Part 50

Musailamah and Al-Mahkam Ibn At-Tufail were filled with horror. The killing of Ar-Rajjaal spread in Musailamah's army like a fire on a stormy day.

Musailamah used to promise them inevitable victory and that he, Ar-Rajjaal, and Al-Mahkam Ibn Attufail would promulgate their new religion and establish their state on the day following their victory! Now that Ar-Rajjaal was killed, the whole prophecy of Musailamah was seen as a lie, and tomorrow Al-Mahkam and

Musailamah would meet the same fate. Thus the fatal blow of Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab caused all that destruction in the lines of

No sooner did the Muslims hear the news than they were filled with pride and dignity. The wounded men rose again holding their swords, taking no interest in their wounds.

Even for those who were about to die, nothing connected them

with life except that very faint light caused by hearing the good news which was like avery beautiful and rosy dream. They wished, if

they had any strength to fight with, they would be able to witness the triumph of the battle in its glorious conclusion. But how could that be? Since the doors of Paradise had opened to welcome them, they were now hearing their names while they were being called to immortality!

Zaid raised his hands towards Heaven supplicating Allah and thanking Him for His blessings. Then he returned to his sword and his silence, as he had sworn by Allah not to utter a word until he had completed the victory or gained the honor of martyrdom.

The battle began to lean to the side of the Muslims and their inevitable victory began to approach rapidly. At that moment Zaid did not desire a better conclusion to his life than praying to Allah to grant him martyrdom on that Day of Yamaamah! The wind of Paradise blew to fill his soul with longing, his eyes with tears, and his determination with firmness. He began to fight as if he were searching for his glorious destiny, and the hero fell! So he died a martyr, magnanimously, gracefully and happily. The Army of Islam returned to Al-Madiinah victorious.

While “Umar and the Caliph Abu Bakr were welcoming those who were returning trimuphantly, ‘Umar began to search for his homecoming brother with longing eyes.

Zaid was so tall that he could be easily recognized. But before ‘Umar had strained his eyes, one of the returning Muslims

approached and consoled him. “Umar said, "May Allah have mercy upon Zaid, he preceded me in two instances. He embraced Islam

before me and gained martyrdom before me, too.”

In spite of the victories that Islam won and enjoyed, ‘Umar "AlFaaruugq" (Umar) never forgot his brother Zaid, and he always said, "Whenever the east wind blows, I smell the scent of Zaid."

Yes! The east wind carries the perfume of Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). But if the caliph gives me permission to add these words tohis great expression so as to complete the meaning of his

saying, these are the words: "Whenever the winds of triumph blow on Islam since the Day of Al-Yamaamah, Islam finds the scent, the

struggles, the heroism, and the greatness of Zaid in these winds!"

Blessings be upon Al-Khattaab under the flag of the Messenger (PBUH). Blessed be they the moment they embraced Islam. Blessed be they when they fought and were martyred. And blessings be upon them in the hereafter.

(27) TALHAH IBN ‘UBAID ALLAH The Falcon on the Day of Uhud !

< Of the believers are men who have been true to their pledge to GOD, from them some have fulfilled their pledges, and some are still in hope of doing so, and they never change at heart > (33 : 23).

The Prophet (PBUH) recited this glorious verse and then turned to his Companions, pointed to Talhah and said, "Anyone who wants to please himself by looking at a man walking on the earth who has fulfilled his pledge of martyrdom should look at Talhah."

The Prophet's Companions never wished nor did their hearts ever aspire and long for a better announcement than the one the Prophet (PBUH) directed to Talhah Ibn “Ubaid Allah. By such words he could feel secure towards his destiny and fate. He was going to live and die as one of those who have been true to their

pledge so that neither civil strife could affect him, nor any kind of lassitude influence him.

The Prophet (PBUH) announced Paradise to him. How then was the life of such a one who deserved this fine announcement?

He was trading in the land of Basraa, when he met one of the most virtuous monks there. He told him that a Prophet who was going to appear in the Sacred Land and whose appearance was prophesied by all virtuous prophets had risen and his era had already begun. Talhah was very much afraid to miss the procession of guidance, mercy, and salvation.

When Talhah returned to his homeland Makkah after having spent months in Basraa and traveling around, he found a lot of talk

taking place here and there. Whenever he met someone or a group of Makkah inhabitants they would talk to him about Muhammad the

Trustworthy, about the angel sent down to him, about the mission he was carrying to the Arabs in particular and all people in general.

The first thing he asked about was Abu Bakr. He learned that

Abu Bakr had returned with a caravan and trade not long ago and that he was standing at the side of Muhammad, believing in and defending him.

Talhah said to himself, "Muhammad and Abu Bakr? By Allah, both of them would never join each other and agree upon falsehood.* Muhammad has already reached the age of 40. In all these years we've never heard him speak one single lie. Is it possible that he would now lie about Allah and say, 'He sent me as a prophet and He sent me an angel’? It's something hard to believe.”

He quickened his steps, directing them towards Abu Bakr's house. They did not talk for long because his long aspiration to meet the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and to swear to him the oath of allegiance was much faster than his heartbeats.

Abu Bakr accompanied him to the Prophet (PBUH) and he soon embraced Islam, joining there and then the blessed ranks!

That is how Talhah became one of the very early converts.

Despite his honorable rank among his clan, his vast wealth, and his successful trade, he had to taste his own portion of the Quraish's persecution. The task of torturing him and Abu Bakr was given to Nawfal Ibn Khuwailid, who was called The Lion of the Quraish. However, their persecution did not last long, as the Quraish soon felt ashamed and began to think about the consequences of their deeds.

* See our book, Then Came Abu Bakr

Talhah emigrated to Al-Madiinah when the Prophet (PBUH) ordered the Muslims to emigrate. After that he experienced all the battles together with the Prophet (PBUH) except the Battle of Badr because the Prophet (PBUH) had sent him and Sa‘iid Ibn Zaid on an assignment outside Al-Madiinah.

When they had fulfilled their task and were on their way back to Al Madiinah, the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were returning home after the battle. Talhah and his companion felt so sad

and tormented for having missed the reward of joining the Prophet (PBUH) in his first jihaad battle.

However, the Prophet (PBUH) accorded them peace of mind when he informed them that their reward was exactly like the warrior's reward; moreover, he gave them a share of the booty exactly like the share he gave to each one who had fought the battle.

Then came the Battle of Uhud, when the Quraish, with all their might and tyranny, came to take blood revenge for the Day of Badr and to restore their dignity by defeating the Muslims once and for all, a defeat which was thought by the Quraish to be a simple matter and a predetermined fate. The fierce battle took place, and soon the battlefield was filled with its awful harvest: calamity overtook the polytheists.

Then when the Muslims saw them retreating, they laid down their weapons and the archers descended from their posts and began to collect their share of booty. Immediately and suddenly the Quraish army turned back to hold the field and tip the balance of the battle in their favor.

The fighting's ferocity, cruelty, and crushing resumed. The surprise attack had the effect of scattering the army.

Talhah saw that the side of the battlefield where the Prophet (PBUH) was standing had become the target of the polytheists'

concentration. He immediately hurried towards the Prophet (PBUH).

He (May Allah be pleased with him) traversed a path, a long one, although it was in fact a short distance.

It was a path in which a single inch could not be traversed

except by confronting tens of ferocious swords and tens of mad lances.

He could see from a far distance how the Prophet's (PBUH) cheek was bleeding and how he was silently suffering. It was then that Talhah got mad, leaped once or twice over the path of horror to reach the Prophet (PBUH), in front of whom he had to experience what he was afraid of: the swords of the polytheists drawn towards the Prophet (PBUH), surrounding him, wanting to get at him.

Talhah stood there like a raging army, striking with his sword to the left and right. He could see the Prophet (PBUH) bleeding and his pains becoming more and more unbearable. He helped him and carried him away from the hole where his foot had gotten stuck.

He supported the Prophet (PBUH) with his left hand and chest, backing up to a safe, secure place, while his right hand (May Allah bless his right hand) fought the swords of the polytheists who surrounded the Prophet and who swarmed the battlefield like locusts.

Let Abu Bakr As-Siddiiq describe for us the whole scene of battle. “Aa'ishah once said: Whenever Abu Bakr recalled the Day of Uhud he used to say, It was the Talhah's day. I was the first who approached the Prophet (PBUH). He said to me and to Abu “Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarraah, "Watch out, for your brother." We looked at him, and we could see more than 70 stabs. His finger was cut off. We tried to remedy his condition.

In all the different events and battles, Talhah was always to be found in the forefront fighting in the cause of Allah, redeeming the Prophet's standard.

Talhah lived among the Muslim community, worshipping Allah with the worshipers, fighting in the cause of Allah with those who fought for truth, following the basic principles of the new religion which was revealed in order to bring people — all people — out of