Hayatus Sahabah - The Lives of the Sahabah - Part 1 of 3

THE LIVES OF THE SAI~ABAH @g@>j (1~01-I) 515
clan, an offshoot of the Baly tribe. When this news reached the Muslims, they
stayed in Ma'aan for two nights, discussing their situation.
They said, "We should send a message to Rasulullaah informing him about
the numbers of the enemy. He will then either send reinforcements to us or issue
further instructions for us to follow." It was then that Hadhrat Abdullaah bin
Rawaaha 3,GW; bolstered the courage of the Muslim by saying, "0 people! By
Allaah! The thing that you seem to dislike is the very thing for which you have
left, martyrdom. We have never fought with reliance in our numbers and our
strength. We have always fought on the strength of this Deen that Allaah had
blessed us with. March ahead! You will have either one of two excellent things,
victory or martyrdom." The others echoed, "By Allaah! Ibn Rawaaha has spoken
the truth!"
The Sahabah MFWj then proceeded to the border of Balqaa, where the coalition
of Heraclius's Roman army and the Arab forces met them at one of the villages of
Balqaa called Mashaarif. As the enemy forces drew closer, the Muslims
regrouped at a village called Mu'ta. It was there that the armies clashed. The
Muslims arranged their army by appointing a Sahabi from the Banu Udhra tribe
called Qutba bin Qataadah 3&%2!& as commander of the right flank and a Sahabi
from the Ansaar called Abaaya bin Maalik as commander of the left flank. In this
way they met the enemy and started fighting.
Hadhrat Zaid bin Haaritha !3Gm fought courageously with the flag of
Rasulullaah @@ until he was martyred by a spear. Hadhrat Ja'far ? 3 G then ~ ~
grabbed hold of the flag and fought until he was'also martyred. He was the first
Muslim in the history of Islaam who disabled his animal (to dispel thoughts of
fleeing from the battlefield). ('1
Another narration of Hadhrat Urwa SWj states that afterwards (after the
martyrdom of Hadhrat Zaid 9-j) Hadhrat Ja'far SbiWj grabbed hold of the
flag and fought with it until when the battle became pitched, he dismounted his
red horse and hamstrung it. He then fought until he was also martyred. He was
the first Muslim in the history of lslaam to disable his animal. (2)
The Couplets that Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Rawaaha
%BGW Recited During the Journey
Hadhrat Zaid bin Arqam SGw says, "I was an orphan in the care of Hadhrat
Abdullaah bin Rawaaha 3GW. He took me along on the journey (to Mu'ta) and
seated me behind him on his satchel. By Allaah! He was travelling one night
when I heard him recite the following couplets (which mean):
'(0 my camel) When you take me closer, carrying my carriage along
for four days afier leaving Hisaa
Mayyou then have comfort and not any more hardship
For 1 shall not be returning to my wife and family (because 1 sha// become a
(I) Ibn Is'haaq, as quoted A/ Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vo1.4 Pg.241).
(2) Tabraani, narrating from reliable sources, as confirmed by Haythami (Vo1.6 Pg.157). Abu Nu'aym in
his Hilya (Vol. l Pg. I 18) has also reported the narration.