Ubaydah ibn al-Harith

Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (Arabic: عبيدة بن الحارث‎‎) (c.562-624) was a companion of Muhammad.

Ubaydah was the son of Al-Harith ibn Muttalib ibn Abdmanaf ibn Qusayy,[1][2] 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."[2]

By various concubines, he was the father of nine children: Muawiya, Awn, Munqidh, Al-Harith, Ibrahim, Rabta, Khadija, Suhaykhla and Safiya.[2] He had no children by his only known legal wife, Zaynab bint Khuzayma.

History

Ubaydah became a Muslim before Muhammad entered the house of Al-Arqam in 614.[2] His name is twelfth on Ibn Ishaq's list of people who accepted Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr.[1]

In 622 Ubaydah and his brothers, together with their young cousin Mistah ibn Uthatha, joined the general emigration to Medina.[2] They boarded with Abdullah ibn Salama in Quba[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] 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.[5][6][7][8][9] The Muslim party travelled as far as the wells at Thanyat al-Murra,[6][8] where Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas shot an arrow at the Quraysh. This is known as the first arrow of Islam.[6][7][10] Despite this surprise attack, "they did not unsheathe a sword or approach one another," and the Muslims returned empty-handed.[5][7][8]

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...[1]

  1. ^ Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume p. 349.

He was buried at Al-Safra.[5]

He was the first Muslim to be killed in battle. Muslims regard him as a shahid,[11] 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.[12]

See also

Shahid= martyr

References

  1. 1 2 Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, p. 116. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 36. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
  3. ↑ Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume, p. 218.
  4. ↑ Ibn Saad/Bewley, pp. 36-37.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ibn Saad/Bewley, p. 37.
  6. 1 2 3 Ibn Ishaq/Guillaume, p. 281.
  7. 1 2 3 Haykal, M. H. (1935). Translated by al-Faruqi, I. R. A. (1976). The Life of Muhammad, p. 256. Chicago: North American Trust Publications.
  8. 1 2 3 Mubarakpuri, S. R. (1979). Ar-Raheeq Al-Maktum (The Sealed Nectar), p. 92. Riyadh: Darussalem Publishers.
  9. ↑ Hawarey, Dr. Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust. ISBN 9789957051648.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here
  10. ↑ Sahih al-Bukhari, 5:57:74
  11. ↑ Waqidi, Kitab al-Maghazi. Translated by Faizer, R., Ismail, A., & Tayob, A. (2011). The Life of Muhammad, pp. 36, 73. Oxford: Routledge.
  12. ↑ Ibn Hisham note 918.
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