Important personalities and places

Abu Talib

 The custodian and uncle of Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin

SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
 When on a trade journey to Syria, Baheera/Buhaira Rahib told Abu Talib not to
take Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” to
Syria Abu Talib brought him back to Makkah to avoid any risk.
 Abu Talib did not hand over the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” to the Quraish.
 He gave tribal support to the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
 He protected the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam” during the boycott.
 The demise of Abu Talib threatened the security of Muhammad “Rasool Allah
Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” at Makkah.

Haleema Sadia (radi Allahu anha)

 Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” was

entrusted to the care of Haleema Sadia for feeding him and bringing him up.
 Many miracles took place in the childhood.
 Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” always
called Haleema, “My mother.”
 Later, Haleema and her whole family embraced Islam.

Hamzah (radi Allahu anho)

 He was the Holy Prophet’s “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi

Wasallam” uncle, his foster brother and also the son of his maternal aunt.
 He was known all over Makkah for his expertise in the art of wrestling,
hunting, archery and swordsman-ship.
  His acceptance of Islam enabled the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-
Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” to preach it openly which till then was
almost a dream.
 In the Ramadan of 1st Hijra he was deputed to lead a contingent of 30 Muhajirin
to the shores of Red Sea to monitor the movement of Makkan trade caravans.
 In the Battle of Badr, he killed Utba bin Rabia, a towering figure of the
Quraish and single-handedly killed many more pagans.
 In the Battle of Uhad, he was martyred at the hands of Wahshi who had been
specially deputed to accomplish this job by Hinda.
 Hamza (radi Allahu anho) was buried by the side of Uhad mountain
 The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
himself conferred the title of “Chief of the Martyrs” upon him.

Salman Farsi (radi Allahu anho)

 He was a fire worshipper.

 A royal son but his heart was inclined in the search of true God, he met some
Christians and was impressed.
 He left his home to stay with them but when he came to know about their double
standards, he left them.
 Then he came to one Rahib (Christian Monk) who told him about the advent of
last Prophet and told him about his signs that:
 he would not accept charity,
 he would accept gift,
 There would be a stamp on his back between shoulders.
 He came to Arab for the search of Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” but a Jew enslaved him in Yathrib.
 When the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi
Wasallam” announced about the Holy Prophet-hood.
 He came to the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi
Wasallam” and after seeing the signs of Prophethood accepted Islam.
 He requested his master to set him free but the master demanded 300 date trees
and some gold.
 It is said the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi
Wasallam” planted 299 trees for him and one tree he planted by himself to give
to the Jew for his freedom.
  The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
once said, “Salman is from my family.”
 It was Salman Farsi (radi Allahu anho) who suggested about the digging of
trench around Madinah to save it from the attack of allied forces.

Bilal bin Rabah (radi Allahu anho)

 He was born of an African slave girl of Abyssinian origin who belonged to the
tribe of Bani Juma.
 He was one of the earliest converts.
 His master Ummayyah bin Khalf used all sorts of torture on him to make him
change his mind.
 Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho) freed him
 He was given the charge to say Azan
 He took part in almost all of the major encounters.
 In the Battle of Badr, he killed his master
 During the period of the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”, he was custodian of Public Treasury.
 He was also given the task to welcome the guests of the Holy Prophet “Rasool
Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” and manage his grocery.
 In the caliphate Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho), he moved to Syria and settled
there permanently.
 He participated in the campaign of Syria under Abu Ubaidah in the time of Umar
(radi Allahu anho)

Jaffar son of Abu Talib (radi Allahu anho)

 Jaffar (radi Allahu anho) was the elder brother of Ali (radi Allahu anho).
 He migrated to Abyssinia among the second batch in the fifth year of Prophet-
hood.
 In Abyssinia, he was the one chosen to present the point of view of Muslims
before Nijashi
 He was martyred and lost both of his hands in the battle of Mautah in 8 A.H
 The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
said, “Allah has granted him two wings in place of his two hands so that he
flies about in Paradise wherever he likes.”
Muaz bin Jabal (radi Allahu anho)

 He converted to Islam at the second pledge of Aqabah.

 He participated in all major battles
 He was sent by the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam” to Yemen both as a Governor and judge.
 He was known to be a scholar of the Holy Quran, Sunnah and Islamic
Jurisprudence. When the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” appointed him the Governor of Yemen, he asked him
how he would decide the matters in which he could not find rule in the Holy
Quran and Sunnah.
 He replied, “I will do my best by exercising my own judgment.” The Holy
Prophet’s “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” response
was, “Praise be to Allah who has guided the messenger of His Prophet to that
which pleases His Prophet.”
 The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
said of him, “The most learned of my Ummah about the lawful and unlawful is
Muaz bin Jabal.”
 During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho), he returned from Yemen.
 He participated in the expedition which was sent to Syria under the command of
Usama bin Zaid (radi Allahu anho).
 While in Syria, he died of plague in 18 A.H.

Khalid Bin Waleed (radi Allahu anho)

The Sword of Allah

 Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anho) was born in a highly respected family of
Banu Makhzum in nearly 585 A.D.
 He (radi Allahu anho) was cousin of Omer (radi Allahu anho).
 He led a group of disbelievers of Makkah in the battle of Ohad against the
Muslim archers and turned Muslims’ victory into heavy loss.
  During the battle of Mauta, when all three Muslim leaders fell one after the
other, finally, Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anho) got the command of the
army.
 He reported that the fighting was so intense that he used nine swords which
broke in the battle.
 During the Conquest of Makkah, he was one of the commanders who led the Muslim
army into Makkah and killed some men of Banu Bakr who attacked on the Muslim
army.
 After Tabuk expedition Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam” sent him to suppress some tribal leaders who used to threaten
Muslims in their trade to Syria.
 Under the caliphate of first Khalifah, Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho), many people
refused to pay Zakaat and some went too far in claiming the false prophethood
like Musaylimah and others.
 Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anho) under the Caliphate of Abu Bakr (radi
Allahu anho) defeated the tyrant Roman and Persians at all fronts and saved
their people from the injustice.
 He headed number of battles in the time of Omer (radi Allahu anho) also but
later he decided to make Abu Obaidah (radi Allahu anho) the leader of the
Muslims army instead of Khalid (radi Allahu anho).
 Khalid bin Waleed (radi Allahu anho) clearly understood the delicacy of the
matter, and left his place for Abu Obaidah (radi Allahu anho) after winning the
conflict of Yarmok.
 He died in around 642 A.D in Syria at the age of almost 57.

Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anho)

 Abu Sufyan bin Harab (radi Allahu anho) belonged to the tribe of Banu Umayya.

 The name of Abu Sufyan’s (radi Allahu anho) wife was Hinda bint-e-Utba.

 His daughter had married the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” after she emigrated to Madinah from Abyssinia.
 He was part of the close circle of influential Quraish who had planned
assassination of the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam” before migration to Madinah.
 His letter to the Quraish to protect him near Madinah became the cause of
battle of Badr.
  He also commanded Makkan armies in the Battles of Uhad and Ditch

 He sent sohail bin Amr to sign the Treaty of Hudaiybia with the Muslims

 He acknowledged piety and honesty of Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin

SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” in front of Hercules
 He ultimately converted to Islam when Makkah was capitulated

 He actively participated in the Taif expedition after the Conquest of Makkah.

 During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho), he remained Governor of
Najran and Hijaz.
 He died at the advanced age of 88 in 31 A.H.

Abu Ayub Ansari (radi Allahu anho)

 He belonged to the Khazrij tribe of Ansar at Madinah.

 He had the privilege and honour of hosting the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah
Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” himself when he came to Madinah
 He actively participated in all the major campaigns, both in the lifetime of
the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
and after his
 He was witness to the fall of Egypt at the hands of Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu
anho) under whose command he fought this battle against the Romans.
 During the period of Ali (radi Allahu anho), he remained Governor of Madinah.
 During the rule of Muawiyah (radi Allahu anho) he took part in the expedition
which was sent to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anho)

 His real name was Abd-ur-Rahman.

 He was very poor and modest.
 Once the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi
Wasallam” saw him cradling a cat; he nicknamed him Abu Hirr (the father of
owner of a cat).
 He memorized more than 5,000 Ahadith and wrote 5374 Ahadith.
 During the Caliphate of Umar (radi Allahu anho) he worked as Amil of Behrain
 He was Governor of Madinah in the Caliphate of Muhawiyah (radi Allahu anho).
 He did not help anyone, neither Muhawiyah nor Ali (radi Allahu anhuma) in the
Battle of Siffin.
Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho)

 Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) son of bin Wa’al.

 When some of the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia, Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho)
for negotiation with the king to bring the Muslims back but failed.
 He was among those who even devised a plot to kill the Muhammad “Rasool Allah
Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
 After the Muslims had settled in Madinah, Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho)
convinced other leaders to wage war to stop the spread of Islam.
 Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) together with Khalid Ibn Waleed (radi Allahu
anho) attacked on Muslim archers from behind, inflicting heavy losses on them.
 He was there when in 5th A.H. a huge army of the unbelievers could not prolong
the siege around Madinah and had to retreat.
 The repeated failures made Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) realize that Muslims
were backed by some higher power.
 Najashi motivated him to accept Islam.
 Caliph Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho) made him commander of one of the Muslim
army.
 Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) took part in many important battles of this
conquest including Battle of Ajnadayn, Siege of Damascus and Battle of Yarmok.
 Omer (radi Allahu anho) made him the commander for the campaign of Egypt.
 In 641 AD, Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) conquered the whole of Egypt after
the successful Siege of Alexandria.
 After the martyrdom of third Caliph Usman (RA), Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho)
became the right hand man of Muawiyah (radi Allahu anho).
 He managed to stop the battle of Siffin through fastening the Quran.
 He became arbitrator of Muawiyah (radi Allahu anho) after the battle of Siffin.
 Amr bin Aas (radi Allahu anho) became governor of Egypt from the side of
Muawiyah (radi Allahu anho).

Masab bin Umair (radi Allahu anho)

 He was from Banu Hashim

 After his conversion to Islam he was persecuted by the Quraish.
 When he couldn’t bear the tortures he migrated to Habsha.
  After the first Pledge of Aqabah, Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” sent him to Yathrib to teach the People.
 He was so much an expert that whoever talked to him about Islam was convinced
by him therefore, within a year more than hundred people accepted Islam.
 He brought two enemies Aus and Khazrij together at one place through the
congregational Prayers (salat) at Yathrib.
 He looked like the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam”
 He was martyred in the Battle of Uhad.

Naeem bin Masood (radi Allahu anho)

 He was a Muslim from Ghatfan but his people did not know.
 He came to the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi
Wasallam” during the siege of Trench and said, “I want to create confusion in
the army of the enemy.” The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” allowed him.
 He went to the Jews and said, “The Quraish and other allied are tired of long
siege. They may leave you alone on the disposal of Muslims therefore; take some
of their men as a hostage guarantee until Muhammad is finished.”
 The Jews agreed. On the contrary he went to the confederacy and told them that
Banu Quraiza had backed out by the promise to support them.
 He further said, “They have rejoined the Muslims and to make the Muslims happy
they want to kill some of your men, if they come to ask for hostages, don’t
give.” He also forbade them to disclose his name.
 To check the reality, Quraish and Ghatfan sent some people to ask Banu Quraiza
to get ready for war, but the Quraiza demanded some men of their as hostages.
 Thus Quraish and Ghatfan thought that Quraiza would not help them rather kill
their men, therefore, they were disheartened and at night a wind storm came as
well thus they dispersed.

Zaid bin Harith (radi Allahu anho)

 Zaid (radi Allahu anho) was captured during his childhood and sold as a slave
in the market of Ukaz.
 Hakim bin Hizam purchased him for his paternal aunt, Khadijah (radi Allahu
anha).
 After her marriage with the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”, she gifted him to the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah
Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”.
 Zaid (radi Allahu anho) was so much impressed by the Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah
Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” that later he did not return to
his parents.
 The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
loved him so much that he selected him as his son.
 But later Allah (Subhanahu wa-ta’ala) abolished the tradition of considering an
adopted child as a real child.
 The Holy Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam”
got Zaid (radi Allahu anho) married to his cousin Zainab (radi Allahu anha) in
order to reduce class distinctions.
 Eventually, for certain reasons, the marriage ended in divorce.
 Zaid (radi Allahu anho) was one of the first converts to Islam.
 When Muhammad “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” went
to Taif to preach Islam, Zaid (radi Allahu anho) accompanied him.
 He was also badly injured while protecting the Holy Prophet of Allah (Subhanahu
wa-ta’ala) when the people of Taif threw stones at them.
 After the migration to Yathrib he was paired with Hamza (radi Allahu anho).
 A few months later, Muhammad Prophet “Rasool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyyin
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam” and Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anho) sent Zaid (radi
Allahu anho) back to Makkah to escort their families to Madinah.
 He fought at Badr, Ohad, Trench and Khaybar.
 When Muhammad went for battle of Al-Marisee, he left Zaid (radi Allahu anho)
behind as governor in Madinah.
 Zaid (radi Allahu anho) commanded seven military expeditions including
the Battle of Mautah in which he was martyred.