STORIES OF THE SAHAABAH: STEADFASTNESS IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIPS: The Afflictions of Hadhrat Khabbab bin Alarat (Radhiyallahu anhu)

STORIES OF THE SAHAABAH

STEADFASTNESS IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIPS

The Afflictions of Hadhrat Khabbab bin Alarat (Radhiyallahu anhu):

Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiyallahu anhu) is also one of those blessed persons who offered themselves for sacrifice and suffering for the cause of Allah. He was the sixth or seventh person to embrace Islam and, therefore, he suffered long. He was made to put on steel armor and lie in the sun to sweat and swelter. Very often he was made to lie flat on burning sand, which caused the flesh on his back to waste away. He was the slave of a woman. When she came to know that he was visiting the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihe wa sallam), she used to brand his head with a hot iron rod. Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu) during his caliphate once inquired of him about the details of his sufferings after embracing Islam. He showed him his back, seeing which Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu) remarked, "I have never seen such a back before." He said, "My body was dragged over heaps of smoldering charcoal, and the blood and fat coming out of my back put out the fire." It is said that, when Islam spread and the Muslims conquered all the surrounding territory, he used to weep and say:

"Allah seems to be compensating us in this world for all our sufferings and perhaps nothing would be left for us as reward in the Hereafter."

Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiyallahu anhu) narrates:

"The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihe wa sallam) once performed an unusually long rakat while leading a Sa-lat. When the Sahabah mentioned it to him, he said, "This was a Salaat of yearning and humility. I asked three boons from Allah. I besought Him:

'0, Allah! Let not my Ummat perish by famine; let not my Ummat be annihilated by an enemy gaining an upper hand on them; and let not my Ummat fight among themselves.'

Allah granted the first two prayers, but not the third one."

Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiyallahu anhu) died in 37 A.H. He was the first of the Sahabah to be buried at Koofah. Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) once passing his grave said:

"May Allah bless and show mercy on Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiyallahu anhu). He embraced Islam willingly. He emigrated with great pleasure in Allah's path, and spent his whole life in striving and suffering for Islam. Blessed is the person who is mindful of the Day of Judgement, prepares for his reckoning, remains contented with very little of this world, and is able to please his Lord."

To be able to please Allah, was really, the Sahabah's greatest achievement, for this was the sole purpose of their life.