storiesofthesahabah:
Really?
It’s always easier said than done.
We
often say everything for Allah, yet when we are tested with things that
close to us, we shatter into pieces and we forget the “for Allah,
everything.”
Astagfirullah.
_____
Let me narrate to you
a story that is quite similar to this situation. This happened during
the migration of ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattab RA to Madinah.
‘Umar RA described in his own words:
“When
we decided to migrate to Madinah, I made an appointment with ‘Iyaash
Ibn Abu Rabi’ah and Hishaam Ibn Al-’Aas Ibn Waa’il As Sahmee. We agreed
to meet at At Tanaadub (a well known place that was filled with trees),
in the aread of Adaa’ah, which was inhabited by the children of Ghaffaar
(Adaa’ah was situated approximately 10 miles outside of
Makkah.) Adaa’ah was situated just above Sarif (a valley that, when
compared to the other valleys of Makkah, was of medium length).
We
said among ourselves, ‘If any one of us does not reach that spot in the
morning, the rest of us should just assume that he was held back
(captured, found out and imprisoned, etc.), and should continue on their
way (to Madinah without him).’
The morning of our appointment,
both I and ‘Iyaash Ibn Abu Rabi’ah met at At Tanaadub; Hishaam, on the
other hand, was held back; was tempted away from his religion (through
coercion, threats, intimidation tactics, etc.); and, in the end,
succumbed.
When we reached Madinah, we stayed as guests at
Quba, among the children of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf. (Even though we had arrived
safely in Madinah, the leaders of the Quraish still didn’t give up.)
Abu
Jahl Ibn Hishaam and Al Haarith Ibn Hishaam went out in pursuit
of ‘Iyaash Ibn Abu Rabi’ah who was related to them in two ways; he was
their paternal cousin and their half-brother, by way of their common
mother.
They continued their pursuit until they reached Madinah,
and at the time, the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam was
still in Makkah. The two of them spoke to ‘Iyaash, saying to
him, ‘Verily, your mother has vowed never to allow a comb to touch her
head until she sees you; and never to take shade away from the sun until
she sees you.’
‘Iyaash felt compassion for his mother (and)
seemed to agree that he should return to Makkah and comfort her).’ I
said to him, ‘By Allah, ‘Iyaash, your people want nothing other than to
tempt you away from your religion, so beware of them! By Allah, were
lice to harm your mother, she would comb her hair (in an attempt to
remove them). And were she to feel the extreme heat of Makkah, she would
seek out shade.’
‘Iyaash replied, ‘I will honor my mother’s
vow;anyway, I have wealth in Makkah, so I will go and take it.’ I
said, ‘By Allah, you know that I am among the wealthiest of the people
of the Quraish: you can have half of my wealth if you don’t go with
those two men.’ He refused to accept anything I said, and instead
insisted on going with them.
When I saw that he would not change
his mind, I said, ‘If you will do as you feel you must do (i.e., if you
feel you have to go), then at least take my riding camel, for it is a
superior and well-trained mount. Remain on its back [during your journey
back to Makkah], and if you become suspicious that you travel
companions are plotting against you, you can ride away on it towards
safety.’
He left with them, but he took the riding animal, After
that they had traveled for some time, Abu Jahl said to ‘Iyaash, ‘O my
brother, by Allah, I feel the roughness of this came of mine [while I
ride on it]; will you not then let me sit behind you on your [more
comfortable] riding animal?’
‘Iyaash said, ‘Yes.’ They then both
made their camels kneel down so that Abu Jahl could switch rides, and
when they were all standing on the ground, Abu Jahl and Al Haarith
attacked ‘Iyaash and tied him up. They then took him back to Makkah and
tempted him away from his religion, and he succumbed [to their pressure
tactics].”
_____
Indeed, in this particular story we can find a beautiful lesson, and a beautiful ayah to contemplate it from:
“Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward.” [Qur’an 64:15]
and this ayah too:
“And
We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of
wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.”
[Qur’an 2:155]
_____
Our family is indeed at times a great test on us, as for ‘Iyaash it was his love for his mother that made him go back.
So
before we say that For Allah, everything. Let us make sure that indeed
we can justify that, because once we attest to that, it means this world
is nothing anymore and everything that we yearn for is to be Allah, and to be able to have that virtue, we have to start with our salah.
If
you can’t even be consistent and punctual with it, then how is it that
we can say everything for Allah, when we cannot even give a little time
for us to do what we are obliged to do for Him?
Ponder hard.
_____
And
may Allah help us become among those people who will always choose
akhirah over dunya, may He make us among those “few” people that He
mentioned in the Qur’an and make not among those “most” that He
mentioned.
Amin
Zohayma
_____
Story was taken from As Seerah An Nabawiyyah As Saheehah: 1/205
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