men_around_the_prophet

227 / 255

More info and Downloads at Page 227 of 255
(55)
ABBAAD IBN BISHR
With Him Was the Light of Allah!
When Mus`ab Ibn `Umair went to Al-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 Al-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. Perhaps the event which we now narrate will disclose something of the
heroism of this great believer. 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 reciting a surah from the Qur'aan after Al-Faatihah, 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."
`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." ... We say, since Abbaad heard these
words from his Prophet (PBUH), teacher, and guide to Allah, he spent generously of his wealth and gave
his spirit and life in the way of Allah and His Messenger. In the areas of sacrifice and even death, he