The Sahaba’s sacrifice

The Sahaba’s sacrifice in the path of Allah

Muslims today view the companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the sahaba, as a generation of people who were very “religious”. The sahaba are rightly viewed as the best generation of the ummah. We learn about their etiquettes and manners in regards to eating, dressing and walking etc. However, we often lack a holistic understanding about their lives.

Yet, one critical question arises: how could it be that all of their lives were only linked to personal acts of ritual ‘ibadaat? If they were meant to leave us with a complete way of life, then they must have left us with examples concerning all the affairs of life. Indeed, to insinuate otherwise is clearly nonsensical! The sahaba were not just individualised devotees in ritual ‘ibadaat; but most of them were Islamic activists, many of whom gave their lives to establish Islam at a state level and they subsequently became statesmen, politicians, military leaders and businessmen.

This article will highlight one particular quality from the lives of three sahaba – a quality that is especially important to those who carry the da’wah of Islam.

Shuayb ar-Rumi رضي الله عنه

Shuayb ar-Rumi رضي الله عنه (“Shuayb”) came from an Arab royal family background; however, as a small child he was kidnapped from Arabia and sold as a slave. He grew up in Constantinople as a slave and used to speak Greek. He was essentially raised as a westerner.

There is a similarity between Muslims in the West and Shuayb رضي الله عنه because most Muslims living in the West are not ethnically European, although we have lived in Europe for most or all of our lives. Therefore, Muslims have much to learn from Shuayb رضي الله عنه.

One day Shuayb رضي الله عنه escaped from is master in Constantinople and returned to Arabia where he headed for Makkah. Shuayb رضي الله عنه begun to work for a Makkan aristocrat as a trader and soon became very wealthy. Shuayb رضي الله عنه came to Makkah in the early stage of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم mission.

Shuayb رضي الله عنه heard of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and decided to visit him in order to discover directly what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had to say about this new religion. There, in Darul Arqam, Shuayb رضي الله عنه soon accepted the shahadah and became one of the early Muslims. Being a defenceless Makkan employed by a Merchant, Shuayb رضي الله عنه lacked the protection, which the likes of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه enjoyed. In the coming years, whilst engaging in the da’wah, the Quraysh subjected Shuayb رضي الله عنه to inhumane treatment, just as the likes of Bilal رضي الله عنه and Ammar bin Yasir رضي الله عنه were.

This inhumane treatment was not brought about because Shuayb رضي الله عنه and the other sahaba were praying their tahajjud or reciting the Qur’an beautifully. In fact, this was directly as a result of the challenge the Quraysh were facing from the da’wah carriers.

So what can Muslims learn from the life of Shuayb رضي الله عنه? Let us consider the example below.

When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was preparing for hijrah, Shuayb رضي الله عنه was preparing to accompany the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. However, the Quraysh was determined to prevent Shuayb’s رضي الله عنه escape to Madinah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم together with Abu Bakr completed the hijrah to Madinah whilst Shuayb رضي الله عنه was under the watchful eyes of the Quraysh in their captivity. Eventually, with Allah’s blessings, Shuayb رضي الله عنه managed to escape from Makkah and headed for Madinah. However, during his escape he was captured by some of Quraysh’s men and was prevented from leaving Makkah.

His captors said, “We will not let you escape from us with your life and money. When you came to us you were weak and poor. Now you have acquired wealth in Makkah [and you are leaving Makkah!]”.

Shuayb رضي الله عنه however was not interested in his earthly gains. Rather, he was much more interested in serving the cause of Islam and remaining in the company of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his fellow sahaba. So Shuayb رضي الله عنه struck a deal with his captors! They would keep all his wealth in return for his release and continuation of his journey.

Let us take a quick pause here!

As a trader, Shuayb رضي الله عنه must have known that this was indeed a heavy price to pay for his emigration. After all, he had escaped slavery in Constantinople and worked very hard to make a comfortable living in Makkah. Was his situation not like the Muslims in the West in the sense that we also escaped poverty, dictatorships, political instability and oppression in search of a better life? Many of us are quite comfortable here! We have established ourselves in large communities with our professions and businesses etc. However, we need to ask ourselves whether our love for Allah and His Messenger and His Deen is anywhere near to the level of Shuayb’s رضي الله عنه sacrifice! Shuayb رضي الله عنه had effectively scarified all his wealth and property so that he can be in the service of Allah’s Deen and His Messenger. One cannot find any other reason!

When Shuayb رضي الله عنه arrived in Madinah, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم greeted him with a smile and said, “Your transaction has been fruitful, O Abu Yahya. Your transaction has been fruitful!” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated this three times. Nobody had yet come to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to inform him about Shuayb’s رضي الله عنه sacrifice. But Jibreel عليه السلام had already informed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about Shuayb’s sacrifice.

The Qur’an also described this level of sacrifice in Allah’s path. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ رَؤُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

“And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of Kindness to (His) slaves.” [Al-Baqara, 2:207]

In fact, the glad tidings conveyed in this ayah do not just apply to the sahaba like Shuayb رضي الله عنه, nor is the Prophet’s comment about Shuayb رضي الله عنه transaction only applicable to him. In fact, it can also apply to us if we are prepared to make such sacrifices. This example epitomises a da’wah carrier’s ultimate material sacrifice to please his Lord. Indeed we have much to learn from this example.

In fact, Shuayb رضي الله عنه was known for his sacrifice. During the Khilafah Rashida, Shuayb رضي الله عنه used to make huge contributions to the Bayt-ul-Maal (Treasury) to feed the poor and destitute. His qualities were such that while Umar رضي الله عنه lay dying, Umar رضي الله عنه had appointed Shuayb رضي الله عنه as the acting Khalifah whilst the Muslims were electing Uthman رضي الله عنه as their next Khalifah. This was indeed an indication that Umar رضي الله عنه had much respect for Shuayb رضي الله عنه.

So what do we learn from Shuayb رضي الله عنه? It is clear that he had much in common with Muslims in the West. But he made massive sacrifices in the path of Allah and His Deen. He was not just a “spiritual person”. Rather he was an activist serving the cause of Islam and became the head of state albeit for a short time. This proves to us that we need to imitate the sahaba in all spheres of our lives – in matter of ritual ‘ibadaat and mu’amalaat. And this of course includes serving the cause of Islam wholeheartedly. Let us now turn to the next two examples.

Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه

Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه was an idol worshipper in Madinah until just after the Battle of Badr. Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه was a well-established merchant in Madinah. Abdullah ibn Rawaha رضي الله عنه, who became a Muslim earlier, was a very close friend of Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه. Their strong friendship during Jahiliyyah in some ways helped Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه to accept da’wah from Abdullah ibn Rawaha رضي الله عنه.

After he became a Muslim, he used to deeply regret the fact that he delayed his acceptance of the shahadah. Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه devoted much time in making up for his missed opportunities in being with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and making sacrifices which other sahaba like Abdullah ibn Rawaha رضي الله عنه had made. So Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه busied himself in gaining knowledge of the Deen and engaging himself in acts of ‘ibadaat like regular tahajjud.

Many of us were born in Muslim families and began to practise our Deen at a later age. Here we can learn from Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه in terms of his dedication towards attaining knowledge of the Deen. We must also spend time regularly in attaining knowledge about the Deen so that we can live by such knowledge and propagate it.

As an established merchant, Abu-d Darda’ رضي الله عنه realised that his trade was holding him back from making greater sacrifices in the path of the Deen. So he reduced his commitments so that he could serve the Deen. When somebody asked why he did that, he replied, “I am not saying that Allah had prohibited trade, but I want to be amongst those who neither trade nor selling distracts from the path of Allah”.

The da’wah carriers can learn from this sahaba that when earthly gains attract us towards increasing our material wealth, we must ask ourselves what is really valuable to us: this dunya or the akhirah?

Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf رضي الله عنه

Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه was a one of the very early Muslims and was part of the group that emigrated from Makkah to Abyssinia. He was therefore very poor when he later conducted the hijrah to Madinah. However, he soon became so wealthy through trade that he once said if he lifted a stone he expected to find gold or silver under it!

But what did he do with his wealth?

Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه did not just contribute physically to the many battles the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم conducted. He gave much of his wealth fi-sabilillah. On one occasion the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم needed contribution towards organising a battle. Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه had 4,000 dinars. He gave away 2000 dinars to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was preparing for the Battle of Tabuk to face the Byzantines, Madinah was facing a drought and was overstretched in terms of resources. But the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was not prepared to hold off his military mission.

Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه was one of those companions at the forefront in terms of making financial contributions. On this occasion he gave almost everything he had in gold. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked what he left for himself and his family, he replied, “I have left that which Allah and His Messenger have promised of sustenance, goodness and reward”. In other words, nothing in material terms!

He then participated in the battle in Tabuk himself, thus contributing both physically and financially. However, despite this level of contribution, Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه was the richest amongst the companions. And despite being so wealthy, his possessions did not distract him from Allah, as his mission was to serve Islam at every turn possible.

Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه illustrates that a da’wah carrier need not be poor! However, if Allah gives us wealth, we must assist the da’wah at every instance. Indeed, wealth did not distract Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه and nor should we allow it to distract us.

Conclusion

Let us contemplate about the three examples above. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if we followed a single sahabi, we would be guided like a star in the night sky and would not be lost. The da’wah carriers must seriously contemplate over the issue of sacrifice. Life in the West can be deceptively comfortable. Yet, we cannot claim to serve the Deen of Allah unless we are prepared to make sacrifices within our own realities. We must remember that the sahaba were not born with these attributes. Rather, they had to acquire them. We too can acquire these qualities within our own realities if we actively work to attain these qualities as da’wah carriers.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, “When (will come) the Help of Allah?” Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!” [Al-Baqara, 2:214]