Abdullah bin Amr (r.a.)

It was the 13^th year of the prophethood. A lot of people of Madinah accepted Islam through Hz. Mus’ab bin Umayr, who had been given the duty of conveying the message of Islam. When it was hajj season, a group of 75 people, two of whom were women, went to Makkah with Mus’ab. The whole caravan consisted of 500 people. The polytheists were in majority. They also went to the Kaaba in the season of hajj and worshipped the idols there; they regarded it as hajj.

The Muslims of Madinah agreed to meet the Prophet at night. However, they concealed it from the polytheists. Ka’b bin Malik and a few Muslims talked to Abdullah bin Amr, who was still a polytheist, and invited him to Islam. For, he was one of the notables of the tribe of Khazraj. If he believed, he could be a means of saving a lot of people from his tribe. They made him the following offer:

“O Jabir’s father! You are our master and one of our notables. You are a respectable person and are known by everybody. We do not want an honorable person like you who has a certain place in his tribe to be wood in Hell.”

After these words, they offered him to become a Muslim. When he did not oppose and when they felt that his heart felt warm toward Islam, they told him that they would meet the Messenger of Allah. Abdullah bin Amr, who naturally had a clean spirit and who was a cute person became a believer.

That night, all of the Muslims of Madinah met the Prophet at Aqabah. The Prophet wanted them to choose 12 people among them as representatives. One of the nine people representing the tribe of Khazraj was Abdullah bin Amr. Hz. Abdullah was a person with strong will; he was knowledgeable and shrewd. He could read and write. When Hz. Abdullah became a believer in this journey, he became a perfect person. The Prophet gave those who took part in the pledge the glad tidings of Paradise. Thus, Abdullah felt the happiness of eternal peace as soon as he became a Muslim.

After the arrival of the Prophet in Madinah, Abdullah attended most of his holy talks to learn ilm and wisdom from him. Hz. Abdullah was the head of a big family and he was poor but he did not miss the talks of the Prophet. He was also among the students of Suffa School. Abdullah, who received the praise of Allah and compliments of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) by being one of the special students of the Prophet, went to the battlefront when jihad was declared for the struggle between belief and unbelief against the polytheists at Badr. He became one of the lucky soldiers of the lofty religion.

A year later, while Prophet (pbuh) was gathering mujahids for the Battle of Uhud, Abdullah also wanted to join the army of the Prophet. He had a son and seven daughters in his house. His son, Jabir, who had become a Muslim with him in the Second Pledge of Aqabah, also wanted to fight the polytheists. However, he did not want to leave his daughters alone. Who would look after them if they both joined the war and were martyred? Hz. Abdullah persuaded his son to remain at home as follows:

“O my son Jabir! If I did not think about these girls being left alone, I would like you to be martyred in front of my eyes. However, I want you to stay at home and look after your sisters. ”

Hz. Jabir could not oppose his father and looked after the family. Hz. Abdullah took part in the Battle of Uhud.

Hz. Abdullah attacked the crowd of polytheists at Uhud; whenever he attacked them with his sword, he caused a lot of casualties. He fought heroically. He struggled for his belief with might and main. Neither his family nor his young daughters prevented him from fighting next to the Prophet. The aim of the war was to wave the flag of oneness and to spread the lofty name of Allah in the world.

In a fiery moment of the battle, Usama, one of the polytheists, martyred Abdullah with his sword. Abdullah bin Amr’s prayer was accepted by Allah; he became the first person to be martyred at Uhud.

After the battle, those were in Madinah went to Uhud. The relatives of the martyrs were looking for them. Hz. Jabir had also come. He narrates his encounter with his father’s body as follows:

“On Uhud day, my father was brought with his face covered. I removed the cover. The polytheists had cut off his nose and his ear; he was in an unrecognizable state. I could not help crying. At that time, my paternal aunt, Fatima also came. She began to cry and scream. In order to console her, the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Why are you crying? The angels kept shading him with their wings until that martyr was taken away. ”

Then the Prophet ordered Abdullah to be buried with Amr bin Jamuh. He said,

“They were two best friends who loved each other when they were alive.”

Once, Prophet Muhammad saw Jabir bin Abdullah in a gloomy state. He said,

“O Jabir! What happened to you? I see you sad and heartbroken.” Hz. Jabir said,

“O Messenger of Allah! My father was martyred. He left behind a crowded family and a big debt.”

Thereupon, the Prophet gave him the following good news and consolation:

“When your father was martyred, Allah revived him and took him in His presence. He asked your father, ‘O my slave! Make your wish. I will grant to you whatever you want.’ Your father said, ‘O Lord! I have not worshipped you properly. Send me back to the world.  I want to fight together with the Prophet and be martyred in your way again.’ Allah said, ‘I decreed that martyrs would not return to the world.’ Then your father said, ‘O Lord! Inform the people in the world about it.’ Thereupon, Allah Almighty sent down the following verses:

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay they live finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord. They rejoice in the Bounty provided by Allah: and with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve. They glory in the Grace and the Bounty from Allah, and in the fact that Allah suffereth not the reward of the Faithful to be lost (in the least).”

When Hz. Jabir heard this news, he became very happy…

46 years passed… Hz. Abdullah’s grave was on the way where rain waters flowed. The flowing water eroded the ground and opened graves of the martyrs. When they had to be transported to somewhere else, they had to open the graves. The martyrs seemed as if they had just died. The corpses had not changed and had remained intact. When the graves were opened, a musky smell was felt. They looked as if they were sleeping. Abdullah had put his hand on his wound when he was wounded. When the grave opened and they wanted to remove his hand from the wound and stretch it, his wound started to bleed. Finally, they left it as it was. Then, the bleeding stopped…