Amr Ibn Al-Aas was one of the glorious companions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). Before embracing Islam he was one of the Quraish people who resisted Islam. After joining Islam, he became one of the brave leaders and fighters of Islam. He was also known for his great generosity.
His external appearance, his way of walking and conversing, indicated that he was created for commanding to the extent that it has been related that the Commander of the Faithful Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab saw Amr once approaching, so he smiled at the way he was walking and said, "It should not be for Abu Abd Allah to walk on the earth except as a commander."
Amr Ibn Al-Aas was not among the earliest ones to embrace Islam. He embraced Islam just before the Conquest of Makkah.
It is surprising that he became a Muslim at the hands of An-Najaashiy in Abyssinia. An-Nagaashiy knew Amr and respected him because of his several visits to Abyssinia and the abundant gifts which he used to carry to An-Najaashiy.
During Amr�s last visit to Abyssinia people were talking about the Prophet who was calling to monotheism and to the nobility of morals in the Arabian Peninsula. The Abyssinian ruler asked Amr, "How could you not believe in him and follow him, when he is truly a Messenger from Allah?" Amr then asked An-Najaashiy, " Is he thus?" An-Najaashiy answered, "Yes, so obey me, Amr, and follow him, for indeed, by Allah, he is on the path of truth and he will surpass those who stood against him!�
So Amr left and decided to go to Madiinah. On the road leading to Al-Madiinah, he met Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid coming from Makkah, who was also going to Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) to swear allegiance to Islam.
As soon as Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) saw them coming towards him, his face beamed with joy and he said to his Companions, "Makkah has gifted you with its most noble leaders."
Khaliid approached and swore allegiance. Then Amr approached and said, "Indeed, I swear allegiance to you provided that you ask Allah to forgive me my previous sins."
Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) answered him saying: "O Amr, swear allegiance, for indeed Islam disregards whatever preceded it."
Amr swore allegiance and placed his wits and bravery at the service of Islam.
When Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) died, Amr was appointed ruler over Oman and during the caliphate of Umar he performed his famous deeds in the Syrian wars and then in the liberation of Egypt from the rule of Rome.
Whenever the Muslims were facing danger, Amr would deal with these events in a commanding manner, as one who possesses intelligence, wits, and a capability, which made him self-confident and proud of his excellence.
Amr was honest to the extent that Umar Ibn Al-Khaftaab who was strict in choosing his governor, chose him as governor over Palestine and Jordan, then over Egypt.
He was also very sharp-witted with strong intuitive understanding and deep vision, so much so that whenever Umar saw a person incapable of artifice, he clapped his palms in astonishment and said, "Glory be to Allah! Indeed, the Creator of this and the Creator of Amr Ibn Al-Aas. Is one God!"
Amr was the one who liberated Egypt from the hegemony of two imperial powers, two modes of worship of two countries, and the worst punishment, the imperial power of Persia and the imperial power of Rome.
Amr and his Muslim army did not conquer Egypt but opened the way for Egypt to attach its destiny to the truth, tie its fate to justice, and find itself and its reality in the light of the words of Allah and the principles of Islam.
Amr was very careful in separating the citizens of Egypt and its Copts away from the army and keep the fighting restricted between himself and the Romans who occupied the land and robbed the wealth of its people.
He tried to convince some of the Christian leaders and their high priest to join the path of light by saying: "Indeed Allah sent Muhammad with the truth and ordered him to teach it. The Prophet carried out his mission, and he died after leaving us on that path, the clear straight path. Among the things he ordered us to do was to be responsible to the people, so we call you to Islam. Whoever responds is of us. He has what we have and he has the same rights and obligations as we do. And whoever does not respond to Islam, we enforce on him the payment of jizyah and we offer to him defense and protection. Our Prophet informed us that Egypt would open for us and advised us to be good to its people, saying: 'Egypt will be opened to you after me, so you are advised to treat its Copts well, for indeed, they have a covenant of protection and kinship relations,' so if you answer to what we call you to, you will have protection and security."
As soon as Amr finished speech some of the priests and rabbis shouted, saying: "Indeed the kinship of which your Prophet advised you is a remote kinship relationship, the like of which cannot be reached except by the prophets."
This was a perfect beginning for understanding between Amr and the Copts of Egypt, despite the fact that the Roman leader tried all what he could to destroy this tie.
Amr was very daring and unhesitant. He used to combine his daring with his wits in some instances so that he would be thought to be cowardly or hesitant. However, it was the capacity to trick, which Amr perfected with great skill to get himself out of a destructive crisis.
An evidence of Amr�s wits and his skill of intuitive insight, is seen in his position with respect to the commander of the Citadel of Babylon (near present day Cairo) during his war with Rome in Egypt and, in another historical narration, in the battle we shall mention which took place in Yarmuuk with Artubun of Rome.
When Artubun invited Amr to talk, they gave an order to some of their men to throw a rock at him immediately upon his departure from the Citadel and to prepare everything so that the killing of Amr would be an inevitable matter.
Amr met the commander, not suspecting anything from him, and their meeting ended. While Amr was on his way out of the Citadel, he glimpsed over the walls something suspicious that aroused in him a strong sense of danger, and immediately he behaved in an outstanding manner.
He returned back to the commander of the Citadel, in safe, secure, slow steps, with confident, happy feelings, as if nothing had scared him at all or had aroused his suspicion. He met the commander and said to him, "An idea came across my mind I wanted you to know. I have with me, where my companions are camped, a group from among the first Companions of the Messenger to enter into Islam. The Commander of the Faithful would not decide anything without consulting them and would not send an army unless he put them at the head of its fighters and soldiers. I will bring them to you so that they hear from you that which I heard, so they will become as clear in the matter as I am."
The Roman commander felt that Amr had granted him the opportunity of a lifetime. Therefore, he thought. Let us agree with him, and when he returns with this number of Muslim commanders and the best of their men and their leaders, we will deliver the coup de grace and finish off all of them at once, instead of killing Amr alone.
Secretly he gave his order to put off the plan that was devised to assassinate Amr, and he saw Amr off cordially and shook his hand with enthusiasm and fervor. Amr smiled the most intelligent of Arab smiles as he was leaving the Citadel.
In the morning Amr returned to the Citadel at the head of an army, mounted on his horse.
In A.H. 43, death caught up with Amr Ibn Al-Aas in Egypt, where he was ruling. He recaptured his life in the moments of departure, saying, "In the first part of my life I was a disbeliever, and I was one of the fiercest people against the Messenger of Allah, so if I had died on that day, the fire would have been my fate. Then, I swore allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, and there was no person dearer to me than he and more glorious in my eyes than he. If I wanted to describe him, I could not, because I was not able to fill my eyes with him on account of being in awe of him. If I had died back then, I would have wished to be of the inhabitants of Paradise. Then after that I was tested with command and with material things. I do not know if they were for me or against me.
"Then he raised his sight to the sky in awe, calling upon his Lord, the Merciful, the Magnificent, saying, "Allah, I am not innocent, so forgive me. I am not mighty, so help me. And if Your mercy does not come to me, I will surely be of those destroyed."
And he continued in his yearning and his prayers until his spirit ascended to Allah and his last words were, "There is no god but Allah."
The Mosque of Amr is the first mosque in Egypt.
Source: beautifuIslam.neHis external appearance, his way of walking and conversing, indicated that he was created for commanding to the extent that it has been related that the Commander of the Faithful Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab saw Amr once approaching, so he smiled at the way he was walking and said, "It should not be for Abu Abd Allah to walk on the earth except as a commander."
Amr Ibn Al-Aas was not among the earliest ones to embrace Islam. He embraced Islam just before the Conquest of Makkah.
It is surprising that he became a Muslim at the hands of An-Najaashiy in Abyssinia. An-Nagaashiy knew Amr and respected him because of his several visits to Abyssinia and the abundant gifts which he used to carry to An-Najaashiy.
During Amr�s last visit to Abyssinia people were talking about the Prophet who was calling to monotheism and to the nobility of morals in the Arabian Peninsula. The Abyssinian ruler asked Amr, "How could you not believe in him and follow him, when he is truly a Messenger from Allah?" Amr then asked An-Najaashiy, " Is he thus?" An-Najaashiy answered, "Yes, so obey me, Amr, and follow him, for indeed, by Allah, he is on the path of truth and he will surpass those who stood against him!�
So Amr left and decided to go to Madiinah. On the road leading to Al-Madiinah, he met Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid coming from Makkah, who was also going to Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) to swear allegiance to Islam.
As soon as Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) saw them coming towards him, his face beamed with joy and he said to his Companions, "Makkah has gifted you with its most noble leaders."
Khaliid approached and swore allegiance. Then Amr approached and said, "Indeed, I swear allegiance to you provided that you ask Allah to forgive me my previous sins."
Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) answered him saying: "O Amr, swear allegiance, for indeed Islam disregards whatever preceded it."
Amr swore allegiance and placed his wits and bravery at the service of Islam.
When Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) died, Amr was appointed ruler over Oman and during the caliphate of Umar he performed his famous deeds in the Syrian wars and then in the liberation of Egypt from the rule of Rome.
Whenever the Muslims were facing danger, Amr would deal with these events in a commanding manner, as one who possesses intelligence, wits, and a capability, which made him self-confident and proud of his excellence.
Amr was honest to the extent that Umar Ibn Al-Khaftaab who was strict in choosing his governor, chose him as governor over Palestine and Jordan, then over Egypt.
He was also very sharp-witted with strong intuitive understanding and deep vision, so much so that whenever Umar saw a person incapable of artifice, he clapped his palms in astonishment and said, "Glory be to Allah! Indeed, the Creator of this and the Creator of Amr Ibn Al-Aas. Is one God!"
Amr was the one who liberated Egypt from the hegemony of two imperial powers, two modes of worship of two countries, and the worst punishment, the imperial power of Persia and the imperial power of Rome.
Amr and his Muslim army did not conquer Egypt but opened the way for Egypt to attach its destiny to the truth, tie its fate to justice, and find itself and its reality in the light of the words of Allah and the principles of Islam.
Amr was very careful in separating the citizens of Egypt and its Copts away from the army and keep the fighting restricted between himself and the Romans who occupied the land and robbed the wealth of its people.
He tried to convince some of the Christian leaders and their high priest to join the path of light by saying: "Indeed Allah sent Muhammad with the truth and ordered him to teach it. The Prophet carried out his mission, and he died after leaving us on that path, the clear straight path. Among the things he ordered us to do was to be responsible to the people, so we call you to Islam. Whoever responds is of us. He has what we have and he has the same rights and obligations as we do. And whoever does not respond to Islam, we enforce on him the payment of jizyah and we offer to him defense and protection. Our Prophet informed us that Egypt would open for us and advised us to be good to its people, saying: 'Egypt will be opened to you after me, so you are advised to treat its Copts well, for indeed, they have a covenant of protection and kinship relations,' so if you answer to what we call you to, you will have protection and security."
As soon as Amr finished speech some of the priests and rabbis shouted, saying: "Indeed the kinship of which your Prophet advised you is a remote kinship relationship, the like of which cannot be reached except by the prophets."
This was a perfect beginning for understanding between Amr and the Copts of Egypt, despite the fact that the Roman leader tried all what he could to destroy this tie.
Amr was very daring and unhesitant. He used to combine his daring with his wits in some instances so that he would be thought to be cowardly or hesitant. However, it was the capacity to trick, which Amr perfected with great skill to get himself out of a destructive crisis.
An evidence of Amr�s wits and his skill of intuitive insight, is seen in his position with respect to the commander of the Citadel of Babylon (near present day Cairo) during his war with Rome in Egypt and, in another historical narration, in the battle we shall mention which took place in Yarmuuk with Artubun of Rome.
When Artubun invited Amr to talk, they gave an order to some of their men to throw a rock at him immediately upon his departure from the Citadel and to prepare everything so that the killing of Amr would be an inevitable matter.
Amr met the commander, not suspecting anything from him, and their meeting ended. While Amr was on his way out of the Citadel, he glimpsed over the walls something suspicious that aroused in him a strong sense of danger, and immediately he behaved in an outstanding manner.
He returned back to the commander of the Citadel, in safe, secure, slow steps, with confident, happy feelings, as if nothing had scared him at all or had aroused his suspicion. He met the commander and said to him, "An idea came across my mind I wanted you to know. I have with me, where my companions are camped, a group from among the first Companions of the Messenger to enter into Islam. The Commander of the Faithful would not decide anything without consulting them and would not send an army unless he put them at the head of its fighters and soldiers. I will bring them to you so that they hear from you that which I heard, so they will become as clear in the matter as I am."
The Roman commander felt that Amr had granted him the opportunity of a lifetime. Therefore, he thought. Let us agree with him, and when he returns with this number of Muslim commanders and the best of their men and their leaders, we will deliver the coup de grace and finish off all of them at once, instead of killing Amr alone.
Secretly he gave his order to put off the plan that was devised to assassinate Amr, and he saw Amr off cordially and shook his hand with enthusiasm and fervor. Amr smiled the most intelligent of Arab smiles as he was leaving the Citadel.
In the morning Amr returned to the Citadel at the head of an army, mounted on his horse.
In A.H. 43, death caught up with Amr Ibn Al-Aas in Egypt, where he was ruling. He recaptured his life in the moments of departure, saying, "In the first part of my life I was a disbeliever, and I was one of the fiercest people against the Messenger of Allah, so if I had died on that day, the fire would have been my fate. Then, I swore allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, and there was no person dearer to me than he and more glorious in my eyes than he. If I wanted to describe him, I could not, because I was not able to fill my eyes with him on account of being in awe of him. If I had died back then, I would have wished to be of the inhabitants of Paradise. Then after that I was tested with command and with material things. I do not know if they were for me or against me.
"Then he raised his sight to the sky in awe, calling upon his Lord, the Merciful, the Magnificent, saying, "Allah, I am not innocent, so forgive me. I am not mighty, so help me. And if Your mercy does not come to me, I will surely be of those destroyed."
And he continued in his yearning and his prayers until his spirit ascended to Allah and his last words were, "There is no god but Allah."
The Mosque of Amr is the first mosque in Egypt.
islamonline
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar