WEBVTT

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

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The best of generations in their conduct and example,

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Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.

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A society of affection,

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Moving forward.

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Scenes 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 upon him.

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Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays,

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May Allah have mercy upon him.

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We are now in the early days of the Caliphate of al-Faruq (Umar), may Allah brighten his countenance.

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And there they are, those noble and glorious men,

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The kin of al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays from the tribe of Banu Tamim,

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Mounting the backs of thoroughbred horses,

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Girding themselves with thin, sharp swords,

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Departing from their homes in al-Ahsa and Najd,

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Directing their faces toward Basra,

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Seeking to join the throngs of Muslims gathered there

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Under the command of Utbah Ibn Ghazwan,

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To fight the Persians in Jihad for the sake of Allah,

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And in pursuit of the good reward that is with Allah.

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With them was their young man, al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays.

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One day,

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Utbah Ibn Ghazwan received a letter from the Commander of the Faithful, Umar Ibn al-Khattab,

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Commanding him to send ten of the righteous men of his army,

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And those who had performed best in battle,

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So that he might assess the state of the army through them,

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And benefit from their opinions and counsel.

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Utbah complied with the command,

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And prepared ten of his elite men,

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Including al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays among them,

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And sent them to Medina.

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The men of the delegation stood before the Commander of the Faithful,

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Who welcomed them and seated them near him.

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Then he asked them about their needs and the needs of the common people.

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They rose one after another and said,

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"As for the common people,

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You are their guardian and the one responsible for their affairs.

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As for us, we shall speak of our own specific needs."

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Then each of them requested the need that concerned him.

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Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays was the last of the delegation to speak,

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Because he was the youngest of them in age.

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He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said,

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"O Commander of the Faithful,

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The Muslim soldiers who settled in Egypt

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Have descended into the greenery, freshness, and fertility of the lands of the Pharaohs.

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Those who settled in the lands of the Levant

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Have descended into the abundance, fruits, and gardens of the lands of the Caesars.

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And those who settled in the lands of the Persians

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Have descended upon the banks of fresh rivers and lush gardens of the lands of the Chosroes.

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But our people who settled in Basra

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Have descended upon a land of shifting, porous soil,

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Where the earth does not dry and its pasture does not grow.

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One of its sides is a bitter sea,

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And its other side is a barren wasteland.

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So remove their hardship, O Commander of the Faithful,

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And revive their lives,

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And command your governor in Basra to dig a river for them from which they may draw sweet water,

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And water their livestock and crops,

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So that their condition may improve, their families may thrive,

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And their prices may become affordable,

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And they may be aided by this in their Jihad for the sake of Allah."

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Umar looked at him in admiration,

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And said to the men of the delegation,

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"Could you not have done as he did?"

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"By Allah, he is truly a leader."

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Then he presented them with their awards,

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And offered al-Ahnaf his award,

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But he said,

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"By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful,

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We did not cross the vast deserts to reach you,

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Nor did we strike the flanks of our camels in the early mornings and late evenings to meet you, for the sake of receiving awards.

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I have no need of yours,

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Except for the need of the people I mentioned.

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If you fulfill it for them, you have done enough and fulfilled your duty."

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Umar’s admiration for him increased, and he said,

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"This young man is the leader of the people of Basra."

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When the assembly dispersed,

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And the men of the delegation prepared to return to their mounts to spend the night by them,

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Umar cast his gaze upon their bags,

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And saw the edge of a garment protruding from one of them.

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He stood up, touched it with his hand, and said,

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"Whose is this?"

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Al-Ahnaf said,

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"Mine, O Commander of the Faithful."

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He realized that Umar thought it was too expensive.

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Umar said to him,

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"For how much did you buy it?"

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Al-Ahnaf said,

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"For eight dirhams."

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And it was not known of him that he ever lied in his entire life except for that one lie,

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Because he had actually bought it for twelve dirhams.

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Umar looked at him gently and said,

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"Would you not have been satisfied with one,

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And placed the surplus of your wealth where it could help a Muslim?"

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Then he said,

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"Take from your wealth what suffices for your needs,

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And place the surplus in its proper place, so you may find rest and profit."

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Al-Ahnaf lowered his head in modesty,

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And said nothing.

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The Commander of the Faithful gave the delegation permission to return to Basra,

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But he did not allow al-Ahnaf to depart with them.

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He kept him with him for a full year.

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For Umar had perceived with his keen insight

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The sharp intelligence that the Tamimi youth possessed,

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As well as his clarity of speech,

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Nobility of soul, high ambition, and wealth of talent.

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He wanted to keep him near him,

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To nurture him under his own supervision,

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And for him to meet the senior Companions so he might be guided by their guidance,

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And gain deep understanding of the religion of Allah at their hands.

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Furthermore, he wanted to test him closely,

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And penetrate the depths of his character before entrusting him with some of the Muslims' affairs.

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This was because Umar feared the intelligent, eloquent, and articulate men most intensely,

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For if they were righteous, they would fill the world with goodness,

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But if they were corrupt, their intelligence would be a calamity for the people.

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When the year ended, Umar said to al-Ahnaf,

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"O Ahnaf,

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I have tested and examined you,

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And I have seen nothing but good.

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I have seen your outward appearance to be virtuous,

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And I hope that your inner self is like your outward appearance."

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Then he directed him to the war against the Persians,

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And wrote to his commander, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,

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"To proceed:

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Bring al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays close to you,

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Consult him, and listen to him."

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The light of al-Ahnaf shone under the banners of the Muslims in the East and West of the Persian lands,

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And he displayed such feats of heroism

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That his status rose and his star shone bright.

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He and his people, Banu Tamim, performed most honorably in fighting the enemy,

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And they sacrificed most generously,

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Until Allah granted victory at their hands in the city of Tustar,

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The jewel of the Chosroes' crown,

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And they took al-Hurmuzan captive.

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Al-Hurmuzan was one of the most formidable Persian commanders,

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The strongest in resolve, the most determined,

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And the most cunning in warfare.

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The Muslims' victories had forced him to make peace with them more than once,

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Yet he would betray them whenever the opportunity arose.

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He thought he was capable of victory,

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But when they surrounded him in Tustar,

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He fortified himself in one of its impregnable towers and said to them,

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"I have one hundred arrows with me,

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And by Allah, you shall not reach me as long as one of them remains in my hand.

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And you know that I am an archer whose shot never misses.

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So what is the use of capturing me

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After one hundred of you have been killed or wounded?"

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They said, "What do you want?"

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He said,

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"I want to surrender to the judgment of your Caliph, Umar,

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And let him do with me as he wishes."

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They said, "You may have that."

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So he threw his bow to the ground,

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And descended to them in surrender.

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They bound him,

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And he was sent to Medina with a delegation of the heroes of the conquest,

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At the head of whom were Anas Ibn Malik,

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The servant of the Messenger, peace be upon him,

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And al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays,

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The student of the 'Umari school.

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The delegation proceeded, hastening their pace with al-Hurmuzan toward Medina,

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To bring the good news of the victory to the Commander of the Faithful,

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To carry the fifth of the spoils to the Muslim treasury,

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And to deliver the oath-breaker and treacherous man to the Caliph,

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So that he might pass judgment upon him.

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When they reached the outskirts of Medina,

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They prepared al-Hurmuzan,

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To present him before the Muslims in his full regalia.

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They dressed him in his garments woven from precious brocade,

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Embroidered with gold threads,

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Placed upon his head his crown studded with pearls and jewels,

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And girded him with his scepter made of pure gold,

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Adorned with rubies and pearls.

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No sooner had their feet touched the land of Yathrib,

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Than the people gathered around them, old and young,

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And began to look at their captive,

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Marveling at his appearance and attire with great wonder.

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The delegation headed with al-Hurmuzan to the house of Umar,

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But they did not find him.

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They asked about him,

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And it was said to them,

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"He has gone to the mosque to receive a delegation that has arrived to see him."

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So they set off to the mosque,

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But they did not see him there.

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And as their search for the Caliph grew longer,

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The people multiplied around them and the crowding intensified.

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While they were in this state of confusion,

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Some young children playing saw them,

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And said to them,

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"What is your business?

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We see you going back and forth;

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Perhaps you are looking for the Commander of the Faithful?"

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They said, "Yes, we are looking for him."

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They said,

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"He is sleeping in the corner of the mosque,

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Using his cloak as a pillow."

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For Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,

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He had gone out to meet a delegation from the people of Kufa, wearing a burnous.

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When the delegation departed,

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he took off the burnous,

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placed it under his head,

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and surrendered his eyelids to slumber.

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The delegation proceeded with al-Hurmuzan to the right side of the mosque.

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When they saw the Caliph asleep, they sat down quietly.

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They seated their captive with them.

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Al-Hurmuzan did not understand a word of Arabic,

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and it never crossed his mind that this man sleeping in the corner of the mosque

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was the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab.

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Truly, he had heard of Umar’s austerity

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and his asceticism regarding the vanities and adornments of this world,

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but he could not even imagine

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that the conqueror of the Romans and the breaker of the Chosroes would sleep in the corner of a mosque

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without a cover or a pillow,

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and without guards or chamberlains.

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When he saw the people sitting in silence,

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he thought they were preparing for prayer

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and awaiting the arrival of the Caliph.

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But al-Ahnaf ibn Qays

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began signaling to the people to refrain from speaking

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and to cease the commotion,

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so as not to wake the Caliph.

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For he knew, from his companionship with him,

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that he rarely closed his eyes in sleep at night;

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he was either standing in his prayer niche worshipping Allah,

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or disguised in his garments,

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patrolling the neighborhoods of Medina to learn the conditions of his subjects,

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or keeping watch to protect the homes of the Muslims from intruders.

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Al-Ahnaf’s signals to the people caught the attention of al-Hurmuzan,

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so he turned to al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba,

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who knew Persian,

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and said,

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"Who is this sleeper?"

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Al-Mughira replied,

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"It is the Commander of the Faithful, Umar."

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Al-Hurmuzan opened his mouth in astonishment and said,

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"Umar?

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Where are his guards and his chamberlains?"

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Al-Mughira said to him,

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"He has neither guard nor chamberlain."

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Al-Hurmuzan said,

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"He must be a prophet."

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Al-Mughira replied,

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"Rather, he acts as the prophets act,

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for there is no prophet after Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."

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Then the crowd grew and the noise increased,

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so Umar awoke.

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He sat up and looked at the people in surprise,

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and saw the Persian prince

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with his crown glowing under the rays of the sun upon his head,

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and in his hand his scepter, whose brilliance dazzled the eyes.

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He stared at him and said,

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"Al-Hurmuzan?"

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Al-Ahnaf said to him,

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"Yes, Commander of the Faithful."

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Umar contemplated the gold, pearls,

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rubies, and silk he was wearing,

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then turned his face away from him and said,

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"I seek refuge in Allah from the Fire,

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and I seek His aid against this world.

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Praise be to Allah who has humbled this man and brought him to Islam."

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Then he said,

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"O assembly of Muslims,

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hold fast to this religion,

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and be guided by the guidance of your noble Prophet.

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Do not let the world deceive you,

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for it is a deceiver."

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When he finished speaking,

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al-Ahnaf ibn Qays brought him the glad tidings of the victory,

00:15:07.909 --> 00:15:12.029
and informed him of the spoils Allah had granted the Muslims.

00:15:12.549 --> 00:15:13.350
He said to him,

00:15:14.070 --> 00:15:15.549
"Commander of the Faithful,

00:15:16.190 --> 00:15:18.669
al-Hurmuzan has surrendered to us,

00:15:19.309 --> 00:15:21.710
and has asked to submit to your judgment regarding him.

00:15:22.230 --> 00:15:23.710
Speak to him if you wish."

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.279
He said,

00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:30.960
"I will not speak to him until you remove these manifestations of arrogance and pride from him."

00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:34.120
They removed his finery and crown,

00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.440
took his scepter from him,

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:40.159
and dressed him in a thick garment that covered his body.

00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:43.639
At that, Umar turned to him and said,

00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:45.759
"Well, al-Hurmuzan,

00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:48.360
how have you found the consequence of treachery

00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:50.159
and the outcome of Allah’s decree?"

00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:54.259
Al-Hurmuzan hung his head in humiliation and said,

00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.620
"O Umar,

00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:59.580
we were in the Age of Ignorance, both we and you,

00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:02.860
and Allah was neither with us nor with you,

00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:04.340
so we defeated you.

00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:08.019
But when you embraced Islam and Allah became with you,

00:16:08.299 --> 00:16:09.419
you defeated us."

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:11.299
Umar said to him,

00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:14.580
"You defeated us for what you mentioned,

00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:16.340
and for another reason:

00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:19.179
your unity and our division."

00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:22.299
Then he looked at him sternly and said,

00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:27.299
"What is your excuse for breaking your treaty time after time, al-Hurmuzan?"

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:29.419
Al-Hurmuzan said,

00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:31.700
"I fear that you will kill me."

00:16:32.299 --> 00:16:33.220
Umar said,

00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:36.379
"No harm shall come to you until you tell me [the truth]."

00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:39.820
When al-Hurmuzan heard that from Umar,

00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:42.179
his fear subsided somewhat,

00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:43.500
and he said,

00:16:44.059 --> 00:16:45.259
"I am thirsty."

00:16:46.049 --> 00:16:47.730
Umar ordered them to give him water.

00:16:48.289 --> 00:16:51.009
It was brought to him in a coarse cup.

00:16:51.610 --> 00:16:53.129
He looked at it and said,

00:16:53.850 --> 00:16:58.490
"If I were dying of thirst, I could not drink from such a vessel."

00:16:59.389 --> 00:17:00.389
Umar gave the order,

00:17:00.669 --> 00:17:03.669
and water was brought to him in a vessel he found acceptable.

00:17:04.410 --> 00:17:06.130
When he took it in his hand,

00:17:06.490 --> 00:17:08.210
his hand began to tremble.

00:17:08.930 --> 00:17:10.170
Umar said to him,

00:17:10.609 --> 00:17:11.210
"What is the matter with you?"

00:17:11.890 --> 00:17:12.609
He said,

00:17:13.210 --> 00:17:17.690
"I fear that I will be killed while I am drinking this draught of water."

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.759
Umar said to him,

00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:22.920
"No harm shall come to you until you drink it."

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:25.279
Al-Hurmuzan did nothing

00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:27.319
but tip the vessel

00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.599
and spill the water.

00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:30.200
Umar said,

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.640
"Bring him other water,

00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:35.839
and do not combine killing and thirst for him."

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.839
Al-Hurmuzan said,

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.119
"I have no need for water;

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:44.920
I only wanted to use it to secure my safety from being killed."

00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:46.920
Umar said to him,

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:48.759
"I am going to kill you."

00:17:49.470 --> 00:17:50.869
Al-Hurmuzan said,

00:17:51.309 --> 00:17:52.589
"You have already granted me safety."

00:17:53.150 --> 00:17:54.109
Umar said,

00:17:54.390 --> 00:17:55.029
"You lie."

00:17:55.710 --> 00:17:57.190
Anas ibn Malik said,

00:17:57.750 --> 00:17:59.789
"He speaks the truth, Commander of the Faithful,

00:18:00.190 --> 00:18:01.470
for you did grant him safety."

00:18:02.069 --> 00:18:02.990
Umar said,

00:18:03.390 --> 00:18:04.710
"Woe to you, Anas!

00:18:05.109 --> 00:18:08.069
Would I grant safety to the killer of your brother, al-Bara' ibn Malik,

00:18:08.509 --> 00:18:09.990
and Mujah'a ibn Thawr?

00:18:10.509 --> 00:18:11.190
Far from it!"

00:18:12.029 --> 00:18:13.069
Anas said,

00:18:13.670 --> 00:18:14.750
"You said to him,

00:18:15.430 --> 00:18:17.829
'No harm shall come to you until you tell me,'

00:18:18.349 --> 00:18:19.190
and you said to him,

00:18:19.710 --> 00:18:22.509
'No harm shall come to you until you drink the water.'"

00:18:23.190 --> 00:18:25.430
Al-Ahnaf supported Anas’s statement,

00:18:25.789 --> 00:18:30.349
and those present affirmed that the Commander of the Faithful had granted al-Hurmuzan safety.

00:18:30.990 --> 00:18:34.269
Umar looked at al-Hurmuzan angrily and said,

00:18:34.829 --> 00:18:36.069
"You have deceived me,

00:18:36.509 --> 00:18:39.750
and by Allah, I am only deceived for the sake of a Muslim."

00:18:40.430 --> 00:18:41.910
So al-Hurmuzan embraced Islam,

00:18:42.309 --> 00:18:44.390
and Umar assigned him a stipend of two thousand.

00:18:46.809 --> 00:18:48.809
Umar had been troubled

00:18:49.289 --> 00:18:52.450
by the Persians frequently breaking their treaties with the Muslims

00:18:52.769 --> 00:18:54.369
and turning against them.

00:18:54.930 --> 00:18:59.289
He gathered the men of the delegation who had come with al-Hurmuzan and said to them,

00:18:59.890 --> 00:19:04.009
"Do the Muslims harm the protected people (dhimmis) and treat them poorly,

00:19:04.329 --> 00:19:05.849
causing them to turn against them?"

00:19:06.529 --> 00:19:07.970
The men of the delegation said,

00:19:08.609 --> 00:19:10.569
"By Allah, Commander of the Faithful,

00:19:10.930 --> 00:19:14.049
we do not know of anyone who treated them poorly,

00:19:14.529 --> 00:19:16.009
or violated a covenant with them,

00:19:16.450 --> 00:19:17.970
or cheated them in a contract."

00:19:18.650 --> 00:19:19.569
Umar said,

00:19:20.130 --> 00:19:24.289
"Then why do they turn against you whenever the opportunity arises,

00:19:24.769 --> 00:19:28.089
despite the contracts between you and them?"

00:19:28.809 --> 00:19:31.809
The delegation answered with words that did not convince Umar,

00:19:32.049 --> 00:19:33.369
nor did he find comfort in them.

00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:37.200
At that, al-Ahnaf ibn Qays stood up and said,

00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:41.480
"I will tell you what you asked about, Commander of the Faithful."

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:42.680
He said,

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:44.359
"Speak what you have."

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:45.759
He said,

00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:48.240
"Commander of the Faithful,

00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.759
you forbade us from spreading out into the lands of the Persians,

00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:57.200
and ordered us to limit ourselves to the lands and cities of theirs that we already hold.

00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:02.000
As long as the Persians have a living king and an established kingdom,

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:05.279
they will fight us time after time

00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:09.359
to regain the people and lands of theirs that we hold.

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:13.960
And those with whom we have made treaties will join them whenever the caller calls them

00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:16.319
and the opportunity for victory appears to them.

00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.119
Indeed, Commander of the Faithful,

00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.519
two kings cannot coexist in one land;

00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:25.920
one must drive the other out.

00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.480
If you were to permit us to spread out into their lands

00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:33.319
until we destroy their kingdom and remove their sovereignty,

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:36.720
we would cut off their hope, calm their hearts,

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.759
and the matter would be settled for us."

00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:42.240
Umar hung his head for a moment, then said,

00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:44.400
"Al-Ahnaf has spoken the truth to me,

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:48.400
and has revealed to me what was hidden from me regarding the affairs of these people."

00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:51.720
And furthermore,

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.799
this stance of al-Ahnaf had significant consequences,

00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:58.480
and the effect of this opinion

00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:00.960
Indeed, he changed the course of history.

00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:07.920
By Allah, this young man is truly a leader.

00:21:09.069 --> 00:21:11.990
He is the leader of the people of Basra.

00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:17.400
Umar Ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.

00:21:27.269 --> 00:21:32.269
They were here, watering the clouds of our lives.

00:21:32.670 --> 00:21:37.470
How could their memory not be exalted among us?

00:21:37.789 --> 00:21:42.470
They departed, leaving behind a question in our conscience:

00:21:42.869 --> 00:21:47.670
Has any star risen and shone as they did?

00:21:48.069 --> 00:21:52.869
They filled life with pride through their noble deeds.

00:21:52.869 --> 00:21:56.900
And through them, the world of the Ummah flourished.