Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | Episode (35) | Al-Ahnaf bin Qais, 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 A society of affection,

0:15 Moving forward.

0:17 Scenes from the lives of the Tabi'un,

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

0:26 May Allah have mercy upon him.

0:30 Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays,

0:32 May Allah have mercy upon him.

0:43 We are now in the early days of the Caliphate of al-Faruq (Umar), may Allah brighten his countenance.

0:48 And there they are, those noble and glorious men,

0:51 The kin of al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays from the tribe of Banu Tamim,

0:54 Mounting the backs of thoroughbred horses,

0:58 Girding themselves with thin, sharp swords,

1:02 Departing from their homes in al-Ahsa and Najd,

1:06 Directing their faces toward Basra,

1:09 Seeking to join the throngs of Muslims gathered there

1:14 Under the command of Utbah Ibn Ghazwan,

1:17 To fight the Persians in Jihad for the sake of Allah,

1:21 And in pursuit of the good reward that is with Allah.

1:24 With them was their young man, al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays.

1:28 One day,

1:32 Utbah Ibn Ghazwan received a letter from the Commander of the Faithful, Umar Ibn al-Khattab,

1:38 Commanding him to send ten of the righteous men of his army,

1:43 And those who had performed best in battle,

1:46 So that he might assess the state of the army through them,

1:49 And benefit from their opinions and counsel.

1:53 Utbah complied with the command,

1:55 And prepared ten of his elite men,

1:58 Including al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays among them,

2:01 And sent them to Medina.

2:04 The men of the delegation stood before the Commander of the Faithful,

2:09 Who welcomed them and seated them near him.

2:12 Then he asked them about their needs and the needs of the common people.

2:17 They rose one after another and said,

2:20 "As for the common people,

2:23 You are their guardian and the one responsible for their affairs.

2:26 As for us, we shall speak of our own specific needs."

2:31 Then each of them requested the need that concerned him.

2:35 Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays was the last of the delegation to speak,

2:40 Because he was the youngest of them in age.

2:43 He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said,

2:47 "O Commander of the Faithful,

2:49 The Muslim soldiers who settled in Egypt

2:53 Have descended into the greenery, freshness, and fertility of the lands of the Pharaohs.

2:59 Those who settled in the lands of the Levant

3:02 Have descended into the abundance, fruits, and gardens of the lands of the Caesars.

3:08 And those who settled in the lands of the Persians

3:11 Have descended upon the banks of fresh rivers and lush gardens of the lands of the Chosroes.

3:19 But our people who settled in Basra

3:22 Have descended upon a land of shifting, porous soil,

3:26 Where the earth does not dry and its pasture does not grow.

3:30 One of its sides is a bitter sea,

3:33 And its other side is a barren wasteland.

3:37 So remove their hardship, O Commander of the Faithful,

3:39 And revive their lives,

3:42 And command your governor in Basra to dig a river for them from which they may draw sweet water,

3:47 And water their livestock and crops,

3:50 So that their condition may improve, their families may thrive,

3:53 And their prices may become affordable,

3:55 And they may be aided by this in their Jihad for the sake of Allah."

4:00 Umar looked at him in admiration,

4:02 And said to the men of the delegation,

4:05 "Could you not have done as he did?"

4:07 "By Allah, he is truly a leader."

4:10 Then he presented them with their awards,

4:13 And offered al-Ahnaf his award,

4:16 But he said,

4:17 "By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful,

4:20 We did not cross the vast deserts to reach you,

4:22 Nor did we strike the flanks of our camels in the early mornings and late evenings to meet you, for the sake of receiving awards.

4:29 I have no need of yours,

4:31 Except for the need of the people I mentioned.

4:35 If you fulfill it for them, you have done enough and fulfilled your duty."

4:39 Umar’s admiration for him increased, and he said,

4:43 "This young man is the leader of the people of Basra."

4:47 When the assembly dispersed,

4:49 And the men of the delegation prepared to return to their mounts to spend the night by them,

4:54 Umar cast his gaze upon their bags,

4:58 And saw the edge of a garment protruding from one of them.

5:02 He stood up, touched it with his hand, and said,

5:05 "Whose is this?"

5:07 Al-Ahnaf said,

5:09 "Mine, O Commander of the Faithful."

5:11 He realized that Umar thought it was too expensive.

5:14 Umar said to him,

5:15 "For how much did you buy it?"

5:17 Al-Ahnaf said,

5:19 "For eight dirhams."

5:21 And it was not known of him that he ever lied in his entire life except for that one lie,

5:27 Because he had actually bought it for twelve dirhams.

5:31 Umar looked at him gently and said,

5:35 "Would you not have been satisfied with one,

5:37 And placed the surplus of your wealth where it could help a Muslim?"

5:42 Then he said,

5:43 "Take from your wealth what suffices for your needs,

5:47 And place the surplus in its proper place, so you may find rest and profit."

5:52 Al-Ahnaf lowered his head in modesty,

5:55 And said nothing.

5:59 The Commander of the Faithful gave the delegation permission to return to Basra,

6:04 But he did not allow al-Ahnaf to depart with them.

6:08 He kept him with him for a full year.

6:12 For Umar had perceived with his keen insight

6:15 The sharp intelligence that the Tamimi youth possessed,

6:19 As well as his clarity of speech,

6:21 Nobility of soul, high ambition, and wealth of talent.

6:25 He wanted to keep him near him,

6:28 To nurture him under his own supervision,

6:30 And for him to meet the senior Companions so he might be guided by their guidance,

6:35 And gain deep understanding of the religion of Allah at their hands.

6:38 Furthermore, he wanted to test him closely,

6:43 And penetrate the depths of his character before entrusting him with some of the Muslims' affairs.

6:49 This was because Umar feared the intelligent, eloquent, and articulate men most intensely,

6:56 For if they were righteous, they would fill the world with goodness,

7:00 But if they were corrupt, their intelligence would be a calamity for the people.

7:05 When the year ended, Umar said to al-Ahnaf,

7:09 "O Ahnaf,

7:11 I have tested and examined you,

7:13 And I have seen nothing but good.

7:16 I have seen your outward appearance to be virtuous,

7:19 And I hope that your inner self is like your outward appearance."

7:23 Then he directed him to the war against the Persians,

7:26 And wrote to his commander, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,

7:29 "To proceed:

7:31 Bring al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays close to you,

7:33 Consult him, and listen to him."

7:38 The light of al-Ahnaf shone under the banners of the Muslims in the East and West of the Persian lands,

7:44 And he displayed such feats of heroism

7:47 That his status rose and his star shone bright.

7:51 He and his people, Banu Tamim, performed most honorably in fighting the enemy,

7:56 And they sacrificed most generously,

7:59 Until Allah granted victory at their hands in the city of Tustar,

8:03 The jewel of the Chosroes' crown,

8:05 And they took al-Hurmuzan captive.

8:08 Al-Hurmuzan was one of the most formidable Persian commanders,

8:13 The strongest in resolve, the most determined,

8:17 And the most cunning in warfare.

8:20 The Muslims' victories had forced him to make peace with them more than once,

8:26 Yet he would betray them whenever the opportunity arose.

8:30 He thought he was capable of victory,

8:33 But when they surrounded him in Tustar,

8:36 He fortified himself in one of its impregnable towers and said to them,

8:41 "I have one hundred arrows with me,

8:44 And by Allah, you shall not reach me as long as one of them remains in my hand.

8:49 And you know that I am an archer whose shot never misses.

8:54 So what is the use of capturing me

8:56 After one hundred of you have been killed or wounded?"

9:01 They said, "What do you want?"

9:04 He said,

9:05 "I want to surrender to the judgment of your Caliph, Umar,

9:08 And let him do with me as he wishes."

9:11 They said, "You may have that."

9:13 So he threw his bow to the ground,

9:16 And descended to them in surrender.

9:18 They bound him,

9:20 And he was sent to Medina with a delegation of the heroes of the conquest,

9:25 At the head of whom were Anas Ibn Malik,

9:28 The servant of the Messenger, peace be upon him,

9:31 And al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays,

9:33 The student of the 'Umari school.

9:38 The delegation proceeded, hastening their pace with al-Hurmuzan toward Medina,

9:42 To bring the good news of the victory to the Commander of the Faithful,

9:46 To carry the fifth of the spoils to the Muslim treasury,

9:50 And to deliver the oath-breaker and treacherous man to the Caliph,

9:55 So that he might pass judgment upon him.

9:57 When they reached the outskirts of Medina,

10:00 They prepared al-Hurmuzan,

10:02 To present him before the Muslims in his full regalia.

10:06 They dressed him in his garments woven from precious brocade,

10:10 Embroidered with gold threads,

10:13 Placed upon his head his crown studded with pearls and jewels,

10:17 And girded him with his scepter made of pure gold,

10:21 Adorned with rubies and pearls.

10:25 No sooner had their feet touched the land of Yathrib,

10:28 Than the people gathered around them, old and young,

10:32 And began to look at their captive,

10:35 Marveling at his appearance and attire with great wonder.

10:40 The delegation headed with al-Hurmuzan to the house of Umar,

10:43 But they did not find him.

10:45 They asked about him,

10:46 And it was said to them,

10:48 "He has gone to the mosque to receive a delegation that has arrived to see him."

10:53 So they set off to the mosque,

10:55 But they did not see him there.

10:57 And as their search for the Caliph grew longer,

11:01 The people multiplied around them and the crowding intensified.

11:05 While they were in this state of confusion,

11:07 Some young children playing saw them,

11:10 And said to them,

11:12 "What is your business?

11:13 We see you going back and forth;

11:16 Perhaps you are looking for the Commander of the Faithful?"

11:19 They said, "Yes, we are looking for him."

11:22 They said,

11:23 "He is sleeping in the corner of the mosque,

11:27 Using his cloak as a pillow."

11:29 For Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,

11:32 He had gone out to meet a delegation from the people of Kufa, wearing a burnous.

11:37 When the delegation departed,

11:39 he took off the burnous,

11:40 placed it under his head,

11:42 and surrendered his eyelids to slumber.

11:45 The delegation proceeded with al-Hurmuzan to the right side of the mosque.

11:49 When they saw the Caliph asleep, they sat down quietly.

11:53 They seated their captive with them.

11:56 Al-Hurmuzan did not understand a word of Arabic,

12:00 and it never crossed his mind that this man sleeping in the corner of the mosque

12:05 was the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab.

12:09 Truly, he had heard of Umar’s austerity

12:13 and his asceticism regarding the vanities and adornments of this world,

12:17 but he could not even imagine

12:21 that the conqueror of the Romans and the breaker of the Chosroes would sleep in the corner of a mosque

12:26 without a cover or a pillow,

12:29 and without guards or chamberlains.

12:32 When he saw the people sitting in silence,

12:35 he thought they were preparing for prayer

12:37 and awaiting the arrival of the Caliph.

12:40 But al-Ahnaf ibn Qays

12:43 began signaling to the people to refrain from speaking

12:46 and to cease the commotion,

12:48 so as not to wake the Caliph.

12:51 For he knew, from his companionship with him,

12:54 that he rarely closed his eyes in sleep at night;

12:58 he was either standing in his prayer niche worshipping Allah,

13:02 or disguised in his garments,

13:04 patrolling the neighborhoods of Medina to learn the conditions of his subjects,

13:09 or keeping watch to protect the homes of the Muslims from intruders.

13:13 Al-Ahnaf’s signals to the people caught the attention of al-Hurmuzan,

13:18 so he turned to al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba,

13:21 who knew Persian,

13:23 and said,

13:24 "Who is this sleeper?"

13:26 Al-Mughira replied,

13:28 "It is the Commander of the Faithful, Umar."

13:31 Al-Hurmuzan opened his mouth in astonishment and said,

13:35 "Umar?

13:37 Where are his guards and his chamberlains?"

13:39 Al-Mughira said to him,

13:41 "He has neither guard nor chamberlain."

13:44 Al-Hurmuzan said,

13:46 "He must be a prophet."

13:49 Al-Mughira replied,

13:51 "Rather, he acts as the prophets act,

13:53 for there is no prophet after Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."

13:58 Then the crowd grew and the noise increased,

14:02 so Umar awoke.

14:03 He sat up and looked at the people in surprise,

14:08 and saw the Persian prince

14:10 with his crown glowing under the rays of the sun upon his head,

14:15 and in his hand his scepter, whose brilliance dazzled the eyes.

14:20 He stared at him and said,

14:22 "Al-Hurmuzan?"

14:24 Al-Ahnaf said to him,

14:26 "Yes, Commander of the Faithful."

14:29 Umar contemplated the gold, pearls,

14:32 rubies, and silk he was wearing,

14:35 then turned his face away from him and said,

14:38 "I seek refuge in Allah from the Fire,

14:40 and I seek His aid against this world.

14:43 Praise be to Allah who has humbled this man and brought him to Islam."

14:48 Then he said,

14:50 "O assembly of Muslims,

14:52 hold fast to this religion,

14:54 and be guided by the guidance of your noble Prophet.

14:57 Do not let the world deceive you,

15:00 for it is a deceiver."

15:02 When he finished speaking,

15:04 al-Ahnaf ibn Qays brought him the glad tidings of the victory,

15:07 and informed him of the spoils Allah had granted the Muslims.

15:12 He said to him,

15:14 "Commander of the Faithful,

15:16 al-Hurmuzan has surrendered to us,

15:19 and has asked to submit to your judgment regarding him.

15:22 Speak to him if you wish."

15:24 He said,

15:25 "I will not speak to him until you remove these manifestations of arrogance and pride from him."

15:31 They removed his finery and crown,

15:34 took his scepter from him,

15:36 and dressed him in a thick garment that covered his body.

15:40 At that, Umar turned to him and said,

15:44 "Well, al-Hurmuzan,

15:46 how have you found the consequence of treachery

15:48 and the outcome of Allah’s decree?"

15:51 Al-Hurmuzan hung his head in humiliation and said,

15:54 "O Umar,

15:56 we were in the Age of Ignorance, both we and you,

16:00 and Allah was neither with us nor with you,

16:03 so we defeated you.

16:05 But when you embraced Islam and Allah became with you,

16:08 you defeated us."

16:10 Umar said to him,

16:11 "You defeated us for what you mentioned,

16:15 and for another reason:

16:16 your unity and our division."

16:19 Then he looked at him sternly and said,

16:22 "What is your excuse for breaking your treaty time after time, al-Hurmuzan?"

16:28 Al-Hurmuzan said,

16:30 "I fear that you will kill me."

16:32 Umar said,

16:33 "No harm shall come to you until you tell me [the truth]."

16:37 When al-Hurmuzan heard that from Umar,

16:40 his fear subsided somewhat,

16:42 and he said,

16:44 "I am thirsty."

16:46 Umar ordered them to give him water.

16:48 It was brought to him in a coarse cup.

16:51 He looked at it and said,

16:53 "If I were dying of thirst, I could not drink from such a vessel."

16:59 Umar gave the order,

17:00 and water was brought to him in a vessel he found acceptable.

17:04 When he took it in his hand,

17:06 his hand began to tremble.

17:08 Umar said to him,

17:10 "What is the matter with you?"

17:11 He said,

17:13 "I fear that I will be killed while I am drinking this draught of water."

17:18 Umar said to him,

17:20 "No harm shall come to you until you drink it."

17:23 Al-Hurmuzan did nothing

17:25 but tip the vessel

17:27 and spill the water.

17:29 Umar said,

17:30 "Bring him other water,

17:33 and do not combine killing and thirst for him."

17:36 Al-Hurmuzan said,

17:38 "I have no need for water;

17:40 I only wanted to use it to secure my safety from being killed."

17:45 Umar said to him,

17:47 "I am going to kill you."

17:49 Al-Hurmuzan said,

17:51 "You have already granted me safety."

17:53 Umar said,

17:54 "You lie."

17:55 Anas ibn Malik said,

17:57 "He speaks the truth, Commander of the Faithful,

18:00 for you did grant him safety."

18:02 Umar said,

18:03 "Woe to you, Anas!

18:05 Would I grant safety to the killer of your brother, al-Bara' ibn Malik,

18:08 and Mujah'a ibn Thawr?

18:10 Far from it!"

18:12 Anas said,

18:13 "You said to him,

18:15 'No harm shall come to you until you tell me,'

18:18 and you said to him,

18:19 'No harm shall come to you until you drink the water.'"

18:23 Al-Ahnaf supported Anas’s statement,

18:25 and those present affirmed that the Commander of the Faithful had granted al-Hurmuzan safety.

18:30 Umar looked at al-Hurmuzan angrily and said,

18:34 "You have deceived me,

18:36 and by Allah, I am only deceived for the sake of a Muslim."

18:40 So al-Hurmuzan embraced Islam,

18:42 and Umar assigned him a stipend of two thousand.

18:46 Umar had been troubled

18:49 by the Persians frequently breaking their treaties with the Muslims

18:52 and turning against them.

18:54 He gathered the men of the delegation who had come with al-Hurmuzan and said to them,

18:59 "Do the Muslims harm the protected people (dhimmis) and treat them poorly,

19:04 causing them to turn against them?"

19:06 The men of the delegation said,

19:08 "By Allah, Commander of the Faithful,

19:10 we do not know of anyone who treated them poorly,

19:14 or violated a covenant with them,

19:16 or cheated them in a contract."

19:18 Umar said,

19:20 "Then why do they turn against you whenever the opportunity arises,

19:24 despite the contracts between you and them?"

19:28 The delegation answered with words that did not convince Umar,

19:32 nor did he find comfort in them.

19:34 At that, al-Ahnaf ibn Qays stood up and said,

19:37 "I will tell you what you asked about, Commander of the Faithful."

19:42 He said,

19:43 "Speak what you have."

19:45 He said,

19:46 "Commander of the Faithful,

19:48 you forbade us from spreading out into the lands of the Persians,

19:52 and ordered us to limit ourselves to the lands and cities of theirs that we already hold.

19:57 As long as the Persians have a living king and an established kingdom,

20:02 they will fight us time after time

20:05 to regain the people and lands of theirs that we hold.

20:09 And those with whom we have made treaties will join them whenever the caller calls them

20:14 and the opportunity for victory appears to them.

20:16 Indeed, Commander of the Faithful,

20:19 two kings cannot coexist in one land;

20:23 one must drive the other out.

20:26 If you were to permit us to spread out into their lands

20:29 until we destroy their kingdom and remove their sovereignty,

20:33 we would cut off their hope, calm their hearts,

20:37 and the matter would be settled for us."

20:39 Umar hung his head for a moment, then said,

20:42 "Al-Ahnaf has spoken the truth to me,

20:45 and has revealed to me what was hidden from me regarding the affairs of these people."

20:51 And furthermore,

20:52 this stance of al-Ahnaf had significant consequences,

20:56 and the effect of this opinion

20:58 Indeed, he changed the course of history.

21:04 By Allah, this young man is truly a leader.

21:09 He is the leader of the people of Basra.

21:13 Umar Ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.

21:27 They were here, watering the clouds of our lives.

21:32 How could their memory not be exalted among us?

21:37 They departed, leaving behind a question in our conscience:

21:42 Has any star risen and shone as they did?

21:48 They filled life with pride through their noble deeds.

21:52 And through them, the world of the Ummah flourished.

Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | Episode (35) | Al-Ahnaf bin Qais, may God have mercy on him | C (2)

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