Rahmatullah Khan Shakir (1901-2000), Former Assistant Editor and Manager of Al Fazl
Obedience to suggestion of rishta (suitor)
A companion, Hazrat Saad Al-Aswadra, was of a dark complexion. This became a hindrance in the way of getting married as nobody was prepared to give the hand of their daughter to him. He complained of this to the Holy Prophetsa and said that nobody was prepared to marry him due to his looks.
Amr bin Wahab of the Banu Thaqif tribe had newly converted to Islam and was a bit ill-tempered by nature. The Holy Prophetsa asked Hazrat Saadra to go to his house and after greetings, tell him that the Holy Prophetsa had proposed his marriage with his daughter. Amr bin Wahab’s daughter possessed extraordinary looks and intellectual qualities.
Hazrat Saad went to Amr’s house and conveyed to him the message of the Holy Prophetsa. Amrra bin Wahab behaved rashly to Saadra and refused to accept the proposal. That was not it. What happened next is so faith-enhancing that the history of all religions and nations fails to provide such an example.
Inside, the daughter heard all the discussion between the two. After her father’s reply, Hazrat Saadra turned to return. What else could he have done?
But then the daughter herself emerged and called Hazrat Saadra back. She said to Saadra that there was no question for any reservations once the Holy Prophetsa had suggested her marriage with him.
She said, “I wholeheartedly accept this marriage proposal, which is agreeable to the Holy Prophetsa and his God.”
With this courage of faith, she said to her father that he had made a grave mistake and committed a serious sin to go against the suggestion of the Holy Prophetsa. And prior to divine revelation abasing him, he should worry for his forgiveness.
This faith-enhancing discourse had a positive impact on the father too and he fully realised his mistake. Immediately, he came to the Holy Prophetsa and confessed his mistake. He said he did not trust Saad to be true and thought that he had said it of his own accord, hence why he rejected the proposal. He said, “But now I have realiaed my mistake and I earnestly apologise for it. I shall have my daughter married with Saad.” (Usdul-Ghabah, Vol. 2, p. 184)
Hazrat Jaleebra was not particularly attractive [to the people of his time]. The Holy Prophetsa suggested his marriage with a noble family of Ansar, but the girl’s parents had reservations about it. When the girl learnt of it, she read the following verse of the Holy Quran:
“And it behoves not a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that there should be a choice for them in the matter concerning them”. (Surah al-Ahzab: 37)
She said that in light of this clear divine command, she was surprised as to why her parents opposed this proposal. She accepted the proposal and said that the will of the Prophetsa was her will. The Holy Prophetsa was much pleased to learn this. (Usdul-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 348)
Immediate obedience
Once, while delivering an address in the mosque, the Holy Prophetsa asked the audience to take their seats. Hazrat Abdullahra bin Rawahah was still outside the mosque when he heard this instruction of the Holy Prophetsa. These words had a magical effect and the words from the mouth of his beloved were so majestic that his feet refused to advance further, as though somebody had put breaks on his feet.
Involuntarily, he sat down on the ground then and there and shuffled his way to the mosque. He did not deem it appropriate to delay obeying the command until he reached the mosque. (Al-Isabah, Vol. 4, p. 73)
Preparedness to kill one’s father at one command
Hazrat Talhara bin Bara accepted Islam at a young age. He visited the Holy Prophetsa and submitted, “O Prophetsa of God! Command me what you will; I will obey it by all means.”
The Prophetsa said, “Go and execute your father.”
The warmth of faith had so permeated all his body and soul, which had cooled love for all things mundane, and the love for the Holy Prophetsa had so enthralled him that all other relations looked inferior to it. He readily held his sword and set off to comply with the command.
When the Holy Prophetsa saw this level of devotion, he called him back and said, “I have not come to sever ties.” (Usdul-Ghabah, Vol. 2, p. 465, Talha bin Bara)
Pursuing a marriage upon an indication of piety
The Companionsra were ever ready to comply with the commands of the Holy Prophetsa by all means. They deemed it a means of their deliverance and disregarded all other personal inclinations and likings while fulfilling such commands.
The Holy Prophetsa had a maid, Umm Aimanra, and was very pleased with her and called her “Amma”, i.e. mother.
Once, the Holy Prophetsa said, “If anybody wishes to marry a heavenly lady, he should marry Umm Aiman.”
Hazrat Zaidra bin Harithah readily married her. The renowned Companion, Usamara, whom the Holy Prophetsa loved greatly, was her son. (Tabqat ibn Saad, Zikr Umm Aiman)
Respecting the nature declared sacred by the Prophet
The Holy Prophetsa had declared Medina to be a sacred place like Mecca and ordered not to cut the grass, nor hunt animals, nor catch birds in the surrounding areas of Medina.
The Companionsra were very cautious of this command. Hazrat Abu Hurairahra says that he never dared even to hush away the grazing deer in Medina. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab Tahrimi Makkah wa Saiduha wa Khalaha wa Shajariha wa Luqtatiha)
Once, a child caught a bird, but when Hazrat Ubadahra bin Samit saw it, he snatched the bird from him and freed it. (Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 5, p. 317, Hadith Ubadah bin Samit, Hadith 22,708)
Hazrat Saadra bin Abi Waqas once found a slave hunting in Medina and snatched away his clothes. He remarked, “This should be the penalty for the one who, defying the command of the Holy Prophetsa, hunts within Medina. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Manasik, Bab fi Tahrimil-Medina)
(Translated by Shahid Mahmood Ahmad, Missionary in Ghana, from the original Urdu, Muslim Nau-jawanon kay Sunehri Karnamey)
