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At
one time, during the battle of Uhud, Prophet Muhammad SAW was
fiercely attacked by the enemy and two pieces of the helmet worn by
him were stuck deep into his head (or face), Abu Bakr RA and Abu
'Ubaidah RA ran to help him. Abu Ubaidah RA started pulling out the
pieces with his teeth. By the time one of the pieces was out, he had
lost one of his teeth. Without minding this, he again used his teeth
to pull out the other piece as well.
He
succeeded in taking out that one too, but he had to lose another
tooth in the effort. When the pieces were pulled out, the blood began
to flow out from Prophet Muhammad SAW body. Malik 'bin Sinaan RA ,
the father of Abu Sa'eed Khudri , licked the blood with his tongue.
At this, Prophet Muhammad SAW said: "The fire of Jahanam cannot
touch the person who has my blood mixed with his."
Abu Ubaidah bin al Jarrah RA – His love of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
The
image of dignity and grace, a handsome, pleasant, well spoken man
with a tall, slim physique and bright sharp eyes. These were the
physical good looks of a man whom the Prophet SAW said: ‘Every
Ummah (nation) has a trustee: the trustee of my Ummah (nation) is Abu
Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA.’
By
character and nature, he was very humble and modest. Amongst his
friends, he was gentle and soft as silk. When it came to war, he was
as hard as iron. During the battle of Uhud, he lost his two front
teeth. It was within this battle that two of the iron links of the
Prophet’s SAW helmet pierced his blessed head. Ubaidah bin
Al-Jarrah RA pulled them out with his teeth. His integrity and
honesty was unparalleled even amongst the companions of the Holy
Prophet SAW.
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| Compound of Maqam Abu Ubaidah Al Jarrah -Jordan Valley. |
His
real name was Amir ibn Abdullah bin Al-Jarrah, but he became famous
as Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA. Abdullah ibn Umar RA says that
amongst the tribe of the Quraish there were three people in whom
manners and modesty excelled all others. They also had the gift of
eloquent and gentle speech. If people looked at them, they wished to
keep on looking at them. In his opinion, the three people were:
- Abu Bakr Siddique RA
- Uthman ibn Affaan RA
- Abu
Ubaidah ibn Al Jarrah RA
Ubaidah
bin Al-Jarrah RA was amongst those very first distinguished
companions who had accepted Islam. He passed every trial and
tribulation with flying colours. The difficult situations created by
the Quraish were met with courage and patience. During these times of
hardship, he and the other companions of the Holy Prophet SAW
remained steadfast. He
sincerely and honestly recognized the authenticity and truth of the
Prophet SAW was the Messenger of Allah Taa’la. He never gave any
signs of despair.
One
of the greatest tests faced was at the battle of Badr, it was so
critical that it is beyond human comprehension. Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah
RA advanced into the midst of the battle field, tearing his way in.
This made the people run here and there, helter skelter. Everytime he
advanced towards a person on horse back, they made way for him, but
there was one man among them who would stand in front of him and
challenge him, and try to attack him. When Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah
RA realised that this person was his father, he was stunned and
shocked. Hazrat Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA was forced to attack him and
he was removed from the face of this earth. Anything was possible for
such people in Islam, nothing could stop them from believing in one
Allah and his beloved Messenger Muhammad SAW.
Towards
the later part of his life, Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA took
residence in Syria. Within this time a fatal disease of plague spread
in the city as it had never before. People were affected by it
rapidly. When Umar Farooq RAcame to know of this, he sent a letter
with a messenger to Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA.
He
wrote in the letter that he had some important business with him, and
he wanted him to make preparations and immediately set out for
Madinah Munawwarah to meet him. He was not to delay. If the letter
reached him in the morning, then he was to leave by night and if it
reached him by night then he had to set out before morning.
When
Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA read the letter, he sorrowfully said
that he knew what the important business was. Umar RA wanted to keep
alive a man who was not born to live in this world forever. He then
wrote a reply to the leader of the Muslims, Umar RA, after greeting
him, he said that he knew what work he had for him and that the
Muslims were facing severe problems, he could not leave them alone in
this state, unless it was Allah Ta’la's will as He is the one who
decides on their fate.
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| Abu Ubaidah ibn Al Jarrah RA - On many battlefronts. |
He
appealed to Umar RA to consider him helpless to obey his commands in
this matter and requested him to give him permission to stay with the
Muslims. When
Umar Al Khattab RA received this letter and read it, his eyes brimmed
with tears, the companions sitting around him were shocked to see
this and asked him if there was some tragic news, if the commander of
the Muslims, Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah had passed away. He answered:
“No,
but death is very near him.”
Umar's
RA statement turned out to be true and correct. A few days later,
Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah RA was struck by the plague.
In
Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah's RA last days, he made the following
statement to the Muslims: “Today,
I am giving you some advice. If you accept it, you will find peace
and security to be your companions:
- Establish ‘Solah’, be regular in your prayer
- Fast during the month of Ramadhan
- Give sacrifices and be charitable often
- Perform the Hajj
- Perform the Umrah
- Encourage and instruct each other to do good actions
- Wish your rulers well and be loyal to them
- Never deceive your rulers
- Be
careful that you perform your duties and not be lost in worldly
pursuits
Listen
carefully to what I have to say next: ‘Even if a man gets to live a
thousand years, one day he will be in the same position in which you
see me today, no one can escape death.’ “My
greetings of peace to all of you. May there be countless blessings of
Allah SWT the merciful on you all.”
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He
then turned to Muaz bin Jabal RA and said, “Lead
the men well in prayers, May Allah SWT protect you!” With
these humble words on his lips, he became the beloved of Allah
Taa’la. “To
Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.” Muaz
ibn Jabal RA stood up and told the people with quivering lips and a
trembling voice:
“Brothers
in Islam, you are sunk in grief today for a man who was more good
heart ed than any of us. He had a pure heart free from malice and
envy. He was a man who loved the hereafter and was a well-wisher of
each one of us.”
He
was a man whom was given the title ‘Aminul Ummah’, the trustee of
this nation and during his lifetime on this earth given the glad
tidings that he would go to paradise by the Prophet SAW. He was a
very blessed man, indeed!
Let
us all pray for him and his position in paradise be ever exalted. May
Allah Taa’la shower blessings on him and our Prophet SAW. Ameen
