Part of Who am I (bundled with answers)
· Lesson 8 of 31
Learn about the companions, scholars, and notables | Who am I? | Collected episodes from (71) to (80) with answers
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0:00
Pause
0:03
and get to know the Companions, scholars, and prominent figures.
0:12
A serious challenge: Who am I?
0:20
I am one of the Emigrant Companions (Muhajirun),
0:23
the foster brother of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) through nursing,
0:27
and the son of his paternal aunt, Barrah bint Abd al-Muttalib.
0:31
I was among the very first foremost pioneers in embracing Islam,
0:35
and I was the first to emigrate to Abyssinia, and later to Medina.
0:40
When I resolved to emigrate to Medina,
0:43
I prepared two mounts for myself, my wife, and our nursing infant son,
0:47
then set out toward Medina.
0:50
But when the men of Banu al-Mughirah saw me,
0:53
they confronted me and said:
0:56
"As for yourself, you have prevailed over us,
0:59
but look at this woman of ours;
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why should we let you take her roaming through the land?"
1:05
So they snatched the halter of my wife's camel from my hand,
1:08
taking her and my son away.
1:11
Thus, I emigrated all alone and heart-stricken.
1:16
I fought at Badr and Uhud alongside the Prophet (peace be upon him).
1:21
In the Battle of Uhud, I suffered a deep, penetrating wound to my upper arm,
1:26
which I spent a whole month treating after the battle.
1:30
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) dispatched me
1:33
to lead an expedition against Banu Asad,
1:36
tying for me a banner and rallying under it
1:39
a raiding squad of one hundred and fifty men
1:42
drawn from the Emigrants and the Ansar.
1:45
We captured herds of their livestock and then returned
1:48
to Medina. Soon after, the wound
1:51
I had suffered at Uhud reopened,
1:54
and I passed away as a result of it.
1:58
When death was approaching me,
2:01
my wife, Umm Salamah—
2:04
Hind bint Abi Umayyah al-Makhzumiyyah—supplicated:
2:07
"O Allah, with You alone I seek reward for my calamity;
2:10
so reward me for it,
2:13
and grant me in exchange someone better than him."
2:16
Then she wondered to herself:
2:19
"And who could possibly be better than my husband?"
2:22
But when her waiting period ended,
2:26
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) proposed to her,
2:29
and she declined his proposal as well.
2:32
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent for her,
2:35
proposing marriage to her, to which she said:
2:38
"Welcome to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)!"
2:41
So Allah granted her in exchange
2:44
someone far better than me.
2:48
Who am I?
3:00
The answer:
3:03
Abu Salamah,
3:07
'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Asad al-Makhzumi
3:10
(may Allah be pleased with him).
3:30
Pause
3:37
and get to know the Companions,
3:41
scholars, and prominent figures.
3:47
A serious challenge:
3:50
Who am I?
3:56
I am a Companion from the Ansar, of the Khazraj tribe,
3:59
renowned for horsemanship, bravery,
4:02
and valor in combat.
4:06
My acceptance of Islam was delayed until the Prophet
4:09
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out for Badr.
4:12
Then I thought to myself:
4:15
"I would feel utterly ashamed for my people to witness a momentous battle
4:18
that I do not witness alongside them."
4:21
So I and another man from my tribe caught up with the Prophet (peace be upon him),
4:24
though neither of us had embraced Islam yet.
4:27
We reached him while he was at Harrah al-Wabarah.
4:30
When the people saw me,
4:34
knowing full well my daring and resourcefulness, they welcomed my presence.
4:37
I said, "O Muhammad,
4:40
I have come to follow you and take part in the spoils with you."
4:43
But the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked me:
4:46
"Do you believe in Allah and His Messenger?"
4:49
I answered, "No."
4:52
He said, "Then turn back,
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for we never seek the aid of a polytheist."
4:59
I caught up with him again at al-Shajarah,
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and he said the very same thing.
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Then I overtook him at al-Bayda',
5:09
and he asked, "Do you believe in Allah and His Messenger?"
5:12
I replied, "Yes!"
5:15
He said, "Then march along with us."
5:18
Thus, I fought at Badr alongside the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
5:21
During the battle,
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I encountered a fierce warrior from the polytheists,
5:28
formidable in his might.
5:31
He struck down at my shoulder,
5:34
and I struck him back and killed him.
5:37
My side was severed by his blow,
5:40
so I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him);
5:43
he applied some saliva to it,
5:46
joined it together, and restored it in place,
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so my shoulder healed back as it was,
5:52
although the scar of the blow remained upon it.
5:55
Later on, I married that very man's daughter,
5:58
and she used to say to me playfully:
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"May I never lose the man who adorned you with this sash!"
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meaning the distinct scar across my shoulder
6:07
from her father's strike.
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And I would reply to her:
6:13
"May I never lose the man who hastened your father to the Fire!"
6:16
Who am I?
6:23
The answer:
6:27
Khubayb ibn Isaf al-Ansari
6:33
(may Allah be pleased with him).
6:58
Pause
7:01
and get to know the Companions, scholars,
7:08
and prominent figures.
7:11
A serious challenge:
7:14
Who am I?
7:17
I am one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
7:20
from the land of Tayy',
7:26
and I was a celebrated chieftain of the Pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah).
7:29
I was an accomplished horseman
7:32
and a first-rate archer,
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renowned for chivalry, courage,
7:38
and boundless generosity.
7:41
Among the stories told of me during the Jahiliyyah before Islam
7:45
was that a man from Banu Shayban set out
7:48
with his daughters in a year of severe drought;
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he left them near al-Hirah, close
7:54
to its king, hoping they might receive
7:57
something of his bounty,
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and swore never to return to them
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until he acquired good provision for them
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or died trying.
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He packed some provisions and walked for seven days,
8:12
until he arrived at our massive tent.
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He thought to himself:
8:18
"I will wait by this tent;
8:21
perhaps I may gain something from its owners."
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So he sat behind the tent.
8:27
As the sun was about to set,
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he saw me arriving on horseback,
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driving a hundred camels with their stud stallion.
8:36
The stallion kneeled down,
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and the camels kneeled all around it.
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He waited until we ate, drank, and fell asleep;
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then the man crept up to the stallion,
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untied its hobble, and mounted it.
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The stallion bolted off with him, and the camels followed in its wake.
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He rode all night through until morning came.
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When the day was well advanced,
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I overtook him. The man dismounted
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from his camel, hobbled it,
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and shouted out to me loudly:
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"I have left little daughters behind me,
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and I swore never to return to them
9:16
until I acquired good provision for them or died!"
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I said to him, "Then you are as good as dead!"
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as I shot an arrow from afar right through the camel's hobble,
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piercing it cleanly.
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When the man witnessed such marksmanship from me,
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he surrendered unconditionally. So I took
9:34
his sword and his bow, seated him behind me
9:37
on my horse, and then told him:
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"By Allah, had these camels been mine,
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I would have handed them over to you, but they belong
9:46
to the chieftain's daughter. So stay with me,
9:49
for I am about to launch a raid."
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He stayed for a few days; then I launched a raid
9:55
against an enemy tribe and captured from them
9:58
one hundred camels. I gave every single one of them
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to him, and he returned safely to his family.
10:05
When I heard of Islam,
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I traveled to Medina and found
10:11
the Prophet (peace be upon him) delivering a sermon
10:14
from the pulpit. I entered the mosque
10:17
and pronounced the two testimonies of faith.
10:20
He (peace be upon him) asked:
10:23
"Who are you?" I replied:
10:26
"I am Zayd al-Khayl (Zayd of the Steeds)."
10:29
The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
10:32
"Rather, you are Zayd al-Khayr (Zayd of Goodness)!
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Praise be to Allah Who brought you
10:38
from your plains and your mountains,
10:41
and softened your heart to Islam."
10:44
Then he (peace be upon him) took me
10:47
to his home and offered me
10:50
a cushion to recline on, but I felt too shy
10:54
to recline before him, so I pushed it back
10:57
to him, but he pushed it back to me.
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I returned it to him and he returned it
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to me three times.
11:06
Then he said, "No man has ever been described to me
11:09
whom I later saw in person
11:12
except that he fell short of his description, save you; for you
11:15
are truly above all that was said of you."
11:18
I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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give me three hundred horsemen,
11:24
and I guarantee you that I will raid
11:27
the lands of the Byzantines and take spoils from them."
11:30
The Prophet (peace be upon him) deeply admired
11:33
this high resolve of mine,
11:36
and said, "May Allah bless your excellence!"
11:40
I stayed in Medina after embracing Islam
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for seven days, but then I was afflicted
11:47
from fever, so I longed to meet
11:50
my people and hoped that Allah would grant them
11:53
Islam at my hands. So I set out
11:56
toward them, but
11:59
my appointed time overtook me,
12:02
and my soul departed while I was on the road.
12:05
So, who am I?
12:17
The answer:
12:24
Zayd al-Khayr,
12:27
Zayd ibn Muhalhil al-Ta'i,
12:30
may Allah be pleased with him.
12:49
Pause,
12:57
and learn about the Companions, the scholars,
13:00
and the eminent figures.
13:06
A new challenge: Who am I?
13:09
I am one of the senior Companions,
13:16
from among the Emigrants (Muhajirun).
13:19
I was a nobleman in Mecca before Islam,
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severe against the Muslims.
13:25
But when I embraced Islam,
13:28
Allah strengthened Islam and the Muslims through me,
13:31
and endowed me with an awe-inspiring presence
13:34
that made Satan flee from the path
13:37
along which I walked.
13:41
I was the companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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throughout his life, his vizier,
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and his counselor in his private and public affairs;
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the successor of his successor after his death,
13:53
and his neighbor in his resting place.
13:56
During the era of my caliphate,
13:59
the administrative registries were established,
14:02
the armies were dispatched,
14:05
vast lands were conquered,
14:08
and the two greatest empires in the world were defeated:
14:11
Persia and Rome.
14:14
In my time, the call to prayer resonated across most of the earth.
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I was the first to be called 'Commander of the Faithful'.
14:21
Yet despite that,
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I walked among the people without any guard,
14:27
slept in the mosque just as ordinary people slept,
14:30
and walked through the marketplace
14:33
holding my whip in hand to deter
14:36
anyone who cheated the Muslims.
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One day, a Zoroastrian slave came to me,
14:43
who manufactured millstones for al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah,
14:46
may Allah be pleased with him.
14:49
Al-Mughirah used to collect from him daily
14:52
four dirhams.
14:55
He said, "Al-Mughirah has overburdened me,
14:58
so speak to him to lighten my burden."
15:01
I said to him, "Treat your master well,"
15:04
while intending to speak to al-Mughirah on his behalf.
15:07
But the Zoroastrian slave became enraged
15:10
and harbored an intention to kill me.
15:13
So he procured a dagger,
15:16
sharpened it, and poisoned it.
15:19
When I came out for the Fajr prayer,
15:22
that wicked slave crept between the rows,
15:25
and before I could pronounce the opening takbir,
15:28
he came and struck me in my shoulder
15:31
and in my flank,
15:34
so I fell to the ground.
15:37
The Zoroastrian fled, striking anyone in his path,
15:40
until he had stabbed thirteen men,
15:43
six of whom died.
15:46
Then one of the Muslims threw a cloak over him;
15:49
when the disbeliever realized he was captured,
15:52
he took his own life with his dagger.
15:56
As for me, I was carried to my house,
15:59
while the sun was close to rising.
16:02
'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, may Allah be pleased with him, led
16:05
the people in prayer reciting the two shortest surahs.
16:08
I too prayed Fajr
16:11
while my wound was gushing blood.
16:14
Milk was brought to me and I drank it,
16:17
but it came out white from my wound.
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Thus I knew, and the people knew, that I was dying.
16:23
The people began to praise me
16:26
and say,
16:29
"Glad tidings to you of martyrdom!
16:33
You were a companion of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
16:36
and you did such and such..."
16:39
But I said, "By Allah, I truly wish
16:42
that I depart from this world just breaking even,
16:45
with nothing against me and nothing for me." So, who am I?
17:05
The answer: 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,
17:08
may Allah be pleased with him.
17:11
They departed, leaving in the conscience
17:14
a question: Did ever the like of them
17:17
shine and gleam as a heavenly star?
17:20
They filled life
17:23
with glories through their deeds,
17:26
and the world of mankind flourished through them
17:29
in splendor.
17:36
Pause,
17:39
and learn about the Companions, the scholars,
17:42
and the eminent figures.
17:45
A new challenge:
17:48
Who am I?
17:54
I am one of the prominent Companions,
17:57
one of the paternal uncles of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
18:00
and among the Emigrants.
18:03
I was a chieftain among the chieftains of Mecca,
18:06
raised there alongside my nephew
18:09
and foster brother through nursing,
18:12
Muhammad, peace be upon him.
18:16
I was known for courage and generosity,
18:19
and was among the fiercest youths of Quraysh
18:22
and the most unyielding in resolve.
18:26
Once, I approached carrying my bow,
18:29
returning from a hunt,
18:32
and passed by a freed-maidservant of 'Abdullah ibn Jud'an.
18:35
She said to me,
18:38
"O Abu 'Umarah,
18:41
if only you had seen what your nephew suffered from Abu Jahl!
18:44
He found him right here, insulted and reviled him,
18:47
and subjected him to terrible abuse,
18:50
then walked away while Muhammad did not utter a word to him."
18:53
When I heard that,
18:56
protective zeal for my nephew seized me,
18:59
and anger overtook me.
19:02
I rushed out without stopping to talk to anyone as I usually did.
19:05
When I entered the Council House (Dar al-Nadwah),
19:08
I saw Abu Jahl sitting among the people.
19:11
I strode toward him
19:14
until I stood right above his head;
19:17
I raised my bow and struck him with it,
19:21
then said to him,
19:23
"Do you revile him while I follow his religion,
19:26
saying what he says?
19:29
Retaliate against me if you can!"
19:32
Men from Banu Makhzum rose against me,
19:35
but Abu Jahl said, "Leave Abu 'Umarah alone,
19:38
for by Allah, I reviled
19:41
his nephew with vile abuse."
19:44
I departed from their gathering
19:48
and embraced Islam at that moment,
19:51
and through my Islam the strength of the Muslims was fortified.
19:54
I migrated to Medina
19:59
and took part in Badr alongside the Prophet, peace be upon him.
20:02
I killed the very first casualty
20:05
among the polytheists in that battle,
20:08
which occurred when al-Aswad
20:11
ibn 'Abd al-Asad al-Makhzumi stepped forward,
20:14
having vowed to Allah that he would drink from our water basin,
20:17
destroy it, or die trying.
20:20
So I went out to face him,
20:23
and when we clashed, I struck him with my sword,
20:26
cutting off his foot along with half his shin.
20:29
He fell on his back with his leg
20:32
spurting blood, then he crawled toward the basin,
20:35
intent on fulfilling his oath.
20:38
So I struck him again and killed him
20:41
before he could reach the basin.
20:48
When the duel was called,
20:51
the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded me,
20:54
along with 'Ubaydah ibn al-Harith
20:57
and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib,
21:00
to go out against them.
21:03
We engaged them in single combat and killed them all,
21:06
and that was the first duel in Islam.
21:09
Regarding us, Allah's words were revealed:
21:12
"These are two adversaries who have disputed regarding their Lord."
21:16
Then the general battle began;
21:19
I placed an ostrich feather on my chest
21:22
and fought the polytheists,
21:25
striking down their champions
21:28
and driving them from their positions,
21:31
until Allah routed them.
21:34
After the battle, Umayyah ibn Khalaf asked,
21:37
while he was a captive,
21:40
"Who was the man wearing the ostrich feather on his chest?"
21:43
The Muslims gave me the title 'the Lion of Allah'
21:46
and 'the Lion of His Messenger', peace be upon him.
21:49
So, who am I?
22:08
The answer: Hamzah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib,
22:11
may Allah be pleased with him.
22:20
A star that rose and shone brightly;
22:23
they filled life with glories
22:26
through their deeds,
22:29
and the world of mankind flourished through them
22:32
in radiant grace;
22:44
the best of generations in stances
22:47
and exemplary models.
22:57
I am one of the younger Companions;
23:00
my father was the disciple of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
23:03
my mother was 'She of the Two Waistbands',
23:06
my maternal aunt was the Mother of the Believers,
23:09
and I was the very first newborn
23:12
born to the Emigrants in Medina.
23:15
At my birth, the Muslims rejoiced
23:18
and proclaimed the takbir so loudly that Medina shook
23:21
with their cries of 'Allahu Akbar'.
23:25
I lived during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
23:28
for eight years and four months,
23:31
and I used to visit him frequently,
23:34
regularly dropping by
23:37
the house of my aunt 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.
23:40
I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
23:43
one day while he was undergoing cupping.
23:46
When he had finished, he said to me,
23:49
"Take this blood
23:52
and pour it away where no one can see you."
23:55
When I left his presence,
23:58
I drank the blood. When I returned,
24:01
he asked, "What did you do with the blood?"
24:04
I replied, "I took it to the most hidden
24:07
place I could find and put it there."
24:10
He said, "Perhaps you drank it?"
24:13
I said, "Yes." He said,
24:16
"Woe to the people because of you!"
24:20
My father instructed me, when I was seven years old,
24:25
to pledge allegiance to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
24:28
So I came to him,
24:31
and when he saw me approaching,
24:34
he smiled, peace and blessings be upon him,
24:37
and then took my pledge of allegiance.
24:40
I did not participate with him in battles due to my young age,
24:43
but during the era of the Caliphs after him,
24:46
I was the knight of my time.
24:49
I had renowned feats
24:52
recorded by history,
24:55
among which was what occurred during the conquests of Africa,
24:58
when the Berber commander attacked us
25:01
with one hundred and twenty thousand warriors,
25:04
and they surrounded us while we were only twenty thousand,
25:07
led by our commander, 'Abdullah Ibn Abi al-Sarh,
25:10
may Allah be pleased with him.
25:13
The situation became dire for us,
25:16
when I spotted the Berber commander
25:19
behind his troops on a grey workhorse,
25:22
accompanied by two maidservants who shaded
25:25
him with peacock feathers,
25:28
with open ground separating him from his army.
25:31
So I went to the commander, Ibn Abi al-Sarh,
25:34
and asked his permission to attack their commander.
25:37
He granted me permission
25:40
and assigned men to support me.
25:43
I said to the rest of the army,
25:46
"Hold your battle lines."
25:49
Then I surged forward, cutting through the ranks,
25:52
and told those with me, "Cover my back."
25:55
I breached the lines toward the Berber commander
25:58
and emerged before him resolutely,
26:01
while neither he nor his companions thought anything
26:04
except that I was an emissary sent to him.
26:07
When I drew close to him, he realized death had come,
26:11
so he sprang onto his horse to flee,
26:14
but I caught up with him and struck him with my spear,
26:17
and he fell dead.
26:20
Then I severed his head,
26:23
mounted it on my spear, and proclaimed the takbir.
26:26
The Muslims then charged the enemy,
26:29
throwing them into disarray,
26:32
and Allah granted us victory over them,
26:35
so we struck them down as we wished.
26:39
Along with my renowned bravery,
26:42
I was equally known for knowledge and devotion:
26:45
I spent my nights standing in prayer,
26:48
my days fasting, and was like a dwelling dove in the mosque.
26:51
There was no act of worship
26:54
that people found too difficult except that I took it upon myself.
26:57
Once, a flood came
27:00
and submerged the area around the Ka'bah,
27:03
so people halted their circumambulation,
27:06
but I circumambulated the House by swimming.
27:09
Who am I?
27:25
The answer: 'Abdullah Ibn al-Zubayr Ibn al-'Awwam,
27:28
may Allah be pleased with them both.
27:43
Proud deeds of glory shone through their actions,
27:46
and the world of mankind was brightened by them.
27:49
Splendidly!
27:52
Pause and discover
28:00
the Companions, the scholars, and the prominent figures:
28:03
the best of generations in character and example.
28:06
A new challenge:
28:09
Who am I?
28:15
I am one of the Companions, from the leaders of the Ansar.
28:19
I was one of the delegates on the Night of 'Aqabah,
28:22
and the first to pledge allegiance to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
28:25
on that night,
28:28
when I said to him:
28:31
"By Allah, you have our pledge, O Messenger of Allah,
28:34
to conceal what you wish us to conceal,
28:37
to declare what you wish us to declare,
28:40
to sacrifice our very souls,
28:43
seeking the pleasure of our Lord with us;
28:46
and we are a people of strength and honor.
28:49
We were upholding this
28:52
even while we were upon what we were upon, worshiping
28:55
idols and stones;
28:58
so how about us today,
29:01
when Allah has granted us insight into what He blinded others to,
29:04
and has supported us through you?
29:07
Stretch forth your hand."
29:10
So he stretched forth his hand, peace and blessings be upon him.
29:14
I was the first to pray facing the Ka'bah
29:18
before the qiblah was formally decreed toward it,
29:21
and my people differed with me.
29:24
So we asked the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
29:27
about that,
29:30
and he said to me, "You were upon a valid qiblah,
29:33
had you remained patient upon it."
29:36
So I reverted to their qiblah toward Bayt al-Maqdis.
29:39
Death approached me
29:43
one month before the migration of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
29:46
to Madinah,
29:49
so I willed one-third of my wealth to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
29:52
one-third in the cause of Allah,
29:55
and one-third for the heirs.
29:58
But the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned
30:01
the one-third designated for him to the heirs,
30:04
and supplicated for good for me.
30:08
Who am I?
30:18
The answer:
30:26
Al-Bara' Ibn Ma'rur,
30:29
may Allah be pleased with him.
30:57
Pause
31:00
and discover the Companions, scholars, and prominent figures.
31:06
A new challenge:
31:09
Who am I?
31:16
I am a Companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
31:19
and the first muezzin of Islam.
31:22
I was born in Makkah
31:25
and was an Abyssinian slave belonging to Banu Jumah.
31:28
When I heard about Islam,
31:31
I embraced it, whereupon my masters seized me
31:34
and tortured me, casting me onto the scorching ground
31:38
and placing heavy boulders upon my chest
31:41
so that I would renounce my religion.
31:44
They would hand me over to the boys,
31:47
who paraded me through the mountain paths of Makkah,
31:50
beating me and saying to me,
31:53
"You will remain like this until you die,
31:56
or disbelieve in Muhammad and worship al-Lat and al-'Uzza."
32:00
Yet while enduring that
32:03
severe trial and torment, I would say,
32:06
"Ahad! Ahad! [He is One! He is One!]"
32:09
Then Abu Bakr al-Siddiq,
32:12
may Allah be pleased with him, passed by me one day,
32:15
bought me from them, and set me free.
32:18
Thus 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say,
32:21
"Abu Bakr is our master,
32:24
and he freed our master."
32:28
I migrated to Madinah
32:31
and lived there near the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
32:34
When the adhan was ordained,
32:37
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, chose me
32:40
to be his first muezzin,
32:43
so I called the adhan for him throughout his life.
32:47
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked me
32:50
one day, saying,
32:53
"Tell me about the most hopeful deed you have performed in Islam,
32:56
for I heard the sound of your footsteps
32:59
before me in Paradise."
33:02
I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
33:05
I have not performed any deed more hopeful to me
33:08
than that I have never purified myself with full ablution
33:11
at any hour of the night or day
33:14
except that I prayed with that purification
33:17
whatever was decreed for me to pray."
33:22
When the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed away,
33:25
I ceased calling the adhan
33:28
and set out for jihad and ribat in the cause of Allah.
33:31
Later, I came to Madinah during the caliphate of 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,
33:34
and the Muslims requested me
33:37
to call the adhan in the Mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
33:40
The Commander of the Faithful,
33:43
'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,
33:46
insisted upon that,
33:49
so I complied and climbed onto the roof of the mosque to call the adhan.
33:52
No sooner had I begun with the takbir,
33:55
"Allahu Akbar,"
33:58
than Madinah shook with weeping,
34:01
as if the people were reminded of
34:04
their days with the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
34:07
When I reached
34:10
"I bear witness that Muhammad
34:13
is the Messenger of Allah," I was overcome
34:16
with weeping,
34:19
and the sound of people's sobbing rose.
34:22
Never was a day seen with more weeping,
34:25
after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
34:28
than that day.
34:32
After that memorable, tearful night,
34:35
I packed my belongings and returned to the Levant,
34:38
remaining stationed there in ribat
34:41
until death came to me.
34:44
As I was dying,
34:47
my wife cried, "Oh, what grief!"
34:50
But I said, "Rather, what joy!
34:53
Tomorrow we shall meet our beloved ones:
34:56
Muhammad and his Companions."
34:59
Who am I?
35:04
The best of generations in character and example,
35:07
following the Messenger in his striving
35:14
or giving them drink.
35:19
The answer is Bilal Ibn Rabah, may Allah be pleased with him.
35:22
They departed, leaving in the conscience
35:25
a searching question:
35:28
Is there a star that rose and shone like them?
35:31
They filled life
35:34
with glories through their deeds,
35:37
and through them, the world of mankind flourished
35:40
in splendid beauty.
35:48
Pause and get to know
35:51
the Companions, the scholars, and the foremost:
35:54
the best of generations in their stands
35:57
and exemplary character.
36:00
Who am I?
36:07
I am one of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
36:10
I embraced Islam early on
36:13
because of an animal that guided me to Islam
36:16
and to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
36:19
in Medina; so I migrated to him
36:22
and accepted Islam before him.
36:25
I prayed with him toward both Qiblahs,
36:28
and I pledged allegiance to him on the Day of al-Hudaybiyyah beneath the tree.
36:31
One day, while I was tending
36:34
sheep in al-Harrah,
36:37
a wolf suddenly attacked an ewe from the flock
36:40
and seized it, so I ran after it
36:43
until I rescued the sheep from it.
36:46
Thereupon, the wolf sat on its haunches,
36:49
spoke to me in human speech,
36:52
and said, "Do you not fear Allah?
36:55
You come between me and a provision that Allah has driven to me!"
36:59
I exclaimed, "How astonishing!
37:02
A wolf sitting on its haunches,
37:05
speaking in human speech!"
37:08
The wolf said, "Shall I not tell you
37:11
of something even more astonishing than that?
37:14
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
37:17
is in Medina between the two lava fields,
37:20
informing people of the news of what has passed before."
37:24
So when I heard the wolf's words,
37:27
I headed straight for Medina,
37:30
herding my flock into one of its corners.
37:33
Then I entered upon the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
37:36
and embraced Islam,
37:39
and I related to him the story of the wolf.
37:42
So the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, went out
37:45
to the people and said to me,
37:48
"Stand up and inform them of your news."
37:51
So I informed them of what had occurred between me and the wolf,
37:54
and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
37:57
"The shepherd has spoken the truth."
38:00
So who am I?
38:09
They followed the Messenger wherever he strove,
38:12
or gave drink.
38:20
The answer is Uhban Ibn Aws al-Aslami,
38:23
may Allah be pleased with him.
38:26
They departed, leaving in the conscience a searching question:
38:29
Is there anyone like them,
38:32
among those who rose and shone?
38:35
They filled life with glories
38:38
through their deeds,
38:41
and through them, the world of mankind flourished
38:44
in splendid beauty.
38:52
Pause and get to know the Companions,
38:55
the scholars, and the foremost:
38:58
the best of generations in their stands
39:01
and exemplary character.
39:04
Who am I?
39:11
I am one of the Companions, from the tribe of Ghifar.
39:14
I was a monotheist during the Jahiliyyah,
39:17
so I never worshipped idols,
39:20
and I was known for courage and valor.
39:23
I forbade upon myself wine, intoxication, and divining arrows,
39:26
and I possessed a discerning mind
39:29
and engaged in deep reflection.
39:33
News reached me that a man had emerged in Mecca,
39:37
so I said to my brother Unays,
39:40
"Go to this man
39:43
and bring me news of him."
39:46
So he went, met him, and then returned.
39:49
I asked, "What news do you have?"
39:52
He said, "By Allah, I saw a man
39:55
enjoining good and forbidding evil."
39:58
I said to him,
40:01
"You have not satisfied my curiosity with this report."
40:05
I did not know the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
40:08
and I disliked asking about him openly.
40:11
Then 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by me
40:14
and said, "It seems the man is a stranger."
40:17
I replied, "Yes."
40:20
He said, "Then come along to my home."
40:23
So I went with him,
40:26
while he asked me nothing, nor did I ask him anything.
40:29
When morning came, I went out
40:32
to ask about him,
40:35
but there was no one to tell me anything about him.
40:38
Then 'Ali passed by me in the evening
40:41
and said, "Has the time not come for the man
40:44
to know where his lodging is yet?"
40:47
I said, "No." He said,
40:50
"Then come with me."
40:53
Then he said, "What is your business,
40:56
and what brought you to this town?"
40:59
I said, "If you promise to keep my secret, I will tell you." He agreed,
41:02
so I said to him,
41:05
"Word has reached me that here has emerged
41:08
a man claiming to be a prophet,
41:11
so I wished to meet him."
41:14
He said to me, "Indeed, you have found true guidance!
41:17
This is my way to him,
41:20
so follow me."
41:23
So I went with him until we entered upon him.
41:27
I spoke to him,
41:30
and he presented Islam to me,
41:33
so I embraced Islam on the spot.
41:36
He said to me, "Keep this matter concealed
41:39
and return to your people,
41:42
so that Allah may benefit them through you;
41:45
and when word reaches you that we have prevailed, then come forward."
41:48
So I set out, returning to my people,
41:51
until I reached my brother.
41:55
I said, "I have embraced Islam and believed."
41:58
He replied, "I have no
42:01
aversion to your religion;
42:04
indeed, I too have embraced Islam alongside you and believed."
42:08
Then we came to our mother and informed her
42:11
of our news, and she said,
42:14
"I have no aversion to the religion of you two;
42:17
indeed, I have embraced Islam and believed alongside both of you."
42:20
Then I called my tribe, Ghifar, to Islam,
42:23
and half of them accepted Islam,
42:26
while the rest said,
42:29
"When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arrives,
42:32
we shall embrace Islam."
42:35
So when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arrived in
42:38
Medina, I emigrated to him,
42:41
and the remainder of my tribe embraced Islam.
42:44
I brought them to the Prophet, peace be upon him,
42:47
and the tribe of Aslam came as well,
42:51
who were our allies, and said,
42:54
"We submit to that which our brothers have submitted to."
42:57
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
43:00
"Ghifar—may Allah forgive them;
43:03
and Aslam—may Allah grant them peace and safety."
43:06
So who am I?
43:11
The best of generations in their stands and exemplary character,
43:16
following the Messenger wherever he strove,
43:19
or gave drink.
43:26
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari,
43:29
may Allah be pleased with him.