Part 11

What happened in the Battle of Badr, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah advanced, tearing his way into the middle of the enemy ranks. This bold move of his created havoc and the enemy started to run helterskelter. He was going around fearlessly in the middle of the enemy as if death was of no consequence and there was absolutely no danger. His casual attitude frightened the Quraish. As soon as he came face to face with an enemy on horseback, the man would give way to him. But there was one man among them who would stand in front of him to challenge him and try to attack him with his sword. Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah . would try to avoid him and retreat. But the man would insist on coming face to face to oppose him, and Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah 4 would always give him free passage and get out of his way. During the battle a stage came when the man had him trapped. There was no way that Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah 4 could turn to avoid him; he could neither move towards the front nor could he move back; all avenues were closed to him. Absolutely ensnared, he was forced to attack him on the head with his sword; his skull broke into two and in a moment he lay dead at his feet. Can you guess who this slain man could be? Doubtless the trial of faithfulness faced by Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah <% was extremely critical, few people

are forced into such a situation. When he realised that the dead man was his father he was stunned.

The fact was that the man he had killed was to all appearances his father, but in reality it was the standard-bearer of evil he had killed. Fuifilling this exemplary role he had made it clear that in the balance it was Allah Almighty and His religion of Islam which outweighed all other considerations and even familial bonds. The love of Allah 3S takes priority and is superior to all other bonds. Every moment the objective is in sight and of paramount importance (the glory of Islam). If something comes in the way it has to be chopped off; if a mountain is an obstacle it has to be surmounted; if there is a river in the way the waves have to be cut through with powerful strokes to reach the friendly shores. The sword of Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah did not chop off his father’s neck, but it chopped off the face of ’Kufr’ and one who associated others with the One True Allah. This exploit of his pleased Allah 38 so much that the following Aydt were revealed:

“You (O Muhammad 38) will not find any peopie who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad 38), even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Riih (proofs, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah is pleased with them and they with Him. They are the party of Allah. Verily, it is the party of Allah that will be the successful.” (59:22)

What better fate could one ask for than praise for one’s deeds in the radiant Verses revealed in the Noble Quran? No doubt, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah . received this enviable honour. As long as this world

exists the Noble Qur’an will continue to be read, and the Mo’mineen' will give life and spirit to their determination, courage and faith.

' True believers - believers in word and deed.

The fighting was at its most intense in the Battle of Uhud. The sound of the clanging of swords was deafening, there was so much shouting and yelling that one’s hair stood up on end. Both armies were equally matched. And then the enemy began to retreat, and the Muslim forces chased them right up to their tents; the archers too leapt down from their positions. Khalid bin Waleed surrounded them and the rest of the enemies too turned back. At this stage in the battle Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah % was in the front ranks and surrounded, but realising that the Prophet 38 was in danger and breaking through the dangerous encircling enemy cordon, he reached him. The Prophet 38 was lying down bleeding from his injuries and cleaning up the blood from his wounds. He was saying sorrowfully:

“How can those people prosper who have bloodied the face of their Prophet, though all he was doing was to invite them to their Creator and Sustainer?”

“The Prophet 3% was injured in the Battle of Uhud. A couple of links from his own helmet had pierced through his forehead, which was bleeding. I ran tc.vards him, and then suddenly, what should I see but a friend running towards him from the east. He reached him before me, and I saw that it was the selfsacrificing Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah . He requested that I should give him the honour of removing the links of the helmet. Then with great care, but at the same time with great force he held on to the Jinks with his front teeth. He pulled out one link, but lost a tooth in the process. Then without bothering about the pain he must be suffering, again he held on to the other link with his teeth and exerted force. As the other link came out, he lost another tooth as well. Thus two of his teeth were sacrificed, but his beloved Prophet # was relieved and found comfort. It seemed as if he looked even more handsome and graceful than before with the loss of his two front teeth, because it was all done for love of his Prophet 38. All the other Companions of the Prophet 3% used to look at him with envious eyes. There the only criterion for judging the worth of a person was the extent to which he was willing to sacrifice himself for the Prophet 38.

in 6 Hijrah, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah -4 was appointed commander of a troop of three hundred men to track down and report on the movements of trading and military caravans of the Quraish. He had to travel along the coastal areas to complete this assignment.

relief; and after every difficulty there is ease. For every difficulty there is a doubled comfort. When they got such a meagre supply of dates for three hundred Mujahideen there was not a word of complaint. They had absolute faith and trust in Allah Almighty and His Messenger. The depth of their belief in Allah Almighty gave them the certitude that the being who had created them would also provide for them; the Almighty Allah for Whose cause they had stepped out into the battlefield would provide ample means of sustenance for them, and He did provide something which had never even entered their minds.

‘Umar Farooq # says:

“T had never deeply wished to occupy any position, but when I heard this sentence repeated by the Prophet 3%, | wished that I should be the object on whom this praise was showered. | hurried for the noon prayers to the mosque. After having led the prayers, the Prophet 3 looked to his left and to his right. I stretched my neck in order to attract his attention. He kept glancing at all the people who had assembled for the prayers. Finally, his eye fell on Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah 2. He called him and told him to accompany the delegation and do what was just and right in fulfilling the contract with them.”