Shining Stars
Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
Mawlana Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani
In an Anṣārī family, a child was born among the noble Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ. The mother presented the new-born to the revered Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم performed the sunna of taḥnīk and gave glad tidings that the child would lead a commendable life, die as a martyr, and enter Paradise.[1]
In accordance with the blessed words of prophecy, this child lived a life of righteousness and prosperity, and finally embraced martyrdom. This blessed child who was honoured with these prophetic glad tidings was Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. He was the first child to be born amongst the Anṣār after the emigration of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to Madina.[2]
Childhood:
He recounts a memorable account from his childhood, saying, “Once, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave me two bunches of grapes and instructed me, ‘Eat one and take the other to your mother.’ But I ate both. Afterwards, when the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم enquired about them, I replied, ‘I ate them.’ Hearing this, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم held me by the ear.”[3]
Certainly, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم holding him by the ear was out of compassion and for the purpose of rectification as is evident from the entire blessed life of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
When the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was veiled from this worldly life, Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was 8 years and 7 months old.[4]
Virtues:
He is the nephew of the famous Companion, Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Rawāḥah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ.[5]
He is counted from amongst the younger Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ.[6]
Appearance and habits
He had fine red lines in both of his eyes. His nose was long, his beard thick, and his speech was very endearing.[7] He was devout in worship, soft-natured and an ascetic. He disliked argumentation without any reason.[8] He was an eloquent orator.[9] He was also an accomplished poet. He overflowed with munificence, wisdom, and love for the noble Prophetic Household.[10]
Benevolence
While serving as the governor of Homs, a man approached him, expressing his financial difficulties. With a humble gesture, he replied, “Currently, I do not have anything to offer you. Nevertheless, the people of Yemen have sent 20,000 (currency) for the people of Homs. If you permit, I can inquire among the people of Homs.”
The man gave permission, so he rose up on the pulpit, praised Allah Almighty, and addressed the people, saying, “A brother of yours is in major difficulty and in need of your assistance.”
The people responded, “Give him one dinar (from each person).”
He replied, “Do not do this. Rather, two people should give him one dinar.”
The people said, “We are happy with this.”
He then said, “Money will be taken out for you all from the treasury. If you wish, I will hasten in giving this distressed person a share from it.”
The people agreed to this, so he took 10,000 dinars from the treasury and gave them to the man.[11]
Love for the Prophet’s Family
In 59 AH, when the emissary of Sayyidunā Imam al-Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, Sayyidunā Muslim b. ꜤAqīl رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ arrived in Kufa and 12,000 people pledged allegiance on his hand, despite being the governor, Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ sided with the people of truth and did not take any steps against them.
One of Yazīd’s supporters began to say, “You are weak. Corruption is brewing in the city.”
He replied, “I would rather obey Allah Almighty and be called weak than disobey Him and be called strong.”[12]
When news reached him that Sayyidunā Imam al-Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was coming to Kufah, he said, “The children of Fāṭima are dearer to me than Yazīd.” When Yazīd learned of this, he removed him from the position of governor, replacing him with Ibn Ziyād.[13] Upon reaching Kufa, Ibn Ziyād put on Yemeni garments, donned a Yemeni shawl over his head, covering his face with it, and proceeded alone on a mule. The people assumed that Sayyidunā Imam al-Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ had arrived. Therefore, they began to cheer: “Welcome, son of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!” Thinking the same, Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ opened the door to the governor’s house, and in this manner, Ibn Ziyād was able to take over.[14] Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then left the city for the land of al-Shām.[15]
His political services
Sayyidunā ꜤUmar al-Fārūq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ or Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ appointed him to collect zakat.[16] He served as a judge in Damascus in 53 AH and later became the governor of Yemen. After this, he held the position of governor in Kufa for 9 months.[17] He was subsequently removed from the position of governor by Yazīd, prior to the incident of Karbala. He then went to Syria and remained the governor of Homs until the end of his life. When Yazid died in 64 AH, he invited the Companion Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Zubayr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ to Homs.[18]
Martyrdom:
After the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, when Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. Zubayr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ announced his Caliphate, he pledged allegiance to him, but the people of the city did not support him and raised a rebellion. He finally left the city, but was martyred on the way.[19] This occurred towards the end of 64 AH or the beginning of 65 AH.[20] His resting place is in Dayr NuꜤmān (near Homs) in Syria.
Narrations
Sayyidunā NuꜤmān b. Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrated 114 hadith from the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Of these, five are agreed upon by Imams al-Bukhārī and Muslim رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهِمَا, whereas four are found in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim alone, and one is recorded by Imam al-Bukhārī but not Imam Muslim رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهِمَا.[21]
[1] Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, vol. 5, p. 760
[2] Ṭabaqāt Ibn Sa’d, vol. 6, p. 122
[3] Al-Isti'ab, vol. 4, p. 61; Al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ: 1,899
[4] Usd al-ghabah, vol. 5, p. 341
[5] Al-Siqāt li-ibn Ḥibbān, vol. 1, p. 454
[6] Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, vol. 4, p. 494
[7] Tarīkh Ibn ‘Asākir, vol. 62, p. 126
[8] Al-Kamil Fi al-Tareekh, vol. 3, pp. 386,387
[9] Tarīkh Ibn ‘Asākir, vol. 62, p. 123
[10] Al-Isti'ab, vol. 4, p. 62
[11] Al-Isti'ab, vol. 4, p. 62; Al-Muntazam, vol. 5, p. 334
[12] Tarīkh Ṭabari, vol. 9, p. 163
[13] Al-Mahasin wa al-Masawi, p. 55
[14] Tarīkh Ṭabari, vol. 9, p. 174
[15] Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, vol. 5, p. 704
[16] Tarīkh Ibn ‘Asākir, vol. 40, p. 221
[17] A’lam lil Zirikli, vol. 8, p. 36
[18] Ṭabaqāt Ibn Sa’d, vol. 6, p. 122
[19] A’lam lil Zirikli, vol. 8, p. 36
[20] Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, vol. 4, p. 495; Tarīkh Ibn ‘Asākir, vol. 62, p. 127
[21] Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, vol. 4, p. 494
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