Do you remember Sa'iid Ibn 'Aamir?
That ascetic and steady worshiper who
was forced by the Commander of the
Faithful Umar to accept the governorship
of Syria?
We spoke about him in the first part of
this book, and we saw the wonder of
wonders while talking about his
asceticism, his renouncement of all
worldly pleasure, and his piety.
But now we will meet on these pages a
brother of his, better to say a twin
brother, an identical twin in terms of
piety, asceticim, elevation and
greatness of soul, which is actually
incomparable.
It is 'Umair Ibn Sa'd. He was called
by the Muslims "The Matchless". What
do you think about a man about whom
there was a public consensus that he
deserved that title, a consensus of the
Prophet's Companions, with all the
merit, enlightment, and intellect they
possessed?
His father was Sa'd, the reciter t. He
experienced the Battle of Badr with the
Messenger of Allah and all the following
events and stayed loyal to his oath till
he passed away as a martyr in the Battle
of Al-Qaadisiyah.*
He brought his son with him to the
Prophet (SAW) to swear the oath of
allegiance and to embrace Islam.
From
the day 'Umair embraced Islam, he turned
into a worshiper dwelling at Allah's
mihrab (prayer niche), escaping and
running away from the lights of fame,
withdrawing to the tranquility and
calmness of shadow.
It is absolutely out of the question
that you find him in the front rows,
except the row of prayer � he stations
himself in the front row to be granted
the reward of the highest in faith - and
the rows of jihaad - he hastens to the
front row, hoping to be one of the
martyrs.
Other than that, he is dedicated to
attaining righteousness, piety, and
virtue. He is a returner to Allah,
weeping for his sins! He is a devotee to
Allah, hoping to be accepted as a
faithful returner to Him! He is a
traveler to Allah in all journeys and
all instances.
Allah blessed him with his companions'
love for him. He was the delight of
their eyes and the darling of their
hearts. That was because of his strong,
firm belief, his pure soul, his calm
nature, the scent of his good qualities,
and his beaming appearance. All that
made him the joy and pleasure of all
those who met or saw him.
No one and nothing whatsoever was
superior to his religion. He once heard
Julaas Ibn Suwaid Ibn As-Saamit, one of
his close relatives, saying, "If the
man is truthful, then we've more evil
than mules!" He meant by "the man"
the Prophet r. Julaas was one of those
who embraced Islam out of fear.
When 'Umair heard that statement, his
calm, quiet spirit burst into anger and
confusion. Anger because one of those
who pretended to be a Muslim had
insulted the Prophet by this wicked
language.
Confusion because a lot of thoughts came
quickly to his mind, all revolving
around his responsibility towards what
he had just heard and denied.
Should he communicate all that he had
heard to the Prophet? How, and what
about the trustworthiness of private
meetings? Should he keep silent and
leave what he had heard within his
breast? How? And where was his loyalty
to the Prophet r who was sent by Allah
to guide them after having lived astray
and to illuminate them after having
lived in darkness?
However,
his confusion did not last long. The
truthfulness to himself helped him to
find a way out. Umair immediately
behaved like a strong man and a pious
believer. He turned to Julaas Ibn Suwaid,
"O Julaas, by Allah, you're one of
the most beloved to myself and the last
one I would like to see afflicted by
something he dislikes. You've now said
something that if I spread it around, it
would harm you; if I keep silent, I
would ruin my religion, and the
fulfillment of duty towards religion has
priority. So I'm going to inform the
Messenger of Allah what you've
said!"
Here 'Umair pleased his pious conscience
completely. First, he fulfilled the duty
of preserving the trustworthiness of
private talks and elevated his great
noble soul away from the role of a
slandering listener. Second, he
fulfilled his duty towards his religion
and shed light on a suspicious
hypocrite. Third, he gave Julaas a
chance to reconsider his fault and to
ask Allah for forgiveness. If he had
done that straightforwardly, then his
conscience would have found peace,
because it would not have been necessary
any more to inform the Prophet (SAW).
However, Julaas's pride made him hold
to his falsehood. His lips did not spell
out the word "sorry" nor any other
apology. 'Umair left him saying, "I
will inform the Prophet (SAW) before a
revelation makes me a partner of your
sin."
The Prophet (SAW) sent for Julaas, who
denied and moreover swore by Allah that
he had not said that! However,
Qur'aanic verse demonstrated clearly
the true and the false: <They
swear by GOD that they said nothing, but
they indeed uttered the word of
unbelief, and disbelieved after they had
become Muslims, and they intended a plot
but could not accomplish what they
intended and they only showed hostility
towards Islam after GOD and His
Messenger had enriched them out of His
Bounty, so if they repent it will be
better for them, so if they turn away,
GOD will chastise them with a painful
chastisement in this world and the
Hereafter, and on earth there will be
none to protect or help them > (9 :
74).
Julaas found himself forced to confess
his fault and to apologize, especially
when he heard the holy verse which
accused him, promising him at the same
moment Allah's mercy if he repented
and refrained from that: < So if they
repent it will be better for them. >
'Umair's action was a blessing for
Julass. Thus Julaas repented and his
Islamic conduct turned to be more
righteous than before. The Prophet (SAW)
held his ear and praised him, "O my
boy! Your ear was loyal and your Lord
believed you."
I was delighted when I met Umair for the
first time four years ago while
composing my book Between the Hands of
Umar. I was amazed. Nothing could amaze
me so much as what happened between him
and the Commander of the Faithful. I am
going to narrate to you that event for
you to enjoy with me "excellence" in
its most precious and magnificent form.
You all know that the Commander of the
Faithful, Umar chose his governors very
cautiously as if choosing his destiny.
He always chose them from among the
ascetic, pious, honest, and truthful:
those who escaped from power and
authority and would not accept it unless
forced by the Commander of the Faithful
to do so.
Despite his unerring insight and his
overwhelming experience, he was very
deliberate when choosing his governors
and counselors, dealing scrupulously
with his decision.
He never stopped his famous statement:
"I need a man who, if among his clan
would seem to be their prince while he
isn't so in reality, and who, if among
them would seem to be an ordinary one
while being their prince in reality. I
need a governor who won't favor
himself above the other people in terms
of clothing, food, or dwelling; who will
lead them in their prayers, distribute
their dues among them fairly, and rule
them justly, never shutting his door
leaving their needs and wishes
unfulfilled.
According to these strict requisites he
chose 'Umair Ibn Sa'd to be a
governor over Horns. 'Umair tried to
free himself of that task and to save
himself, but the Commander of the
Faithful obligated him and imposed it
upon him forcefully. 'Umair asked
Allah for proper guidance. Then he went
to carry out his duty and task.
In Homs, a whole year passed and no land
tax reached Al-Madinah, nor did a single
message reach the Commander of the
Faithful. The Commander of the Faithful
called his scribe, to whom he said,
"Write to 'Umair ordering him to come
here."
Will you allow me to tell you about the
meeting between Umar and 'Umair as it
was related in my previous book Between
the Hands of Umar?*
One day the roads of Al-Madinah
witnessed a dusty, shaggy man, covered
by the hardship of travel and hardly
pulling his feet out from the hot sandy
ground due to his long suffering and the
tremendous effort he spent. On his left
shoulder there was a sack and a wooden
bowl. On his right shoulder there was a
small waterskin filled with water. He
supported his thin, weak, tired body
with a stick.
He turned to Umar's assembly with very
slow, heavy steps. "O Commander of the
Faithful, peace be upon you."
Umar replied. Deeply afflicted by the
scene of his weakness and overexertion,
he asked him, "What's wrong with you
, Umair?"
"Can't you see I'm healthy,
possessing a pure conscience and
possessing the whole world?"
Umar asked, "What do you have with
you?"
'Umair replied, "I've a sack in
which I carry my food, a bowl in which I
eat, my utensils for my ablution and
drink, and a stick to lean on and fight
an enemy if he crosses my way. By Allah,
the whole world is an obedient slave of
my belongings."
"Did you come walking on foot?"
"Yes."
"Didn't you find anyone who would
give you an animal to ride on?"
"They
didn't offer and I didn't ask
them."
"What did you do with what we charged
you with ?"
"I went to the country to which you
sent me. There I gathered all its
virtuous inhabitants and made them in
charge of levying the taxes, so when
they did that I put the money there
where it belongs. If anything had
remained I would have sent it to you."
"Didn't you bring us
anything?"
"No."
Hereby Umar shouted, amazed and happy,
"Reappoint 'Umair." But 'Umair
replied with complete composure,
"Those were old days. I won't work
for you or for anyone else!"
This scene is not a written drama nor an
invented conversation. It is a
historical event** witnessed by the soil
of Al-Madinah, the old capital of Islam
during great unforgotten days. What kind
of men were those unparalleled, elevated
ones!
Umar was always wishing 'How much do I
wish to have men like 'Umair to assist
me in ruling the Muslims!'
That was because 'Umair, who had been
fairly described by his companions as
being "The Matchless", could prove
superiority over all human weakness
caused by our material existence and our
thorny life.
When this great saint was destined to
face the test of power and authority,
his piety was not afflicted. It rather
became more elevated, raised beaming and
bright.
When he was Governor of Horns, he drew a
dear picture of the tasks of a Muslim
ruler. How often did his words from the
pulpit shake the multitude of Muslims:
"Islam is a well-fortified wall and a
firm gate. As for the wall, that's
justice; and the gate is truth. If the
wall is torn down and the gate
destroyed, then Islam loses its
protective strength. Islam remains
well-fortified as long as its reign is
mighty. The might of its reign cannot be
realized by killing with swords or by
slashing with whips; rather by the
fulfilment of truth and justice!"
Now we
greet 'Umair for the last time, greeting
him with humility and respect. Let us
bow our heads for the best tutor,
Muhammad, the Imam of all the pious,
Muhammad, Allah's mercy sent to the
people in the midst of the heat and
drought of life.
May Allah's peace be upon him, may
Allah's mercy be upon him, may
Allah's salutations be unto him, may
Allah's blessings be upon him, and
peace be upon all pious ones and peace
be upon all his righteous Companions.
* In
Sirat Ibn Hishaam, p. 519, Vol. 1. The
Halaby Second edition, it was mentioned
that Sa'd's father was someone else,
who died while the Prophet r was still
alive before the Battle of Tabuuk. But
Ibn Sa'd mentioned in At- Tabaqaat Al-Kubrah,
Vol. 4, p. 324. Beirut Edition, that his
father was Sa'd the reciter and we
hold that opinion.
** It was
mentioned in Hiliat Al-Awliaa' Vol. 1,
one of our most fundamental sources.
Sheikh Abdulfattah Abu-Abdullah Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas),
a West African Islamic Academic founded AWQAF Africa, of
which he's the first al Amir (i.e. President).
Sheikh Dr. Adelabu was studying Postgraduate Degrees in
Damascus early 1990's during when Syria reviewed its
national security after an �Oslo Accord'...
Syria like many other countries around the world
witnessed, during this period, the flood of refugees
from war troubled nations like Somalia, arrival of
people from Algeria during the brutal struggling between
the Mujahidun and the government, resettlement of the
Palestinians fleeing from sophisticated guns of the
Israelis as well as adventure of African migrants for
reasons uncountable�
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