Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu,
The following are summaries and pearls compiled by a follower from the ‘Blast from the past series – Seerah in the 21st century’ taught by Sheikh Sajid Umar.
Episode 2
“Everything right is good but not everything good is necessarily right” – Sh Sajid Umar
The method of making the gathering of learning the seerah of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) right is by:
1) Loving the prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) more after learning about Him
2) Developing an understanding of the Quran
3) Growing in our understanding the relevance of the Muhahammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) in a manner that is contemporary to our life today
4) Developing a love for the companions of the Prophet.
There is no group of people who come together in a house from the houses of Allah to recite the book of Allah and they learn together the lessons from this book except that:
1) Contentment befalls the gathering.
2) The people in the gathering are engulfed by Allah’s mercy
3) Allah causes angels to surround the gathering.
4) Allah praises the people in the gathering to the Angels.
Introduction to the Islam of Hamza and the Islam of Umar (RA)
Hamza (RA) was an uncle and foster brother of the Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam).
What was his road to accepting Islam?
- Upon the return of hamza (RA) who was known for his hunting skills and bravery from an expedition, he was informed by a slave girl of the verbal and physical attack on Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) by Abu Jahhal, which she herself had witnessed.
* It is important to note that hamza (RA) was not angered by this because Islam was attacked, but because of his close relationship with Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam).
- Hamza RA then went and struck Abu Jahhal whose tribe came forth to defend him. He stopped them and said that he deserved this for he struck Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) intentionally and shamelessly and this was the repercussion of it.
- Hamza (RA) told Abu Jahhal to leave Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) because he Hamza was now upon the message that Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam preaches, not because he wanted to defend the honor of the Muslims, but because he wanted to defend the honour of Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam).
Islam of Umar (ra)
How did he embrace faith?
There are contrasting narrations with regards to how he accepted Islam.
- Umar (r) was a fierce enemy of Islam. He was the mastermind behind the Quraysh, beating, punishing and persecuting anyone who accepted Islam. This was made manifest by his actions in beating up the slave girl he was responsible for day and night for accepting Islam. He only stopped because “the hand of umar was tired” and not because he felt pity for the slave girl.
- Despite this, Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) did nothing to take revenge, but instead prayed for the Islam of either Umar or Abu Jahhal for he knew of their strength and authority and the good that would bring for the Muslims if he had either of them upon the path of truth.
- Upon hearing the narration of the Quran and accepting Islam, Umar (ra) went to the leaders of the Quraish and informed them that he was upon the message of Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) despite the shame it might have brought to him.
- Upon accepting Islam, Umar (ra) went to Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Muslims in hiding to query as to why they were hiding when they were upon the message of the truth. Thereafter, the Muslims came out out of hiding with honour for the first time, and marched with both Hamza and Umar (ra) on either side. This was the first time Islam became open and public and the first time the Muslims prayed in the courtyard of the Kaa’abah. The Muslims were no longer the ‘underdogs.’
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