Learn about the companions, scholars, and notables | Who am I?

0:01 Stop

0:04 and learn about the Companions, scholars, and prominent figures.

0:12 A new challenge: Who am I?

0:16 I am one of the noble Companions.

0:21 I was the chieftain of the Daws tribe during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance,

0:25 a nobleman among the most distinguished Arabs,

0:29 and one of the widely recognized figures of chivalry.

0:33 My cooking pot was never taken off the fire,

0:36 nor was my door ever locked before any nighttime visitor.

0:39 I fed the hungry, provided safety for the fearful,

0:43 and granted sanctuary to whoever sought refuge.

0:46 In addition, I was a cultured, intelligent man,

0:49 a poet of delicate sensitivity,

0:52 well-versed in both the sweet and bitter nuances of eloquence,

0:55 deeply swayed by the magic of words.

0:59 I embraced Islam early on in Mecca,

1:02 and I requested of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

1:05 that he migrate to our lands so we might support him.

1:08 I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah,

1:11 would you accept a fortified stronghold and protection?"

1:15 But the Prophet (peace be upon him) declined that,

1:19 because of the honor Allah had reserved for the Ansar.

1:23 When Allah willed good for me,

1:27 I arrived in Mecca and met some leading men of Quraysh.

1:32 They said to me, "You are a poet,

1:35 and we fear that Muhammad might meet you

1:39 and captivate you with some of his speech,

1:42 for his words are like magic; so beware."

1:47 By Allah, they kept warning me about him

1:50 and forbidding me from listening to him,

1:53 until I went and stuffed my ears with cotton.

1:57 Then I headed early in the morning to the Mosque,

2:00 and there I found the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

2:03 standing in prayer.

2:06 I stood close to him,

2:09 and Allah willed that I should hear some of his words.

2:12 So I said to myself,

2:15 "By Allah, this is sheer helplessness!

2:18 I am a discerning, intelligent man;

2:21 neither the good nor the bad of matters is hidden from me.

2:24 By Allah, I shall listen to him;

2:27 if what he brings is right guidance, I will accept it,

2:30 and if not, I will avoid it."

2:33 So I removed the cotton,

2:36 and I had never heard speech more beautiful than his.

2:39 When the Prophet (peace be upon him) departed,

2:42 I followed him and entered his home with him.

2:45 I said, "O Muhammad,

2:48 your people came to me

2:51 and told me such-and-such,

2:54 but I decided, O Messenger of Allah,

2:57 that I would listen to what you have to say;

3:00 and it has settled in my heart that it is the truth.

3:03 So present your religion to me."

3:06 He presented Islam to me,

3:09 and I embraced Islam. Then I said, "O Messenger of Allah,

3:12 I am returning to Daws,

3:15 and I am an obeyed leader among them;

3:18 I will invite them to Islam,

3:21 so pray that Allah grant me a sign."

3:24 He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,

3:27 "O Allah, grant him a sign that will aid him."

3:30 So I set out until I was overlooking

3:33 the mountain pass of my people.

3:36 When I ascended the pass, Allah placed

3:39 between my eyes a light like a radiant beam,

3:42 visible to people in the darkness of the night.

3:45 I said, "O Allah, make it elsewhere than my face,

3:49 for I fear they might think it a disfigurement

3:52 because I abandoned their gods."

3:55 So the light shifted

3:58 and settled onto the tip of my whip.

4:01 I rode my camel toward them,

4:04 and the light on the tip of my whip was like

4:07 a suspended lamp.

4:11 My father came to me, and I said to him,

4:14 "Stay away from me, for you and I no longer belong together."

4:17 He asked, "Why is that?"

4:20 I replied, "I have embraced Islam

4:23 and followed the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)."

4:26 He said, "O my son,

4:29 my religion is your religion."

4:32 I did the same with my mother and my wife,

4:35 and they embraced Islam.

4:38 Then I invited Daws to Islam,

4:41 but they refused, so I went to

4:44 the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

4:47 and said, "O Messenger of Allah,

4:50 fornication and usury have overtaken Daws,

4:53 so invoke Allah against them."

4:56 But he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,

4:59 "O Allah, guide Daws!"

5:02 Then I returned to them

5:05 and stayed among them calling them to Islam,

5:08 until a great many of them responded.

5:12 Then I arrived in Medina

5:15 with ninety households from Daws,

5:18 among whom was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

5:21 I remained with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

5:24 until his passing.

5:27 After the conquest of Mecca,

5:31 the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent

5:34 some of his Companions to destroy the idols

5:37 that were throughout the Peninsula.

5:40 I said, "O Messenger of Allah,

5:43 send me to Dhu al-Kaffayn,

5:46 the idol worshipped by Daws,

5:49 so that I may burn it."

5:52 He said, "Yes."

5:55 So I set out to it to burn it;

5:58 I reached it,

6:01 set it on fire, and recited:

6:04 "O Dhu al-Kaffayn, I am not of your worshippers;

6:07 indeed, I have thrust fire into your very heart."

6:10 When I burned it,

6:13 the rest of my people all embraced Islam.

6:16 After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

6:20 I set out to fight the apostates,

6:23 accompanied by my son 'Amr.

6:26 While we were on the road,

6:29 I saw a vision:

6:32 I saw as though my head were shaved,

6:36 a woman took me into her womb,

6:39 and my son was searching for me

6:42 earnestly, but a barrier was placed between me and him.

6:45 I recounted it to my companions,

6:48 and they said, "Good news."

6:51 But I said, "As for me, I have interpreted it:

6:54 as for shaving my head,

6:57 it means it will be severed; as for the bird,

7:00 it is my soul; and the woman

7:04 is the earth in which I will be buried,

7:07 for I have seen that I will be martyred.

7:10 As for my son searching for me,

7:13 I believe he will be delayed

7:16 in attaining martyrdom,

7:19 and I do not think he will join me on this journey."

7:22 And it happened just as I saw:

7:25 I was martyred on the Day of al-Yamamah,

7:28 and my son was wounded.

7:32 Share your answers in the comments below the video,

7:40 and we will pin the correct answer in the comments

7:43 when the next episode is released, if Allah wills.

Learn about the companions, scholars, and notables | Who am I? | Episode No. (254)

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