Part of Pictures from the lives of the Companions (series completed)
· Lesson 69 of 93
Pictures from the lives of the Companions - Episode (84) - Khalid bin Al-Walid, may God be pleased with him
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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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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Khalid ibn al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him.
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The biography of Khalid ibn al-Walid
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is an epic of glorious chapters,
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beginning with tribal zeal and heroism,
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and ending with faith and true manhood.
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Khalid was from the Banu Makhzum,
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and the Makhzum were at the pinnacle of the Quraysh.
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He was raised in one of their most ancient houses by lineage,
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most noble by status,
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and wealthiest in property and assets.
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His uncle, Hisham, was the commander of the Banu Makhzum on the day of the Fijar War,
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and upon his death, the Arabs dated events by it, just as they dated other momentous occurrences.
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The Quraysh did not hold a market in Makkah for three years out of grief for him.
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His uncle, al-Fakih ibn al-Mughirah,
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was one of the most generous Arabs of his time.
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He possessed a house of hospitality
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where anyone he wished could find shelter without needing permission.
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As for his father, al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah,
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he was the wealthiest man of his era,
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possessing gold and silver,
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orchards, vineyards, and trade,
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as well as servants, handmaidens, and slaves,
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in quantities no one else possessed.
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His father used to drape the Ka'bah alone for one year,
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and the entire Quraysh would drape it the next.
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For this reason, he was called "the Unique" (al-Wahid),
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and nicknamed "the Basil of Quraysh."
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He is the one about whom the Holy Qur'an says:
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“Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created lonely,” (74:11)
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“And then bestowed upon him ample means,” (74:12)
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"And children present [with him],"
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"And I spread [everything] before him, easing [his way]."
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Because of his extreme generosity, his father
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would disdain having any fire lit in Mina other than his own,
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for the sake of feeding the pilgrims.
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He used to claim that he was the most deserving of people
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to receive prophethood and for the Qur'an to be revealed to him.
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Regarding this, Allah the Almighty says:
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“And they say: If only this Qur'an had been revealed to some great man of the two towns?” (43:31)
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“And they say: If only this Qur'an had been revealed to some great man of the two towns?” (43:31)
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In this noble, wealthy, and prominent house,
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Khalid ibn al-Walid was born
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thirty-four years before the Hijrah.
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Khalid was tall, remarkably so,
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of long stature and a grand presence.
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He had an imposing appearance and a fair complexion.
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He bore a striking resemblance to Umar ibn al-Khattab,
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so much so that those with poor eyesight
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would often confuse the two men.
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When the noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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declared his call, Khalid was a young man.
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He turned away from it because he saw in it
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a new leadership that challenged the leadership
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of his family and a nascent sovereignty
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that stood in the face of his father's authority.
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Thus, he and his brother, 'Amarah ibn al-Walid, opposed it.
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As for 'Amarah, he fought at Badr
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with the polytheists and fell into the captivity of the Muslims.
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There was much discussion regarding his ransom
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due to his immense wealth and the intense enmity
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of his family toward Islam.
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His captor demanded four thousand dirhams,
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but the Prophet, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, instructed
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that no ransom be accepted for him other than the coat of mail
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of his father, his sword,
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and his helmet—the "baydah" being the helmet
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made of iron.
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The man remained in his faith while in the captivity of the Muslims.
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When his ransom was paid and he went to his family,
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he announced his Islam among them,
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despite them and against their will.
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The polytheists were astonished by his action
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and asked him, "Why did you not embrace Islam before you were ransomed?"
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He replied, "I hated for it to be said
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that I panicked because of captivity."
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As for Khalid, he remained as he was.
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At the Battle of Uhud, the Quraysh gave him
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the standard of the right flank.
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He personally led the attack that tipped
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the scales in favor of the polytheists against the Muslims.
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He charged with the cavalry against the Muslim army,
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causing their ranks to falter and become intermingled,
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until they could no longer distinguish
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between their own and their enemy.
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Abu Sufyan was overcome with joy and said,
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"A day for a day, as at Badr, and the fortunes of war alternate."
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On the day of the Trench (al-Khandaq),
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the polytheists divided their battalions,
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assigning each battalion to a group of Muslims
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to strike them in the morning.
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Khalid ibn al-Walid was the one tasked
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with [watching] the Messenger of Allah, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him.
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Khalid nearly captured the noble Messenger,
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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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Their commander was Usayd ibn al-Hudayr, may Allah be pleased with him.
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In the year of al-Hudaybiyah,
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the Messenger, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him,
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went out to Makkah to perform 'Umrah
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with about 1,500 Muslims,
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carrying no weapons other than swords
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in their sheaths.
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The polytheists felt fear because of this,
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and they dispatched Khalid to meet the Messenger, peace be upon him,
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with two hundred horsemen
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to scout his intentions.
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Khalid drew near until he saw the Messenger, peace be upon him.
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Then the time for the Dhuhr prayer arrived,
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and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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led his Companions in the Prayer of Fear (Salat al-Khawf).
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Khalid intended to launch a surprise attack on the Messenger, peace be upon him,
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but the tranquility of the Muslims held him back,
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as did the awe of the prayer,
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and the chivalry of a knight that refuses treachery.
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It occurred to him that Muhammad had a secret,
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and that the man was under divine protection.
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This was the first sentiment
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that inclined him toward Islam.
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Then he received a letter from his brother, al-Walid,
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who had embraced Islam after Badr,
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containing words from the noble Messenger, peace be upon him,
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which became the reason for Allah to bring him
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out of darkness into the light.
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Let us leave it to Khalid himself to tell us
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the story of his conversion.
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He said: "When Allah desired good for me,
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He cast the love of Islam into my heart.
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My reason returned to me, and I said,
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'I have witnessed all these battlefields against Muhammad,
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and every time I left a battlefield,
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I found myself upon nothing.'"
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Then he continues, saying:
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"While I was in that state,
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my brother wrote me a letter:
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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To proceed:
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I have seen nothing more strange than your turning away from Islam,
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given your intellect—your intellect!
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A matter like Islam is not unknown to anyone.
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, asked me about you,
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saying, 'Where is Khalid?'
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I replied, 'Allah will bring him.'
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He said, 'A man like Khalid cannot be ignorant of Islam.
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If he had used his strength with the Muslims
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against the polytheists, it would have been better for him.'
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We would have prioritized him over others.
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So, my brother, make up for what you have missed,
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for you have missed many virtuous opportunities.'"
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Then Khalid continued, saying:
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"I became eager to set out for Madinah,
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and the words of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, pleased me.
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I saw in a dream
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as if I were in a narrow, barren land,
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then I went out to a green, vast land.
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I said, 'This dream is true.'
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When I resolved to set out
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to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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I said, 'Who shall I take with me to Muhammad?'
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I met Safwan ibn Umayyah
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and said, 'Do you not see, O Abu Wahb,
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the situation we are in? Muhammad has prevailed
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over the Arabs and non-Arabs. If we went
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to him and followed him, for the honor of
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Muhammad is our honor.' But he refused
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me with the strongest refusal and said,
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'If no one remained of the Quraysh but me, I would never follow him.'
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So we parted ways.
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He was a man seeking vengeance,
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for his father and brother were killed at Badr."
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Then Khalid continued the story of his conversion and said:
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"I left Safwan ibn Umayyah
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and met 'Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl.
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I said to him what I had said to Safwan,
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and he said to me what Safwan had said.
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I said to him, 'Keep what I have mentioned to you to yourself.'
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I went to my house,
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and told my mount to be prepared, until
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I met 'Uthman ibn Abi Talhah,
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who is a friend of mine, to mention to him what I intended.
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Then I remembered those of his ancestors who were killed,
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and I disliked that. Then I said,
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'What does it matter if I meet him while I am departing?'
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So I mentioned to him what had happened,
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and I said to him something
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similar to what I had said to the others. He hastened,
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and we traveled by night, reaching the dawn,
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meaning we traveled at night during the time of Suhur.
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While we were on the road,
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we met 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said,
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'Welcome to the group!' We said, 'And to you.'
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He said, 'Where are you headed?'
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We said, 'What brought you out?'
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He said, 'Rather, what brought you out?'
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We said, 'To enter into Islam
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and follow Muhammad.'
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'That is what brought me here,' he said.
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So we traveled together until we arrived in Madinah.
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My brother met me and said, 'Hurry,
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For the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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had foretold your arrival, so be happy,
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for he is awaiting you.
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I quickened my pace until I appeared before him,
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and he did not cease smiling at me until I stood right before him.
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I greeted him with the greeting of Prophethood,
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and he returned my greeting with a radiant face.
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I said, "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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He replied, "Praise be to Allah who has guided you.
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I always saw that you possessed intelligence,
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and I hoped it would lead you only to what is good."
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From that day on,
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Khalid Ibn al-Walid turned toward Islam with his heart and soul.
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He began to regret all that had passed of his previous days,
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and once he said,
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"O Messenger of Allah,
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I have seen how I used to bear witness in those battles,
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resisting the truth;
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so pray to Allah to forgive me for them."
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, answered him,
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"Indeed, Islam wipes away what came before it."
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Khalid returned to confirm his hope,
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so the Prophet, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, prayed to his Lord,
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and said,
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"O Allah, forgive Khalid Ibn al-Walid
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for all that has passed of his turning people away from Your path."
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Khalid was content with that,
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and his soul found peace.
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When the noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, resolved
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to conquer Makkah,
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he headed toward it, leading his green battalion.
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Abu Ubaydah Ibn al-Jarrah was in charge of the vanguard,
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al-Zubayr Ibn al-Awwam was on the right flank,
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and Khalid Ibn al-Walid was on the left flank.
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Thus, Khalid returned to Makkah as a commander,
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though only a few months had passed since his conversion to Islam.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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when he entrusted Khalid Ibn al-Walid
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with one of his banners on the day of the entry into Makkah,
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despite the recentness of his Islam,
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was looking with the light of Prophethood at what would become
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of Khalid’s role in supporting Islam
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and raising high the banners of the Qur'an.
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The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, joined
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the Highest Companion,
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and the caliphate passed to Abu Bakr,
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may Allah be pleased with him.
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During his era, Khalid witnessed the wars
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of the apostasy from their beginning to their end,
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and he had the greatest share in the most important
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of their battles and the most difficult of their times,
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foremost among them being the Battle of al-Yamamah.
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Khalid possessed in this field
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what no other man possessed,
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for he encountered the Persians and their allies in fifteen battles,
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and was not defeated in any of them,
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nor did he err or fail.
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When the Muslims intended to fight the Romans,
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Khalid had the honor of leading the Muslim army
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in the Battle of Yarmouk,
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the greatest of the Muslims' battles.
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Then the letter of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar Ibn al-Khattab, reached him,
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dismissing him from command
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while he was at the peak of his victories.
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He obeyed the command and handed over leadership to his successor,
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with a content soul.
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The great victor, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, transformed
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into a soldier in the Muslim army,
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after having been the commander of this army.
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May Allah have mercy on Abu Sulayman,
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for he was a unique model among the people.
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O Allah, forgive Khalid Ibn al-Walid
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for all that has passed of his turning people away from Your path,
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as per the prayer of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, for him.