romePersonality Development in Islam

Salmaan ibn Fahd al-'Awdah

Article ID: 851 | 1444 Reads

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN ISLAM

AND ITS EFFECTS ON NATIONS AND CIVILISATIONS
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INTRODUCTION

Praise be to Allah; we praise Him, seek His forgiveness, and turn to Him in repentance. We seek
refuge with Him from the evils of our souls and the evils of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides,
none can misguide, and whomever Allah leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no
god but Allah alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and
Messenger.

The individual is the basic element from which all principles and beliefs are brought forth, and upon
which all nations and civilizations are built. If a nation is successful in developing its people as
strong and complete individuals, then, with Allah’s help, it will be able to realize a glorious future
for itself. It will also be able to promote and defend its religion and its beliefs. If, on the other hand,
a nation fails to develop its individual members, or if its people are deficient in carrying out some of
the activities of life, then that nation is doomed to weakness, destruction, and obscurity. In the
chapters that follow, we shall attempt, with Allah’s permission, to shed some light on this important
topic.

Our discussion will be organized under the following headings:

Chapter One: The importance of the individual to the issue of nation building.

Chapter Two: Special qualities of an exemplary individual character.

Chapter Three: Men of distinction who developed under the Prophet’s tutelage.

This final chapter is of special importance, because it provides for us examples of people who we
should strive to emulate. By doing so, perhaps Allah will place us in their company in Paradise.
Truly, this is Allah’s affair and He is fully capable of carrying it out.

CHAPTER ONE

The Importance of the Individual to the Issue of National-Building

The First Islamic State:

The first Islamic state, which was established by Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), was
established on the shoulders of strong, powerful men: first on those of Allah’s Messenger himself,
then on the shoulders of his Companions. This holds especially true for the earliest Companions who
took over the reigns of the state, like Abû Bakr, `Umar,

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`Uthmân, `Alî, Abû `Ubaydah, and Sa`d b. Abî Waqqâs (may Allah be pleased with them all).

When we look at a nation that enjoyed such a history – a nation that sings the praises of its own
glorious past, a nation that had strength, fortitude, and divine assistance, a nation that produced
many notable people – or when we look at a nation that has achieved wealth, prosperity, and prestige
or any kind of greatness whatsoever, we find that the secret of its strength and fortitude was its
cultivation of upright individuals who were willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the values,
beliefs, and principles that the nation upheld and for the sake of the nation itself.

The Concern of the Leadership for Individual Development:

The effects that the individual has on nation building and on the makings of civilization have been
the concern of reformers and religious people since the dawn of Islam. `Umar b. al-Khattâb sat in the
company of some Companions and said to them: “Wish for something.”

Someone said: “I wish that this place were filled with gold so I could spend it for the sake of Allah.

`Umar repeated his demand: “Wish for something.”

Someone else spoke up and said: “I wish it were filled with pearls, ornaments, and jewels so I could
spend them for the sake of Allah and give them in charity.”

No doubt, these wishes were very noble, but they were not what was on `Umar’s mind.

So he said again: “Wish for something.”

They said to him: “We do not know what to wish for, O Commander of the Faithful.”

`Umar then said: “I wish it were filled with men like Abû `Ubaydah b. al-Jarrâh, Mu`âdh b. Jabal,
Sâlim the freed slave of Abû Hudhayfah, and Hudhayfah b. al-Yamân!”1

`Umar, therefore, was not concerned about wealth or money that might be spent for the sake of
Allah, but he was concerned with something much more serious: character development. An upright
individual who has true faith in what he believes will be capable of securing wealth and money –if
just by virtue of his strength – and history has shown us that this is the case.

These are the people that nations rely upon – of course, after their total reliance on Allah – and if
these people are blessed with patience and fortitude in following their principles and their beliefs,
then their noble deeds will become almost like miracles. It is of utmost

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importance that they enjoy patience and steadfastness on their principles, because they are the ones
who must take charge of the affairs of life, and if their affairs are in order, then the life of the people
will be in order. On the other hand, if they fall into deviance and wickedness, fall victim to worldly
desires, or become corrupted by their surroundings, then the world will become as corrupt as they
are.

Ibn al-Mubârak, in his work entitled Kitâb al-Zuhd, relates that `‫خ‬sâ (Jesus, peace be upon him) said
to his disciples: “Do not take any payment from those who you teach except the likes of what you
gave to me.”2

We must make note of the fact that `‫خ‬sâ (peace be upon him) did not take any payment from his
disciples. Allah says in the Qur’ân, conveying to us the words of the Prophets (peace be upon them
all): “I ask no payment from you. My reward is but from the Lord of All the Worlds.”3 – meaning
that when you teach people about Islam, you should not take any payment from them.

Then `‫خ‬sâ (peace be upon him) said to them: “O salt of the Earth, do not become rotten.”

These disciples, who were `‫خ‬sâ’s most esteemed followers, his confidants, and his closest
companions, who carried his Message and spread the faith to all corners of the Earth, were the only
small group of people who were calling people away from corruption. So he says to them: “O salt of
the Earth, do not become rotten, because if salt becomes rotten, there is no remedy for it.”4 Some of
the pious predecessors had set these words in verse, saying:

O gathered reciters, O salt of the Earth!

Salt does not cure if the salt has gone bad.

These men – these solitary individuals, upon whose shoulders nations, civilizations, and the call to
faith were established – could not have fulfilled their vital role if they did not enjoy strong, well
developed, and healthy personal characters. They also had to have patience and steadfastness on
their principles. They could not be swayed from their noble purpose by corruptive influences,
desires, or personal ambitions.

CHAPTER TWO

Special Qualities of an Exemplary Individual Character

These individuals, who are so desperately needed for the call to Islam, need to possess a certain
natural disposition and certain exceptional qualities that suit the role in life that they were created to
play. There are also other qualities that they must acquire on their own, nurture, and then apply when
they call people to Islam.

We might wonder why Allah chose to have the call to Islam originate in the Arabian Peninsula. Why
not start with Persia or Rome, and why not begin with the Jews and the

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 Christians? When we look into the question, we find that Arabia was chosen for the unique qualities
of its inhabitants. Allah says: “Allah knows best where to place His Message.” [Sûrah al-An`âm:
124] The Arabs, in spite of all their deviance, lived in a vast desert that shielded them from exposure
to many corruptive influences from outside.

Their nomadic, desert lifestyle kept them from being affected by the deviant philosophies that
dominated the intellectual life of most people at that time. They enjoyed the virtues of bravery,
generosity, strength, and honesty.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) called them declare that there is no god but Allah, some of
them could easily have done so, not out of conviction, but in order to please the Prophet (peace be
upon him) and remain on good terms with him. But because they were people of the desert, their
natural disposition was to be straightforward, honest, and frank.

They did not play games. They rejected the call to monotheism and said in total frankness: “Has he
made all the gods into one God? Truly, this is a strange thing.” [Sûrah Sâd: 5]

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The Arabs enjoyed a very good set of character traits compared to what could be found among other
nations of that time.

These traits are necessary for anyone who works for Islam or calls others to it. At the same time,
there are three things that must be accomplished in order for those who possess these traits to
develop into people who can work for the benefit of Islam:

1. A person’s good qualities must be channeled into Islamic work.

Islam does not seek to do away with the natural disposition of the people who embrace it. Instead, it
works to cha nnel their natural qualities into a productive and healthy direction.

Take `Umar b. al-Khattâb for example. He was a very strong and powerful man in the
time of ignorance. Many of the Quraysh feared him. From the day that he accepted Islam, all of this
strength and power turned into courage and valor for the sake of Allah and daring in confronting the
unbelievers and polytheists. This is what is mentioned about `Umar in all the biographies of the
Prophet’s life.

`Umar’s son, Ibn `Umar, related the following about his father’s conversion to Islam:
“When my father accepted Islam, he asked: ‘Who among Quraysh is best at spreading the words of
others?’ He was informed that this person was Jamîl b. Ma`mar al-Jamhî. So he went to him and I
followed, hoping to see what he was going to do. I was a child at the time, but could understand
everything that as going on around me. When we approached him, `Umar said: ‘Jamîl, do you know
that I have accepted Islam, the religion of Muhammad?’ By Allah, Jamîl did not say a word but stood
up and drew his cloak about him. `Umar followed him and I followed my father. When we came to
the door of the Mosque, Jamîl declared at the top of his voice to the Quraysh who were assembled
around the Ka`bah: ‘`Umar b. al-Khattâb has become a Sabian.’ `Umar called out from behind him:
‘He lies. I have accepted Islam and have declared that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad
is His servant and Messenger.’ They turned against him in rage, and fighting broke out between them
and `Umar until the sun was directly over their heads and `Umar abated and sat down, leaving them
standing above him. He said: “Do as you see fit, because I swear by Allah that if we had been three
hundred men, we would have had to leave Mecca to you or you would have had to leave it to us’.”5

This gives us a clear picture of the sheer strength that `Umar possessed before embracing Islam.
After he accepted Islam, this strength was employed properly and directed to bringing about a great
deal of good for Islam.

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Islam did not come to obliterate the personalities of men and turn people into clones of
one another, or to make them as if they were all cast from the same mold. Islam came to develop the
unique and special characteristics of each individual Muslim so that they can be employed in the
service of Islam. Islam does not seek to turn everyone into a scholar or to make everyone into soldier
who brandishes his sword in Allah’s cause. Nor does it seek to turn everyone into devotees who pray
all night and fast all day. Quite the contrary, Islam addresses people with what suits their individual
temperaments. Someone who is strong in the time of ignorance remains strong after accepting Islam.
A person who is naturally very devout and strongly emotional will find fulfillment in Islam and
become engaged in worship and devotion, but this does not mean entering into some Sufi order. A
man who is brave and strong will find in Islam the duties of jihâd. A person with an active mind will
find that Islam encourages people to think and to seek knowledge. Perhaps the Prophet (peace be
upon him) was alluding to this fact when he said: “Everyone will find easy what he is created for.”6
Every Muslim much engage in a minimum amount of worship, seeking knowledge, and jihâd, but in
this hadîth, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was speaking about individual distinction. These
distinctive features are to be developed, not suppressed. They should be directed to the service of
Islam.

At the same time, these qualities must be refined and corrected and their excessive tendencies put in
check. We find that `Umar, who was strong, stern, and severe in the time of ignorance, had these
same qualities refined by his belief in Allah, the Hereafter, Paradise, and Hell, so much so that he
would often criticize and rebuke himself. Anas b. Mâlik relates that he went with `Umar to one of the
walled gardens. `Umar entered it and Anas, from behind the wall, heard him addressing himself,
saying: “`Umar b. al-Khattâb, Commander of the Faithful, bravo, bravo! I swear by Allah, you will
either fear Allah or He will truly punish you!”7

`Umar was addressing himself. It was as if he were saying to himself: “How have you arrived at
where you are – you who used to tend your father’s sheep in the time of ignorance without a care in
the world – you are now the Commander of the Faithful. People take note of you.” Then, he shows
his astonishment about what happened, saying: “Bravo, bravo.” Then, immediately, he rebukes
himself, saying: “I swear by Allah, you will either fear Allah or He will truly punish you!” It was as
if he were saying to himself: “It will be of no benefit you before Allah that you are the ruler or that
you hold a position of status and prestige among the Muslims unless you work righteous deeds.”

In this way, Islam benefited from the special quality of `Umar’s strength, after it was tempered and
properly directed, so that it would never transgress the proper limits. There is another good example
to be found in Khâlid b. al-Walîd, a man endowed with extraordinary courage. The rash boldness
that he exhibited in the times of ignorance was transformed into bravery, daring, and leadership in
the path of Allah, victory for Islam and defeat for the enemies of the faith. It is authentically related
that Khâlid b. al-Walîd used to say: “Neither the night where my new bride who I love was first
presented to me, nor the night when I was given the glad tidings of a son were more beloved to me
than that fierce, bitter cold night where I was dispatched with a party of men to fight the enemy in
the morning.”8

Khâlid’s natural courage and leadership were transformed into a sincere and constant desire to
engage in jihad. This fearless fighter found pleasure and contentment by going forward in the path of
Allah. Though he, like everyone else, could feel fear and the pain of severe cold, he considered that
night to be the most pleasurable night of his life. The unique characteristics of each individual must
be capitalized upon and benefited from, developed, and steered in the right direction.

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2. Emphasis must be placed on the positive aspects of a person’s character.

We all know that every person, no matter how bad, has some good qualities. That goodness might be
completely obscured by deviance or iniquity until a person might seem to be vileness in human
form. Yet, if that person is fortunate enough to taken by an able and sympathetic hand that can
remove the deviance that has soiled his natural disposition, then the good qualities of that person’s
character will emerge, qualities that are both special and praiseworthy. The best example of this is
the story of `Umar b. `al-Khattâb that `‫آ‬mir b. Rabî`ah relates from his mother Laylâ:

“`Umar was one of the severest people against Islam. While we were preparing to leave for
Abyssinia and I was on my camel ready to depart, `Umar came to me and asked: ‘Where are you
going, O Mother of `Abd Allah?’ I said: ‘You all have abused us on account of our religion, so we
will go in Allah’s Earth to a place where we will not be abused for worshipping Allah.’ `Umar said:
‘May Allah be with you’ and then departed. Then my husband, `‫آ‬mir b. Rabî`ah came and I told him
about what I saw of `Umar’s gentleness. He asked me if I had hopes that `Umar would accept Islam.
I said ‘yes’, to which he replied: ‘By Allah, al-Khattâb’s donkey will accept Islam before he does!’ ”
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Here is another good example. Anas b. Mâlik relates that Hafsah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be
upon him) called her co-wife Safiyyah the daughter of a Jew. Now, this was true, because Safiyyah’s
father, Hubayy b. Akhtab, was in fact a Jew who had died without ever accepting Islam. Still, such a
comment could be understood as a weakness in Safiyyah’s person, which would be even more
hurtful as it was coming from her co-wife. So when she heard what Hafsah had said, she started to
cry. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then came in and asked her why she was crying. She said:
“Hafsah called me the daughter of a Jew.” To this the Prophet peace be upon him) replied: “Verily,
you are the daughter of a Prophet, your uncle was also a Prophet, and you are the wife of a Prophet,
so what does she have over you to boast about?” He then turned to Hafsah and said: “Fear Allah, O
Hafsah.”10 In an alternate narration, the Prophet is reported to have said to Safiyyah: “Why didn’t
you say: ‘So how can you be better than me? Muhammad (peace be upon him) is my husband.
Hârûn (Aaron, peace be upon him) is my father, and Mûsâ (Moses, peace be upon him) is my uncle.”

Safiyyah was a descendant of Hârûn (peace be upon him). So, when Hafsah insinuated that
Safiyyah’s being the daughter of a Jew was something bad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) showed
Hafsah another way of looking at it: that Safiyyah was the descendant of Prophet Hârûn and that her
uncle was Mûsâ (peace be upon them both), and that her husband was Muhammad (peace be upon
him), so there was no reason for her to be ashamed that her father was a Jew.

This, then, is the second approach to Islamic character development. It entails drawing forth the
latent good that exists within a person and concentrating on his or her positive qualities.

3. Effort must be made to draw forth every good that a person is capable of.

This is achieved by providing many avenues for doing acts of good. There is prayer, charity, fasting,
Hajj, jihâd, seeking knowledge, doing good to others…and the list goes on. Every strength and
ability that a person can muster has a productive outlet where that person can truly feel that he or she
is serving Islam.

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There is no doubt that a lot of people – especially our young people – are endowed with many
physical and mental strengths. When there is no one to cultivate these strengths and abilities, they
either wither away or become employed in ignoble pursuits. They are used in pursuit of vain desires
or squandered in wasting time in the company of vulgar “friends”.

On the other hand, a proper Islamic upbringing provides ways of channeling these abilities and
strengths into fruitful paths. Here are a few examples of how this can be achieved:

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever spends two things in the path of Allah will
be called to from the gates of Paradise with: ‘O servant of Allah, this is good’. A person who used to
pray, will be called from the gate of prayer. A person who used to engage in jihâd will be called from
the gate of jihâd. A person who used to fast will be called from the gate of fasting. A person who
used to give in charity will be called from the gate of charity.”

When Abû Bakr heard this hadîth from the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said: “O Messenger of
Allah, A person who is called from any one of these doors is in need of nothing more, but is there
anyone who will be called from all of them?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Yes, and I hope that you are one of them.”11

There are many ways of doing good. A person may feel that he or she can share in some specific
activity or that he or she has the ability to do a number of different things. This is why Abû Bakr will
be among those who will be called from all the gates of Paradise. The group of angels assembled at
each door will call out to him and say: “O Abû Bakr, this is good. (meaning that this gate is good, so
come and enter through it).” This shows the extra distinction and virtue of Abû Bakr. This should not
be surprising, for Abû Hurayrah relates that one day the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked his
Companions: “Who started the day fasting?” And Abû Bakr said that he had. Then the Prophet
(peace be upon him) asked: “And who today followed a funeral procession?” Abû Bakr replied that
he had. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “And who today gave food to a poor person?”
Abû bark responded that he had. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “And who today
visited a sick person?” Again, Abû Bakr responded that he had. At this point, the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said: “These qualities will not all come together in a person without that person entering
Paradise.”12 The Prophet (peace be upon him) had asked his Companions four questions, each about
a different way of doing good. Abû Bakr had done all of these in that one day, and the Prophet
(peace be upon him) gave him the glad tidings of Paradise.

CHAPTER THREE

Men of Distinction Who Developed under the Prophet’s Tutelage

The three previously discussed approaches were among the most important methods used by the
Prophet (peace be upon him) in forming and developing the personalities of his Companions. This is
why we find that the “graduates” of this prophetic “school” were the greatest, most skillful, and
strongest graduates in history. They were brought up and nurtured under his direct guidance. The
strength of any school is measured by the effects that it has, so we shall now take a look at a few
individuals to see how strong this prophetic tutelage actually was.

1. Mus`ab b. `Umayr

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Khabbâb b. al-Art had said: “Then we emigrated along with the Prophet (peace be upon him)
seeking the countenance of Allah and our reward became incumbent upon Allah. Some of us went
through our lives without consuming any part of this reward. Among these people was Mus`ab b.
`Umayr. He was killed on the day of the Battle of Uhud, and we could not find anything to shroud
him with except for a piece of cloth that if we used it to cover his head, his feet would show, and if
we covered his feet with it, his head would show. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us to
cover his head with it and cover his feet with grass. And now among us are those whose wealth has
grown and they spend it as they please.”13

This Companion, who made great sacrifices for the sake of Allah, had lived a comfortable and
luxurious life in Mecca. He used to wear the best of clothes and eat the best of food. Whenever he
walked along the road, the pleasant smell of his perfume could be detected from far away. After he
accepted Islam, all of this comfort turned into severe hardship. He first emigrated from Mecca to
Abyssinia, where he faced fatigue and the difficulties of being a foreigner. He then returned and
emigrated to Madinah before the rest of the emigrants and before the Prophet (peace be upon him)
emigrated. He went there to teach the Companions about Islam as well as to call the people of
Madinah to it. He used to be called al-Muqri’ (the Reciter). Then, not long after the Prophet (peace
be upon him) arrived, Mus`ab died, without getting the chance to enjoy much time in Madinah in his
company after Allah had strengthened Islam. He never got to see his prosperity grow, like Khabbâb
mentioned that others had. Part of his story is that he carried the banner during the Battle of Uhud
and was killed while defending it, and when they wished to bury him, they could not find anything
that could shroud his entire body, so they shrouded part of his body and covered the rest in grass.
This is one poignant example of an individual who graduated from the school of the Prophet (peace
be upon him).

2. The Learned Scholar: `Abd Allah b. `Abbâs

He was a child during the Prophet’s lifetime (peace be upon him) or on the verge of maturity. Ibn
`Abbâs relates the following about himself: “After the Prophet (peace be upon him) died, I said to a
man from among the people of Madinah: ‘Let’s go and ask the Companions about the hadîth of the
Prophet (peace be upon him), because the hadîth are so many.’ He said to me: “This is strange of
you, Ibn `Abbâs. Do you think that the people need you when there are so many of the Prophet’s
Companions around?’ So that man did nothing and I went forward, pursuing the Companions of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) and asking them about his hadîth. Whenever I learned that a man had
heard a hadîth directly from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I found him taking an afternoon
nap, I would place my cloak against his door to shield my face from the wind until he came out. He
would say: ‘What has brought you here, cousin of Allah’s Messenger?’ I would reply: ‘A hadîth that
I have learned you heard directly from the Prophet and that I wished to hear directly from you.’ He
would say: ‘Why didn’t you send for me to come to you?’ I would say: ‘It was more right for me to
come to you.’ That man (from the beginning of the story) passed me by one day while the people
were coming to me with their inquiries and said: ‘You were smarter than me’.”14

In this way, Ibn `Abbâs acquired a great quantity of knowledge, so much so that the people were in
great need of him. They would converge on him asking their questions, though he had been very
young during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This man took this path of pursuing
knowledge because of the encouragement he received from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to
acquire knowledge. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made a special supplication for him to receive
understanding of the religion, saying: “O Allah, give him understanding of the faith and teach him
how to interpret (the Qur’ân).”15

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This man – a young man in the prime of his life – was equal to the greatest scholars. `Umar would
bring him to his meetings with the most prominent oh the Emigrants. Ibn `Abbâs relates this to us,
saying: “`Umar used to consult with me along with the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon
him). `Abd al-Rahmân b. `Awf said to him: “Do you consult with him when we have children his
age?’ `Umar replied: ‘It is on account of his learning.’

“`Umar then asked about this chapter of the Qur’ân: ‘When the help of Allah comes and the victory,
and you see people entering into Allah’s religion in crowds, then celebrate the praises of your Lord
and seek His forgiveness, for verily He is Oft-Forgiving.’ [Sûrah
al-Fath]

“I replied: ‘It refers to the end of the life of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) that Allah was
making him aware of.’ `Umar said: ‘I swear by Allah, I know of this exactly what you know.”16

Ibn `Abbâs relates another event: “`Umar b. al-Khattâb used to summon me along with the
Companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and would tell me not to speak until they have
spoken. He summoned them and asked them about the Night of Decree (Laylah al-Qadr). He related
to them that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had said: ‘Look for it in the last ten nights of
Ramadân.’ Then he asked: ‘Which night do you think it is?’ Some suggested it was the first of the
ten nights, others said it was the third, and some said it was the fifth. All this time I remained silent.
`Umar then said to me: ‘Why don’t you speak?’ I said: ‘If you permit me, O Commander of the
Faithful, I will speak.’ He said: ‘I did not summon you except to hear you speak.’ I said: ‘I can give
you my opinion.’ He said: ‘That is what we are asking from you.’ Then I said: ‘It is the seventh of
the ten nights. Allah mentions seven heavens and seven Earths. He created the human being from
seven and He created the plants of the Earth from seven.’ `Umar said: ‘You have informed me of
what I know, but there is something of this that I do not know. What do you mean by your statement
that the plants of the Earth are from seven?’

“I then told him that Allah says: ‘And We split open the Earth, and produced therein corn and grapes
and herbs and olives and dates and dense gardens and fruits and fodder.’

“`Umar then said: ‘You were all unable to say anything like what this youth whose mind is not yet
fully matured has said. By Allah, I do not see this matter to be except as he sees it.’ He then said to
me: ‘I used to order you not to speak until they have spoken, but now I order you to speak along with
them’.”17

3. An example of altruism
The following example – the story of three people who were killed in the battle of Yarmûk – will
allow us to conceptualize the extent to which the graduates of Muhammad’s school (peace be upon
him) had developed. Abû Jahm b. Hudhayfah al-`Adawî relates: “On the day of the Battle of
Yarmûk, I went out in search of my cousin. I carried with me a water skin and a small container
thinking that if he were still alive, I would give him some water to drink and wipe his face with it. I
found him on the verge of death and offered to give him water to drink. He motioned that he wanted
it. Then we heard another man moan in pain. My cousin then motioned to me to give the water to
him. It turned out that the other man was Hishâm b. al-`‫آ‬s, the brother of `Amr b. al-`‫آ‬s. I went to him
and offered to give him the water, and then another man moan in pain. Hishâm motioned to me to
take it to him, so I went, only to find that he had already died. Then I returned to Hishâm, but he had
also died. Then I went back to my cousin, but he had died as well.”18

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This is an impressive story of altruism, since it did not occur at a time of ease. Many people are
generous and altruistic when times are easy, but what happened here was at a time of severe hardship
– the greatest hardship of all: the need to quench the searing heat that affects the throat at the time of
death.

These people were generous at this trying time, but it is not surprising to see the followers of
Muhammad (peace be upon him) – the Companions and the Successors – attain this level of
development.

What I have mentioned here is but an example. It is very easy for anyone to get hold of some books
that collect the events of the lives of other people like them. Anyone who does so cannot help but be
amazed.

The following books are some of the many important compilations of the lives of the Companions,
Successors, and those who came after them and followed their example:

- Siyar A`lâm al-Nubalâ’ by al-Dhahabî.

- Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ by Abû Nu`aym.
- Al-Isâbah fî Tamyîz al-Sahâbah by Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî
- Al-Istî`âb.
- Usud al-Ghâbah.

To conclude, I ask Allah to place us in their company in Paradise. And may the peace and blessings
of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and Companions.

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