Part 72

Musailamah's schemer and the main guard of the castle inside which the apostate army took refuge.

As soon as Muhkam fell down from the hard stroke of ‘Abd

Ar-Rahman, all those around him scattered, leaving a wide entrance open so the Muslim warriors could hasten inside.

Under the standard of Islam *Abd Ar-Rahman's habits became more bright and shining. He was loyal to his conviction, completely determined to carry out and follow what was right and true, refusing all kinds of flattery and servility. All these manners were the essence of his personality as well as his whole life. He never abandoned his principles even when tempted by a desire or influenced by a fear.

Even on that terrilble day, when Muaawiyah decided to force the pledge to Yaziid by the sword. On that day, a message was sent to Marwaan, the governor of Al-Madiinah. It included the oath of allegiance which was to be read aloud in the mosque so that all the Muslims would hear it. Marwaan did what was ordered. When he finished reading it, “Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn Abi Bakr turned the atmosphere of silence and depression which covered the mosque into one of loud opposition and firm resistance saying, "By Allah, it's not the welfare of Muhammad's nation that you are seeking. On the contrary, you want to turn it into a Heraclian rule. When Heraclius dies another follows."

“Abd Ar-Rahman could clearly see the dangers awaiting Islam if Mu‘aawiyah was to carry out his desire. He could see how the transfer of power within Islam was changing from one based on national consultation by which the nation chooses its leader , to one of autocracy, by which emperors are imposed upon the people, one after the other.

‘Abd Ar-Rahman had hardly finished these firm and loud resisting words when a group of Muslims hurried to support him.

Leading them were Al-Hussain Ibn “Aliy, “Abd Allah Ibn Az-Zubair and Abd Allah Ibn “Umar.

However for some compelling reason which occurred later on,

they all were forced to hold a position of silence towards this pledge of allegiance which Mu‘aawiyah decided to take by force of sword.

But *Abd Ar-Rahman continued to resist loudly. Mu‘aawiyah sent him someone with 100,000 dirhams, hoping to please him.

Ibn As-Siddiiq threw the money and said frankly to Mu’ aawiyah's messenger, "Go back to him and tell him, it's not ~“Abd Ar-Rahman who is going to buy his life by losing his faith."

As soon as he heard the news that Mu‘aawiyah had set off towards Al-Madiinah, he left it heading to Makkah.

Allah wanted to save him the temptation of such a situation and its bad results. He had hardly reached the borders of Makkah when his soul submitted itself to Allah's appeal. Men carried the body and buried it in Makkah, which had witnessed his pagan past but also witnessed his conversion to Islam, the conversion of an honest, free, and brave man.

(49) “ABD ALLAH IBN “AMR IBN ALASS The Submissive Returner to Allah !

The submissive, repentant, ever returning worshiper whom we are going to talk about is ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas.

Just as his father was famous for his rationality and cunning

tricks, so was he famous for his highly elevated position among worshipers and hermits. His whole life was devoted to worship. Days and nights were not enough for his acts of worship.

He embraced Islam before his father. Since the day he swore the oath of allegiance, his heart shone like sunlight by means of

Allah's light and the light of obedience.

He devoted himself to reciting and understanding the Glorious Qur'aan, so that when it was completely revealed he would have learned it all by heart. He did not recite it merely by power of a retentive memory, reproducing a book learned by heart, but rather he lived according to its laws, filled his heart with its magnificence, was its obedient servant and responded to its appeals. He then dedicated himself to its reading and recitation as well as understanding it, walking most delightfully in its mellow orchards, pleased with a joyful soul, happy with its holy verses, with eyes crying in anxiety and fear due to the effect of its verses.

“Abd Allah was created to be a worshiping saint. Nothing whatsoever could distract him from what he was created for and guided to. If the army of Islam waged jihaad against the polytheists who had been attacking Islam, he could always be found insistent in the front rows, aspiring to die asa martyr. It was the aspiration of a loving soul and the insistence of a lover. When the war was over, where was he to be found ?

There in the great mosque or the small mosque beside his house, fasting in the daytime, praying at night. His tongue did not know any worldly talk no matter how legitimate it was. His tongue did not know anything but invoking of Allah, the reciting the Qur'aan, praising Allah, and asking Him His forgiveness and remission of sins.

It is worthwhile to know how deep his worship and asceticism was. The Prophet (PBUH) found himself once forced to interfere in order to limit ~Abd Allah's extremism in worship.

Therefore, the moral which can be abstracted from “Abd Allah's life is twofold. It demonstrates how excessively the human soul can be filled with an extraordinary ability to reach utmost degrees of devotion, worship, and virtue. On the other hand, it demonstrates Islam's concern to maintain a middle course and moderation, even when perfection is aspired to, lest the human soul should lose its zeal and aspiration and in order to maintain a healthy and safe body.

It reached the Prophet that “Abd Allah spent his life in a uniform manner. If there was no battle to join, then it was non-stop worshiping, fasting, praying, and reciting the Qur'aan.

The Prophet (PBUH) sent for him, appealing to him to be moderate. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Is it true what I heard, that you fast every day without eating (without breaking your fasting by one or two days) and that you pray all night without sleeping? It's enough to fast just three days every month." “Abd Allah said, "I can bear more than that !" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "It's enough to fast two days each week.” “Abd Allah said, "I can bear more than that." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Then, why don't you fast the best fasting of all, Daawud's (David's) fast; he fasted one day and ate on the other.”

The Prophet (PBUH) continued asking him, " I've been informed that you recite the whole Qur'aan in one night. I'm afraid when you get older you will feel bored reciting it. Recite it once each month. Recite it once every ten days. Recite it once every three days." Then

he said, "I fast and eat. I pray and sleep. I marry women. Whoever abstains from following my path, indeed, is not of me."

“Abd Allah lived long and when he got older and weaker he always remembered the Prophet's advice saying, "If only I had accepted the Prophet's advice."

It is not easy to find a believer of that sort engaged in a war fought by two Muslim parties against each other. How was it possible that his feet carried him from Al-Madiinah to As-Siffiin where he joined Mu*aawiyah’s army in the battle against Imam “Aliy? The more we contemplate “Abd Allah's position, the more we will find it worthy of your respect and honor.

We saw how “Abd Allah was engaged in worship in a way which truly endangered his life. His father was always concerned about this matter. Therefore, he often complained to the Prophet (PBUH). On that particular instance when the Prophet (PBUH) asked ‘Abd Allah to be moderate in worship, clearly suggesting suitable intervals, “Abd Allah's father ‘Amr was present. The Prophet (PBUH) put ‘Abd Allah's hand into his father's saying, "Do as J ordered you and obey your father."

Although “Abd Allah was obedient to his father due to his faith and belief, the Prophet's order to him in such a way and on such an occasion had a very special impact on him. ‘Abd Allah lived his whole life always remembering this short statement, "Do as I ordered

you and obey you father.”

Days and years passed. Mu’aawiyah in Syria refused to swear the oath of allegiance to “Aliy. ~Aliy refused to submit to an illegal rebellion. War broke out between the two Muslim parties. The Battle of Al-Jamal passed, and now it was the turn of As-Siffiin.

*Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas had chosen to fight on Mu*aawiyah's side. Knowing how much people trusted and acknowledged his son's faith, he found it very beneficial for Mu’ aawiyah's party to convince him to join and engage in the war. In addition, “Amr was always optimistic whenever he had *Abd Allah beside him in times of war. He could not forget his striving and endeavor in the conquest of Syria and on the Day of Yarmuuk.

When he intended to set out towards Siffiin he appealed to his son to join saying, "O “Abd Allah, get ready, you're going to fight with us." ‘Abd Allah replied, "How? The Prophet (PBUH) has entrusted me never to hold a sword to a Muslim's neck." By means of his cunning tricks, “Amr tried to convince his son that they just intended to kill ‘Uthmaan's murderers and to take revenge.

Then he surprised his son with the following words, "O “Abd Allah, do you remember the last thing the Prophet committed you to, when he put your hand over mine saying, Obey your father? I order you now to join us and fight with us."

‘Abd Allah went obediently but with the deep intention to neither carry a sword nor kill a Muslim. But how was that going to be possible? For the time being, he was just joining his father, but when the fight starts let Allah do as He wills.

It was a hard and fierce battle. Historians argue and differ among themselves, whether “Abd Allah joined the battle from the

very beginning or not.

We think that he joined it from the very beginning, because the battle had hardly begun when something happened which forced ~Abd Allah to stand openly and clearly against the whole war and against Mu‘aawiyah.

*Ammaar Ibn Yaasir, who was well respected by the Companions, was fighting on the side of Imam “Aliy. Once in the far remote past the Prophet (PBUH) had forseen ~“Ammaar's murder.

This was in the days when the Prophet (PBUH) and the Companions were building their mosque at Al-Madiinah after the Hijrah. The rocks were extremely big and even the strongest ones could not carry more than one at atime. However, ~Ammaar was so cheerful and glad that he went on carrying two rocks at a time. The Prophet (PBUH) looked at him with tearful eyes saying, "Woe upon the son of Sumaiyah. He is going to be killed by the unjust party.” All the Companions who took part in the building heard the prophecy and remembered it well. “Abd Allah Ibn “Amr was one of those who heard it.