Al-Baraa ibn Malik al-Ansari - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

His hair looked dishevelled and his whole appearance was unkempt. He
was thin and wiry with so little flesh on his bones that it was
painful to look at him. Yet in single handed combat he defeated and
killed many opponents and in the thick of battle he was an outstanding
fighter against the mushrikeen. He was so courageous and daring that
Umar once wrote to his governors throughout the Islamic state that
they should not appoint him to lead any army out of fear that he would
have them all killed by his daringexploits. This man was al-Baraa ibn
Malik al-Ansari, the brother of Anas ibn Malik, the personal aide of
the Prophet.
If the tales of Baraa's heroism were to be told in detail pages and
pages could be written. But let one example suffice .
This particular story begins only hours after the death of the noble
Prophet when many Arabian tribes took to leaving the religion of God
in large numbers, just as they had entered it in large numbers. Within
a short space of time only the people of Makkah, Madinah and Taif and
scattered communities here and there, whose commitment to Islam was
unwavering, remained within the religion.
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the successor to the Prophet, stood firm against
this blind and destructive movement. From theMuhajireen and Ansar, he
mobilized eleven armies each under a separate commander and dispatched
them to various parts of the Arabian peninsula. Their purpose was to
make the apostates return to the path of guidance and truth and to
confront the leaders of the rebellion.
The strongest group of apostates and the greatest in number were the
Banu Hanifah among whom Musaylamah the Imposter arose, claiming that
hewas a prophet. Musaylamah managed to mobilize forty thousand of the
best fighters among his people. Most of thesehowever followed him for
the sake of Allah or tribal loyalty andnot because they believed in
him. One of them in fact said, "I testify that Musaylamah is an
impostor and that Muhammad istrue but the impostor of Rabiah
(Musaylamah) is dearer to us than the true man of Mudar (Muhammad ). "
Musaylamah routed the first army sent against him under theleadership
of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl. Abu Bakr dispatched another army against
Musaylamah led by Khalid ibn al-Walid. This army included the cream of
the Sahabah from boththe Ansar and the Muhajireen. Inthe front ranks
of this army was Baraa ibn Malik and a group of the most valiant
Muslims.
The two armies met in the territory of the Banu Hanifah at Yamamah in
Najd. Before long, the scale of battle tilted in favor of Musaylamah
and his men. TheMuslim armies began to retreat from their positions.
Musaylamah's forces even stormed the tent of Khalid ibn Walid and
drove him from his position. They would have killed his wife if one of
them had not granted her protection.
At that point, the Muslims realized in what a perilous situation they
were. They were also conscious of the fact that if they were
annihilated by Musaylamah, Islam would not beable to stand as a
religion and Allah--the One God with whom there is no partner--would
not be worshipped in the Arabian peninsula after that.
Khalid mustered his forces once more and began reorganizing them. He
separate(i the Muhajireen and the Ansar and kept men from different
tribes apart. Each was put under the leadership of one of its own
members so that the losses of each group in the battle might be known.
The battle raged. There was much destruction and death. The Muslims
had not experienced anything like this in all the wars they had fought
before. Musaylamah's men remained firm amidst the tumult, as firm as
immovable mountains although many of them had fallen.
The Muslims displayed tremendous feats of heroism. Thabit ibn Qays,
the standard bearer of the Ansar, dug a pit and planted himself in it
and fought until he was killed. The pit he dug turned out to be his
grave. Zayd ibn al-Khattab, brother of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be
pleased with them both, called out to the Muslims:"Men, bite with your
jaw teeth, strike the enemy and press on. By God, I shall not speak to
you after this until either Musaylamah is defeated or I meet God." He
then charged against the enemy and continued fighting until he was
killed. Salim, the mawla of Abu Hudhaifah, and standard bearer of the
Muhajireen displayed unexpected valor. His people feared that he would
show weakness or be too terrified to fight. To them he said, "If you
manage to overtake me, what a miserable bearer of the Quran I shall
be." He then valiantly plunged into the enemy ranks and eventually
fell as a martyr.
The bravery of all these, however, wanes in front of the heroism of
al-Baraa ibn Malik, may God be pleased with him and with them all.
As the battle grew fiercer and fiercer, Khalid turned to al-Baraaand
said, "Charge, young man of the Ansar." Al-Baraa turned to his men and
said, "O Ansar, let not anyone of you think of returning to Madinah.
There is no Madinah for you after this day. There is only Allah, then
Paradise."
He and the Ansar then launched their attack against the mushrikeen,
breaking their ranks and dealing telling blows against them until
eventually they began to withdraw. They sought refuge in a garden
whichlater became known in history as The Garden of Death because of
the many killed there on that day. The garden was surroundedby high
walls. Musaylamah and thousands of his men entered and closed the
gates behind them and fortified themselves.
From their new positions they began to rain down arrows on the Muslims.
The valiant Baraa went forward and addressed his company,"Put me on a
shield. Raise the shield on spears and hurl me into the garden near
the gate. Either I shall die a martyr or I shall open the gate for
you."
The thin and wiry al-Baraa was soon sitting on a shield. A number of
spears raised the shield and he was thrown into the Garden of Death
amongst the multitude of Musaylamah's men. He descended on them likea
thunderbolt and continued to fight them in front of the gate. Many
fell to his sword and he himself sustained numerous wounds before he
could open the gate.
The Muslims charged into the Garden of Death through the gates and
over the walls. Fighting was bitter and at close quarters and hundreds
were killed. Finally the Muslims came upon Musaylamah and he was
killed.
Al Baraa was taken in a litter to Madinah. Khalid ibn al-Walid spent a
month looking after himand tending his wounds. Eventually his
condition improved. Through him the Muslims had gained victory over
Musaylamah.
In spite of recovering from his wounds, al-Baraa continued to long for
the martyrdom which had eluded him at the Garden of Death. He went on
fighting in battle after battle hoping to attain his aim. This came at
the battle for Tustar in Persia.
At Tustar the Persians were besieged in one of their defiant
fortresses. The siege was long and when its effects became quite
unbearable, they adopted a new tactic. From the walls of the fortress,
they began to throw down iron chains at the ends of which were
fastened iron hooks which were red hot. Muslims were caught by these
hooks and were pulled up eitherdead or in the agony of death.
One of these hooks got hold of Anas ibn Malik, the brother of
al-Baraa. As soon as al-Baraa saw this, he leapt up the wall of the
fortress and grabbed the chain which bore his brother and began
undoing the hook from his body. His hand began to burn but he did not
let go before his brother was released.
Baraa himself died during this battle. He had prayed to God to grant
him martyrdom.