Fath al-Rabbani

Shaddad bin Abdullah Dimashqi, who had the honor of meeting several Companions, narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Umamah said: “Amr bin Abasah, who used to pay blood money on behalf of those unable to do so! You are from Banu Sulaym. How do you claim that you were the fourth person to enter the fold of Islam?” He replied: “Even in the Age of Ignorance, I considered people misguided and did not give any importance to idols. Then I heard a man who used to talk about Makkah and narrate things. I mounted my ride and came to Makkah Mukarramah. I saw that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was secretly preaching Islam, and his people were dominant over him and inflicted oppression upon him. I managed to reach him by adopting gentleness. I asked: ‘What is your claim?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I am Allah’s Prophet.’ I asked: ‘What does it mean to be Allah’s Prophet, or what is its implication?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The meaning of being Allah’s Prophet is that I am Allah’s Messenger and His envoy.’ I asked: ‘Has Allah sent you as a Messenger?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Yes, absolutely.’ I asked: ‘With what message and invitation has Allah sent you?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘That people should believe in the Oneness of Allah, associate none with Him, break the idols, and maintain ties of kinship.’ I asked: ‘What kind of people are with you in this call?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘One free man and one slave.’ At that time, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I said: ‘I want to become your follower.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘You cannot bear this in the current circumstances. However, return to your people, and when you hear of my dominance, come to me.’ After that, I returned to my people, having accepted Islam. Later, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Madinah Munawwarah. I kept inquiring about the situation until a small caravan came from Yathrib. I asked them about the Makkan who had come to them, what was his position? They informed me that his people had intended to kill him, but they did not succeed in their intention. Allah Almighty intervened between him and their evil intention, and people were joining him rapidly. Then I mounted my ride and came to Madinah Munawwarah and presented myself before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Do you recognize me?’ He said: ‘Are you not the one who came to me in Makkah?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ Then I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Teach me what Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘When you have performed the Fajr prayer, do not pray until the sun rises. Even after the sun rises, do not pray until it has ascended higher, for the sun rises between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. When the sun has risen to the height of one or two spears, then you may pray, for at the time of prayer, Allah’s angels are present. You may pray until the sun is at its zenith; when the sun is at its zenith, do not pray, for at that time Hell is kindled. When the shadow declines, pray, for at the time of prayer, Allah’s angels are present. Then you may pray until Asr. When you have performed the Asr prayer, refrain from praying until sunset, for when the sun sets, the disbelievers prostrate to it.’ I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah! Teach me the rulings of ablution as well.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘When any of you approaches the water for ablution, rinses his mouth, draws water into his nose and expels it, his sins exit from his mouth and nostrils with the water. Then when he washes his face as Allah has commanded him, his sins exit from the edges of his beard with the water. Then when he washes his arms up to the elbows, the sins of his hands exit from the tips of his fingers. Then when he wipes his head, the sins of his head exit from the ends of his hair with the water. Then when he washes his feet as Allah has commanded him, the sins of his feet exit from the tips of his toes with the water. After that, if he stands and praises Allah as is His due and performs two units of prayer, he becomes as pure from his sins as the day his mother gave birth to him.’ The student of Amr bin Abasah, Abu Umamah, asked: ‘O Amr bin Abasah! Speak carefully. Did you hear all this directly from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Does all this happen to a person at one time?’ Sayyiduna Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘O Abu Umamah! Now I have grown old, my bones have become weak, and my time of death is near. I have no need to lie against Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). If I had heard this from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) only once, twice, or three times, I would not have narrated it. I have heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) seven times, or even more than that.’

Abu Najeeh Sayyiduna Amr bin Abasah Salami (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: He says, We besieged the fort of Ta’if in the company of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). During this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever shoots an arrow at the enemy in the way of Allah, he will receive one rank in Paradise. Sayyiduna Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I shot sixteen arrows that day.