HOW RICH?! HE BOUGHT HIS WAY TO JANNAH - ABDUL RAHMAN IBN AWF,R.A

EPISODE ELEVEN

He constituted one of the first eight men to accept Islam. He was one of the ten Sahabas (al-asharatu-lmubashirin) who were assured of entering paradise. He was among the six people chosen by Umar,R.A. to form the council of shura to choose the Khalifah after his death. His name in Jahiliyyah days was Abu Amr. But when he accepted Islam the noble prophet (S.A.W.) called him ABDUR-RAHMAN- the servant of the Benevolent God.

Abdur-Rahman, R.A. became a Muslim before the prophet (S.A.W) entered the house of al-Arqam. In fact it is said that he accepted Islam only two days after Abu Bakr as- Siddiq,R.A. did so. Abdur-Rahman did not escape the punishment which the early Muslims suffered at the hands of the Quraysh. He bore this punishment with steadfastness as they did. He remained firm as they did. And when they were compelled to leave Makkah for Abyssinia because of the continuous and unbearable persecution, Abdur-Rahman,R.A. also went. He returned to Makkah when it was rumored that conditions for the Muslims had improved but, when these rumors proved to be false, he left again for Abyssinia on a second hijrah.

From Makkah once again he made the hijrah to Madinah. Soon after arriving in Madinah, the prophet,(S.A.W.) in his unique manner began pairing off the Muhajirin and the Ansar. This established a firm bond of brotherhood and was meant to strengthen social cohesion and ease the destitution of the Muhajirin. Abdur-Rahman,R.A. was linked to Sad ibn ar- Rabi'ah,R.A.

Sad,R.A. in the spirit of generosity and magnanimity with which the Ansar greeted the Muhajirin, said to Abdur-Rahman,R.A. : " My brother! Among the people of Madinah I have the most wealth. I have two orchards and I have two wives. See which of the two orchards you like and I shall vacate it for you and which of my two wives is pleasing to you and I will divorce her for you."

Abdur-Rahman,R.A. must have been embarrassed and said in reply: " May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth, but just show me where the market is..."

Abdur-Rahman went to the market place and began trading with whatever little resources he had. He bought and sold and his profit grew rapidly. Soon he was sufficiently well off and was able to get married.

He went to the noble prophet (S.A.W.) with the scent of perfume lingering over him. "Mahyarn, O Abdur-Rahman!" exclaimed the prophet (S.A.W). - "Mahyarn" being a word of Yemeni origin which indicates pleasant surprise. "I have gotten married" replied Abdur- Rahman,R.A.

"And what did you give your wife as mahr?", " The weight of a nuwat in gold." "You must have a walimah(wedding feast) even if it is with a single sheep. And may Allah bless you in your wealth," said the prophet(S.A.W) with obvious pleasure and encouragement. Thereafter Abdur-Rahman,R.A. grew so accustomed to business success that he said if he lifted a stone he expected to find gold or silver under it!

Abdur-Rahman,R.A. distinguished himself in both the battles of Badr and Uhud. At Uhud he remained firm throughout and suffered more than twenty wounds,some of them deep and severe. Even so, his physical jihad was matched by his jihad with his wealth. Once the prophet (S.A.W.) was preparing to despatch an expeditionary force. He (S.A.W.) summoned his companions and said: _" Contribute sadaqah for I want to despatch an expedition. " Abdur-Rahman,R.A. went to his house and quickly returned. " O Messenger of Allah," he said, " I have four thousand dinars and I give two thousand to Allah and two thousand I leave for my family."

When the prophet (S.A.W) decided to send an expedition to distant Tabuk- this was the last ghazwah of his life that he mounted, his need for finance and materials was not greater than his need for men for the Byzantine forces were a numerous and well-equipped foe. That year in madinah was one of drought and hardship. This journey to Tabuk was long, more that a thousand kilometers. Provisions were in short supply. Transport was at a premium so much is that a group of Muslims came to the prophet (S.A.W.) pleading to go with him but he had to turn them away because he could find no transport for them. These men were sad and dejected, and the army itself was called the Army of Hardship ('Usrah). Thereupon the prophet called upon his companions to give generously for the war and assured them they would be rewarded. The Muslims response to the call was immediate and generous. In the forefront of those who responded was ABDUR-RAHMAN IBN AWF, R.A.

He donated two hundred awqiyyah of gold whereupon Umar IBN al-Khattab,R.A. said to the prophet (S.A.W.): " I have now seen Abdur- Rahman committing a wrong. He has not left anything for his family. " " Have you left anything for your family, Abdur-Rahman?" asked the prophet(S.A.W.) " Yes, I have left for them more than what I gave and better" replied Abdur-Rahman. "How much?" enquired the prophet (S.A.W.). " what Allah and his messenger have promised of sustenance, goodness and reward," replied Abdur-Rahman, R.A.

The Muslim Army eventually left for Tabuk, there Abdur- Rahman,R.A. was blessed with an honor which was not conferred on anyone. The time for salat came and the prophet (S.A.W.) wasn't there at that time. The Muslims chose Abdur- Rahman as their imam. The first rakah of the salah was almost completed when the prophet(S.A.W.) joined the worshippers and performed the salah behind Abdur- Rahman, R.A. Could there be a greater honor conferred on anyone than to have been the imam of the most honoured of Allah's creation, the imam of the Prophets, the messenger of Allah!

When the prophet(S.A.W.) passed away, Abdur- Rahman,R.A. took on the responsibility of looking after the needs of his family, *Ummahaat al- Muminin*. He would go with them whenever they wanted to and he even performed Hajj with them to ensure that all their needs were met. This is a sign of the trust and confidence which he enjoyed on the part of the prophet's (S.A.W.) family. Abdur-Rahman's support for the Muslims and the Ummahaat al-Muminin in particular was well-known.

Once he sold a piece of land for forty thousand dinars and he distributed the entire amount among the Banu Zahar ( the relatives of the Prophet's mother Aaminah), the poor among the Muslims and the Prophet's (S.A.W.) wives.

When Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, received some of this money and was told it came from Abdur-Rahman,R.A., She said:" The messenger of Allah,(S.A.W.) said:No one will feel compassion towards you after I die except the sabirin(those who are patient and resolute). "

The prayer of the noble prophet (S.A.W.) that Allah should bestow barakah on the wealth of Abdur-Rahman appeared to be with Abdur-Rahman,R.A. throughout his entire life. He became the richest man among the companions. His business transactions invariably met with success and his wealth continued to grow. His trading caravans to and from Madinah grew larger and larger bringing to the people of Madinah wheat, flour, butter,clothes, utensils, perfume and whatever else was needed and exporting whatever surplus produce they had. One day, a loud rumbling sound was heard coming from beyond the boundaries of Madinah normally a calm and a peaceful city. The rumbling sound gradually increased in volume. In addition, the clouds of dust and sand were stirred up and blown in the wind. The people of Madinah soon realized that a mighty caravan was entering the city. They stood in amazement as seven hundred camels laden with goods moved into the city and crowded the streets. There was much shouting and excitement as people called to one another to come out and witness the sight and see want goods and sustenance the camel caravan had brought. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her heard the commotion and asked: " what is this that's happening in Madinah?" And she was told it is the the caravan of Abdur-Rahman which has come from Syria bearing his merchandise. Aisha shook her head and gazed in the distance as if she was trying to recall some scene or utterance of the past and then she said: " I have heard the Messenger of Allah,(S.A.W.) say: l have seen ABDUR-RAHMAN IBN AWF entering Paradise creeping."why creeping? Why should he not enter paradise leaping and at a quick pace with the early companions? Some friends of his related the hadith to Abdur-Rahman,R.A. .He remembered that he had heard the hadith more than once from the prophet (S.A.W.) and so he hurried to the house of Aishah,may Allah be pleased with her and said to her: " Yaa Ammah! Have you heard that from the messenger of Allah? "Yes" she replied.

" You have reminded me of a hadith which I have never forgotten, if I could I would certainly like to enter paradise standing. I swear to you, Yaa Ammah, that this entire caravan with all its merchandise, I will give sabilillah." And so he did. In a great festival of charity and righteousness, he distributed all that the massive caravan had brought to the people of Madinah and surrounding areas. This is just one incident which showed what type of man Abdur-Rahman,R.A. was. He earned much wealth but he never remained attached to it for its own sake and he did not allow it to corrupt him.

All this wealth did not change Abdur-Rahman,R.A., when he was among his workers and assistants, people could not distinguish him from them. One day food was brought to him with which to end a fast. He looked at the food and said: " Musab IBN Umayr has been killed. He was better than me. We did not find anything of his to shroud him with except what covered his head but left his legs uncovered. Then Allah endowed us with the bounties of the world...I really fear that our reward has been bestowed on us early( in this world)." He began to cry and sob and could not eat. May Abdur-Rahman IBN AWF be granted felicity among " those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah and do not follow up

their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury. For them their reward is with their lord, on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve". ( Surah al- Baqarah, 2:262).