Musab ibn Umayr , one of Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) companions. He was born and grew up in the lap of his rich parents, who had a great deal of care and attention on him. He used to wear the most expensive and stylish clothes of his time.

He was a very admirable figure by Quraysh tribe not only because he was a very good looking man, but for his intellect and cleverness. Although he was still at a young age, Musab had chance to join the nobles of Quraysh in their meetings and gatherings. He was thus engaged in the issues which concerned the Makkans and learned about what their attitudes and strategies were.

At that time Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) emerged warning Quraysh of terrible punishment if they did not turn to the worship and obedience of Allah. He spoke of Divine rewards for the righteous. And so Quraysh leaders started conspiring against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and stated to look for ways to shut him up. When ridicule and persuasion did not work, they launched a campaign of harassment and persecution.

Musab heard that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and those who embraced Islam were gathering in a house near the hill of as-Safa to evade Quraysh harassment. Being curious, Musab went to the house undererred by the knowledge of Quraysh hostility. There he met the Prophet (PBUH) teaching his small group of companions, reciting some verses of the Holy Qur'an to them and performing Salat with them in submission to God, the Great, the Most High.

The Prophet (PBUH) welcomed Musab, and with his noble hand tenderly touched his heart as it throbbed with excitement. A deep feeling of tranquility came over him.

Musab was overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard. The words of the Qur'an had had a deep and immediate impact on him.

In this first meeting with the Prophet (PBUH), the young and decisive Musab declared his acceptance of Islam. It was a historic moment. The intelligence of Musab, his firm will and fortitude, his eloquence and his beautiful character were now in the service of Islam and would help change the prevailing circumstances for the goodness of the Muslims.

Embracing Islam, Musab had one major concern his mother. Her name was Khunnas bint Malik. She was a very powerful woman. She had a leading personality and could easily affect anybody and force him to follow her will. When Musab embraced Islam, the only power on earth he might have feared was his mother. All the powerful nobles of Mekkah and their attachment to pagan customs and traditions were of little consequence to him. Having his mother as an opponent, however, could not be taken lightly.

Thus Musab decided that he should keep his acceptance of Islam secret until such time as a solution should come from Allah. He continued joining the Prophet's companions in listening to the Prophet's (PBUH) speech and learning more about Islam. He felt serene in his new faith and by keeping all indications of his acceptance of Islam away from his mother, he managed to stave off his mother's wrath, but this didn't continue for so long.

At that time in Mekkah, it was difficult for any body to hide a secret for long. The eyes and ears of the Quraysh were on every road. Behind every footstep imprinted in the soft and burning sand was a Quraysh informer. Before long, Musab was seen as he quietly entered the House of al-Arqam, by someone called Uthman ibn Talhah.

At another time, Uthman saw Musab praying the way he saw Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) praying, nad it wasn't difficult for him to assume that Musab has indeed embraced Islam.

News of Musab's acceptance of Islam spread among the Quraysh and eventually and consequently reached his mother.

With complete self confidence and strength, Musab acknowledged that he had become a Muslim and explained his reasons for so doing. He then recited some verses of the Qur'an which had influence the hearts of the believers and brought them back to the natural religion of God; Islam. Though only few in number, their hearts were now filled with wisdom, honor, justice and courage. As Musab's mother was attentively listening to her son on whom she had lavished so much care and affection, she became increasingly incensed. She felt like silencing him with one terrible blow. But the hand which shot out like an arrow staggered and faltered before the light which radiated from Musab's serene face. Perhaps, it was her mother's love which restrained her from actually beating him, but still she felt she had to do something to avenge the gods which her son had abandoned. The solution she decided upon was far worse for Musab than a few blows could ever have been. She had Musab taken to a far corner of the house. There he was firmly bound and tethered. He had become a prisoner in his own house.

For a long time, Musab remained tied and confined under the watchful eyes of guards whom his mother had placed over him to keep him away from Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his faith. But Musab was never shaken. He must have had news of how other Muslims were being harassed and tortured by the idolaters. For him, as for many other Muslims, life in Makkah was becoming more and more intolerable. Eventually he heard that a group of Muslims were preparing secretly to migrate to Madinah seeking refuge and relief. And immediately Musab decided to escape from his prison and join them, and so he did.

When news reached Madinah that the conditions of the Muslims in Mekkah had improved, Musab among other Muslims returned to Mekkah. But it turned out that the news were not true and conditions in Mekkah was as bad as it was. So he decided to return to Madinah once again.

Musab remained strong in his new faith and his main concern was to make his life worthy of his Creator.

When Musab returned to Makkah again, he found his mother threatening to have him tied up again and confined. Musab swore he would kill everyone who help her in doing so. She knew very well that he would carry out this threat for she saw the iron determination he now had.

''Go away. I am not prepared to be a mother to you.''


Musab went up close to her and said:


''Mother, I advise you sincerely. I care about you. Please testify that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah.'

' ''I swear by the shooting stars, I shall not accept your religion even if my opinion is ridiculed and my mind becomes impotent,'' she insisted.


Musab thus left her home and the luxury and comforts he used to live in. The elegant, neatly-dressed young man is not as concerned about how he looks, now had more important concerns. He was determined to use his skills and power in acquiring knowledge and in serving Allah, Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) once said about Musab:
''I have seen this Musab with his parents in Makkah. They lavished care and attention on him and gave him all comforts. There was no Quraysh youth like him. But he left all this luxury seeking the satisfaction of Allah and devoting himself to the service of His Prophet.''

''There will come a time when God will grant you victory over Persia and Byzantium. You would have one dress in the morning and another in the evening and you would eat out of one dish in the morning and another in the evening.''


The noble Prophet (PBUH) predicted that the Muslims would become rich and powerful oneday and that they would have material goods in plenty.

After about ten years of calling people to embrace Islam, most of Makkah still remained hostile. The noble Prophet (PBUH) then went to Taif in an attempt to get more people embrace Islam. He was repulsed and chased out of the city.

The future of Islam looked hopeless.

Shortly after this Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) chose Musab to be his ''ambassador'' to Medinah to teach a small group of believers who had come to pledge allegiance to Islam and prepare Madinah for the day of the great Hijrah.

Although Musab wasn't the eldest of the Prophet's companions, he was chosen by the Prophet (PBUH) above them all. No doubt Musab was chosen for this task because of his noble character, his fine manners and his sharp intellect. His knowledge of the Qur'an and his ability to recite it beautifully and movingly was also an important consideration.

Musab understood how serious and difficult his mission was. He knew that he was on a holy mission to call people to Allah and the straight path of Islam and to prepare what was to be the territorial base for the young and struggling Muslim community. He went to Madinah and stayed there as a guest of Sad ibn Zurarah of the Khazraj tribe. Together they went to people, to their homes and their gatherings, informing them about the Prophet (PBUH), explaining Islam to them and reciting verses of the Holy Qur'an. Through the grace of Allah, many people embraced Islam. This was especially pleasing to Musab but profoundly alarming to many leaders of Madinah society.

Once Musab and Saad were sitting with a number of new Muslims and others who were interested in Islam. A powerful notable of the city, Usayd ibn Khudayr, came up brandishing a spear. He was livid with rage. Sad ibn Zararah saw him and told Musab:

''This is a chieftain of his people. May God place truth in his heart.'' 

''If he sits down, I will speak to him,'' replied Musab


The angry Usayd shouted threatened Musab and Sad.

''Why have you both come to us to corrupt the weak among us? Keep away from us if you want to stay alive.''

Musab replied calmly, saying:

''Won't you sit down and listen? If you are pleased and satisfied with our mission, accept it and if you dislike it we would stop telling you what you dislike and leave.''

''That's reasonable,'' said Usayd.

Musab was not compelling him to do anything. He didn't condemn him. He was merely trying to convince him sit and give himself the chance to listen. If he was satisfied, well and good. If not, then Musab would leave his district and his clan without any fuss and go to another place.

Musab began talking to him about Islam and recited the Qur'an to him. Even before Usayd spoke, it was clear from his face that the light of faith had entered his heart. He said:

''How beautiful are these words and how true! What does a person do if he wants to join Islam?''


''Wash, purify yourself and your clothes. Then say the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is His Messenger, then pray. Usayd left the gathering. And when he came back he testified that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. He then prayed two rakas.

The first ambassador of the Prophet, peace be on him, was thus supremely successful. The Prophet (PBUH) was very successful in his choice. Men and women, the young and the old, the powerful and the weak embraced Islam through Musab.

Musab stayed in Madinah for less than a year and went back to Mekkah. It was time of pilgrimage, a group of seventy-five Muslims from Madinah joined him from Madinah. Again at Aqaba, near Mina, they met Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). There they solemnly undertook to defend the Prophet at all cost. Should they remain firm in their faith, their reward, said the Prophet, would be nothing less than Paradise. This second bayah or pledge which the Muslims of Madinah made came to be called the Pledge of War.

Shortly after the Pledge, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) advised the Muslims to migrate to Madinah where the new Muslims or Ansar (Helpers) had shown their willingness to give asylum and extend their protection to the afflicted Muslims. The first of the Prophet's companions to arrive in Madinah were Musab ibn Umayr and the blind Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. Both of them recited the Qur'an for the people of Madinah.

Musab carried on with his great achievements in the building of the new Muslim community.

Then comes the Battle of Badr. After the battle was over, the Quraysh prisoners of war were brought to the Prophet (PBUH) who assigned them to the custody of individual Muslims. ''Treat them well,'' he (PBUH) ordered.

Among the prisoners was Abu Aziz ibn Umayr, Musab's brother. Abu Aziz narrated:

''I was among a group of Ansar...Whenever they had lunch or dinner they would give me bread and dates to eat in obedience to the Prophet's instructions to them to treat us well.

''My brother, Musab ibn Umayr, passed by me and said to the man from the Ansar who was holding me prisoner:

'Tie him firmly..His mother is a woman of great wealth and maybe she would ransom him for you.”

Abu Aziz turned to Musab asking:

''My brother, is this your instruction concerning me?''

''He is my brother, not you,'' replied Musab asserting that in the battle between Faith and Atheism, the bonds of faith were stronger than the ties of kinship.

At the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet called upon Musab, now well-known as Musab al-Khayr (the Good), to carry the Muslim standard. At the beginning of the battle, the Muslims seemed to be gaining the upper hand. A group of Muslims then went against the orders of the Prophet and deserted their positions. The enemy forces rallied again and launched a counterattack. Their main objective, as they cut through the Muslim forces, was to seize Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Musab acknowledged the great danger facing the Prophet (PBUH). He raised the standard high and shouted 'Allah is Great'. With the standard in one hand and his sword in the other, he rushed into the Quraysh forces. The odds were against him. A Quraysh horseman moved in close and severed his right hand. Musab was heard to repeat the words:

''Muhammad is only a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him,'' showing that however great his attachment was to the Prophet himself, his struggle above all was for the sake of Allah and for making His word the Upper. His left hand was then severed also and as he held the standard between the stumps of his arms, to console himself he repeated: ''Muhammad is only a Messenger of God. Messengers have passed away before him.'' Musab was then hit by a spear. He fell and the standard fell.

When the battle was over, the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions went through the battlefield, bidding farewell to the martyrs. When they came to Musab's body, tears flowed. Khabbah related that they could not find any cloth with which to shroud Musab's body, except his own garment. When they covered his head with it, his legs showed and when his legs were covered, his head was exposed and the Prophet (PBUH) said:

''Place the garment over his head and cover his feet and legs with leaves.''

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:

''The Messenger of God testifies that you are martyrs in the sight of God on The day of Judgement.''

Related

Archive