He inherited noble characteristics,
handed down from father to son. His
father, Hudair Al-Kataa'ib, was a
leader of Al-Aws and one of the great
nobles and strong fighters of the Arabs
in the pre-Islamic era.
Usaid inherited from his father his
status, courage, and hospitality. Before
becoming a Muslim, he was one of Al-Madinah's
leaders, a noble of the Arabs, and one
of their excellent spearmen.
When Islam attracted him and he was
guided to the Way of the Almighty,
Worthy of All Praise, he was best
honored when he took his place as one of
Allah and His Messenger's Ansaar and
one of the foremost believers in the
great religion of Islam.
He embraced Islam quickly, decisively,
and honorably. The Messenger (sollallahu
'alayhi wa sallam) sent Mus'ab Ibn
�Umair to Al-Madinah to teach and
instruct the Muslim Ansaar who had given
their allegiance to the Prophet (sollallahu
'alayhi wa sallam) in the First Pledge
of �Aqabah and to call others to
Allah's religion.
On that day Usaid Ibn Hudair and Sa'd
Ibn Mu'aadh, who were leaders of their
people, were discussing this stranger
who had come from Makkah to denounce
their religion and call to a new one
unknown to them. Sa'd said to Usaid,
"Go directly to this man and deter
him."
So Usaid carried his spear and hurried
to Mus'ab while he was a guest of
As'ad Ibn Zuraarah, one of the leaders
of Al-Madinah who was among the early
believers in Islam. And there, where
Mus'ab and As'ad Ibn Zuraarah were
sitting, Usaid saw a crowd of people
listening carefully to the rational
words with which Mus'ab Ibn Umair was
calling them to Allah.
Usaid
surprised them with his anger and
outburst. Mus'ab said to him,
"Won't you sit down and listen? If
our matter pleases you, accept it, and
if you hate it, we'll stop calling you
to what you hate."
Usaid was an'enlightened and
intelligent man whom the people of Al-Madinah
called "Al-Kaamil" (The Perfect), a
nickname that his father used to bear
before him. So, when he found Mus'ab
appealing to logic and reason, he stuck
his spear in the ground and said to him,
"You're right, tell me what you
have."
Mus'ab started reciting the Holy
Qur'aan to him and explaining to him
the call of the new religion, the true
religion whose standard Muhammad (sollallahu
'alayhi wa sallam) was ordered to
spread. Those who attended this assembly
said, "By Allah, we saw Islam in
Usaid's face before he spoke. We knew
it because of his brilliance and
easiness."
No sooner did Mus'ab finish his words
than Usaid was overwhelmed and he
shouted, "How good these words are!
What do you do if you want to embrace
this religion?" Mus'ab said,
"Purify your body and clothes, and
bear true witness, then pray."
Usaid's character was straight,
strong, and clear. He would not hesitate
a second in face of strong opposition,
if he knew his own way.
So Usaid got up quickly to welcome the
new religion which was penetrating his
heart and overwhelming his soul. He
washed, purified himself, and prostrated
to Allah the Lord of the Worlds in
worship, announcing his embracement of
Islam and abandonment of paganism.
Usaid had to go back to Sa'd Ibn
Mu'aadh to give him the news of the
task which had been assigned to him to
deter and expel Mua'ab Ibn �Umair.
He went back to Sa'd, but as he
approached Sa'd said to those around
him, "Usaid's face is changed. I
swear it."
Yes. He went with a challenging, angry
face and came back with a face full of
mercy and light.
Usaid decided to use his intelligence.
He knew that Sa'd Ibn Mu'aadh was
well known for his pure nature and keen
determination. He knew that Islam was
not far from him. He only needed to hear
what he himself had heard of Allah's
word, which the Messenger's envoy to
them, Mus'ab Ibn �Umair, was good at
reciting and explaining. But if he said
to Sa'd, I've embraced Islam; go and
embrace it, the outcome would not have
been ensured. He had to prompt Sa'd in
a way that would push him to
Mus'ab's gathering in order to see
and listen. How could he do this?
As we said before, Mus'ab was a guest
at As'ad Ibn Zuraarah's house.
As'ad Ibn Zuraarah was Sa'd Ibn
Mu'aadh's cousin. So Usaid said to
Sa'd," I was told that the Haarithah
tribe went out to kill As'ad Ibn
Zuraarah and they know he is your
cousin."
Angry and heated, Sa'd took his spear
and ran fast to where Sa'd, Mua'ab,
and the Muslims with them were sitting.
When he came near the gathering, he
found nothing but quiet overwhelming
them while Mus'ab Ibn �Umair sat in
the middle of them reciting Allah's
verses humbly, and they carefully
listened to him.
Just then he realized the trick that
Usaid had played on him to make him go
to this gathering and listen to what the
envoy of Islam, Mu'ab Ibn Umair was
saying. So, Usaid's insight into his
friend's character proved to be
accurate.
Sa'd had hardly heard the Qur'aan
when Allah opened his heart to Islam,
and soon he took his place among the
first believers.
Usaid bore a strong, belief in his heart
and mind, and his belief made him full
of patience, discernment, and sound
appraisal that made him a trustworthy
man.
During the expedition against Bani Al-Mustaliq,
Abdullah Ibn Ubaiy was so furious that
he said to the people of Al-Madinah
around him," You've let them enter
your town and share your money. By
Allah, if you cease giving them what you
have, they'll turn to another place.
By Allah, if we return to Al-Madinah,
indeed the more honorable will expel the
meaner from there."
The venerable Companion, Zaid Ibn Arqam
heard these poisoned hypocritical words,
so he had to inform the Messenger of
Allah (sollallahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
The Messenger (sollallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) was much hurt. When he met Usaid
he said, "Don't you know what your
friend has said?" Usaid asked,
"Which friend, OMessenger of Allah?"
The Messenger of Allah (sollallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) answered, �"Abd Allah Ibn
Ubaiy." Usaid said, "What did he
say?" The Messenger (sollallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) said, "He claimed that if
he returned to Al-Madinah, the more
honorable will expel the meaner from
there." Then Usaid said, "By Allah,
you, O Messenger of Allah, will expel
him from there, by Allah's permission.
By Allah, he is the meaner and you are
the more honorable."
He added, "O Messenger of Allah, treat
him gently. By Allah, Allah brought you
to us while the people of Abdullah were
preparing to crown him king of Al-Madinah.
He sees that Islam has deprived him of
kingship."
With this calm, profound thinking, Usaid
used to solve problems using his
presence of mind.
On the Day of As-Saqiifah, just after
the death of the Messenger of Allah (sollallahu
'alayhi wa sallam), a group of the
Ansaar headed by Sa'd Ibn �Ubaadah
announced their right to succession and
debated furiously. Usaid, who was a
prominent Ansaar, as we know, took a
positive attitude in settling the matter
and his words were like the dispelling
of shadows on the course of events. He
stood to address the group of Ansaar:
"You know that the Messenger of Allah
(sollallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was one
of the Muhaajiruun. His successor, then,
should be one of the Muhaajiruun. We
used to be the Ansaar of the Messenger
of Allah (sollallahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
Today we have to be the Ansaar of his
successor."
And his words brought peace and safety.
Usaid Ibn Hudair RA spent his life as a
humble worshipper, sacrificing his
energy and money in the cause of
goodness, and putting the advice of the
Messenger of Allah (sollallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) to the Ansaars in his mind:
"Be patient until you meet me in the
realm of Paradise."
He was the object of honor and love by
Ag-Siddiiq because of his religiosity
and noble manners. He also had the same
status in the heart of the Commander of
the Faithful Umar and in the hearts of
all the Companions.
Listening to his voice while reciting
Qur'aan was one of the greatest honors
that the Companions aspired to. His
voice was so humble and resonant that
the Messenger (sollallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) said about it that the angels
came near its possessor one night to
hear it.
In the month of Shaaban A.H. 20, Usaid
died. The Commander of the Faithful Umar
insisted on carrying his bier on his
shoulders. Under the earth of Al-Baqii',
the Companions buried the body of a
great believer.
They went back to Al-Madinah remembering
his virtues and repeating the noble
Messenger's words about him: "What
an excellent man Usaid Ibn Hudair is!"
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�