Inna lillahi wa Inna ilayhi rajioo'n

 

Knowledge elevates a man in this world and the hereafter

Imam Abū Yusūf says: I was an orphan and my mother wanted me to apprentice with a bleacher so I may learn the trade and start earning a living. But I would sneak away from the bleacher’s shop and sit in the study circles of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah. My mother used to chase after me and drag me back to the bleacher. 

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah used to show me great affection as he saw my zeal and passion for learning. One day, my constant escapades to the study circles of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah became too much for my mother and she confronted Imām Abū Ḥanīfah saying: ‘You are the one corrupting this boy. I feed him with my earnings from the spindle and all I want is for him to earn a penny or two so he can earn a living for himself.’

Imām Abū Ḥanīfah replied: ‘Go away you crazy woman. He is learning so that he one day eats fālūdhaj¹ with pistachio oil.’ And my mother said: ‘You are a crazy old man; you’ve lost your wits!’

So, I stuck with Imām Abū Ḥanīfah. He used to provide for me from his wealth and left me wanting for nothing. Then Allāh blessed me with knowledge and raised me until I became the chief justice of the land. I used to sometimes dine with Harūn al-Rashīd. One day when the table was laid out, he said to me: ‘Eat up Abū Yusūf for it isn’t every day that you get to eat a dessert like this!” I asked him what it was. He said: ‘This is fālūdhaj with pistachio oil.’ And I started to laugh. He asked me why I was laughing and I told him the story. 

He said: ‘I swear! Knowledge elevates a man in this world and the hereafter. May God have mercy on Abū Ḥanīfah. He was able to see with eye of his intelligence that which the physical eyes cannot see.’²

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¹ Fāludhaj is a luxury pastry made with a variety of nuts. It was a very expensive dessert reserved for the rich and elite.

² Ulū al-Himmah, p.378

Anger

 

The House on the Hill

 

It was fifth year of the prophet hood of the Messenger of Allah. 

Year 615 AD 

The pressure, torture and trouble of Quraishi polytheists on Muslims increased day by day. Muslims had faced a circumstance in which they could not worship comfortably. 

A safe place was needed to worship and to learn Islam and the teaching of the Faith. The Messenger of God himself searched for that place and found it. It was the house of Arkam bin Abil Arkam bin Asad. Al arqam was from banu maqzoom (had rivalry with banu haashim tribe) tribe which is the tribe of abu jahl., one of the first Muslims (7th or 8th). House is located in a narrow street in the east of the hill ‘’Safa’’. That house was suitable for entering and going out secretly and for controlling the street. 

Mus`ab had heard a lot of gossip about the new Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he sat with the Makkan elders during their meetings. While they laughed and mocked the message of the Messenger of Allah, this young man secretly paid a lot of attention. 

One day, he decided to go and see the Prophet and his followers for himself. He joined the other companions at the home of Al-Arqam Ibn Al-Arqam (may Allah be pleased be with him). He heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reciting the Qur’an to them and Musab’s heart filled with joy. 

 

Sir William Muir says that Umar's conversion to Islam took place at the close of the sixth year of the Prophet's mission. He adds the following footnote: 

It (Umar's conversion) occurred in Dhul Hijjah the last month of the year. The believers are said now to have amounted in all to 40 men and ten women; or by other accounts, to 45 men and eleven women. (The Life of Mohammed, 1877, p. 95) 

As already noted, the Muslims at this time (the last days of the year 6) still gathered in the house of Arqam bin Abi al-Arqam to say their congregational prayers. They were beginning to assemble when one of them, looking out the window, saw Umar approaching toward the house with a drawn sword. In a state of considerable alarm, he told the other members of the congregation what he saw. Presumably, they too were alarmed. 

But Hamza, who was also present in the house of Arqam, reassured them, and said that if Umar was coming with good intentions, then it was all right; but if not, then he (Hamza) would run him (Umar) through with his (Umar's) own sword. But it so happened that Umar had come with the intention of accepting Islam, and he did. 

• Al-Arqam is eighth on the list of "people who became Muslims at the invitation of Abu Bakr 

• Dar al-Arqam was a house, far from the eyes of the Meccans, where the Prophet (saw) used to meet his companions, new converts and those seeking information about Islam 

Ammar (ra) narrated: 
"I met Suhayb in front of the door of Dar al-Arqam and the Prophet (saw) was there. We entered and he presented Islam to us, so we embraced Islam." (Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaa, Vol. 3, p. 350) 

 

Ammar also narrated he was the ninth Muslim: 
"I saw Allah's Messenger (saw) and there was none with him but five slaves, two women and Abu Bakr (i.e. those were the only converts to Islam then)." (Bukhari 3660, 3857)