Companions of Prophet Muhammad (s) ... Grades 4 & 5 (MCCGP)/Ages 8 & 9 (MAP)

As a Caliph, Umar ruled for ten years.

HAMZA IBN ABD AL MUTTALIB

Hamza ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib (In Arabic: حمزة إبن عبد المطلب) was the paternal uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his foster-brother. He was regarded as his foster brother because Prophet Muhammad and Hamza were suckled by the same women when they were infants. He and Muhammad were raised together as they were almost the same age. With excellence in the arts of wrestling and swordsmanship, Hamza used his talents and experience to its best in the cause of Islam and earned the title of "Chief of the Martyrs" from Muhammad. Hamza was very fond of wrestling and hunting. He took great interest in swordsmanship and archery."

Lineage and titles

Hamza was the son of Abdul Muttalib (Shaiba ibn Hashim), the grandson of Hashim ibn Abd Manaf and the great-grandson of Abd Manaf ibn Qusai from the tribe of Quraysh, حَمْزَةُ بنُ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ بنِ هَاشِمِ بنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ القُرَشِيُّ Hamza was known as the Lion of God (Arabic أسد الله) and the Lion of Paradise (Arabic: أسد الجنة) for his bravery. Among his titles are: Abu Umara ("أَبُو عُمَارَةَ"), and Abu Ya'la ("أَبُو يَعْلَى"). Hamza was also given the tittle of "Seyyed-ush-Shuhda" (Leaders of the Martyrs).

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

Hamza, the son of Abd al-Muttalib, was the younger brother of Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib, Muhammad's father. He had also been weaned by the same woman, Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb, as Muhammad, making Hamza Muhammad's foster brother as well. The two, Hamza and Muhammad, had grown up together, being just two or three years apart in age. But as the boys had become young men, they developed different attitudes to problems of society, Hamza was not such a contemplative thinker and was comfortable in his status of being part of the Meccan elite, though their relationship remained as strong as ever. So it was a conflicted Hamza that witnessed the escalating situation in the city as Muhammad declared the message of Islam. On the one hand, he had absolute faith in the character of his foster brother and nephew, being one of those who had been closest to him for all of his life. Yet some of his most honored values were the respect he held for his family and the traditions they had always followed, his pagan religion among these. So he was indifferent to the controversy, discouraging his peers from worrying about what they saw as a revolution in their midst and not bothering to join them[6] in torturing the defenseless Muslims, while declining Muhammad's invitation to Islam. Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib was married to Salma bint Umays, the half-sister of Maymuna bint al-Harith (wife of Mohammed).

HAMZA's CONVERSION TO ISLAM

Hamza converted to Islam due after some actions of Amr ibn Hishām, (also known as Abū Jahl أبو جهل) known for his hostility against the Muslims. Hamza, Muhammad's uncle, had returned to the city of Mecca after a hunting trip in the desert. Upon returning, he soon learned that Abu Jahl (an avowed enemy of Islam) had heaped abuse and insults upon Muhammad, who had not responded and walked away from where he had sat in the Haram. Outraged, Hamza dashed to the Kaaba, where Abu Jahl sat with other leaders of Mecca, and began to beat him with his bow while shouting "Are you going to insult him now, now that I am of his religion and vouch for what he vouches for? Hit me if you can!" As the companions of Abu Jahl approached Hamza in an attempt to assault him, Abu Jahl feebly cried out from the ground "Leave Abu Umarah, for indeed I insulted his nephew deeply." And he cowered at the feet of Hamza, while his friends could not meet Hamza's eyes. As he departed, he kicked sand back at the men, leaving all shocked at what Hamza had just said, none more so than Hamza himself. After that incident, Hamza declared Islam, and made a covenant to help Muhammad and to die in the cause of Islam.

Death at Battle of Uhud

On 19 March 625 (3 Shawwal 3 hijri) Hamza was fighting alongside the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud. He was standing in front of Muhammad, fighting with two swords, and shouting "I am Allah's lion". The Abyssinian slave Wahshy ibn Harb was there near the mountain of Uhud where the battle was fought. His master, Jubayr ibn Mut'im (Arabic: جبير بن مطعم‎) had promised him freedom if he killed Hamza. Wahshy ibn Harb, who was skilled in using the Javelin, threw it into Hamza's abdomen and killed him. He (Wahshi) soon left the battle as he had no other reason to fight.

ABU HURAIRAH (RadhiAllahu Anhu)

Abu Hurairah (R A) , (also known as `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr Al-Azdi) was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the narrator of Hadith.Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.

HIS LIFE

Abu Hurairah (R A) was born in Baha, Yemen into the Banu Daws tribe from the region of Tihamah on the coast of the Red Sea. His father had died, leaving him with only his mother and no other relatives. His name at birth was Abd al-Shams (servant of the sun). However, as a child, he had a cat and became known as "Abu Hurairah (R A)" (which literally means "Father of the Kitten" or more idiomatically "Of the kitten").

Another recognized fact is that after embracing Islam Abu Hurairah (R A) looked after the mosque and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) . He made it a regular habit to give the left over food to the wandering cats. Gradually the number of cats around the mosque increased. He loved to caress and play with them. Hence he got the name Abu Hurairah (R A) - Father (care taker) of kitten.

As a young man, he worked for Bushra bint Ghazwan. Abu Hurairah (R A) embraced Islam through Tufayl ibn Amr the chieftain of his tribe.

Tufayl had returned to his village after meeting Muhammad (SAW) and become a Muslim in the early years of his mission. Abu Hurairah (R A) was one of the first to respond to his call, unlike the majority of Tufayl's tribesmen.

Abu Hurairah (R A) accompanied Tufayl to Mecca to meet Muhammad (SAW) who renamed him Abd al-Rahman (servant of the Merciful, one of the 99 Names of God). Abu Hurairah (R A) then returned to his tribe for several years.

In 629 he went to Medina with some others from his tribe. Since Muhammad (SAW) was absent due to the Battle of Khaybar, he stayed in the masjid.

Abu Hurairah (R A), with other Muslims, suffered from hunger when the Muslims were poor in Medina

The poorer members of the Community including migrants from other parts of the world had a special place in the mosque called the Suffa. They were called the Ahl al-Suffa, People of the Bench, and many of them had no possessions but the clothes on their back. Abu Hurairah was the most prominent of the Ahl al-Suffa. The Messenger, upon him be peace, used to send any charity that he received and shared with them gifts that had been given. Abu Hurairah related how he used to lie on the ground or tie a stone to his stomach due to the intense hunger. On one occasion, he waited outside the mosque and when Abu Bakr went by, he asked him about a verse of Qurân in the hope that he would notice his state and offer him something to eat. However, he answered the question and went on. Then he did the same with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb, who did the same as Abu Bakr. Then he waited for the Messenger, upon whom be peace, who invited him in to his house to see if there were any gifts of food. He felt fortunate as the Messenger, upon him be peace, had been given a cup of milk. To Abu Hurairah’s dismay, he was ordered to invite all the Ahl al-Suffa and then to pour out for each one of them. At this, he despaired of getting any milk because they were so numerous and the person pouring the milk is always the last to drink. To his surprise when everyone had drunk, the cup was still full. He drank his fill and when he had finished, the Messenger, upon him be peace, said ‘drink!’ Abu Hurairah obeyed. When he had drank until he could drink no more, the Messenger, upon him be peace, smiled and again said, ‘drink!’ Despite being sated, he drank. After he had finished, the Messenger smiled again and said, ‘drink!’ To this Abu Hurairah, said ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is no way I can drink any more.’ He realised that the Messenger, upon him be peace, was teaching him not to doubt the blessings of his Lord.

Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.

"Narrated Abu Huraira: I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! I hear many narrations from you but I forget them.’ He said, ‘Spread your covering sheet.’ I spread my sheet and he moved both his hands as if scooping something and emptied them in the sheet and said, ‘Wrap it.’ I wrapped it round my body, and since then I have never forgotten a single Hadith."

Abu Huraira helped pass and teach the religion of Islam on through narrating the traditions of the Prophet(SAW) to the early Muslims.

The Memory of the Revelation Era

Abu Huraira (R A) was good in the art of listening and his memory was good in the art of storing. He used to listen, understand, and memorize; then he hardly forgot one word, no matter how long his life lasted. That is why his gift made him memorize and narrate the Prophetic traditions (Hadiths) more than any of the Companions of the Messenger (SAW).

Abu Hurairah (R A) was not one of the scribes, but, he had a strong memory that made him retain things in his mind very quickly. He had neither land to plant nor commerce to keep him busy; hence he stayed with Messenger (SAW) all the time.

Thus, he devoted himself and his precise memory to memorizing the hadiths and instructions of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). When the Prophet (SAW) died, Abu Hurairah (R A) kept narrating his traditions, which made some Companions wonder how he could know all those hadiths? When did he hear them?

Once Marwaan Ibn Al-Hakam wanted to examine Abu Hurairah (R A)'s ability to memorize. He invited him to sit with him and asked him to narrate about the Messenger of Allah (SAW) while a scribe sat behind a screen and was told to write whatever Abu Hurairah (R A) said. After a year, Marwaan invited him once again and asked him to narrate the same traditions the scribe had written. Abu Hurairah (R A) had not forgotten a single word!

Imam Ash- Shaafiy (R A) said about him, "No one in his period was more capable of narrating traditions with such a memory than Abu Hurairah (R A)."

Al Bukhaariy said, "Almost eight hundred or more Companions, followers (the generation after the Companions) and people of knowledge narrated through Abu Hurairah (R A)." Thus, Abu Hurairah (R A) was a big, immortal school.

DEATH

Umar appointed him as ruler over Bahrain but after a short time, he decided he did not want to be involved in politics or ruling, resigned and went into recluse. He returned to Madina where he died in the year 57, 58 or 59 H, aged 78 years old.