Part 40

The Battle of Mu'tah, as we have already mentioned, was imminent. Ja*far realized that this battle was his lifetime chance to either achieve a glorious victory for Allah's religion or win martyrdom in the way of Allah. Therefore, he pleaded with the Prophet (PBUH) to let him fight in this battle. Ja‘far knew beyond doubt that this battle was neither a picnic nor a limited war, but rather an unprecedented crucial war, for it was against the armies of a vast and powerful empire that excelled the Arabs and Muslims in numbers, equipment, expertise, and finance. He yearned to have a role in it.

Thus, he was the second of the three commanders. The two armies met in combat on a distressful day. Jafar would have been excused if he had been gripped by terror when he saw the 200,000 warriors. Instead, he was gripped by overflowing exaltation, for he felt urged by the pride of the noble believer and the self-confidence of the hero to fight with his equals.

Again, hardly had the standard touched the sand as it slipped from Zaid Ibn Haarithah's right hand, when Ja*far darted and picked it up and broke through the line of the enemy with incredible fearlessness. It was the fearlessness of a man who was not so much craving victory as martyrdom. When the Roman warriors closed in upon him in an encircling move, his horse restricted his movement, so he dismounted and thrust his sword into his enemies. Then he saw one of them approaching his horse so as to mount it. He did not want this impure disbeliever on his horse's back, so he thrust his sword into it and killed it.

He immediately broke through the encircled Roman warriors like a hurricane and recited these vehement lines of poetry :

How wonderful Paradise is.

I can see it approaching with its sweet and cool drink. The time for the punishment of the Romans is drawing near.

Those unbelievers are not related to us in blood.

I must fight the Romans whenever I see one of their warriors.

The Roman soldiers were stunned by this warrior who fought

like a full-armored army. Confounded by his fearlessness, they

_closed in upon him in a way that left him no escape, for they were determined to slay him. Instantly, they struck with their swords and

cut off his right hand. Swiftly he caught the standard with his left

hand before it reached the ground. When they struck off his left

hand, he caught the standard with his upperarms. At the moment,

the only thing that really mattered to him was not to let the standard

of the Prophet (PBUH) touch the ground as long as he was alive. Although his pure body was struck down, his upperarm still hugged the standard. The sounds of its fluttering seemed to have summoned “*Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah, who darted swiftly and

gripped it then galloped towards his great destiny!

Thus, Ja‘far died an honorable death. He met Allah, the Most Great, the Most High, enveloped in self-sacrifice and heroism.

When Allah the All-Knower, the All-Aware, inspired His Prophet (PBUH) with the outcome of the battle and Ja‘far's martyrdom, his tears flowed as he placed his spirit in Allah's hands. Then he went to his late cousin's house and called his children. He hugged and kissed them while his tears flowed. Then he went back to his meeting surrounded by the Companions. Hassaan Ibn Thaabit, the poet laureate of Islam, lamented the death of Jaafar and his Companions saying:

At daybreak a man of a blessed nature and graceful face Commanded the believers to death.

His face was as bright as the moon.

He was a proud man who descended from Al Haashim. He was a valiant man who rushed to help the

He fought until he was martyred

And his reward was Paradise where there are lush green gardens.

Ja‘far was loyal and obedient to Muhammad.

If Islam lost one of Al-Haashim,

There are still honorable and pious men of them

Who are the support and pride of Islam.

After Hassaan finished reciting his poem, Ka*b Ibn Maalik recited:

Tam griefstricken over the group

Who were struck down in succession in the Battle of Mu'tah.

They strived and fought fiercely and didn't turn their back.

Allah sent His blessings on them

For they were pious and loyal men.

Allah made the heavy rains water their bone.

They stood firm before death in Mu'tah

in obedience to Allah

And for fear of His punishment.

They were guided by Ja‘far's flag. He was the best Commander.

He broke through the line of the enemy and was struck down

Owing to the fierce and ruthless fight.

Instantly, the bright moon darkened

And the sun eclipsed to lament his death.

At the end, all the poor wept bitterly over the loss of their father, for Ja‘afar (May Allah be pleased with him) was the "father of the poor". Abu Hurairah said, "The most generous man towards the poor was Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Taalib." Indeed, when he was about to die, he wanted to be the most generous, self-denying and devoted martyr. *Abd Allah Ibn ‘Umar said, "I was with Ja*far in the Battle of Mu'tah and we looked around for him. We found that the enemy had sprayed his body with more than ninety stabs and strikes!"

But those killers did not scratch his invulnerable spirit. No, their swords and spears were the bridge which this glorious martyr crossed to be near Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most High. He was raised to a high station in heaven. His worn-out body was covered all over with the medals of war, namely, the wounds. Now, let us hear what the Prophet (PBUH) said about him: "I have seen him in

Paradise. His head and wings — upper arms — were covered with blood!"

(21) “ABD ALLAH IBN RAWAAHAH O My Soul, Death Is Inevitable, So It Is Better for You to Be Martyred

When the Prophet (PBUH) met secretly with Al-Madiinah's delegation on the outskirts of Makkah away from the disbelievers of the Quraish, twelve representatives of the Ansaar took an oath of allegiance in the first Pledge of *“Aqabah. *Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah was one of those representatives who ushered Islam to Al-Madiinah and who paved the way for the Hijrah, which was considered an excellent springboard for Allah's religion, Islam. ‘Abd Allah was also one of the great 73 of the Ansaar who gave the Prophet (PBUH) the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah in the following year. After the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions emigrated and settled in Al-Madiinah, “Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah was the most active Muslim of the Ansaar who strived to support the thriving religion. He was also the most alert Muslim to the plots of “Abd Allah Ibn Ubaiy whom the people of Al-Madiinah were about to crown king before the Muslims arrived. He never got over the bitterness he felt for losing the chance of his lifetime to become a king. Therefore, he used his craftiness to weave deceitful plots against Islam, while ~Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah kept on tracing and detecting this craftiness with remarkable insight that frustrated most of Ibn Ubaiy's maneuvers and plots.

Ibn Rawaahah (May Allah be pleased with him) was a scribe at a time in which writing was not prevalent. He was a poet. His poetry flowed with admirable fluency and strength. Ever since his Islam he devoted his poetic genius to its service. The Prophet (PBUH) always admired his poetry, asking him to recite more of it. One day, as he was sitting among his Companions, ~Abd Allah Ibn Rawaahah joined them, so the Prophet (PBUH) asked him, "How do you compose a poem?" ~Abd Allah answered, "First I think about its subject matter, then I recite." He immediately recited:

O the good descendants of Al Haashim

Allah raised you to a high station

Of which you are worthy above all mankind.

My intuition made me realize at once

Contrary to the disbelievers' belief in you.

If you asked some of them for support and help, They would turn you down.

May Allah establish the good that descends

And bestow victory upon you as He did to Muusaa.

The Prophet (PBUH) was elated and said, "I hope that Allah will make your feet firm, too." When the Prophet was circumambulating the Ka‘bah in the compensatory ‘Umrah, Ibn Rawaahah recited to him:

Were it not for Allah, we would not have been Guided to the Right path nor charitable

Nor able to perform our prayers.

So descend, peace of mind and reassurance, On us and establish our feet firmly

When we meet our enemy

In combat. If our oppressors tried to spread Affliction and trial, unrest, among us

We will not give them way.

Muslims reiterated his graceful lines. The active poet was saddened when the glorious verse descended saying: <And for the poets, only the erring people follow them > (26:224). But soon he was contented to hear another verse saying: <Except those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, and remember GOD frequently, and defend themselves after being oppressed > (26 : 227).

When Islam rose up in arms in self-defense, Ibn Rawaahah saw service in all the battles: Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq, Al Hudaibiyyah, and Khaibar. His perpetual slogan was these lines of poetry: "O my soul, death is inevitable, so it is better for you to be martyred.”

He shouted at the disbelievers in every battle, "O disbelievers, get out of my way. My Prophet (PBUH) has all the excellent

The Battle of Mu'tah started, and, as we have mentioned, he was the third of the Commanders after Zaid and Ja‘far. Ibn Rawaahah (May Allah be pleased with him) stood there as the army was about to leave AlMadiinah and recited:

I truly ask the Most Beneficient's forgiveness and a mortal stroke of a sword that will strike me down foaming or a mortal stab with a spear by a stubborn disbeliever that will make my liver and intestine show out of my body. So that when people pass by my grave, they will say : By Allah, you are the most righteous warrior.

Indeed, a stroke or a stab that would convey him into the world of rewarded martyrs was his utmost wish. The army marched towards Mu'tah. When the Muslims saw their enemies, they estimated them at 200,000, for they saw endless waves of warriors. The Muslims glanced back at their small group and were stunned. Some of them suggested, “Let us send a message to the Prophet (PBUH) to tell him of the enormity of the enemy that surpassed all our expectations so he will either order us to wait for reinforcements or to pierce through the enemy lines."