Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Every believer in this world desires true success and happiness. The way to acquire true happiness and success is through showing total obedience to the commands of Allah Ta‘ala and leading a life in complete conformity to the sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). This is the way for one to acquire the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala and the high ranks in the Hereafter.
Below is an incident of a Sahaabiyah which depicts the high level of obedience and submission in her life for fulfilling what Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) desired from her:
In the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), there was an Ansaari Sahaabi by the name of Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who resided in Madinah Munawwarah. One day, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) spoke to him and asked him if he would be happy if Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) arranged his nikaah with someone.
When Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) heard this, he said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah! If you try to get me married, you will find me to be like a commodity that cannot sell (i.e. nobody will be interested in marrying me)!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “However, in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala, you are not like a worthless commodity (i.e. you are extremely valuable in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala).”
The reason for Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saying this to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was that he was short in stature, and his facial features were not so attractive.
Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) approached a certain Ansaari Sahaabi and said to him, “Will you allow me to get your daughter married?” Hearing this, the Ansaari was delighted and said, “Yes, and what an honour it is for me, O Rasul of Allah, and how happy I am to hear this!” The Ansaari became extremely overjoyed as he thought that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) himself wished to marry her.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said to him, “I am not asking you to get her married to me, but rather I am asking on behalf of someone else.” The Ansaari enquired, “Who is the person on whose behalf you are proposing, O Rasul of Allah?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “I am proposing on behalf of Julaibeeb.” To this, the Ansaari said, “O Rasul of Allah! In that case, let me first consult with her mother before giving you an answer.”
The Ansaari then returned home and discussed the issue with his wife. He said to his wife, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has sent a proposal for your daughter.” His wife was overjoyed and spontaneously said, “Yes – and how happy I am to hear this!” Her husband then said to her, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is not proposing for himself, rather he is proposing on behalf of Julaibeeb.”
Hearing this, the wife said thrice, “To Julaibeeb? No! By Allah, we cannot get her married to him!” She also said, “Could Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) not find anyone else besides Julaibeeb? We did not accept proposals that were sent for her from so-and-so, and so-and-so (who were better proposals for her than Julaibeeb, so how can we accept Julaibeeb)!”
Hearing this response, the Ansaari began to stand, to go to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and mention that they have decided not to accept the proposal of Julaibeeb. However, while the parents were discussing this issue, their daughter from behind the curtain overheard the discussion. She immediately came forward and said to her parents, “Who has sent a proposal for me?” Her mother then informed her that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had sent a proposal on behalf of Julaibeeb, but they were not happy and decided to turn down the proposal.
To this, the girl said to her parents, “Are you intending to reject the command of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)? If this is what Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is happy with, then get him (Julaibeeb) married to me! Allow Julaibeeb to get married to me, as Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) will never do something through wish I will suffer a loss!”
In some narrations, it is mentioned that she also recited the following verse of the Qur’aan Majeed:
وَ مَا کَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنٍ وَّ لَا مُؤۡمِنَۃٍ اِذَا قَضَی اللّٰہُ وَ رَسُوۡلُہٗۤ اَمۡرًا اَنۡ یَّکُوۡنَ لَہُمُ الۡخِیَرَۃُ مِنۡ اَمۡرِہِمۡ ؕ
It is not right for any believing man or any believing woman, when Allah and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) have decided in any matter (of theirs), that they should have a choice to decide in their affair (thereafter). (Surah Ahzaab v. 36)
Though this verse was not revealed regarding her, but she was overcome by such obedience and submission that she regarded the blessed words of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as a command and not a mere recommendation. She could have enquired from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “Is this your command or a mere recommendation for Julaibeeb?” but the high level of submission in her heart for the words of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) caused her to wholeheartedly submit herself before the desire of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Hence, she said, “I am pleased, and I wholeheartedly submit to that which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is pleased with for me.”
Hearing these words, her parents’ hearts opened and they also understood that what Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) wished for them was the best thing. They said to their daughter, “You have spoken the truth.” Her father then came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “If you are pleased with Julaibeeb for our daughter, then we are also pleased to get him married to her.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded, “I am certainly pleased with him marrying your daughter.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made special dua for the girl saying, “O Allah! Shower abundant grace and goodness upon her, and do not make her life constrained and difficult in any way!” The nikaah was then performed, and Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to live with his wife.
Sometime thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) went out on a jihaad expedition. Allah Ta‘ala blessed them with victory in the battle, and when the fighting was over, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) turned to the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and enquired regarding those who were martyred in the battle saying, “Is there any person you find missing among us (which is an indication that he is among the martyrs on the battlefied)?” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) replied, “Yes, we do not find so-and-so, and so-and-so among us.” Thereafter, those who were missing were found among the martyrs.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) again said, “Search to see if anyone else is also missing among us.” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) replied, “There is nobody else we find to be missing.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “However, I cannot see Julaibeeb. Go and search for his body among the martyrs.”
The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) went out in the battlefield, searching for Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), until they found his body on the ground. Around his body were the bodies of seven kuffaar whom he had killed before they managed to kill him. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah! Here is the body of Julaibeeb, lying next to the bodies of seven kuffaar which apparently seems like he killed them before he was martyred.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately came, stood over his body and said, “He killed seven, and they killed him.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was so pleased with the bravery and sacrifice of Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that he said the following words two or three times, “This man is part of me, and I am part of him!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then held the body of Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in his own blessed arms and lowered him in the grave.
In regard to the widow of Hazrat Julaibeeb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), it is reported that on account of the special dua which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had made for her, Allah Ta‘ala blessed her with abundant wealth and granted her the taufeeq of giving abundant charity for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala.
Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) says, “From all the widows of the Ansaar, she was the widow who would spend the most wealth in the path of Allah Ta‘ala.” (Musnad Ahmed #19784, #12393, Saheeh Muslim #2472 Majma’uz Zawaai’d #7451, Usdul Ghaabah 1/550)
