Bright stars
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Bahili رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
Adnan Ahmad Attari
One companion of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم states that when this verse was revealed:
لَقَدْ رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ اِذْ یُبَایِعُوْنَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ
Indeed Allah became pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you beneath that tree (at Hudaybiyyah),
[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Surah Al-Fath, Verse 18)
I said to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Am I also from amongst those who pledged allegiance to you?’ The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘O Abu Umamah! You are from me and I am with you.’ (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 24, p. 61)
Dear Islamic brothers! The actual name of Sayyiduna Abu Umamah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is Suday Bin ‘Ajlaan, however, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is famously known by his Kunyah and his ascription to his tribe by the name of Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Bahili. (Al-Isabah fi Tamyeez-is-Sahabah, vol. 3, p. 339)
Being quenched by milk in a dream
The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent him to his tribe, Bahila, to spread the message of Islam. When he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ arrived there, they were eating Haraam foods, and they offered him some also, but he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, ‘I have come to forbid you from eating this food, and I am the emissary of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and I have come so that you embrace faith upon him.’ Seeing this, the tribe belied him and scolded him. Thus, hungry and thirsty, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ left that place reaching another place where he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was overcome with tiredness and fell asleep. In his dream, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ saw an angel placing a bowl full of milk in his hands, which he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ drank until he was quenched.
In the meantime, some members of his tribe censured the people, saying, ‘A respected person from your own tribe came to the village, but you sent him back.’ Hearing this, the people of the tribe felt great regret, so they took some food and water, and came to him. He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, ‘I have no need for your food or drink; my Almighty creator, Allah, has fed me and given me to drink and satiated me,’ and then he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ relayed his dream. The tribespeople observed his state and began to realise that he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ had in fact eaten and drank to his fill. (They were amazed at this) and recited the Kalimah and entered the folds of Islam. (Mu’jam Kabeer, vol. 8, p. 286, Hadees 8099, summarised)
Fasting in abundance
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ once came to the court of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and said, ‘Command me of some righteous work.’ He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Make fasting necessary upon yourself; there is no action like it.’ After that, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, his wife, his slave-girl and his slave all began to fast, to such an extent that when food would be cooked in his home or smoke would be seen, the people would know that there was some guest staying there for whom food was being cooked.
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states, ‘With the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty, I remained steadfast upon this, so I once again asked in the court of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! You commanded me to keep fasts, now Allah Almighty has placed blessings for me therein, so inform me of another action.’ He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘If you perform one prostration for Allah, He will increase you by one rank and remove one sin of yours.’’ (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 8, p. 269, Hadees 22202)
The needy would not leave empty-handed
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would give a lot of charity to the poor, destitute and needy. He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would gather and store Dirhams, Dinars and food for them, and when he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ could not find anything else to give in charity, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would place onions, dates or other similarly low valued items into the hands of the needy, and would not allow them to leave empty-handed.
Only goodness
Once, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ only had three Dinars left, and when a beggar came to the door, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ gave him one Dinar. Then a second beggar came, and he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ gave him one Dinar, and then a third beggar came, so he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ gave him the last Dinar. Observing this, his servant said, ‘You have not left anything for us.’ After this, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ fell asleep, and his servant woke him up at Zuhr time. So, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ made Wudu and then left for the Masjid.
His slave says, ‘I felt sorry for him as he was fasting (and there was nothing in the house), so I borrowed some money and prepared some food for the night. Then (at the appropriate time) I lit the lantern for him. And then when I came to make the bed, I saw three hundred Dinars there.’
The servant further states, ‘When he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ returned after the Isha Salah, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ began to smile upon seeing the dining-mat laid out and the lantern lit, and said, ‘This is only goodness from Allah.’ I remained standing there until he had finished eating, and then I said, ‘May Allah Almighty have mercy upon you, you forgetfully left the Dinars and left, and you did not even inform me so that I could pick them up.’ He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ became surprised at this, and asked, ‘Which Dinars? I did not leave anything in the house.’ Hearing this, I lifted up his bedding, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ became very happy after seeing the Dinars and was very surprised also. (Hilyat-ul-Awliya, vol. 10, p. 134, summarised)
Spread the light of knowledge
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrated 250 Ahadees, from which, Imam Bukhari رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه narrated 5, and Imam Muslim رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه narrated 3. (Tahzeeb-ul-Asma wal-Lughaat, vol. 2, p. 468) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would gather the people and organise illuminating gatherings of religious knowledge, in which he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would narrate the Ahadees of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, give the mindset of acting upon the Prophetic Sunnah, narrate the beloved habits and blessed appearance of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and make others drink from the cup of Prophetic love. (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 3, p. 300, summarised) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would narrate many Ahadees of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and would say to his students, ‘Listen attentively and understand properly, then pass it on to others.’ (Sunan Daarmi, vol. 1, p. 146, Raqm 544; Siyar A’lam-ul-Nubla, vol. 4, p. 458)
Spread Salam
A Taabi’i, Sayyiduna Muhammad Bin Ziyad Al-Hani رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states that, ‘I once took the hand of Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Bahili رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and began to walk with him towards his home. Whenever any Muslim, old or young, would pass by, Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Bahili رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would give him Salam. When we reached the door of the house, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, ‘The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم commanded us to spread Salam.’’ (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 24, p. 67; Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 4, p. 200, Hadees 3693)
His passing
Sayyiduna Abu Umamah Suday Bin ‘Ajlaan Bahili رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ passed away in 81 AH or 86 AH at the age of 91, in a village known as ‘Danwah’ in the city of Homs, Syria. (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 24, p. 75) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was the last companion of the Prophet to pass away in Syria. (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 24, p. 59)
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