Sunday 12 September 2010

Story about George, the Byzantine Roman

In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful,

iA (god willing) i will plagiarise (type down) a story on the above from the book Commanders of the Muslim Army by: Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar.

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There is another very interesting anecdote associated with the Battle of Yarmook. A Roman General by the name of Jarjah (I think this refer to George as the Arabs tounge can be a bit different than the Romans hehe) ask Khalid bin Waleed r.a. (ie may allah be please with him) if he could answer his question truthfully. Khalid bin Waleed answered that he would certainly do so.

He asked if his Prophet s.a.w ( ie blessings and peace be upon him) had received a special sword from heaven and given it to him, because his opponents always seemed to meet with defeat.

Khalid bin Waleed r.a. said that he had certainly not received any sword from heaven.

Jarjah then asked him:

"Why are you called Saifullah (Sword of Allah s.w.t ie grorified be He [from all flaws] the most high)"

Khalid bin Waleed r.a. said it was because Allah Almighty had sent a messenger to guide them. Some of the people has sworn allegiance to him and loved him with their hearts and souls and obeyed him implicitly; others had rejected him and chose to oppose him and his teachings. He, Khalid bin Waleed r.a. himself had been one of his worst enemies. Then Allah s.w.t. had inclined his heart towards Islam, and he had sworn allegiance to the Prophet s.a.w. in person and joined the band of Muslims. On one occasion, addressing, the Prophet s.a.w. had said:

"Khalid you are the sword of Allah Almighty which has been made to annihilate the kuffar (cruel, unjust disbelievers)"

Thus he came to be known as Saifullah (the sword of Allah). Khalid bin Waleed r.a. said they were preaching the unity of Oneness of the One True God (ie Allah in Arabic term), and inviting others to worship Him alone.

The Roman asked if a person pledged allegiance to Islam could he also earn the reward from Allah and reach the status of Khaleed bin Waleed r.a.?

Khaleed bin Waleed r.a. answered that he certainly could; in fact he could even be in a higher position. Moved deeply, the Roman said he wanted to swear allegiance to Islam and its Prophet s.a.w.

Following the guidance and instructions of Khalid bin Waleed r.a., he bathed and purified himself and read the words of acceptance, of the testimoney of faith on the Oneness on God, and two units of supererogatory (i think this means optional prayers). He bid farewell to his army and join the Mujahiden (people to strive hard purely for the sake of God). The Roman General now fought as an ordinary soldier under Khalid bin Waleed r.a. for the honour and love of Islaam, and gained martyrdom.

After coming to the fold of Islam he had had time only for those two units of prayer; how fortunate he was that his end was blessed as a submitter (Muslim).

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may allah make us like one of them.
ameeeeeeeen

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