ISLAMIAT – LECTURE 3 1st ISLAMIC COMMUNITY (PART 4) Companions of the Prophet

1. Hazrat Abu Bakr:

● Friend of the Prophet since childhood ● One of the 1st converts to Islam ● Suffered persecution at hands of Quraish – hair pulled out while defending the Prophet ● Freed many slaves such as Hazrat Bilal ● Believed without any reluctance the incident of Mairaj ● Married his daughter to Prophet ● Accompanied the Prophet on migration to Yasrib ● Prophet consoled him while the two were in the cave of Saur and he was scared ● Paid for the plot of Masjid-e-Nabawi ● Shared camel at Battle of Badr ● He formed defensive ring around Prophet at Battle of Uhad ● Gave a hefty financial contribution at the Tabuk expedition ● Participated in expeditions to Hunain, Khyber, Taif, Syria ● Appointed Ameer-e-Hajj in 9AH ● Led prayers during Prophet’s illness ● While Prophet was dying, all doors of the mosque were closed except the 1 leading to his apartment ● Steadied the mourning community after Prophet’s death and was appointed 1st caliph

2. Hazrat Umar:

● Reputation of the fiercest men of Makkah ● Prophet prayed for his conversion to Islam ● His conversion boosted the morale of Muslims ● He protected the Prophet from attacks ● Migrated to Medina and took farming as a profession ● He married his daughter to the Prophet ● Formed a defensive around the Prophet at Uhad ● Helped in the digging of trench at the Battle of Trench ● Offered financial support at the Tabuk Expedition ● Objected to the terms of the treaty of Hudaybia ● Persuaded muslims to accept Prophet’s decision to retreat when they could not capture Taif ● Took part in expeditions towards north organized in the last years of the Prophet ● Known as Farooq-e-Azam

3. Hazrat Usman:

● Amongst the early converts ● Accepted Islam at the hands of Hazrat Abu Bakr ● Suffered persecution ● Married to Prophet’s daughter, Ruqqaya ● Migrated to Abyssinia ● Migrated to Medina ● Did not take part in Badr because wife was sick ● After death of first wife, married another daughter of the Prophet ● Called Zun nurain – possessor of two lights ● Messengers of Muslims at treaty of Hudaybia ● Rode near the Prophet at Conquest of Makkah ● Escorted Prophet’s wives at the farewell pilgrimage ● Financially helped the Muslims at Tabuk expedition ● Paid for the extension of Mosque of the Prophet ● Known as Ghani – generous

4. Hazrat Ali:

● Son of Abu Talib, Prophet’s uncle ● Prophet bought him to his place to relieve burden on his uncle ● Early convert – accepted Islam at 10 years ● Slept in Prophet’s bed at the time of migration and returned valuables which people had left with the Prophet ● Married to Prophet’s daughter – Fatima ● Shared camel with Prophet at Badr ● Sent as scout to discover enemy’s movement at Badr ● Single combatant at Badr ● Carried Muslim banner at Badr ● Carried Muslim Banner at Uhad after original bearer was killed ● Formed defensive ring at Uhad ● Single combatant at Trench ● Amongst the leaders at siege of Banu Qurayza ● Used door as a shield at Khyber Expedition ● Defended Prophet at Hunain Expedition ● Carried Muslim banner at Conquest of Makkah ● Scribe of the treaty of Hudaybia ● Read new teachings in Hajj in 9 AH ● Washed dead body of Prophet ● Was not present at the selection of 1st caliph but did not press hard his claim to caliphate

5. Hazrat Talha:

● Early convert ● Accepeted Islam at the hands of Hazrat Abu Bakr ● Accompanied Hazrat Sawdah, Hazrat Fatima and Hazart Umme Kulsoom on the migration to Medina ● Prophet sent him to check the whereabouts of Makkan caravan at Badr ● Hence he could not participate in th battle itself ● Deflected a sword aimed at the Prophet with his own hands –got 75 wounds ● Fingers of that hand remained useless throughout his life● Known as living martyr ● Present at the treaty of Hudaybia ● His bravery led to the victory at Battle of Hunain ● Known as Fayyaz – the generous one ● Donated wealth to the poor and led a simple life ● Member of the Islamic council during 1st and 2nd caliphates ● Amongst the 6 chosen by Hazrat Umar as his successor to caliphate ● Fought the battle of Camel against Hazrat Ali and died in 35 AH

6. Hazrat Zubair:

● Cousin of the Prophet ● Nephew of Hazrat Khadija ● Early convert ● His uncle would wrap him in a mattress and set it on fire ● He did not renounce his faith saying that he must die as a believer ● Migrated to Abyssinia ● Fought at the Battle of Badr and Uhad ● Amongst the leader of Muslim force on their entry to Makkah ● Married to Abu Bakr’s daughter ● Amongst the 6 chosen by Hazrat Umar as his successor to caliphate ● Fought the battle of Camel against Hazrat Ali and died in 35 AH

7. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah Bin Jarrah:

● Early convert ● Accepted Islam at the hands of Hazrat Abu Bakr ● Suffered persecution ● Migrated to Abyssinia ● Killed his own father army at the Battle of Badr ● Used his teeth to extract the metal links of the helmet straps from Prophet’s cheek at Uhad ● Was declared judge by the Prophet for a Najran delegation ● Leader of one of the squadrons of conquest of Makkah ● Led expeditions to Dhul-al-qassa and al-khabbat ● Went on expedition to Syria ● Nominee for 1st caliphate ● Conquered Damascus ● Known as Ameen-ul-Ummat

8. Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas:

● Maternal uncle of the Prophet ● Early convert ● Accepted Islam on the invitation of Hazrat Abu Bakr ● First one to have shed blood for Islam ● Participated at Badr ● Prophet handed him arrows to shoot at Uhad ● Present at the treaty of hudaybia ● Took part in conquest of Makkah ● Leader of Battle of Qadisiya during 2nd caliphate ● Governor of Kufa during 3rd caliphate ● Was offered the 4th caliphate but he refused ● Did not pay homage to Hazrat Ali

9. Hazrat Abdur Rehman Bin Auf:

● Early convert ● Accepted Islam on Hazrat Abu Bakr’s invitation ● Suffered persecution ● Kalab was his’ and Prophet’s common ancestor ● Migrated to Abyssinia ● Paired with Ansar Saad Bin Al-Rabi ● Started selling cheese and butter to earn a living ● Soon established as a wealthy merchant who sent out trading caravans ● Shared his camel with Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar at the Battle of Badr ● Got 21 wounds at Uhad ● Gave shoulder to the Prophet on his son, Ibrahim’s death ● Leader of raid at Dumat-al-Jandal ● Prophet said a prayer behind him at a voyage ● Appointed Ameer-e-Hajj during Hazrat Abu Bakr’s caliphate

10. Hazrat Saeed Bin Zaid:

● His father had given up idol worship ● He was an early convert ● His wife was Hazrat Umar’s sister ● He could read and wrire ● Was sent to check the Makkan caravan at Badr ● Commander of army that conquered Syria in the 2nd caliphate ● Conquered Damascus ● Made governor of Damascus but resigned due to love for Jihad Questions: Q) What was the importance of the work that scribes did? A) The scribes of the divine revelation hold immense importance in Islam as they made sure that the revelations must be in written form because the Prophet did not know how to read or write. Apart from writing them, they also learnt the verses so that they remained in their memory. Thus they played a vital role in the preservation of Quran in its original form. If they had not written the revelations, the word of Allah might perish forever. This shows that their work played an important role in preserving Quran for future generations. For Further Reading: David Thomas, Islamiat (pages-)