Answer:

Companions of the Prophet, Arabic Ṣaḥābah or Aṣḥāb, in Islam, followers of Muhammad who had
personal contact with him, however slight. In fact, any Muslim who was alive in any part of the
Prophet’s lifetime and saw him may be reckoned among the Companions. The first 4 caliphs, who
are the aṣḥāb held in highest esteem among Sunni Muslims, are part of a group of 10 Companions
to whom Muhammad promised paradise. The muhājirūn (those who followed the Prophet from
Mecca to Medina in the Hijrah), the anṣār (the Medinese believers), and the badriyyūn (those who
fought at the Battle of Badr) are all considered Companions of the Prophet. There are differing
accounts of who belonged to the various groups. The Companions, being eyewitnesses, are the
most important sources of Hadith, the record of Muhammad’s sayings and activities. The prophet
SAW said: “My companions are like stars” They were of great personalities.

Amongst them is Khalid Bin Walid. With the blessings from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he earned
the title Saifullah (“The Sword of Almighty Allah). He was a leader who initiated the tactical moves
in every battle and expeditions and led his troops from the front. His name instilled fear in all
neighboring Arab states well as to Iran (Persia) and as far as Rome (Byzantine) who were the
superpowers of that time. He was born in the year 583 to the horsemen/cavalry tribe of Quraysh,
from the Banu Makhzum clan, who ardently opposed Muhammed (PBUH) while he was living in
Makkah. From his early age, he developed competent skills in cavalry and archery. He was able to
draw the arrow while mounted on the move with accuracy and used the spear which he used, as a
strong weapon against his opponents in later years but his sword skills and speed was his forte
which was a blessing from Almighty Allah. It is recorded that he was a strong grappler in his
younger days. He once wrestled with Umar Ibn Khattab RA (during the Jahiliya period) who was
older than him and beat him. It is said, that in the process Omar Ibn Khattab RA got injured and
broke his leg. Khalid RA during his childhood had a mild attack of smallpox which he survived, but it
left some pockmarks on his left cheek. Khalid and Umar (Radhi Allahu) the second Caliph, were
cousins from his maternal side and had a very close facial resemblance. Khalid RA was very tall,
handsome, and broad-shouldered and well-built. When he converted to Islam, he was 43 and died
at the age of 59. So, all of his brilliance was during these 15 years only. Khalid RA played an
instrumental role in defeating the Muslims at the battle of Uhud in 625. The battle in which
Prophet (PBUH) injured his tooth and Prophet’s uncle Hamza RA lost his life, succumbing to the
spear attack from Vashi on the given direction of Hind (one of Abu Sufian’s wives). Abu Sufian was
Prophet’s (PBUH) uncle who was opposing him until the night before Makkah was taken over. Hind
was the mother of Muawia RA, whose son Yazid was instrumental in the death of Hussain RA in
Karbala…… It is significant to note that he didn’t participate in the battle of Badr and was against
Muslims in the Battle of Uhud…. Almighty Allah knows best why he didn’t participate in the battle
of Badr and why only Uhud and the damage he inflicted to the Muslim soldiers. Khalid RA was
twenty-four when Muhammad (PBUH) was sent as a Messenger of Allah and was thirty-seven
during “Hijrah”. He was thirty-nine in the battle of Uhud. When he converted to Islam, he was
forty-three. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said “He is one of Allah’s Swords”. He was a leader
who never lost a single expedition during his life, and who led Muslims in many battles to the
farthest East and West. He fought against the biggest two empires of that period. The Byzantines
(Roman’s) and Persian (Iran) empires feared his speed and technique in cavalier swordsmanship
and his unique battle strategy which sent shivers down the spine to all garrison of the non-Muslim
army. Khalid was trained on the taming of horses, and when he was almost 18 no horse was hard
for him. He was the best to tame horses in the Arabian Peninsula. He was also the best to hit with
his spear, riding on the back of his horse at maximum speed. He killed three Muslims in Uhud this
way, and they were the only Muslims he killed. Life in the desert had a great role in bringing him up
on severity and toughness, and enduring hunger and thirst. Khalid (RA) use to love to eat lizards.
Once he entered the house of Mymoona (RA) wife of Prophet (PBUH) along with him. They had
served roasted lizard. When the Prophet (PBUH) reached for it, a lady companion of the mother of
faithful said “It is lizard meat O’ Mohammed” and the Prophet (PBUH) drew back his hand and
Khalid (RA) asked, “Is it haram Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, but there were none in my
father’s land and find that I dislike them”. Khalid (RA) went on chewing the roasted lizard to his
delight while the Prophet (PBUH) kept looking at Khalid RA. He converted after reading his
brother’s letter urging him to convert and telling him that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked about
him and said that Khalid’s stature would still be reserved if he converted. Khalid asked Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) about what he committed before, so Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) assured him
that “Islam obliterates previous misdeeds”, and it was in no time before Prophet Muhammed
(PBUH) called him “Saifullah”. People knew Khalid and his unique military skills after Islam, which
was not denied by anyone. But Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wanted to discipline him not to put
him in charge of the Muslim army at once until he was tested as a soldier and to know how he
would react. Also, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wanted Muslims to choose Khalid by themselves, so
there wouldn’t be disorder among them. That what was achieved in the battle of Mutah when
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) chose three leaders: Zaid Ben Haritha, Jaafar Bin Abi-Talib, and
Abdullah Bin Rawaha, and he didn’t name anyone else for the leadership and left the choice to
Muslims? This shows Khalid’s ethics, as he didn’t object to these orders although he knew he was
as well as everyone that he was more worthy of leadership because he was more skilled in the
military. After the martyrdom of the three leaders, Muslims chose Khalid (RA) unanimously as a
general commander of the army, and that was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sought. In this battle,
Khalid was the owner of the biggest tactical withdrawal in history. Nine swords broke in his hands
due to the fierceness of the battle, and only one Yemeni sword survived. If we question why did
these swords break? The answer would be that the swords were owned by Khalid RA while Khalid
was owned by Almighty Allah, so no one was able to beat him on the battlefield, even though any
number of swords were broken… Subhanallah! Khalid was very obedient, that even after his big
conquests in Iraq and his frequent victory over Persian Empire, we find Al-Khalifa Abu-Bakr
ordering him to leave all of that behind and go to Sham to help Muslims’ in conquering Basra,
although Iraq had many spoils and bounties, and it was very little until the Persians were defeated
or eliminated. We find him extremely obedient and answering the call to rescue the army in Sham.
Khalid had a lot of characteristics that made him an effective leader; he had a high level of self-
confidence and forcefulness. He was a trusted man, every soldier trusted him and even he trusted
them, and that been showed in many places and battles. They said that Khalid was making his army
double their efforts in war by winning each soldier’s confidence. Khalid was an authentic leader as
well. If he said something, he always kept his word. Everyone trusted him. He was an extrovert, he
was always asking for opinions and advice from his juniors and not only senior leaders or junior
leaders but also supervisors and low-ranking soldiers before entering any battle. He was so humble,
that he went down to soldiers and spoke with them and to hear from them because he knew that
the victory comes from the front-line soldiers. Khalid had a passion for fighting. He brought on that,
he loved what he was born for, and his family and the environment were big factors in that. He has
a high level of emotional intelligence that He was controlling his emotions and how to influence
others even in hard situations, he always climbed towards leading, and he was self-managed and
self-aware. He had the ability of flexibility and adaptability as we have seen that in many wars and
his adaptability in changing tactics and strategies throughout many battles. He had a high internal
focus on control, which was always the reason for winning his wars, and never left the result
depending on fate or luck. He was the maker of victory. He was the most courageous man, he was
always in the front line of his army, taking the first hit, not afraid of anything, and he was perfect.

Also, Hazrat Hamza Ra was amongst the important personalities. There have been a number of
brave and self-sacrificing officers and strong and powerful champions in the army of Islam but the
bravery of Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib is recorded in the pages of history and in fact constitutes the
golden leaves of the history of the battles of Islam. Muhammed Mustafa, the Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and his Ahlel-Bayt), though safe under the protection of his uncle, Abu Talib,
was not immune from harassment by the infidels. Whenever they found an opportunity for baiting
him, they didn't miss it. On one occasion, Abu Jahl found him alone, and used much offensive and
vulgar language toward him. That same evening when his uncle, Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, came
home from a hunting expedition, his slave-girl recounted to him the tale of Abu Jahl's gratuitous
insolence toward him (Muhammed), and the latter's forbearance, of which she had been an eye-
witness. Hamzah was a warrior, a hunter and a sportsman, and was little interested in the day-to-
day affairs of the city. But Abu Jahl's conduct toward his nephew so roused his anger that he seized
his bow, went into the assembly of the Quraysh where he (Abu Jahl) was reviewing the events of
the day to his compeers, struck him at his head with his bow, causing it to bleed, and shouted: "I
too have become a Muslim." This was a challenge to Abu Jahl but he figured that silence was the
best part of valor, and did not tangle with Hamzah, even restraining his friends who wished to rise
in his defense. Hamzah, the uncle of the Prophet of Islam, was one of the bravest men of Arabia
and a well-known officer of Islam. It was he, who insisted earnestly that the army of Islam should
go out of Madina and fight against Quraysh. It was Hamzah, who protected the Prophet in Makkah
during the delicate moments with all his might. Hamzah accepted Islam in the fifth year of the
Proclamation. May God be pleased with him, and bless him. He was the same senior and valiant
officer who killed the brave champion of Quraysh Shaybah and others and also wounded a group of
the enemies in the Battle of Badr - the first battle of Islam. He had no object in mind except to
defend truth and virtue and to maintain freedom in the lives of human beings. Hamzah had killed
Utbah, the father of Hinda, in the battle of Badr. In the battle of Uhud, she slaked her thirst for
vengeance which had given her no rest since the battle of Badr. Hinda, the wife of Abu Sufyan and
the mother of Muawiya, nursed a grudge against Hamzah and was determined to take her father's
revenge on the Muslims at any cost. Wahshi, an Ethiopian warrior, was the slave of Jabir Mut'am
and an uncle of Jibir had also been killed in the Battle of Badr. He (Wahshi) had been appointed by
Hinda to help achieve her object by hook or by crook. She asked him to kill one of the three
persons (viz. the Prophet, Imam Ali or Hamzah) so that she might avenge her father's death. The
Ethiopian warrior said in reply: "I cannot approach Muhammad at all, because his companions are
nearer to him than anyone else. Ali too is extraordinarily vigilant in the battlefield. However,
Hamzah is so furious that, while fighting, he does not pay any attention to any other side and it is
possible that I may be able to make him fall by some trick or by taking him unawares". Hinda was
contented with this and promised that if he was successful in performing the job she would set him
free. Some believe that Jibir made this promise with his slave (Wahshi) as his (Jibir's) uncle had
been killed in the Battle of Badr. Wahshi, the slave, says: "On the Day of Uhud I was pursuing
Hamzah. He was attacking the centre of the army like a ferocious lion. He killed every one whom he
could approach. I hid myself behind the trees and stones, so that he could not see me. He was too
busy in fighting. I came out of ambush. Being an Ethiopian, I used to throw my weapon like them
(i.e. like the Ethiopians) and it seldom missed the target. I, therefore, threw my javelin towards him
from a specific distance after moving it in a particular manner. The weapon fell on his flank and
came out from between his two legs. He wanted to attack me but severe pain prevented him from
doing so. He remained in the same condition till his soul departed from his body. Then I
approached him very carefully and having taken out my weapon from his body returned to the
army of Quraysh and waited for my freedom. In the battle of Uhud the Muslims were defeated.
After their rout, Hinda and the other harpies she had brought with her from Makka, mutilated the
bodies of the slain Muslims. Hinda cut open Hamzah's abdomen, plucked out his liver and chewed
it up. Muhammad ibn Umar Waqidi, the historian, says that she made a fire in the battlefield,
roasted Hamzah's heart and liver and ate them. Not satisfied with this, she cut the limbs, the ears
and the nose of Hamzah, strung them into a "necklace," and entered Makka wearing it as a
"trophy" of victory. Muhammed Mustafa, the Apostle of God, was deeply aggrieved at the death
and at the mutilation of the body of such a stalwart of Islam as Hamzah. He bestowed upon him the
titles of the "Lion of God," and the "Chief of the Martyrs." After the Battle of Uhud, I continued to
live in Makkah for quite a long time until the Muslims conquered Makkah. I then ran away to Ta'if,
but soon Islam reach that area as well. I heard that however grave the crime of a person might be,
the Prophet forgave him. I, therefore, reached the Prophet with Shahadatayn on my lips (i.e., I
testify that there is no god but Allah and I also testify that Muhammad is His Prophet). The Prophet
saw me and said "Are you the same Wahshi, an Ethiopian?" I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon
he said: "How did you kill Hamzah?" I gave an account of the matter. The Prophet was moved and
said: "I should not see your face until you are alive, because the heart-rending calamity fell upon
my uncle at your hands". It was the same great spirit of the Prophet of Islam which made him set
this man free although he could execute him on many grounds. Wahshi says: "So long as the
Prophet was alive I kept myself hidden from him. After his death the battle with Musaylimah
Kazzab took place. I joined the army of Islam and used the same weapon against Musaylimah and
succeeded in killing him with the help of one of the Ansar. If I killed the best of men (i.e. Hamzah)
with this weapon, the worst man, too, did not escape its horror". The participation of Wahshi in the
battle against Musaylimah is something which he himself claims, but lbn Hisham says: "During the
last days of his life Wahshi was like a black crow who was always hated by Muslims on account of
his being a drunkard and was punished twice on account of drinking wine. On account of his
indecent actions his name was struck off the army records and Umar bin Khattab used to say: "The
murderer of Hamzah does not deserve to be pardoned in the other world."

Hazrat bilal was also amongst these blessed people. Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah bless him) is one of
the most illustrious names in the Islamic history. A Negro slave originally from Habasha (Ethiopia),
Bilal is an evident story of Islam’s respect for human equality, anti-racism and social equity. Born in
680CE in Makkah, to his slave parents — Rabah and Hamamah — Bilal too served as slave to a lady
close to Umayyah ibn Khalaf, an arch enemy of Islam. When Umayyah heard about Bilal converting
to Islam, he tortured him and forced him to relinquish the new faith. But filled with love of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam, Bilal remained steadfast in his faith despite extreme
torture and kept saying “Ahad, Ahad.” (Allah is One, Allah is One). When the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) learned about his tribulation, he sent Abu Bakr, who bought him from the oppressor
and freed him. The freedom was Islam’s first gift to Bilal. Second Caliph Omar ibn Khattab honored
him by calling him as Sayyedna (our leader). Bilal became one of the most trusted and loyal
companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was among the first few persons to
embrace Islam. Bilal migrated with the Prophet to Madinah and participated in major battles
including those of Badar, Ohud, Khandaq and others. In the battle of Badr, he killed the staunch
enemy of Islam — and his own former tyrant master — Umayyah. Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was the first to declare equality among human beings in the annals of world history
1,400 years ago. In the presence of over 120,000 companions during Haj, he declared: O people!
Your Lord is one Lord, and you all share the same father (Adam). Indeed, there is no superiority of
an Arab over a non-Arab or of a non-Arab over an Arab; or of a white over a black; nor a black over
a white, except by taqwa (righteousness). The Prophet selected Bilal to be one of his distinguished
companions. Bilal’s rise to a position of prominence in Islam is evidence of the importance of
pluralism and racial equality in Islam. Once Abdullah bin Ziyad narrated that he had a dream
advising him the method and words of Azaan (the call to prayer), the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) liked it and Bilal was deputed to call the first Azaan in Madinah in those words. When Omar
heard the Azaan, he rushed to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him that he also had
dreamt Azaan with the same wording. And thus the Azaan was established through Bilal. The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) appointed him as the Muazzine Rasool (Calling to prayers on behalf
of the Prophet). As he was the first African to embrace Islam, the African Muslims still feel pride of
that honor, which was bestowed on an African. Another great honor came to Bilal after the
Conquest of Makkah in 8 AH. When the city surrendered and all the nobles from the Muslims and
the non-Muslims were standing in the courtyard, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) asked Bilal
to climb the roof of the Holy Kaaba and give a call of Azaan from the top of it. This was the first
Azaan, which was given in Makkah Mukarramah. Such was Bilal’s devotion to Islam and piety that
he rose to such heights of spiritual attainment. Once the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “O
Bilal, what special deeds you have done that I heard sounds of your walking steps ahead of me in
Paradise.” Bilal said, “Whenever I make Wudu (ablution), I offer two units (rakah) of prayer as
Tahayyatul Wudu.” Bilal was among Ashab Al-Suffa. The term, Ashab Al-Suffa, is a generic name
given to the companions who stayed in the arbor, or veranda, next to the mosque of the Prophet
(peace be upon him) in Madinah after the emigration and studied religious sciences there. Since
Bilal had this honor of being among Suffa, he collected many Hadiths (sayings) of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him). Some 20 scholars formed part of Ashab Al-Suffa that included Osama bin
Zaid, Bara bin Azeb and Abdullah bin Omar. When King Najashi of Habasha sent three spears as gift
to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), he gave one each to Omar, Ali and Bilal, who used the
spear to fix for the direction of prayer. After the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away,
Bilal felt it difficult to spend time in Madinah without his beloved Prophet (peace be upon him). He
asked then Caliph Abu Bakr to let him go to Syria for jihad. And there he spent the rest of his life.
He made azaan only twice since then. The first was when Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab came to Syria
and the second time when he visited the tomb of Prophet (peace be upon him) in Madinah. Upon
hearing his voice, people started to cry, for it reminded them of the days of the Prophet (peace be
upon him). Bilal left Madinah for Syria (then Sham) and stayed there. When Caliph Omar visited
Bait Al -Maqdis (Jerusalem), he requested Bilal to call Azaan which he accepted. And when he
called Azaan, the companions wept bitterly remembering the olden days. It is said that Caliph Omar
cried and wept as he never wept before. When Bilal was in Syria, he saw the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) in dream, saying, “O Bilal, What is that, you did not visit me.” Bilal was worried; he
rushed to Madinah and offered his tributes and greetings at the grave of the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) weeping and rubbing his face with the grave. When he saw Hassan and Husain, the
grandsons of the Prophet, he rushed to embrace them. On their request, Bilal said Azaan with a
shaking voice and tearing eyes. On hearing Bilal’s azaan, the people rushed to the Prophet’s
Mosque. This was his last Azaan in Madinah. Bilal spent his last days in Syria. He died in 18 AH at
the age of 64, and was buried at Bab-Al Sagheer near Jama Umavi in Damascus. He served the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) for 25 years. Islam raised him to the status that one of the strongmen
like Omar bin Khattab addressed him as Saiyydana (our leader). While on death bed, his wife Hind
cried, ‘wa hazanaa’ (what a great grief), to which Bilal replied, ‘Wa Tarabaa’ (what a great joy);
“Tomorrow I will meet with my loved ones — Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his
companions,” he is said to have told his wife.

Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, was a man of high morals and compassion. He was the
leader of Bani Hashim and a believer in Abrahamic monotheism. He assisted the Prophet
Muhammad during times of tribulation and tried to help stabilize the budding religion of Islam.
Although he was relatively poor, Abu Talib helped Muhammad in every way he could. A big
statement of Abu Talib’s faith in Allah is in how he raised his sons with the firm belief in the
Oneness of God. Before the Prophet was born, his father, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, passed
away due to a severe illness. Abdul-Muttalib took it upon himself to raise his grandson Mohammad
for the rest of his life. Sadly, it wasn’t long before Muhammad was without a guardian again. His
generous uncle Abu Talib immediately took him in despite his poverty. He raised Muhammad as his
own son. He took him along on his journeys and taught him the art of trade, helping him become a
successful businessman. Abu Talib’s loyalty to Muhammad did not waver before, during, or after
the Prophet’s revelation. On his death bed, Abu Talib said “I command you to be good to
Muhammad. He is the most trustworthy of the Quraish and the most truthful of the Arabs. He
brought a Message which is accepted by the heart and denied by the tongue for fear of hostility. By
God, whoever walks in the way of Muhammad shall be on the right road and whoever follows his
guidance shall have a joyous future.” Abu Talib did not deviate from the righteous path. Allah
chose him to be one of the custodians of the Kaaba, the protector of the House of God. In Surat Al-
Baqara, verse 124, it states that: “When Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he
fulfilled them, Allah said, Indeed, I will make you a leader [Imam] for the people. Abraham said,
And of my descendants? Allah said, My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.” The decedents
of Abraham mentioned in the Quran include the last prophet, Muhammad, and his holy progeny.
His father, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, had many brothers but only one from the same mother.
His full brother was Abu Talib. The Imamate started with Abu Talib’s son, Imam Ali, and continued
on to his grandsons, who also came from the same branch of Abdul-Muttalib through
Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima. Undoubtedly the household in which the Prophet was raised is a
pure one, which never fell into shirk even before he received his message. Out of Abdul-Muttalib’s
twelve sons, the only two from the same mother are Abdullah (father of Muhammad) and Abu
Talib (guardian of Muhammad and father of Ali). How, then, could a man such as Abu Talib, who
had never taken part in anything displeasing to Allah, who is known for his generosity, leadership,
valor, and justice, be labeled as a disbeliever? Throughout history there has been many efforts to
discredit Abu Talib and diminish his reputation into nothing more than a kafr. There are those who
quote a couple verses from the Quran and claim it alludes to him, like “It is not for the Prophet and
those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives” (Surah
al Tawba 9:113). What they fail to notice is that their interpretations of these verses have no real
context or evidence. For instance this verse was revealed thirteen years after the death of Abu
Talib, who did not die as a polytheist. The enemies of Imam Ali relentlessly tried to disfavor him by
attacking his father’s reputation. They went as far as accusing Abu Talib for shirk, and that he had
never recited the shahada publicly. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) said: “The case of Abu Talib was like
that of the people of the Cave (Qur’an 18:9-26); they concealed their faith and disclosed shirk. Yet
Allah bestowed upon them double reward.” Abu Talib concealed his beliefs (i.e. practicing Taqiyya)
so that he could play as a mediator between the Prophet and the other chiefs of Mecca who
refused the idea of the new religion. If it wasn’t for Abu Talib’s service, the Messenger of Allah
could not have broken through to the idol worshippers that ruled Arabia to hear his Message. A big
statement of Abu Talib’s faith in Allah is in how he raised his sons with the firm belief in the
Oneness of God. His sons are Talib, known for his honesty, Aqeel, known for his loyalty, Jafar,
known for his nobility, and Ali, known as the Prince of Believers. Abu Talib’s presence in relation to
the continuity of Islam was not incidental. We who have been guided to Islam should be thankful
for his unwavering support to the Prophet and his help in distributing the Message.

Also, Hazrat Salman was one of these as well. Salman Al-Farsi, originally named Ruzbeh, was born
into an affluent family in Jayyan near Isfahan in Persia. His father, the town chief and a Zoroastrian
priest, loved his only son so much that he confined him to the house. Salman was a follower of the
Magian religion and became custodian of the “holy fire,” which they worshipped. But Salman was
not satisfied with this religion. One day, his father sent him out to oversee the affairs of his estate.
On his way, Salman passed a Christian church and heard the sound of melodious prayer. He
entered the church and was impressed that a man was their guide and went home to tell his father
about his feelings. His father, a staunch Magian, then chained him up inside the house. The
Christians had told Salman that the grand priest lived in Syria, so Salman asked to be informed of
the next caravan leaving for Syria. When he got the news, he broke the shackles and escaped. In
Syria, he reached the big church where the bishop converted him to Christianity. Salman served
him for a long time, but later discovered that he was corrupt and greedy. The priest hoarded the
charity of his followers. When the bishop died, Salman showed his followers the bishop’s large jars
filled with gold and silver. The people then selected a pious bishop devoted to worship. When the
bishop was on his deathbed, Salman asked him whom he should serve. The dying bishop said he
should go to Mosul where he would find another pious man. Salman arrived in Mosul and found
the bishop. When this man was close to death, he guided Salman to a fourth priest, who in turn,
sent him to another bishop at Ammuriyah near Rome. When this bishop was close to death, he told
Salman he had heard that a prophet was expected to migrate to a “city full of palm trees” and that
he would bear distinct features. Salman then paid people from the Kalb, an Arab tribe in
Ammuriyah, to take him to Arabia. But the tribe broke the agreement and sold him as a slave to a
Jew. The Jew sold Salman as a laborer to his nephew of the Banu Qurayzah who took him to Yathrib
(later called Madinah), the city of palm trees as described by the priest in Ammuriyah. When the
Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived in Madinah, Salman was overjoyed and wanted to see him
but his master hit him and refused to let him go. When Salman eventually managed to see the
Prophet (peace be upon him), he offered dates he said was meant for charity, but the Prophet
(peace be upon him) refused to eat it. Salman visited him again with some dates and presented it
to him as a gift. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted it and ate them with his
companions. Then when Salman went to look at the Prophet’s back, the Messenger of Islam (peace
be upon him) lowered his cloak so Salman could see the mark on his back. Realizing this was the
Prophet (peace be upon him), Salman fell to his knees, kissed the Prophet’s feet and started to cry.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) then listened to Salman’s story and heard that his owner
would free him in exchange for 300 planted palm trees and 1,600 silver coins. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) urged his companions to contribute generously. When Salman was freed, he
remained close to the Prophet (peace be upon him). When some people inquired about his
ancestry, Salman boldly replied: “I am Salman, the son of Islam from the child of Adam.” Salman
proved to be an innovator during the Battle of Khandaq when he suggested that Muslims dig a
defensive trench on the front-lines against the large pagan force attacking Madinah. This helped
keep the Muslims safe and Allah later granted them victory. Salman participated in all of the major
campaigns of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He was also with Saad during the conquest of
Iraq and Caliph Umar chose him to select the site where the new Muslim town named Kufa was
built. Salman Al-Farsi was a good scholar. He had knowledge of the Zoroastrian religion, Christian
scripture and the Holy Qur’an. He was one of the first people to translate the Qur’an into Persian
for new Muslims. Caliph Ali said he was like Hakeem Luqman. And Kab Al-Ahbar said: “Salman is
bursting with knowledge and wisdom. He is like an ocean that does not dry up.” Salman Al-Farsi led
a very ascetic life and had only one cloak, which he wore and slept on. When he was appointed
governor of Madayen Kisra (Ctesiphon) near Baghdad, he received a salary of 5,000 dirhams, which
he distributed to the poor as charity. “I like to eat from the work of my own hands,” he said. He
died in Ctesiphon during the Caliphate of Caliph Uthman.

Hazrat Jafar is also one of them. In spite of his noble standing among the Quraysh, Abu Talib, an
uncle of the Prophet, was quite poor. He had a large family and did not have enough means to
support them adequately. His poverty-stricken situation became much worse when a severe
drought hit the Arabian peninsula. The drought destroyed vegetation and livestock and, it is said,
people were driven to eat bones in the struggle for survival. It was during this time of drought,
before his call to prophethood, that Muhammad said to his uncle, al Abbas: "Your brother, Abu
Talib, has a large family. People as you see have been afflicted by this severe drought and are facing
starvation. Let us go to Abu Talib and take over responsibility for some of his family. It will take one
of his sons and you can taken another and we will look after them.""What you suggest is certainly
righteous and commendable," replied al-Abbas, and together they went to Abu Talib and said to
him: "We want to ease some of the burden of your family until such time as this distressing period
has gone." Abu Talib agreed. "If you allow me to keep Aqeel (one of his sons older than Ali), then
you may do whatever you like ," he said. It was in this way that Muhammad took Ali into his
household and al-Abbas took Jafar into his. Jafar had a very close resemblance to the Prophet. It is
said there were five men from the Hashim clan who resembled the Prophet so much, they were
often mistaken for him. They were: Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith and Qutham ibn al-Abbas both of
whom were cousins of his. As-Saib ibn Ubayd, the grandfather of Imam ash Shafi: al-Hasan ibn Ali,
the grandson of the Prophet, who resembled him most of all; and Jafar ibn Abi Talib. Jafar stayed
with his uncle, al-Abbas, until he was a young man. Then he married Asma bint Umays, a sister of
Maymunah who was later to become a wife of the Prophet. After his marriage, Jafar went to live on
his own. He and his wife were among the first persons to accept Islam. He became a Muslim at the
hands of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him. The young Jafar and his wife were
devoted followers of Islam. They bore the harsh treatment and the persecution of the Quraysh
with patience and steadfastness because they both realized that the road to Paradise was strewn
with. thorns and paved with pain and hardship. The Quraysh made life intolerable for them both
and for their brethren in faith. They tried to obstruct them from observing or performing the duties
and rites of Islam. They prevented them from tasting the full sweetness of worship undisturbed.
The Quraysh waylaid them at every turn and severely restricted their freedom of movement. Jafar
eventually went to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and sought permission for himself and a small
group of the Sahabah, including his wife, to make hijrah to the land of Abyssinia. With great
sadness, the Prophet gave his permission. It pained him that these pure and righteous souls should
be forced to leave their homes and the familiar and cherished scenes and memories of their
childhood and youth, not for any crime but only because they said, "Our Lord is One. Allah is our
Lord." The group of Muhajirin left Makkah bound for the land of Abyssinia. Leading them was Jafar
ibn Abi Talib. Soon they settled down in this new land under the care and protection of the Negus,
the just and righteous ruler of Abyssinia. For the first time since they became Muslims, they
savoured the taste of freedom and security and enjoyed the sweetness of worship undisturbed.
When the Quraysh learnt of the departure of the small group of Muslims and the peaceful life they
enjoyed under the protection of the Negus, they made plans to secure their extradition and their
return to the great prison that was Makkah. They sent two of their most formidable men, Amr ibn
al-Aas and Abdullah ibn Abi Rabiah, to accomplish this task and loaded them with valuable and
much sought after presents for the Negus and his bishops. In Abyssinia, the two Quraysh emissaries
first presented their girls to the bishops and to each of them they said: "There are some wicked
young people moving about freely in the King's land. They have attacked the religion of their
forefathers and caused disunity among their people. When we speak to the King about them,
advise him to surrender them to us without his asking them about their religion. The respected
leaders of their own people are more aware of them and know better what they believe." The
bishops agreed. Amr and Abdullah then went to the Negus himself and presented him with gifts
which he greatly admired. They said to him: "O King, there is a group of evil persons from among
our youth who have escaped to your kingdom. They practice a religion which neither we nor you
know. They have forsaken our religion and have not entered into your religion. The respected
leaders of their people - from among their own parents and uncles. and from their own clans - have
sent us to you to request you to return them. They know best what trouble they have caused." The
Negus looked towards his bishops who said: "They speak the truth, O King. Their own people know
them better and are better acquainted with what they have done. Send them back so that they
themselves might judge them." The Negus was quite angry with this suggestion and said: "No. By
God, I won't surrender them to anyone until I myself call them and question them about what they
have been accused. If what these two men have said is true, then I will hand them over to you. If
however it is not so, then I shall protect them so long as they desire to remain under my
protection." The Negus then summoned the Muslims to meet him. Before going, they consulted
with one another as a group and agreed that Jafar ibn Abi Talib and no one else should speak on
their behalf. In the court of the Negus, the bishops, dressed in green surplises and impressive
headgear, were seated on his right and on his left. The Qurayshite emissaries were also seated
when the Muslims entered and took their seats. The Negus turned to them and asked: "What is this
religion which you have introduced for yourself and which has served to cut you off from the
religion of your people? You also did not enter my religion nor the religion of any other
community." Jafar ibn Abi Talib then advanced and made a speech that was moving and eloquent
and which is still one of the most compelling descriptions of Islam. the appeal of the noble Prophet
and the condition of Makkan society at the time. He said: "O King, we were a people in a state of
ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals, committing all
sorts of abomination and shameful deeds. breaking the ties of kinship, treating guests badly and
the strong among us exploited the weak. "We remained in this state until Allah sent us a Prophet,
one of our own people whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity were well-known
to us. "He called us to worship Allah alone and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and
our ancestors used to worship besides Allah. "He commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our
promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbors, to cease all forbidden acts, to
abstain from bloodshed. to avoid obscenities and false witness, not to appropriate an orphan's
property nor slander chaste women. "He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to associate
anything with him, to uphold Salat, to give Zakat and fast in the month of Ramadan. "We believed
in him and what he brought to us from Allah and we follow him in what he has asked us to do and
we keep away from what he forbade us from doing. "Thereupon, O King, our people attacked us,
visited the severest punishment on us to make us renounce our religion and take us back to the old
immorality and the worship of idols. "They oppressed us, made life intolerable for us and
obstructed us from observing our religion. So we left for your country, choosing you before anyone
else, desiring your protection and hoping to live in Justice and in peace m your midst." The Negus
was impressed and was eager to hear more. He asked Jafar: "Do you have with you something of
what your Prophet brought concerning God?" "Yes," replied Jafar. "Then read it to me," requested
the Negus. Jafar, in his rich, melodious voice recited for him the first portion of Surah Maryam
which deals with the story of Jesus and his mother Mary. On hearing the words of the Quran, the
Negus was moved to tears. To the Muslims, he said: "The message of your Prophet and that of
Jesus came from the same source..." To Amr and his companion, he said:" Go. For, by God, I will
never surrender them to you." That, however, was not the end of the matter. The wily Amr made
up his mind to go to the King the following day "to mention something about the Muslims belief
which will certainly fill his heart with anger and make him detest them" On the morrow, Amr went
to the Negus and said: "O King. these people to whom you have given refuge and whom you
protect say something terrible about Jesus the son of Mary (that he is a slave). Send for them and
ask them what they say about him." The Negus summoned the Muslims once more and Jafar acted
as their spokesman. The Negus put the question: "What do you say about Jesus, the son of Mary?"
"Regarding him, we only say what has been revealed to our Prophet ," replied Jaffar. "And what is
that?" enquired the Negus. "Our Prophet says that Jesus is the servant of God and His Prophet. His
spirit and His word which He cast into Mary the Virgin." The Negus was obviously excited by this
reply and exclaimed: "By God, Jesus the son of Mary was exactly as your Prophet has described
him" The bishops around the Negus grunted in disgust at what they had heard and were
reprimanded by the Negus. He turned to the Muslims and said: "Go, for you are safe and secure.
Whoever obstructs you will pay for it and whoever opposes you will be punished. For, by God, I
would rather not have a mountain of gold than that anyone of you should come to any harm."
Turning to Amr and his companion, he instructed his attendants: "Return their gifts to these two
men. I have no need of them." Amr and his companion left broken and frustrated. The Muslims
stayed on in the land of the Negus who proved to be most generous and kind to his guests. Jafar
and his wife Asma spent about ten years in Abyssinia which became a second home for them.
There, Asma gave birth to three children whom they named Abdullah, Muhammad and Awn. Their
second child was possibly the first child in the history of the Muslim Ummah to be given the name
Muhammad after the noble Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace. In the seventh year
of the hijrah, Jafar and his family left Abyssinia with a group of Muslims and headed for Madinah.
When they arrived the Prophet was just returning from the successful conquest of Khaybar. He was
so overjoyed at meeting Jafar that he said: "I do not know what fills me with more happiness, the
conquest of Khaybar or the coming of Jafar." Muslims in general and the poor among them
especially were just as happy with the return of Jafar as the Prophet was. Jafar quickly became
known as a person who was much concerned for the welfare of the poor and indigent. For this he
was nicknamed, the "Father of the Poor". Abu Hurayrah said of him: "The best of men towards us
indigent folk was Jafar ibn Abi Talib. He would pass by us on his way home and give us whatever
food he had. Even if his own food had run out, he would send us a pot in which he had placed some
butterfat and nothing more. We would open it and lick it clean..." Jafar's stay in Madinah was not
long. At the beginning of the eighth year of the hijrah, the Prophet mobilized an army to confront
Byzantine forces in Syria because one of his emissaries who had gone in peace had been
treacherously killed by a Byzantine governor. He appointed Zayd ibn Harithah as commander of the
army and gave the following instructions: "If Zayd is wounded or killed, Jafar ibn Abi Talib would
take over the command. If Jafar is killed or wounded, then your commander would be Abdullah ibn
Rawahah. If Abdullah ibn Rawahah is killed, then let the Muslims choose for themselves a
commander." The Prophet had never given such instructions to an army before and the Muslims
took this as an indication that he expected the battle to be tough and that they would even suffer
major losses. When the Muslim army reached Mutah, a small village situated among hills in Jordan,
they discovered that the Byzantines had amassed a hundred thousand men backed up by a massive
number of Christian Arabs from the tribes of Lakhm, Judham, Qudaah and others. The Muslim army
only numbered three thousand. Despite the great odds against them, the Muslim forces engaged
the Byzantines in battle. Zayd ibn al-Harithah, the beloved companion of the Prophet, was among
the first to fall. Jafar ibn Abi Talib then assumed command. Mounted on his ruddy-complexioned
horse, he penetrated deep into the Byzantine ranks. As he spurred his horse on, he called out:
"How wonderful is Paradise as it draws near! How pleasant and cool is its drink! Punishment for the
Byzantines is not far away!" Jafar continued to fight vigorously but was eventually slain. The third in
command, Abdullah ibn Rawahah, also fell. Khalid ibn al-Walid, the inveterate fighter who had
recently accepted Islam, was then chosen as the commander. He made a tactical withdrawal,
redeployed the Muslims and renewed the attack from several directions. Eventually, the bulk of the
Byzantine forces fled in disarray. The news of the death of his three commanders reached the
Prophet in Madinah. The pain and grief he felt was intense. He went to Jafar's house and met his
wife Asma. She was getting ready to receive her absent husband. She had prepared dough and
bathed and clothed the children. Asma said: "When the Messenger of God approached us, I saw a
veil of sadness shrouding his noble face and I became very apprehensive. But I did not dare ask him
about Jafar for fear that I would hear some unpleasant news. He greeted and asked, 'Where are
Jaffar's children?' I called them for him and they came and crowded around him happily, each one
wanting to claim him for himself. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his
eyes. 'O Messenger of God,' I asked, 'why do you cry? Have you heard anything about Jafar and his
two companions?' 'Yes,' he replied. 'They have attained martyrdom.' The smiles and the laughter
vanished from the faces of the little children when they heard their mother crying and wailing.
Women came and gathered around Asma. "O Asma," said the Prophet, "don't say anything
objectionable and don't beat your breast." He then prayed to God to protect and sustain the family
of Jafar and assured them that he had attained Paradise. The Prophet left Asma's house and went
to his daughter Fatimah who was also weeping. To her, he said: "For such as Jafar, you can (easily)
cry yourself to death. Prepare food for Jafar's family for today they are beside themselves with
grief."

Thus, the companions of Prophet SAW were all of great attributes, actions and personalities
proving as models for all muslims. May Allah be pleased with them, Ameen.