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Mus`ab ibn `Umayr
The First Ambassador of
Islam
Mus`ab Most people find
it easier to blend in with the crowd rather than stand out and open
themselves to criticism and ridicule. This has been the case from olden
times until now. But many people have succeeded in overcoming the obstacles
in their lives and have developed into noble, great, and legendary
characters. Such is the case with Mus`ab ibn `Umayr.
Mus`ab was born into a
wealthy family headed by a mother whose strength of personality and
dominating character were well-known in Makkah. Mus`ab was given everything
a young person could dream of. He wore the most fashionable clothes and
shoes, mixed with the most popular and notable people of his area, and was
greatly admired by all. Added to this was his natural personality: he was a
good communicator; he had a bright intelligent mind; he was quick and alert
and so was allowed to attend the most prestigious meetings with
intelligent, elderly, and noble people. Mus`ab had everything a young
person of his time could ever dream of. So what could ever make him
consider giving it all up?
Mus`ab would walk the streets of Makkah tall,
confident, well-dressed, loved, and perhaps envied by some, and during one
such time he came to know about Muhammad who was known as Al-Amin (the
trustworthy). This man called Muhammad (peace be upon him) claimed to have
been given a message by the Creator and Lord of all. Makkah buzzed with
this news and talk spread quickly that the idols they worshipped were being
threatened by a man who they had always loved, trusted, and respected. To
them it was a curious matter. Mus`ab, being intelligent and inquisitive,
wanted to know more about the matter. During his many talks with the
notables of Makkah Mus`ab came to know that the Muslims (for that is what
the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) called themselves) met in the
house of Al-Arqam in the outskirts of Makkah. Mus`ab decided to go and have
a look and see for himself what all this was about.
The young, handsome man quietly and with dignity
entered the house of Al-Arqam and heard the recitation of the Qur’an—a
thing that led many like him to Islam. He was overwhelmed by what he heard
and felt. The words of the Qur’an made a deep and lasting impression on
him. Mus`ab was young but decisive and determined. With strength of
character and a pious heart he met the Prophet (peace be upon him) and a
historic moment was recorded by the angels on high when Mus`ab declared his
acceptance of Islam at the hands of the Prophet himself (peace be upon
him).
Mus`ab had grown up without fear of anything or
anyone. He was sure of himself, kind, confident, and clever but
nevertheless he was just a human being. The one thing that Mus`ab feared
was his own mother. She was a strong and fierce woman and was well-known as
such. After considering his situation for some time Mus`ab decided to keep
his acceptance of Islam a secret for a while until the best way showed
itself. In the meantime, he continued to visit the house of Al-Arqam where
he received knowledge about Islam and learnt the Qur’an.
Makkah was full of spies and informants and so
it wasn’t long before Mus`ab’s comings and goings were noted and reported.
You can imagine how furious his mother was. The news spread like a storm
and the power of his mother’s fury came down on him. Basically Mus`ab was
confident but since he accepted Islam there came over him more of a sense
of tranquility, calmness, and inner resourcefulness. In this way, he faced
his furious mother with an air of determination and dignity. He didn’t
engage in a debate about the worship of Allah or that of idols; he didn’t
shout and rebuke; he didn’t say demeaning mean words; he simply told her
that he had in fact become a Muslim and quietly explained to her why he had
done that. Regardless of her rantings he remained calm. He recited some
verses to her with the hope that she would understand what he was doing but
she refused to listen and was haughty. Perhaps what bothered her a lot was
the fact that most of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) early followers were
from the poor people and it was unthinkable that her son, Mus`ab, would
ever be counted among such people. It was simply unthinkable! She didn’t
realize that the message of Islam is for all and that even poor, uneducated
people can gain wisdom and nobility from imbibing its pure teachings.
Mus`ab knew this and that is why he never considered himself superior to
any of the Muslims despite his wealth.
His mother wanted to beat him and degrade him to
compensate herself for the sorrow and humiliation she felt. But then she
thought of something better and perhaps more lasting. She ordered her
servants to take her son and bind him tightly; keep him a prisoner in his
own home.
As usual Mus`ab remained calm but sought the
first opportunity to escape. Allah the Almighty opened the way for him and
he left with a group of the Muslims who were heading for Abyssinia seeking
safety there from the persecution of the Makkans. So Mus`ab left his
mother, his home, his wealth, the city of the childhood and headed off to
the unknown. His sure and strong faith in Allah made him strong,
determined, and peaceful.
After some time Mus`ab heard news that it was
now safe to return to Makkah. He set off at once but upon arrival he learned
that the situation was still the same. Inevitably he once again confronted
his mother who was unsure what she should do now. Once again he explained
the simple and beautiful message of Islam and invited her to join him but
she was persistent and chose to follow the idols and the ways of her
forefathers—helpless in her pride and arrogance to admit she was wrong. She
threatened once again to have him tied up and imprisoned but this time the
gentle Mus`ab told her in no uncertain terms that if she tried that again
he would kill anyone who helped her to do that. His mother saw the glint of
determination in his eyes and succumbed. She told him in an offhand manner
to go on his way and not to darken her door again. He was no longer her
son. Mus`ab came close to her and tried one more time to advise her and
invite her to the mercy of Allah the Almighty and the truth of His
messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) but she simply couldn’t. Moreover,
in her arrogance she swore by the shooting stars that she would never
accept Islam even if she was ridiculed. There was nothing more that Mus`ab
could do. He left.
Not only did he leave his mother and home but he
also left the wealth and luxury he had been brought up in. Some people
would feel sad and disillusioned if such a fate befell them; it may even
cause them to be depressed and hopeless in life, but not with Mus`ab. He
was seen walking around Makkah with a smile on his face and light and hope
beaming from his eyes. His time was spent in learning Islam and spending
time with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his noble companions, of
which he was now one.
One time the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his
companions were sitting and they saw Mus`ab approaching. The Prophet (peace
be upon him) said: “I have seen this Mus`ab with his parents in Makkah.
They lavished care and attention on him and gave him all comforts. There
was no Quraish youth like him. Then he left all that seeking the pleasure
of Allah and devoting himself to the service of His Prophet (peace be upon
him).” The Prophet (peace be upon him) predicted that the Muslims would one
day become rich and powerful. This was very significant because at that
time they were living in great poverty. The Prophet (peace be upon him)
further remarked that even though they were poor at that time, they were
really better off. Meaning that having riches isn’t necessarily good for
people.
The Prophet and his companions (peace be upon
them all) stayed in Makkah for another ten years inviting people to Islam
but they remained hostile. The future looked bleak but the Muslims never
gave up. Then the opportunity came for the message of Islam to spread in a
place called Yathrib which was later called Madinah. For the honored task
of being the first ambassador of Islam, Mus`ab was chosen, above older
people and those who were closely related to the Prophet himself (peace be
upon him). Why was this young man chosen? He was chosen for his noble pious
character, fine manners, and sharp intelligence. He was also able to recite
the Qur’an beautifully and movingly and he had a lot of knowledge of Islam.
He was perfect for the job.
Mus`ab knew this was a very sacred mission he
was being called to do. He knew that he was inviting people to Allah and
His prophet (peace be upon him) and that this city would be the base for
the young and struggling Muslim community. Once in Madinah, he used to go
to the people in their houses and gatherings and speak to them about Islam
reciting the Qur’an to them. Many people accepted Islam. Although this pleased
Mus`ab, it greatly displeased the leaders of Madinah.
One time when Mus`ab was sitting with a group of
people under a tree, one of the notables of Madinah approached, brandishing
a spear. Mus`ab said to the group, ‘If he sits down, I’ll speak to him.’
The man threatened Mus`ab and warned him to leave the city and leave them
all alone. Mus`ab smiled warmly and invited him to sit down and hear what
he had to say. He added that if the man liked what he said he could accept
it and if he didn’t like it, he would leave and not bother him again. The
man agreed. He sat down and listened. Mus`ab did not compel him to do
anything; he didn’t ridicule him or argue with him. Mus`ab simply recited
the Qur’an and explained the simply and beautiful message of Islam. The
man’s face changed and became radiant. It was clear that faith had entered
his heart. He accepted Islam. More and more people accepted Islam at the
hands of Mus`ab, through the mercy of Allah the Almighty. The first
ambassador of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was extremely successful.
Mus`ab stayed in Madinah for about a year then
returned to Makkah during the season of pilgrimage. He took 75 Muslims from
Madinah known as Ansar (helpers) because they helped the Muslims from
Makkah when they later migrated to Madinah. This group made a pledge of
allegiance with the Prophet (peace be upon him) that they would defend him
at all costs and remain firm in their faith. Shortly after this pledge, the
Prophet (peace be upon him) directed his persecuted followers to migrate to
Madinah. The first of the companions to arrive there were Mus`ab and a
blind old man named Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum.
The next chapter of Mus`ab’s life was the battle
of Badr. After this battle the Quraish prisoners of war were brought to the
Prophet (peace be upon him) who put them into the custody of individual
Muslims. They were ordered to treat the prisoners well. Among these
prisoners was the brother of Mus`ab named Abu `Aziz ibn `Umayr who told the
story:
“I was among a group of Ansar—whenever they had
lunch or dinner they would give me bread and dates to eat in obedience to
the Prophet’s instructions to them to treat us well. My brother, Mus`ab
passed by me and said to a man from the Ansar who was holding me prisoner:
‘Tie him firmly…His mother is a woman of great wealth and maybe she would
ransom him for you.” Aziz couldn’t believe his ears. He turned to Mus`ab
and said, “My brother, is this your instruction concerning me?”
Mus`ab replied, “He is my brother, not you.”
Mus`ab meant that the bonds of faith were stronger than the bonds of
kinship.
Mus`ab came to be known as Mus`ab Al-Khayr (the
Good). At the battle of Uhud the Prophet (peace be upon him) called upon
him to carry the Muslim standard (flag). The battle started and at first
the Muslims seemed to have the upper hand however, a groups of Muslims
disobeyed the order of the Prophet and left their places and this gave the
enemy the chance to counter-attack and win the battle. The enemy forces
wanted to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). Mus`ab understood the
danger the Prophet was in so with the flag in one hand and his sword in the
other he plunged into the ranks of the enemy. Even when Mus`ab was being
struck with enemy swords and his life seemed certain to be over, the words
he spoke were those of concern for the Prophet (peace be upon him). He
said, half to himself, ‘Muhammad is only a Messenger. Messengers have
passed away before him.” He was reminding himself that his struggle was not
just for the Prophet but for the message of Allah to the world. First one
hand was severed, so he held the flag with the other, then the other hand
was severed and he determinedly held the flag with the stumps of both arms
then finally he was struck by a spear and died. The words he repeated every
time he was struck were later revealed to the Prophet and completed, and
became part of the Qur’an.
After the battle, the Prophet (peace be upon
him) and his companions went sadly through the battle field bidding
farewell to the martyrs. Tears flowed when they saw Mus`ab’s body. Khabbab
related that they could not find any cloth with which to shroud Mus`ab’s
body, except the garment he was wearing. When they covered his head, his
legs were exposed and when his legs were covered, his head was exposed. So
the Prophet told them to place the garment over his head and cover his feet
and legs with the leaves of the idhkhir (rue) plant.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) felt great pain
and sorrow at the number of his companions who were killed at the battle of
Uhud. He (peace be upon him) remembered Mus`ab as he first saw him in
Makkah, stylish and elegant and then looked at the garment he was then
wearing—the only garment he owned, and he recited the verse of the Qur’an:
[Among the believers are men who have been true
to what they have pledged to Allah.] (Al-Ahzab 33:23)
Bibliography
Lings, Martin. Muhammad: His Life Based on the
Earliest Sources. Kuwait: Foundation for Traditional Studies and A.S.
Noordeen, 1983.
Al-Mubarakpuri, SafiurRahman. The Sealed Nectar.
Riyadh: Dar-us-Salam, 1996.
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