Ubayda ibn al-Harith
Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (Arabic: عبيدة بن الحارث) (c.562-624) was a cousin[1] and a companion of Muhammad.
Ubaydah was the son of Al-Harith ibn Muttalib ibn Abdmanaf ibn Qusayy,[2][3] hence a second cousin of Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib and of Abu Talib ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib. His mother, Sukhayla bint Khuza'i, was from the Thaqif tribe. He had two full brothers, Al-Tufayl and Al-Husayn, who were more than twenty years younger than himself. Ubaydah's appearance is described as "medium, swarthy, with a handsome face."[3]
Ubaydah is known for shooting the first arrow of Islam[4][5] and for being the first Muslim to die on the battlefield in defense of Islam.[6]
History
Ubaydah became a Muslim before Muhammad entered the house of Al-Arqam in 614.[3] His name is twelfth on Ibn Ishaq's list of people who accepted Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr.[2]
In 622 Ubaydah and his brothers, together with their young cousin Mistah ibn Uthatha, joined the general emigration to Medina.[3] They boarded with Abdullah ibn Salama in Quba[7] until Muhammad allotted them some land in Medina. Muhammad gave Ubaydah two brothers in Islam: Abu Bakr's freedman Bilal ibn Rabah and an ansar named Umayr ibn Al-Humam.[8]
Military expeditions
Some say that Ubaydah was the first to whom Muhammad gave a banner on a military expedition; others say Hamza was the first.[9] In April 623 Muhammad sent Ubaydah with a party of sixty armed Muhajirun to the valley of Rabigh. They expected to intercept a Quraysh caravan that was returning from Syria under the protection of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and 200 armed riders.[9][10][11][12][13] The Muslim party travelled as far as the wells at Thanyat al-Murra,[10][12] where Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas shot an arrow at the Quraysh. This is known as the first arrow of Islam.[10][11][14] Despite this surprise attack, "they did not unsheathe a sword or approach one another," and the Muslims returned empty-handed.[9][11][12]
Death
He was killed in the Battle of Badr in 624 when Utbah ibn Rabi'ah cut off his leg. It is alleged that he composed poetry while he was dying:
You may cut off my leg, yet I am a Muslim.
I hope in exchange for a life near to Allah,
with Houris fashioned like the most beautiful statues,
with the highest heaven for those who mount there...[15]
He was buried at Al-Safra.[9]
He was the first Muslim to be killed in battle.[16] Muslims regard him as a shahid,[17] a word that cannot easily be translated into English but refers to a Muslim who dies in the course of his Islamic duties.
Following his death, his widow Zaynab became Muhammad's fifth wife.[18]
Children
He had a wife, Zaynab bint Khuzaimah. By her, he was the father of nine children: Muawiya, Awn, Munqidh, Al-Harith, Ibrahim, Rabta, Khadija, Suhaykhla, Amina and Safiya.[3]
See also
Shahid= martyr
External links
References
- ^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 128.
- ^ a b Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, p. 116. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ a b c d e Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 36. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 128.
- ^ Muir, Sir William (1877). The Life of Mohammed. London.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 136.
- ^ Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume, p. 218.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley, pp. 36-37.
- ^ a b c d Ibn Saad/Bewley, p. 37.
- ^ a b c Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume, p. 281.
- ^ a b c Haykal, M. H. (1935). Translated by al-Faruqi, I. R. A. (1976). The Life of Muhammad, p. 256. Chicago: North American Trust Publications.
- ^ a b c Mubarakpuri, S. R. (1979). Ar-Raheeq Al-Maktum (The Sealed Nectar), p. 92. Riyadh: Darussalem Publishers.
- ^ Hawarey, Dr. Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust. ISBN 9789957051648.
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: External link in
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- ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, 5:57:74
- ^ Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume p. 349.
- ^ Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims. p. 136.
- ^ Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi. Translated by Faizer, R., Ismail, A., & Tayob, A. (2011). The Life of Muhammad, pp. 36, 73. Oxford: Routledge.
- ^ Ibn Hisham note 918.