Part of Pictures from the lives of the Companions (series completed)
· Lesson 15 of 15
Pictures from the lives of the Companions - Episode (15) - Zaid Al-Khair, 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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Zayd al-Khayr,
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may Allah be pleased with him.
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People are like mines;
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the best of them in the Age of Ignorance
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are the best of them in Islam.
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Here are two portraits of a noble Companion:
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the first drawn by the hand of the Age of Ignorance,
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and the latter crafted by the fingertips of Islam.
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That Companion
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is Zayd al-Khayr,
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as people called him in the Age of Ignorance,
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and Zayd al-Khayr,
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as the noble Messenger called him after his conversion to Islam.
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As for the first portrait,
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the books of literature narrate it, saying:
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Al-Shaybani narrated from an elder of the Banu Amir,
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who said:
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A drought-stricken year befell us,
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in which crops and livestock perished.
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A man among us set out with his family toward al-Hirah,
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and left them there, saying to them:
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"Wait for me here until I return to you."
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Then he swore that he would not return to them
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unless he earned wealth for them or died.
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He took provisions and walked all day,
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until night approached.
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He found a tent before him,
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and near the tent was a tethered colt.
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He said:
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"This is the first of the spoils."
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He went toward it and began to untie its tether.
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No sooner had he intended to mount it than he heard a voice calling to him:
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"Leave it alone and save yourself."
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So he left it and went on.
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He walked for seven days until he reached a place with a camel pen,
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and beside it was a great tent,
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containing a dome of tanned leather,
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indicating wealth and prosperity.
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The man said to himself:
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"This pen must have camels,
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and this tent must have inhabitants."
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Then he looked into the tent,
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and the sun was nearing its setting.
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He found an elderly, frail man in its center,
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so he sat behind him without the man noticing him.
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It was only a short while
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until the sun set,
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and a horseman approached.
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He had never seen a horseman greater or more imposing.
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He was mounted on a tall steed,
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with two servants walking to his right and left,
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and with him were about a hundred camels,
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led by a large stallion.
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The stallion knelt,
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and the camels knelt around it.
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Then the horseman said to one of his servants:
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"Milk this one,"
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and he pointed to a fat she-camel,
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"and give the elder a drink."
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He milked it until he filled the vessel,
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placed it before the elder, and stepped aside.
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The elder took a sip or two and left it.
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The man said:
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I crept toward it stealthily,
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took the vessel,
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and drank everything in it.
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The servant returned, took the vessel,
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and said, "O my master,
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he has drunk it all."
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The horseman was surprised and said:
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"Milk this one,"
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and he pointed to another she-camel,
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"and place the vessel before the elder."
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The servant did as he was ordered,
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and the elder took one sip and left it.
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I took it and drank half of it,
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but I refrained from finishing it all
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so as not to arouse suspicion in the horseman.
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Then the horseman ordered his second servant
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to slaughter a sheep, and he slaughtered it.
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The horseman stood up, took some of it for the elder,
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and fed him with his own hands,
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until he was full, then he and his two servants ate.
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It was only a short while
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until everyone went to their resting places
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and fell into a deep, snoring sleep.
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At that point, I went to the stallion,
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untied its tether, and mounted it.
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It bolted, and the camels followed it.
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I traveled through the night,
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and when the day broke,
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I looked in every direction,
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but I saw no one following me.
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I continued to ride until the day grew bright,
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then I looked back,
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and there was something,
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like an eagle or a large bird.
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It kept drawing near until I recognized it;
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it was a horseman on a horse.
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He kept approaching me
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until I knew it was my companion,
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who had come in search of his camels.
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At that point, I hobbled the stallion,
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took an arrow from my quiver,
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and placed it in my bow,
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keeping the camels behind me.
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The horseman stood at a distance
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and said to me:
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"Untie the stallion's tether."
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I said, "No."
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"I left hungry women behind in al-Hirah,
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and I swore not to return to them
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unless I had wealth or died."
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He said, "You are a dead man;
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untie the stallion's tether, may you have no father!"
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I said, "I will not untie it."
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He said, "Woe to you, you are arrogant."
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Then he said:
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"Point to the stallion's rein,"
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which had three knots in it.
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Then he asked me:
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"In which knot do you want me to place the arrow?"
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I pointed to the middle one,
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and he shot the arrow,
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piercing it
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as if he had placed it there with his own hand.
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Then he hit the second and the third.
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At that point, I returned my arrow to the quiver
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and stood in surrender.
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He drew near to me,
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took my sword and bow,
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and said:
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"Ride behind me."
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So I rode behind him,
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and he said:
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"What do you think I will do to you?"
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I said:
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"The worst."
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He said:
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"And why?"
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I said:
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"Because of what I did to you,
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and the trouble I caused you,
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yet Allah has given you power over me."
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He said:
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"Do you think I would do you harm,
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when you shared with Muhalhil"—
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meaning his father—
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"in his drink and food, and kept him company that night?"
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When I heard the name Muhalhil,
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I said:
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"Are you Zayd al-Khayl?"
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He said, "Yes."
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I said:
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"Be the best of captors."
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He said:
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"Do not worry."
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He took me to his place
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and said:
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"By Allah, if these camels were mine,
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I would have handed them to you,
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but they belong to one of my sisters.
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Stay with us for a few days,
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for I am about to go on a raid
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from which I may gain spoils."
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It was only three days later
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that he raided the Banu Numayr,
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and captured nearly a hundred she-camels,
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all of which he gave to me.
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He sent men with me from his tribe to protect me
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until I reached al-Hirah.
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That was the portrait of Zayd al-Khayl in the Age of Ignorance.
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As for his portrait in Islam,
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the books of Seerah clarify it, saying:
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When the news of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reached him,
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Zayd al-Khayl heard it,
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and learned something of what he was calling to.
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He prepared his mount,
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and invited the masters and leaders of his people
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to visit Yathrib
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and meet the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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A large delegation from Tayy' rode with him,
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among them Zurr ibn Sados,
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Malik ibn Jubayr,
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Amir ibn Juwayn,
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and others.
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When they reached Medina,
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they headed to the noble Prophet's Mosque,
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and made their mounts kneel at its door.
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It happened that at the time of their entry,
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the Messenger, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him,
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was delivering a sermon to the Muslims from the pulpit.
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His words awed them,
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They were astonished by the Muslims' attachment to him,
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their attentiveness to him,
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and how deeply they were moved by his words.
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When the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw them,
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he addressed the Muslims, saying:
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"I am better for you than Al-'Uzza,
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and better than everything you worship.
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I am better for you than the black stone idol
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that you worship instead of Allah."
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The words of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, fell
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upon the soul of Zayd al-Khayl and those with him
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in two different ways.
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Some responded to the truth and embraced it,
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while others turned away and grew arrogant toward it.
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“And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayst warn the mother-town and those around it, and mayst warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (42:7)
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As for Zirr ibn Sudus,
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no sooner had he seen the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in his magnificent stance,
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surrounded by believing hearts,
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and encircled by affectionate eyes,
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than envy crept into his heart,
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and fear filled his soul.
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He then said to those with him:
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"I see a man who will surely possess the necks of the Arabs,
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but by Allah, I will never let him possess mine."
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He then headed toward the Levant,
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shaved his head, and converted to Christianity.
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As for Zayd and the others,
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they had a different destiny.
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No sooner had the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, finished his sermon,
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than Zayd al-Khayl stood up among the gathering of Muslims.
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He was one of the most handsome of men,
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perfect in physique and towering in height.
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Indeed, he was so tall that when he rode a horse,
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his feet would touch the ground,
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as if he were riding a donkey.
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He stood with his graceful stature,
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raised his resonant voice,
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and said, "O Muhammad,
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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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The noble Messenger turned toward him
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and asked, "Who are you?"
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He replied, "I am Zayd al-Khayl ibn Muhalhil."
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The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to him:
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"Rather, you are Zayd al-Khayr (Zayd of Goodness),
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not Zayd al-Khayl (Zayd of Horses)."
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"Praise be to Allah who brought you from your plains and mountains,
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and softened your heart toward Islam."
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From then on, he was known as Zayd al-Khayr.
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The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then took him to his home,
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accompanied by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,
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and a group of the Companions.
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When they reached the house,
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the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, laid out a cushion for Zayd.
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Zayd felt it was too great an honor to recline in the presence of the Messenger,
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so he returned the cushion.
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The Messenger kept offering it back to him,
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and he refused it three times.
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Once they were settled in their gathering,
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the Messenger said to Zayd al-Khayr:
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"O Zayd,
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never has a man been described to me,
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and then I saw him, but that he was less than his description—except for you."
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He then said to him:
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"O Zayd,
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you possess two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love."
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He asked,
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"And what are they, O Messenger of Allah?"
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He replied:
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"Deliberation and forbearance."
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He said,
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"Praise be to Allah who has made me possess what Allah and His Messenger love."
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He then turned to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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and said:
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"Give me, O Messenger of Allah, three hundred horsemen,
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and I guarantee you that I will raid the lands of the Romans with them,
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and I will be one of them."
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The noble Messenger marveled at his high ambition,
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and said to him:
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"May Allah reward you, O Zayd;
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what a man you are!"
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Then, all those from his people who accompanied him embraced Islam with Zayd.
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When Zayd intended to return,
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he and those with him, to their homes in Najd,
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the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, bade him farewell,
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and said:
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"What a man this is!
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How great his standing would have been,
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had he been spared the plague of Medina."
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At that time, Medina was
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afflicted with fever.
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No sooner had Zayd al-Khayr departed from it,
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than he was struck by it.
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He said to those with him:
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"Keep me away from the lands of Qays,
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for there were feuds between us from the follies of the Jahiliyyah,
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and by Allah, I will not fight a Muslim
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until I meet Allah the Almighty."
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Zayd al-Khayr continued his journey toward his people's lands in Najd,
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even though the grip of the fever
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was intensifying upon him hour by hour.
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He had hoped to meet his people,
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and that Allah would decree Islam for them at his hands.
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He began to race against death,
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and death was racing against him.
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But it was not long before death won the race,
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and he breathed his last on the road.
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There was not enough time between his conversion and his death
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for him to commit a single sin.
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"You possess two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love:
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deliberation and forbearance."
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Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
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[The text here is fragmentary/garbled; context suggests a concluding reflection on the excellence of the Companions.]