Friday sermon delivered on 24th February 2023 by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper), from Masjid Mubarak in Islamabad, Tilford, UK.
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Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah Come to Prayer Come to Prayer Come to success Come to success Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner. and I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His Servant and Messenger. After this I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, The Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path – The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,
Those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. Today I shall relate some further details in relation to the Badri companions who I have been mentioning, after which the series on the Badri companions which I desired to present will be completed. In relation to Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah (ra)
It is recorded that his father’s name was Rabi’ah bin Ka’b bin Malik. There are also several narrations which he related. Abdullah bin Amir bin Rabi’ah relates on the authority of his mother Hazrat Umm Abdillah Laila bint Abi Hathmah, who states, “We were departing towards Abyssinia
“and whilst Amir bin Rabi’ah had gone to carry out a certain task, “Hazrat Umar – who at the time was still a polytheist – appeared and stood before me. “We were subjected to grave difficulties and cruelties by him. “Hazrat Umar (ra) told me, ‘O Umm Abdillah, are you leaving?’
“I replied, ‘Yes, by God we are going forth in the land of Allah until He grants us ease. ‘You people have caused us so much pain and subjected us to so much persecution.’ “Upon this Hazrat Umar said, ‘May Allah be your Protector.’”
She says, “On that day I heard a tenderness in Hazrat Umar’s (ra) voice “which I had never heard before. “Thereafter, Hazrat Umar left and he was saddened by our departure.” She then says, “Suddenly, Hazrat Amir returned from his business, so I said to him, ‘O Abu Abdillah, did you just see Umar,
‘and his tenderness and grief? (she must have informed him). “Hazrat Amir replied, ‘Are you hopeful that he will become a Muslim?’ “I answered in the affirmative. “Thereafter Hazrat Amir said, ‘The donkey of Umar Khattab can become a Muslim ‘but the man you just saw (i.e., Hazrat Umar) will not accept Islam.’”
Hazrat Laila says, “Hazrat Amir said this out of despair “which was developed from the persecution and cruelty “that Hazrat Umar put him through due to his acceptance of Islam.” Hazrat Abdullah bin Amir bin Rabi’ah (ra) relates from his father, “The Holy Prophet (sa) dispatched us for the Expedition of Nakhlah,
“also known as the Expedition of Abdullah bin Jahsh, “which took place prior to the Battle of Badr. “With us was Hazrat Amr bin Suraqah who was slim and tall. “En route he felt severe starvation, as a result he arched up,
“was unable to continue with us and fell over (this was his state of starvation). “We then firmly tied a rock to his stomach and back, and he was able to carry on with us. “We reached an Arab tribe which accommodated us.
“Thereafter, he went forth and said, ‘I used to think that a person’s legs support the stomach, ‘but in reality a person’s stomach supports the legs.’” When a person is in a state of hunger, starvation and weakness, then they are unable to walk. Hazrat Abu Umamah relates that on one occasion
The Holy Prophet (sa) dispatched Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah and Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif on an espionage mission. In 8 AH, Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah took part in the Battle of Salasil, in which his hand was struck by an arrow, causing him to be wounded.
Abdullah bin Amir relates on the authority of his father Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah that once, the Holy Prophet (sa) passed by a grave and asked who it belonged to. The people answered that it was the grave of such and such. He then said, “Why did you not inform me?”
The people replied, “You were asleep so we did not deem it right to wake you up.” Upon this the Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “Do not do this, you should call me for the funerals.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then assembled rows there and performed her funeral prayer at the grave.
Abdullah bin Amir relates that his father Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah said, “Whenever the Holy Prophet (sa) used to dispatch us for any expedition, “we would only have a sack of dates by way of provisions. “The leader of the army would distribute a handful of dates between us
“until bit by bit it got to the point of handing out a single date at a time. “Then they would slowly but surely start to finish “whereby every individual would only receive one date.” Hazrat Abdullah states, “I said, O father, how could a single date suffice you “or fill your stomachs?”
He replied, “Son, do not say such a thing, “for we only learnt its importance when we did not even possess that.” Ask those who are starving what the importance of a single date is. When Hazrat Umar (ra) turned out the Jews from Khaibar and distributed the land in the Valley of Qura,
Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah was amongst those who received a parcel of land. Hazrat Amir accompanied Hazrat Umar (ra) when he went to Jabiah – a settlement in the outskirts of Damascus. According to one narration, Hazrat Amir was holding Hazrat Umar’s flag. Furthermore, when Hazrat Uthman (ra) set out for Hajj (pilgrimage),
He appointed Hazrat Amir as his representative – or leader in his stead – in Madinah. There are disputes regarding the demise of Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah. According to some, he passed away during the caliphate of Hazrat Uthman (ra), while others say he passed away in the year 32 or 33 AH.
Some even say that he passed away in the year 36 AH, while others state that it was in the year 37 AH. According to Allamah Ibn Asakir, narrations about his demise in the year 32 AH seem to be the most accurate. In the narration pertaining to his demise,
It is reported that after the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (ra), Hazrat Amir remained within his home most of the time. The people had not heard from him until the day his funeral procession left from his home. Abdullah bin Amir narrates from his father, Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah:
“During the time of the Holy Prophet (sa), “a man from the tribe of Banu Fazarah married a woman with a dowry of two shoes. “The Holy Prophet (sa) declared this marriage to be lawful.” In other words, even a meager dowry such as this was declared lawful.
Abdullah bin Amir narrates from his father, Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah that once during a journey, he saw the Holy Prophet (sa) offer two voluntary prayers on the back of his she-camel in the night. The Holy Prophet (sa) continued to face toward the path of the she-camel.
It is permissible to offer prayers toward the front of your mode of transport. Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah narrates: “I accompanied the Holy Prophet (sa) “on a journey during a dark night. “We stopped at a place where a person collected some stones “and prepared a place for prayer, and we prayed at that place.
“In the morning we realised that our direction (for prayer) was opposite to the Qibla. “We said to the Holy Prophet (sa), ‘O Prophet of Allah, ‘last night we prayed toward the opposite direction of the Qibla.’” It is said that upon this, Allah the Almighty revealed the following verse: (ARABIC)
That is, “To Allah belong the East and the West; “so withersoever you turn, there will be the face of Allah.” In other words, if you commit this on account of a misunderstanding, then there is no harm. It is quite possible that the Holy Prophet (sa) recited this verse at that time.
It does not necessarily mean that it was revealed at that particular moment. Nevertheless, this is a narration taken from Hilyat al-Auliya. Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Whoever prays durood (salutations) upon me once, “Allah sends salutations of peace upon them 10 times. “Thus, it is at your discretion
“to offer salutations of peace upon me less frequently or more.” In another narration, Hazrat Amir bin Rabi’ah narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “During the time that a person is offering salutations of peace upon me, “angels offer salutations of peace upon them. “Thus, it is in the hands of the individual
“whether to offer more salutations of peace or less.” Next, I will speak about Hazrat Haram bin Milhan (ra). It is reported that Hazrat Haram bin Milhan did not have any progeny. Hazrat Abdullah bin Abi Talhah narrates: “Hazrat Anas told me that the Holy Prophet (sa) commissioned his uncle,
“Hazrat Haram bin Milhan – brother to Umm Sulaim – “along with 70 mounted men to go to toward Banu Amir. “The chief of the polytheists there was Amir bin Tufail, “who asked the Holy Prophet (sa) to accept one of his three conditions. “He said that city dwellers could follow the Holy Prophet (sa),
“but the villagers would come under his leadership. “He also desired to be successor to the Holy Prophet (sa) after his demise, “otherwise he would attack the Holy Prophet (sa) with an army of 2,000 men from Ghatafan. “As a result, Amir fell ill with the plague at a woman’s house.
“Amir said, “I am afflicted with ordinary boils, “the same that afflicted a young camel belonging to a woman from the progeny of Salul. “Bring me my horse.” “He mounted his horse and died horseback. “His end has been mentioned right in the beginning (of the narration).
“Furthermore, the narration mentions his tribe and states that Hazrat Haram bin Milhan, “who was the brother of Hazrat Umm Sulaim, “went to Banu Amir accompanied by a lame man and another man who was from a particular tribe. “Haram addressed both men and said, “Stay close to me.
“I will approach the people (of Banu Amir) first. “If they welcome me with peace, follow behind me, “but if they kill me, go back to your companions and inform them.” “Hazrat Haram went to Amir and asked,
“Do you welcome me with peace so that I can convey the message of the Holy Prophet (sa)?” “After saying this, they began to have a conversation. “The people of the tribe signaled someone who approached from behind him “and ambushed him by piercing his body with a spear.
“Hazrat Haram (ra) took the blood from his wounds and wiped it over his face, saying, “(ARABIC) Allah is the Greatest. By the Lord of the Ka’bah, I have achieved my purpose.” “The people then pursued the others and killed them “and attacked the Qaris (those who had memorised the Qur’an),
“killing all of them except the lame man who had climbed the peak of the mountain. “Allah revealed the details of this to us. “Thereafter, the mention of these people concluded. “(The lame man announced,) “Tell our people that we have met our Lord. “He is pleased with us and has granted us contentment.””
During that time, the Holy Prophet (sa) prayed against those people for 30 days every morning, namely the tribes of Ri’l, Dhakwan, Banu Lihyan, and Usayyah – those who betrayed Allah and the Holy Prophet (sa). This is a narration from Bukhari. According to another narration of Bukhari from Hazrat Anas,
He (Hazrat Haram) was attacked with a lance as opposed to a spear. In light of another narration, the Holy Prophet (sa) prayed against the two tribes of Banu Sulaim, Ri’l and Dhakwan, for one month during the morning prayers. Hazrat Anas reports that this was the start of the Qunut prayer
(a prayer offered whilst standing straight). Before this, they would not perform the Qunut prayer. Whilst mentioning the incident of the martyrdom of those who committed the Qur’an to memory and the spirit of their sacrifice, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states: “Upon studying history, “we learn that the companions would go into war
“as though their martyrdom would bring them peace and contentment. “If they were inflicted any pain during war, they perceived it to be comfort and not pain. “Thus, throughout historical accounts we find countless examples wherein it shows “that the companions deemed being killed in the way of Allah
“to be a source of contentment for them. “For example, the Huffaz (those who have memorised the Holy Qur’an) “who were sent to a tribe towards Central Arabia for the purpose of propagating Islam, “among them was Haram bin Milhan (ra); “when he went to meet Amir bin Tufail, the leader of the Amir tribe,
“the rest of the delegation remained behind. “Initially Amir bin Tufail and his tribesman openly welcomed him out of hypocrisy. “However, as soon as he sat down and became comfortable, “and began preaching about Islam, a wretched individual indicated to his comrade,
“and an individual attacked Haram bin Milhan from the back with a spear causing him to fall down. “As he fell, the following words were on his lips: “(ARABIC) i.e., ‘By the Lord of the Ka’bah! I have attained salvation.’ “Then these evil individuals surrounded the remaining companions and attacked them.
“Amir bin Fuhairah (ra), the freed slave of Abu Bakr (ra) “who was with the Holy Prophet (sa) during the migration was also among this group of companions. “In fact, his killer, who later accepted Islam, stated that the reason he accepted Islam “was because at the time he killed Amir bin Fuhairah (ra),
“Amir spontaneously said: “(ARABIC) i.e., ‘By God! I have attained my objective.’ “These incidents prove that instead of being a source of sorrow, “for the companions, death was a source of happiness.” Then, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says that some people came to meet the Holy Prophet (sa) –
I will leave this extract and present the extract of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra). Mentioning details about this incident, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) states – this is a rather detailed incident – “Bara’ Amiri, who was a chieftain of the tribe situated in central Arabia known as the Banu Amir,
“presented himself before the Holy Prophet (sa) in order to meet him. “The Holy Prophet (sa) very gently and kindly conveyed the message of Islam to him “and at the outset he also listened to the address of the Holy Prophet (sa) “with interest and attention, but did not accept Islam.
“Albeit, he submitted to the Holy Prophet (sa), “Send a few Companions along with me to Najd, “who can travel there and preach the message of Islam to the people of Najd. “I am confident that the people of Najd will not reject your message.”
“The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “I do not trust the people of Najd.” “Abu Bara’ responded, “Do not worry, I guarantee their security.” “Since Abu Bara’ was the chief of a tribe and was an influential man, “the Holy Prophet (sa) took his word and dispatched a party of Companions towards Najd.”
This is the narration as it is related by history. It is narrated in Bukhari that a few people from the tribes of Ri‘l and Dhakwan, etc., Presented themselves before the Holy Prophet (sa) and claimed to accept Islam. Then they requested that a few men should be dispatched along with them to assist them against those people of their nation who were enemies of Islam (there is no elaboration as to the nature of the assistance they requested –
(missionary or military. One prospect for the reconciliation of both these narrations is that perhaps Abu Bara’ Amiri, chieftain of the Amir tribe, also came along with the people of Ri‘l and Dhakwan, and he spoke to the Holy Prophet (sa) on their behalf. As such, according to the historical account, the Holy Prophet (sa) said,
“I do not trust the people of Najd,” to which he responded, “Do not worry, I give you the assurance that your Companions shall not be harmed.” This indicates that the people of Ri‘l and Dhakwan had also come with Abu Bara’ and the Holy Prophet (sa) was concerned on their account. In any case, the Holy Prophet (sa) dispatched a party of Companions under the leadership of Mundhir bin Amr Ansari (ra) in Safar 4 AH. These people were mostly from the Ansar and totalled seventy in number, and almost all of them were Qaris, i.e., they were well-versed in the Holy Qur’an.
They would collect wood from the jungle by day to make ends meet and would spend a better part of the night in worship. When these people reached a place known as Bi‘r-e-Ma‘unah, which was named as such due to a water well,
An individual named Haram bin Milhan (ra), who was the maternal uncle of Anas bin Malik (ra), went forward with the message of Islam to Amir bin Tufail, who was chief of the Amir tribe and paternal nephew of Abu Bara’ Amiri. The rest of the Companions remained behind. When Haram bin Milhan (ra) arrived
To meet Amir bin Tufail and his followers as an emissary of the Holy Prophet (sa), at first, they warmly welcomed him in their hypocrisy; but after he had been fully seated and made to feel at ease, and began to preach the message of Islam,
A few evil ones from among them made a signal to someone, who struck this innocent emissary with a spear from behind and put him to death there and then. At the time, the following words were on the tongue of Haram bin Milhan (ra)
(ARABIC) “Allah is the Greatest. By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, I have attained my objective.” Amir bin Tufail did not suffice upon the murder of this emissary of the Holy Prophet (sa) alone. As a matter of fact, after this he incited the people of his tribe,
The Banu Amir, to attack the remaining party of Muslims as well, but they refused and said that they would not attack the Muslims due to the guarantee of Abu Bara’. Upon this, Amir collected the Banu Ri‘l, Dhakwan and ‘Usayyah, etc., from the tribe of Sulaim
(i.e., the same tribes who had come to the Holy Prophet (sa) as a delegation And attacked this small and helpless community of Muslims. When the Muslims saw these bloodthirsty beasts racing towards them, they said, “We have no quarrel with you. “We have only come with an assignment from the Holy Prophet (sa); we have not come to fight,”
But they did not listen to a word and murdered them all. Among the Companions who were present at the time, only one individual was spared, who had a limp, and had managed to climb to the top of a mountain. The name of this Companion was Ka‘b bin Zaid (ra).
From various narrations it is ascertained that the disbelievers attacked him as well, due to which he was wounded. The disbelievers left him for dead, but in actuality there was still life in him and he survived. Two individuals from among this community of Companions
Had separated from the group at the time in order to graze their camels, etc., and their names were Amr bin Umayyah Damri (ra) and Mundhir bin Muhammad (ra). When they looked towards their camp, lo and behold, they sighted flocks of birds flying about overhead.
They understood these desert signs well and immediately deduced that a battle had taken place. When they returned, this atrocity of carnage and massacre perpetrated by the ruthless disbelievers lay before their eyes. Upon sighting this scene from afar, they consulted one another as to what should be done.
One suggested that they should escape immediately and reach Madinah in order to inform the Holy Prophet (sa). The other one, however, did not accept this proposal and said, “I shall not flee from where our Amir, Mundhir bin Amr (ra) has been martyred.” Hence, he proceeded forward and was martyred in battle.
The other, whose name was Amr bin Umayyah Damri (ra) was taken captive by the disbelievers. They would have perhaps murdered him as well, but when they found out that he was from the Mudar tribe, according to the custom of Arabia, Amir bin Tufail cut off his forelocks and set him free, saying,
“My mother has vowed to release a slave from the Mudar tribe, and therefore, I set you free.” In other words, from among these seventy Companions, only two survived. One was this very Amr bin Umayyah Damri (ra) and the second was Ka‘b bin Zaid (ra),
Who the disbelievers had left in the belief that he was already dead. Amir bin Fuhairah, the freed slave of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), and a pioneer devotee of Islam, was also among the Companions who were martyred in the incident of Bi‘r-e-Ma‘unah. He was slain by a person named Jabbar bin Salamah.
Afterwards, Jabbar became a Muslim and states that the reason for his having accepted Islam was because when he martyred Amir bin Fuhairah (ra), he uncontrollably called out, (ARABIC) i.e., “By God, I have attained my objective.” Jabbar states: “Upon hearing these words, I was astonished
“that I have just murdered this person and he says that he has attained his objective. “What a peculiar thing indeed. “As such, when I later inquired as to the reason for this, “I was informed that the Muslim people considered the sacrifice of their lives in the way of God
“as being the greatest success a person can attain. “This left such a lasting impression upon my disposition “that ultimately, this very influence pulled me towards Islam.” The Holy Prophet (sa) and his Companions received news of the incidents of Raji‘ and Bi‘r-e-Ma‘unah at more or less the same time.
The Holy Prophet (sa) was deeply grieved by these incidents, to the extent that narrations relate that the Holy Prophet (sa) was never so deeply grieved by anything before or after these events. Undoubtedly, for approximately eighty Companions to be suddenly murdered by deception, especially such Companions who were Huffaz of the Holy Qur’an,
And were from a poor and selfless class of people, was no small event, even by standards of the barbaric customs and practices of Arabia. For the Holy Prophet (sa) personally, this news was no different than the loss of eighty sons, rather, even more so. The reason being that for a spiritual man,
Spiritual bonds are far dearer to him than the worldly relations of a worldly man. Hence, the Holy Prophet (sa) was deeply grieved by these tragic events, but in any case, Islam teaches patience. Upon hearing this news, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: (ARABIC) After this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said the following words: (ARABIC)
“This is a result of the action of Abi Bara’, “for I had disliked sending off these people and was apprehensive of the people of Najd.” Then there is mention of Hazrat Sa’d bin Khaulah (ra). He belonged to the tribe of Banu Malik bin Hasl bin Amir bin Lu’ayy,
Whereas some (historians) have stated that he was the confederate of Banu Amir. He was originally of Persian origin and was from those tribes that later settled in Yemen (from Persia). Amir bin Sa’d narrates on the authority of his father, Sad bin Waqqas:
“The Holy Prophet (sa) came to visit me when I was unwell on my deathbed during Hajjat al-Wada’. “I said to the Holy Prophet (sa), ‘O Messenger of Allah! ‘My illness has become severe as you are aware. ‘I am wealthy but my only heir is my daughter.
‘Should I give two thirds of my wealth away in charity?’ “The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, ‘No’. “I then asked: ‘should I give half?’ “The Holy Prophet (sa) replied: ‘No, you may give one third away, ‘and even this is a substantial amount.’
“The Holy Prophet (sa) then said: ‘It is better for you to leave your heirs prosperous, ‘as opposed to leaving them in a difficult situation ‘whereby they would have to beg from others. ‘And whatever you spend out of your wealth for the sake of attaining Allah’s pleasure,
‘you will certainly receive a reward for it, ‘to the extent that even if you put a morsel of food in your wife’s mouth, ‘you will receive a reward for it.’” The narrator then said: “O Messenger of Allah! Will I be left behind my comrades?” (i.e., will he die there?)
To this the Holy Prophet (sa) replied: “You will not be left behind. “Rather, whatever good deeds you do in order to attain the pleasure of Allah, “you will attain a greater rank by means of it. “It is possible you will remain (i.e., live for long time)
“whereby some people will derive benefit from you and others will be harmed because of you.” The Holy Prophet (sa) further stated: “O Allah! “Fulfil the purpose of migration for my companions, “and do not let them turn back owing to it.” The narrator then states: “However, poor Sa’d bin Khaulah,
“the Holy Prophet (sa) consoled him because after the migration, “he passed away whilst he was in Makkah (visiting).” In one narration it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (sa) used to express his regret over the fact that Sa’d bin Khaulah (ra) passed away in Makkah.
This was because the Holy Prophet (sa) did not like for anyone who had migrated from Makkah to remain in Makkah beyond the time they spend in performing Hajj or Umrah. Ismael bin Muhammad bin Sa’d narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) ordered Sa’ib bin Umair Al-Qari
That if Sa’d bin Khaluah passes away in Makkah, not to bury him in Makkah and according to another narration, the Holy Prophet (sa) said regarding Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra) that if he passes away in Makkah, do not bury him in Makkah.
On the occasion of Hajjat al-Wada’, when Hazrat Sa’d bin Khaulah passed away, at the time of his demise his wife was pregnant. It was not long after his demise that she gave birth. The child was born soon after his demise
And according to narrations it is stated that it was 25 nights after his demise or even sooner. When the nifas (40 days after childbirth) period finished she purified herself after childbirth, she adorned herself in anticipation of receiving a marriage proposal from potential suitors.
A man from the Bani Abd Al-Dar named Abu Sanabil bin Bukakik came and asked her: “What is the matter, I see that you are dressed up, perhaps you intend to marry? “By Allah! You cannot marry until four months and ten days have passed by.”
Subayyah states: “When he said this to me, I changed into my evening attire “and went to the Holy Prophet (sa) and enquired about this matter. “The Holy Prophet (sa) gave the edict “that it became lawful for me to marry after the birth of the child “and if I wished I could get married.”
One can understand certain matters from these incidents. The next companion is Abu Al-Haitham bin al-Tayyihan (ra). His brother’s name was either Hazrat Ubaid bin Ubaid or Hazrat Atiq bin al-Tayyihan, and he took part in the battle of Uhud. In one narration it is mentioned that Hazrat Abu al-Haitham asked:
“I am among the first to pledge allegiance, how should we pledge allegiance?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied: “Pledge allegiance to me “in the way the Bani Israel pledged allegiance to Moses (as).” The Holy Prophet (sa) appointed Hazrat Abu Al-Haitham and Hazrat Usaid bin Hudair as guardians for the Bani Abd al-Ashhal tribe.
In battle he would have two swords, hence he was known as Dhu al-Saifain (The one with two swords). Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) has written that he was martyred in the Battle of Siffin, whilst fighting on the side of Hazrat Ali (ra). The next companion is Hazrat Asim bin Thabit (ra).
One of Hazrat Asim’s sons was Muhammad, who was born to him from Hind bint Malik. With regards to those people who were close to the Holy Prophet (sa) during the battle of Uhud, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) expounded upon a verse
In which he said that Imam Razi (rh) has mentioned the names of 14 people, about whom it can be said with absolute certainty that they were around the Holy Prophet (sa) (in the battle) and did not leave him under any circumstances. From those that are mentioned, the names of the Muhajirin are:
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Ali (ra) – the Shias allege that it was only Hazrat Ali – nonetheless, it was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra), Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra), Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidillah (ra),
Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (ra) and Hazrat Zubair bin Al-Awwam (ra). From the Ansar, it was: Hazrat Khabbab bin Mundhir (ra), Hazrat Abu Dujanah (ra), Hazrat Asim bin Thabit (ra), Hazrat Harith bin Asimmah (ra), perhaps it was Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra), Usaid bin Hudair (ra) and Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh (ra).
It is also mentioned that there were eight who swore to fight until death, three of whom were among the Muhajirin and five were from the Ansar. It is interesting to note that not a single one of them was martyred. This is proof of how Allah the Almighty safeguarded them through extraordinary means.
The next mention is of Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif Ansari (ra). Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) narrates that on the occasion of the Battle of Badr, there were a 100 camels and two horses with the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Miqdad bin Aswad (ra) was mounted on one (of the horses)
And Hazrat Musab bin Umair (ra) and Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra) were mounted on the other. The companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) would take turns to mount on the camels. The Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Marthad bin Abi Marthad Ghanawi (ra),
Who was a confederate of Hazrat Hamzah bin Abdil Muttalib (ra), would all take turns to ride on one of the camels. Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra) is also mentioned amongst those companions who remained close to the Holy Prophet (sa) during the Battle of Uhud.
Yusair bin Amr narrates that he once went to Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra) and requested him to narrate a Hadith which he had heard from the Holy Prophet (sa) regarding the Hururiyyah group i.e., the Khawarij. Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra) stated,
“I will narrate to you only that which I heard and nothing else. “I heard the Holy Prophet (sa) mention a group of people who will emerge from here “(and he pointed towards the direction of Iraq). “Though they will recite the Qur’an, it will not go beyond their throats.
“They will leave Islam just like an arrow pierces through the prey.” The narrator states that he asked whether the Holy Prophet (sa) mentioned any sign to recognise them and he replied, “This is all I heard and I cannot tell you anything more than that.
“I have narrated to you all that I had heard and you can figure it out yourself.” Umair bin Sa’eed narrates that Hazrat Ali (ra) lead the funeral prayer of Hazrat Sahl bin Hunaif (ra) and recited out aloud the Takbeer five times.
Upon this, people asked as to why the Takbeer was recited in this manner. Hazrat Ali (ra) stated, “This is Sahl bin Hunaif, “who was among those who took part in the Battle of Badr “and the people of Badr have a distinction over the others.
“Hence, to make this distinction clear to the people I recited the extra Takbeers.” Next is mention of Hazrat Jabbar bin Sakhr (ra). The Expedition of Hazrat Ali (ra) to Banu Tayy took place in Rabi’ al-Akhir 9 AH. In relation to this it is written that
The Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Ali (ra), along with a 150 people, to Banu Tayy in order to destroy their idol, Fuls. The area of Banu Tayy was situated in the northwest of Madinah. For this expedition, the Holy Prophet (sa) gave Hazrat Ali (ra) a large black banner and a small white flag.
Hazrat Ali (ra) attacked the people of Hatim in the morning and destroyed their idol, Fuls. Hazrat Ali (ra) returned to Madinah with a great deal of wealth taken from the Banu Tayy as spoils of war and also many prisoners. During this expedition, the flag was carried by Hazrat Jabbar bin Sakhr (ra).
In this expedition, when Hazrat Ali (ra) sought advice from his fellow companions, Hazrat Jabbar bin Sakhr (ra) said that they should travel on their mounts through the night and attack them first thing in the morning. Hazrat Ali (ra) approved this suggestion of his. It is narrated by Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillah (ra) that
He was stood to the left of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Holy Prophet (sa) placed him on his right side. Then, when Hazrat Jabbar bin Sakhr (ra) came, the Holy Prophet (sa) placed both of them behind him. In one narration it is mentioned that
Hazrat Umair bin Abi Waqqas (ra) was martyred by Amr bin Abd Wudd. Whilst according to another narration, Hazrat Umair bin Abi Waqqas (ra) was martyred by Ahsan bin Sa’eed. The mention of Hazrat Jabbar bin Sakhr (ra) has come to an end
And now details regarding Hazrat Umair bin Abi Waqqas (ra) will be mentioned. A narration which had not been mentioned previously in relation to him was that he was martyred by Amr bin Abd Wudd, and according to another narration, he was martyred by Ahsan bin Sa’eed.
In another narration it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Qutbah (ra), along with 20 other people in 9 AH, towards a branch of the Khasam tribe, who lived near Tabalah. The Holy Prophet (sa) commanded them to launch a sudden attack.
These companions left on 10 camels and they would take turns to ride upon them. On the way, they took hold of a man and started to interrogate him and he began to act as if he was not able to speak, then all of a sudden as soon as he found the opportunity,
He began to scream in order to alert the people of his tribe. Upon this, they killed this individual. Hazrat Qutbah (ra) and his companions then waited and when the people of that tribe fell asleep, they launched a sudden attack against them. A fierce battle ensued and men from both sides sustained wounds.
Hazrat Qutbah (ra) killed many of their people and then returned to Madinah with their cattle and women. After taking out a portion of Khumus, each person was given four camels, and in that time, each camel was worth 10 goats. Imam Baghvi states that Hazrat Qutbah bin Amir (ra) did not narrate any Hadith.
In any case, the series on the companions I wished to mention has come to an end, and with this, I would like to remind everyone to pray for the Ahmadis in Pakistan. Pray that may Allah the Almighty create ease for them as they are currently facing very difficult conditions.
May Allah the Almighty grant wisdom to those who are responsible for upholding justice, law and order and also those who are perpetrating cruelties in the name of Allah and His Messenger (sa), or for them to be seized by His wrath.
Also, pray for the members in Burkina Faso as they are still passing through difficult times as the terrorists there are still perpetrating cruelties in the name of Allah and His Messenger (sa). Also (pray for the members) in Algeria as certain government and legal officials are carrying out injustices against Ahmadis.
May Allah the Almighty keep everyone in His protection. Particularly, focus on prayers and giving alms. May Allah the Almighty protect everyone from the evil ploys of the enemies. After the Friday prayers, I shall lead some funeral prayers in absentia. I shall mention their details.
The first mention is of respected Muhammad Rashid Sahib Shaheed. He was the son of Chaudhry Basharat Ahmad Sahib from Goteriala, in the district of Gujrat. On 19th February, two opponents of Ahmadiyyat came into his house and fired shots at him and martyred him.
‘Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’ At the time of his demise, the deceased martyr was over 70. According to the reports, respected Muhammad Rashid Sahib was on his own in his house in Goteriala, Gujrat. He had a free homeopathic dispensary in his house
For the benefit of the local people in his village and nearby area. Two young men from the local village entered into his dispensary with the excuse of seeking medicine and fired shots at him. It is said that the one who fired the shots was a Hafiz-e-Qur’an
And the bullet from his gunshot hit respected Muhammad Rashid Sahib in the forehead and he passed away immediately. After the incident, the assailants fled from the scene. An assistant of the deceased arrived a few minutes later and reported the incident to the local police station.
It is also reported that one of the assailants, who was the Hafiz-e-Qur’an, his body was found in a nearby field and the police are also investigating his death as well. The other assailant has been arrested by the police. At least in this case the police have arrested the assailant.
Ahmadiyyat entered the deceased martyr’s family through Hazrat Munshi Sultan Alim Sahib (ra), who was a companion of the Promised Messiah (as) and also lived in Goteriala, Gujrat and was a teacher at a local school. He had the honour of travelling to Qadian
And pledging allegiance at the hand of the Promised Messiah (as) in 1906. After completing his matriculation exams, the deceased martyr joined the army. However, he left the army after a few years and moved to Norway in 1984/1985 with his family for some time. Despite acquiring Norwegian citizenship,
He returned to his ancestral village in 2008 and would often travel back and forth. Along with the landowner, he started a free homeopathic dispensary in his ancestral village to serve the local people, which continued until the end (of his life). By the grace of Allah, the deceased martyr was a Musi.
At the time of his martyrdom, he was serving as the Secretary Islah-o-Irshad in Goteriala. He was very sociable and loving. He treated everyone as his own and had a friendly relationship with them. His passion for serving others was a salient quality of his.
Irrespective of faith, he would render financial and moral aid to those in need. He loved Khilafat. Hospitality was a distinct quality of his; he was especially at the forefront of serving any guests from the headquarters. He was regular in offering prayers.
From time to time, he would arrange a free medical camp in the area. His nephew, Rafi Ahmad who is a missionary in Ivory Coast says, “The deceased martyr was loved by everyone. “Along with brimming with the passion to serve others, “he was also an excellent caller unto Allah and was extremely magnanimous.
“Allah the Almighty had granted his efforts the ability to heal. “He regularly listened to the Friday Sermons and with great care. “Recently, the deceased martyr’s wife, Parveen Akhtar who is in Norway, “saw a dream that the deceased martyr was being attacked and someone was trying to take his life.
“Hence, she asked him to remain vigilant.” The deceased martyr is survived by his wife Parveen Akhtar who is living in Norway, two sons, and five daughters, one of whom lives in Pakistan while the others live in various countries. The Missionary In-Charge of Norway Shahid Mahmood Kahlon writes,
“He was an extremely kind and simple person. “He would help people in Norway by providing homeopathic medicines. “He had been living in his village in Pakistan “for the approximately 12 to 13 years since his retirement and serving people there. “During this period, he would visit Norway from time to time as well.
“Allah the Almighty had blessed his efforts with the ability to heal. “He was always ready to help the sick and would even deliver medicine to their homes. “His wife was from among his relatives. “She had not initially accepted Ahmadiyyat, however she did not oppose her husband.
“In fact, all of their children were married into Ahmadi households. “The last time he visited Norway in October 2018, “he helped his wife do the bai’at (pledge of allegiance). “He would say that the very purpose for his visit was so that his wife could do the bai’at.
“He would say, ‘there is a great deal of opposition in Pakistan and I even receive threats, ‘however there is a great deal of poverty there and so people cannot purchase medicine. ‘Poor people can receive free treatment because of me and I am able to help them.
‘I do not fear death, for it is meant to come one day.’” Ahmadis still render service to humanity there and do so fearlessly. May Allah the Almighty grant forgiveness and mercy to respected Muhammad Rasheed and grant the deceased martyr’s family patience and forbearance.
The next mention is of two people: respected Amani Bassam Ajlawi and Salah Abd al-Mu’een Qutaish, from Iskenderun, Turkey. The Missionary and President, Sadiq Sahib writes, “As a result of the two large earthquakes in Turkey on 6 February 2023, “two Ahmadis, a mother and son, also lost their lives.
“(Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.) “Aside from them, the remainder of Ahmadis “generally remained safe from the earthquake, barring minor injuries. “Of (the two) who passed away, “one was a 23-year old Syrian woman named Amani Bassam Ajlawi “who was from the Iskenderun Jama’at.
“She was the wife of Abd al-Mu’een Qutaish “and the daughter-in-law of respected Salah Qutaish Abu Khalid, “President of the Iskenderun Jama’at. “Amani Sahiba accepted Ahmadiyyat about two months ago along with her husband. “Her father-in-law respected Salah Qutaish said that just a day before the earthquake,
“he asked Amani whether she had informed her family that she had accepted Ahmadiyyat, “to which Amani Sahiba said that she had indeed informed her parents “about her acceptance of Ahmadiyyat. “Salah Sahib said that Amani Sahiba was very pleased at the fact
“that her parents had not shown a harsh reaction upon learning of her acceptance of Ahmadiyyat.” Her three-year-old son Salah also died. They were both caught beneath the rubble and were taken out two days later, by which time they had lost their lives. Amani Sahiba is survived by her husband respected Abd al-Mu’een Qutaish and a six-year-old daughter, Abeerah. Shamsuddin Balabari, the Missionary in Kababir says,
“Amani Sahiba and her husband Abd al-Qutaish’s family migrated to Turkey from Syria. “Amani Sahiba was a very sincere woman who was given to service and remained content. “Upon learning about the importance of doing the bai’at, “she did not hesitate in taking the oath of allegiance,
“in fact she also encouraged her husband and brothers.” He continues, “My wife tells me that she specifically noticed “that the deceased remained united with her in-laws “and treated them with great love and affection. “She was extremely happy on the day she did the bai’at “and she bid us farewell with great sincerity.”
May Allah the Almighty treat them with forgiveness and mercy. The third mention and whose funeral prayer I will offer is Maqsood Ahmad Munib, a Missionary who passed away on 15 February due to a heart attack at the age of 53 years. By the grace of Allah the Almighty he was a Musi. His father, respected Chaudhary Jaan Muhammad accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1974. He graduated from Jamia Ahmadiyya Rabwah in 1991 with a Mubashir degree. He then served in various cities of Pakistan under Nazarat Islah-o-Irshad Markaziyyah.
From 1998 to 2006, he had the opportunity of serving in the East African country of Kenya. He then returned to Pakistan and had been serving these days as the missionary in the district of Quetta. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. The Nazir Islah-o-Irshad has written that
He was sincere and devoted in his work and that he was a very hard-working missionary. Abdul Wakil, a missionary in Quetta writes, “He had a great deal of respect for life devotees. “If the deceased did not know something he would not hesitate to ask me
“even though I was much younger than him in age. “The deceased spent some time in Kenya, “and he would always make some mention of Kenya in his conversations. “The people of Kenya had found a place in his heart. “The deceased would often say that the people of Kenya
“were at the forefront of showing sincerity and showed a great deal of love.” Farid Mubarak, who is the Qaid Majlis writes, “He was extremely pure, pious, devoted, “ever ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Jama’at “and possessed profound love for Khilafat.”
He continues, “When I learned that a very senior missionary was being posted in Quetta, “I became very happy because this is what the Jama’at in Quetta needed.” He says, “He won me over in our very first meeting. “The day he delivered his first sermon at the mosque in district of Quetta,
“he was complimented by every person who heard it. “He was very hospitable; he would invite everyone to visit his home and would fully serve them. “The passion which he had for the Jama’at was apparent in his eyes. “Whenever he delivered a speech, it would be so full of passion
“that tears would flow from the eyes of those listening. “He would take part in events and tours and would strive to instil concern for the Jama’at “in the hearts of everyone he met. “He possessed a vast treasure of Jama’at knowledge.
“He was extremely humble, the likes of which I have never seen in my life.” He then says, “During the previous Friday prayer (the day before he passed away), “there was a unique glow emanating from his face. “When I looked at him, I said to the missionary in the presence of the Nazim Umoomi
“that he was looking exceptionally handsome that day. “We had no idea that this would be his last Friday.” It was after this that he passed away. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and mercy and elevate his station. God-willing, I will lead the funeral prayers in absentia of all of these (deceased members).
All praise is due to Allah We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds.
Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger.
O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves
And evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.