(Continued)

The governor of Madinah Munawwarah said to the slave girl, “Tell him that I have a letter from the governor of Makkah Mukarramah regarding an urgent affair.” The slave girl entered the home, and after some time, returned with a chair which she placed on the ground. We then met Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah), a man who was advanced in age and tall in stature. When Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) exited his home to meet us, he exuded awe and dignity, and was wearing a taylasaan (a shawl worn over the head and shoulders).

The governor of Madinah Munawwarah handed the letter of the governor of Makkah Mukarramah to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) who commenced reading it. When he reached the part of the letter in which the governor had written, “This (i.e. Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah)) is a man who is noble in his affairs and condition. You should teach him Hadith.” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) threw the letter down and exclaimed, “Subhaanallah! Has the knowledge of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) become so cheap that it can now be acquired through a mere casual request?”

Du‘aa before the Battle of Uhud

Ishaaq bin Sa’d (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), narrates the following from his father:

On the day of Uhud, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Why don’t you come so that we may make du‘aa together?” They thus secluded themselves in a corner and Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to make du‘aa. He said, “O Rabb! When the enemy meet us later, make me encounter one of the enemy who is extremely mighty and very determined, I will fight him and he will fight me. Then bless me to overpower him so that I may kill him and take his equipment as spoils of war.”

Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said Ameen to this du‘aa.

Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘ari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Abu Taalib once travelled with some seniors of the Quraish to Syria. A Christian monk was living in the area where they had halted. They had passed this monk on numerous occasions previously, but he never showed any interest in them. On this occasion, however, when the trade caravan of the Quraish halted, the monk unexpectedly emerged from his monastery, came to the caravan and began to examine each one of the travelers. When he came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he grasped him by the hand and exclaimed:

هذا سيّد العالمين هذا رسول رب العالمين يبعثه اللّٰه رحمة للعالمين

“This is the leader of the worlds. This is the messenger of the Rabb of the worlds. Allah Ta‘ala will send him as a mercy for the people of the worlds.” 

Rabee’ bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) narrates that he heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) mention the following:

I departed from Makkah Mukarramah and joined the tribe of Huzail, travelling with them in the desert. I learned their manner of speaking and the Arabic that they spoke, as they were among the most eloquent of Arabs. I stayed with them for some time, walking with them whenever they departed, and halting with them whenever they stopped.

Thereafter, I returned to Makkah Mukarramah and began to engage in reciting poetry and recounting the history of different people and tribes. One day, a certain man from the tribe of Zuhra passed by and said to me, “O Abu ‘Abdillah! It pains me to see that you are not engaged in acquiring the knowledge of Deen and Fiqh (the understanding of Deen). That which you are currently engaged in is merely the art of eloquence and speaking fluently.” I immediately asked the man, “Who still remains from the ‘Ulamaa who are frequented for their knowledge of Deen?” The man replied, “Imaam Maalik bin Anas (rahimahullah), the leader of the Muslims.”