PERDANA MENTERI NIZAM al-MULK

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH 
THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Perihal Nizam al-Mulk ini diulas oleh Imam al-Zahabi di dalam kitab Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, katanya:

"Perdana Menteri Nizam al-Mulk Qawwam al-Din, Abu  'Ali, Hassan bin 'Ali bin Ishaq al-Thusi ialah seorang yang pintar, ahli politik, pentadbir medan lapangan, berkeperibadian tinggi, seorang yang amat baik dan pemalu. Majlisnya sering dikunjungi oleh para fuqaha dan qura'. Beliau telah membangunkan universiti yang besar di Baghdad, Naisabur dan Thus. Beliau dikenali sebagai seorang yang sangat menyukai ilmu pengetahuan , selalu berinteraksi dengan para penuntut ilmu dan kerap meriwayatkan hadis." 

Keadaan ini terus dilaksanakannya sehingga beliau diangkat menjadi menteri pada era Alp Arslan seterusnya pada zaman anaknya (Alp Arslan) iaitu Malik Shah I. Pada masa pemerintahan inilah beliau mengatur masalah negara dengan lebih teratur. Beliau berjaya meminimakan kes jenayah, bersikap baik kepada rakyatnya dan mampu membangunkan wakaf sehingga para pembesar rapat dengannya.

Beliau turut menasihatkan Malik Shah I agar melantik para panglima perang dan pegawai pentadbir yang beragama, bermoral dan berani.

Ibn Katsir sendiri menyifatkan beliau di dalam bukunya, Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah;

"Beliau adalah seorang pemerintah yang memiliki perjalanan hidup yang begitu baik."

 Anaknya bernama 'Imad al-Din Zanki merupakan orang pertama yang melancarkan pertahanan terhadap serangan tentera salib. Seterusnya perjuangannya dilanjutkan pula oleh anaknya yang terkenal, Nur al-Din Mahmud Zanki. Keluarga inilah yang melatakkan para panglima serta bibit kemenangan umat Islam terhadap serangan kaum Salib di bawah pimpinan terkemudian seperti Salah al-Din al-Ayubi, Zhahir Baibars dan Ahmad Qalawun. Mereka inilah yang membuka ruang penyatuan dan kesepaduan dunia Islam menentang serangan tentera Salib Kristian selama dua kurun.

Ibn al-Atsir ketika menceritakan keperibadian ini di dalam kitabnya Al- Kamil fi Al-Tarikh;

"Beliau adalah anak seorang bekas hamba berbangsa Turki yang dikenali sebagai seorang sangat baik. Beliau sangat gemar mendampingi orang alim, melihat kebaikan dan melaksanakannya. terkenal sebagai seorang gabenor yang sangat baik, menjaga solat tepat pada wktunya dan sering bertahajud di waktu malam."

CINTANYA TERHADAP ILMU 

 Beliau terkenal dengan sikap sukakan ilmu pengetahuan, menghormati para ulama dan mendampingi mereka. Beliau gemar mendalami ilmu hadis, seraya berkata;

"Aku sedar bahawa aku tidak layak untuk meriwayatkan hadis tetapi aku lebih senang berada sebaris dengan orang yang meriwayatkan hadis Rasulullah saw." 

 Beliau mendengar hadis dari al-Qusyairi, Abu Muslim bin Mahar Bazad dan Abu Hamid al-Azhari. Beliau juga sangat mengambil berat mengenai universiti yang ditubuhkannya agar sentiasa berfungsi. 

Diceritakan juga bahawa belaiu mampu menghafal al-Quran al-Karim ketika usianya baru mencecah 11 tahun. Beliau banyak mengamalkan mazhab Syafii dalam usul ibadahnya dan tidak akan duduk kecuali dalam keadaan berwuduk. Tidak pernah beliau berwuduk melainkan selepas iti beliau akan menunaikan solat sunat wuduk.

Apabila mendengar azan segala kerjanya akan dihentikan dan akan segera ke masjid untuk menunaikannya. Jika muazzin lambat melaungkan azan beliau sendiri yang akan memerintahkan agar melaungkannya. Ini merupaka kemunca keperibadian yang sukar ditemui dalam kehidupan hari ini.

  

KEMANGKATANNYA 

 Pada hari Khamis bertarikh 10 Ramadhan 485 H bersamaan thanu  1092. Selepas waktu berbuka puasa, Nizam al-Mulk menunaikan solat Maghrib dan selepas itu beliau  duduk di meja makan bersama para qura, fuqaha dan ulama. Beliau menyebut bahawa beliau berada di bumi yang mulia iaitu tanah Nahawand.

Beliau juga menceritakan tentang kisah peperangan kaum muslimin dengan bangsa Parsi pada era pemerintahan 'Umar Al-Khattab. Apabila selesai berbuka puasa, beliau keluar menuju ke khemah isterinya tanpa menyedari pergerakannya diikuti.

Seorang pemuda dari Dailam bersedia menyerangnya dengan berpura-pura meminta bantuan. Tatkala dia terleka itulah pemuda tersebut memukulnya dan diheret ke khemah isterinya. Tidak lama kemudian beliau telah menghembuskan nafas yang terakhir di khemah isterinya. Sultan Malik I segera datang dan mengucapkan takziah sambil menahan kesedihan.

Sementara itu, pemuda yang membunuhnya itu ditemui sedang bersembunyi dalam sebuah khemah. Beliau dibawa keluar dan dibunuh serta merta. Sebahagian hamba Nizam al-Mulk memberitahu kepada mereka bahawa beliau berpesan;

  "Janganlah kamu membunuh orang yang menyerangku kerana aku telah memaafkan 
    kesalahannya".

Antara sumbangannya adalah menubuhkan Universiti Nizamiyah di Bahgdad dan beberapa buah bandar lain. Beliau juga sempat menyiapkan buku dalam bahasa Parsi iaitu Siyasat Nameh (Buku Kerajaan) dan Dustur al-Wuzura (Perlembagaan Menteri) yang ditulis untuk anaknya iaitu abu al-Fath dan Fakhr al-Malik.

Buku Kerajaan

Alhamdulillah.

Book: Era Kebangkitan Kerajaan Uthmaniyyah (1299M-1453M)
Mohd Fikri Che Hussain
Hijjaz Records Publishing
Kota Damansara.

THE YEAR OF THE ELEPHANT

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, 

THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL

"Oh Abdul Muttalib ask of me anything and I will grant it."

Smiling gently, Abdul Muttalib replied, "Yesterday, your soldiers plundered two hundred of my camels. I merely ask you to return to us what you took unlawfully."

Abrahah, when he heard these words, was filled with disappoinment! what kind of man was this! he could have pleaded for the Ka'aba but all he asked for were his camels!

In a reproachful voice, he told Abdul Muttalib, "You are not only a prince of  noble bearing but the governor of Makkah, the chieftain of all the Quraish. You are the keeper of the Ka'aba for which you are greatly honored. You know I came here to destroy the Ka'aba and all you ask for are your camels? Why did you not plead for the Ka'abafor surely I would have spared it!"

Softly, but firmly, abdul Muttalib replied, "the Ka'aba belongs to the All-Seeing and All-Powerful Lord who is able to keep it and protect it from all enemies. On the other hand, I am the Lord of the camels therefore I can only speak about the camels."

Puzzled, but impressed at the same time, Abrahah returned Abdul Muttalib's camels to him and escorted him with due honor  of his tent. Returning to Makkah, Abdul Muttalib told the people there that Abrahah would not harm anyone, but to be on the safe side, they should stay in the hills till either the Ka'aba or Abrahah were destroyed.

"Go to the hills and leave the Ka'aba in the hands of the One who owns it!"

The next morning as Abdul Muttalib looked at the sky, he saw a flock of Ababil birds flying overhead towards the army of Abrahah.

meanwhile, Abrahah had already assembled all his army. The elephants had been dressed in their magnificent livery and war armour and and were placed in the front line of the army. In the middle of all these war elephants, Mahmud, ready to lead the other elephants and the soldiers into battles.

Rank after rank of soldiers stood proudly inthe morning sun, the light of which glittered off the tops of their spears and helmets. Standing in front of his army, Abrahah in a loud voice said, 

"The city is empty, the inhabitants have fled, march into and destroy the Ka'aba down to the very last stone. However, do not harm even one single person or destroy their homes or you will pay with your life."

Abrahah then ordered Mahmud to lead the attack. However, the elephant that was normally so obedient refused to obey its mahout. Instead of leading the other elephants in a straight line, he kept zig-zagging and trying to turn back.

Nothing the mahout did could make him follow orders. Finally, when they reached the city's outskirts, it refused to move another inch, no matter what the soldiers did to it. They hit the elephant with sticks, stoned it, and even tried lighting a fire underneath it but nothing could move the giant beast.


As the soldiers were desperately trying to move Mahmud, Allah Almighty sent His mighty flock of Ababil birds. Each bird was carrying a burning stone from the pits of the fires of hell with the name of the person it was intended fro written on it.

No sooner was a person hit by these stone than they would die there and then in great agony. as the birds swooped and dived, the screams of terror and pain coming from the army of Abrahah filled the morning air. Before long, not one single soldier or elephant remained alive except the Great War Elephant, Mahmud, who had refused to cross the borders of the city of Makkah.


What happened to Abrahah? According to some sources, he did not die straightway but was carried back by his personal slaves (who were not soldiers), more dead than alive. As they carried him, his body wept blood and pus while pieces of flesh dropped along the road. Finally, they reached Sanaa (Yemen) and after telling the people there what had happened, he too, died. (refer : Ibn Kathir Seerat-un-Nabi, pages 20-24)


Meanwhile, back in Makkah, Abdul Muttalib told the people that Ka'aba was safe and they could safely return to their homes. Praising both the Merciful Lord and Abdul Muttalib, they swiftly returned to Makkah. Surprised at finding their enemies' tent empty and no sign of the soldiers, they quickly collected the booty of which they turned over a large portion to Abdul Muttalib.


What happened to all the thousands of bodies? Well in the Seerat- un-Nabi compiled by Ibn Kathir (page 23), Naqqarah recorded that before the Arabs returned to their city, a mighty cyclone was sent by Allah Almighty that swept all the bodies out to sea.


after this event, nobody else has tried to destroy the holy house in Makkah for fear of what would happen to them if indeed they were foolish or arrogant enough to try.


Did you know, according to Sayyidina Ayesha r.a. and reported by ibn Ishaq, she had seen the elephant and his keeper, Unays, in Makkah. Both were blind and begging for food. (ibn Kathir)

Alhamdulillah.


author:       Ayesha Abdullah Scott
book:         The Year of the Elephant
Publisher:  Future Text Publications, 2010

Sultan Muhammad Alp Arslan (1063-1072)

SULTAN KERAJAAN SELJUK 

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Nama Islam beliau ialah Muhammad bin Dawud Chaghri. Gelarannya di kalangan pasukan tenteranya adalah Alp Arslan di dalam bahasa Turki yang bermaksud 'Singa Berani'. Beliau pernah dilantik sebagai gabenor Khurasan pada tahun 1059 untuk menggantikan bapanya. Alp Arslan telah dilantik bagi menggantikan pemerintahan bapa saudaranya iaitu Tughrul Beg.

Alp Arslan adalah putera Bey Chaghri atau Chaghri Beg iaitu abang sulung kepada Tughrul Beg. secara ringkasnya beliau meluaskan empayar Seljuk hingga ke Armenia dan Georgia pada 1064. Belaiu juga menyerang Empayar Byzantin pada tahun 1068 dan berjaya menawan Anatolia. Kejayaan Alp Arslan dalam Perang Manzikert melenyapkan ancaman kerajaan Byzantin.

Kejayaan penaklukan di wilayah Kristian dilakukan oleh Alp Arslan telah membangkitkan kemarahan Kaisar Romawi yang bernama Romanus Diogenes IV yang memerintah dari tahun 1068-1071. Beliau bertekad untuk melakukan serangan balas dalam usaha mempertahankan kedaulatan wilayahnya.

Pasukan tentera Kaisar beberapa kali terlibat dalam pertempuran dengan angkatan tentera Seljuk. Antara peperangan yang paling penting adalah Perang Manzikert atau Malazgird dalam Daerah Mus (Turki) pada 26 Ogos 1071.

Ibn Katsir merupakan seorang sejarahwan Islam telah menceritakan di dalam bukunya;

"Pada tahun itu, Kaisar Romawi yang bernama Romanus telah bergerak dalam satu pasukan yang besar seumpama gunung. Pasukannya terdiri dari kalangan tentera Romawi, Georgia dan Perancis. Jumlah mereka begitu ramai dengan senjata yang begitu lengkap. Dalam pasukan itu, terdapat 35 orang panglima perang. Di bawah seorang panglima, terdapat 1,000 orang penunggang kuda"

"Pasukan yang datang dari Perancis berjumlah 35,000 orang. Manakala pasukan yang berada di Konstantinopel berjumlah 15,000 orang. Turut mengiringinya ialah 100,000 orang pemain seruling dan penggali lubang. 1,000 kuda kerja, 400 gerabak pengangkut kasut dan paku dan 1,000 gerabaklain yang mengangkut senjata, lampu dan manjanik".

Alp Arslan sendiri turut merasa gentar setelah melihat pasukan Romawi yang begitu ramai. Melihat keadaan ini, sorang Ulama yang bernama Abu  Nasr, Muhammad bin Abdul Malik al-Bukhari menasihatinya agar melancarkan perang pada hari Jumaat sewaktu tergelincir matahari dengan tibanya waktu Zuhur. Ini kerana pada waktu tersebut para khatib sedang mendoakan kemenangan kaum Muslimin di serata pelusuk negara umat Islam.

Apabila tiba waktunya dan kuda pasukan saling berhadapan, Alp Arslan turun dari kudanya dan bersujud di atas tanah, berdoa agar diberi kemenangan. Antara kalimahnya yang masyhur ialah;

"Aku meletakkan jiwaku di tangan Allah. Jika aku mencapai syahadah (mati syahid) maka aku akan disambut oleh burung hijau (ke syurga) dan menjadi sisa burung nasar yang berdebu di atas kematianku. seandainya aku menang, tiada yang lebih menggembirakan aku dari waktu semalam dan hari ini adalah lebih baik daripada semalam".

Lantas beliau menyeru ke arah tenteranya;

"Kita adalah kelompok yang sedikit bilangannya, aku mahu mencampakkan diriku di tengah-tengah pasukan mereka sewaktu seluruh kaum Muslimin mendoakan kita di atas mimbar-mimbar. samada aku mencapai tujuanku atau aku akan mati syahid lalu berangkat ke syurga. Sesiapa di kalangan kamu ingin mengikutiku, maka ikutlah aku."

"Siapa yang ingin berundur, maka pilihlah untuk dirinya kerana di sini tiada lagi raja yang memberi perintah dan tidak ada tentera yang menerima perintah. Kerana aku pada hari ini adalah sebahagian daripada kamu, aku berperang bersama kamu semua. Sesiapa yang bersamaku, nescaya Allah akan kurniakan kepadanya, samada jannah atau ghanimah (syurga atau rampasan perang). Siapa yang berundur nescaya ditimpakan azab neraka dan juga kehinaan."

Para tenteranya menajawab;

"Apa sahaja yang kamu perintahkan nescaya kami akan ikuti dan kami membantumu".

Lalu beliau segera melepaskan pakaian kebesarannya dan mengambil busur, anak panah serta pedangnya untuk menuju ke medan perang. Beliau sendiri yang memesang pelana kudanya tanpa bantuan orang lain. Beliau mengenakan pakaian berwarna putih, siap masuk ke medan perang seraya berkata;

"Seandainya aku terbunuh pada hari ini, inilah kain kafanku!'.

Akhirnya perang mula meletus dengan serangan dari kedua-dua belah pihak Tentera Alp Arslan telah membunuh ramai tentera Romawi. Diceritakan, tentera Kristian Romawi yang terbunuh adalah seramai 110,000 orang manakala 40,000 orang pula ditawan, termasuklah Kaisar sendiri berjaya ditawan oleh seorang pemuda (hamba) yang berasal dari negaranya sendiri.

Alhamdullilah.....

Book: Era Kebangkitan Kerajaan Uthmaniyyah (1299M-1453M), Episod silam yang dilupakan.

Author: Mohd Fikri Che Hussain

Publisher: Hijjaz Record Publishing, 2010.

'ABD ALLAH IBN MAS'UUD The first Reciter of Qur'aan

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST MERCIFUL, THE MOST BENEFICENT

Before the Prophet (PBUH) entered Daar Al-Arqam, Ibn Mas'uud had declared his belief in him. He was the sixth one to embrace Islam and follow the Prophet (PBUH). thus he was one of the early Muslims.

He narrated his first meeting with the Prophet (PBUH): I ws a young shepherd boy responsible for the sheep of 'Uqbah Ibn Abu Mu'ait. The Prophet (PBUH) once came with Abu Bakr and said, "O' boy, do you have milk for us to drink?" and I said, "I can't let you drink their milk."

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Do you have a virgin sheep that has never mated with a male?" I said, "Yes" and brought it to them. The Prophet (PBUH) caught it and stroked its udder and prayed to ALLAH till the udder filled. Abu Bakr brought him a concave rock into which he milked the sheep. Abu Bakr drank the milk, and then after that the Prophet said to the udder, "Shrink". and it did. I went to the Prophet after this incident and said to him, "Teach me this kind of talk." The Prophet (PBUH) said, "You are already a learned boy."

Before his Islam he never dared to pass by a session attended by any Quraish nobleman except with hastened steps and a  bowed head, but after Islam he was capable of going to the Ka'bah, where the elite Quraish congregated and standing among them reading the Qur'aan in a loud, beautiful, impressive voice:

{ In the Name of ALLAH, the Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent! Has taught the Qur'aan. He created man. He taught him eloquent speech. The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each. and the herbs (or stars) and the trees both prostrate } (55: 1-6).

He went on reciting while the Quraish  were thunderstruck , not believing their own eyes or ears. They could not imagine that the one challengging their pride was just one of their hired shehperd boys who was the poor unknown 'Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud.

Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with him), describe the exciting scene: 'Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud was the first one to recite Qur'aan publicly in Makkah after the Prophet (PBUH). It happened one day that the Prophet's Companions were gathered with the Prophet (PBUH). They said, "By Allah, the quraish have never heard the Qur'aan being recited to them before. Isn't  there any man to recite it so that they may hear it?"

Tereupon 'Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud said, "I". They said, "we are afraid may harm you." We want a  man with a strong family to protect him from those people if they want to harm him." He said, "Let me go, Allah will protect me". Ibn Mas'uud went to the Maqam at the Ka'bah and recited :

< In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful! Has taught the Qur'aan.......> and when went on reciting. The Quraish gazed at him and said, "What does Ibn Umm 'Abd say? He is reciting some of what Muhammad came with." They went to him and began to beat him in the face while he was reciting till he finished whatever Allah wished him to recite from the Surah. he returned to his friends with a wounded face and body, and they told him, "This is what we were afraid would happen to you,"

He answered them, "Those enemies of Allah have never been more worthless to me than this moment, and if you wish I will go back to them and do the same tomorrow." They said, "No, it is enough for you. You have made them hear what they hated.

It was a pleasure for the Prophet (PBUH) to hear Qur'aan being recited from the mouth of Ibn Mas'uud. The Prophet (PBUH) once called on him and said, "Recite to me, 'Abd Allah," and 'Abd Allah said, "How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "I like to hear it from others."

Thereupon Ibn Mas'uud started reading part of Surah An-Nisaa' till he reached the verse: 

< How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you as a witness against those people. On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messeger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah > (4: 41-42).

Upon hearing this, the Prophet's eyes flooded with tears and he waved to Ibn Mas'uud saying, "Enough, enough, Ibn Mas'uud."

Alhmadulillah......

from the favorite book ....

The HAWK of the Day of AL-Yamaamah......

ZAID IBN AL-KHATTAAB

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Ar-Rajjaal was more dangerous to Islam than Musailamah himself because he exploited his previous association with Islam and the period he had lived with the Messenger in Al-Madiinah, memorizing many verses of the Holy Qur'aan, and his intercession to Abu Bakr (May ALLAH be pleased with him), the Caliph of the Muslims.

Ar-Rajjaal exploited all those things for evil purposes and cunningly supported and confirmed the sovereignty of Musailamah and his false prophethood.

He walked among people saying that he heard the Messenger of ALLAH say he had taken Musailamah into partnership and when the Messenger (PBUH) died, he was worthy of carrying the banner of prophethood and revelation after him.

The number of Musailamah's supporters increased to a great extent because of the lies of Ar-Rajjal and his cunning exploitation of his previous relationships with Islam and the Messenger (PBUH). When the news of Ar-Rajjal reached Al-Madiinah, the Muslims were exceedingly angry because of the lies of this dangerous apostate who used to mislead people. His evil words and deeds expanded the range of the war and intensified the conflict the Muslims had their enemies and adversaries. 

The most anxious and the most eager to meet Ar-Rajjal was Zaid Ibn Al-Khattaab, whose heroism and fame was outstanding in the biographies and books of Islamic history.

Who is Zaid Al-Khattaab?. He was the brother of 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (May ALLAH be pleased with both). Yes! he was his elder brother. He was older than 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab and he embraced Islam and gained the honor of martyrdom before him.

He was the ideal hero whose motto was "Action speak louder than words." His faith in ALLAH and His Messenger and His religion was strong and firm. He never stayed away from the Messenger in any setting, and in every battle he sought martyrdom more than he sought victory.

On the day of Uhud, when the fight between the believers and the polytheists was very fierce, Zaid was fighting boldly. His brother 'Umar Al-Khattaab (May ALLAH be pleased with him) saw him as his shield fell down and he was within reach of the enemies, 'Umar cried, "O' Zaid, take my shield and fight with it!." He continued fighting without his shield with astonishing heroism.

In Zaid's opinion, Ar-Rajjaal was not only an apostate but also a hypocrite and self-seeker. Zaid was, like his brother 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, in his abhorrence of hypocrisy and lying, especially when hypocrisy aimed at selfish gain and mean purposes. For those mean purposes Ar-Rajjaal committed his atrocious acts, resulting in the numbers of Musailamah's supporters greatly increasing and causing great numbers of deaths in the Apostate Battles. First he deceived them, and finally he led them to their deaths for the sake of his devilish hopes.

His only hope was to kill Ar-Rajjaal, so he began to penetrate the enemy army like an arrow searching for its target, until he saw him. Then he began to attack him from right and left. Whenever the deluge of the battle swallowed Ar-Rajjaal and hid him, Zaid dived towards him until the waves pushed him to the surface again. Zaid approached him and stretched out his sword towards him, but the furious human waves swallowed Ar-Rajjaal again. then Zaid followed and dived after him so as not to allow him to escape.

At last, Zaid held him by his neck and with the sword, he cut off his head which was full of vanity, lies, and villainy. by the death of the great liar, the ranks of its whole army began to fall. Musailamah and Al-Mahkam Ibn At-Tufail were filled with horror. The killing of Ar-Rajjaal spread in Musailamah's army like fire on a stormy day.

TAKBIR!........

They wished, if they had any strength to fight with, they would be able to witness the triumph of the battle in its glorious conclusion. But how could that be?. Since the doors of Paradise had opened to welcome them, they were now hearing their names while they were being called to immortality!......

Zaid raise his hands towards heaven supplicating ALLAH and thanking Him for His blessings. Then he returned to his sword and his silence, as he had sworn by ALLAH not to utter a word until he had completed the victory or gained the honor of martyrdom.

The battle began to lean to the side of the Muslims and their inevitable victory began to approach rapidly. At that moment Zaid did not desire a better conclusion to his life than praying to ALLAH to grant him martyrdom on that DAY of YAMAAMAH!...

The wind of Paradise blew to fill his soul with longing, his eyes with tears, and his determination with firmness. he began to fight as if he was searching for his glorious destiny, and the hero fell!. So he died a martyr, magnanimously, gracefully and happily. The Army of Islam returned to Al-Madiinah victorious.

While 'Umar and the Caliph Abu Bakr were welcoming those who were returning triumphantly, 'Umar began to search for his home coming brother with longing eyes. 

Zaid was to tall that he could be easily recognized. But before 'Umar had strained his eyes, one of the returning Muslims approached and consoled him. 'Umar said, "May ALLAH have mercy upon Zaid, he preceded me into two instances. He embraced Islam before me and gained martyrdom before me, too."

In spite of the victories that Islam won and enjoyed, 'Umar Al-Faaruuq never forgot his brother Zaid, and always said  "When ever the east wind blows, I smell the scent of Zaid." 

Yes! The east wind carries the perfume of Zaid (May ALLAH be pleased with him).

Blessings be upon Al-Khattaab under the flag of the Messenger (PBUH). Blessed be they the moment they embraced Islam. Blessed be they when they fought and were martyred. and blessings be upon them in the hereafter.

Alhamdulillah.... 

TAKBIR!....

TAKBIR!.....

TAKBIR!....

Source: book..one of my favorite....