Hearts of Gold: The Inspiring Tales of the Sahaba RA

#11:;ABBAD IBN BISHR( (رضي الله عنه)

When Mus'ab Ibn Umair went to Madiinah, appointed by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to teach the Ansaar - who had given their oath of allegiance to the Messenger in Islam - and to lead them in prayer, 'Abbaad lbn Bishr was one of the devoted whose hearts Allah opened to good. So Mus'ab approached the assembly, and 'Abbaad listened to him and stretched out his right hand to give his oath of allegiance to Islam. From that day on, he took his place among the Ansaar with whom Allah is pleased and they with Him.

The Prophet (PBUH) emigrated to Madiinah after the believers of Makkah had preceded him there. Then began the military campaigns in which the forces of good and light clashed with the forces of darkness and evil. In each of these battles, 'Abbaad lbn Bishr was in the front ranks fighting heroically in the cause of Allah, completely consumed and dedicated with heart and soul in a dazzling,overwhelming way.

After the Messenger of Allah and the believers had finished the military campaign of Dhaat-Ar-Riqaa', they stopped over at a place to spend the night and the Messenger chose guards from the Companions to take turns. Among them were 'Ammaar lbn Yaasir and 'Abbaad lbn Bishr on one watch.

Abbaad saw that his companion Ammaar was exhausted, so he demanded that he sleep the first part of the night and he would stand guard so his companion could take some rest. He could resume guard after he awoke.

Abbaad saw that the place around him was safe, so he thought, why not fill up his time with prayer, so that he would be rewarded both for praying and standing guard. So he stood praying.

While he was standing praying , an arrow passed through his shoulder, so he pulled it out and continued his prayer. Then the attacker shot a second arrow in the darkness of the night, so he pulled it out, also, and completed his recitation. Then he bowed and prostrated.

Weakness and pain had dissipated his strength, so he extended his right hand, while prostrating, to his companion sleeping near him and continued to shake him until he woke up. Then he sat up from his prostration and recited the Tashahhud (i.e. the last part of his prayer) and completed his prayer.

Arnmaar awoke at the weary, trembling voice of his words, "Stand guard in my place. I am wounded!" 'Ammaar jumped up yelling noisily and quickly frightened away the attackers, so they ran away. Then he turned to 'Abbaad and said to him, "Glory be to Allah! Why didn't you awaken me when you were first hit?"

Abbaad replied, "In my prayer I was reciting verses from the Qur'aan that filled my soul with such awe that I didn't want to interrupt it nor cut it short. By Allah, I swear, because I did not want to lose a single word which the Messenger of Allah ordered me to preserve, I would have preferred death more than interrupting those verses which I was reciting."

Abbad's devotion to the Quran was a sign of his intense devotion to and love for God, His Prophet and His religion. In fact Abbad was enthralled by the Quran from the moment he first heard it being recited by the mellow and beautiful voice of Musab ibn Umayr. 

Look at the devotion of the Sahaba to Salaat. One Arrow after another is piercing Abbad's body and he is bleeding profusely, but is not prepared to sacrifice the pleasure of reciting the Qur'an in his salaat. On the other hand, the bite of a bee or a mosquito is sufficient to distract us from our Salaat.

That was before the Hijrah when Abbad was just a young man. The Quran had found a special place in his heart and day and night thereafter he would be heard repeating the glorious words of God so much so that he became known among the Prophet's companions as the "friend of the Quran".

Abbaad was extremely devoted and strong in his love of Allah, His Messenger, and His religion, and this devotion lasted throughout his life.

Since he heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying to the Ansaar, "You are my people. You are the people who protect. There is no nation which has come like you before." ...,

Since Abbaad heard these words from his Prophet (PBUH) and teacher, he spent generously of his wealth and gave his spirit and life in the way of Allah and His Messenger. At times of sacrifice and death, he would always be in the front line. When it was time for receiving his share of rewards, he would only be found after much effort and difficulty.

He was always a worshiper - worship completely absorbed him; brave - bravery and heroism engrossed him; generous - generosity engaged him.

He was always trustworthy in his dealings with the wealth of Muslims. All this was recognized. Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, once said: "There are three persons among the Ansar whom no one could excel in virtue: Sad ibn Muadh, Usayd ibn Khudayr and Abbad ibn Bishr."

He was a strong believer. He pledged his life to the cause of faith. All of this was known of him by the Companions of the Messenger. The first Muslims knew Abbaad as a man in whom was light from Allah. His radiant, clear vision guided to areas of goodness and certainty without searching or difficulty.

Abbad died the death of a shahid (martyr) at the battle of Yamamah.

In the apostasy wars after the death of the Messenger (PBUH), 'Abbaad carried his responsibility with incomparable death-defying courage.

A day before the beginning of the Battle of Al-Yamaamah he saw in his sleep a vision that did not remain long enough to be clear.

So let an honorable companion, Abu Sa'iid Al-Khudriy, tell us the story of the vision which Abbaad saw, his explanation of it, and his amazing attitude in fighting which ended in martyrdom.

Abu Sa'iid reported: 'Abbaad Ibn Bishr said to me, "O Abu Sa'iid, I saw last night as if the sky had opened up for me. Then it closed and covered over me. Indeed, I see it, if Allah wills, to mean martyrdom." I said to him, Good. I swear by Allah, you did indeed see it." On the Day of Al-Yamaamah, I looked at him and indeed saw him shouting to the Ansaar, "Use your swords forcefully and be distinguished among the people!!".. So 400 men came quickly to him, all of them from among the Ansaar people, until they stopped at the gate of the garden. They fought violently, and Abbaad Ibn Bishr was martyred. I saw on his face much beating and I did not know him except by a mark that was on his body."

Thus was Abbaad raised to the level of his duties as a believer from among the Ansaar. He gave the oath of allegiance to his Messenger, dedicating his life to Allah and death in His cause. When he saw the destructive battle turning in favor of the enemy, he remembered the words of the Messenger to his people, the Ansaar: "You are my people. I can not be defeated through you. There has not come and people like you before."

This sound filled his heart and soul and penetrated his consciousness, until it was as if the Messenger of Allah was now standing before him repeating these words of his.
Abbaad felt that the whole responsibility of the battle was placed completely on the shoulders of the Ansaar, on the shoulders of those about whom the Messenger of Allah had said, "There has not come any people like you before." And on the shoulders of no one else besides them.

When 400 of the Ansar Abbaad called answered his call, he led them and Abu Dajaanah and Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik to the garden of death, where the army of Musailamah had fortified itself for protection. With this force, Abbad unleashed an offensive into the enemy's ranks which blunted their thrust and drove them back to the "garden of death". The hero fought a worthy fight as a man, as a believer, and as an Ansaar.

At the walls of this garden, Abbad ibn Bishr fell. So numerous were his wounds, he was hardly recognizable.

He had lived, fought and died as a believer.

SUBHANALLAH..

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