The (Hawârî) Disciple of Allah’s Prophet

Az-Zubair Ibn Al ‘Awwâm

Ma y Allah be pleased with him

Az-Zubair became a Muslim when he was fifteen years old, and yet he was a strong believer, fully convinced, for he had suffered in the Cause of Allah in spite of his well known family name and his honor… His uncle used to wrap him in a burning straw mat until the smoke came out of it and he almost suffocated… He would tell him you do not believe in Muhammad’s God…

Az-Zubair would say: By Allah no… I would never return to Kufr (non believing).. He had immigrated in the two immigrations, to Ethiopia, then to Al-Madînah…  He was the first one to use a sword to fight in the Cause of Allah and that was in Makkah before the Muslims were ordered to fight… There had been a rumor that the non-believers had captured the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, so he held his sword and went out assaulting, and walking through Makkah, wishing to kill Makkah’s masters, and its non-believers from Quraish… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, saw him, and told him: “What is wrong with you Zubair?!”[1].. He said: I was told that you were captured.. The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, prayed that he be granted peace and blessings, and prayed for him and his mighty sword…

Az-Zubair Ibn Al ‘Awwâm is the nephew of ‘Um Al-Mu’minûn (the mother of the believers) Khadîja Bint Khuwaylid, may Allah be pleased with her, and the son of Safiyâh the Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, aunt, and the husband of ’Asmâ’ the daughter of ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq… He is one of the first five men to become a Muslim. He is also one of the ten men promised to go to paradise, and one of the six Shûrah (consultation) men that ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb recommended as Khalîfah (Caliph)… He said about them: Before the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, died, he was pleased with them.

Az-Zubair witnessed all the battles with Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,. He never stayed behind in any of the conquests… During the battle of Badr, it was said that he tied around his head a yellow nomadic head cover, and that the angels came down from heaven looking like him… And in the Ghazwa of Al-Khandaq[2] (Al-Ahzâb)[3], when the non-believers sieged Al-Madînah, the believers were extremely shaken, the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allah … The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, called his companions and said: “Who will bring us the news of the people in Al- Madînah?!”… Az-Zubair said: I, O Prophet of Allah… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, asked the same question three times, and every time Az-Zubair would rise and say: I… So the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “Every Prophet used to have a Hawârî[4] (i.e. disciple), and my Hawârî is Az-Zubair Ibn Al ‘Awwâm”[5].

And when the Muslims sieged the fortress of Qurayzah, they could not force the people to give up… So, Az-Zubair and ‘Alî Ibn ’Abî Tâlib forced their way together inside saying: By Allah… We would rather go through what Hamzah went through, or they’d better open up the fortress… It was by Allah’s will opened, and the Muslims entered the fortress…

Az-Zubair had nothing to occupy him except fighting in the Cause of Allah, and taking part in the conquests… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said about him: “Al Zubair and Talhah are my neighbors in paradise”[6]…

When he was seen during the Hajj (pilgrimage time) and he was dressed in the ’Ihrâm (pilgrimage costume). Someone saw how his body was all badly hurt from the strikes of swords… He also saw in his chest what seemed like heavy deep scars from arrows and spears, so he told him: By Allah, I have never seen a body like your body.. So Az-Zubair said: Not any of these wounds have happened except when I was in the company of the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, fighting in the Cause of Allah…

And during the battle of Yarmûk[7], the enemies almost won the battle, so Az-Zubair called aloud Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is Great) and went through the enemy lines on his horse, riding through them all, and on his way back, he was cutting off their heads, overthrowing them on both sides (right and left), so the Muslims were encouraged and attacked together in one man’s power, and they won the battle by Allah’s help…

After ‘Uthmân Ibn ‘Affân’s murder, a lot of afflictions appears. The people chose ‘Alî Ibn ’Abî Tâlib to become Khalîfah (Caliph)… Az-Zubair refuses to join in Al Bay‘ah (pledge of allegance) until ‘Alî takes revenge from ‘Uthmân’s murderers… He agrees with ‘Â’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, in her attitude towards ‘Alî Ibn ’Abî Tâlib… ‘Alî asks to meet him… When they meet, he tells him: O Zubair… Do you remember when you and I were with the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and he looked at me, and he laughed, and I laughed, and you said: ‘Alî Ibn ’Abî Tâlib does not forget his sense of humor … So the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “It is not that, and you shall fight him, but you will be unfair to him”[8]… Az-Zubair remembered that, and gave up the fighting and returned to Al-Madînah… On his way, he stopped at Wâdî Al Sibâ‘ (Valley of Lions) and started praying.. Ibn Jarmûz took this chance, stabbed him from the back, and killed him… He took with him Az-Zubair’s sword as a proof that he had killed him, as Az-Zubair would have never left his sword… He went to ‘Alî Ibn ’Abî Tâlib thinking that he is bringing to him good news… ‘Alî takes the sword, kisses it, and cries… He says: This sword has at many times kept distress and hardship away from the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,… Tell the murderer of Safiyah’s son that he will end up in hell…

Ibn Jarmûz leaves saying: We tell them we have killed their enemy, and they tell us you will end up in hell… He feels closed within himself, becomes desperate, and that leads him to commit suicide… So, the prophecy comes true:  Tell the murderer of Safiyah’s son that he will end up in hell…

Az-Zubair Ibn Al ‘Awwâm dies treacherously as a martyr in the 33^rd year of Hijrah… The non-believers could not get to him and kill him during the conquests… Even the Persians and Al-Rûm (Romans) in their fights with the Muslims could not get to him… The one who killed him was one who claimed to be a Muslim… Indeed (There is no might, or power except with Allah) …

Az-Zubair had one thousand slaves… They paid him taxes… He never took from it any to his own home, but he gave it all in the Cause of Allah… Seven from the Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, companions asked him to take care of their children, two of them were  ‘Uthmân Ibn ‘Affân and Al Miqdâd Ibn ‘Amr… He used to provide for the children from his own money, and save all their money for them.. May Allah be pleased with him, and honored him..

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was true in his saying:

“Every Prophet used to have a Hawârî (i.e. disciple), and my Hawârî is Az-Zubair Ibn Al ‘Awwâm”.

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