Story of Amr ibn Salamah

An awesome, enlightening, and cute narration by companion Amr ibn Salamah.

From here we learn that:
- most quraysh were 'bystanders', waiting on the sidelines until the Prophet was victorious, only then made the choice to follow him. Don't be a sideliner.
- when hearing good advice (i.e. Quran), listen to it & remember it, even if you don't know how to use it yet - it will come in handy later!
- the righteous companions found no issue in a six year old being their imam. today six year old's not even allowed in first saff. instead they get a special VIP grand stand marked as "saf kanak-kanak bermula di sini". So they group up behind and make noise instead of keeping quiet with the daddies and uncles. Someone lost the plot.
- the little boy was the happiest boy in the world for getting a new shirt! How thankless are we for all the abundant blessings we have Allahul musta'an

Narrated 'Amr bin Salamah (radhiAllahu 'anhu) :
We were at a place which was a thoroughfare for the people, and the caravans (of people teaching and spreading da'wah of Islam) used to pass by us; and we would ask them, "What is wrong with the people? What is wrong with the people? Who is that man?".

They would say, "That man claims that Allah has sent him (as a Messenger), that he has been divinely inspired, that Allah has revealed to him such-and-such (and they would recite Qur'an)"

I used to memorize that (Divine) Talk (i.e. portions of the Qur'an), and feel as if it was inculcated in my chest (i.e. mind)

And the 'Arabs (other than Quraish) delayed their conversion to Islam till the conquest (of Mecca). They used to say." "Leave him (i.e. Muhammad) and his people Quraish: if he overpowers them then he is a true Prophet."
So, when Mecca was conquered (in the 8th year After Hijrah), then every tribe rushed to embrace Islam, and my father hurried to embrace Islam before (the other members of) my tribe.

When my father returned (from the Prophet) to his tribe, he said, "By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet for sure!" The Prophet afterwards said to them, 'Offer such-and-such prayer at such-and-such time, and when the time for the prayer becomes due, then one of you should pronounce the Adhan (for the prayer), and let the one amongst you who knows Qur'an most should, lead the prayer."

So they looked for such a person and found none who knew more Qur'an than I because of the Quranic material which I used to learn from the caravans.

They therefore made me their Imam ((to lead the prayer) and at that time I was a boy of six or seven years, wearing a Burda (i.e. a black square garment) proved to be very short for me (and my body became partly naked).

A lady from the tribe said, "Won't you cover the anus of your reciter for us?" So they bought (a piece of cloth) and made a shirt for me. I had never been so happy with anything before, as I was with that shirt! 

(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #59, Hadith #595)

Reflections of Gaza and Syria today: the Day of Judgment

It makes one look forward to the Day of Judgment.. The Absolute Justice of Allah will be so great on the Day of Judgment that He will even allow a sheep to get its revenge.

The Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "On the Day of Judgment, the rights will be paid to those to whom they are due so much so, that a hornless sheep will be retaliated for by punishing the horned sheep which broke its horns"
(Sahih Muslim, Book #032, Hadith #6252)

A sheep! SubhanAllah - What more those innocent women, children, old men and women, our brothers and sisters who have their honour, blood and wealth ruthlessly usurped and oppressed?

What about the soul of a believer? Of whom his/her blood is more sacred than the city of Makkah itself? More sacred than the day of Eid al-Adha and the month of Hajj?

"Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another (i.e. Muslims) like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #3 Hadith #67)

Images of Gaza & Syria today make us look forward to how Allah will defend the honour of His believers, and how He will exact His Retribution against the tyrants and oppressors.

But taking a step back, la hawla wala quwata illa billah - how quickly do we wish to hasten the judgment upon others!
They will be judged, but so shall we. How ready are WE to read our own book of deeds? When all our deeds, even done in secret, big or small - will be scribed in detail?

So don't wish to hasten it: it's going to come. They'll get what they deserve, and so shall you.
Prepare for it, invest in it - cash it out when the time comes.

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages (i.e. deeds) in full.
And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he is indeed successful.
The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception”
(Surah Al-Imran 3:185)