Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA was a companion of Rasulullahﷺ .And a brother of Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA, the second Rashidun Caliph.
Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA was
the son of al-Khattab ibn Nufayl, a member of the Adi clan of
the Quraysh tribe in Makkah, and of Asma bint Wahb of
the Asad tribe. Sayidina Zayd ibn
al-Khattab RA was older than his brother Sayidina
Umar Al Khattab RA. Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA is described as "a very tall dark man".
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
gave his brother Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA a chance to go with
Quraysh's trade caravan and trade with Syria's traders and always showed
kindness and love to Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
became a Muslim sometime before August 616. Sayidina Zayd ibn
al-Khattab RA joined the general emigration to Madinah in
622 and was made the brother in Islam of Maan ibn Adi.
Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA's marriage
to his cousin, Atiqa bint Zayd, was childless and ended in
divorce. In Madinah Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA married two
women from the Amr clan of the Aws tribe. One was Habiba bint Abi
Amir, who bore him a daughter, Asma; Habiba's niece Jamila was
briefly married to Zayd's brother Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA. The
other was Lubaba, a daughter of Abu Lubaba ibn Abd al-Mundhir, who was the
mother of his son Abdul Rahman.
Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA
fought at the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Uhud, the Battle of
the Trench (Khandaq), and "all the battles with Allah's
Messenger". At Uhud Sayidina Umar Al Khattab RA urged Sayidina Zayd ibn
al-Khattab RA to borrow his armor. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA put
it on but then he took it off again, saying, "I want what you want for
yourself.
At the Battle of Yamama on
December 632, Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA carried the Muslims'
standard. When Muslim baggage was exposed to plunder by the enemy, Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA said, "As for the baggage, there is no baggage!
As for the men, there are no men!" Then he shouted, "O Allah, I
apologize for the flight of my companions! I am not guilty before Thee of
what Musaylimah and Muhakkam have done!" Sayidina Zayd
ibn al-Khattab RA continued to hold the standard while fighting with his
sword and he did not drop it until he was killed. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA killer was Abu Maryam al-Hanafi, who claimed: "Allah honored him
at my hand and did not weaken me at his hand." He was martyred seconds
after his second cousins, Abdullah ibn Suhail and Abu Hudhayfa
ibn 'Utbah, and adopted distant relative (possibly nephew), Salim Mawla
Abu Hudhayfa.
Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA said: "My brother Zayd became superior to me in two aspects. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA became a Muslim before me and he was martyred before me." Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA expressed the best witnessing for Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA like that. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA was the half-brother of Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
was among the lucky people that Rasulullahﷺ loved
very much. Zayd bin Khattab, who had the honor of being a student at Suffa
school, was one of the first muhajirs. When Rasulullahﷺ established
brotherhood between Muhajirs and Ansar, he made Zayd bin Khattab brothers with
Main bin Adi.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
listened to the Prophet's lesson of "sacrifice and putting one's life at
risk for a cause" very carefully. This lesson of heroism necessitated
sacrificing one's property and life for the cause of Islam if necessary. Hz.
Zayd was conscious of it.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
took part in all of the wars that Rasulullahﷺ joined like Battle of Badr,
Battle of Uhud, Battle of Khandaq, and Bai’ah of Hudaybiyah. He showed great
heroism in the Battle of Uhud. His brother Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA also
took part in this battle. During the battle, Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA wanted
to give his armor to Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA
but he rejected his brother's offer by saying, "I want the rank of
martyrdom as much as you do." Thus, both brothers fought without armors.
Both wanted to be martyred.
After the demised Rasulullahﷺ
in the 12th year of the Migration, Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA
heroism he showed in the Battle of Yamama against the impostor Musaylima was an
example set for mujahids.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA
was the standard-bearer of the Islamic army in this battle. Sayidina Zayd
ibn al-Khattab RA attacked the ranks of the enemy army with the standard in
one hand and his sword in the other. At one moment, he saw that the Muslims
were weak. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA took refuge in Allah to be
like them and prayed Allah for victory. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA
said:
"O, Allah! I take refuge in you from
the defeat of Muslims."
After that, Sayidina Zayd
ibn al-Khattab RA attacked the ranks of the enemy again; he killed many
enemy soldiers including the famous apostate, Nahar. Meanwhile, Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA was hit hard by Abu Maryam. Sayidina Zayd ibn
al-Khattab RA was martyred. While the standard Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA was holding was about to fall, Sayidina Salim
Mawla RA, another great Companion, ran and grabbed it.
Sayidina
Umar Ibn Khattab RA envied his brother. However, his separation
distressed him a lot. Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA said, "Whenever the
morning wind blows, I feel the smell of Zayd."
It is interesting that Abu Maryam, who martyred Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA, became a Muslim during the caliphate of Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA. Then, he went into the presence of Sayidina Umar ibn Khattab RA. He was the fiercest enemy of Sayidina Umar Ibn Khattab RA since he killed Zayd but he became his closest friend after becoming a Muslim.
Once, Sayidina
Umar Ibn Khattab RA asked him, "Did you kill Zayd? “Abu Maryam said,
"Yes, I did." Then, he added,
"Allah gave him the rank
of martyrdom through me but He did not throw me into Hell through him."
Sayidina
Umar Ibn Khattab RA asked, "How many of your soldiers died
during the Battle of Yamama?" Abu Maryam said, "They are terrible many
dead people. Praise be to Allah, who left me alive and made me a Muslim.
It is reported that Sayidina Umar ibn Khattab RA appointed him as the qadi (judge) of Basra.
Another story about Sayidina
Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA. His faith in Allah and Rasulullahﷺ were his
greatest strengths. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA
was a tall, well-built man, an ideal hero whose motive was,” Actions speak
louder than words.” Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA never stayed back
from any call of Islam and was present in every battle, seeking martyrdom more
than he would seek victory.
In the battle of Uhud, he was
fighting the enemies of Islam ferociously. At one point his shield came off,
and Sayidina Umar ibn Khattab RA seeing him without shield
within the reach of the enemies, cried out to him,” O Zayd take my shield and
fight with it. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA replied: “I want
martyrdom as much as you want it.” Sayidina Zayd ibn
al-Khattab RA continued fighting without his shield with astonishing
bravery and heroism.
Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA in The Battle of Yamamah.
This hero of Islam was longing
to meet Ar-Rajjal, wishing to put an end to his life with his own hands. Perhaps
a little back story here on this man he sought would help us better understand
his motive. This man Ar-Rajjal was a Muslim, who was apostatized from Islam and
Joined Musailamah, the Liar. He exploited his previous association with Islam and the time that he had spent with the Rasulullahﷺ
in Madinah. Ar-Rajjal used his knowledge of all those things that he had
learned, for evil things and cunningly supported and confirmed the sovereignty
of Musailamah and his false prophethood.
He spread false news saying
that he had heard Rasulullahﷺ say that he had taken Musailamah into
partnership and when Rasulullahﷺ died, he was worthy of carrying the
banner of prophethood and revelation after him. Because of his association with
Rasulullahﷺ and his shenanigans, the supporters of Musailamah increased.
Rasulullahﷺ had prophesied indirectly about Ar-Rajjal as being the one whose molar in hell is greater than mount Uhud. When news of Ar-Rajjal reached Madinah, the Muslims were enraged by this betrayal and the dangers this apostate posed to misleading people. His words and deeds intensified the conflict the Muslims had with their adversaries and they were eager to put an end to it. Most anxiously waiting for him, was our hero here, Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA
When the day of Yamamah approached, Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA tightened his belt and set out to finish off this enemy of Islam. Sayidina Khalid ibn Walid RA gathered the army of Islam and directed it to its positions leaving the leadership with Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA fought Bani Hanifah, the followers of Musailamah, boldly and fiercely. In the beginning, the battle was leaning towards the side of the enemies, and many Muslims fell as martyrs. Seeing the disheartened faces of the Muslims, Zaid climbed a hill and cried,”
“O people! Grit your teeth,
fight your enemy, and go straight. By Allah, I’ll never speak till Allah beats
them or I meet Him and then give my evidence.”.
Saying this Sayidina Zayd
ibn al-Khattab RA climbed down and rushed straight into the human waves of
the army seeking every moment the man he sought to kill. After many instances
of finding and losing Ar-Rajjal on the battleground, he finally had his moment
of success. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA caught hold of him by his
neck and then with his sword, cut off his head that was full of vanity, lies, and villainy.
Musailamah Ar Khazab was
filled with horror at the killing of Ar-Rajjal. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab
RA killing of Ar Rajjal spread in the army of Musailamah as a fire on a
stormy day. Together they had promised their supporters, a glorious victory and the establishment of a new state after it. Now that Ar-Rajjal lay dead, the whole
prophecy of Musailamah was seen as a lie. The ranks of its whole army began to fall.
When the Muslims heard the
news about Ar-Rajjal having been killed, they were filled with pride and
dignity. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA at this moment raised his hands
and supplicated to Allah Rabbul Jalalluh thanking Him for his blessings and then
returned back to his sword in silence keeping the oath he had taken. The oath
to stay silent till victory was theirs, or till he achieved martyrdom.
Allah SWT granted him his wish
on the same glorious day. Sayidina Zayd ibn al-Khattab RA died a
magnanimous, graceful, and happy martyr. The victorious army of Islam returned
to Madinah.
When
the army reached Madinah, Sayidina Umar ibn Khattab RA was waiting to see his
brother. When the Muslims consoled him about his brother’s martyrdom, he said,”
May Allah have mercy upon Zaid, he preceded me in two instances. He embraced
Islam before me and gained martyrdom before me, too.”
