Touching Stories Of The Sahaba (ra) ..

#13:;ABDULLAH IBN JAHSH( (رضي الله عنه)

It is an admitted fact that stories of the righteous and pious people deserve to be studies deeply, in order to derive proper benefit from them. This is more important in case of the Sahabah, who were chosen by Allah for the company of His beloved and our dear prophet [sallallaho alaihe wasallam].

Their stories not only serve as a beacon of faith and practice but also a powerful way to learn, understand and motivate our Imaan and encourage the hearts of those who strive in Allah's path.

These Sahabah are a part of our Islamic heritage that will strengthen us as a nation if we try to follow their examples. Their lives tell a story of honesty,trustworthiness and the ultimate in self-sacrifice. This is a great tale of one such Sahaba, Abdullah Ibn Jahsh [May Allah be pleased with him].

He was the son of Jahsh ibn Riyab, an immigrant to Mecca from the Asadi tribe, and Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib, a member of the Hashimi clan of the Qurayshi tribe. His sister Zaynab bint Jahsh was a wife of the prophet SAW. Abdullah ibn Jahsh was a cousin of the Prophet. He was the first to head a group of Muslims on an expedition and so was the first to be called "Amir al-Mumineen"-- Commander of the Believers.

Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh converted to Islam under the influence of Abu Bakr. He became vulnerable to attacks and he accepted to face all kinds of torture and inflictions from the polytheists beforehand. The Makkans, who were attached to their belief and customs blindly became severely hostile to those who abandoned their ancestral religion. Abdullah bin Jahsh was exposed to the attacks of the polytheists. He was ready for all kinds of troubles for his belief. However, when the oppression became too unbearable, he joined the Muslim group who went to Abyssinia.

When the Prophet gave permission for his Companions to emigrate to Madinah to avoid further persecution from the Quraysh, Abdullah ibn Jahsh was the second to leave, preceded only by Abu Salamah. This time, however, his migration was on a far bigger scale. His family and relatives--men, women and children, migrated with him. In fact, his whole clan had become Muslims and accompanied him.

There was an air of desolation as they left Makkah. Their homes appeared sad and depressed as if no one had lived there before. No sound of conversation emanated from behind those silent walls.

Abdullah's clan were not long gone when the alerted Quraysh leaders came out and made the rounds of the districts in Makkah to find out which Muslims had left and who had remained. Among these leaders were Abu Jahl and Utbah ibn Rabiah. Utah looked at the houses of the Banu Jahsh through which the dusty winds were blowing. He banged on the doors and shouted:

"The houses of the Banu Jahsh have become empty and are weeping for its occupants." "Who were these people anyway," said Abu Jahl derisively, "that houses should weep for them."

He then laid claim to the house of Abdullah ibn Jahsh. It was the most beautiful and expensive of the houses. He began to dispose freely of its contents as a king would share out his possessions .

Later, when Abdullah ibn Jahsh heard what Abu Jahl had done to his house, he mentioned it to the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said:

"Aren't you satisfied, O Abdullah, with what God has given you instead, a house in Paradise?"
"Yes, messenger of God," he replied, and became at peace with himself and completely satisfied.

Abdullah was an intelligent, shrewd and courageous person who became a self-sacrificing soldier of belief at a young age. He had scarcely settled down in Madinah when he had to undergo one of the most testing experiences. He had just begun to taste something of the good and restful life under the sponsorship of the Ansar, after going through persecution at the hands of the Quraysh, when he had to be exposed to the severest test he had ever known in his life and carry out the most difficult assignment since he became a Muslim.