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USAAMAH IBN ZAID
The Beloved Son of the Beloved
Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, Commander of the Faithful, sat down to distribute money from the treasury
among the Muslims.
It was `Abd Allah Ibn `Umar's turn, and `Umar gave him his share. Then it was the turn of Usaamah
Ibn Zaid. `Umar gave him double of what he gave his son `Abd Allah. As `Umar gave people according
to their merit and endeavor, `Abd Allah Ibn `Umar was afraid that his position was not as highly
acknowledged as he desired, to be one of the closest to Allah through his obedience, endeavor, piety, and
asceticism.
Therefore, he asked his father, "You preferred Usaamah, although I experienced with the Messenger
of Allah what he did not." Umar answered, "Usaamah was more beloved by the Prophet (PBUH) than
you were, and his father was more beloved by the Prophet (PBUH) than your father was.
Who was it, together with his father that was so close to the Prophet's heart and love? It was a high
position which Ibn `Umar did not reach, nor did his father, `Umar himself.
Who was it? It was Usaamah Ibn Zaid who has been called among the Prophet's Companions "The
Beloved Son of the Beloved".
His father was Zaid Ibn Haarithah 1 the Prophet's servant, who preferred the Prophet (PBUH) over
own his father, mother and kin. He was with him when the Prophet (PBUH) stood in front of a large
group of Companions saying, "I let you bear witness that Zaid is my son, inheriting from me and I
inheriting from him."
His name remained Zaid Ibn Muhammad until the practice of child adoption was abolished by the
Qur'aan. Usaamah is his son. His mother was Umm Aiman, the Prophet's servant and nurse maid.
Usaamah's physical appearance made him appear a good for- nothing. Historians and narrators described
him as being dark- skinned and snub-nosed. By these two words, not more, did history summarize
Usaamah's physical appearance.
However, since when did Islam ever care about a person's physical characteristics? Was it not the
Prophet (PBUH) who said, "Maybe a Muslim's hair is unkempt and his feet covered with dust and his
clothes are not neat, but, if he swore by Allah he would fulfill his oath?"
Therefore, let us set his appearance aside. Leave his dark skin and snub nose alone; nothing of that
sort has weight in Islam. Let us instead take stock of his loyalty. How was his devotion? How was his
virtue? How was his honesty? How was his piety? How great was his soul? on account of the qualities of
his soul, he reached a worthiness that made him eligible to receive the Prophet's infinite love and
acknowledgment: "Usaamah Ibn Zaid is the most beloved to me and I wish him to be one of the virtuous.
I recommend you to treat him well."
Usaamah (May Allah be pleased with him) had all the great characteristics which enabled him to be
so close to the Prophet's heart and beloved in his eyes. He was the son of two generous Muslims
belonging to the first converts to Islam who, at the same time, were the closest and most loyal to the
Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
As one of the true sons of Islam, he was nurtured from his first days by Islam's pure nature without
experiencing the murkiness of the pagan period.