Ammar bin Yasir - Part 2

The Migration

The condition of the Muslims in Makkah became critical. So, our Master Muhammad [s] ordered his companions to immigrate to Yathrib.

Ammar was one of those who migrated for Allah.

When our Master Muhammad [s] immigrated too, happiness covered al-Madina al-Munawwara. And the immigrants lived peacefully with their brothers in Yathrib.

First, Allah's Apostle [s] thought of building a mosque so that the Muslims would worship Allah alone. In the meantime it would be a symbol for the Muslims strength and a castle for the Muslim nation.

With enthusiasm, the Muslims began building the Prophet's Mosque.

Some Muslims were carrying dust. Some were making bricks and some were carrying the dried bricks to make the walls.

Our Master Muhammad [s] was working with his companions. Ammar, though covered with dust, was working actively.

Each Muslim was carrying a brick. But Ammar was carrying two bricks. For this reason, our Master Muhammad [s] said to him:

They (the Muslims) will get a reward; you'll get two rewards.

To encourage his Muslim brothers, Ammar repeated the following enthusiastic words:

Those who build the mosque do not equal those who avoid dust.

Some companions were avoiding dust. They became displeased with Ammar's words. Uthman came to Ammar and said threateningly:

I'll hit you on the nose with this stick!

Ammar looked at Uthman but did not say a word.

Our Master Muhammad [s] heard about Uthman's threat. He felt pain. Then he came to Ammar and said:

You're dear to me!

Our Master Muhammad [s] rubbed the dust from Ammar's face. Thus the great companions heart was filled with love for the Holy Prophet.

Jihad (Holy War)

Days and months passed. Allah, the Glorified, wanted to punish those who persecuted the Muslims in Makkah and robbed them of their money.

The Battle of Badr took place. Ammar was one of the fighters who went to hinder the Quraishi caravan coming from Shaam. The Muslims heard that the polytheists had formed an army. Abu Jahal headed the army. He was heading for al-Madina al-Munawwara.

The Prophet asked the advice of his companions. Finally, he took a decision to face the polytheists. Our Master Muhammad [s] sent Ammar bin Yasir and Abdullah bin Masoud to get him information about the polytheists' army.

Ammar was brave. He approached the polytheists caravans and went round their camp to collect information.

Ammar and his friend came back to our Master Muhammad [s]. Ammar said:

The army is afraid. The horse wants to neigh. But its owner hits it on the face. And its raining heavily. Therefore, they can't move easily. Generally speaking, the polytheists are in low spirits.

In the morning, when the polytheists woke, they found strange footprints. Munbih bin al-Hajjaj had a good knowledge of footprints. He said:

By al-Lat and al-Uzza, these are Ammar's and Abdullah's footprints.

The Battle of Badr

On the morning of 17th Ramadan, 2 A.H., the great Battle of Badr, the first battle in the history of Islam, took place. At that battle, Allah granted the believers victory over the polytheists.

Ammar was fighting with enthusiasm. When the polytheists escaped, Ammar saw Abu Jahal. So, he remembered those days when Abu Jahal tortured the Muslims and tortured his parents. Now, the swords of the persecuted got revenge on the unjust. Ammar looked at the sky and thanked Allah, the Glorified, for his victory.

Ammar was with Truth

Ammar was sixty years old. However, he was more eager than the young men to strive for Allah. Ammar deeply believed in Allah. He loved the Apostle of humanity, our Master Muhammad [s]. The Prophet [s] also loved his old friend, Ammar. He praised him on several occasions:

Ammar is with truth and truth is with Ammar. Truth is always with him.

Ammar is full of faith. Blessed is Ammar, the unjust group will kill you. Your last food in this world will be a cup of yoghurt.

Days, months and years passed. Ammar was always with our Master Muhammad [s] he was always striving for Allah against the enemies of Islam and humanity.

In 11 A.H., our Master Muhammad [s] passed away. On that occasion, all Muslims became sad. Ammar wept over his old friend, Allah's Apostle. He remembered the days of his youth in Makkah and the days of Jihad.

Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) stayed loyal to his Islam. He was always striving for the religion and saying the word of truth. He was not afraid of anyone but Allah.

Ammar loved Ali bin Abu Talib because he heard our Master Muhammad [s] always saying:

Ali, no one loves you but a believer and no one hates you but a hypocrite.

Ali, you are in the same position with respect to me as Harun was to Musa except there is no Prophet after me.

On the farewell pilgrimage, Ammar saw our Master Muhammad [s] taking both arms of Ali and raising them high, he said:

Whoever, I am the master of, this man, Ali is his master. Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, be hostile to whoever opposes him. Support whoever supports him and desert whoever deserts him.

For this reason, Ammar thought that Ali bin Abu Talib would be the Caliph after our Master Muhammad [s]. Anyhow, Abu Bakr al-Sidiq became the Caliph after the Prophet. But some companions opposed his Caliphate. Ammar opposed his Caliphate too. And he stood by Ali bin Abu Talib and Fatima al-Zahra, our Master Muhammad's daughter.

After a short while, Fatima al-Zahra, the mistress of the women of the world, died.

Jihad

Ammar devoted most of his time to the life of Jihad. He took part in the Muslims conquest battles. He also fought bravely against the apostasy in Yemen.

When Umar bin al-Khattab became the Caliph after Abu Bakr, he appointed Ammar to rule over Kufa.

There Ammar treated people according to Allah's law. And the people were pleased with his just, merciful and humble treatment.

Al-Shura (Consultation)

In 23 A.H., Umar bin al-Khattab was assassinated. Some Muslims had come to Umar, earlier, and asked him to appoint a Caliph after him.

The Caliph decided that the Caliphate had to be shura (consultation). So, he elected six persons. They were Ali bin Abu Talib [a], Uthman bin Affan, Talha, Zubair, Abdul Rahman bin Auf and Saad bin Abi Wakkas.

Umar ordered the persons to hold a meeting in one of their houses to appoint one of them caliph within three days.

Ammar hoped that they would elect Ali because of his long jihad, his blood relation to our Master Muhammad [s], his knowledge, his outstanding merits and his priority in Islam.

One day passed. Then two days passed. But there was no result. There was serious competition between Ali bin Abu Talib [a] and Uthman bin Affan for the Caliphate.

Some companions such as al-Miqdad, Ammar bin Yasir, al-Abbas, and others stood by the house.

They hoped that Ali would be elected. Banu Ummayyah stood by the house, too. They hoped that Uthman would be elected.

To make Abdul Rahman bin Auf hear, Ammar loudly said:

If you want to see the Muslims in agreement then appoint Ali.

To support Ammar, al-Miqdad said:

Ammar has told the truth. If you appoint Ali, we'll hear and obey him.

AbdulRahman's ambition was to be a caliph. He refused to appoint Ali because Ali would not hand him the Caliphate later on.

So, Abdul Rahman appointed Uthman to hand him the Caliphate after his death.

Thus Uthman became the third Caliph.

Imam Ali went out after he had said to Abdul Rahman:

This is not the first day when you support each other against us! But patience is good and Allah is whose help is sought for against what you describe.

By Allah, you have appointed Uthman caliph to hand you the Caliphate.

Ammar was very unhappy for the Ahlul Bait because they were worthier of Caliphate than other people and because Allah kept away uncleanness from them and purified them thoroughly.

Deviation

Six years passed after Uthman's Caliphate.

Gradually, the Caliph deviated from Islam and from our Master Muhammad's behaviour.

Uthman appointed his blood relatives rulers over the cities. They were bad, unjust persons.

For example, Uthman appointed al-Waleed bin Utbah, his half brother, ruler over Kufa. Al-Waleed drank alcohol and went drunk to the mosque.

Uthman made Marwan bin Hakam the real ruler of the Muslim government. He appointed the rulers and dismissed them. He dismissed the great companion Salman al-Farsi from Mada-inn and appointed one of his blood relatives over it.

Uthman also dismissed Saad bin Abi Wakkas from Kufa and appointed al-Waleed bin Akabah over it.

Uthman spent the Muslims' money on his blood relatives from Bani Ummayyah and left the poor to live in pain.

Adapted from the book: "The Companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w)"