:03:18.419 When evening fell and the old man went to sleep, 00:03:18.419 --> 00:03:20.419 the young men slipped back to his idol 00:03:20.419 --> 00:03:23.419 and did to it what they had done the previous night. 00:03:23.419 --> 00:03:28.620 He kept searching for it until he found it in another one of those pits. 00:03:28.620 --> 00:03:30.620 So he pulled it out, washed it, 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:32.620 cleansed it, and perfumed it, 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:35.620 uttering the sternest threats against whoever had attacked it. 00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:38.650 When they repeated this several times, 00:03:38.650 --> 00:03:40.650 he retrieved it from the town dump, 00:03:40.650 --> 00:03:41.650 washed it, 00:03:41.650 --> 00:03:44.650 and then brought his sword and hung it around its neck, 00:03:44.650 --> 00:03:46.650 saying as he addressed it: 00:03:46.650 --> 00:03:50.650 "By Allah, I do not know who is doing this to you that you see. 00:03:50.650 --> 00:03:53.650 If there is any good in you, O Manah, 00:03:53.650 --> 00:03:54.650 then defend yourself— 00:03:54.650 --> 00:03:56.650 here is the sword with you." 00:03:57.650 --> 00:03:59.780 When evening came and the old man fell asleep, 00:03:59.780 --> 00:04:01.780 the youths targeted the idol once more. 00:04:01.780 --> 00:04:04.780 They took the sword hanging from its neck, 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:07.780 tied the idol to the neck of a dead dog, 00:04:07.780 --> 00:04:10.780 and threw them both into one of those pits. 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:12.969 When morning broke, the old chief 00:04:12.969 --> 00:04:14.969 earnestly sought his idol, 00:04:14.969 --> 00:04:17.970 until he found it cast among the refuse, 00:04:17.970 --> 00:04:19.970 bound to a dead dog, 00:04:19.970 --> 00:04:21.970 thrown face down. 00:04:21.970 --> 00:04:24.970 At that moment, he looked at it and declared: 00:04:24.970 --> 00:04:27.970 "By Allah, were you a god, you would not have ended up 00:04:27.970 --> 00:04:30.970 joined with a dog in a pit, tied in a rope!" 00:04:30.970 --> 00:04:35.060 Thereupon, the chief of Banu Salimah embraced Islam, and his Islam proved sincere. 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:39.220 When the noble Messenger migrated to Medina, 00:04:39.220 --> 00:04:41.220 the young man Mu'adh ibn Jabal attached himself to him 00:04:41.220 --> 00:04:43.220 like a shadow following its master. 00:04:43.220 --> 00:04:45.220 He learned the Qur'an directly from him 00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:48.220 and received the rulings of Islam at his hands, 00:04:48.220 --> 00:04:52.220 until he became one of the most proficient Companions in the Book of Allah 00:04:52.220 --> 00:04:54.290 and the most knowledgeable among them regarding His law. 00:04:54.290 --> 00:04:56.290 Yazid ibn Qutayb narrated: 00:04:56.290 --> 00:04:58.290 "I entered the mosque of Homs, 00:04:58.290 --> 00:05:01.290 and there I saw a youth with wavy hair, 00:05:01.290 --> 00:05:03.290 around whom people had gathered. 00:05:03.290 --> 00:05:05.290 Whenever he spoke, 00:05:05.290 --> 00:05:08.290 it was as if light and pearls were flowing from his mouth. 00:05:08.290 --> 00:05:10.290 I asked, 'Who is this?' 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:13.290 They replied, 'Mu'adh ibn Jabal.'" 00:05:13.290 --> 00:05:16.420 Abu Muslim al-Khawlani narrated: 00:05:16.420 --> 00:05:18.420 "I came to the mosque of Damascus, 00:05:18.420 --> 00:05:22.420 and there was a circle containing mature men from the Companions of Muhammad, 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:24.420 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 00:05:24.420 --> 00:05:28.420 Among them was a young man with dark kohl-like eyes and gleaming white teeth. 00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:32.420 Whenever they disagreed on anything, they referred it to that youth. 00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:35.420 I asked a companion sitting next to me, 'Who is this?' 00:05:35.420 --> 00:05:38.420 He said, 'Mu'adh ibn Jabal.'" 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:40.449 This is hardly surprising, 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 00:05:46.449 --> 00:05:48.449 and graduated at his hands. 00:05:48.449 --> 00:05:51.449 He drank knowledge from its abundant springs 00:05:51.449 --> 00:05:54.449 and acquired wisdom from its purest source; 00:05:54.449 --> 00:05:58.449 thus he was the finest student to the finest teacher. 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: 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." 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.769 It is merit enough for him over the Ummah of Muhammad 00:06:12.769 --> 00:06:14.769 that he was one of the six individuals 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. 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, 00:06:26.769 --> 00:06:30.769 they would look to him out of awe for him and veneration for his knowledge. 00:06:30.769 --> 00:06:36.899 The noble Messenger and his two successors after him placed this unique intellectual caliber 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:39.899 in the service of Islam and the Muslims. 00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:42.959 Here was the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.959 seeing the crowds of Quraysh entering the religion of Allah in throngs 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:47.959 after the Conquest of Mecca, 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 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:56.959 and give them deep understanding of its laws. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:00.959 So he appointed 'Attab ibn Asid as his deputy over Mecca 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:05.959 and retained Mu'adh ibn Jabal with him to teach the people the Qur'an 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:09.089 and give them deep understanding of the religion of Allah. 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, 00:07:14.089 --> 00:07:17.089 announcing their acceptance of Islam and that of their people, 00:07:17.089 --> 00:07:21.089 and asking him to send someone to teach the people their religion, 00:07:21.089 --> 00:07:26.089 he assigned a group of callers to guidance from among his Companions for this mission, 00:07:26.089 --> 00:07:30.089 appointing Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, as their leader. 00:07:30.089 --> 00:07:35.089 The noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went out 00:07:35.089 --> 00:07:37.089 to bid farewell to this delegation of guidance and light. 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:40.089 He began walking beside the mount of Mu'adh 00:07:40.089 --> 00:07:42.089 while Mu'adh was riding. 00:07:42.089 --> 00:07:45.089 The noble Messenger walked with him for a long time, 00:07:45.089 --> 00:07:49.089 as if he wished to take his fill of looking at Mu'adh. 00:07:49.089 --> 00:07:51.089 Then he advised him, saying: 00:07:51.089 --> 00:07:57.089 "O Mu'adh, you may not meet me again after this year of mine, 00:07:57.089 --> 00:08:00.089 and perhaps you will pass by my mosque and my grave." 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, 00:08:08.089 --> 00:08:10.089 and the Muslims wept along with him. 00:08:10.089 --> 00:08:13.220 The prophecy of the noble Messenger came true, 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, 00:08:19.220 --> 00:08:21.220 after that hour. 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:27.220 The noble Messenger passed away before Mu'adh returned from Yemen. 00:08:27.220 --> 00:08:31.279 No doubt Mu'adh wept when he returned to Yathrib, 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:36.279 finding it desolate without the comforting presence of his beloved, the Messenger of Allah. 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:40.600 When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, assumed the Caliphate, 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:45.600 he sent Mu'adh to Banu Kilab to divide their stipends among them 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:49.600 and distribute the zakat collected from their wealthy to their poor. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.600 He carried out the task entrusted to him, 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. 00:08:58.730 --> 00:09:00.820 His wife said to him: 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?" 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:10.919 He replied: "I had a vigilant inspector with me, keeping strict account of me." 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:15.919 She said: "You were trustworthy in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr, 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?!" 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.919 She spread this rumor among the wives of 'Umar 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:24.919 and complained to them about him. 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:26.919 When word of this reached 'Umar, 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:28.919 he summoned Mu'adh and said: 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:31.919 "Did I send an inspector with you to keep account of you?" 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.919 He replied: "No, O Commander of the Faithful, 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:39.919 but I could find no excuse to offer her other than that." 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.919 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, laughed, 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:46.919 gave him something, and said to him: "Satisfy her with this." 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:49.139 During the reign of al-Faruq, 00:09:49.139 --> 00:09:54.139 his governor over the Levant, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, wrote to him saying: 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:56.139 "O Commander of the Faithful, 00:09:56.139 --> 00:09:59.139 the people of the Levant have grown numerous and filled the cities, 00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:03.139 and they are in need of scholars to teach them the Qur'an 00:10:03.139 --> 00:10:05.139 and give them deep understanding of the religion. 00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:09.139 So assist me, O Commander of the Faithful, with men who can instruct them." 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: 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:18.179 Mu'adh ibn Jabal, 00:10:18.179 --> 00:10:20.179 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, 00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:22.179 Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, 00:10:22.179 --> 00:10:24.179 Ubayy ibn Ka'b, 00:10:24.179 --> 00:10:26.179 and Abu al-Darda'. 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:28.179 He said to them: 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 00:10:33.210 --> 00:10:35.210 and give them deep understanding of the religion. 00:10:35.210 --> 00:10:39.240 So assist me, may Allah have mercy on you, with three of you. 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:41.240 If you wish, draw lots among yourselves, 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:44.240 or else three of you may volunteer." 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:45.240 They said: 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:47.240 "Why should we draw lots? 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:49.240 Abu Ayyub is an old man, 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.240 Ubayy is a sick man, 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:54.269 and so the three of us remain." 00:10:54.269 --> 00:10:55.269 'Umar said: 00:10:55.269 --> 00:10:57.269 "Start in Homs; 00:10:57.269 --> 00:10:59.269 if you are satisfied with the condition of its people, 00:10:59.269 --> 00:11:01.269 leave one of you behind there, 00:11:01.269 --> 00:11:04.269 while one of you goes to Damascus 00:11:04.269 --> 00:11:06.269 and the other goes to Palestine." 00:11:06.269 --> 00:11:09.529 So the three Companions of the Messenger of Allah carried out 00:11:09.529 --> 00:11:12.529 what al-Faruq had commanded them in Homs. 00:11:12.529 --> 00:11:15.529 They then left 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit there, 00:11:15.529 --> 00:11:18.529 while Abu al-Darda' went to Damascus, 00:11:18.529 --> 00:11:21.529 and Mu'adh ibn Jabal proceeded to Palestine. 00:11:21.529 --> 00:11:23.720 And there, 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:25.720 Mu'adh was stricken with the plague. 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:27.879 When death approached him, 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.879 he faced the Qiblah and began to repeat this chant: 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:34.879 "Welcome, death, welcome! 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:36.879 A visitor arriving after a long absence, 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:39.879 a beloved returning to one who yearned for him." 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.360 Then he began gazing toward the sky, saying: 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:46.360 "O Allah, You surely knew 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:48.360 that I did not love this world 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:50.360 or a long life in it 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:52.360 for planting trees or digging flowing rivers, 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.419 but rather for enduring the thirst of scorching middays, 00:11:55.419 --> 00:11:57.419 struggling through the long hours of night worship, 00:11:57.419 --> 00:12:00.419 and pressing knee-to-knee alongside the scholars 00:12:00.419 --> 00:12:02.460 in the circles of remembrance. 00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:04.460 O Allah, accept my soul 00:12:04.460 --> 00:12:07.460 with the best acceptance You grant a believing soul." 00:12:07.460 --> 00:12:10.519 Then his pure soul departed, 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:13.519 far away from his family and kin, 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:16.519 calling people to Allah and emigrating in His cause. 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:23.370 "The most knowledgeable of my Ummah regarding the lawful and the prohibited 00:12:23.370 --> 00:12:25.370 is Mu'adh ibn Jabal." 00:12:25.370 --> 00:12:27.370 — Muhammad, 00:12:27.370 --> 00:12:29.370 the Messenger of Allah.