Pioneers

After Ḥaḍrat Khadījahra, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra, Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra and Zaid bin Ḥārithahra, five more individuals accepted Islām, by the preaching of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra. All of these individuals acquired such eminence and dignity, that they are considered the greatest of companions. These are their names:

First was Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān bin ‘Affānra who belonged to the dynasty of the Banū Umaiyyah. When he accepted Islām, his age was approximately 30 years. After Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra he became the third Caliph of the Holy Prophetsa. Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra was remarkably modest, loyal, soft-hearted, beneficent and affluent. Therefore, he served Islām financially at many instances. The love of the Holy Prophetsa for Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra can be measured by the fact that he gave him two of his daughters in marriage, one after another, due to which he is known as Dhūn Nūrain.

Second was Ḥaḍrat ‘Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Aufra who belonged to the dynasty of the Banū Zuhrah – the dynasty of the Holy Prophet’ssa mother. He was a man of extraordinary understanding and experience. It was he who settled the issue of the Caliphate of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra. When he accepted Islām he was approximately 30 years of age. He died in the reign of ‘Uthmānra.

Third was Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqāṣra who, at that time, was in the prime of his youth – that is to say, 19 years of age. He was also from the Banū Zuhrah and was astonishingly brave and courageous. In the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, Iraq was conquered at his hands. He died in the time of Amīr Mu‘āwiyah.

The fourth was Zubair bin Al-‘Awwāmra, who was a cousin of the Holy Prophetsa. He was the son of Ṣafiyyah bint ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib and later became the son-in-law of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra. He belonged to the Banū Asad and when he accepted Islām he was only 15 years old. At the occasion of the Battle of the Ditch, the Holy Prophetsa endowed him the title of Ḥawārī1 due to an exceptional service performed by him. He was martyred in the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra during the Battle of the Camel.

The fifth was Ṭalḥah bin ‘Ubaidullah who was from the tribe of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra, the Banū Taim. During that time he was at the prime of his youth. Ṭalḥah was also amongst the distinctive devotees of Islām. He was martyred in the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra during the Battle of the Camel.

All of these five companions are amongst the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah, in other words, they are included amongst those ten companions who were especially given glad tidings of entrance into paradise from the blessed tongue of the Holy Prophetsa himself, and who were regarded his utmost intimate companions and advisors.2

After these people, others who believed in the Holy Prophetsa in the very beginning were from the Quraish as well as from other tribes. The names of some of these are as follows:

Abū ‘Ubaidah bin ‘Abdullāh bin Al-Jarrāḥra who conquered Syria in the time of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra. He was a man of exceedingly righteous and ascetic disposition, and was bestowed the title of Amīnul-Millah3 by the Holy Prophetsa. Abū ‘Ubaidahra was from the tribe Banū Khalaj of the Quraish who were, at times, referred to as Fihrī, being attributed to Fihr bin Mālik. The status and value of Ḥaḍrat Abū ‘Ubaidahra in the eyes of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra was so great that she would say, “If Abū ‘Ubaidah had been alive at the death of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, he would have been Caliph.” Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra also held Abū ‘Ubaidahra in high regard; thus, at the demise of the Holy Prophetra, Ḥaḍrat Abū ‘Ubaidahra was also among those who Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra held worthy of Caliphate. Ḥaḍrat Abū ‘Ubaidahra is also among the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah. He was martyred in the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra due to a plague epidemic.

Then was ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Ḥārithra who was from the Banū Muṭṭalib and was among the near relatives of the Holy Prophetsa. Abū Salamah bin ‘Abdul-Asadra was the foster brother of the Holy Prophetsa and belonged to the Banū Makhzūm. After his death, the Holy Prophetsa was married to his widow, Ummi Salamahra. There was Abū Ḥudhaifah bin ‘Utbahra who was from the Banū Umaiyyah. His father, ‘Utbah bin Rabī‘ah was among the chieftains of the Quraish. Abū Ḥudhaifahra was martyred in the Battle of Yamāmah, which was fought against Musailimah Kadhdhāb during the caliphate of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra. There was Sa‘īd bin Zaidra of the Banū ‘Adiyy who was the brother-in-law of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra. He was the son of Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufailra, who had abandoned polytheism, even in the era of the Jāhiliyyah. Sa‘īdra is also among the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah. He died in the time of Amīr Mu‘āwiyah. There was ‘Uthmān bin Maẓ‘ūnra who was from the Banū Jamḥ. He was a man of extremely ascetic disposition. He had abandoned drinking even in the era of the Jāhiliyyah and wished to become a recluse after accepting Islām, but the Holy Prophetsa did not permit this saying, “Religious reclusion is not permitted in Islām.” Then, Arqam bin Abī Arqamra, whose home was situated at the foot of Mount Ṣafā and the Holy Prophetsa later made that house his religious headquarters. Arqamra was from the Banū Makhzūm. Then came ‘Abdullāh bin Jaḥshra and ‘Ubaidullāh bin Jaḥshra. Both of them were the paternal cousins of the Holy Prophetsa but did not belong to the Quraish. Zainab bint Jaḥshra, who later came into the matrimonial tie of the Holy Prophetsa was their sister. ‘Ubaidullah bin Jaḥshra was among those who had abandoned idol worship even in the era of the Jāhiliyyah. At the advent of Islām he became Muslim, but when he migrated to Abyssinia, abandoned Islām for some reason and became a Christian. His widow, Ummi Ḥabībah, who was the daughter of a renowned chieftain of the Quraish, Abū Sufyān, later came into matrimony with the Holy Prophetsa.4

In addition to these people was ‘Abdullāh bin Mas‘ūdra who was not from the Quraish, but belonged to the Hudhail tribe. ‘Abdullāhra was a very poor man and would pasture the goats of ‘Uqbah bin Abī Mu‘īṭ, a chieftain of the Quraish. After he accepted Islām he came into the service of the Holy Prophetsa, and his blessed company ultimately transformed him into a very learned scholar. The foundation of Ḥanafī Jurisprudence is primarily based on his narrations and religious interpretations. Then was Bilāl bin Rabāḥra, the Abyssinian slave of Umaiyyah bin Khalaf. After he migrated, the duty of calling Adhān5 in Madīnah was entrusted to him. However, after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa he stopped calling the Adhān but in the Caliphate of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, when Syria was conquered, upon the persistence of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, he called the Adhān. This reminded everyone of the Holy Prophet’s time and Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra and the companions who were present at the time, as well as himself wept bitterly. Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra loved Bilāl to the extent that when he died, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra said, “This day a chieftain of the Muslims has passed away”. These were the words of the king of that time for a poor Abyssinian slave. Then was ‘Āmir bin Fuhairahra whom Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra freed from slavery and employed as an attendant. Then there was Khabbāb bin Al-Arat who was a freed slave and in those days worked in Madīnah as a blacksmith. Then there was Abū Dharrra who belonged to the Ghifār tribe. When he heard of the Holy Prophet’ssa claim he sent his brother to Makkah for the purpose of investigation. Thus, his brother came to Makkah and briefed Abū Dharr after his return, but he was not satisfied. For this reason, he later came to Makkah himself and became Muslim after meeting the Holy Prophetsa. An elaborate account of his acceptance of Islām is written in Bukhārī and is quite interesting.6 Abū Dharr was very devout and a man of ascetic disposition. He believed that the collection of wealth is worthy of condemnation under all circumstances. At times, he would fall into a dispute with other companions over this belief.7

These are some of the people who accepted Islām in its first three to four years. Among them, the wives and children of those who were married generally accepted Islām as well. Thus, in addition to Ḥaḍrat Khadījahra, historians have particularly named Asmā’ bint Abī Bakrra and Faṭimah bint Khaṭṭābra, the wife of Sa‘īd bin Zaid among the early Muslim women. In addition to these, Ummi Faḍl, the wife of ‘Abbās bin ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib was also among the pioneer Muslims but it is strange that until this time, ‘Abbās himself had not accepted Islām. In any case, the outcome of the three to four year laborious endeavour of the Holy Prophetsa was merely these few souls. However, among these ancient pioneers, with the exception of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra, there were none who possessed particular influence and honour among the Quraish. Some were slaves and most of the others were poor and weak. Some, however, were related to upper class families of the Quraish, but even among them, most were youngsters and thus, were not in a position to cast an influence in their tribes. Others who were aged had no influence due to their poverty or other reasons. For this reason, it was a common thought among the Quraish that only young and weak people had accepted Muḥammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him). Therefore, after many years, when Heraclius, the King of Rome inquired of Abū Sufyān, the Chief of Makkah, “Does the nobility accept Muḥammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) or the weak lower class?” Abū Sufyān responded, “The weak and lower class accept him.” Upon which Heraclius answered – and beautifully indeed, “In the beginning, it is the lower class who accept the messengers of Allāh.”8

1 Disciple (Publishers)

2 * Al-Iṣābatu fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah as follows:

* Usdul-Ghābah, Volume 3, p. 482, ‘Uthmān bin ‘Affān, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut (2003)

* As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, pp. 189-191, Bābu Dhikri man Aslama minaṣ-Ṣaḥābati bi Da‘wati Abī Bakrra, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)

* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 227, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)

* Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 1, pp. 457-458, Bābu Dhikri Awwalu man Āmana billāhi wa Rasūlihīsa, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)

3 Faithful of the Religion (Publishers)

4 Usdul-Ghābah, Volume 6, p. 63, Ḥabībahra bint Abū Sufyān, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut (2003)

5 Call to Prayer (Publishers)

6 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-Manāqib, Bābu Qiṣṣati Islāmi Abī Dharrra, Ḥadīth No. 3522

7 * Al-Iṣābatu fī Tamīziṣ-Ṣaḥābah, Volume 7, p. 108 Abū Dharr Al-Ghifārī

* Usdul-Ghābah, Volume 5, p. 101, Abū Dharr Al-Ghifārī, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut (2003)

8 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Bāb No. 6, Ḥadīth No. 7