This prominent Companion’s name was Az-Zubair bin Al Awwam bin Khuwailid bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza bin Qusai bin Kilab (ra). His nickname was Abu Abdullah.
He was very tall, his hair was thick but his beard’s hair was sparse. His complexion was light brown, and he did not dye his hair but left it gray.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was the husband of Aishah (ra), the sister of Asma bint Abu Bakr (ra), the wife of Az-Zubair (ra). Umm Habibah, the grandmother of Az-Zubair (ra) was the grandmother of the Prophet (pbuh). Halah bint Wuhaib, the maternal aunt of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was Az-Zubair’s grandmother. Khadijah bint Khuwailid (ra), the wife of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was the paternal aunt of Az-Zubair’s grandmother. Thus, there were blood and marriage relationships between him and Allah’s Messenger (pbuh).
His father Al Awwam bin Khuwailid was killed in a battle among the tribes of Arabia that left nothing but many mourning wives and orphans. Az Zubair (ra) was left an orphan under the custody of his mother, after losing his husband. At that time, Az-Zubair’s mother felt how hard life could be. Hence she was very grateful to have her son with her. She wanted her son to know how to use a sword and spear. She wanted him to become a man of dignity, and she worked very hard towards this end. She was stern when he needed rebuking, and did not spare him the rod every once in a while. She was asked about it, and she replied that she was doing it to make him a disciplined man. She wanted to have strong son to be proud of.
Before the advent of Islam, Az-Zubair (ra) was aware of the bad condition of the people in Makkah. he knew that the people were lacking guidance and that the society had grown extremely corrupt. Although he was young, he understood what the principles of Islam meant, he knew Muhammad (pbuh) was honest. His mother had told him earlier that her nephew was famous for his truthfulness. He listened carefully to the Message of the Prophet (pbuh) and decided to adopt Islam as his way of life. When he embraced Islam, he was only 15 years old, and was one of the first 7 reverts to Islam. The non Muslims in his community resented his conversion and tortured him to coerce him into abandoning his religion. His mother was one of the hardest on him to make him return to her way of worship. His uncle wrapped him in a mat and filled it with smoke to suffocate him, hoping he would give in, but it was of no avail. In spite of all the hardships, Az-Zubair (ra) remained true to his belief. He wanted to be strong like the Muslims around him who were a good example to him. He knew the superiority of Islam and how it made people better in every way.
Az Zubair bin Al Awwam (ra) loved Muhammad (pbuh) very much. His love was not merely due to the relationship between Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and him. It was due to the fact that the love of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) is a religious duty, because Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was the one charged with conveying the Message of Allah (swt). Additionally, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) had the characteristics that endeared him to everyone who came to know him closely. And in fact, once when Az Zubair (ra)heard that the Prophet (SAWS) was being attacked. So he took his sword and he ran to the Prophet (SAWS) and the Prophet (SAWS) said, “What are you doing?” He said, “Ya rasool Allah I heard that you were being attacked.” So the Prophet (SAWS) asked, “So what were you going to do then? He said, “I was going to strike the one that was attacking you.” So this became, as the scholars said, the first sword drawn fee sabeel Allah (in the way or for the sake of Allah).
So we have this young boy that truly loved the Messenger (SAWS), that had this special quality of courage and bravery. In the battle of Badr,he was one of the 2 people that had horses. So the Prophet (SAWS) only had 2 horsemen, whereas Quraish had 300 horsemen against the Muslims. One of them was Az-Zubair, radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu. He learned a special talent. Basically, he had the skill of being able to fight with 2 swords while controlling the horse just with his legs. And on that day, he worse a yellow turban and he fought so bravely that Allah (SWT) honored him with something that no other man had been honored with. When Allah says that on the day of Badr he sent 3000 of the angels to fight alongside the Muslims, Allah (SWT) sent those angels all imitating and following Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu, as the Prophet (SAWS) informed us that they were all wearing yellow turbans in following Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu. So can you imagine this man, this young man, was being followed by 3000 angels even in his dress, radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu.
He used to name his children after the Shuhadaa (the martyrs). He named Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair after Abdullah ibn Jahsh. He named ‘Urwa after ‘Urwa ibn Masoud. So he would name his children after martyrs. And subhanAllah this quality of bravery and courageousness it stayed with him throughout his entire life.
Unfortunately he was also amongst the people who were sucked into that fitna that took place after the death of ‘Uthman radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu. He wanted the blood of ‘Uthman radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu to be avenged so he was with Aisha radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha and Talha radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu in demanding the killers of ‘Uthman radiyaAllahu ta’ala anhu be pursued. And Ali radiyaAllahu ‘anhu in fact reminded Az-Zubair of an incident that took place in the time of the Prophet (SAWS). Rasool Allah once saw Az-Zubair and Ali together. As we mentioned these 3 were a trio in the early days of Islam. So he mentioned to Ali and Az-Zubair when they were together and he asked Az-Zubair “Do you love Ali?” And Az-Zubair said, “Of course I love Ali.” And the Prophet (SAWS) said, “تقاتله وأنت ظالم” [Tuqaatilho w ant thaalim]- You will fight him and you will be the transgressor in that case.
So Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu was standing infront of Ali radiyaAllahu ‘anhu and ‘Ali reminded him of that incident and Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu actually gave Ali bay’a, gave him allegiance, and then the left the battlefield but he was pursued by one of the khawaarij by the name of ‘Amr ibn Jarmooz who pursued Az-Zubair and he asked Az-Zubair and said that I want your companionship, I just want to travel with you. So Az-Zubair allowed him to come with him and be his companion. So when the time of salaat al-Asr came, Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu went and made wudu. And ‘Amr ibn Jarmooz, he made the iqaama. When Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu started his salaah, ‘Amr ibn Jarmooz attacked him and he mutilated him. And he thought that he was going to be pleasing ‘Ali radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu. He thought that he was going to be rewarded. So he took the limbs and the sword of Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu and he took them to the tent of Ali. And when he wanted to enter into the tent of ‘Ali radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu the guards told him not to come in. He gave his sword to the guards of ‘Ali who took the sword of Az-Zubair to ‘Ali radiyaAllahu ‘anhu and ‘Ali radiyaAllau ‘anhu started to cry. And he said, “I heard the Prophet (SAWS) say, “بشروا قاتل إبن صفية بالنار” [bashiroo qaatil ibn Safiyyah bil naar]- if you see the murderer of ibn Saffiyyah, Az-Zubair radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anhu, give him the tidings, or give him the news that he is of the hell fire. So he started to yell. ‘Ali radiyaAllahu ‘anhu started to yell, “بشروا قاتل إبن صفية بالنار” [bashiroo qaatil ibn Safiyyah bil naar]- tell the one that murdered Az-Zubair that he is going to hellfire. And when ‘Ali came out, Amr ibn Jarmooz had already run away and he had committed suicide, subhanAllah.
LIFE 