Rabu, 29 April 2009

Jafar Ibn Abi Talib

Jafar is the son of Abu Talib, the uncle of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), and his uncle Al- Abaas was the one who raised him, for his father was a very poor man and had to support a big family.

There was a great resemblance between Jafar and prophet Mohamed (PBUH), both in his appearance and ethics. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) called him "The father of the poor" because he used to help and support the poor with all he has of money.

Jafar left his uncle's house when he became a young man and got married to Asmaa bint Umays. They were among the very first persons to embrace Islam, and they were devoted followers of Islam. They suffered a lot from the harsh treatment of Quraysh, but they accepted this with patience because they knew that the road to Paradise is not easy.

Quraysh restricted their movements and freedom until they could not bare it anymore. That is why Jafar went to prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and took his permission to immigrate to Abyssinia along with a small group of Sahabah (Companions of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

They settled down in this new land under the protection of the Negus, and for the first time since they have became Muslims they knew what freedom was, and had the full time to worship Allah with fearing nothing. But Quraysh did not let them enjoy peacefulness for so long; soon they sent Amr ibn al-Aas and Abdullah ibn Abi Rabiah before they accept Islam to disturb their peace, and to try to turn the Negus against them.

They took a lot of presents to the Negus, which pleased him a lot, and then told him that there is a group of wicked men moving about freely in his country and asked him to capture them before they cause any harm to his kingship as they did in Quraysh. But the Negus refused to do that until he calls them and questions them regarding Quraysh's allegations. So he asked the group Muslims, among which was Jafar Ibn Abi Talib, to come and meet him and the Muslims chose Jafar to be their spokesman.

The Negus asked them "what is this religion that has cut you off your people, and made you in no need of our religion"..?

Jafar answered him saying "we were living in darkness and this religion came and commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our promises, to be kind to our relations, to cease all forbidden acts, to abstain from bloodshed. To avoid obstinacies and false witness, nor to appropriate an orphan's property or slander chaste women. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) ordered us to worship Allah only and not to associate any god with him, to uphold Salat, to give Zakat and fast in the month of Ramadan, so we believed in him and what he brought to us from Allah and we follow him in what he has asked us to do and we keep away from what he forbade us from doing."

The Negus was eager to know more about Jafar said, and so he asked Jafar to read him a part from what the Prophet (PBUH) brought concerning Allah. Jafar recited for him the first portion of Surah Maryam, which narrates the story of Jesus and his mother Mary. On hearing the words of the Qur"an, the Negus was moved with the Qur"an words, and said that he will never harm them.

However the two Quraysh emissaries did not stop at that, they went to the Negus again and told him that the Muslims say that Jesus is a slave, and asked him to call them and ask them what they think of Jesus.

The Negus called the Muslims and asked them, so Jafar answered him saying, "Our Prophet says that Jesus is Allah"s prophet." The Negus gave back the gifts to Amr so he and his companion left broken and frustrated.

Jafar and his wife Asma spent about ten years in Abyssinia, which became a second home for them. There, Asma gave birth to three children whom they named Abdullah, Muhammad and Awn. In the seventh year of the Hijrah, Jafar and his family left Abyssinia with a group of Muslims and headed for Madinah.

Muslims in general and the poor among them specifically were as happy with the return of Jafar as the Prophet was. And quickly Jafar became a well known as a person who was much concerned with the welfare of the poor.

Jafar did not stay in Madinah for long. In the eighth year of the Hijrah, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) mobilized an army to confront Byzantine forces in Syria, because a Byzantine governor had treacherously killed one of his emissaries. He appointed Zayd ibn Harithah as commander of the army and gave the following instructions: "If Zayd is wounded or killed, Jafar ibn Abi Talib would take over the command. If Jafar is killed or wounded, then your commander would be Abdullah ibn Rawahah. If Abdullah ibn Rawahah is killed, then let the Muslims choose for themselves a commander."

Despite all the hardship they faced, the Muslim army battled with Byzantines. Zayd ibn Harithah, the beloved companion of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), was among the first Muslims who got killed in the battle. Jafar ibn Abi Talib then assumed command. Mounted on his horse, he penetrated deep into the Byzantine ranks. As he spurred his horse on, he called out: "How wonderful is Paradise as it draws near! How pleasant and cool is its drink! Punishment for the Byzantines is not far away!" Jafar continued to fight vigorously but was eventually slain.

The news of the death of the three commanders reached the Prophet (PBUH) in Madinah. The pain and grief he felt was intense. He went to Jafar's house and met his wife Asma. She was somehow prepared to receive her absent husband. Asma said: "When the Messenger of Allah approached us, I saw a veil of sadness shrouding his noble face and I became very apprehensive. But I did not dare ask him about Jafar for fear that I would hear some unpleasant news. He greeted and asked, 'Where are Jafar's children?' I called them for him and they came and crowded around him happily, each one wanting to claim him for himself. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his eyes.

'O Messenger of Allah,' I asked, 'why do you cry? Have you heard anything about Jafar and his two companions?'

'Yes,' he replied. 'They have attained martyrdom.' The smiles and the laughter vanished from the faces of the little children when they heard their mother crying and wailing.

"O Asma," said the Prophet, "don't say anything objectionable and don't beat your breast." He then prayed to God to protect and sustain the family of Jafar and assured them that he had attained Paradise.

Source: ummah.net
islamonline

Tidak ada komentar: