Part 6

So Mus*ab left the great luxury in which he had been living. He became satisfied with a hard life he had never seen before, wearing the roughest clothes, eating one day and going hungry another. This spirit, which was grounded in the strongest faith, adorned with

the light of Allah, made him another man, one who appeals to the eyes of other great souls.

While he was in this state, the Prophet (PBUH) commissioned him with the greatest mission of his life, which was to be his envoy to Al-Madiinah. His mission was to instruct the Ansaar who believed in the Prophet (PBUH) and had pledged their allegiance to him at “Aqabah, to call others to Islam, and to prepare Al-Madiinah for the day of the great Hijrah. There were among the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) at that time others who were older than Mus*ab and more prominent and nearer to the Prophet (PBUH) by family relations. But the Prophet (PBUH) chose Mus*ab the Good, knowing that he was entrusting to him the most important task of that time, putting into his hands the destiny of Islam at Al-Madiinah. The radiant city of Al-Madiinah was destined to be the home of Hijrah, the springboard of Islamic preachers and the liberators of the future.

Mus*ab was equal to the task and trust which Allah had given him and he was equipped with an excellent mind and noble character. He won the hearts of the Madinites with his piety, uprightness and sincerity. And so they embraced the religion of Allah in flocks. At the time the Prophet (PBUH) sent him there, only twelve Muslims had pledged allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) at the Pledge of ~Aqabah. He had hardly completed a few months when they answered to the call of Allah and the Prophet (PBUH). During the next pilgrimage season, the Madinite Muslims sent a delegation of 70 believing men and women to Makkah to meet the Prophet (PBUH).

They came with their teacher and their Prophet's envoy, Mus’ab Ibn “Umair. Mus*ab had proven, by his good sense and excellence, that the Prophet (PBUH) knew well how to choose his envoys and

Mus*ab had understood his mission well. He knew that he was a caller to Allah and preacher of His religion, which calls people to tight guidance and the straight path. Like the Prophet (PBUH) in whom he believed, he was no more than a deliverer of the message. There he stood fast, with Asad Ibn Zoraarah as host, and both of them used to visit the tribes, dwellings, and assemblies, reciting to the people what he had of the Book of Allah, instilling in them that Allah is no more than One God.

He had confronted certain instances which could have put an end to his life and that of those with him but for his active, intelligent, great mind. One day, he was taken by surprise while preaching to the people to find Usaid Ibn Hudair, leader of the ‘Abd Al-Ashhal tribe, at Al-Madiinah confronting him with a drawn arrow.

He was raging with anger and animosity against the one who had come to corrupt the religion of his people by telling them to abandon their gods and talking to them about the idea of only One God Whom they did not know before and had never heard of. Their gods were to them the center of their worship. Whenever any of them needed them, he knew their places. They would invoke them for help. That was how they thought and imagined!

As for the God of Muhammad, to whom this envoy was calling, nobody knew His place, nor could anybody see Him! When the Muslims who were sitting around Mus‘ab, saw Usaid Ibn Hudair advancing in his unbridled anger, they were frightened, but Mus*ab the Good stood firm. Usaid stood before him and As*ad Ibn Zoraarah shouting, "What brought you here? Are you coming to corrupt our faith? Go away if you wish to be saved !"

And like the calmness of the sea and its force, Mus*ab started his fine speech saying, "Won't you sit down and listen? If you like our cause, you can accept; and if you dislike it, we will spare you of what you hate."

Allah is the Greatest! How grand an opening whose ending would be pleasant! Usaid was a thoughtful and clever man, and here he saw Mus‘ab inviting him to listen and no more. If he was convinced he would accept it, and if he was not convinced, then Mus‘ab would leave his neighborhood and his clan, and move to another neighborhood without harm, nor being harmed. There and then Usaid answered him saying, "Well, that is fair," and he dropped his arrow to the ground and sat down listening.

Mus‘ab had hardly read the Qur'aan, explaining the mission with which Muhammad Ibn “Abd Allah (PBUH) came, when the conscience of Usaid began to clear and brighten and change with the effectiveness of the words. He became overwhelmed by its beauty. When Mus‘ab finished speaking, Usaid Ibn Hudair exclaimed to him and those with him, "How beautiful is this speech, and how true! How can one enter this religion?" Mus‘ab told him to purify his body and clothes and say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah."

Usaid retired for some time and then returned pouring clean water on his head and standing there proclaiming, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

The news spread like lightning and then Sa‘d Ibn Mu*aadh came and listened to Mus*ab, and he was convinced and embraced Islam. Then came Sa‘d Ibn ~Ubaadah.

There and then blessings came with their entering Islam. The people of Al-Madiinah came together asking one another,"If Usaid Ibn Hudair, Sa*d Ibn Mu'aadh and Sa*d Ibn *Ubaadah have embraced Islam, what are we waiting for? Go straight to Mus‘ab and believe. By Allah, he is calling us to the truth and the straight path!"

The first envoy of the Prophet (PBUH) succeeded without

comparison. It was a success which he deserved and to which he was equal.

The days and years passed by. The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions emigrated to Al-Madiinah, and the Quraish were raging with envy and their ungodly pursuit after the pious worshippers. So the Battle of Badr took place, in which they were taught a lesson and lost their strong hold. After that they prepared themselves for revenge, and thus came the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims mobilized themselves, and the Prophet (PBUH) stood in their midst to sort out among their faithful faces and to choose one to bear the standard. He then called for Mus‘ab the Good, and he advanced and carried the standard.

The terrible battle was raging, the fighting furious. The archers disregarded the orders of the Prophet (PBUH) by leaving their positions on the mountain when they saw the polytheists withdrawing as if defeated. But this act of theirs soon turned the victory of the Muslims to defeat. The Muslims were taken at unawares by the cavalry of the Quraish at the mountain top, and many Muslims were killed by the swords of the polytheists as a consequence.

When they saw the confusion and horror splitting the ranks of the Muslims, the polytheists concentrated on the Prophet of Allah to finish him off. Mus*ab saw the impending threat, so he raised the standard high, shouting, “Allahu Akbar! Allah is the Greatest!" like the roar of a lion. He turned and jumped left and right, fighting and Killing the foe. All he wanted was to draw the attention of the enemy to himself in order to turn their attention away from the Prophet (PBUH). He thus became as a whole army in himself. Nay, Mus‘ab went alone to fight as if he were an army of giants raising the standard in sanctity with one hand, striking with his sword with the

other. But the enemies were multiplying on him. They wanted to step on his corpse so that they could find the Prophet (PBUH).

Let us allow a living witness to describe for us the last scene of Mus*‘ab the Great. Ibn Sa‘d said: Ibraahiim Ibn Muhammad Ibn Sharhabiil Al-Abdriy related from his father, who said: Mus*ab Ibn “Umair carried the standard on the Day of Uhud. When the Muslims were scattered, he stood fast until he met Ibn Qumaah who was a knight. He struck him on his right hand and cut it off, but Mus*ab said, "<and Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him >" (3:144). He carried the standard with his left hand and leaned on it. He struck his left hand and cut it off, and so he leaned on the standard and held it with his upper arms to his chest, all the while saying, "<And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him >". Then a third one struck him with his spear, and the spear went through him. Mus‘ab fell and then the standard.

Nay, the cream of martyrdom had fallen! He fell after he had struggled for the sake of Allah in the great battle of sacrifice and faith. He had thought that if he fell, he would be a stepping stone to the death of the Prophet (PBUH) because he would be without defense and protection. But he put himself in harm's way for the sake of the Prophet (PBUH). Overpowered by his fear for and love of him, he continued to say with every sword stroke that fell on him from the foe, "<And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him >"(3:144). This verse was revealed later, after he had spoken it.

After the bitter battle, they found the corpse of the upright martyr lying with his face in the dust, as if he feared to look while

harm fell on the Prophet (PBUH). So he hid his face so that he would

avoid the scene. Or perhaps, he was shy when he fell as a martyr,

before making sure of the safety of the Prophet of Allah, and before serving to the very end, guarding and protecting him.

Allah is with you, O Mus‘ab ! What a great life story!

The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions came to inspect the scene of the battle and bid farewell to its martyrs. Pausing at Mus*ab's body, many tears dripped from the Prophet's eyes.

Khabbaab Ibn Al-Arat narrated: We emigrated with the Prophet (PBUH) for Allah's cause, so our reward became due with Allah. Some of us passed away without enjoying anything in this life of his reward, and one of them was Mus*ab Ibn *Umair, who was martyred on the Day of Uhud. He did not leave behind anything except a sheet of shredded woolen cloth. If we covered his head with it, his feet were uncovered, and if we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered. The Prophet (PBUH) said to us, "Cover his head with it and put lemon grass over his feet."