The sacrifice of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair

The sacrifice of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair

He was a very handsome young man. He was the son of ‘Umair who was a wealthy person. He was brought up in quite a luxurious fashion. Mus‘ab enjoyed the best of food, finest dresses and the best perfumes. Whenever Mus‘ab passed through the streets, dressed in precious clothes and profusely perfumed, the sweet smell scented the atmosphere all around and the people gazed at him with amazement and appreciation. His beauty and charm was the talk of the town. Every person knew that Mus‘ab's parents were bringing up their son with great affection and care.

Whenever prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم) talked of him, he said "There is nobody more handsome in Makkah than Mus‘ab. There is no person in the city better clothed and fed than Mus‘ab. There is no child brought up with more affection and love than him." Due to his charming personality and being a lovely son of wealthy parents, everyone young or old had great regard for him.

When he embraced Islam he was given a respectable place in the, Muslim society. But it was not due to his beauty, charm, good dress, good manners or wealth, but due to his piety and fear of God. When he embraced Islam, he faced severe hardships and torture. The beauty and charm of his person faded. He was also deprived of the affection and care of his parents. But his virtues and piety won the appreciation of Allah and prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم). In his pursuit for winning the favour of Allah and prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم), Mus‘ab cared neither for good food, nor good dress. He was no longer inclined towards expensive perfumes, instead he devoted himself whole heartedly to serve the cause of Islam.

Mus‘ab accepted Islam at a time when life had been made unbearable for Muslims. He was turned out of his home and was socially boycotted. He had to suffer countless miseries. This pampered young man embraced Islam at a time when those who believed in Islam were refused food and water and were thrown in dark prison cells. Many bloodthirsty tyrants, not satisfied with the infliction of pain and injury, often murdered their Muslim victims. There were other hard-hearted fellows who had invented various forms of torments, to inflict on the Muslims.

Mus‘ab accepted Islam during that difficult period. One day a non-believer saw him offering prayers. He at once informed Mus‘ab's parents who turned hostile to their son. His mother's affection vanished. All the love and care of his father changed into anger and grief. They admonished him, but when they knew that he was firm, they tied him with ropes and threw him in a dark cell. He was kept in prison for a long time, but his belief in Islam was so deep that the torment of prison did not change his mind. He sacrificed everything and remained patient.

Migration to Abyssinia
When the Muslims were ordered to migrate to Abyssinia, this young-man, brought up like a prince, also migrated along with the other devotees. When he returned from Abyssinia, people saw in him a different person- all the luster and geity was gone. He who would have scoffed at the most precious raiment, was wearing a dress made of coarse, worn-out blanket. The spectacle inspired amazement, and awe among the onlookers. His mother, too, pitied her son’s condition and repented of the harsh treatment, she had shown to him.

Return from Abyssinia
Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair presented himself to prophet Muhammad (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم) in such a condition that he had only a piece of skin with patches here and there to cover his body. When the companions of prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم) saw this, they hung their heads in awe. Prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم) observed, "Al-hamdu lillah (all praises are due to Allah). Now the condition of the world and worldly people should change. This is the young man who had no equal in Makkah in the luxurious style in which he was brought up. But the regard for virtue and love for Allah and his Prophet have made him indifferent to all worldly pleasures."