men_around_the_prophet

189 / 255

More info and Downloads at Page 189 of 255
While his soul was preparing for its new journey, his eyes were dripping tears and his tongue was
stammering, "I'm afraid of being held up by my friends because of what I had of abundant money. But
soon, Allah's calmness overwhelmed him, and tender happiness covered his peaceful face. His ears
listened closely, as if there were a sweet voice coming near them. Perhaps he was listening then to the
truth of the Messenger's words (PBUH) to him, "`Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn `Awf will enter Paradise." Maybe
he was listening also to Allah's promise in His book: "Those who spend their wealth in Cause of Allah,
and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with
their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve" (2: 262).
(41)
ABU JAABIR `ABD ALLAH IBN `AMR IBN HIRAAM
Shaded by Angels!
When the seventy Ansaar gave their allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in the Second
Pledge of `Aqabah, `Abd Allah Ibn `Amr Ibn Hiraam, also known as Abu Jaabir Ibn `Abd Allah, was one
of them. When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) chose some leaders among them, `Abd Allah Ibn `Amr
was one of these leaders. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made him the leader of his people, the Bani
Salamah. When they returned to Al-Madiinah, he sacrificed himself, his money, and his family in the
service of Islam. After the Messenger's Hijrah to Al-Madiinah, Abu Jaabir found utmost enjoyment in
accompanying the Prophet (PBUH) day and night.
In the Battle of Badr, he went out fighting like a hero. At Uhud he dreamed of his death before the
Muslims went out to battle. He was overwhelmed by a true sense that he was not coming back, and his
heart was full of joy. He called to him his son Jaabir Ibn Abd Allah, the noble Companion, and said, "I
see myself killed in this battle. Maybe I'll be the first martyr among the Muslims. By Allah, I'll leave no
one that I like more than you after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). I am in debt, so pay my debts and
make your brothers your own concern.
The next morning the Muslims went out to encounter the Quraish that had come in an uproarious
army to invade their peaceful city. A dreadful battle raged, at the beginning of which the Muslims
achieved rapid victory. It could have been a decisive victory but for the archers, whom the Messenger
(PBUH) had ordered to stay at their positions and never to leave them, who were tempted by this quick
victory over the Quraish. They left their positions on the mountain and were preoccupied with gathering
the booty of the defeated army! The Quraish quickly gathered its scattered remnants when it found the
Muslims' back completely exposed. They surprised them by a quick attack from behind, changing the
Muslim victory into defeat.
During this bitter fight, `Abd Allah lbn Amr died as a martyr. When the Muslims went to find their
martyrs after the fighting had ended, Jaabir Ibn `Abd Allah went to search for his father. He found him
among the martyrs, whom the polytheists had made a dreadful display of along with other heroes. Jaabir
and some of his family were crying over the martyr of Islam `Abd Allah Ibn `Amr Ibn Hiraam when the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed by. He said, "Cry over him or not, the angels are here to shade him
with their wings!"
Abu Jaabir's belief was strong. His love, or even eagerness, to die in the cause of Allah was his
greatest ambition. Afterward, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) announced the great news that depicted
his great fondness of martyrdom. One day he (PBUH) said to `Abd Allah's son Jaabir, "O Jaabir, Allah
has never spoken to anyone but from behind a veil, but He has spoken to me face to face. He said, `O
slave, ask Me to give you.' He said, `O Allah, I ask You to return me to earth, to be killed again in Your
cause.' Allah answered him," I said before: They will not return to them.' He said, `O Allah, then inform