THE STORY OF MUSAB IBN UMAIR

Indeed all praise are due Allah and we bear witness our Prophet Mohammed is the messenger and slave of Allah.

Today we start the stories of the Sahabas and we pray Allah through these stories will lead us into strengthening of our faith.

Allah says in the Noble Quran in Sarah  Yusuf 12:7

لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِى يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِۦٓ ءَايَٰتٌ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ

Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask.

These stories of our past prophets and predecessors are meant to educate us not to entertain us.

Today we talk about the story of Musab Ibn Umair.

Mus'ab bin 'Umair (Radhiyallaho anho) had been brought up with great love with his wealthy parents. It is said that he was the most well-dressed youth of Mecca. In fact his parents would buy him the most expensive clothes as soon as it is brought to the market. He was privileged to sit amongst the elders in decision making because of the status the mother provided him.

He embraced Islam in its early days, without the knowledge of his parents. He will go to Darul Arkaam to learn Islam from Rasul. When his powerful mother, Khunnas bint Malik, came to know of it she tied him with a rope and compelled him to stay at home. He got an opportunity to escape and emigrated to Abyssinia. On return from Abyssinia, he emigrated again to Madinah. So a person like him, brought up in luxury and comfort was now living a life of abstinence and austerity.

When he returned from Abyssinia the mother threw him out of the house. As she threw him out of her house and cut him off from all the material comforts she used to lavish on him, she said: 

"Go to your own business. I am not prepared to be a mother to you."

Musab went up close to her and said: 

"Mother, I advise you sincerely. I am concerned about you. Do testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His

Messenger."

"I swear by the shooting stars, I shall not enter your religion even if my opinion is ridiculed and my mind becomes impotent," she replied.

Once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) was sitting when Mus'ab (Radhiyallaho anho) passed in front of him. He had only one sheet of cloth to clothe his body, and this bore a number of patches. including one of leather. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) with tears in his eyes mentioned Mus'ah's life of luxury before Islam to those present.

In the battle of Uhud, Musab (Radhiyallaho anho) held the flag of Islam. When the Muslims on meeting defeat were dispersing in confusion. he held the flag and stood at his post like a rock protecting the prophet from the sward of the enemy. An enemy came and cut his hand with a sword. so that the' flag might fall and the defeat might be accomplished. He at once took the flag in the other hand. The enemy then cut the other hand also. He held the flag to his bosom with the help of his bleeding arms.The enemy at last pierced his body with an arrow. He fell dead and, with him fell the flag that he had not allowed to fall while he was alive. Another Muslim ran and took over the flag.

At the time of his burial, he had only one sheet to cover his body. This sheet was too short for his size. When it was drawn to cover the head. the feet would be exposed, and when it was drawn to cover the feet. the head would become uncovered.

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said:

"Cover his head with the sheet, and his feet with 'Azkhar' leaves ...

 Abu wail narrates the incident in this manner ;

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ، يَقُولُ عُدْنَا خَبَّابًا فَقَالَ هَاجَرْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نُرِيدُ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ، فَوَقَعَ أَجْرُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ، فَمِنَّا مَنْ مَضَى، لَمْ يَأْخُذْ مِنْ أَجْرِهِ شَيْئًا، مِنْهُمْ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، وَتَرَكَ نَمِرَةً، فَكُنَّا إِذَا غَطَّيْنَا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ بَدَتْ رِجْلاَهُ، وَإِذَا غَطَّيْنَا رِجْلَيْهِ بَدَا رَأْسُهُ، فَأَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ نُغَطِّيَ رَأْسَهُ، وَنَجْعَلَ عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ شَيْئًا مِنْ إِذْخِرٍ‏.‏ وَمِنَّا مَنْ أَيْنَعَتْ لَهُ ثَمَرَتُهُ فَهْوَ يَهْدِبُهَا‏.‏

We visited Khabbaba who said, "We migrated with the Prophet (ﷺ) for Allah's Sake, so our reward became due and sure with Allah. Some of us passed away without taking anything of their rewards (in this world) and one of them was Mus`ab bin `Umair who was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Uhud leaving a striped woolen cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet became naked, and when covered his feet, his head became naked. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered us to cover his head and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a special kind of grass) on his feet. (On the other hand) some of us have had their fruits ripened (in this world) and they are collecting them."   Sahih al-Bukhari 3897

Such was the end of the youth who was brought up in luxury and comfort. The person who used to wear a dress worth two hundred dirhams does not have sufficient cloth to cover his dead body.

 Narrated Sa`d from his father:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَكِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ أُتِيَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامِهِ فَقَالَ قُتِلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ ـ وَكَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي ـ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُجِّلَتْ لَنَا طَيِّبَاتُنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَبْكِي‏.‏

Once the meal of `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf was brought in front of him, and he said, "Mus`ab bin `Umair was martyred and he was better than I, and he had nothing except his Burd (a black square narrow dress) to be shrouded in. Hamza or another person was martyred and he was also better than I and he had nothing to be shrouded in except his Burd. No doubt, I fear that the rewards of my deeds might have been given early in this world." Then he started weeping. Sahih al-Bukhari 1274

I choose his story because it has a correlation with the youth of our time. Can we sacrifice our so called fancy dressing to dress like the way Islam thought us? Can we abandon the games and or the activities that send us away from the pleasure of Allah?

Musab had it all but when he saw hedaaya he didn't fancy those worldly things again. Subhaana-Allah Today if you do a similar thing people will say you are mad. How many of us here will sacrifice our time to go out to people to do Dawa?

Let's learn from the story of Musab and Submit to Allah

 May Allah increases us in iman

BY: ABDINA ALI ISSIFU