Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | H (29) | Salem bin Abdullah bin Omar, may God have mercy on him

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:03 The best of generations in their conduct and as an example,

0:08 Following the Messenger when he strove or excelled.

0:13 Mawaddah Association

0:15 Presents

0:17 Portraits from the Life of the Tabi'un

0:21 By Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,

0:25 May Allah have mercy upon him.

0:27 Salim ibn Abd Allah ibn Umar,

0:33 May Allah have mercy upon him.

0:43 The Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him),

0:46 Had a number of children.

0:48 But his son, Abd Allah,

0:50 Was the one who resembled him most.

0:52 Abd Allah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also had

0:54 A number of children,

0:56 More than his father had.

0:58 Yet his son, Salim,

1:00 Was the one who resembled him most.

1:03 So let us follow the life story of Salim ibn Abd Allah,

1:07 The grandson of al-Faruq,

1:09 And the person most like him in character and appearance,

1:12 In religion and in demeanor.

1:14 Salim ibn Abd Allah lived in the embrace of Tayyibah (Madinah) the Pure.

1:21 And Tayyibah, at that time,

1:23 Was draped in garments of wealth and prosperity,

1:26 The likes of which it had never witnessed before.

1:29 For its provision came to it in abundance from every place.

1:33 The Umayyad caliphs provided it with sources of wealth

1:38 That one could never have imagined.

1:40 But Salim ibn Abd Allah

1:43 Did not turn toward the world as others did,

1:47 Nor did he concern himself with its fleeting offerings

1:49 As others were concerned with them.

1:51 Rather, he renounced what was in the hands of the people, desiring what was with Allah.

1:56 He turned away from the immediate life,

1:58 Hoping for success in the Hereafter.

2:01 The Umayyad caliphs tried to shower him with wealth,

2:06 Just as they showered others,

2:08 But they found him indifferent to what they possessed,

2:12 Deeming the world and all it contained as insignificant.

2:15 For in a certain year,

2:18 Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik came to Makkah for Hajj.

2:22 When he began the circumambulation of arrival (tawaf al-qudum),

2:25 He saw Salim ibn Abd Allah sitting opposite the Ka'bah in humility,

2:30 Moving his tongue with the Qur'an in devotion and reverence,

2:35 With tears streaming down his cheeks,

2:39 As if there were an ocean of tears behind his eyes.

2:43 When the Caliph finished his tawaf,

2:46 And prayed two rak'ahs for the Sunnah of the tawaf,

2:49 He headed toward where Salim ibn Abd Allah was sitting.

2:53 The people cleared a path for him,

2:55 Until he took his place beside him,

2:58 Coming so close that his knee almost touched his.

3:01 Yet Salim did not notice him, nor did he turn toward him,

3:05 Because he was absorbed in what he was doing,

3:08 Occupied with the remembrance of Allah, oblivious to everything else.

3:12 The Caliph began to watch Salim with a sidelong glance,

3:16 Seeking an opportunity when he would stop reciting,

3:20 And cease his weeping, so that he might speak to him.

3:24 When the opportunity arose, he leaned toward him and said,

3:28 "Peace be upon you, O Abu Umar, and the mercy of Allah."

3:32 He replied, "And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah the Almighty,

3:37 And His blessings." The Caliph said in a low voice,

3:41 "Ask me for a need, that I may fulfill it for you, O Abu Umar."

3:45 But Salim did not answer him with anything.

3:48 The Caliph thought he had not heard him,

3:51 So he leaned closer than before and said,

3:55 "I desire that you ask me for a need so that I may fulfill it for you."

4:00 Salim said, "By Allah, I am ashamed

4:04 To be in the House of Allah, the Majestic and Exalted,

4:07 And then ask anyone other than Him."

4:10 The Caliph felt embarrassed and fell silent,

4:13 But he remained sitting in his place.

4:17 Salim rose, intending to return to his lodging,

4:21 And the crowds of people followed him;

4:24 One asking him about a hadith of the

4:27 Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

4:30 Another seeking a legal ruling (fatwa) on a matter of religion,

4:34 A third seeking advice on a worldly affair,

4:38 And a fourth asking him for supplication.

4:41 Among those who followed him

4:44 Was the Caliph of the Muslims, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik.

4:47 When the people saw him,

4:50 They made room for him until his shoulder touched

4:53 The shoulder of Salim ibn Abd Allah.

4:56 He leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, saying,

4:59 "Here we are, we have now

5:02 Left the mosque, so ask me for a need

5:05 That I may fulfill it for you." Salim said,

5:08 "Is it from the needs of the world or the needs of..."

5:12 The Caliph became flustered and said,

5:15 "Rather, from the needs of the world."

5:18 Salim said to him, "I have not asked

5:21 For the needs of the world from the One who owns it,

5:24 So how could I ask for them from one who does not own them?"

5:27 The Caliph felt ashamed before him,

5:30 Greeted him, and turned away, saying,

5:33 "How noble you are, O family of al-Khattab,

5:36 In your asceticism and piety!

5:39 May Allah, the Majestic and Exalted, bless you.

5:42 May Allah bless you, O family."

5:46 In the year before that,

5:49 Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik performed Hajj.

5:52 When the people departed from Arafat,

5:55 The Caliph met Salim ibn Abd Allah

5:58 In Muzdalifah while he was in the state of ihram.

6:01 He greeted him warmly,

6:04 Then looked at his exposed body,

6:08 Which looked like a sturdy structure,

6:11 And said to him, "You have a fine physique, O Abu Umar.

6:14 What is your primary food?"

6:17 He replied, "Bread and oil."

6:20 "And if I find meat sometimes, I eat it."

6:23 He said, "Bread and oil?"

6:26 He said, "Yes."

6:29 He asked, "Do you crave it?"

6:32 He replied, "If I do not crave it, I leave it;

6:35 If I become hungry, I crave it."

6:40 And just as Salim resembled his grandfather, al-Faruq,

6:43 In turning away from the world

6:46 And renouncing its fleeting offerings,

6:49 He also resembled him in speaking out

6:52 With the word of truth,

6:55 No matter how heavy the burden,

6:58 Or how severe the consequences.

7:01 Among such instances is when he entered upon al-Hajjaj.

7:04 Al-Hajjaj welcomed him, brought his seat close,

7:07 And was excessive in honoring him.

7:10 While they were in that state,

7:13 Al-Hajjaj was brought a group of men,

7:16 With disheveled hair, dusty bodies,

7:19 Pale faces, and bound in shackles.

7:22 Al-Hajjaj turned to Salim

7:25 And said, "These are rebels,

7:28 Corruptors in the land."

7:32 Then he gave him a sword,

7:35 Pointed to the first of them, and said,

7:38 "Take care of him; rise and strike his neck."

7:41 Salim took the sword from the hand of al-Hajjaj

7:44 And walked toward the man,

7:47 While the eyes of the people were fixed upon him,

7:50 Watching what he would do.

7:53 When he stood over the man, he said to him,

7:56 "Are you a Muslim?" He replied, "Yes."

7:59 "And this question..."

8:02 "Proceed to carry out what you were ordered to do."

8:06 Salim said to him, "Did you pray the morning prayer?"

8:09 The man said,

8:12 "I told you I am a Muslim."

8:15 "Then you ask me if I prayed the morning prayer?"

8:18 "Do you think there is a Muslim who does not pray?"

8:21 Salim said,

8:24 "I am asking you, did you pray the morning prayer today?"

8:27 "May Allah guide you."

8:30 "I told you, yes."

8:33 "And I asked you to carry out what this tyrant ordered you to do,"

8:36 "Otherwise you expose yourself to his wrath."

8:39 Salim returned to al-Hajjaj,

8:42 Threw the sword before him, and said,

8:45 "The man testifies that he is a Muslim,

8:48 And says that he prayed the morning prayer today."

8:51 "It has reached me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

8:54 Said, 'Whoever prays the morning prayer,

8:57 He is under the protection of Allah.'"

9:00 "And I will not kill a man who has entered the protection of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted."

9:03 Al-Hajjaj said to him,

9:06 Angrily, "We are not killing him

9:09 For leaving the morning prayer,"

9:12 "But we are killing him because he is among those who aided in"

9:15 "The killing of the Caliph Uthman ibn Affan."

9:18 Salim said to him,

9:21 "Who is more entitled than I or you to the blood of Uthman?"

9:24 Al-Hajjaj fell silent

9:27 And could not offer a reply.

9:30 Later, one of the witnesses of the gathering arrived in Madinah

9:33 And informed Abd Allah ibn Umar

9:36 Of what al-Hajjaj had requested of his son, Salim.

9:39 He did not wait to hear the rest of the news,

9:42 But immediately prompted his narrator, saying,

9:45 "And what did Salim do regarding the order of al-Hajjaj?"

9:48 He told him, "He did such and such."

9:51 He felt relieved and said,

9:54 "Astute, astute; wise, wise."

9:57 When the Caliphate passed

10:02 To Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz,

10:05 He wrote to Salim ibn Abd Allah, saying,

10:08 "To proceed: Allah, the Almighty and Exalted,

10:11 Has tested me with what He has tested me with, regarding the leadership

10:14 Of the affairs of the Muslims, without consultation."

10:18 "So I ask Allah, who tested me with this matter,

10:21 To aid me in it."

10:24 "When this letter of mine reaches you,"

10:27 "Send me the books of Umar ibn al-Khattab,"

10:30 "His judgments, and his biography,"

10:33 "For I am determined to follow his biography,"

10:36 "And walk upon his path, if Allah aids me"

10:39 "In that. Peace."

10:42 Salim wrote to him, saying: "To proceed,

10:45 I have received your letter in which you mention

10:48 that Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has tested you

10:51 with the leadership of the Muslims without your seeking it,

10:54 nor your consultation, and that you wish to follow

10:57 the path of 'Umar; do not let it escape you

11:00 that you are in a time other than the time of 'Umar,

11:03 and that among your men there is no one who resembles

11:06 the men of 'Umar, but

11:09 know that if you intend the truth and desire it,

11:12 Allah will aid you in it and provide for you

11:15 officials who will uphold it for you,

11:18 and He will bring them to you from where you do not expect.

11:21 For the aid of Allah for the servant is in proportion to

11:24 his intention; whoever has a complete intention

11:27 for good, the aid of Allah for him is complete,

11:30 and whoever has a deficient intention, the aid of

11:33 Allah for him is diminished in proportion to his deficiency.

11:36 And if your soul tempts you toward

11:39 that which does not please Allah, the Majestic and Exalted,

11:42 then remember those who were before you from among the rulers

11:45 who preceded you in departing from this world,

11:48 and ask yourself:

11:51 How did their eyes, with which they used to

11:54 gaze upon pleasures, decompose?

11:57 And how did their bellies, with which they used to

12:00 never be satisfied from desires, tear apart?

12:03 And how did they become carcasses,

12:06 and had the mounds of the earth not concealed them,

12:09 we would have been distressed by their stench,

12:12 and we would have felt harm from their foul odor.

12:15 Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah, the Exalted,

12:18 and His blessings."

12:22 Salim ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab lived

12:25 a long life,

12:28 filled with piety and overflowing with guidance.

12:31 In it, he turned away from the adornment and glitter of the world,

12:34 and throughout it, he turned toward that which pleases Allah.

12:37 He ate only the simplest of food,

12:40 and wore only the coarsest of garments.

12:43 He fought against the Romans with the Muslim armies as a common soldier,

12:46 and he fulfilled the needs of the Muslims,

12:49 and was as tender toward them as a mother.

12:52 When certainty came to him

12:56 in the year one hundred and six of the Hijrah,

12:59 the city of Madinah shook with grief for him,

13:02 and his passing left a pang in every heart,

13:05 and a tear on every cheek.

13:08 People, all the people, went out to escort

13:11 his funeral and witness his burial.

13:14 Hisham ibn 'Abd al-Malik

13:17 was present in Madinah at that time,

13:20 so he went out to pray over him and escort him.

13:23 When he saw the crowding of the people and their outpouring,

13:26 their great number awed him,

13:29 and it stirred in his breast a sense of envy.

13:32 He asked himself, saying:

13:35 "I wonder how many of these people would come out

13:38 if the Caliph of the Muslims were to die in

13:41 this city of theirs?"

13:44 Then he said to Ibrahim ibn Hisham al-Makhzumi,

13:47 his governor over Madinah:

13:50 "Impose upon the people of Madinah that they send

13:53 four thousand men to the frontier borders,

13:56 year after year, four thousand."

14:03 There was no one in the time of Salim

14:06 ibn 'Abdullah who was more similar

14:09 to those who had passed away from the righteous

14:12 in asceticism, virtue, and way of life.

14:15 Imam Malik [said]:

14:32 They departed and left behind

14:35 a question in the conscience:

14:38 Is there a star like them

14:41 that has risen and shone?

14:44 They filled life

14:47 with pride through their deeds,

14:50 and the world of the living was adorned by them.

Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | H (29) | Salem bin Abdullah bin Omar, may God have mercy on him | C (2)

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