Friends

22. LOVE TOWARDS THE PROPHET’S FRIENDS

The Sahaba showed great reverence to those who were very close and friendly to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam).

When Sayyiduna Omar fixed the contribution of Sayyiduna Usamah at three and a half thousand Dirhams and that of his son, Sayyiduna Abdullah, at three thousand, Sayyiduna Abdullah objected and said: “Why have you preferred Usamah to me while he was never ahead of me in any battle?” Sayyiduna Omar said: “Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) loved his father Zaid more than your father and loved Usamah more than you. I, therefore, preferred Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s beloved to my beloved.” 1

1 Tirmidi

2 Bukhari

3 Musnad Ibne-Hambal, Vol. 2, p.225

Once, Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Omar saw a person crawling in the Mosque. He asked who he was. Someone told he was Muhammad the son of Usamah. Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Omar bowed down his head and said: “Had the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) seen him, he would have loved him.” 2

The Sahaba not only loved the Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam)’s close friends but they also showed respect to those slaves whom the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) had freed and kept with him. The Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “The slaves, whose nose and ears have been amputated or who have been burned, are free and are friends of Allah and His Prophet.” People heard this and brought forth a eunuch whose name was Sunder. The Glorious Prophet of Islam (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) freed him. Whenever he visited the courts of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, both the Caliphs showed great respect towards him. On one ocassion, he wished to go to Egypt. Sayyiduna Omar wrote to Sayyiduna Amr Bin Al-As to treat him well according to the will of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam). 3 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Another report says: Sayyiduna Abu Bakr used to help him and his family from the treasury. Sayyiduna Omar had written to the Governor of Egypt that he should be given some land. But this report does not mention the name of Sunder. The person referred to in this report may be some other slave. 4

4 Musnad Ibne-Hambal, Vol. 2, p.182