WEBVTT

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

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The Mawaddah Association is pleased

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to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions,

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by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,

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may Allah have mercy upon him.

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Zayd al-Khayr,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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People are like mines;

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the best of them in the Age of Ignorance

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are the best of them in Islam.

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Here are two portraits of a noble Companion:

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the first drawn by the hand of the Age of Ignorance,

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and the latter crafted by the fingertips of Islam.

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That Companion

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is Zayd al-Khayr,

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as people called him in the Age of Ignorance,

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and Zayd al-Khayr,

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as the noble Messenger called him after his conversion to Islam.

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As for the first portrait,

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the books of literature narrate it, saying:

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Al-Shaybani narrated from an elder of the Banu Amir,

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who said:

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A drought-stricken year befell us,

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in which crops and livestock perished.

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A man among us set out with his family toward al-Hirah,

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and left them there, saying to them:

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"Wait for me here until I return to you."

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Then he swore that he would not return to them

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unless he earned wealth for them or died.

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He took provisions and walked all day,

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until night approached.

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He found a tent before him,

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and near the tent was a tethered colt.

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He said:

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"This is the first of the spoils."

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He went toward it and began to untie its tether.

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No sooner had he intended to mount it than he heard a voice calling to him:

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"Leave it alone and save yourself."

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So he left it and went on.

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He walked for seven days until he reached a place with a camel pen,

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and beside it was a great tent,

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containing a dome of tanned leather,

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indicating wealth and prosperity.

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The man said to himself:

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"This pen must have camels,

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and this tent must have inhabitants."

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Then he looked into the tent,

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and the sun was nearing its setting.

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He found an elderly, frail man in its center,

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so he sat behind him without the man noticing him.

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It was only a short while

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until the sun set,

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and a horseman approached.

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He had never seen a horseman greater or more imposing.

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He was mounted on a tall steed,

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with two servants walking to his right and left,

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and with him were about a hundred camels,

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led by a large stallion.

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The stallion knelt,

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and the camels knelt around it.

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Then the horseman said to one of his servants:

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"Milk this one,"

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and he pointed to a fat she-camel,

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"and give the elder a drink."

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He milked it until he filled the vessel,

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placed it before the elder, and stepped aside.

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The elder took a sip or two and left it.

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The man said:

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I crept toward it stealthily,

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took the vessel,

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and drank everything in it.

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The servant returned, took the vessel,

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and said, "O my master,

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he has drunk it all."

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The horseman was surprised and said:

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"Milk this one,"

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and he pointed to another she-camel,

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"and place the vessel before the elder."

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The servant did as he was ordered,

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and the elder took one sip and left it.

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I took it and drank half of it,

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but I refrained from finishing it all

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so as not to arouse suspicion in the horseman.

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Then the horseman ordered his second servant

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to slaughter a sheep, and he slaughtered it.

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The horseman stood up, took some of it for the elder,

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and fed him with his own hands,

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until he was full, then he and his two servants ate.

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It was only a short while

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until everyone went to their resting places

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and fell into a deep, snoring sleep.

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At that point, I went to the stallion,

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untied its tether, and mounted it.

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It bolted, and the camels followed it.

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I traveled through the night,

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and when the day broke,

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I looked in every direction,

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but I saw no one following me.

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I continued to ride until the day grew bright,

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then I looked back,

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and there was something,

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like an eagle or a large bird.

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It kept drawing near until I recognized it;

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it was a horseman on a horse.

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He kept approaching me

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until I knew it was my companion,

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who had come in search of his camels.

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At that point, I hobbled the stallion,

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took an arrow from my quiver,

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and placed it in my bow,

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keeping the camels behind me.

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The horseman stood at a distance

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and said to me:

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"Untie the stallion's tether."

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I said, "No."

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"I left hungry women behind in al-Hirah,

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and I swore not to return to them

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unless I had wealth or died."

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He said, "You are a dead man;

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untie the stallion's tether, may you have no father!"

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I said, "I will not untie it."

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He said, "Woe to you, you are arrogant."

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Then he said:

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"Point to the stallion's rein,"

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which had three knots in it.

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Then he asked me:

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"In which knot do you want me to place the arrow?"

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I pointed to the middle one,

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and he shot the arrow,

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piercing it

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as if he had placed it there with his own hand.

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Then he hit the second and the third.

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At that point, I returned my arrow to the quiver

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and stood in surrender.

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He drew near to me,

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took my sword and bow,

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and said:

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"Ride behind me."

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So I rode behind him,

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and he said:

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"What do you think I will do to you?"

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I said:

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"The worst."

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He said:

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"And why?"

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I said:

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"Because of what I did to you,

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and the trouble I caused you,

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yet Allah has given you power over me."

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He said:

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"Do you think I would do you harm,

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when you shared with Muhalhil"—

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meaning his father—

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"in his drink and food, and kept him company that night?"

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When I heard the name Muhalhil,

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I said:

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"Are you Zayd al-Khayl?"

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He said, "Yes."

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I said:

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"Be the best of captors."

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He said:

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"Do not worry."

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He took me to his place

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and said:

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"By Allah, if these camels were mine,

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I would have handed them to you,

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but they belong to one of my sisters.

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Stay with us for a few days,

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for I am about to go on a raid

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from which I may gain spoils."

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It was only three days later

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that he raided the Banu Numayr,

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and captured nearly a hundred she-camels,

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all of which he gave to me.

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He sent men with me from his tribe to protect me

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until I reached al-Hirah.

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That was the portrait of Zayd al-Khayl in the Age of Ignorance.

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As for his portrait in Islam,

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the books of Seerah clarify it, saying:

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When the news of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reached him,

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Zayd al-Khayl heard it,

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and learned something of what he was calling to.

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He prepared his mount,

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and invited the masters and leaders of his people

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to visit Yathrib

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and meet the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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A large delegation from Tayy' rode with him,

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among them Zurr ibn Sados,

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Malik ibn Jubayr,

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Amir ibn Juwayn,

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and others.

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When they reached Medina,

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they headed to the noble Prophet's Mosque,

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and made their mounts kneel at its door.

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It happened that at the time of their entry,

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the Messenger, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him,

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was delivering a sermon to the Muslims from the pulpit.

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His words awed them,

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They were astonished by the Muslims' attachment to him,

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their attentiveness to him,

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and how deeply they were moved by his words.

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When the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw them,

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he addressed the Muslims, saying:

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"I am better for you than Al-'Uzza,

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and better than everything you worship.

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I am better for you than the black stone idol

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that you worship instead of Allah."

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The words of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, fell

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upon the soul of Zayd al-Khayl and those with him

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in two different ways.

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Some responded to the truth and embraced it,

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while others turned away and grew arrogant toward it.

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“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)

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As for Zirr ibn Sudus,

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no sooner had he seen the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in his magnificent stance,

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surrounded by believing hearts,

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and encircled by affectionate eyes,

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than envy crept into his heart,

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and fear filled his soul.

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He then said to those with him:

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"I see a man who will surely possess the necks of the Arabs,

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but by Allah, I will never let him possess mine."

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He then headed toward the Levant,

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shaved his head, and converted to Christianity.

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As for Zayd and the others,

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they had a different destiny.

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No sooner had the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, finished his sermon,

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than Zayd al-Khayl stood up among the gathering of Muslims.

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He was one of the most handsome of men,

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perfect in physique and towering in height.

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Indeed, he was so tall that when he rode a horse,

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his feet would touch the ground,

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as if he were riding a donkey.

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He stood with his graceful stature,

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raised his resonant voice,

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and said, "O Muhammad,

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I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,

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and that you are the Messenger of Allah."

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The noble Messenger turned toward him

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and asked, "Who are you?"

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He replied, "I am Zayd al-Khayl ibn Muhalhil."

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The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to him:

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"Rather, you are Zayd al-Khayr (Zayd of Goodness),

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not Zayd al-Khayl (Zayd of Horses)."

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"Praise be to Allah who brought you from your plains and mountains,

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and softened your heart toward Islam."

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From then on, he was known as Zayd al-Khayr.

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The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then took him to his home,

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accompanied by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,

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and a group of the Companions.

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When they reached the house,

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the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, laid out a cushion for Zayd.

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Zayd felt it was too great an honor to recline in the presence of the Messenger,

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so he returned the cushion.

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The Messenger kept offering it back to him,

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and he refused it three times.

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Once they were settled in their gathering,

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the Messenger said to Zayd al-Khayr:

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"O Zayd,

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never has a man been described to me,

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and then I saw him, but that he was less than his description—except for you."

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He then said to him:

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"O Zayd,

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you possess two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love."

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He asked,

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"And what are they, O Messenger of Allah?"

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He replied:

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"Deliberation and forbearance."

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He said,

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"Praise be to Allah who has made me possess what Allah and His Messenger love."

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He then turned to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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and said:

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"Give me, O Messenger of Allah, three hundred horsemen,

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and I guarantee you that I will raid the lands of the Romans with them,

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and I will be one of them."

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The noble Messenger marveled at his high ambition,

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and said to him:

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"May Allah reward you, O Zayd;

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what a man you are!"

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Then, all those from his people who accompanied him embraced Islam with Zayd.

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When Zayd intended to return,

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he and those with him, to their homes in Najd,

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the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, bade him farewell,

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and said:

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"What a man this is!

00:12:32.450 --> 00:12:34.450
How great his standing would have been,

00:12:34.450 --> 00:12:37.450
had he been spared the plague of Medina."

00:12:37.450 --> 00:12:39.450
At that time, Medina was

00:12:39.450 --> 00:12:42.450
afflicted with fever.

00:12:42.450 --> 00:12:44.450
No sooner had Zayd al-Khayr departed from it,

00:12:44.450 --> 00:12:46.450
than he was struck by it.

00:12:46.450 --> 00:12:48.450
He said to those with him:

00:12:48.450 --> 00:12:50.450
"Keep me away from the lands of Qays,

00:12:50.450 --> 00:12:54.450
for there were feuds between us from the follies of the Jahiliyyah,

00:12:54.450 --> 00:12:57.450
and by Allah, I will not fight a Muslim

00:12:57.450 --> 00:13:00.450
until I meet Allah the Almighty."

00:13:00.450 --> 00:13:04.450
Zayd al-Khayr continued his journey toward his people's lands in Najd,

00:13:04.450 --> 00:13:07.450
even though the grip of the fever

00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:10.450
was intensifying upon him hour by hour.

00:13:10.450 --> 00:13:13.450
He had hoped to meet his people,

00:13:13.450 --> 00:13:17.450
and that Allah would decree Islam for them at his hands.

00:13:17.450 --> 00:13:19.450
He began to race against death,

00:13:19.450 --> 00:13:21.450
and death was racing against him.

00:13:22.450 --> 00:13:25.450
But it was not long before death won the race,

00:13:25.450 --> 00:13:29.450
and he breathed his last on the road.

00:13:29.450 --> 00:13:32.450
There was not enough time between his conversion and his death

00:13:32.450 --> 00:13:35.450
for him to commit a single sin.

00:13:35.450 --> 00:13:40.759
"You possess two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love:

00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:44.110
deliberation and forbearance."

00:13:44.110 --> 00:13:47.340
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:56.399
[The text here is fragmentary/garbled; context suggests a concluding reflection on the excellence of the Companions.]