One companion رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was reciting Surah Al-Baqarah one night. A horse was tied up nearby and the son of the companion, Yahya, was asleep close to the horse. As the Surah was being recited, the horse all of a sudden went out of control. The companion of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ stopped reciting the Surah and the horse also calmed down. When he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ started reciting again, then the horse went out of control again. When he stopped reciting again, then the horse also calmed down. For the third time, when he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ started the recitation of the Surah again, then the horse started jumping uncontrollably again. Thinking that the horse might trample the son, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ came to the son and lifted him. While doing so, his gaze rose towards the sky. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ saw that there is something like a canopy that contains a lot of (oil) lamps that are lit.
In the morning, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ came in the blessed court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and relayed the whole event. Upon this, the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘This was the sacred group of angels who came close to you due to (listening to) your recitation (of the Holy Quran). If you had carried on reciting the Holy Quran, then morning would have fallen and people would have seen them and the angels would have also not been hidden from them.’ (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 3, pp. 408, Hadees 5018; Sahih Muslim, pp. 311, Hadees 1859; Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 1, pp. 207, Hadees 562)
Dear Islamic brothers! This companion of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was from the tribe of Banu ‘Abdul Ashhal [عبد الاشھل], Sayyiduna Usayd Bin Hudayr [حُضَیْر] Ansari رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ . (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 1, pp. 203, Raqm 574)
Number of Kunyahs and embracing of Islam
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has 6 Kunyahs. The famous one is ‘Abu Yahya’. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ embraced Islam at the hands of Sayyiduna Mus’ab Bin ‘Umayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ . What was his perception about Islam before and after the truth of Islam was revealed upon him, get a gist of it through the following brief account:
Therefore, he spoke harshly to Sayyiduna Mus’ab Bin ‘Umayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ saying that ‘why have you come here? To fool our weak people? If you love your life, then go away from here’. Sayyiduna Mus’ab Bin ‘Umayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said politely, ‘Just sit down and listen to me. If you understand what I am saying, then agree to it. And if you don’t like it, then we will not force you.’
Listening to it, he said, ‘What you said is beneficial for me.’ Then, he sunk his spear into the ground and sat next to Sayyiduna Mus’ab Bin ‘Umayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ . Sayyiduna Mus’ab Bin ‘Umayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ started telling him about Islam and recited the Holy Quran before him. Upon this, the signs of being convinced upon accepting Islam became apparent on his face. Thereafter, he said, ‘What a good and chosen religion it is.’ Then he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ accepted Islam. (Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, vol. 3, pp. 186)
Allegiance to the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ took allegiance (Bay’at) to the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ in the twelfth year after the declaration of Nubuwwah (Prophethood) at the occasion of Hajj in the valley of ‘Uqbah. (Al-Istee’aab, vol. 1, pp. 185)
Virtues and excellence
The Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘What a great person Usayd Bin Hudayr is.’ (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 437, Hadees 3820)
Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ used to respect him a lot and used to say that ‘no one has any differences with him’. (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 1, pp. 143)
Umm-ul-Mu`mineen, Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا states, ‘Sayyiduna Usayd Bin Hudayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ is among those who are superior.’ (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 7, pp. 44, Hadees 19115)
Commending words
When the necklace of Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was lost and the Ayahs of Tayammum were revealed, at that time, the following words were on the lips of Sayyiduna Usayd Bin Hudayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ , ‘O children of Abu Bakr! This is not your first blessing, i.e. Muslims have received various blessings of yours.’
Character and habits
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was very intelligent, wise and someone who had tremendous ability of giving the right suggestion. (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, pp. 212)
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ is among those companions who would recite the Holy Quran in a beautiful voice. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 1, pp. 207, Raqm 562)
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would also lead Salah among his tribe. (Abu Dawood, vol. 1, pp. 248, Hadees 607)
Possessor of numerous attributes
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was a great swimmer, spearman and writer. This is the reason why people used to call him ‘the accomplished one’. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 3, pp. 453)
He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ possessed an excellent character and was of very pleasing manners. (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, pp. 213)
Staff lit up
Once, Sayyiduna Usayd Bin Hudayr and Sayyiduna ‘Abbaad Bin Bishr Ansari رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ مَا left from the blessed court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ for their homes quite late at night. In the dark night, when they couldn’t find the way, the staff of one of the companions all of a sudden lit up and both sacred personalities kept walking in its light. When the ways of both of them separated, then the staff of the second companion also lit up and both of them reached their homes in light. (Sahih Ibn Habbaan, vol. 3, pp. 239, Hadees 2028)
Demise and burial
Sayyiduna Usayd Bin Hudayr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ departed this mortal world in Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam 20 Hijri. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 1, pp. 203, Raqm 549)
Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ kept holding the funeral bier from the middle to the extent that it was placed in Jannat-ul-Baqi’. Then Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ lead his funeral Salah. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 3, pp. 455)
At the time of his demise, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was indebted of 4,000 dirhams. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ possessed a piece of land that generated an annual income of 1,000 dirhams. The lenders wanted to sell that piece of land. Upon this, Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ asked them, ‘Could you agree on taking 1,000 dirhams every year?’ They replied, ‘We agree on this.’ So every year, they started taking 1,000 dirhams. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d vol. 3, pp. 455; Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, pp. 213)
According to one saying, there are four Ahadees narrated by him. (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 9, pp. 78)
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