Prophet Muhammad's (Pbuh) Companions
Usamah bin Zaid
A negroid son of a former slave who rose to the heights of a commander-in-chief of armies in several battles.
Usamah bin Zaid was son of Zaid bin Harisa, the slave boy brought up as the adopted son by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, till the Quran expressly prohibited adoption by Muslims. The Holy Prophet celebrated the birth of Usamah and his holy companions knew very well as to why the Prophet was so pleased at Usamah's birth.
Usamah was born almost at the same time as Hassan, the grandson of the Prophet was born to Ali and Fatimah. Hassan was fair and handsome, while Usamah was a negro born to a slave woman Umme Aiman. Yet the Prophet's affection was equally shared by them. The Prophet would sit them on his thighs and would pray to Allah to fill them with his love. Once when the toddler Usamah fell and hurt his forehead, he himself cleaned blood from his wound and applied balm. Once the Prophet bought an expensive garment from Yemani chieftain Hakeem bin Hazam for 50 dinars and gifted it to Usamah bin Zaid. Usamah was very fond of it and would put on the same while visiting his friends.
Usamah grew into a great warrior. When the recruitment was on for the battle of Uhud, he was turned away from the battlefield due to his tender age. He wept inconsolably. During the Battle of Trenches (Khandaq), he stood on his toes among the aspirants in order to forcefully present his case. He was selected this time even though he was just 15. He stood like a wall during the Battle of Hunain along with a contingent comprising Hazrath Abbas, Abu Sufiyan bin Haris, and six other companions. Their steadfast defence turned the defeat into a victory. He witnessed his father Zaid bin Harisa, Jaffer bin Abi Talib and Abdullah bin Rawaha falling a martyr one by one during the Battle of Mauta. Later, Khalid bin Waleed took the command and his strategic warfare led to a victory over Roman armies. Once war was over, Usamah buried his father in the soil of Syria and returned home.
Usamah was appointed by the Prophet as the commander -in- chief of Islamic armies for another encounter near Gaza against the Roman imperial armies in 11th Hijrah. Usamah was then just 20. But soon after his appointment, the Prophet fell sick. Usamah began to attend to the Prophet. Narrators report that the Prophet used to pray at his death bed for Usamah by raising his hands and then placing them over him. The Prophet expired before the army could begin its march on its long journey towards Gaza, hundreds of miles north.
As the Prophet lay dead, difference arose over whether the army should at all be dispatched. A few members argued that somebody more experienced than Usamah be appointed at the head of the contingent. Umar pleaded on their behalf, but Abu Bakar, who had been elected caliph by then, put his foot down and dispatched the army under Usamah's command.
Abu Bakar also walked out of Madinah along with the army for a distance. Usamah offered him his horse, but Abu Bakar insisted that Usamah remained astride the horse and said it was a privilege to smear himself with the dust of the desert even as he was not able to participate in the jihad. He even requested Usamah not to insist taking Umar bin Khattab along with the contingent as Umar's services were essential for the fledgling caliphate at that moment. Usamah agreed, led the armies to Palestine and finally emerged triumphant. He proceeded further and brought parts of North Africa too within the Islamic caliphate. War booty brought by Usamah on his return exceeded the ones brought during all other missions.
Usamah's reputation kept spiralling all through his life. When Umar fixed his official stipend at 4000 dirham a month, the caliph's son Abdullah objected. But Umar convinced him that Usamah and his father were dear to the Prophet of God and their contributions far exceeded others.
Often Umar would describe Usamah as 'his (Umar's) leader' whenever Usamah would enter any session being chaired by the Caliph. Once people objected to it, but Umar silenced them citing an instance when the Prophet appointed Usamah his leader.
(Translated and abridged by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj from Suwarum min Hayathus Sahaba by Egyptian author
Dr. Abdur Rahman Rafat Pasha)
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