Bright stars
Sayyiduna Khalid Bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
‘Adnan Ahmad Attari
A great companion رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ mentions the account of his acceptance of Islam somewhat like this: ‘One night, I had a dream that Makkah was enveloped by total darkness; no mountain could be seen nor any plain land, to such an extent that a man could not even see his own palm. Then, I saw a light emerging from the well of Zam Zam which was similar to a lantern in its radiance. As that light began to rise, increase and spread, it first illuminated the Ka’bah, then that light began to increase further until I could see the mountains and the plains too. The light then began to spread across the sky, and after that, it descended and illuminated the whole of Makkah. After this, it moved towards Najd and then towards Madinah, and it lit their date palm gardens so brilliantly that I saw the dates on the trees, and then I woke up. I went to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and relayed my dream, and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘By Allah! I am that light and I am the Messenger of Allah.’ After hearing this, I accepted Islam.’ (Tareekh-e-Ibn-e-‘Asakir, vol. 16, p. 68, Summarised)
In another narration, it is mentioned that the cause of that Sahabi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ accepting Islam was that in a dream, he saw that his disbelieving father is pushing him into a fire and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is holding onto him from both sides to stop him from falling into the fire. (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 71)
Dear Islamic brothers! This esteemed and honourable personality who was blessed with the treasure of faith by the means of a dream was Sayyiduna Khalid bin Sa’eed Qurashi Umawi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 163)
His sacrifices and struggles for the sake of Islam
When his disbelieving father came to know of his son’s accepting of Islam, he instructed him to leave Islam, but he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ refused. Upon this, that disbeliever scolded and rebuked him, and then proceeded to strike him on the head with the stick he had in his hand. He continued to beat him until it broke and then said, ‘I will withhold food from you.’ Whereupon, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, ‘Even if you withhold food from me, so what? Indeed! Allah will continue to sustain me for as long as I live.’ (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 71)
According to another narration, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said the following words, ‘I will not leave the religion of Muhammad [صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم] and I will die upon this religion.’ (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 71) Then that disbelieving father imprisoned him and did not allow him to meet anyone. He did not even give him food to satiate his hunger nor did he give him water to quench his thirst; for three days, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ did not even drink a single drop of water in the heat of Makkah, yet still bore patiently in this state.
Migration to Ethiopia
Eventually, when the opportunity rose, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ fled from there and hid in the outskirts of Makkah. When some Muslims migrated to Ethiopia for the second time, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ also migrated with them towards Ethiopia. (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 71 – Al-I’lam liz-Zarkali, vol. 2, p. 296)
Merits and description
Sayyiduna Khalid bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was handsome and graceful. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 163) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was from among the first and foremost – he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was the fourth or fifth person to accept Islam. (Jami’-ul-Usool fi Ahadees-ir-Rasool, vol. 12, p. 475) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was esteemed and highly respected, and was from those who migrated to Ethiopia. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 197) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was honoured to be a scribe of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in both, Makkah and Madinah. (Al-I’lam liz-Zarkali, vol. 2, p. 296) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is that respected personality who was the first one to attain the privilege of writing ‘بسم الله الرحمٰن الرحیم’. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 162) Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would hold him in high regard. (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 73)
Presence in the court of the Beloved
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would honour and revere the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and remain close to him. He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ offered Salah with the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the outskirts of Makkah. Sometimes, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would sit at the blessed door of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and wait to receive permission.
He presented a ring as a gift
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ gifted a ring to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, upon which was inscribed: ‘محمد رسولُ الله’. That ring remained in the possession of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and was passed down to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, then to Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and then finally to Sayyiduna Usman-e-Ghani رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Eventually, it fell in the well of Arees by Sayyiduna Usman-e-Ghani رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. (Ma’rifat-us-Sahabah, vol. 2, p. 191 - Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 71)
His services after migration
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ spent 10 or more years in the land of Ethiopia and returned in 7 AH, and then presented himself before the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the Battle of Khaybar. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 162 - Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 72) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ accompanied the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during the Umrah of Qada, and also took part in the Conquest of Makkah, the Battle of Hunayn, the Battle of Taaif and the Battle of Tabook. (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 2, p. 120)
He was an official in Yemen
The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم appointed him as an official in an area of Yemen known as ‘San’a.’ (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 162) The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave him the following advice when seeing him off, ‘Whichever Arab tribe you pass by and hear the Azan there, do not pursue them, and wherever you do not hear the Azan, invite them towards Islam.’ (Mu’jam-e-Kabeer, vol. 4, p. 194 Summarised)
He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ remained an official in Yemen until the physical passing of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Jami’-ul-Usool fi Ahadees-ir-Rasool, vol. 12, p. 475) He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then returned from Yemen and had the honour of taking Bay’ah at the hands of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. (Tabqat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 73) In 13 AH, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ handed the flag of the Islamic army to Sayyiduna Khalid bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and ordered him to perform Jihad in the upper regions of Shaam [Syria]. (Al-Kaamil fit-Tareekh, vol. 2, pp. 208, 252)
Account of his martyrdom
The Battle of Ajnadayn took place 24 days before the passing of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ in 13 AH, in the month of Jumadal Oola. According to one opinion, Sayyiduna Khalid bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was martyred in this battle. (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 2, p. 121 – Tareekh-e-Ibn-e-‘Asakir, vol. 16, p. 66) Both of his brothers, Sayyiduna ‘Amr bin Sa’eed and Sayyiduna Abaan bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما were also martyred in this battle. (Tareekh-e-Ibn-e-‘Asakir, vol. 16, p. 84) At the time of his martyrdom, Sayyiduna Khalid bin Sa’eed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was around 50 years of age. (Jami’-ul-Usool fi Ahadees-ir-Rasool, vol. 12, p. 476)
After his martyrdom
The individual who martyred him became a Muslim afterwards. He states that (at the time of his martyrdom) he saw a light emanating from him that ascended towards the sky. (Siyar-e-A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 163)
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