Usaid bin Hazeer

Usaid bin Hazeer

A companion of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) known for his sonorous recitation of the Quran

Usaid bin Hazeer was one of the chieftains of Aws tribe of Madinah. It was the magical spell of the Quranic verses which brought him into the fold of Islam. A story is related in this context. Masaab had been deputed to preach Islam in Madinah by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), ahead of his (Prophet’s) own migration to Madinah. Masaab used to visit various clans and their mohallas and would recite the verses of the Holy Quran. In Madinah, Masaab was a guest with Asad bin Zurarah and used to occupy the outer room of his demi-mansion style house. Once it so happened that someone informed Usaid bin Hazeer and Saad bin Muaz that Masaab was on a mission to mislead the people of Madinah out of their pagan faith. Inflamed, Usaid decided then and there that he would slay Masaab and end the menace once for all. He took a sharp weapon and approached Masaab who was sitting by the side of a spring and conveying the message of Islam to another chieftain. He threatened Masaab of dire consequences if he did not leave Madinah and stopped his preaching of Islam. At this, Masaab politely asked Usaid if he would like to have something that would ensure his welfare. Usaid suddenly quietened and nodded his head. Usaid pegged his weapon into the ground and sat down. Masaab began to recite some of the verses of the Quran. As he progressed, crudeness and bitterness began to melt off Usaid’s face. At the end he himself asked if he could be taken into the fold of Islam. He was asked to take bath at the nearest well and was administered the oath to enter Islam. Usaid took to reading and absorbing the verses of the Quran. He was naturally gifted with a sweet voice. Companions of the Prophet were always eager to listen to his sonorous recitations. It is said, one night when Usaid was reciting the Holy Quran, he saw an umbrella like piece of cloud with lamps hanging beneath hovering around his place. When he later enquired with the Prophet about this, he described them to be angels. Usaid was a warrior and fought valiantly during the battles. In the battle of Uhud when the Muslim forces were facing the fiercest assault from the disbelievers, Usaid shielded the Prophet and took seven arrows on his body. The Prophet too was enamoured of Usaid due to his intensity of love. The Prophet would accept any recommendation which came from Usaid.

Once he recommended that a particular member of the Ansar (those from Madinah who helped the Prophet in his mission) be helped and the Prophet provided them generously as soon as he received some goods from Khyber. When Usaid thanked the Prophet, he (the Prophet) told him that a day would come when rulers would favour people other than Ansar but he advised Usaid to keep quiet if such a day arrived in his life.

Once it so happened that some goods were distributed among Muslims in Madinah. Usaid too was given a dress which in his estimation was just an ordinary garment. But soon a Quraishi youth passed by his way wearing a very expensive garment which appeared to be of royal origin as it swept behind him. Since Usaid himself was an Ansar and the youth gifted with the expensive garment was a Quraish (a migrant from Makkah), he was reminded of the Prophet’s saying. He immediately whispered the same to another sahabi sitting by his side who in turn conveyed it to Caliph Umar. A perturbed Umar immediately rushed to Usaid for confirmation. Usaid was praying. Umar asked him to finish off the prayers and thereafter addressed him: “Usaid, May Allah pardon you. This expensive garment was given to an Ansar who had participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud and the treaty of Uqabah. But he (Ansar) sold it to this Quraishi youth. How could I be held responsible for this.” Umar then questioned if he feared that the Holy Prophet’s prediction would come true during his tenure as the caliph. Usaid then affirmed his faith in Umar’s integrity and said he did not think Umar’s caliphate would lead to such a situation.

Usaid did not live long after this. He died during Umar’s tenure. When he died, he left a debt of 4,000 Dirhams. His children wanted to sell off the land he owned. When Umar heard this, he called for the moneylenders. He made them agree to collect 1,000 Dirhams after every annual harvest. They agreed and thus his debts were cleared in four years and the land was saved for his children.

(Abridged and translated by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj from Surwaram Min Hayathus Sahaba by Egyptain author Dr. Abdur Rahman Rafat Pasha of Egypt)

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The True Meaning of Tawakkul!

The cheerful little girl with bouncy black curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. “Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?” Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading dark brown eyes of her little girl’s upturned face. “A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Eid is only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma.” As soon as Aisha got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbour and asked Aunty Jamshed if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On Eid, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Aisha loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday madrsssa classes, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green. Aisha had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would come upstairs to read her a story from the Quran. One night as he finished the story, he asked Aisha , “Do you love me?” “Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.” “Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my very favourite.” “That’s okay, Aisha, daddy loves you. As salaam alaikum.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later, after the story time, Aisha’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?” “Daddy, you know I love you.” “Then give me your pearls.” “Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper. “That’s okay. Sleep well. May Allah bless you and protect you, Aisha. Daddy loves you.” And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Aisha was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. “What is it, Aisha? What’s the matter?” Aisha didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, “Here, daddy, this is for you.” With tears gathering in his own eyes, Aisha’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the cheap necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Aisha. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the cheap pearls so he could give her the ‘genuine treasure’. So it is with Allah. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us His beautiful treasures. Is not your Lord worthy of praise? Are you holding onto things that Allah wants you to let go of? Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing ... Allah will never take away something without giving you something better in its place on condition that you are patient and you believe.

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In an African Forest

A man once passed through a forest in Africa, walking at his leisure smelling the flowers and admiring the beauty of the place and wondering at the way the sunrays fingered their way through the dense branches.

When suddenly he heard the sound of fast approaching danger that was loud and frightening.

When he turned, it was to face a large lion charging at him. The lion’s thin waist made evident his hunger. With the lion chasing him, the man’s heart nearly leaped out at the sight of it all, and so he started to run for his life.

The lion was about to catch up with him when the man came upfront with a well. Then with a mighty leap he jumped into the well and ended up dangling in the heart of the well hanging onto a rope.

The lion’s voice eventually quietened, but then soon heard the hissing of a snake that had a giant head and a long body which came from somewhere below him.

Just as the man was thinking of how what to do about the lion and the snake, a black mouse and a white one climbed up to where the rope was attached and started to nibble away at the rope.

The man was petrified and so started to shake the rope hoping to get rid of the mice. As he did so the rope began to swing and knocking him against the walls. The man started to feel something wet and sticky come into contact with the sides as he banged against the walls. The man licked the substance only to find that it was honey; the type made by bees in the forests and mountains. The honey was so sweet and delicious that he forgot the situation he was in.

Suddenly

The man woke up???!! For it was all just a horrible dream!!!

So the man decided he should get his dream translated. So he went to meet a religious scholar (one knowledgeable in the translation of dreams). He told the scholar of his dream.

The scholar laughed and said: “Don’t you know its interpretation

The man said he didn’t. So the scholar replied: “the lion that was chasing you was the angel of death and the well with the snake in it is your grave and the two mice are the nights and the days that are depleting form you life”.

The man asked, “And how about the honey?”

The scholar replied:

“That is the sweet taste of life that is distracting you and made you forget that death, and day of judgment are just behind you”

Is there anyone who will reflect before it is Too Late???

Sweet Dreams !!

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There are 99 Names of Allah
“Al-Ghaffar” is one of them.
This means that Allah is the forgiver

99 names of Allah

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Quiz for February 2003

Name the battle in which Hazrat Hamzah (the Prophet’s (Pbuh) uncle) was martyred.
Name the major component of air.
Name Prophet Ibrahim’s father.
To which company does “Windows” belong?
Name the capital of Turkey.
What was Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (RA) pre-Islamic name?
Name the author of the book, “Road to Makkah”.
What is the full form of UNICEF?
Name the two diseases spread by mosquitoes.
Which sport is played in Wimbledon?