MEN AROUND THE PROPHET (8) (8) MUAADH IBN JABAL The Most Learned of Halaal and Haraam Among the seventy-man delegation of the Ansaar who took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet in the Second Allegiance of `Aqabah sat a young man with a bright face, graceful eyes, and a radiant smile. When he was silent, he attracted attention with his profound peacefulness and devoutness. On the other hand, when he talked, he held his people spellbound. This young man was Muaadh lbn Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him). He belonged to the Ansaar, and he was among the foremost believers who gave the second oath of allegiance to the Prophet. Naturally, a man of such precedence, faith, and certainty would not miss for the world a battle or an expedition. His uppermost quality was his knowledge of fiqh (jurisprudence) the practical aspect of Muhammads message. He reached the apex in knowledge and fiqh, to the extent that made the Prophet (PBUH) say, The most learned man of my nation in halaal and haraam is Muaadh Ibn Jabal. He resembled `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab in his enlightenment, courage and intelligence. When the Prophet sent him to Yemen, he asked him, How will you give a judgment or settle a dispute? Muaadh answered; I will refer to the Quraan. The Prophet then asked, What will you do if you do not find the decree you are looking for in the Quraan? Muaadh answered, I will refer to the Prophets Sunnah. The Prophet asked, But what will you do if you do not find a decree even in the Sunnah? Muaadh readily answered, I will be judge between mankind by resorting to juristic reasoning (ijtihaad) to the best of my power. Now, Muaadhs staunch commitment to Allahs Book and the Prophets Sunnah does not mean that he closed his mind to the countless and endless hidden or equivocal facts that await someone to unravel and adjudicate. Perhaps both Muaadhs ability in juristic reasoning and the courageous usage of his intelligence enabled him to master the fiqh, excelling all other scholars. The Prophet justifiably described Muaadh as the most learned man of my nation in haaal and haraam. History portrays him as a man of remarkably enlightened, resolute, and decisive mind. For instance, `Aaez Allah lbn Abd Allah narrated that one day he entered the mosque with the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) at the dawn of `Umars caliphate. Then he sat among more than thirty men. Let us hear him narrate the story: I sat with a group of more than thirty men. They were recalling a hadith of the Prophet (PBUH). In this ring sat a dark, swarthy young man who had a sweet voice and a radiant face. Whenever they disputed about a hidden or ambiguous meaning in the hadith, they at once sought his legal instruction or judgment. He seldom, if ever, spoke unless he was asked. When their meeting was over, I approached him and asked him, Who are you, O Allahs Slave? He answered, I am Muaadh Ibn Jabal. So I instantly felt dose to him. Also, Shahr Ibn Hawshab said, Whenever Muaadh lbn Jabal was present when the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were holding a meeting, they looked at him with reverence. `Umar Ibn Al-khattaab, the Commander of the Faithful, often consulted him. It seemed that Muaadh had a highly disciplined mind and a captivating and convincing logic that moved peacefully and knowledgeably. When we look at his historical background, we will always see him at the center of attention. He always sat there surrounded by people. He always maintained a discrete silence that was only broken whenever people were anxious to hear his judgment and whenever they were in dispute. When he spoke he looked, as one of his contemporaries described, as if light and pearls were emanating from his mouth rather than speech. He reached his high rank in knowledge and reverence when the Prophet (PBUH) was alive and maintained it after his death, notwithstanding his youth, for Muaadh died during `Umars caliphate at the age of thirty-three years. Muaadh was generous, magnanimous, well-mannered, and good-natured. If anyone asked him for money, he would readily and glady give it to him. His generosity made him spend all his money on charity and aid. When the Prophet (PBUH) died, Muaadh was still in Yemen, where the Prophet (PBUH) had sent him with the task of teaching Muslims their religion and fiqh. When Muaadh returned from Yemen during Abu Bakrs caliphate, `Umar lbn Al khttaab was informed that Muaadh become wealthy, and he suggested to Abu Bakr that the community should have half of Muaadhs wealth. `Umar did not waste much time as he rushed to Muaadhs house and told him about what he and Abu Bakr had agreed on. Muaadh was an honest and trustworthy man. The fact that he had made a fortune did not make him vulnerable to suspicion or sin; therefore, he turned down `Umars suggestion and refuted his viewpoint. Finally, `Umar left him. The next day, Muaadh hurried towards `Umars house and no sooner had he laid his eyes on him than he hugged him. His tears flowed as he said, Last night, I saw in my dream that I was crossing deep water. I nearly drowned were it not for your help, `Umar. Afterwards, they both went to Abu Bakrs presence where Muaadh asked him to take half his money, but Abu Bakr said, No, I will take nothing from you. `Umar glanced at Muaadh and said, Now it is halaal and blessed. First, the pious Abu Bakr would not take from Muaadh one penny unless he was absolutely positive that he had earned it in a lawful halaal way. Second, `Umar was not trying to accuse or cast suspicion on Muaadh. In the final analysis, this epitomizes the era of ideals which was filled with people who were in perpetual competition to climb their way up to the apex of perfection allowed to human beings. Thus some of them soared up to the sky with their good deeds. Some were foremost and the rest followed a middle course. Yet, all of them were travelers on a caravan of goodness. After a while, Muaadh emigrated to Syria, where he lived among its people and the expatriates as a teacher and a scholar of fiqh. When Abu Ubaidah, the governor of Syria and a dose friend of Muaadh, died, the Commander of the Faithful `Umar Ibn Al khattaab assigned Muaadh to take his place as a ruler. Only a few months had elapsed after his taking over when he died, humble and repentant to Allah. `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) used to say, If I were to grant Muaadh Ibn Jabal succession and Allah asked me, `Why did you make him your successor? I would readily answer, `I heard Your Prophet (PBUH) say that when those who have knowledge stand before Almighty Allah, Muaadh will be among them. The succession that `Umar meant here was not merely over a country or a governorship but over all the Muslim lands. When `Umar was asked before his death, If you choose your successor now, we will give him our allegiance, he answered, If Muaadh lbn Jabal were alive and I made him my successor to the caliphate, then I died and met Allah Who asked me, `Whom did you assign to rule Muhammads nation? I would answer, `I assigned Muaadh lbn Jabal to rule it after I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say Muaadh Ibn Jabal is the Imam of those who have knowledge of Judgment Day. The Prophet (PBUH) said one day, O Muaadh, by Allah I love you dearly, so do not forget to recite after every prayer, `Allah help me in remembering You, in offering thanks to You, and in worshiping You properly. Indeed, the Prophet (PBUH) supplicated Allah to help him to remember Him. The Prophet (PBUH) persevered in stressing this great fact that tells people that authority belongs to Allah, He has the power over all, and there is no power or any might except with His permission, for He is Most High and Most Great. Definitely, Muaadh had learned and fully grasped this fact..............................
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 11:39:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015