One day the Prophet (PBUH) sat with a
group of Muslims, and while they were
talking, the Messenger paused, then
spoke to those who were sitting around
him saying, "Among you there is a
man whose molar in Hell is greater than
Mount Uhud."
Fright and terror appeared upon the
faces of all those present because each
one of them was afraid lest he should be
the person about whom the Prophet (PBUH)
prophesied a dreadful end.
Years passed and all those Companions
met their ends as martyrs except Abu
Hurairah and Ar-Rajjaal Ibn 'Unfuwah,
who were still alive. Abu Hurairah was
extremely terrified by that prophecy and
did not feel comfortable until fate
revealed the secret of the unfortunate
man: Ar-Rajjaal Ibn 'Unfuwah, who
apostatized from Islam and joined
Musailamah the Liar, and thus witnessed
the fulfillment of prophecy upon him.
One day, Ar-Rajjaal Ibn 'Unfuwah went to
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and
acknowledged him and learned the
teachings of Islam. Then he went to his
people and did not return to Al-Madiinah
till the death of the Prophet and the
choice of As-Siddiiq as the Caliph of
the Muslims. Ar-Rajjaal told Abu Bakr
the news of the inhabitants of Al-Yamaamah
and their support for Musailamah and
proposed that he be sent to Al-Yamaamah
as an envoy in order to confirm Islam
among them. The Caliph gave him
permission.
Ar-Rajjaal went to Al-Yamaamah, and when
he saw the numerouss supporters of
Musailamah, he believed that they would
be the victors. His perfidious nature
caused him to reserve a place in the
prospective state of Musailamah.
Consequently, he apostatized from Islam
and joined Musailamah, who promised him
a prosperous future.
Ar-Rajjaal was more dangerous to Islam
than Musailamah himself because he
exploited his previous association with
Islam and the period he had lived with
the Messenger in Al-Madiinah, memorizing
many verses of the Holy Qur'aan, and his
intercession to Abu Bakr (May Allah be
pleased with him), the Caliph of the
Muslims. Ar-Rajjaal exploited all those
things for evil purposes and cunningly
supported and confirmed the sovereignty
of Musailamah and his false prophethood.
He walked among people saying that he
heard the Messenger of Allah say that he
had taken Musailamah into partnership
and when the Messenger (PBUH) died, he
was worthy of carrying the banner of
prophethood and revelation after him.
The number of Musailamah's supporters
increased to a great extent because of
the lies of Ar-Rajjaal and his cunning
exploitation of his previous
relationships with Islam and the
Messenger (PBUH). When the news of
Ar-Rajjaal reached Al-Madiinah, the
Muslims were exceedingly angry because
of the lies of this dangerous apostate
who used to mislead people. His evil
words and deeds expanded the range of
the war and intensified the conflict the
Muslims had with their enemies and
adversaries. The most anxious and the
most eager to meet Ar-Rajjaal was Zaid
Ibn Al-Khattaab, whose heroism and fame
was outstanding in the biographies and
books of Islamic history.
I am sure that you have heard about Zaid
Ibn Al-Khattaab. He was the brother of 'Umar
Ibn Al-Khattaab (May Allah be pleased
with both). Yes! he was his elder
brother. He was older than 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab
and he embraced Islam and gained the
honor of martyrdom before him.
He was the ideal hero whose motto was
"Actions speak louder than
words." His faith in Allah and His
Messenger and His religion was strong
and firm. He never stayed away from the
Messenger in any setting, and in every
battle he sought martyrdom more than he
sought victory.
On the Day of Uhud, when the fight
between the believers and the
polytheists was very fierce, Zaid was
fighting boldly. His brother 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khaftaab (May Allah be pleased with
him) saw him as his shield fell down and
he was within reach of the enemies.
"Umar cried, "0 Zaid, take my
shield and fight with it!" Zaid
replied, "I want martyrdom as you
want it." He continued fighting
without his shield with astonishing
herosim.
As we mentioned before, Zaid (May Allah
be pleased with him) was longing to meet
Ar-Rajjaal, wishing to put an end to his
devilish life.
In Zaid's opinion, Ar-Rajjaal was not
only an apostate but also a hypocrite
and self-seeker. Zaid was like his
brother 'Umar Ibn Al-Khaftaab in his
abhorence of hypocrisy and lying,
especially when hypocrisy aimed at
selfish gain and mean purposes. For
those mean purposes Ar-Rajjaal committed
his atrocious acts, resulting in the
numbers of Musailamah's supporters
greatly increasing and causing great
numbers of deaths in the Apostate
Battles . First he deceived them, and
finally he led them to their deaths for
the sake of his devilish hopes.
Zaid prepared himself to Conclude his
faithful life by annihilating that
impiety not only in Musailamah's person
but also in Ar-Rajjaal Ibn 'Unfuwah, who
was more dangerous and more cunning.
The Day of Al-Yamaamah began gloomy and
dim. Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid gathered the
Army of Islam and directed it to its
positions and left the leadership of the
army to Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab, who fought
Bani Haniifah, the followers of
Musailamah, boldly and fiercely. At the
beginning, the battle was leaning
towards the side of the polytheists, and
many of the Muslims fell as martyrs.
Zaid saw the feelings of horror in the
hearts of some Muslims, so he climbed a
hill and cried, "O people! Grit
your teeth, fight your enemy and go
straight. By Allah, I'll never speak
till Allah beats them or I meet Him and
then I give my evidence." Then he
descended, gritting his teeth, pressing
this lips, never moving his tongue with
even a whisper.
His only hope was to kill Ar-Rajjaal, so
he began to penetrate the enemy army
like an arrow searching for its target,
until he saw him.
Then he began to attack him from right
and left. Whenever the deluge of the
battle swallowed Ar-Rajjaal and hid him,
Zaid dived towards him until the waves
pushed him to the surface again. Zaid
approached him and stretched out his
sword towards him, but the furious human
waves swallowed Ar-Rajjaal again. Then
Zaid followed and dived after him so as
not to allow him to escape.
At last, Zaid held him by his neck and
with the sword, he cut off his head
which was full of vanity, lies, and
villainy. By the death of the great
liar, the ranks of its whole army began
to fall.
Musailamah and Al-Mahkam Ibn At-Tufail
were filled with horror. The killing of
Ar-Rajjaal spread in Musailamah's army
like a fire on a stormy day.
Musailamah used to promise them
inevitable victory and that he,
Ar-Rajjaal, and Al-Mahkam Ibn Attufail
would promulgate their new religion and
establish their state on the day
following their victory! Now that
Ar-Rajjaal was killed, the whole
prophecy of Musailamah was seen as a
lie, and tomorrow Al-Mahkam and
Musailamah would meet the same fate.
Thus the fatal blow of Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab
caused all that destruction in the lines
of Musailamah.
No sooner did the Muslims hear the news
than they were filled with pride and
dignity. The wounded men rose again
holding their swords, taking no interest
in their wounds.
Even for those who were about to die,
nothing connected them with life except
that very faint light caused by hearing
the good news which was like a very
beautiful and rosy dream. They wished,
if they had any strength to fight with,
they would be able to witness the
triumph of the battle in its glorious
conclusion. But how could that be? Since
the doors of Paradise had opened to
welcome them, they were now hearing
their names while they were being called
to immortality!
Zaid raised his hands towards Heaven
supplicating Allah and thanking Him for
His blessings. Then he returned to his
sword and his silence, as he had sworn
by Allah not to utter a word until he
had completed the victory or gained the
honor of martyrdom.
The battle began to lean to the side of
the Muslims and their inevitable victory
began to approach rapidly. At that
moment Zaid did not desire a better
conclusion to his life than praying to
Allah to grant him martyrdom on that Day
of Yamaamah! The wind of Paradise blew
to fill his soul with longing, his eyes
with tears, and his determination with
firmness. He began to fight as if he
were searching for his glorious destiny,
and the hero fell! So he died a martyr,
magnanimously, gracefully and happily.
The Army of Islam returned to Al-Madiinah
victorious.
While "Umar and the Caliph Abu Bakr
were welcoming those who were returning
trimuphantly, 'Umar began to search for
his homecoming brother with longing
eyes.
Zaid was so tall that he could be easily
recognized. But before "Umar had
strained his eyes, one of the returning
Muslims approached and consoled him. 'Umar
said, "May Allah have mercy upon
Zaid, he preceded me in two instances.
He embraced Islam before me and gained
martyrdom before me, too."
In spite of the victories that Islam won
and enjoyed, 'Umar "Al-Faaruuq"
(Umar) never forgot his brother Zaid,
and he always said, "Whenever the
east wind blows, I smell the scent of
Zaid."
Yes! The east wind carries the perfume
of Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him).
But if the caliph gives me permission to
add these words to his great expression
so as to complete the meaning of his
saying, these are the words:
"Whenever the winds of triumph blow
on Islam since the Day of Al-Yamaamah,
Islam finds the scent, the struggles,
the heroism, and the greatness of Zaid
in these winds!"
Blessings be upon Al-Khattaab under the
flag of the Messenger (PBUH). Blessed be
they the moment they embraced Islam.
Blessed be they when they fought and
were martyred. And blessings be upon
them in the hereafter.
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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