Sa'id bin 'Amir Al Jumahi:
The man who purchased the Hereafter in lieu of the life of this world;
the man who, for the sake of Allah and His Prophetﷺ, sacrificed everything else.
The youth Sa'id bin 'Amir Al Jumahi was one of the thousands who were going to congregate at the place of Tan'im in the outskirts of Makkah at the invitation of the chiefs of Quraish tribe. They were soon to witness the execution of one of Muhammad’s ﷺ companions, Khubaib bin 'Adi whom they had tricked into captivity.
His ripe youth and zealous adrenalin enabled Sa'id to push past people’s shoulders and get to the row of the chiefs of Quraish like Abiu Sufyan bin Harb, Safwan bin Umayyah and others, the usual occupants of the front rows. This provided him with the opportunity to see the prisoner of Quraish fettered in chains being pushed roughly towards the ground of execution by the hands of women, children and youths. All of them were keen to retaliate upon Muhammad ﷺ by hurting him and to quench their thirst of vengeance for their fallen warriors in the Battle of Badr by killing him.
When this large crowd following its prisoner reached the place where arrangements had been made for execution, young Saeed bin 'Amir Al Jumahi elongated himself to have a look at Khubaib being moved towards the execution-wood. The calm and firm voice of the prisoner, barely audible amidst the shouts and urgings of women and children, was a surprise:
“If you like, you could allow me time to perform two Salah-units before execution.”
Sa'id cast a second look at the prisoner facing the holy Ka'bah and performing the two Salah-units. How beautiful the Salah was! How perfect its performance was!
Sa'id saw him next when he had turned towards the leaders of Quraish clarifying: “By Allah! I would have performed more Salah and for longer time but didn’t, in case you mistook it for fear of death.”
His next vision was that of his tribesmen cutting off the organs of still-alive Khubaib piece-by-piece taunting: “Wouldn’t you like if Muhammad was in your place and you went free?” His freely flowing blood notwithstanding, Khubaid kept saying: “By Allah! I would never like to be safe and secure, with my wife and children, while Muhammad ﷺ suffered from a thorn-prick.”
The disbelieving (kafir) spectators waved their hands high in the air raising their yells: “Kill him! Kill him!” Sa'id bin 'Amir could see Khubaib raising his sight towards the sky while tied to the execution wood saying: “Allah! Count them one by one! Scatter and kill each person! Don’t leave out a single one!” At last, he breathed his last, wounded with so many sword-slashes and spear-stabs that Sa'id could not count.
***
Quraish returned to Makkah and were soon occupied with events and incidents that made them forget Khubaib and his execution. Except the adolescent Sa'id, who did not let Khubaib leave his heart even for a moment. He saw him in his dreams when asleep, and in his imaginations when awake. His calm and composed body performing the two Salah-units in front of the execution-wood would materialize in front of him. He could still hear the resonance of Khubaib’s voice while he prayed to Allah against Quraish. Sa'id feared a lightning might strike or a meteorite might fall!
Nonetheless Khubaib had taught Sa'id something he had never known before. He had taught that the true life is belief and waging holy Jihad for this belief till death. He also demonstrated to him that firm belief could do wonders and carry out miracles. He had got one more lesson: that the person whom his companions loved so overwhelmingly could not be but a Prophet with authority from the Heavens.
It was then that Allah opened his heart for Islam. He stood up in a gathering, declared his dissociation with Quraish’s sins and iniquities, repudiated its idols and statues, and proclaimed his entry into Allah’s Din.
***
Sa'id bin 'Amir migrated to Madinah to stay in the company of Allah’s Prophet – His peace and blessings be upon him. He participated in the Battle of Khaibar and the subsequent ones. When the compassionate Prophetﷺ shifted to the proximity of his Lord (died) while his Lord was pleased with him, Sa'id remained an unsheathed sword in the hands of his two successors, Caliph Abiu Bakr and Caliph Umar – May Allah be please with all of them! He lived the life of the exemplary, outstanding epitome of a Believer who chose to purchase the life of the Hereafter in lieu of the life of this world and opted to sacrifice all the desires of spirit and cravings of body for Allah’s pleasure and reward.
***
The two successors of Allah’s Prophetﷺ were well-aware of Sa'id’s truthfulness and piety, and so would keenly listen to his counsels and respect his advices.
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