Usama ibn Zayd

Usama ibn Zayd
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Usama ibn Zayd ibn Haritha (7 BH - 54 AH)

Usama ibn Zayd ibn Haritha was one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad. He embraced Islam with his father, Zayd ibn Haritha. His kunya (nickname) was Abu Muhammad, and he was also called Abu Zayd. His mother was Umm Ayman, the wet nurse of the Prophet Muhammad and his patron. Ibn Sa'd said: "Usama was born in Islam and the Prophet Muhammad died when he was twenty years old". He lived in Al-Mazza, part of Damascus, then moved to Wadi Al-Qura and finally settled in Medina, where he died in Al-Jurf.

Ibn Abd al-Barr confirmed that he died in the year 54 AH. Notable companions such as Abu Hurayra and Ibn Abbas, as well as prominent followers like Abu Uthman al-Nahdi and Abu Wa'il, narrated from Usama. He was known for his many virtues and famous hadiths. He once approached the Prophet to intercede for a woman from the Makhzum tribe who had stolen, which caused the Prophet's face to turn red as he said, "Are you interceding in one of the limits set by Allah, O Usama?"

Usama ibn Zayd Lineage

He was the beloved of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, Usama ibn Zayd ibn Haritha ibn Sharahil ibn Abd al-Uzza ibn Amer ibn Al-Nu'man ibn Amer ibn Abd Wud ibn Awf ibn Kanana ibn Bakr ibn Awf ibn Udhra ibn Zayd al-Lat ibn Rafida ibn Thawr ibn Kalb ibn Wabara ibn Taghlib ibn Halwan ibn Amr ibn Al-Haf ibn Quda'a ibn Ma'ad ibn Adnan.

Therefore, he was known among the companions as "the beloved son of the beloved". His father, Zayd ibn Haritha, was the servant of the Messenger of Allah, who chose the Prophet over his own parents and family. The Prophet used to stand among his companions and say, "I testify to you that Zayd is my son; he inherits from me, and I inherit from him". His name remained Zayd ibn Muhammad among Muslims until the Qur'an abolished the practice of adoption. His mother was Umm Ayman, the freed slave and wet nurse of the Messenger of Allah.

Usama ibn Zayd Status

The second Caliph, Omar ibn al-Khattab, was distributing wealth from the treasury among the Muslims, and when it was Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab's turn, Umar gave him his share. Then, when it was Usama ibn Zayd's turn, Umar gave him twice as much as he gave his son Abdullah. Abdullah asked, "You favored Usama over me, even though I participated with the Messenger of Allah in what he did not witness". Umar replied, "Usama was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than you, and his father was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than your father".

Narrators and historians describe him as dark-skinned with a flat nose. However, Islam does not care about people's outward appearances. He reached a level of love and appreciation from the Messenger of Allah that prepared him for this abundance of love. The Prophet Muhammad said, "Usama ibn Zayd is one of the people I love the most, and I hope that he will be among the righteous among you, so treat him well".

Usama ibn Zayd possessed all the great qualities that made him close to the heart of the Messenger of Allah and significant in his eyes. He was the son of noble Muslims who were among the first to embrace Islam and were among the most loyal and close to the Messenger. He was one of the righteous children born into Islam who received their first nourishment from its innate nature without being touched by the dust of the dark Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance). This dark-skinned, flat-nosed man held a high position in the heart of the Prophet and among the Muslims because the religion chosen by Allah for His servants corrected the criteria for humanity and superiority among people, as it is said, "Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you". The Messenger of Allah entered Mecca on the day of the great conquest with this dark-skinned, flat-nosed man (Usama ibn Zayd) riding behind him. Then, he entered the Kaaba at one of the most magnificent moments in Islam, with Bilal ibn Rabah and Usama ibn Zayd, two men with dark complexions, on his right and left.

Osama Was Appointed Commander of a Military Mission

One day, Usama received a life lesson from the Messenger of Allah. Two years before the Prophet's death, Usama was appointed as the leader of a military expedition that set out to confront some polytheists who were hostile to Islam and Muslims. It was the first leadership role for Usama, and he succeeded in his mission. News of his victory reached the Messenger of Allah, who was delighted and pleased with it. Usama ibn Zayd said, "I came to the Prophet, and the news of the victory had reached him. His face was radiant, and he drew me close to him and said, 'Tell me.' So I began to tell him, and I mentioned that when the people were defeated, I caught up with a man and aimed my spear at him. He said, 'There is no god but Allah,' but I stabbed him and killed him. The face of the Messenger of Allah changed, and he said, 'Woe to you, O Usama! How will you deal with 'There is no god but Allah'?' He kept repeating it to me until I wished I could be stripped of all the deeds I had done and embrace Islam anew that day. By Allah, I will never fight anyone who says 'There is no god but Allah' after what I heard from the Messenger of Allah". The man whom the Prophet regretted being killed and disapproved of Usama ibn Zayd for killing was a polytheist and a warrior. When he said, "There is no god but Allah," he said it while holding a sword in his hand, with the flesh of Muslims he had injured hanging from it. He said it to escape a fatal blow or to prepare himself for a chance to change direction and resume fighting. Yet, because he uttered the testimony of faith and moved his tongue with it, his blood became sacred, and his life was safe at that moment and for that reason.

At a young age, not exceeding twenty, the Messenger of Allah appointed Usama ibn Zayd as the leader of an army that included Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab among its members and soldiers. A murmur spread among some Muslims who found the matter significant and considered it too much for the young man (Usama ibn Zayd) to lead an army that included the elders of the Ansar and the prominent Muhajirun. When their whispers reached the Messenger of Allah, he ascended the pulpit, praised Allah, and then said, "Some people criticize the leadership of Usama ibn Zayd, and they criticized the leadership of his father before him. But his father was worthy of leadership, and Usama is worthy of it. He is one of the people I love most after his father, and I hope that he will be among the righteous among you, so treat him well".

The Messenger of Allah died before the army could move to its destination, but he left a wise testament to his companions: "Carry out the expedition of Usama". The Caliph Abu Bakr carried out this testament, and despite the new circumstances created by the death of the Messenger, Abu Bakr insisted on fulfilling the testament and command. Usama's army moved to its destination after the Caliph asked him to leave Umar ibn al-Khattab with him in Medina. While the Emperor of Rome (Heraclius) was receiving news of the death of the Messenger of Allah, he also received news of the Islamic army attacking the borders of Syria under the leadership of the young Usama ibn Zayd. Heraclius regretted that the Muslims were so strong that the death of their Messenger did not affect their plans and military capability. Thus, the Romans shrank back and no longer took the borders of Syria as a starting point for attacking the cradle of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. The army returned victorious without casualties, and the Muslims said that day, "We have never seen an army safer than the army of Usama".

Usama ibn Zayd Life

Usama said, "The Prophet ﷺ used to take me and sit me on his thigh, and he would sit Hasan and Husayn on his left thigh, then he would hug us and say, 'O Allah, I am merciful to them, so be merciful to them.' In another narration, 'O Allah, I love them, so love them.'" His father, Zayd, brought him from Mecca to Medina with his mother, Umm Ayman, after the Prophet's migration there, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent his freed slave, Abu Rafi', to bring those left behind in Mecca.

The Prophet appointed him as the leader of the Muslim army headed to invade the Romans in Syria in the month of Safar in the year 11 AH. Usama delayed the army when he received news of the Prophet's illness and waited until he received news of the Prophet's death. When Abu Bakr was chosen as the Caliph, he marched to Al-Jurf, and Abu Bakr ordered Usama to proceed with the army to the destination directed by the Messenger. Abu Bakr walked with him, bidding him farewell, with Usama riding his horse. Abu Bakr said, "O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, either you ride or I will dismount". Abu Bakr replied, "By Allah, you will not dismount, and I will not ride. What harm is there if my feet get dusty for an hour in the cause of Allah?" Then he bade farewell to Usama and gave him comprehensive advice that could serve as a basis for the laws of war and jihad. He said to him, "Proceed with the blessing of Allah, fight in the name of Allah, and fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill an elderly person, a woman, or a child, do not cut down a tree, and do not slaughter a sheep except for eating". Usama returned from that expedition victorious and triumphant, and he later participated in the Ridda Wars and the subsequent conquests.

Usama ibn Zayd Wives and Children

  • His wife: Fatima bint Qays al-Fihriya.
  • His son: Muhammad ibn Usama ibn Zayd.

Usama ibn Zayd Stance During the Great Fitna (Civil War)

When the Great Fitna (civil war) broke out between Imam Ali and his supporters on one side, and Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan and his supporters on the other, Usama ibn Zayd maintained a position of absolute neutrality.

He loved Ali more than anyone else and saw the truth on his side. However, how could he kill with his sword a Muslim who believes in Allah and His messengers when he was reprimanded by the Messenger for killing a polytheist and a warrior who said, "There is no god but Allah," in a moment of defeat and escape? He sent a message to Caliph Ali saying, "If you were in the jaws of a lion, I would love to enter it with you. But this time, I did not see it". Usama ibn Zayd stayed in his house throughout this conflict and those wars. When some of his companions came to discuss his position with him, he said to them, "I will never fight anyone who says 'There is no god but Allah' ever". One of them said, "Didn't Allah say, 'And fight them until there is no fitna (persecution) and the religion is all for Allah'?" Usama replied, "Those were the polytheists, and we fought them until there was no fitna, and the religion was all for Allah".

Usama ibn Zayd Death

Usama ibn Zayd retired from the conflicts after the murder of Uthman ibn Affan. When Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib was killed, Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib renounced the caliphate to Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan. At that time, Usama pledged allegiance to Muawiya along with many companions, such as Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Muhammad ibn Maslama.

He had lived in Al-Mazza west of Damascus, then moved back to Wadi Al-Qura, and finally settled in Medina, where he died in Al-Jurf and was buried in Al-Baqi'. Ibn Abd al-Barr confirmed that he died in the year 54 AH, and it was said that he lived until the late reign of Muawiya and that he died in the year 61 AH.

Categories Companions

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