Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | H (28) | 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 example,

0:08 Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.

0:13 Mawaddah Association

0:15 Presents:

0:17 Glimpses from the Lives 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.

0:42 We find ourselves now during the Caliphate of the Faruq (the Distinguisher),

0:45 May the pleasure of Allah be upon him.

0:47 And here is the city of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

0:51 Teeming with the spoils of war

0:53 That the Muslims had secured from the dominion of

0:56 Yazdegerd, the last of the Persian kings.

0:59 It contained the crowns of the Chosroes, encrusted with jewels,

1:04 Their belts adorned with pearls,

1:07 And their swords decorated with rubies and coral,

1:11 Such as no eye had ever beheld before.

1:14 Along with these vast and immense treasures,

1:18 There was a large group of Persian captives.

1:21 Among them were the three daughters of Yazdegerd.

1:25 ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, purchased them for a handsome price,

1:29 And presented them to a group of the brightest Muslim youth.

1:34 One of them chose al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali,

1:38 The grandson of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

1:41 And she bore him Zayn al-‘Abidin.

1:44 The second chose Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him,

1:50 And she bore him al-Qasim,

1:52 One of the seven jurists of Medina.

1:55 The third chose ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, the Caliph of the Muslims,

2:00 And she bore him Salim, the grandson of the Faruq,

2:04 And the man most resembling him in character.

2:07 So let us pause to look at luminous images from the life of Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab,

2:14 May Allah be pleased with him, his father, and his grandfather.

2:18 Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah was born in the expanse of Medina,

2:25 The resting place of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the home of his migration.

2:30 In its atmosphere, fragrant with the scents of Prophethood,

2:34 And radiant with the light of revelation, he grew and matured.

2:38 He was raised under the care of his father, the devout and ascetic,

2:42 Who fasted through the scorching heat and stood in prayer through the depths of the night.

2:47 He adopted the character of ‘Umar.

2:50 His father saw in him the signs of piety and the marks of guidance,

2:55 And perceived in his conduct the characteristics of Islam and the ethics of the Qur’an,

3:00 More than he saw in his other children.

3:04 He loved him with a love that possessed the very core of his heart,

3:08 And mingled with the depths of his soul,

3:11 To the point that others blamed him for it.

3:14 He said: "They blame me for Salim, and I blame them;

3:19 Salim is like the skin between the eye and the nose."

3:23 He turned his attention to him, pouring into him what his chest had contained

3:27 Of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

3:31 Teaching him the fiqh of Allah’s religion and instructing him in the Book of Allah.

3:36 Then he sent him to the Sacred Sanctuary.

3:39 The mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

3:43 Was still filled with a large group of the senior Companions.

3:48 Wherever the young man turned in any of its corners,

3:52 He found before him a star radiating the light of Prophethood,

3:56 And the fragrance of the noble Message.

4:00 Wherever he cast his gaze or lent his ear,

4:04 He saw goodness and heard righteousness.

4:07 Thus, he was enabled to learn from a group of the senior Companions,

4:12 Foremost among them Abu Ayyub al-Ansari,

4:15 Abu Hurayrah,

4:17 Abu Rafi‘,

4:18 Abu Lubabah,

4:20 And Zayd ibn al-Khattab,

4:22 In addition to his father, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar,

4:26 May Allah be pleased with them all.

4:29 It was not long before he became a beacon among the Muslims,

4:33 And a noble master among the Tabi‘un,

4:37 And one of the jurists of Medina

4:40 To whom the Muslims would turn regarding their religion,

4:44 From whom they would learn the law of their Lord,

4:47 And to whom they would refer in the complex matters of religion and worldly life.

4:52 The governors used to command their judges,

4:55 Whenever cases were presented to them,

4:57 To refer them to these jurists.

5:00 When a question came to them,

5:02 They would gather together and examine it,

5:05 And the judges would not pass judgment except according to their opinion.

5:10 The most fortunate of governors,

5:13 The most well-spoken of,

5:15 The closest to the hearts of the people,

5:18 And the most trusted by the Caliphs,

5:20 Were those who sought the counsel of Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah

5:23 And adhered to his guidance.

5:25 As for those who opposed his command,

5:28 The people of Medina would find them unbearable,

5:31 And would not tolerate their rule.

5:33 An example of this is when ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Dahhak

5:37 Was appointed governor of Medina during the Caliphate of Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik.

5:41 Fatimah bint al-Husayn, may Allah be pleased with her,

5:45 Whose soul was focused on Paradise,

5:47 Had become a widow and devoted herself to her children.

5:51 Ibn al-Dahhak approached her,

5:54 And proposed to her for himself.

5:56 She said, "By Allah, I do not desire marriage;

5:59 I have settled down for the sake of my children,

6:01 And I have dedicated myself to them."

6:04 He began to press her,

6:06 While she tried to excuse herself without being harsh,

6:10 For fear of his evil.

6:12 When he found that she refused him,

6:14 He said to her:

6:16 "By Allah, if you do not accept me as your husband,

6:19 I will take your eldest son,

6:21 And I will have him flogged on the charge of drinking wine."

6:25 She consulted Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah regarding her affair,

6:29 And he advised her to write a letter to the Caliph complaining about the governor,

6:34 And to mention her kinship to the Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

6:39 And her close ties to the Prophetic household.

6:42 She wrote the letter,

6:45 And sent it with a messenger to Damascus.

6:49 No sooner had the messenger departed with the letter

6:53 Than the Caliph’s order came to Ibn Hurmuz,

6:56 His official in charge of the treasury in Medina,

6:59 To come to him to submit his accounts.

7:04 Ibn Hurmuz began bidding farewell to those who had claims upon him.

7:08 He asked permission to visit Fatimah bint al-Husayn to say goodbye and said:

7:12 "I am leaving for Damascus;

7:15 Do you have any need?"

7:17 She said, "Yes,

7:19 Inform the Commander of the Faithful of what I am suffering from Ibn al-Dahhak,

7:23 And how he is harassing me,

7:25 And that he does not respect the sanctity of the scholars of Medina,

7:29 Especially Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah."

7:32 Ibn Hurmuz blamed himself for visiting her,

7:35 As he did not want to carry her complaint

7:38 Against Ibn al-Dahhak to the Caliph.

7:41 Ibn Hurmuz arrived in Damascus

7:45 On the same day that the messenger arrived

7:48 Carrying the letter of Fatimah bint al-Husayn.

7:52 When he entered upon the Caliph,

7:54 He asked him about the conditions of Medina,

7:57 And asked him about Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah

8:00 And his companions among the jurists.

8:02 He said to him:

8:04 "Is there any matter of importance worthy of being known,

8:08 Or any serious news worth mentioning?"

8:11 He did not mention anything to him about the story of Fatimah bint al-Husayn,

8:16 Nor did he hint at the governor’s stance toward Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah.

8:21 While he was sitting with him, submitting his accounts,

8:25 The chamberlain entered and said:

8:28 "May Allah grant success to the Prince,

8:30 At the door is the messenger of Fatimah bint al-Husayn."

8:34 The face of Ibn Hurmuz changed, and he said:

8:37 "May Allah prolong the life of the Prince,

8:39 Fatimah bint al-Husayn

8:42 Entrusted me with a message for you,"

8:44 And he told him the news.

8:46 As soon as the Caliph heard his words,

8:49 He stepped down from his throne and said:

8:52 "I cannot believe it!

8:54 Did I not ask you about the affairs of Medina and its news?

8:57 Can you have such news and hide it from me?"

9:01 He apologized to him, citing forgetfulness.

9:04 Then he gave permission for the messenger to be brought in.

9:07 He took the letter from him and opened it,

9:10 And began reading it while sparks of anger flew from his eyes.

9:14 He began striking the ground with a cane he held in his hand, saying:

9:19 "Ibn al-Dahhak has dared to act against the family of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

9:25 And he did not listen to the advice of Salim ibn ‘Abd Allah regarding them.

9:29 Is there any man who can make me hear his voice while he is being punished in Medina,

9:34 While I am on this bed of mine in Damascus?"

9:37 He meant the voice of Ibn al-Dahhak.

9:39 It was said to him:

9:41 "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful,

9:43 There is no one for Medina but ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Bishr al-Nazari;

9:48 Appoint him over it,

9:50 For he is currently residing in Ta’if."

9:53 He said, "Yes, by Allah, yes, he is the one for it."

9:57 Then he called for parchment and wrote with his own hand:

10:01 "From the Commander of the Faithful, Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik,

10:04 To ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Bishr al-Nazari:

10:07 Peace be upon you.

10:09 To proceed:

10:11 I have appointed you over Medina.

10:13 When this letter of mine reaches you,

10:16 Proceed to it, remove Ibn al-Dahhak from his post,

10:20 Impose upon him a fine of forty thousand dinars,

10:25 And punish him until I hear his voice from Medina."

10:29 The courier took the letter,

10:34 And set off, quickening his pace toward Ta’if by way of Medina.

10:38 When he reached Medina,

10:40 He did not enter upon its governor, Ibn al-Dahhak,

10:43 Nor did he greet him.

10:45 The governor felt a sense of fear in his heart,

10:48 And sent for him, inviting him to his house,

10:51 And asked him the reason for his arrival.

10:53 He did not reveal anything to him.

10:56 Ibn al-Dahhak lifted the edge of his cushion and said:

10:59 "Look."

11:01 He looked, and there was a bag filled with dinars.

11:04 He said:

11:06 "This is one thousand dinars,

11:08 And you have my covenant and pledge before Allah,

11:11 If you inform me of your destination and what you are carrying,

11:15 I shall hand it over to you,

11:17 and I will keep it a secret.

11:19 He informed him.

11:20 So he handed the money to him and said,

11:23 "Wait here for three nights,

11:25 until I reach Damascus,

11:27 and then I shall proceed with what I have been commanded."

11:32 Ibn al-Dahhak prepared his mounts,

11:34 and departed from Medina immediately.

11:37 He set off, urging his mounts toward Damascus.

11:40 When he reached it,

11:42 he entered upon the Caliph’s brother, Maslamah Ibn 'Abd al-Malik,

11:46 who was a noble, generous leader and a man of great courage.

11:50 When he stood before him, he said,

11:53 "I am under your protection, O Prince."

11:56 He replied, "Rejoice in goodness; what is your affair?"

12:00 He said, "The Commander of the Faithful is angry with me,

12:04 because of a mistake I committed,"

12:06 meaning a slip.

12:08 So Maslamah went to Yazid and said,

12:11 "I have a request for the Commander of the Faithful."

12:15 Yazid replied,

12:16 "Every request of yours is granted,

12:19 as long as it does not concern Ibn al-Dahhak."

12:21 He said, "By Allah, I have only come to you for his sake."

12:26 He replied, "By Allah, I will never pardon him."

12:30 He asked, "And what is his crime?"

12:32 He said, "He harassed Fatimah bint al-Husayn,

12:36 threatened her, intimidated her, and caused her distress,

12:40 and he did not listen to the counsel of Salim Ibn 'Abd Allah regarding her."

12:44 Consequently, all the poets of Medina began to satirize him,

12:48 and all its righteous people and scholars began to condemn him.

12:52 Maslamah said,

12:54 "The matter is yours to decide with him, O Commander of the Faithful."

12:58 Yazid said,

13:00 "Order him to return to Medina,

13:02 so that its new governor may carry out my command regarding him,

13:05 and make him an example for other governors."

13:10 The people of Medina rejoiced greatly at their new governor,

13:15 for they saw his firmness in executing the Caliph’s order regarding Ibn al-Dahhak,

13:20 and they became even more attached to him,

13:22 when they found him following the path of goodness,

13:25 and never deciding any of their affairs,

13:28 without consulting al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr,

13:32 and Salim Ibn 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar.

13:36 So bravo to the Caliph of the Muslims, Yazid Ibn 'Abd al-Malik,

13:40 and honor to the great Islam,

13:43 which created these ideals,

13:46 and fashioned those men.

13:49 And until another meeting with the noble Tabi'un,

13:53 Salim Ibn 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab.

14:00 Salim was a reliable authority,

14:03 a narrator of many hadiths, highly regarded among men, and pious.

14:09 Ibn Sa'd.

14:19 They were here, watering the clouds of our lives,

14:24 they passed away, yet their memory rises high within us.

14:29 They departed and cast a question into the conscience:

14:34 Is there a star like them that has risen and shone?

14:39 They filled life with glories through their deeds,

14:44 and the world of the ego flourished through them.

Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | H (28) | Salem bin Abdullah bin Omar, may God have mercy on him | C (1)

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