Abbad Ibn Bishr was one of the noble companions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). He was known for his constant immersion in worship, heroic courage, and his generosity in the path of God. At times of sacrifice and death, he would always be in the front line. When it was time for receiving his share of rewards, he would only be found after much effort and difficulty. He was always trustworthy in his dealings with the wealth of Muslims.
He was enthralled by the Quran from the moment he first heard it being recited by the mellow and beautiful voice of Musab ibn Umayr. That was before the Hijrah when Abbad was about fifteen years old.
The Quran had found a special place in his heart and day and night thereafter he would be heard repeating the glorious words of God so much so that he became known among the Prophet's companions as the "friend of the Quran".
Abbad's devotion to the Quran was a sign of his intense devotion and love for God, His Prophet and His religion.
Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, once said: "There are three persons among the Ansar whom no one could excel in virtue: Sad ibn Muadh, Usayd ibn Khudayr and Abbad ibn Bishr."
One night when Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) stood up to perform the Tahajjud Prayer in Aishah's house, which adjoined the masjid. He heard a voice reciting the Quran, pure and sweet and as fresh as when the angel Jibril revealed the words to him.
He asked: "Aishah, is that the voice of Abbad ibn Bishr?"
"Yes, O Messenger of God," replied Aishah.
"O Lord, forgive him," prayed the Prophet out of love for him.
At the fourth year of the Hijrah. The city of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was still under threat from within and without.
Two months of uneasy quiet passed. Then Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) received news that the Najd tribes were planning to attack the city. To pre-empt them, the Prophet gathered a force of over four hundred men, and leaving one of his companions Uthman ibn Affan in charge of the city, set out eastwards. Among this force was the young Madinan, Abbad ibn Bishr.
Arriving at Najd, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) found the habitations of the hostile tribes strangely deserted of men. Only women were to be found. The men had taken to the hills. Some of them regrouped and prepared to fight.
The time of Salat al-Asr (the afternoon prayer) came. The Prophet feared that the hostile tribesmen would attack them during prayer. He arranged the Muslims in ranks and divided them into two groups and performed the prayer as the Salat al-Khawf (the Prayer of Fear).
On beholding the disciplined ranks of the Muslims the hostile tribesmen became uneasy and afraid. After Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) had made his presence felt, he departed peacefully.
On the way back, the Prophet pitched camp in a valley for a night. As soon as the Muslims had settled their camel mounts, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) asked: "Who will be our guard tonight?"
"We, O Messenger of God," replied Abbad ibn Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir whom Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) paired off as 'brothers' when he arrived in Madinah after the Hijrah.
Abbad and Ammar left for the mouth of the valley to guard the Muslim army. Abbad noticed that his "brother" was tired and asked him: "What part of the night do you wish to sleep, the first or the second?" "I shall sleep during the first part," said Ammar who was soon fast asleep quite close to Abbad.
The night was clear, calm and peaceful. The stars, the trees, and the rocks all appeared to celebrate in silence the praises of their Lord. Abbad felt serene. There was no movement, no threatening sign.
So Abbad asked himself: �Why not spend the time in ibadah (worship) and reciting the Quran? How delightful it would be to combine the performance of Salat with the measured recitation of the Quran.�
So Abbad stood up and faced the Qiblah. Raising his hand in surrender to God, he entered into the state of Prayer. Finishing the compulsory opening chapter of the Quran, he began reciting Surah al-Kahf, which is a long Surah in his sweet, captivating voice.
While he was thus absorbed in reciting and reflecting upon the divine words, eternal words of illumination and wisdom, a stranger stalked the outskirts of the valley in search of Mohamed and his followers.
He was one of those who had planned to attack the Prophet but who had fled into the mountains on the approach of the Muslims.
From a distance, the man saw the figure of Abbad silhouetted at the mouth of the valley and he knew that Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and his followers must be inside the valley. Silently he drew his bow and let fly an arrow. Unerringly it embedded itself in Abbad's flesh.
Calmly, Abbad pulled out the arrow from his body and went on with his recitation, still absorbed in his Salat.
The attacker shot a second and a third arrow both of which also found their mark. Abbad pulled out one and then the other. He finished his recitation, made ruku and then sujud.
Weak and in pain, he stretched out his right hand while still in prostration and shook his sleeping companion. Ammar awoke. Silently, Abbad continued the Salat to its end and then said: "Get up and stand guard in my place. I have been wounded."
Ammar jumped up and began to yell. Seeing them both the attacker fled into the darkness. Ammar turned to Abbad as he lays on the ground, blood flowing from his wounds.
"Ya Subhanallah (Glory be to God)! Why didn't you wake me when you were hit by the first arrow?" said Ammar.
"I was in the midst of reciting verses of the Quran which filled my soul with awe and I did not want to cut short the recitation. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) had commanded me to commit this surah to memory. Death would have been dearer to me than that the recitation of this surah should be interrupted."Abbad died the death of a shahid (martyr) at the battle of Yamamah.
Just before the battle he had a strong presentiment of death and martyrdom. He noticed that there was a lack of mutual confidence between the Muhajirin and Ansar. He was grieved and upset. He realized that there would be no success for the Muslims in these terrible battles unless the Muhajirin and Ansar were grouped in separate regiments so that it could be clearly seen who really bore their responsibility and who were truly steadfast in combat.
At the break of day when the battle commenced, Abbad ibn Bishr stood on a mound and shouted:
"O Ansar, distinguish yourselves among men. Destroy your scabbards. And do not forsake Islam."
Abbad harangued the Ansar until about four hundred men gathered around him at the head of whom were Thabit ibn Qays, al-Baraa ibn Malik and Abu Dujanah, the keeper of the Prophet's sword. With this force, Abbad unleashed an offensive into the enemy's ranks, which blunted their thrust and drove them back to the "garden of death"
At the walls of this garden, Abbad ibn Bishr fell. So numerous were his wounds, he was hardly recognizable. He had lived, fought and died as a believer.
Source: www.usc.eduHe was enthralled by the Quran from the moment he first heard it being recited by the mellow and beautiful voice of Musab ibn Umayr. That was before the Hijrah when Abbad was about fifteen years old.
The Quran had found a special place in his heart and day and night thereafter he would be heard repeating the glorious words of God so much so that he became known among the Prophet's companions as the "friend of the Quran".
Abbad's devotion to the Quran was a sign of his intense devotion and love for God, His Prophet and His religion.
Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, once said: "There are three persons among the Ansar whom no one could excel in virtue: Sad ibn Muadh, Usayd ibn Khudayr and Abbad ibn Bishr."
One night when Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) stood up to perform the Tahajjud Prayer in Aishah's house, which adjoined the masjid. He heard a voice reciting the Quran, pure and sweet and as fresh as when the angel Jibril revealed the words to him.
He asked: "Aishah, is that the voice of Abbad ibn Bishr?"
"Yes, O Messenger of God," replied Aishah.
"O Lord, forgive him," prayed the Prophet out of love for him.
At the fourth year of the Hijrah. The city of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was still under threat from within and without.
Two months of uneasy quiet passed. Then Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) received news that the Najd tribes were planning to attack the city. To pre-empt them, the Prophet gathered a force of over four hundred men, and leaving one of his companions Uthman ibn Affan in charge of the city, set out eastwards. Among this force was the young Madinan, Abbad ibn Bishr.
Arriving at Najd, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) found the habitations of the hostile tribes strangely deserted of men. Only women were to be found. The men had taken to the hills. Some of them regrouped and prepared to fight.
The time of Salat al-Asr (the afternoon prayer) came. The Prophet feared that the hostile tribesmen would attack them during prayer. He arranged the Muslims in ranks and divided them into two groups and performed the prayer as the Salat al-Khawf (the Prayer of Fear).
On beholding the disciplined ranks of the Muslims the hostile tribesmen became uneasy and afraid. After Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) had made his presence felt, he departed peacefully.
On the way back, the Prophet pitched camp in a valley for a night. As soon as the Muslims had settled their camel mounts, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) asked: "Who will be our guard tonight?"
"We, O Messenger of God," replied Abbad ibn Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir whom Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) paired off as 'brothers' when he arrived in Madinah after the Hijrah.
Abbad and Ammar left for the mouth of the valley to guard the Muslim army. Abbad noticed that his "brother" was tired and asked him: "What part of the night do you wish to sleep, the first or the second?" "I shall sleep during the first part," said Ammar who was soon fast asleep quite close to Abbad.
The night was clear, calm and peaceful. The stars, the trees, and the rocks all appeared to celebrate in silence the praises of their Lord. Abbad felt serene. There was no movement, no threatening sign.
So Abbad asked himself: �Why not spend the time in ibadah (worship) and reciting the Quran? How delightful it would be to combine the performance of Salat with the measured recitation of the Quran.�
So Abbad stood up and faced the Qiblah. Raising his hand in surrender to God, he entered into the state of Prayer. Finishing the compulsory opening chapter of the Quran, he began reciting Surah al-Kahf, which is a long Surah in his sweet, captivating voice.
While he was thus absorbed in reciting and reflecting upon the divine words, eternal words of illumination and wisdom, a stranger stalked the outskirts of the valley in search of Mohamed and his followers.
He was one of those who had planned to attack the Prophet but who had fled into the mountains on the approach of the Muslims.
From a distance, the man saw the figure of Abbad silhouetted at the mouth of the valley and he knew that Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and his followers must be inside the valley. Silently he drew his bow and let fly an arrow. Unerringly it embedded itself in Abbad's flesh.
Calmly, Abbad pulled out the arrow from his body and went on with his recitation, still absorbed in his Salat.
The attacker shot a second and a third arrow both of which also found their mark. Abbad pulled out one and then the other. He finished his recitation, made ruku and then sujud.
Weak and in pain, he stretched out his right hand while still in prostration and shook his sleeping companion. Ammar awoke. Silently, Abbad continued the Salat to its end and then said: "Get up and stand guard in my place. I have been wounded."
Ammar jumped up and began to yell. Seeing them both the attacker fled into the darkness. Ammar turned to Abbad as he lays on the ground, blood flowing from his wounds.
"Ya Subhanallah (Glory be to God)! Why didn't you wake me when you were hit by the first arrow?" said Ammar.
"I was in the midst of reciting verses of the Quran which filled my soul with awe and I did not want to cut short the recitation. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) had commanded me to commit this surah to memory. Death would have been dearer to me than that the recitation of this surah should be interrupted."Abbad died the death of a shahid (martyr) at the battle of Yamamah.
Just before the battle he had a strong presentiment of death and martyrdom. He noticed that there was a lack of mutual confidence between the Muhajirin and Ansar. He was grieved and upset. He realized that there would be no success for the Muslims in these terrible battles unless the Muhajirin and Ansar were grouped in separate regiments so that it could be clearly seen who really bore their responsibility and who were truly steadfast in combat.
At the break of day when the battle commenced, Abbad ibn Bishr stood on a mound and shouted:
"O Ansar, distinguish yourselves among men. Destroy your scabbards. And do not forsake Islam."
Abbad harangued the Ansar until about four hundred men gathered around him at the head of whom were Thabit ibn Qays, al-Baraa ibn Malik and Abu Dujanah, the keeper of the Prophet's sword. With this force, Abbad unleashed an offensive into the enemy's ranks, which blunted their thrust and drove them back to the "garden of death"
At the walls of this garden, Abbad ibn Bishr fell. So numerous were his wounds, he was hardly recognizable. He had lived, fought and died as a believer.
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