Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

He grew up in a home filled withthe fragrance of iman, and in a family
where everyone was imbued with the spirit of sacrifice. Habib's
father, Zayd ibnAsim, was one of the first persons in Yathrib to
accept Islam and his mother, the celebrated Nusaybah bint Kab known as
Umm Ammarah, was the first woman to bear arms in defence of Islam and
in support of the blessed Prophet.
Habib, still at a tender age, was privileged to go with his mother,
father, maternal aunt and brother to Makkah with the pioneering group
of seventy five who pledged fealty to the Prophet at Aqabah and played
a decisive role in shaping the earlyhistory of Islam.
At Aqabah, in the darkness of the night, the young Habib stretched out
his small hand andpledged loyalty to the Prophet. From that day, the
Prophet, peace and blessings of God on him, became dearer to Habib
than his own mother or father and Islam became more important to him
than any care for his personal safety.
Habib did not participate in the Battle of Badr because he was too
young. Neither did he have the opportunity to take part in the battle
of Uhud because he was still considered too young to bear arms.
Thereafter, however, he took part in all the engagements which the
Prophetfought and in all he distinguished himself by his bravery and
willingness to sacrifice. Although each of these battles had its own
importance and was demanding in its own way, they served to prepare
Habib for what was to prove the most terrible encounter of his life,
the violence of which is profoundly soul-shaking.
Let us follow this awesome story from the beginning. By theninth year
after the Hijrah, Islam had spread widely and had become the dominant
force in the Arabian peninsula. Delegations of tribes from all over
the land converged on Makkah to meet the Messenger of God, peace be
upon him, and announce before him, their acceptance of Islam.
Among these delegations was one from the highlands of Najd, from the
Banu Hanilab. At the outskirts of Makkah, the members of the
delegation tethered their mounts and appointed Musaylamah ibn Habib as
their spokesman and representative. Musaylamah went to the Prophet,
peace be upon him, and announced his people's acceptance of Islam. The
Prophet welcomed them and treated them most generously. Each,
including Musaylamah, was presented with a gift.
On his return to Najd the ambitious and self-seeking Musaylamah
recanted and gave up his allegiance to the Prophet. He stood among the
people and proclaimed that a prophet had been sent by God to the Banu
Hanifah just as God had sent Muhammad ibn Abdullah to the Quraysh.
For various reasons and under a variety of pressures, the Banu Hanilab
began to rally around him. Most followed him out of tribal loyalty or
asabiyyah. Indeed one member of the tribe declared: "I testify that
Muhammad is indeed truthful and that Musaylamah is indeed an imposter.
But the imposter ofRabiah (the tribal confederation to which the Banu
Hanilab belonged) is dearer to me that the genuine and truthful person
from Mudar (the tribal confederation to which the Quraysh belonged)."
Before long, the number of Musaylamah's followers increased and he
felt powerful, powerful enough to write the following letter to the
Prophet, peace be upon him: "From Musaylamah, the messenger of God to
Muhammad, the messenger of God. Peace be on you. I am prepared to
share this mission with you. I shall have (control over) half the land
and you shall have the other half. Butthe Quraysh are an aggressive
people."
Musaylamah despatched two of his men with the letter to the Prophet.
When the letter was read to the Prophet, he asked the two men: "And
what do you yourselves say about this matter?" "We affirm what the
letter says," they replied. "By God," said the Prophet, "were it not
for the fact that emissaries are not killed I would have smitten both
your necks." He then wrote to Musaylamah: "In the name of God, the
Beneficent,the Compassionate. From Muhammad the Messenger of God, to
Musaylamah the imposter.
Peace be upon whoever follows the guidance. God will bequeath the
earth to whosoever of His servants He wishes and the final triumph
will be for those who are careful of their duty to God." He sent the
letter with the two men.
Musaylamah's evil and corrupting influence continued to spread and the
Prophet considered it necessary to send another letter to him inviting
him to abandon his misguided ways. The Prophet chose Habib ibn Zayd to
take this letter to Musaylamah. Habib was by this time in the prime of
his youth and a firm believer in the truth of Islam with every fibre
of his being.
Habib undertook his mission eagerly and proceeded as quicklyas he
could to the highlands of the Najd, the territory of the Banu Hanilab.
He presented the letter to Musaylamah.
Musaylamah was convulsed withbitter rage. His face was terrible to
behold. He ordered Habib to be put in chains and to be brought back
before him the following day.
On the following day, Musaylamah presided over his assembly. On his
right and on hisleft were his senior advisers, there to further his
evil cause. The common people were allowed to enter. He then ordered
Habib, shackled in his chains, to be brought before him.
Habib stood in the midst of this crowded, hate-filled gathering. He
remained upright, dignified and proud like a sturdy spear firmly
implanted in the ground, unyielding.
Musaylamah turned to him and asked: "Do you testify that Muhammad is
the Messenger of God?" "Yes," Habib replied. "I testify that Muhammad
is the Messenger of God."
Musaylamah was visibly angry."And do you testify that I am
theMessenger of God?" He was almost insisting, rather than
questioning. "My ears have been blocked against hearing what you
claim," replied Habib.
Musaylamah's face changed color, his lips trembled in anger and he
shouted to his executioner, "Cut off a piece of his body."
With sword in hand, the menacing executioner advanced towards Habib
and severed one of his limbs.
Musaylamah then put the same question to him once more and Habib's
answers were the same. He affirmed his belief in Muhammad as the
Messenger of God and at the expense of his own life he refused to
acknowledge the messengershipof any other. Musaylamah thereupon
ordered his henchman to cut off another part of Habib's body. This
fell to the ground beside the other severed limb. The people looked on
in amazement at Habib's composure and steadfastness.
Faced with Musaylamah's persistent questioning and the terrible blows
of his henchman, Habib kept on repeating:
"I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." Habib could not
survive this torture and these inhuman atrocities much longer and he
soon passed away. On his pure lips, as his life-blood ebbed away, was
the name of the blessed Prophet to whom he had pledged loyalty onthe
night of Aqabah, the name of Muhammad, the Messenger ofGod.
News of Habib's fate reached his mother and her reaction was simply to
say: "It was for such a situation that I prepared him... He pledged
allegiance to the Prophet on the night of Aqabah as a small child and
today as an adult he has given his life for theProphet. If God were to
allow me to get near to Musaylamah, I would certainly make his
daughters smite their cheeks and lament over him."
The day that she wished for was not long in coming. After the death of
the Prophet, peace be on him, Abu Bakr declared war on the imposter.
With the Muslim army that went out to confront the forces of
Musaylamah were Habib's mother, Nusaybah, and another of her
courageous sons, Abdullah ibn Zayd.
At the Battle of Yamamah which ensued, Nusaybah was seen cutting
through the ranks of fighting men like a lioness and calling out:
"Where is the enemyof God? Show me the enemy of God ?" When she
eventually reached Musaylamah, he had already perished. She looked at
the body of the vain imposter and cruel tyrant and felt serene. A
grave threat to the Muslims had been removed and the death of her
beloved son, Habib, had been avenged.
At Habib's death, the noble Prophet had commended him and his entire
family and had prayed: "May God bless this household. May God have
mercy on this household."

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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