Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ

One day, during the sermon, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ asked a few people, who were standing in Masjid-un-Nabawi, to sit down. An incredibly loyal blessed companion, who was heading towards Masjid, stopped as soon as he heard the blessed words of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. (He knew that the instruction was for those who were present in Masjid-un-Nabawi, despite he sat down where he was present outside the Masjid.) Later, when the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ learned about this blessed act, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ became happy and said to his incredibly loyal blessed companion, ‘May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ increase your deep eagerness for obeying Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.’ (Dalaail-un-Nubuwwah lil-Bayhaqi, vol. 6, pp. 257)

Dear Islamic brothers! This blessed companion who had the privilege to receive Du’a of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was the famous poet of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, ‘Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah Ansari Khazraji رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ’.

Bay’at-e-Islam

In the 13^th year of the declaration of Nubuwwah and on the blessed occasion of Hajj, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah Ansari Khazraji رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, along with approximately 70 fortunate companions, had the privilege to pledge allegiance [Bay’at] to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d. vol. 3, pp. 298)

Following are the translation of few couplets of poetry: We have Rasool of Allah Almighty amongst us. He derives benefit from the recitation of [Glorious] Quran as soon as dawn breaks. We were the misguided [people], he taught us to walk on the path of guidance. Our hearts have firm belief that whatever Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ says, it certainly comes true. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 391, Hadees 1155)

In Zul-Qa’dah 7^th Hijri, on the occasion of Qada`ay ‘Umrah, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah Ansari Khazraji رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ entered Makkah holding bridle of the horse of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ reciting poetry. When Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ forbade him [from doing so], the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Let him recite, these poetic couplets are severer than the strike of sword on disbelievers’. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 13, pp. 173)

Can you recite poetic couplets right now?

Once the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ asked Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah Ansari Khazraji رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, ‘How do you recite poetic couplets?’ He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said, ‘When I look at anything, I just recite couplet.’ Similarly, once the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ asked, ‘What is a poetic couplet?’ He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said, ‘Such [type of] a thing which pricks one’s heart then he expresses it in the form of poetry by his tongue.’ The Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ asked, ‘Can you recite any poetic couplet right now?’ He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ looked at the blessed face of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and spontaneously started reciting Na’at (poetic couplets). (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 28, pp. 93, 94)

Better than musk

Once the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ arrived riding his blessed donkey and stayed in the gathering of ‘blessed Ansaar companions’ for a while. Blessed donkey urinated there; upon this, the hypocrite [person] ‘Ibn Ubayy’ covered his nose. To which, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘Urine of the [blessed] donkey of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is better than the fragrance of your musk’. (Tafseer Nasafi, part 26, Al-Hujurat, Taht-al-Ayah: 9, pp. 1153)

Bribery is Haraam

When the dates of Khyber fort would ripe and grain would be prepared, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would send Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ to Khyber. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would divide the pile of ‘dates and grain’ into two portions equally; thereafter he would say giving authority, ‘O Jews! Take the portion which you like’.

Once Jews collected jewellery of their women, and while giving it to Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, they said, ‘[O honourable companion رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ!] Show leniency to us and give us some privileges’. Having listened to this, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ became angry and said, ‘O Jews! What you are giving is bribery and bribery is Haraam wealth which we Muslims do not eat [use] it.’ (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 28, pp. 111; summarised)

Fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ

Once when Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was lying placing his head in the lap of his blessed wife, he started weeping suddenly. Seeing this, the blessed wife also started weeping. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ asked her, ‘Why do you weep?’ She humbly said, ‘Seeing you weeping made me cry.’ Thereafter, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said while describing the reason of the act of his weeping: It is stated in Glorious Quran:

وَ اِنْ مِّنْكُمْ اِلَّا وَارِدُهَاۚ-

And there is no one amongst you who shall not cross over Hell.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 16, Surah Maryam, Ayah 71)

The moment I remembered this blessed Ayah, I wept as it is certain to cross over Hell but I do not know whether I would cross over it safely or not. (Al-Mustadrak, vol. 5, pp. 810)

Observing Sawm in hot weather

Once Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was travelling along with the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ; the intensity of heat was so much that the people would place their hands on their heads. At that time, there were only two persons who had observed Sawm, one was ‘Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ’ and second was ‘Sayyiduna Ibn Rawahah (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ). (Sahih Muslim, pp. 438, Hadees 2631; abridged)

Every need would be fulfilled

Once when the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ sent Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ on a journey, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, ‘Give me some pieces of advice which I can memorize.’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘You are going to visit such a city tomorrow where worshippers are in low number so worship abundantly.’ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said, ‘Give me more advice.’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Do Zikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it will be helpful to fulfil all your needs.’ (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 28, pp. 120)

Devotion to Salah

When Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would intend to go out of his house, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would perform 2 Rak’aat Salah, when he would come back to his house, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would [again] perform 2 Rak’aat Salah, and he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ never gave up this practice. (Zuhd li Ibn Mubarak, pp. 454)

Great well-wisher

Sayyiduna Zayd Bin Arqam رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘I have been brought up by Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ; I have never seen anyone raising orphans better than him.’ (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 28, pp. 118)

Great warrior in the path of Allah

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ had such a deep eagerness for fighting in the path of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ that he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would be the first person coming out for Jihad and Ghazwah and he would be the last person coming back from Jihad. (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 3, pp. 238)

Martyrdom

In Jumadal Aula 8^th Hijri, in the Battle of Mautah, a small army of 3000 Muslims, by risking their lives, set an incredible and unique historical example of entering a war against more than 100000 Rumis. Deep feelings and emotions of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ [in words] before the war: O people! You have come out for embracing martyrdom and now you are disliking it. We do not wage war after seeing the power and a large number of enemies. We fight for the sake of that religion through which Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has bestowed honour upon us. Now one thing is sure out of two noble things ‘conquest’ or ‘martyrdom’.

Many blessed companions رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُم embraced martyrdom when the war started. After the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Zayd Bin Haarisah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ held the flag of Islam but soon his clothes were drenched in blood. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was on the other side at that time; he had not eaten anything for three days. A paternal cousin of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Rawahah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ presented a meaty bone to him. Hardly he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ had eaten one morsel when the news about the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ came. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, anxiously threw the bone and headed [to battlefield] saying, ‘O ‘Abdullah! You still have a worldly thing with you’. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ immediately held the flag of Islam and led the army and fought tooth and nail. During the fight, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ lost one of his fingers [but] he said, ‘I have just lost my finger now; this is not any big achievement. O Nafs! Move ahead otherwise, decision of death will kill you and you will surely be doomed to death.’ Thereafter he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ fought with great courage and bravery. Finally, wounded, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ fell to the ground and embraced martyrdom. (Seerat Ibn Hishaam, pp. 456 to 459; Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 28, pp. 126)