Part 70

It seems that when Sa‘d saw Makkah in a state of surrender and helplessness, he saw flashbacks of the abuse and torture that the believers and he himself had suffered at one time at the hands of disbelievers. He recalled all the wars they had waged against the Muslims who called for monotheism just because they believed that there is no god but Allah. His stern nature made him rejoice at the Quraish's calamity and vow revenge.

On the one hand, “Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, along with his companions, took the side of Abu Bakr and held fast to their opinion. On the other hand, Sa‘d Ibn *Ubaadah, along with his companions, took the other side and held fast to it. This angered many of the Prophet's Companions who held Ibn ‘Ubaadah responsible for such a dispute.

However, Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubaadah was only being himself when he held fast to his viewpoint, for as we have already said, he always held tenaciously to his convictions and insisted on being outspoken and precise concerning exactly where he stood. This feature came out clearly at the Battle of Hunain before the Prophet himself. When the Muslims were victorious in battle, the Prophet (PBUH) always distributed the spoils of war among all the Muslims, yet on that particular day, he took special care of those whose hearts Allah had joined, namely, the elite who had committed themselves to Islam a short time before, so as to help them discipline themselves by this privilege. He did not give anything to the Muslims in whom Islam was deeply rooted, as he thought that their Islam sufficed them. He gave to the warriors who were in need. The Prophet's mere bounty was an honor most people competed for. The war booty became an important source of revenue on which the Muslims lived. Therefore, the Angaar bitterly wondered what made the Prophet deprive them of the booty .

Hassan Ibn Thaabit, the poet of the Ansaar, recited lines of poetry that mean: Go to the Prophet and say you are the best among all human beings. Why should you invite Sulaim tribe to take a share of war spoils although they are mere Muhaajiruun while you deprived the Angaar who gave shelter, support and help to Muhaajiruun. Allah called them the Ansaar because they believed in and supported the religion of guidance in the time of fierce struggle and war. They rushed to strive in the way of Allah and endured difficulties and hardships without getting weary or losing faith.

In those lines, the poet of the Prophet and the Ansaar expressed quite eloquently the embarrassment and disappointment the Angaar felt when the Prophet gave his Companions the spoils of war and did not give them anything.

The leader of the Ansaar, Sa*d Ibn *Ubaadah, realized the dilemma they were in, as he heard people talk about it secretly. This did not appeal to him, so urged by his candor, he went immediately to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this group of the Ansaar are displeased with what you did with the spoils of war. You have distributed war booty among your people and were most generous to the Arab tribes, but you did not give the Ansaar

Thus, the frank man got it off his chest and gave the Prophet a candid account of the situation. The Prophet (PBUH) asked him, “What is your opinion about it?" Sa‘d answered with the same bluntness, "I have the same viewpoint as my people." Then the Prophet (PBUH) asked him to gather the Ansaar. We must narrate the story to its very end as it is irresistably fascinating.

When the Prophet (PBUH) came where the Ansaar gathered, he looked at their disgruntled faces, and his smile brightened with gratitude and appreciation. Then he said, "O Ansaar, I heard that an incident that happened recently made you feel ill at ease. Now, didn't I find you ignorant and guided you to the way of Allah. Didn't I find you poor and Allah enriched you of His bounty? And didn't I find you enemies and Allah joined your hearts together?"

They answered, "Indeed, Allah and His Prophet are far more generous and better."

The Prophet then said, "Don't you have anything to say?”

They answered, "There is nothing to be said but that Allah and His Prophet have the grace and bounty.”

The Prophet (PBUH) then said, "By Allah, you could have justly said, We believed in you at a time when all called you a liar. We supported you at a time when you were frustrated. We gave you our money at a time when you were poor and we even sheltered you at a time when you were homeless. O Ansaar, are you upset for a thing so trivial and worldly that I gave to some people so as to join their hearts to Islam and left you out of it, believing that your Islam sufficed you? Is it not enough for you that the rest of the people will go home with a sheep or a camel, whereas you will return accompanied by the Prophet's love and appreciation? By Allah, if I were not one of the Muhaajiruun I would rather be one of the Ansgaar, and if people moved in different ways, I would choose the way taken by the Ansaar. Allah, do have mercy on the Ansaar, their children, and their children's children."

By the time the Prophet (PBUH) concluded his words, their beards were wet with tears, for the words of the great Prophet filled their hearts with tranquility and enriched their souls. All of them including Sa‘d cried out, "It is enough for us to have the Prophet's love as our reward."

In the first days of “Umar's caliphate, Sad went to the Commander of the Faithful and said with his extreme candor, "By Allah, we prefer your companion Abu Bakr over you. By Allah, I cannot stand to live near you." “Umar calmly answered, " Anyone who hates his company should seek a better one elsewhere." Sa*d said, " I will indeed seek better company somewhere else.”

Sa‘d words to ‘Umar were not an expression of hate or spite, for the man who was satisfied with the Prophet's love as his reward

cannot possibly deny loyality to such a man as ‘Umar, whom the Prophet (PBUH) had always cherished and honored. It was just that Sa*d Ibn ‘Ubaadah did not want to wait around for some event to

come up and result in an inevitable dispute between him and the Commaner of the Faithful ‘Umar Ibn AlKhattaab, a thing he did not want or accept. Sa‘d was one of the Companions whom the Qur'aan described as "merciful among themselves." He traveled to Syria. Shortly after he had settled in the Hauran plateau, he died and went back to the Lord the Most Merciful.

(47) USAAMAH IBN ZAID The Beloved Son of the Beloved

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, Commander of the Faithful, sat down to distribute money from the treasury among the Muslims.

It was “Abd Allah Ibn *Umar's turn, and “Umar gave him his share. Then it was the turn of Usaamah Ibn Zaid. ‘Umar gave him double of what he gave his son “Abd Allah. As ‘Umar gave people according to their merit and endeavor, “Abd Allah Ibn ‘Umar was afraid that his position was not as highly acknowledged as he desired, to be one of the closest to Allah through his obedience, endeavor, piety, and asceticism.

Therefore, he asked his father, “You preferred Usaamah, although I experienced with the Messenger of Allah what he did not." ‘Umar answered, "Usaamah was more beloved by the Prophet (PBUH) than you were, and his father was more beloved by the Prophet (PBUH) than your father was."

Who was it, together with his father that was so close to the

Prophet's heart and love? It was a high position which Ibn “Umar did not reach, nor did his father, ‘Umar himself.

Who was it? It was Usaamah Ibn Zaid who has been called among the Prophet's Companions "The Beloved Son of the Beloved”.

His father was Zaid Ibn Haarithah*, the Prophet's servant, who preferred the Prophet (PBUH) over own his father, mother,and kin. He was with him when the Prophet (PBUH) stood in front of a large group of Companions saying, " I let you bear witness that Zaid is my son, inheriting from me and | inheriting from him."

* His biography has previously been mentioned.

His name remained Zaid Ibn Muhammad until the practice of child adoption was abolished by the Qur'aan. Usaamah is his son.

His mother was Umm Aiman, the Prophet's servant and nurse maid.

Usaamah's physical appearance made him appear a good-fornothing. Historians and narrators described him as being darkskinned and snub-nosed. By these two words, not more, did history

summarize Usaamah's physical appearance.

However, since when did Islam ever care about a person's physical characteristics? Was it not the Prophet (PBUH) who said, "Maybe a Muslim's hair is unkempt and his feet covered with dust and his clothes are not neat, but, if he swore by Allah he would fulfill his oath?"

Therefore, let us set his appearance aside. Leave his dark skin and snub nose alone; nothing of that sort has weight in Islam. Let us instead take stock of his loyalty. How was his devotion? How was his virtue? How was his honesty? How was his piety? How great was his soul? On account of the qualities of his soul, he reached a worthiness that made him eligible to receive the Prophet's infinite love and acknowledgement: " Usaamah Ibn Zaid is the most beloved to me and I wish him to be one of the virtuous. I recommend you to treat him well."

Usaamah (May Allah be pleased with him) had all the great characteristics which enabled him to be so close to the Prophet's heart and beloved in his eyes. He was the son of two generous Muslims