Ubayy ibn Kab - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

"O Abu Mundhir! Which verse of the Book of God is the greatest?" asked
the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. "Allah
and His Messenger know best," came the reply. The Prophet repeated the
question and Abu Mundhir replied.
"Allah, there is no god but He, the Living the Self-Subsisting.
Neither slumber overtakes him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is on earth, ..." and most likely he went on
to complete the Verse of the Throne (Ayat al-Kursi).
The Prophet smote his chest with his right hand in approval on hearing
the reply and with his countenance beaming with happiness, said to Abu
Mundhir."May knowledge delight and benefit you, Abu Mundhir."
This Abu Mundhir whom the Prophet congratulated on the knowledge and
understanding which God had bestowed on him was Ubayy ibn Kab, one of
his distinguished companions and a person of high esteem in the early
Muslim community.
Ubayy was one of the Ansar and belonged to the Khazraj tribe. Hewas
one of the first persons of Yathrib to accept Islam. He pledged
allegiance to the Prophet at Aqabah before the Hijrah. He participated
in the Battle of Badr and other engagements thereafter. Ubayy was one
of the select few who committed the Quranic revelations to writing and
had a Mushaf of his own. He acted as a scribe of the Prophet, writing
letters for him. At the demise of the Prophet, he was one of the
twenty five or so people who knew the Quran completely by heart. His
recitation was so beautiful and his understanding so profound that the
Prophet encouraged his companions to learn the Quran from him and from
three others. Later, Umar too once told the Muslims as he was dealing
with some financial matters of state:
"O people! Whoever wants to ask about the Quran, let him go to Ubayy
ibn Kab..." (Umar went on to say that anyone wishing toask about
inheritance matters should go to Zayd ibn Thabit, about questions of
fiqh to Muadh ibn Jabal and about questions of money and finance,to
himself.)
Ubayy enjoyed a special honor with regard to the Quran. One day, the
Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:"O Ubayy ibn Kab!
I have been commanded to show or lay open the Quran to you."
Ubayy was elated. He knew of course that the Prophet only received
commands from on high. Unable to control his excitement, he asked:
"O Messenger of God...Have I been mentioned to you by name?" "Yes,"
replied the Prophet, "by your own name and by your genealogy (nasab)
inthe highest heavens."
Any Muslim whose name had been conveyed to the heart of the Prophet in
this manner mustcertainly have been of great ability and of a
tremendously high stature.
Throughout the years of his association with the Prophet, Ubayy
derived the maximum benefit from his sweet and noble personality and
from his noble teachings. Ubayy related that the Prophet once asked
him:
"Shall I not teach you a surah the like of which has not been revealed
in the Tawrah, nor in the Injil, nor in the Zabur, nor in the Quran?"
"Certainly," replied Ubayy.
"I hope you would not leave through that door until you know what it
is," said the Prophet obviously prolonging the suspense for Ubayy.
Ubayy continues: "He stood up and I stood up with him. He started
tospeak, with my hand in his. I tried to delay him fearing that he
would leave before letting me know what the surah is. When he reached
the door, I asked: "O Messenger of God! The surah which you promised
to tell me..." He replied:
"What do you recite when you stand for Salat?" So, I recited for him
Fatihatu-l Kitab (the Opening Chapter of the Quran) and he said:
"(That's) it! (That's) it! They are the seven oft-repeated verses of
which God Almighty has said: We have given you the seven
oft-repeatedverses and the Mighty Quran."
Ubayy's devotion to the Quran was uncompromising. Once he recited part
of a verse which the Khalifah Umar apparently could not remember or
did not know and he said to Ubayy: "Your havelied," to which Ubayy
retorted;"Rather, you have lied."
A person who heard the exchange was astounded and said to Ubayy: "Do
you call the Amir al-Muminin a liar?" "I have greater honor and
respect for the Amir al-Muminin than you," responded Ubayy," but he
has erred in verifying the Book of God and I shall not say the Amir
al-Muminin is correct when he has made an error concerning the Book of
God." "Ubayy is right," concluded Umar.
Ubayy gave an idea of the importance of the Quran when aman came to
him and said,"Advise me," and he replied:"Take the Book of God as
(your) leader (imam). Be satisfied with it as (your) judge and ruler.
It is what the Prophet has bequeathed to you. (It is your) intercessor
with God and shouldbe obeyed..."
After the demise of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him
peace, Ubayy remained strong in his attachment to Islam and his
commitment to the Quran and the Sunnah of theProphet. He was constant
in his ibadah and would often be found in the mosque at night, after
the last obligatory Prayer had been performed, engaged inworship or in
teaching. Once he was sitting in the mosque after Salat with a group
of Muslims, making supplication to God. Umar came in and sat with
themand asked each one to recite a dua. They all did until finally
Ubayy's turn came. He was sitting next to Umar. He felt somewhat
over-awed and became flustered. Umar prompted him and suggested that
he say: "Allahumma ighfir lanaa. Allahumma irhamnaa. O Lord, forgive
us, O Lord, have mercy on us."
Taqwa remained the guiding force in Ubayy's life. He lived simply and
did not allow the world to corrupt or deceive him.He had a good grasp
of reality and knew that however a person lived and whatever comforts
and luxuries he enjoyed, these would all fade away and he would have
only hisgood deeds to his credit. He wasalways a sort of warner to
Muslims, reminding them of the times of the Prophet, of the Muslims'
devotion to Islam then,of their simplicity and spirit of sacrifice.
Many people came to him seeking knowledge and advice. To one such
person he said.
"The believer has four characteristics. If he is afflicted by any
misfortune, he remains patient and steadfast. If he is given anything,
he is grateful. If he speaks, he speaks the truth. If he passes a
judgment on any issue, he is just."
Ubayy attained a position of great honor and esteem among the early
Muslims. Umar called him the "sayyid of the Muslims" and he came to be
widely known by this title. He was part of the consultative group
(mushawarah) to which Abu Bakr, as Khalifah, referred many problems.
This group was composed of men of good senseand judgment (ahl ar-ray)
and men who knew the law (ahl al-fiqh) from among the Muhajirin and
Ansar. It included Umar, Uthman, Ali, Abdur Rahman ibn Awl, Muadh ibn
Jabal, Ubayy ibn Kab and Zayd ibn Harith. Umar later consulted the
same group when he was Khalifah. Specifically for fatwas (legal
judgments) he referred to Uthman, Ubayy and Zayd ibn Thabit.
Because of Ubayy's high standing, one might have expected him to have
been givenpositions of administrative responsibility, for example as a
governor, in the rapidly expanding Muslim state. (During the time of
the Prophet in fact he had performed the function of a collector of
sadaqah.) Indeed, Ubayy once asked
"What's the matter with you? Why don't you appoint me as a governor?"
"I do not want your religion to be corrupted" repliedUmar. Ubayy was
probably prompted to put the question toUmar when he saw that
Muslimswere tending to drift from the purity of faith and
self-sacrifice of the days of the Prophet. He was known to be
especially critical of the excessively polite and sycophantic attitude
of many Muslims to their governorswhich he felt brought ruin both to
the governors and those under them. Ubayy for his part was always
honest and frank in his dealings with persons in authority and feared
no one but God. He acted as a sort of conscience to the Muslims.
One of Ubayy's major fears for the Muslim ummah was that a day would
come when there would be severe strife among Muslims. He often became
overwhelmed with emotion when he read or heard the verseof the Quran."
"Say: He (Allah) has power to send calamities onyou, from above and
below, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, giving you a
taste of mutual vengeance, each from the other." (Surah al-An'am, 6:
65)
He would then pray fervently to God for guidance and ask for His
clemency and forgiveness. Ubayydied in the year 29 AH during
thecaliphate of Uthman.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Knowledge of Unseen

Some people do not accept that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) has
been blessed by Allah (S.W.T) with Ilm-e -Ghayb (Knowledge of the
Unseen).
The Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat believes that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) ,
afterbeing informed by Allah (S.W.T) , is aware of everything that
happened and will happen. "Ghayb" is that hidden thing which cannot be
perceived by human senses nor can be known through human wisdom.
The Holy Quran has mentioned at various places that Allah (S.W.T) has
granted the Knowledge of Unseen to His exalted Prophets. (See Surah
Baqarah Part 1, Ayah 31; Surah Baqarah Part 1, Ayah 251; Surah Naml
Part 19, Ayah 16; Surah Ambiya Part 17, Ayah 74; Surah Yusuf Part 12,
Ayah 68; Surah Yusuf Part 12, Ayah 96; Surah Qasas Part 20, Ayah14)
The fact that Allah (S.W.T) has granted Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) the
Knowledge of Unseen, can be explained in three dimensions:
1) Firstly, he was given the Knowledge of the Unseen directly: (Surah
Hud Part 12, Ayah 49) "These are the news of the unseen, We (Allah)
reveal to you. Neither you did know it before, nor your people. Have
patience. Surely, there is good end for thepious." (This is also
referred toin Surah Yusuf Part 12 Ayah102 and Surah Tukweer Part 30,
Ayah24) .
2) He was given the Quran, which is the treasure house of the
Knowledge of the Unseen : "O people of the Book surely, Our (Allah's)
this Rasool (Messenger Muhammad (S.A.W) ) has come to you who makes
clear to you much of what you had hidden about the Book and he pardons
you much. Surely there has come to you from Allah aNoor (light of
enlightenment) and a very clear book"
(Surah Maidah Part 6, Ayah 15; See Also Surah Nahl Part 14, Ayah89;
SurahYusuf Part 12, Ayah 111;Surah Al -Inaam Part 7 Ayah 38; Surah
Naml Part 19, Ayah 75)
3) He was sent as a witness. A witness can only be that person who is
present at the place and time of happening and sees everything by
himself. "Surely, We (Allah) have sent you as a Witness and a Bearer
of good news and a Warner." (Surah Fath Part 26, Ayah 8; Surah Nisa
Part 5, Ayah 41)
These verses prove that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) will stand witness on
the Day of Judgement. He will not only bear witness for his own Ummah
but also forthe Ummah of other Prophets.
And, finally, what can be hidden from the person who could see Allah
(S.W.T) ! The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) says: "I saw Allah the Almighty.
Allah (S.W.T) put His Hand at my back and I felt it's coolness in my
chest. That very moment, everything became known to Me and I
recognised everything." (Tirmidi; Mishkat)
From the evidence above, it is quite clear that our Beloved Prophet
(S.A.W) has been bestowed with the knowledge of Unseen.
Within a period of approximately 1500 years, from the time it was
proclaimed by Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) , Islam has encountered an
infinite amount of tribulations. In spite of these scathingattacks
against our beloved Deen, never once was it tarnished or disrupted
because, Alhamdulillah, it is Allah (S.W.T) Himself who is the
Protector and Helper of it. He (S.W.T) states in the Holy Quran;
"Surely, We (Allah) have revealed this remembrance (Quran) and We
(Allah) are surely its guardian". (Surah Hajr, V9)
Mischief varying in nature, e.g. the fitna of Yazeed, the scourge of
Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, the deception of the Khaarijees etc., had previously
unsuccessfullytried to demolish the foundations of Islam, butthe most
formidable fitna this Deen had yet to face was the Wahabism of Najdis.
It is stated in a Hadith that our Beloved Prophet (S.A.W) has said,"In
the period prior to the Day of Judgement, false and deceitful groups
will emerge. They will say things to you, which neither you nor your
forefathers willhave heard before. Stay away from these deceitful
people and do not let them come near you! Do not be misguided by them
and do not let them cause strife amongst you!"
(Muslim Sharif)
The beliefs and practicesof Ahle Sunnah wal Jamaat are questioned by
other sects to be unauthentic and the seed of doubt is placed in the
minds of Muslims to encourage them to divert allegiance.
In this blessed month of Ramadan, Janathi Message aims to clearly
outline with evidence, what the Aqaid and practices of Ahle Sunnah wal
Jamaat are; from Shirk and Tauheed to proclaiming Ya Rasoolallah
(S.A.W) , from celebrating Milaad-un-Nabi (S.A.W) to reading Darood
Shareef before and after Azaan.
We intend to make you aware of some of the main deviated sects that
are present in our time and what beliefs they hold. We will clearly
highlight and expose theblasphemous beliefs held by these misguided
sects.
The biggest threat to Islam these days is from the Wahhaabi, Deobandi,
Tablighi and Salafi sects. This threat to an average Muslim is not
obvious at all. These days they want to call themselves Sunnis to
deceive innocent Muslims.
The physical appearanceof these renegades may deceive one as they
decorate their deceitful faces with the Sunnah ofthe beard and perform
compulsory acts such as Salaat, in a most convincing manner. However,
their corrupt beliefs prove that they have no love for the Beloved
Prophet (S.A.W) .
Other deviant sects such as the Shia's and Qadiani's have also
continued to propagate their deviant idiologies which have no Islamic
base. From blasphemous statements against Sahaba e Iqraam (R.A) , to
believe the existence of another Prophet are proven to contradict true
Aqaid.
Our purpose in preparing these topics isto present the truth based on
authentic evidence. We don't wantto expose the differences with view
to cause segregation in theUmmah, but rather to invite all to the true
teachings of Islam with aim of following the correct Aqaid and
practices of our beautiful Deen.

Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is Alive

Some people do not accept the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to be alive. They
say that He is dead and mixed with the soil. Allahforbid!
The Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat believes that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W)
is"Hayaatun Nabi", that is, He is alive both physically and
spiritually.
Regarding the Martyrs (Shuhada), Allah (S.W.T) mentions in the Holy
Quran: "And those who are killed for the cause of Allah do not call
them dead, Surely they are alive but you cannot perceive it." (Part 2,
Ayah 154)
Since it is evident from the Quran that the Martyrs, who are the
Umathi of the Prophet (S.A.W) are alive, then it follows that the
Ambiya (A.S) , whose status are much greater than that of the Martyrs,
are also alive.
Referring to the Messengers, Allah (S.W.T) says in the Holy Quran:
"And ask those of Our (Allah's) Rasools (Messengers), whom We sent
before you", 'Did We (Allah) appoint any other gods except Rahmaan
(the most Affectionate Allah) to be worshipped'?". (Part 25, Ruku 10 ,
Ayah 45)
This verse proves that the Ambiya (A.S) are alive because Allah
(S.W.T) commands us to ask the Messengers about all matters. If they
had passed away and mixed with the soil, surely, we would not have
been commanded to ask themabout anything. (Tafseer Dur Manthur;
Tafseer Roohul Muaani)
Another proof supporting that the Ambiya (A.S) are alive is that on
the night of Me'raj, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) passed by Hazrat Musa
(A.S) . He saw him in his grave standing and reading his Salaah.
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said, "Recite Darood upon Me in abundance on
a Friday since it is a respected day.
On that day the Angels are present and whosoever sends Darood upon me
on thatday, then his Darood is placed before me till the time when
they have completed sending Darood and Salaam".
Hazrat Abu Dardah (R.A) says, "I asked, 'Huzoor! Will you even hear
(the Salaam) after your demise?'" The Prophet (S.A.W) said, "Verily
Almighty Allah has made it Haraam upon the earth to devour the bodies
of the Ambiya (A.S) . Thus, all the Nabis of Allah are alive and they
are given sustenance." (Ibn Majah; Mishkaat Shareef)
We learn from this Hadith Shareef that the Ambiya (A.S) are alive and
they have only been hidden from us.
We cannot understand their position, like those of the Angels (i.e.
that they are alive and present but we cannot see them). However those
who have been blessed by Allah (S.W.T) caneven see them

Holy Prophet (S.A.W) hears from Both Near and Afar

Some people whose Aqeeda is that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) cannot hear
anything from a distance. They say that He (S.A.W) only hears the
voices of his Ummah who are in Madinah tul Munawwarah and that He
(S.A.W) can only hear the Darood Shareef that is recited there. They
saythat if a person believes that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) can hear
from bothnear and far, then he is committing Shirk or Polytheism (i.e.
associating partners with Allah (S.W.T) ).
Below are a few of manyexamples, to highlight that those people who
have belief like the ones mentioned above, are completely wrong in
their thinking.
Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W) was making Wudu for Tahajjud Salaah at
the home of Hazrat Maimuna (R.A) . He (S.A.W) suddenly called out
three times, "Labbaik, Labbaik, Labbaik!" (Here I am) and "Nusirtu,
Nusirtu, Nusirtu!" (I helped you). After sayingthis, He (S.A.W)
remained where He was and did not leave that place.
Hazrat Maimuna (R.A) further said: "When the Prophet (S.A.W) completed
His Wudu, I asked Him why He had called out those words". He (S.A.W)
replied: "Raajiz was calling me".
What actually happened was that the Quraish wanted to kill Hazrat Umar
bin Saalim Raajiz (R.A) as he was on the road leading to Madinatul
Munawwarah.He (R.A) called out: "O Nabi (S.A.W) ! Help me or else the
enemies will kill me!" Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W) responded to his
call from home and saved him from death. (Baihaqi; Tibrani)
This Hadith Shareef proves four points:
(A) Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W) is observing his Ummah.
(B) It is Ja'iz (Permissible)to call the Prophet (S.A.W) for help.
(C) Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W) can hear the call of his Ummah.
(D) Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (S.A.W) can help those in distress,
regardless of distance.
While addressing the Sahaba (R.A) , Rasoolullah (S.A.W) proclaimed:
"What I see you cannot see, andwhat I hear you cannot hear." (Tirmidhi
Shareef)
In another Hadith it states that when a person recites Darood Shareef,
an Angel takes it and presents it before Almighty Allah. Allah
Almighty says, "Take it tothe Mazaar of my Beloved servant, Muhammad
(S.A.W) so that he may make Du'a-e-Bakhshish for the personwho sent
the Darood and he may gain coolness in his eyes".
From this Hadith Shareefit is obvious that the Darood Shareef is first
taken to Allah (S.W.T) , and then presented in the court of the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W) .
Some people argue that if the Prophet (S.A.W) hears the Darood, then
what need is there for the Angels to present it to Him?
This argument is baseless, as it is not only contradicting the power
of hearing of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) , but it is also contradicting
the power of Hearing of Allah (S.W.T) as well, since the Darood
Shareef is first presented in the Court of Allah (S.W.T) . Doesthis
Ma'az-Allah mean that Allah (S.W.T) cannot hear from near and afar?

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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