The Living Legacy of the Ṣaḥābah (Shadows in the Sun)

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Qabeelat ZamZam Shadows in the Sun

Shaykh Abdul Hakim Quick

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Table of Contents

I. The Custodian of the Ummah- Amir b’ Abdullah b. al-Jarrah - 3

II. The Master of Al-Quran- Abdullah b. Mas’ud - 4 III. The First Ambassador of Islam- Mus’ab b Umayr- 5

IV. The Knight of the Prophet: Muhammed b. Masalamah.- 7 V. The First Translator of the Meaning of Al- Quran: Salman Al

Farsi - 8 VI. The Host of the Prophet- Abu Ayyub- 9

VII. The Man For whom the Throne of Allah Shook- Sa’d bin Mu’adh- 10

VIII. Female Shadows in the Sun- 11 IX. The Second Mother of the Prophet- Barakah- 11

X. The Hidden Advisor of the Messenger of Allah – Hind bint Sahayl of Banu Makhzum- 12

XI. The Representative of the Women of Al-Madinah – Nusaybah bint Ka’b- 13

XII. The First Islamic Center Sanctuary of the New Muslims- 14 XIII. One of the Greatest Sales in History - 14

XIV. The First Muslim to Enter Makkah Reciting Talbiyah- 15 XV. The Keeper of Secrets of Allah’s Messenger - 16

Suggestions for Further Reading - 18



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I. The Custodian of the Ummah- Amir b’ Abdullah b. al-Jarrah a. Also known as Abu Ubaydah b. Was described as one of the three people of the Quraysh that were the

best in character and most modest. These three people of the Quraysh never deceived anyone nor accused anyone of lying

i. Abu Bakr ii. Uthman b Affan

iii. Abu Ubaydah c. What people don’t know is that Abu Ubaydah accepted Islam one day

right after Abu Bakr i. Suffered through all the injustices that early Muslims faced in

Makkah ii. Suffered a personal tragedy in the Battle of Badr when he was

forced to take the life of his own father, Abdullah b al Jarrah 1. Surah al-Mujadilah, Verse 22 was revealed to highlight

this event 2. Didn’t put family over religious duty 3. He broke away from the tribalistic culture.

d. True demonstration of selflessness in the Battle of Uhud where he was one of the ten that rescued the Prophet by enclosing him with his body and sacrificing their own personal safety.

e. The most important trait of Abu Ubaydah did not seek power, he did not want to be a leader.

i. He refused leadership when asked to take the role of khalifa 1. He pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr 2. Remained a close advisor to the first 2 khalifat

f. During the khalifa of Umar, Abu Ubaydah was struck ill with the plague while leading the army into Syria.

i. Refused to leave his army brothers when requested by Umar to come back

ii. Important points Abu Ubaydah gave his last advice to the Muslim Ummah

1. establish prayer 2. pay zakah/give sadaqa 3. Fast in the month of Ramadan 4. Perform Hajj/Umrah 5. Be sincere to your leaders/don’t conceal anything from

your leaders 6. Be united/stay united. Don’t let the Dunia(world)

destroy/ deceive you. Death will come to everyone, regardless if a man has lived a long and full life.

g. The prophet was reported to have said “Verily every nation has an amin (trustworthy custodian) and you (Abu Ubaydah) are the custodian of this ummah” (Muslim)

h. Gems



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i. Allah has given natural limits in terms of modesty and shyness. In today’s world, shyness is connected with weakness and immaturity. This is very wrong. This is a grand misconception.

ii. Shyness is connected to shame, to humility, to being humble, to being calm and collected. Shyness is lowering your gaze. Its giving everyone their own space- hadud= limits

iii. One must be brave but NOT arrogant. iv. Be as a warrior that does calligraphy

II. The Master of Al-Quran- Abdullah b. Mas’ud a. The closest person resembling the prophet(s) with his manner and his

traits is Abdullah b. Mas’ud. i. Was the 6th person to accept Islam

ii. He was known as Ibn Umm Abd (son of the mother of a slave), also known as “lil Yemini”

iii. Was trained in the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed (sallahu alayhi wasallam) himself

1. Tended to every need of the Prophet 2. Accompanied him on trips

b. Had the BEST recitation of the Quran AND the most knowledgeable in its tafseer (circumstances)

i. The prophet cried when Ibn Mas’ud would recite Quran ii. He was SO much into the Quran, he was like a nuclear physicist.

iii. Demonstration of the deep knowledge and understanding of the Quran in his own words

1. By Him whom there is no god, no verse of the Book of Allah has been revealed without my knowing where it was revealed and the circumstances of its revelation. By Allah, if I knew there was anyone who knew more of the Book of Allah, I will do whatever is in my power to be with him”

a. He knew the when, where and the circumstances of each revelation

iv. During the khalifa of Umar, it was reported that he met a caravan. Four questions were posed by Umar to this caravan. And determined from the answers that Ibn Mas’ud was on this caravan

1. Which part of the Quran is the greatest? a. Ayatul Kursi (Surah Baqarah: 255)

2. Which part of the Quran is the most clear on justice? a. Surah Nahl: 90-“Allah commands people with

justice and righteousness, and bringing together your family, and he forbids you from corruption and evil and injustice, and he teaches you in order that you reflect”



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3. What is the most comprehensive statement of the Quran

a. Surah al-Zilzal: 7-8- “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good, he will see it, and if he does an atom’s weight of evil, he will see it.”

4. Which part of the Quran gives rise to the most hope? a. Surat al-Zumar: 53- “Say my servants who have

harmed themselves, do not despair from the mercy of Allah, for verily Allah forgives all sins.”

v. It was reported that a companion, Masrukh, stated: I tested them, I looked at them, I checked them out, and I found that their knowledge ended with six people. So with these six people, the knowledge is ended. And then he named them.

1. Omar Ibn khattab, Ali ibn Abutalib, Abudllahi Ibn masood, Ubay ibn Kaab, Abu Darda, & Zaid ibn thabid

2. If anyone had a serious question, you would go and ask one of these 6 sahabah for a definite answer.

3. Then Masrusk says, Then I checked out the six, and their knowledge ended with two, Ali ibn Abutalib, and Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud.

vi. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, MASTER of the Quran did NOT sit at home and just read Quran all day. Such is the example of today’s qaris.

1. He witnessed great battles and implemented the knowledge of the Quran in his life.

2. Went to Abyssinia to defend Islam 3. Was brutally beaten by the Quraysh when he read

Quran openly in the early days of Islam

III. The First Ambassador of Islam- Mus’ab b Umayr a. Was born into luxury and wealth in Makkah and from an early age got

special attention and care. b. He was considered the best dressed, most intelligent, handsome

young man of his time. (modern day fashion statement) c. Knew developments with the society and demonstrated leadership

traits at an young age i. Was groomed for leadership at a young age due the honor the

Quraysh gave him at their gatherings. d. Mus’ab was informed of Muhammad’s secret meetings at the house of

al-arqam near the mount of al-safa.. i. One day, he proceeded to the house and witnessed the

prophet’s teachings and the recitation of Quran himself. ii. He entered the house and he was so afraid that his heart was

beating heavily. The prophet (s) put his hand on his chest and



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rubbed it circular like a massage, to calm him down, then they read Quran to him.

e. Reading Quran to the people of Makkah and surrounding Arab nations was the best form of Dawah, because they understand the Arabic and the depth of it.

i. The beautiful rhymed poetry and prose found in the Quran was non-existent.

f. His mother found out he became Muslim, and so locked him up in a corner of their house. Despite being watched by armed guards, he escaped the imprisonment and fled to Abyssinia in the first Hijrah. Longing for Makkah, he returned at the first opportunity, only to be cut off completely by his mother. (homeless)

g. From a fashion statement with the best of clothes to being homeless and in rags- was given glad tidings by the Prophet. The companions wept at the sight of Mus’ab bin Umayr

h. When the Prophet was expanding this horizons to Ta’if and Yathrib i. He sent Mus’ab bin Umayr as the “first ambassador”

ii. Bringing people into Islam is a process. Need to choose someone with the RIGHT skill set and talent to talk to the community and keep people into the deen

iii. Mus’ab was chosen for his character, fine manners, knowledge and recitation of Quran. Perfect dai’yah- natural communicator

iv. He was a balanced individual, knew the right thing to say in situations

i. Before the hijrah, the prophet sent 2 companions to the front lines. Mus’ab bin Umayr and the blind man, Abdullah b Umm Maktum. They both set the stage within Medina

j. Built the community in Medina, he earned the title “Mus’ab al- Khayr” (Mus’ab the Good)

k. During the battle of Badr, he broke completely with jahliya and tribal notions. He held his own blood brother captive for ransom/money.

l. During the noted “awkward hour of my life” during the time of the Prophet, which is the Battle of Uhud

i. Mus’ab bin Umayr died as a martyr during this battle ii. Upon hearing rumors that the Prophet had passed during this

Battle, Mus’ab held the flag of Islam high and shouted “Muhammed is only a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him”

1. These words were later completed and reveled to the Prophet as part of the Quran

a. Surah al-Imran iii. The Quraysh cut all the extremities of Mus’ab. It was known

that the Quraysh mutilated the bodies of the dead. When the Prophet was burying the dead at the Mount Uhud, he cried



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1. Mus’ab had ALL the best clothing, fashion and at the end of his life, there was not enough clothing to even cover his own body

2. SubhanAllah, Mus’ab had attained everlasting reward in Junnah.

iv. Gems: 1. We need to be educated in Islam and be on the

frontlines in teaching others about Islam 2. Study in the art of communication and culture 3. Mus’ab had the experience of being a non-believer, so

he knew how to communicate with them to show them how their non-belief was not the correct path, because he lived it.

4. It is Fardh-kifayah for at least one person in the community to be reaching out to the non-muslims about Dawah. So if this person is not in every community, then the entire community is in sin.

5. Dawah is extremely important. There is a huge reward for somebody accepting Islam by your hands.

6. The best dawah is to be kind to your neighbor.

IV. The Knight of the Prophet: Muhammed b. Masalamah. a. Accepted Islam in Yathrib in the hands of Mus’ab b Umayr b. Was a tall, dark, powerful, a giant amongst the Sahabah, in body and in

deeds. c. It was important, when the Prophet entered Medina, a place where he

is a minority, that he established authority and relations amongst ALL populations, Muslims and non muslims

i. 1. Founded a community center/mosque ii. strengthened brotherhood bonds. Paired Meccans with Ansaar

iii. Created Constitution of Medina that gave the majority group (Jewish tribes) the ability to be a nation amongst themselves, practice their religion

d. This is important to remember, Masalamah was paired with Abu Ubaydah, the custodian of Islam

i. Shared many traits similar to one another. ii. Masalamah was a distinguished horseman, he was a strong and

smart warrior iii. Can be known as the Secret Service of the Prophet, sent on

special missions and took part in all of the major military campaigns.

e. In the Battle of Uhud, Masalamah is one of the ten that shielded the Prophet with his body, sacrificing his own personal safety.



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f. Sent on special operations and performed each of this missions against the enemies of Islam by the orders of the Prophet. He became known as the “Knight of the Prophet”

g. During the rule of Umar b. al-khattab, Muhamad became a minister and close confidante and advisor, such as a war advisor during troubling times.

i. One important mission was in Egypt. The leadership in Egypt had always been very valuable and very rich. And so in Egypt, they built a palace and had like five-course meals. And then the wealth was not being distributed properly, and so the majority of wealth was going to the Muslim leadership, and not the helpers.

ii. Masalamah came and when he was offered a huge meal to receive him by the leader of Egypt, he took out a piece of bread and some salt, and started eating that instead, and then he handed a message to him with the orders that he is not distributing the wealth properly and that he needs to wake up and fix his mistake.

iii. And then he burned his palace to the ground and said “you’re not going to do this” He was like the angel of death when he came. He would keep everybody in line. He was the special person who would go in and set things straight.

h. When the civil war broke out in the time of Uthman b. Affan, Muhamed b Musalamah refused to participate.

i. He broke the sword that the Prophet gave to him in demonstration of his refusal to use his own sword against other Muslims

i. This is one of the best shadows in the sun because he was so hidden in the things he used to do and nobody even knows his name. He was one of the true shadows in the sun because his actions were kept unknown, yet he had accomplished so much.

V. The First Translator of the Meaning of Al- Quran: Salman Al Farsi

a. Salman al-Farsi grew up in Isfahan, Persia, in the home of a village chief.

b. From an early age, he become devoted to Magian religion and obtained the position of the custodian of the sacred flame.

c. He possessed a sharp intelligence and on meeting the Christian area, became impressed by their concepts of God.

i. Was imprisoned by his own father but Salman escaped for the pursuit of the truth and joined a caravan to Syria, birthplace of Christianity

d. Served, for 25 years, as a student to Christian high bishops



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i. The last bishop informed Salman of an Arab prophet that would be extremely honest AND would not consume charity

e. Salman Paid a group of merchants from the tribe of Kalb to take him to the land of the Arabs but they deceived him and sold him to a Jew who later sold him as a slave to his nephew from Bani Qurayzah of Yathrib.

i. This is how Salman ends up in Medinah ii. Still is searching for the truth and One God

f. Salman studied about what the last prophet would be, i.e. his signs. He was given information by Christian monks. The prophet would have certain signs.

i. He gave the prophet (s) dates as a charity, and then the prophet (s) did not eat from it and instead gave it to his companions. (does not eat from charity)

ii. He then came back the next day with more dates and gave them as a gift, and the prophet (s) ate from it with his companions. (accepts gifts)

iii. He then started looking for the seal of prophet hood. And when he saw it on his back, he became happy and the prophet (s) paid for his freedom and he became part of the Muslim community. (Mark on the Prophet’s shoulder)

g. The prophet paired Salman al Farsi with Abu Dardah, due to their similar personalities

h. Before the Battle of the Khandaq(trench), the advice Salman gave during the shura was taken, to build a trench in Medina to cover the weakest part of the city from the Quraysh

i. Significance of the Prophet calling Salman “ah’l bayt” from my own house. Salman is not a native Arab, he is from Persia. However, the Prophet accepted him as a brother, regardless of blood lines, culture, language. We need to take this as an example, to not have your culture define you, but your brotherhood and Islam

j. With Salman’s knowledge of the Persona language, he was able to translate the MEANING of the Quran in another language.

k. He died 35 yrs after Hijrah in Iraq. i. Was made governor of Iraq

ii. Gave his stipend, 5000 dirhams, to charity 1. Gained his own employment within the city

l. Gems: We all need balance in our lives. Take care of the family, and the body, and the worship all equally.

VI. The Host of the Prophet- Abu Ayyub a. Also known as Khalid b Zayd b Kulayb of Bany Najjar

i. The same tribe of the mother of the Prophet, Aminah



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b. He was a prominent part of Yathrib and one of the representatives who swore allegiance to the Prophet (s) at the second Pledge of al-aqabah.

c. When the prophet (s) reached Medinah after his long and dangerous Hijrah, the whole city came out to greet him and every family wanted the honor of hosting him.

d. Instead of making a personal decision, the Prophet (s) let his camel decide, saying “it is under command” The camel rested in front of the house of Abu Ayyub

e. The prophet stayed with him for seven months f. In the war against the Romans, Yazid b. Mu’awiyah, the commander,

found Abu Ayyub had fallen ill and had to leave the battlefield. Abu Ayyub encouraged the Muslims to continue on and take his body to the walls of Constantinople.

g. Then he breathed his last and his will was carried out. Although it took centuries to finally conquer the city for Islam, Abu Ayyub was buried at its walls and his grave is still a place of respect protected by even the Christians.

h. Gems: be a good host, be patient, and be loyal and sincere to your leaders that obey Allah

VII. The Man For whom the Throne of Allah Shook- Sa’d bin Mu’adh

a. Sa’d b. Mu’adh was a tall, powerfully built man of great importance to his tribe, Banu ‘Abd’l-ash-hal in Yathrib.

i. He accepted Islam at the hands of Mus’ab b. Umayr (Ambassador of Islam)

ii. His house was the first house to accept Islam in Yathrib iii. One of the three leaders of the major tribes in Yathrib,

significant conversion b. Sa’d represented the voice of the Ansar fo Medinah and during

the battle of Badr, he was given the flag to represent the Ansar. c. When the messenger of Allah (Sallallahualaihiwasalaam) asked for a

pledge to engage the Quraysh at Badr, Sa’d made one of the most inspiring speeches ever made by a companion. It was a needed speech at the time.

d. During the battle of the Trench, Sa’d was struck with an arrow, he was losing blood quickly.

i. While injured, the Prophet called Sa’d to make a judgment on the treachery of one of the Jewish tribes, Banu Qurayzah.

ii. Sa’d used Mosaic law, Jewish law, and Islamic law. Gave them FULL punishment for their betrayal and treason.

iii. It was after this that Sa’d passed away from his wounds. 1. It was reported that the Prophet

(Sallallahualaihiwasalaam) said that the angels were



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carrying the coffin of Sa’d when one of the hypocrites joked that the coffin was light

e. The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahualaihiwasalaam) reported to have said “ The Throne of Al-Rahman shook at the death of Sa’d b. Muadh!” (Bukhari and Muslim).

f. Gem: Sa’d was not an upfront person, he was a sincere and dedicated Muslim. Sa’d was important to Allah for his firm dedication to the community and traits.

VIII. Female Shadows in the Sun a. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was not only the first to believe, but also she

helped to consolidate the Prophet (s) and his companions in the early days.

b. Sumayyah, the wife of Yasir and the mother of Ammar, was the first shahidah (martyr) from the Prophet Muhammad (s)’s followers

c. Aishah bint Abu Bakr memorized and narrated more than two thousand ahadith (sayings of the prophet (s))

d. Muslim women suffered through the Makkan period, made hijrah as well to Abyssinia and Medinah, participated in military campaigns.

i. In the second pledge of Aqabah, there were 73 men, and 2 women representatives

e. In most cases, due to modesty and their sincerity to Allah, the names of these Muslim women are not known, true shadows in the sun.

IX. The Second Mother of the Prophet- Barakah a. The exact roots of the ancestry of the young Abyssinian girl were

unknown but she ended up like people of many nations; in a slave market in Makkah

b. Barakah was fortunate, however, and ended up in the kind, generous hands of Abdullah b. Abd’l Muttalib. She was the only servant in the household and became responsible for the domestic affairs of Abdullah’s young wife, Aminah

c. Aminah’s pain when she found her husband was traveling north turned to sorrow and then uncontrollable grief when she heard of the death of Abdullah in Gaza. Then, Muhammad was born: a blessed child, on a blessed night, Barakah was there for him, even in his matrimonial home with Khadijah!, she held him first.

i. She has a longer relationship with the prophet (s) than probably any person in the world.

d. When Muhammad was six years old, Aminah and Barakah made the perilous journey north to visit the grave of Abdullah. Aminah became deathly ill and commended her son to the care of Barakah. “Be a mother to him, Barakah and don’t ever leave him” she said.

i. Barakah buried Aminah with her own hands, dug the ground and moistened the soil with her tears. Comforted the child and returned to his grandfather in Makkah.



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e. She eventually married Ubayd b. Zayd of the Khazraj, went to Yathrib, and gave birth to a son, Ayman. Thereafter she was called “Umm Ayman” This marriage did not last long for her husband passed away. Barakah returned to her “son” (Muhammad (S)) and his wife Khadijah.

f. On one occasion, the Prophet (s) said “If one of you desires to marry a woman from the people of paradise, let him marry Umm Ayman!” Zayd came forward and they were soon married.

i. Their son Usamah became one of the most beloved youth to the prophet (S) and one of the most distinguished leaders of the Muslim army.

g. Umm Ayman and Zayd b. Harithah accepted Islam with the household of the Prophet (s) in the early days of the message. They were part of a type of secret information service for the new Muslims, as they would carry valuable information through the roadbocks and obstacles of the mushrikin (polytheists) to the house of al-arqam.

h. When the prophet (s) mnigrated to yathrib, he left Umm Ayman to take care of some of the affairs of his household. She made the hijrah on her own, braving through the harsh terrain to be with her beloved.

i. When she arrived in Madinah, the prophet cried out “Ya umm ayman, ya ummi, surely there is a place in paradise for you”

i. Throughout her long life, she maintained her promise of always being selflessly devoted to the Messenger of Allah (S)

j. She died during the khilafah of Uthman b. Affan. Her roots were unknown, but her place in paradise was guaranteed!

k. On the day the prophet died, she cried, People asked her why she was crying, she said I knew the prophet (s) would die, I am crying because the revelation has ended (there will be no more revelation).

i. REAL Shadow in the Sun. Not many people know the story of Barakah or even remember what/who she was

X. The Hidden Advisor of the Messenger of Allah – Hind bint Sahayl of Banu Makhzum

a. Also known as Umm Salamah. She and her husband, Abdullah, accepted Islam just after Abu Bakr and a few others.

b. They suffered so much to the early Makkan period that the prophet (S) said they were allowed to make the hijrah to Abyssinia.

c. They missed the city life of Makkah very much and decided to make the hijrah from Makkah to Medinah when the torment and pain became unbearable.

i. The family of Abu Salamah was held captive by their tribe, Bany Makhzum

1. Abdullah was let go but Hind and her son were held captive



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2. She would cry and cry every day until one day her captives said “just let her go”

3. She was reunited with her family after a year d. Abu Salamah was later wounded in the battle of Badr and eventually

succumbed to his injuries. i. On his deathbed, he related to Umm Salamah, “I heard the

messenger of Allah saying “Whenever a calamity afflicts anyone, he should say “Surely from Allah we are and to Him we shall certainly return.” And he should pray, “O lord, give me in return something good from it which only You, Exalted and Mighty can give.”

ii. Umm Salamah made this duaa at her husband’s death but wondered who could be better than her own husband.

1. She had many proposals made to her. 2. When the Prophet himself came to Umm Salamah with a

proposal, she didn’t accept without telling him about her three characteristics, She was a clearly very opinionated woman

a. Extremely jealous, does not want to be angry at the prophet

b. She is older in age c. She has a young family

3. The Prophet replied that he will pray to Allah to remove her jealousy, as for age, he is afflicted with the same, and her family is also the family of the Prophet

e. Umm Salamah accepted the proposal, and bcame Umm al-Mu’minin, a trusted advisor and loyal wife to the Prophet

f. She narrated 387 Hadith, and was a specialist on the Fiqh issues relating to Foster relations, suckling, and divorce

g. She lived to be 84 yrs old, became the last of the wives to pass away

XI. The Representative of the Women of Al-Madinah – Nusaybah bint Ka’b

a. Also known as Umm Amarah b. A highly intelligent, courageous, and resolute Muslimah. She

witnessed many military campaigns, including Uhud, Hudaybiyyah, Khaybar, Hunayn, and Battle of Yamamah

c. She was one of 2 women, the other being Asma bint ‘Amr of Bany Salamah, to represent the women of Yathrib. This was a significant and decisive moment in history. She gave a voice to an unspoken for population. She gave bayaa to the Prophet.

d. During the awkward hour during the life of the Prophet, in the battle of Uhud, she was one of the ten Muslims that defended the Prophet with her body.



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i. When there were men passing the Prophet during Uhud in fear from the Makkans, the Prophet asked one of them to give his shield to Nusaybah!

1. She suffered 12 wounds on her back during this heroic defense

e. This was Nusaybah. She was hit and harmed with a very deep wound while trying to defend the prophet (s). She tried to get up to fight again, and she fainted and they said stay down don’t go. But she wanted to go even when she was wounded like that.

f. After the death of the Messenger of Allah, she continued serving the muslim ummah and even went out to the Battle of Yamamah against Musaylimah, the liar. She again received over twelve wounds and got her hand cut off. THIS is a serious sister.

g. Her heroism never stopped her from fulfilling her role as a mother, a faithful wife and being a loyal believer.

h. Gem: This is a reminder to women in Islam, to take part in the Islamic revival; we need to have multiple roles. We need to be contributors to society, education, family obligations, and giving dawah.

XII. The First Islamic Center Sanctuary of the New Muslims a. The home of al-Arqam b Abi’l-Arqam b. Asad

i. He accepted Islam just after Abu Bakr b. Muslims were in need of a shelter to learn Islam in and to meet the

Messenger c. During the fifth year of the Prophethood, took the home of Al-Arqam,

near the al-Safa mountain as the home for Islamic activities. d. Al-Arqam gave his home as a place of sadaqah in the name of his son,

A small act with large benefits and effects

XIII. One of the Greatest Sales in History a. Twenty years earlier, an Arab governor of the Persian city of Uballah,

Sinan b. Malik lived in luxury i. His son, Suhayb, was captured at the age of 5 by Byzantine

raiders ii. He was sold to the slave market in Constantinople in the

Roman empire and spent his youth in slavery b. Suhayb learned Greek and almost forgot his native Arabic. He never

did forget that he as a child of the desert. He escaped and ended up in Makkah

c. Suhayb became a client of a rich merchant. People called him Suhayb ar-Rumi because of his heavy accent and his blonde hair.

i. He accepted Islam in the house of al-Arqam d. He suffered through all of the trials of the Makkan period and was

imprisoned at the beginning of the hijrah. During a seemingly unsuccessful escape attempt, he bartered all of his riches for his



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freedom. The Prophet (s) told him “your transaction has been fruitful, O abu Yahya.”

e. He sold ALL of his property to Allah and gained eternal bliss f. He became known as “Sabiq-ar-Rum” “The forerunner of the Roman

Muslims”

XIV. The First Muslim to Enter Makkah Reciting Talbiyah a. His name was Thumamah b. Uthal of Banu Hanifa at al-Yamanah b. He had a strong desire to kill the Prophet and end his mission. In this

pursuit of hate and evil, he had killed many Muslims on his journey and was considered the most wanted man.

c. They brought him to Madinah and tied him to a pole in the masjid. d. The prophet (S) was surprised to find out whom the captive was and

offered him to become Muslim. Thumama held out for three days trying to bargain for his freedom. All the while, he observed the brotherhood of the Muslim.

e. After the third day, the Prophet released him and he set off the city. Allah opened his heart and he returned to announce his Islam.

f. He pledged himself to Islam and was told to continue his Umrah to Makkah. He entered Makkah shouting talbiyah and was nearly killed by the Quraysh

g. Thumama declared a boycott on all supplies going to Makkah. It was so effective that the Quraysh had to plead with the Prophet (s) to have it lifted.

h. There was a terrible physical and psychological blow to the Quraysh once the embargo was lifted. This led to the opening of Makkah.

XV. A Valuable Transformation a. Al Tufayl of Amr al-Dawsi was a well known of Arab leader known for

his good deeds and characters b. He was highly interested in literature and distinguished himself as a

master poet c. Al-Tufayl journeyed from his village of Tihamah to and set out to

Makkah. d. He was respected by Quraysh and found himself immersed into a new

battle of words. The nobles of Quraysh warned him of Mohammed and how he had bewitched the people of Makkah with his words.

e. Al-Tufayl made his mind up and continued with his idolatry in Makkah.

f. When he came into the Kabah, al-Tufayl was captivated by the words of Quran and the mannerisms of Mohammed.

i. The prophet recited Surah Ikhlas and Surah Falaq.. “I swear by Allah, I had never heard such beautiful words before. Neither was a more noble or just mission ever described to me”

ii. He immediately accepted Islam g. He was then sent back to his people to purify them of idolatry. Back in

Tihamah, the people of Daws were afraid of the ramifications of the



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destruction of their god. When Tufayl set fire to the idol, nothing happened (obviously)

XVI. The Keeper of Secrets of Allah’s Messenger a. Hudayfah b. al-Yaman was raised as a muslim as his father’s tribe

announced their Islam before the Hijrah, and his parents were among the first people in Yathrib to accept the faith. He had become a Muslim before he met the Prophet (s)

b. Hudayfah became closer to the Messenger of Allah (s) right from the beginning of the Madinan experience and participated in all of the major battles except Badr.

c. In the battle of Uhud, Hudayfah’s father was killed accidentally by the Muslim’s Soldiers! It was a great shock and a source of great sorrow for Hudayfah, but he refused to take blood money, forgave the Muslims and donated the compensation to the poor.

d. This humble stance raised his stature in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (s) who noticed in him three qualities: Unique intelligence in difficult situations, spontaneous response to the call for action, and a unique ability to keep secrets.

e. Because of the last ability to keep secrets, the prophet (s) confided in him the names of the hypocrites. He had to watch this dangerous group and shield the muslims from their evil plots. For this, he became known as “ the keeper of secrets of Allah’s Messenger (s)”

f. Throughout his life, Hudayfah remained true to his responsibility and was even asked to undertake secret missions for the Messenger of Allah.

g. In the darkest days of the Battle of the Trench, he was sent across enemy lines to determine what the position of the Quraysh would be. It was an extremely difficult task but Hudayfah managed to maintain his secrecy and return with the information of the enemies withdrawal.

h. What important qualities did Hudayfah possess? i. He’s a trustworthy person, and you can trust him with secrets.

Anybody who’s in a leadership position should be able to keep a secret. He has the ability to work under pressure.

ii. Very persistent in obtaining the FULL answer to his questions i. He reported a number of ahadith from the Messenger of Allah and

became a source of moral guidance in times of fitnah j. One of the famous reports on the Last Days:

i. The people used to ask Allah's Apostle about good, but I used to ask him about evil for fear that it might overtake me. Once I said, "O Allah's Apostle! We were in ignorance and in evil and Allah has bestowed upon us the present good; will there be any evil after this good?" He said, "Yes." I asked, "Will there be good after that evil?" He said, "Yes, but it would be



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tainted " I asked, "What will its taint?" He said, "There will be some people who will lead (people) according to principles other than my tradition. You will see their actions and disapprove of them." I said, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He said, "Yes, there will be some people who will invite others to the doors of Hell, and whoever accepts their invitation to it will be thrown in it (by them)." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Describe those people to us." He said, "They will belong to us and speak our language." I asked, "What do you order me to do if such a thing should take place in my life?" He said, "Adhere to the group of Muslims and their leader." I asked, "If there is neither a group (of Muslims) nor a leader (what shall I do)?" He said, "Keep away from all those different sects, even if you had to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree, till you meet Allah while you are still in that state. (Sahih Muslim, Vol 3, pgs 1475 & 1476 hadith #18)

ii. Hang onto your deen, don’t get involved with other sects, Stay Muslim till the end.



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Suggestions for Further Reading

1. Abdul Wahid Hamid. Companions of the Prophet, MELS, London, 1985.

2. Aisha Bewley, Muslims Women, A Biographical Dictionary, Ta-Ha Publishers, London, 2004.

3. Mohammed Ibn Sa’d. The Women of Madina, Ta-Ha Publishers, London, 1995.

4. Mohammed Akram Nadwi, Al-Muhaddithat: the women scholars of Islam, Interface Publications, London, 2007.

5. Mohammed Mojlum Khan, The Muslim 100, Kube Publishing Ltd, Leicestershire, UK, 2008.

6. Khalid Mohammed Khalid, Rijal Hawla’l Rasul, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut. 7. Ibn Al-Jawzi, Sifat’l-Safwah, Dar-ul-Wa’ee, Halab, 1969. 8. Mahdi Rizqullah Ahmad, Al-Sirat’l-Nabawiyyah di Daw al-Masadir

al-Asliyyah, Matba’ al-Malik Faisal, Riyadh, 1992. 9. Abdullah Naseef, Muhammed (s), Encyclopedia of Seerah, The

Muslim Schools Trust, London, 1982. 10. Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah.

Documents

The Living Legacy of the Ṣaḥābah (Shadows in the Sun)