Hazrat Abdulläh bin Sa'd bin Abi Sar'h رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ

Abdulah bin Sa'd bin Abi Sarh: A life of tremendous ups and downs that saw him in the exalted position of Wahy-writer, then as a Kafir -- no Salah, no Saum, not even iman in one Allah, and then at last: As salamu alikum wa rahmatullah!


Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abi Sarh



Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abi Sar'h رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ was initially Wahy-writer of Allah's Prophet ﷺ. An honorable status which many craved but few achieved. Perhaps, too much of good did no suit him then. The evil-inducing spirit overpowered him and in no time he was back, in the land of Kufr, Makkah, as a Kaafir, a Disbeliever whose every breath signified treason to the Creator and Sustainer. It is difficult to guess what his future plans were. What he wanted to be in his life. A rich man who gets to enjoy all the goods of life, or someone who lives alone, dies alone, nobody knows him, no one cares for him.

Whatever he might have pictured for his future, one thing he certainly had not. He had never dreamed that Isläm and its Prophet would follow him even to the headquarters of Kufr, Makkah. It was unwelcome but inevitable. The commander Abü Sufyän who had managed to gather such a large army against the Muslims in the past, that the thumping hearts of some of the Sahäbah seemed to reach their throats for fear, now looked no more than  a feeble, helpless individual. The Prophet entered Makkah. All hopes were lost for the sinners and criminals. Being one of them, 'Abdulläh searched for some straw to cling upon. “'Usmän, my brother, help me! Remember the days of sweet childhood, the innocence of sinlessness, …” His foster brother Usmän bin Affän رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ took him in his company to the Prophet ﷺ while he was taking bai'ah (vow of loyalty) from the new Muslims.

“Alläh’s Prophet! Here's 'Abdulläh! He has come to become a Muslim at your hands.” No response from the Prophet! Is he too busy, or is he in contemplation before giving his verdict about me? Would these moments of Prophet’s decision-formation be the only moments of life left for 'Abdulläh? Heart pounding, eyes unblinking, his ears could hear nothing from the Prophet. Had the till-now reliable ears gone deaf? The voice of brother Usmän repeatedly beseeching the Prophet to accept him as a Muslim were the only sounds he could feel. And then the Prophet turned towards him. His eyes of mercy cast its looks upon the soul of sin. And in no time, the tense environment thick with apprehension had evaporated. He was a Muslim, a companion of the Prophet. Welcome back again.

It was a wonder how time swept past. There was the coolness of every eye, the beloved of every heart, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ leading prayers, delivering sermons, helping the weak, reining in the strong. And then he was not there. He was followed by his caliph Abü Bakr, who too in no time went away to the company of him whom he valued far above his own self.

The earth which had seen the cowering 'Abdulläh hoping against hope for mercy at Makkah was left astounded to see the same man leading the army of people out to liberate the oppressed from enslavement by men towards the ultimate freedom: servitude to the One and Only Master. The African morning had to shut its eyes, wipe it, open it, again and again, before it realized that the scared 'Abdulläh beseeching for life thirty years ago was now at the lead of men who loved death more than the sinners loved wine.

Hazrat Usmän رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ too had gone to his true Master. Hazrat 'Alï had followed him. Now, Hazrat Mu'äviyah appeared to be on the last legs of his journey. 'Abdulläh felt his own body protesting against the continuance of his own journey for long. Somehow, the morning came and found 'Abdulläh praying to Alläh: “Alläh! make my last deed my morning Saläh.”

He performed ablution as usual. He led the Fajr Saläh as always. The recitations, the bowings, the prostrations, … everything as every day. Then the ending Saläm of Saläh … Oops! the ending Saläm of life! The eager angel of death felt one Saläm was enough. And so before he could turn left to say As Salämu 'alaikum wa rahmatulläh to the invisibles and visibles, he had gone. Gone, from the world of visible humans to the world of invisible angels! No one knows whether the first Saläm was meant to end his Fajr Saläh or to greet the angel of death.

Alläh! To You we all belong, and to You we all will return, like 'Abdulläh!