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THAABIT IBN QAIS
The Speaker for the Messenger of Allah!
While Hassaan was the poet of the Messenger of Allah and Islam, Thaabit was his speaker. The
words coming from his mouth were strong, comprehensive, and perfect.
In the Year of Delegations, some men of the Tamiim tribe arrived at Al-Madiinah and said to the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH), "We have come to brag, so please permit our poet and speaker." The
Messenger (PBUH) smiled and told them, "I permit your speaker. Let him speak."
Their speaker, `Utaarid Ibn Haajib, stood and boasted of his people's glories.
After he had finished, the Prophet (PBUH) told Thaabit Ibn Qais, "Answer him.' Thaabit stood up
and said, "All praise to Allah Who created the heavens and earth, in which He controls everything,
Whose throne extends over the heavens and the earth. And nothing is at all except out of His kindness. It
is part of His omnipotence to make us models and selected His Messenger out of the best of His creation,
among whom he is of the noblest descent and of the most sincere speech. He sent him down His book
and made His creation in trust of him. And he was the best choice of Allah. Then he called on people to
believe in him. The Muhaajiruun of his people and his own kinsmen believed in him. They were of the
noblest descent and best deeds. Then we the Ansaar were the first to respond. We are the adherents of
Allah and the ministers of His Messenger."
Thaabit witnessed the Battle of Uhud with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the battles that
followed. He was incredibly willing to sacrifice himself
In the apostasy wars, he used to be in the vanguard, holding the Ansaar standard and striking with a
sword that never retreated.
In the Battle of Al-Yamaamah, which we have already mentioned more than once, Thaabit
witnessed the sudden assault that the army of Musailamah the Liar launched against the Muslims at the
beginning of the battle. He shouted in his loud warning voice saying, "By Allah, we did not use to fight
that way with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)!"
Then he went not far away, and returned after anointing himself and putting on his shroud. He
shouted once more, "O Allah! I clear myself of what those people have done (i.e. the army of
Musailamah) and I apologize to You for what they have done (i.e. the Muslims' slackness in fighting).''
Then Saalim, the servant of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) who was holding the standard of the
Muhaajiruun, joined him. Both dug a deep hole for themselves and then stood in it. They piled up the
sand on themselves till it covered their hips. They stood as two gigantic mountains, with the lower body
of each burned in the sand and fixed in the bottom of the hole, while their upper bodies received the
armies of paganism and infidelity.
They kept striking with their swords whoever came near them from Musailamah's army until they
were martyred in their place.
The sight of them (May Allah be pleased with them) was the greatest cry that contributed to
bringing the Muslims back to their positions so that they could change the army of Musailamah the Liar
into trodden sand.
Thaabit lbn Qais, who excelled as a speaker and warrior, used to be self-reproaching and to humble
himself to Allah. Among the Muslims, he was extremely modest and afraid of Allah.