WEBVTT

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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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The finest of generations in their stands and exemplary conduct,

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Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.

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Mawaddah Association

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Presents:

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Glimpses from the Lives of the Tabi'un

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By Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,

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May Allah have mercy on him.

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Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib,

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May Allah have mercy on him.

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The Commander of the Faithful, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, resolved to perform the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah,

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Visit the second of the two Holy Sanctuaries,

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And offer greetings of peace upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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When the month of Dhu al-Qi'dah arrived,

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The grand caravan readied its riding mounts,

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And set out toward the land of the Hijaz,

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Accompanied by the illustrious nobles among the Umayyad princes,

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A group of senior state dignitaries, and some of his children.

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The procession proceeded on its way from Damascus to Medina al-Munawwarah,

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Neither lingering casually nor rushing precipitately.

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Whenever they made camp at a stop, tents were pitched for them,

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Carpets were laid out,

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And assemblies of knowledge and remembrance were convened,

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So that they might deepen their understanding of the religion,

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And nurture their hearts and souls

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With wisdom and beautiful admonitions.

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When the Caliph reached Medina al-Munawwarah,

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He repaired to its sacred sanctuary,

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Had the honor of sending greetings of peace upon its dweller, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,

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The most exalted prayers and purest greetings of peace,

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And enjoyed praying in the radiant, pristine Rawdah,

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Tasting such soothing tranquility and inner peace

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As he had never tasted before.

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He resolved to extend his stay in the city of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him,

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As long as he found a way to do so.

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Among the things that most captured his attention in Medina

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Were the circles of knowledge that filled the Prophet's Mosque,

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Where the brilliant scholars among the senior Tabi'un shone,

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Just as radiant stars shine in the heart of the night sky.

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Here was the circle of Urwah ibn al-Zubayr,

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There was the circle of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib,

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And over there was the circle of Abd Allah ibn Utbah.

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One day, the Caliph awoke from his afternoon nap at an unusual hour,

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So he called his doorkeeper and said,

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"O Maysarah!"

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He replied, "At your service, O Commander of the Faithful."

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He said, "Go to the Mosque of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him,

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And invite one of the scholars to come and relate hadiths to us."

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Maysarah went to the Prophet's Mosque

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And cast his gaze around,

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But saw no circle other than a single one,

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Centered around an elder slightly over sixty years of age,

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Who bore the simplicity of scholars

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Along with their awe-inspiring dignity and composure.

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He stood not far from the circle

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And gestured to the Sheikh with his finger,

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But the Sheikh did not turn to him nor pay him any mind.

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So he approached him and said,

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"Did you not see that I was gesturing to you?"

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He replied, "To me?"

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He said, "Yes."

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He asked, "And what is your need?"

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He said, "The Commander of the Faithful has awakened and said,

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'Go to the mosque and see

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If you find any of my narrators, and bring him to me.'"

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The Sheikh said to him,

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"I am not one of his narrators."

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Maysarah said to him,

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"But he desires a scholar to relate hadiths to him."

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The Sheikh replied,

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"Indeed, he who seeks something comes to it.

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There is ample room for him in the mosque's circle

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If he wishes for that,

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For sacred knowledge is sought and visited,

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But it does not go out to others."

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So the doorkeeper retraced his steps

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And said to the Caliph,

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"I found no one in the mosque except an old man.

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I gestured to him, but he did not get up.

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So I approached him and said,

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'The Commander of the Faithful has awakened at this hour

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And instructed me,

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"See if you find any of my narrators in the mosque

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And call him for me."'

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But he said to me with calm resolve,

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'I am not one of his narrators,

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And there is ample room for him in the mosque's circle

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If he desires to hear hadith.'"

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Thereupon, Abd Malik ibn Marwan sighed,

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Sprang to his feet,

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And headed inside the residence,

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Saying,

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"That is Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib!

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Would that you had not gone to him or spoken to him!"

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When he moved away from the assembly

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And reached the inner quarters,

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The youngest of Abd al-Malik's sons turned

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And said,

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"Who is this man who refuses the Commander of the Faithful,

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Arrogantly disdains appearing before him

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And attending his council,

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When the worldly realm has submitted to him,

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And the kings of the Byzantines have bowed to his awe?"

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The elder brother replied,

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"That is the man from whom the Commander of the Faithful sought

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His daughter's hand for your brother al-Walid,

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But he refused to marry her to him."

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The younger brother exclaimed,

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"He refused to marry her to al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik?!

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Could he have sought a more exalted husband for her

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Than the heir apparent of the Commander of the Faithful

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And the future Caliph of the Muslims?"

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The elder brother remained silent

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And gave him no answer.

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The younger brother then asked,

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"If he was so miserly with his daughter

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Toward the heir apparent of the Commander of the Faithful,

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Did he find a suitable match for her

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Who was worthy of her?

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Or did he prevent her from marrying altogether,

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As some people do,

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Leaving her a unwed spinster at home?"

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His elder brother said to him,

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"Truthfully, I know nothing of her story

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Or his story with her."

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Thereupon, one of the companions present,

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Who was from the people of Medina, turned to them

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And said, "If the prince permits me,

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I shall relate her entire story to him.

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She married a young man from our neighborhood

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Named Abu Wada'ah,

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Who is our immediate neighbor, door to door.

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Her marriage to him has a remarkable story

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Which he related to me himself."

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The two brothers said to him,

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"Let us hear it!"

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The man said,

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"Abu Wada'ah related to me,

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Saying: 'As you know, I used to

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Regularly attend the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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In pursuit of knowledge,

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Constantly attending the circle of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib

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And jostling shoulder to shoulder with the people for it.

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Then I was absent from the Sheikh's circle for several days,

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So he missed me and thought I might be ill

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Or that some mishap had befallen me.

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He asked those around him about me,

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But found no news with any of them.

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When I returned to him after a few days,

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He greeted me, welcomed me, and said,

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"Where have you been, O Abu Wada'ah?"

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I said,

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"My wife passed away, so I was occupied with her affairs."

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He said,

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"Why did you not inform us, O Abu Wada'ah,

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So we could offer you condolences,

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Attend her funeral with you,

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And assist you in your plight?"

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I replied, "May Allah reward you with goodness."

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As I made a move to get up,

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He asked me to stay until everyone in the gathering had left.

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Then he said to me,

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"Have you not thought of taking a new wife, O Abu Wada'ah?"

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I replied, "May Allah have mercy on you,

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Who would marry his daughter to me

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When I am a young man who grew up an orphan

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And lived in poverty,

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Owning no more than two or three dirhams?"

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He said,

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"I will marry my daughter to you."

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My tongue was tied, and I exclaimed,

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"You?!

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You would marry your daughter to me,

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After knowing what you know of my situation?"

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He said, "Yes,

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For if someone comes to us whose religious commitment and character we are pleased with, we marry him;

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And to us, your religious commitment and character are pleasing."

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Then he turned to those who were near us

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And called them over.

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When they approached and gathered around him,

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He praised Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, extolled Him,

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Sent blessings upon Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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And performed the marriage contract between me and his daughter,

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Setting her dowry at just two dirhams.

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I stood up, lost for words out of sheer amazement and joy.

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Then I headed home—

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And I was fasting that day—

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But I forgot my fast and kept saying to myself,

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"Woe to you, Abu Wada'ah!

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What have you done to yourself?

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From whom will you borrow money?

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From whom will you ask for funds?"

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I remained in this state until the call for the sunset prayer was announced,

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So I performed the prescribed prayer

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And sat down to eat my meal to break the fast,

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Which consisted of bread and oil.

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No sooner had I taken a bite or two

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Than I heard a knock at the door.

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So I asked, "Who is at the door?"

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He replied, "Sa'id."

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By Allah, every single person crossed my mind...

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...whose name was Sa'id that I knew...

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...except Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib.

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That was because for forty years he had only ever been seen...

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...either in his home or in the mosque.

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So I opened the door...

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...and there I was, standing before Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib!

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I assumed that he had changed his mind...

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...regarding my marriage to his daughter.

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So I said to him,

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"O Abu Muhammad,

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why did you not send for me so that I might come to you?"

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He replied,

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"No, you had a greater right that I should come to you today."

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I said, "Please, step inside."

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He said, "No,

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I have only come for a specific matter."

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I asked,

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"And what is that, may Allah have mercy on you?"

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He replied,

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"My daughter became your wife by the law of Allah yesterday morning,

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and I know that you have no one with you...

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...to keep you company in your solitude.

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I disliked that you should spend the night in one place...

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...while your wife spent it in another,

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so I have brought her to you."

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I exclaimed, "Woe to me!

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You have brought her to me?"

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He said, "Yes."

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I looked, and there she was, standing tall and noble.

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He turned to her and said,

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"Enter the home of your husband, my daughter, in the name of Allah and with His blessing."

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When she tried to step forward,

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she stumbled over her cloak out of modesty,

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until she nearly fell to the ground.

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As for me,

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I stood before her bewildered, not knowing what to say.

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Then I rushed ahead of her to the bowl containing bread and oil,

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and removed it from the lamp's light so she would not see it.

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Then I went up to the roof and called out to the neighbors.

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They came rushing to me and said,

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"What is the matter with you?"

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I replied,

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"Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib performed the marriage contract for his daughter to me today in the mosque,

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and he has brought her to me just now unannounced!

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Come and keep her company while I go call my mother,

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for her house is far away."

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An old woman among them exclaimed,

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"Woe to you! Do you know what you are saying?

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Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib married his daughter to you...

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...and brought her to your house himself?!

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He is the one who withheld her from Al-Walid ibn 'Abd al-Malik!"

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I said, "Yes,

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and here she is in my house!

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Come in and see her!"

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The neighbors headed into the house,

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hardly believing what I said.

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They welcomed her and kept her company to ease her loneliness.

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It was not long before my mother arrived.

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When she saw her,

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she turned to me and said,

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"My face shall be forbidden to your face...

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...if you do not leave her to me until I prepare her properly,

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and then present her to you as the noble women are presented."

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I said, "Do as you wish."

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She kept her with her for three days,

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and then presented her to me.

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And lo, she was among the most stunningly beautiful women of Medina,

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the most diligent of people in memorizing the Book of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

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the most knowledgeable in narrating the hadith of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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and the most mindful of all people regarding the rights of a husband.

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I stayed with her for several days, and neither her father nor any of her family visited me.

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Then I attended the Sheikh's study circle in the mosque.

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I greeted him, and he returned my greeting,

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but he did not speak to me further.

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When the gathering dispersed and no one remained except me, he asked,

00:13:36.289 --> 00:13:39.289
"How is your wife, O Abu Wada'ah?"

00:13:39.289 --> 00:13:41.289
I replied,

00:13:41.289 --> 00:13:45.320
"She is in a state that pleases a friend and displeases a foe."

00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:48.320
He said, "Praise be to Allah."

00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:50.320
When I returned to my house,

00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:55.320
I found that he had sent us a substantial sum of money...

00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:58.379
...to help us in our life.

00:13:58.379 --> 00:14:00.379
Ibn 'Abd al-Malik said,

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:03.379
"How remarkable is this man's affair!"

00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:06.379
A man from the people of Medina said to him,

00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:09.379
"And what is there to be astonished at regarding him, O Prince?

00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:13.379
He is a man who made his worldly life a vessel for his Hereafter,

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:17.379
and bought for himself and his family that which is eternal in exchange for that which is transient.

00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:22.379
By Allah, he did not withhold his daughter from the son of the Commander of the Faithful out of spite,

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:25.379
nor did he view him as unsuitable for her;

00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:28.379
rather, he feared the trial of worldly life for her.

00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:32.379
Indeed, some of his companions asked him, saying,

00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:35.379
'Do you reject the marriage proposal of the Commander of the Faithful,

00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:39.379
and marry your daughter to a man from the common Muslims?'

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:43.379
He replied, 'My daughter is a trust around my neck,

00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:48.379
and I sought her best interests in what I did for her.'

00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:50.379
It was said to him, 'And how so?'

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:56.379
He said, 'What do you think would happen to her if she moved to the palaces of the Umayyads,

00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:59.379
and turned among their luxurious furnishings and fine carpets,

00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:04.379
with servants, attendants, and maids standing before her,

00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:07.379
on her right and on her left,

00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:11.379
and then found herself after that as the wife of the Caliph?

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:14.379
Where would her religion be on that day?'"

00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:17.450
A man from the people of the Levant said,

00:15:17.450 --> 00:15:21.450
"It seems your companion is a unique exemplar among men."

00:15:21.450 --> 00:15:23.450
The Medinan man replied,

00:15:23.450 --> 00:15:26.450
"By Allah, you have not strayed from the truth at all!

00:15:26.450 --> 00:15:30.450
He is one who fasts by day and prays by night,

00:15:30.450 --> 00:15:33.450
having performed nearly forty pilgrimages.

00:15:33.450 --> 00:15:41.450
He has not missed the opening takbir in the Mosque of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, for forty years,

00:15:41.450 --> 00:15:47.450
nor was he ever known to have looked at the back of any man's neck in prayer during that entire time,

00:15:47.450 --> 00:15:50.450
owing to his constant adherence to the first row.

00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:56.450
He had the capacity to marry whichever woman he wished from Quraysh,

00:15:56.450 --> 00:16:01.450
yet he preferred the daughter of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, over all other women,

00:16:01.450 --> 00:16:06.450
due to his standing with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

00:16:06.450 --> 00:16:09.450
his vast narration of his hadiths,

00:16:09.450 --> 00:16:12.450
and his intense eagerness to learn from him.

00:16:12.450 --> 00:16:16.450
He devoted himself to knowledge from his earliest youth;

00:16:16.450 --> 00:16:20.450
he visited the wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

00:16:20.450 --> 00:16:22.450
and was deeply influenced by them.

00:16:22.450 --> 00:16:25.450
He studied under Zayd ibn Thabit,

00:16:25.450 --> 00:16:27.450
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas,

00:16:27.450 --> 00:16:29.450
and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar,

00:16:29.450 --> 00:16:32.450
and heard directly from 'Uthman, 'Ali, Suhayb,

00:16:32.450 --> 00:16:38.450
and others among the Companions of the noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

00:16:38.450 --> 00:16:42.450
He adopted their noble character and adorned himself with their characteristics (Shama'il).

00:16:42.450 --> 00:16:46.450
He had a saying that he would constantly repeat,

00:16:46.450 --> 00:16:50.450
until it became like a motto for him,

00:16:50.450 --> 00:16:51.450
which was his statement:

00:16:51.450 --> 00:16:56.450
'Servants of Allah never ennoble themselves with anything like the obedience to Allah,

00:16:56.450 --> 00:17:00.450
nor do they debase themselves with anything like His disobedience.'

00:17:00.450 --> 00:17:12.660
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib used to issue legal verdicts while the Companions were still alive. Historians...

00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:18.420
...held him as a paragon of scrupulous piety and an exemplar,

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:23.420
following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.

00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:28.420
They were here, quenching the thirst of our lives like rain,

00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:33.420
and how exalted is their memory among us!

00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:38.420
They departed, leaving a question in our conscience:

00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:43.420
Is there any star like them that rose and shone bright?

00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:48.420
They filled life with proud deeds through their actions,

00:17:48.420 --> 00:17:53.420
and the world of mankind flourished because of them.