#the way he always saw bravery in her and had unwavering faith in her??

[ghost-proofbaby]

i’ve said it once, i’ve said it twice, i’ll say it a million times — writing willow and eddie will always feel like coming home to me. i know eddie x oc isn’t popular but- god, these idiots are so near and dear to my heart.

[exolovek]

Beuty

Read on ao3

Lucy Pevensie was 8 and did not care if she was pretty or if boys would turn to look at her. She cared that she was sent far away, that she could not play in the silent mansion, and that her older siblings wouldn't listen to her when she told them of the world inside the wardrobe. Then she only cared about another war she had to fight and the way the frozen land warmed at her touch.

In Narnia, she cared not for her looks or her dresses. She had destitute and hopeless subjects to care for. There were treaties to be signed, land to be plotted, fighting to avoid, and wars to win. If boys looked at her, she didn't notice, after all, she was Queen and she had much better things to worry about. Even if there hadn’t been, her looks were the least important thing about her. Winning her hand meant winning the Valiant, the Lion’s Favorite, the Lady of Cair Paravel, and the Eastern Sea. It meant winning her intelligence, her cunning and kindness, her beauty was not even a point of consideration. At 23, she cared not if her dresses accentuated her figure, if her hair was shiny or if her lips were red. At 23, her beauty did not equate her worth. 

She spent a year in a country that saw a child instead of a woman. She wore clothes that were smaller, softer, and rougher at the same time. There was no crown adorning her long- now short- hair. She was 9, and at 9 she was considered adorable, her cheeks were pinched, the way she spoke mocked, for it was too grand and purple prosed for a 9-year-old girl who was yet to have her menarche. She did not care. But others did:

Brush your hair, dear.

Blue ain't your color, dear.

You are not wearing makeup, dear.

That is your second serving of pie, dear.

Be more like your sister, dear.

Men do not like a lady that engages in talks about death, hunger and war, dear

She missed her land. She was thirsty for the tears of her enemies and hungry for the blood of her prey. But instead, she was giving bland food and overstepped tea.

At 9 and 24, Narnia welcomed her back. Their child Queen whose clothes were dirtied, her hair muddied and her lips always tainted with blood. She had subjects to save, trees to wake and a Lion to find. When her people looked at her they saw fierce determination, unwavering faith, sharp teeth, and tougher skin. Once more, they did not care for her looks and her behavior. She shone so brightly that looking at her was like looking at the sun.

She was forced to return to her Grey World. This time people looked at her. Ten was too young to have leery eyes on her still developing breast. Coming back to London for a second time hurt in a way she couldn't explain. If- When- Narnia opened her doors once more, Peter and Susan wouldn’t be returning home with her. She is afraid that her land will bar her entrance next. Peter understands in a way his siblings don’t, but he is still angry and sad in equal measure. Susan is shocked, scared, sad, and feels betrayed until the only thing she feels is denial. Narnia wasn’t real, it was just a game and it’s time to grow up, Lucy.   

She is 10 and 25. And she is explained by a nun about the blood that will pool in her underwear and she is told that it's dirty and it should be kept secret. It makes her want to scream. There is nothing dirty about her body. But they tell her over and over and over again until she starts to believe them. And then the comments start:

It’s such a shame that she will never be as pretty as her sister.

She is going to grow old and become a spinster.

Don’t you think you have eaten enough?

Oh, her eyes are too big, her nose too small. She is clumsy, arrogant, selfish, queer, and far too curious for her own good. 

She is 10 and 25, and for the first time in her long life she thinks to herself: maybe it’s true. Maybe I am ugly. It’s a cold day, like one she has never experienced before. In Narnia, they didn’t care. In Narnia she was Queen. Here she is just an ugly ten-year-old girl that will never be loved. Because here, her beauty equates to her worth. 

She isn’t in Narnia anymore.

She starts to curb her sharp edges, she takes great care in brushing her hair, in applying makeup, and in choosing the correct clothes for her body. She speaks softly, she bites her tongue so that she won’t speak out of turn, she goes to sleep hungry and still it's not enough for the eyes of the others. She is still ugly. 

Edmund always shakes his head when he sees Lucy refusing her favorite pastries. When Lucy refused to play in the mud or to engage in talk about strategies and casualties. By summer she is thin, her face is pale, her hair shiny and her voice never rises above a whisper. But when she laughs, her laugh echoes long after she quiets.

Then her room floods and she breathes Narnian air once more. And for a moment she thinks: the sea-salt will ruin my hair, the sun will burn my skin and the rich food of Narnia will make my child waistline bigger. Those thoughts are forgotten when a small wave dunks her in the sea once more and the fact that she is in Narnia (Home! her heart whispers) again settles in. But there is nothing that can shake the shame she feels about that moment of complete and utter rage. 

She is glad to see old friends, to wear Caspian’s worn clothes, to sheath her danger and to borrow Susan’s bow. She smiles and feels at home. If her teeth are sharper or her skin rougher, she does not notice.

When she dines with her friends they look at her and there are questions in their eyes when she covers her mouth as she laughs. She requests a bath, a brush, and a mirror and they incredulously ask her why she needs such frivolities. She has no words to explain to them how vanity is desirable in the human world. How does one explain that while Susan, both in Narnia and in London, was praised for her beauty and kind soul, Lucy was chastised for not being her equal in that regard? She can’t find words to express the impotence she feels in a land that does not love her as she is. A land that demands that she starve herself so that she might fit the box that had been arranged for her. How can she explain that what Narnia- her land, her people- loved about her is the reason she is despised and unlovable? In the Grey World, her determination was considered stubbornness, her bravery, stupidity, and her faith, naivety. 

How does she tell them that she is just 10, about to be 11, and that her body is dirty?

When the opportunity arises, she is tempted to take it. Why should she, the Queen of Narnia, deny herself what is her due? She has already served Narnia, has already ruled, and saved it, she deserves the small comfort of knowing with complete certainty that she will be beautiful. But once again, there are more pressing matters and what she wants is of no importance. 

There is a mirror on her chambers, a vanity table that holds oils and perfumes, and a brush that is passed through her hair every night and day. There is also an oil painting of four familiar figures hanging above the bed. When she asks Caspian whose image is depicted in the painting, she is met with incredulous eyes. It’s you and your siblings, Your Majesty, the last year of your reign. She stares at it for hours after the King takes his leave.

She had forgotten how broad Peter’s shoulders used to be, how beautiful Susan’s eyes were, how cunning Edmund looked, and how tall she used to be. She stares at her face and comes to the conclusion that no, her eyes are not too big and her nose isn’t too small. 

Her body used to be plump and healthy, her hair hadn’t been brushed but it fell past her waist in a cascade that caught the light of the sun, appearing to be a million shades of gold. Her eyes maintained the same blue hue, but the artist had captured the wild look on her eyes that she remembers seeing in the mirror the first time she returned from Narnia. She has breasts on the picture, her skin is sun-kissed and the dress hides what she knows to be strong legs shaped by years of riding and fighting alongside her siblings. She is stuck on the way her hands looked adorned by rings and how her crown had laid upon her head. Most of all she can’t stop staring at the scars that used to litter her skin. She had forgotten about them and she misses them. She is hit with a yearning she can’t verbalize. The tears that come then are not a surprise. They had been gathering behind her eyes since the first time she heard someone discuss her looks. 

She is 10 and 25, almost 11 and 26, and she is told that Narnia has taught her everything she needs to know. She doubts it but does not question it. Aslan has never been wrong before and she only had to doubt him once to know that she should never do so again. 

This time going back is harder. She remembers now, with painful clarity, who she used to be. She knows she will never be that person again. The door to Narnia has been closed and the key has been lost. She understands now, how the pain of being banished from her home had turned Susan into a shadow of who she used to be. She mourns and cries and when they tell her your eyes are bloodshot and swollen again, dear, she does not care. 

At 13 and 28, the war has ended, her breasts have started developing, her waist is smaller than her hips and the boys try to look up her skirt. When she knees them between their legs they crumble in pain and call her bitch. She doesn't care. She eats what she wants, she runs and climbs and dirties her clothes until the nuns look at her with disapproval. She gets letters from her parents begging her to behave and she still does not care. Peter and Edmund understand, they also struggle with feelings that are too big for their bodies. 

She is 15 and 30 when she kisses an English boy for the first time. She does not care for the inexperienced tongue that licks into her mouth. She remembers the kisses she shared with the nymphs and fauns in Narnia. She then turns around and kisses another boy and then another one. She flirts and smiles and when she laughs, her laugh still lingers long after she quiets.

She will never set foot on Narnia again, but the Lion was right. She remembers the lessons she learned when the land still bent to her will. Lucy Pevensie is powerful, intelligent, and strong. She is a masterpiece depicted in cavern walls and tapestries, her story is told in songs and poems and her memory is kept in the hearts of the people she left behind. She is still Queen Lucy, The Valiant and she will never doubt herself again. It doesn’t matter that people still look at her and see a girl outshined by her sister. She has learned to ignore the comments of the people who believe they know better than her. 

Sometimes, alone in her dark room, she lets the hurt and anger out. She knows her beauty does not matter, that the way her clothes fit and her makeup adorns her face are just minuscule details. That someday people will see her true worth, but in the meantime, she allows herself these little secret tears. Because yes, she is beautiful but not like Susan. And no Lion or crown that has no power in the Grey World can ever erase the hurt that blooms from knowing that for many, she won’t ever be good enough. But she remembers the woman depicted in a painting, and it comforts her. Maybe the wild look will never return to her eyes, maybe the scars have banished and her har will never shine with a million shades of gold but when she turns 23 she will be beautiful in a way no one else can be. They will finally look at her and see everything that she really is. Maybe one day she will share her story with her lover, maybe she will command the respect she once did. Maybe she will grow old, happy, and secure in the knowledge that she is truly beautiful. 

She dies at 17.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas is honored by Islam

Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17 year old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterwards, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.” 

Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterwards, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim. 

Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.” 

Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother

Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:

“Are  you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”

“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.

Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:

“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”

Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.

When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not do so.” 

Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).

Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” 

This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:

“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”

By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!

Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.

This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”

As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.” 

Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.

The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d

It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.

Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.

In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of the Islam in which blood had been spilled.

At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!” 

Hazrat Ali would say:

“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you). 

During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:

"O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer." 

It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings. 

Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.

[neighbours-kid]

a few thoughts on teddy lupin

i’ve been thinking about teddy lupin all day and what he means and represents. to me he is everything that is and could’ve been. obviously he is remus and tonks because he is their son. he is a metamorphmagus like his mother and the potential of being a werewolf lies in his dna because of his father.

he is a hufflepuff just like tonks, but he is also newt scamander brought into the 21st century, bringing that adventures spirit and the hufflepuff pride back to hogwarts. he is everything of a hufflepuff cedric diggory was and more, he got to be everything cedric couldn’t because of voldemort, he proved once and for all that hufflepuffs are more than just those who weren’t brave or intelligent or cunning.

teddy is all of the marauders. he is his father, remus, the intelligent, bookish, soft guy, marked by his past. he has his wit and his snark, he has his caring heart, looks out for the little guy and is so incredibly loyal to his people. but unlike remus he did not fear or hate that he could’ve been a werewolf, he is not afraid of what people thought about him. he does not put himself down like remus, he knows who he is and that he deserves to be here.

he is james in his recklessness, in his head-over-heels love for a girl, in his trusting, comforting nature. like james he is a headboy, someone who can be trusted with that position, someone who knows when it is time to step up. like james he might’ve made a habit out of making his hair a great mess. but he is more than james. he didn’t have to grow out of being a jerk like james had to. he was never a bully, he was always the james people talked fondly of and never the james snape remembers.

he is sirius in oh so many ways. he has his charm, the ability to turn heads while walking through the great hall, his sass and his protective heart. he has sirius’ self-confidence, pride, style and swagger. but teddy was fortunate and grew up in a loving family. he is what sirius could have been, if it weren’t for his ancestry. he could be forgiving and loving towards his family. what sirius had found with the potters, teddy always had with the potters too.

he is peter in his loyalty, his support, his underlying cunningness. he was not always conspicuous, often he managed to disappear in the crowd, unnoticed by those who usually saw him. but unlike peter, his loyalty sticks. he is everything peter could have been, the friend who stayed and protected, the friend who’d rather die than betray his best friends. teddy’s loyalty and support never wavers, he never gives up on a friend. he is all of the marauders, always ready for a prank, a plan, an adventure. he would go through hell and back for his friends and family, he would go the lengths wormtail, padfoot and prongs went to support moony.

teddy is harry. his parents died fighting for a better world for him to grow up in. his parents ended what harry’s began. he is everything harry could have been, if he’d been able to grow up with sirius or remus, if he’d known from the beginning that he was a wizard, what his parents died for. teddy is the orphan that harry was, but grew up with a loving grandmother and godfather. teddy knew that remus and tonks died to make his world a better, a safer place. teddy is the child of a war and sometimes that war rages at the surface of him. the injustice of it all bubbles up in moments of anger and loneliness when teddy misses the parents he never knew. but unlike harry who never got to ask, teddy had people all around him telling him the lovestory of remus lupin and nymphadora tonks and the tales of the battle of hogwarts.

teddy is ron, the unwavering friend, always supportive, always there to help and fight at all costs, no matter what. teddy is the ron weasley that befriends harry on the first trainride to hogwarts, he is the ron weasley that sacrifices himself in a battle of human chess, the ron weasley that stands with harry through everything. but teddy is more than ron, not letting himself be jealous of standing in someone else’s shadow, teddy is the man ron strived to be but failed because he never got the recognition he thought he deserved.

he is hermione in his intelligence and knowledge, showing up to hogwarts more prepared than anyone else. he has hermione’s ability to master spells after the first try, he has her wit and her ambitious nature. he read hogwarts, a history. he is interested in the muggle world, improving his magic through that knowledge. but he is more than hermione, knowing when friendship and bravery is more important than studying. he is a natural with a memory like a hundred computers, he never spends a minute more studying than necessary. he is hermione with a photographic memory.

but then he is also the weasley twins. he is fred and george, their inventive genius lives in him. he is so much sometimes that he feels like two people at once. he cares about his family, even though he likes to make fun of them from time to time. like the twins, he is there to create happiness in the darkest of times. he jokes and pranks and surrounds even the saddest people with a bubble of peace and calm and good feelings. he is what we see the twins be in the year with umbridge. he is the caring, loving student who sits with kids younger than him, terrified of teachers or detentions, calming them down, telling them it’s not that bad, it’ll be better soon. helping them with their anxieties. he is the healer i’m sure fred and george were in their own way.

teddy is neville. he is clumsy, keeps dropping things, running into people, embarrassing himself. he is attentive but forgetful, brave but doesn’t always believe in himself. he has neville’s interest in herbology, understanding than plants hold so much more than when you first look at them. like neville, teddy’s lost his parents to bellatrix lestrange and was raised by his grandmother. but teddy has never lived in the shadow of someone. frank and alice longbottom were heroes and clumsy little neville thought he could never live up to their bravery. teddy didn’t have that, even though he grew up knowing the story of his parents and surrounded by the order of the phoenix and harry potter himself. he never had to outgrow a shadow, he could blossom freely and independently. he is what neville could’ve always been, and maybe, after the battle of hogwarts, finally has become.

teddy is also luna. her spiritful nature, her faith in the good in people, her awkwardness, her calm, her unabashed enthusiasm and her loyalty. teddy is the free spirit that is luna loovegood, but he never drives himself in the off like she did. he never intentionally indulges in the image that he is this lone weirdo. he is never loony lovegood. he is the brave, loyal, enthusiastic, passionate luna. luna who cares and fights alongside her friends. he is the luna that accompanies harry to the ministry of magic, the luna that sits with neville after the battle, the luna that wears a lion head to the gryffindor quidditch match, the luna that is a true friend.

teddy lupin is all of these people and so much more. he is the one bringing the war generation back to hogwarts. in this new, beautiful, save world, he is the voice reminding them what they had lost and fought for. but he is also the voice of hope, the voice in troubled times telling them that everything will turn out okay because that’s how we do it here at hogwarts. he is the “everything is fine as long as dumbledore is in hogwarts” feeling of the new generation. he is the sorting hat reminding the students that the best they could do in bad situations, is to stick together, as wizards, as students of hogwarts. he is the healing tears of fawkes the phoenix, the gentle guardian like hagrid, the freedom of buckbeack, the calmness of the great lake.

teddy is the one to say, hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home, and you believe him.

[johnhardinsawyer]

(K)Night of Faith

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

3 / 8 / 20 – Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 12:1-4a

John 3:1-17

“(K)Night of Faith”

(Believing into the Wilderness)

This past week, I took our two-and-a-half year-old son to the grocery store, and – for the first time in a long time – I used one of those Purell wipes to clean the grocery cart.  With all of the conflicting information about the COVID-19 coronavirus, even though the Purell wipe just might have worked enough to smear the germs around a bit on the cart, I wanted to try to do something to ease some of the anxiety that I had about germs.  Two-year-old boys in grocery stores are always wanting to touch all kinds of things – the grocery cart, grocery shelves, food products, my winter hat, the conveyor belt at the register, or, last Tuesday, all of the above.  Oh, there are some germs that you can get at the grocery store, but – as I have found with our very-hands-on son – there are germs all over the place.  With so many germs, it’s a wonder that we would want to leave the house at all.  But we do.  We have to. . .  And so, we wash our hands a little more thoroughly, we cover our mouths and noses when we cough and sneeze – trusting that others will do the same – and we walk out the door.

Stepping out into the world oftentimes takes a leap of faith – a certain amount of trust, and risk, and sheer bravery.  Otherwise, we might just stay at home so that we can – as some public health officials are calling it – “self-isolate.”  And, in today’s readings from scripture, we find two stories of people who choose to not self-isolate or stay at home.  Instead, they take a leap – one bold, and one not quite as bold – into a new world, with all of the risks associated with doing such a thing.

In today’s short reading from Genesis, we find a septuagenarian named Abram, who is told by the Lord to get up and leave his country, his family, and his father’s house and go to a new land, which the Lord will show him.  Oh, and before we get too far, just in case you’re wondering, “Abram,” which means “exalted father,” will later change his name to “Abraham,” which means “chief of [a] multitude, or father of many” [1]  If you think about it, though, “exalted father” and “father of many” are pretty ironic names for a man who – at this point in the Bible story – is unable to have children with his wife, Sarai.  Anyway, the Lord comes to Abram, who is, perhaps, reading the latest edition of AARP Magazine, and tells him to pack his things and move.  And, no, he’s not moving to Florida for the winter.  Instead, Abram is told that he will be shown where to go, here implying that he has not seen a picture of the place, or received any kind of description other than, “I’ll tell you when you get there.”  When was the last time you moved to a new place or even went on vacation, sight unseen, or even reading a review or consulting a map?  Here, we find Abram doing just that.

Granted, Abram does receive a promise from the Lord, who says, “I’ll make you a great nation [, Abram] and bless you.  I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing.  I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse.  All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you.”[2]  This is quite a promise, isn’t it?  Quite a promise – that the whole world would receive God’s blessings through Abram.

But would a promise like this be enough to make you get up and go?  I imagine that most of us would have some trepidation, especially since prior to today’s story, there is no real evidence of Abram trusting in the Lord or having any kind of relationship with God.  And yet, as the story goes, Abram gets up and goes, as the Lord tells him, and he takes his wife and his nephew and all of their possessions, and they go to a land called Canaan.

It’s kind of interesting, though, after they get there, to “the” place, they keep traveling – going down to Egypt and back and through all kinds of adventures – wherever the Lord leads them.  And, almost the whole way through, Abram – who does change his name to Abraham – is tested by the Lord again and again, and has, at times, what seems like an almost unwavering faith.  

There is a reason why Soren Kierkegaard refers to Abraham as the “knight of faith,” someone who can – in placing his or her trust in God – act in ways that run contrary to how most of us would act, or how the world works.  For Kierkegaard, there is some aspect to faith that, to so many people, just seems absurd – the irrational, underlying belief that with God, nothing is impossible.[3] [4]  But, “. . . prior to faith,” Kierkegaard writes, “there is a movement of infinity, and only then enters faith, unexpectedly, on the strength of the absurd.”[5]  In other words, faith enters the picture because God is at work – no matter how strange that may sound.

In today’s reading from the Gospel of John, strange things are in the air the night that a man named Nicodemus comes to meet with Jesus.  Jesus has come to the city of Jerusalem for the Passover festival.  And, just prior to today’s story we read that “many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.”  (John 2:23)  Now, these signs – whatever they are – while inspiring belief in some, make other people anxious.  And, to these anxious people, the things that Jesus is doing and saying don’t sound very decent and in-order.  In fact, they could upset the whole religious order of things.  And so, Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews – the people whose faith was founded on the faith of their ancestor, Abraham – comes to ask Jesus just what, in heaven’s name, is going on.

There is something very interesting, and almost familiar-sounding going on with Nicodemus.  When John Calvin writes about this, he wonders if Nicodemus has a puffed up opinion of himself and is unwilling to lose any part of his elevation or social status.  And yet, as Calvin writes,

. . . there appears in [Nicodemus] some seed of piety; for hearing that a Prophet of God had appeared, he does not despise or spurn the doctrine which has been brought from heaven, and is moved by some desire to obtain it – a desire which sprung from nothing else than fear and reverence for God.[6]

In other words, Nicodemus might have a high opinion of himself – he is definitely respected among his own people – but, I think he wants to give Jesus the benefit of the doubt.  Because, if there is something Holy to be found in and with this Jesus, Nicodemus is definitely open to finding it.

I wonder if you and I might know someone like Nicodemus – or might be a little like him, ourselves.  As one commentator writes,

If any character in the Bible can be regarded as a representative of twenty-first century church members, it might be Nicodemus.  In many ways he is a sympathetic character.  A successful and self-confident man, he plays a leadership role in his community.  He is spiritually open and curious, yet also rational.  He approaches Jesus directly and tries to figure out Jesus’ actions and social networks.  He is committed and curious enough that he makes an appointment to talk with Jesus face to face.  However, Nicodemus is not ready to go public with his interest in Jesus, so he makes the appointment in the middle of the night, when he can keep his faith secret, separated from the rest of his life.  His imagination is caught by Jesus, but he wants to compartmentalize whatever faith he has.  Nicodemus is not yet ready to declare his faith in the light of day, not prepared to let it change his life.[7]

You see, this is the thing when it comes to Jesus and us – or God and us:  the very idea that something Holy – something that most would consider strange, or even absurd – could change our lives and that we would even let it change our lives is a frightening prospect.  To put it another way, how can we set off into the unknown when it’s so hard for most of us to even admit that we have placed our love and our trust and faith in someone who we read about in a book that was written thousands of years ago?  When it comes to having faith, Nicodemus is no Abraham. . .  Neither are we.  And yet, like Nicodemus, we are open to something Holy happening.  In fact, many of us have experienced the Holy in wilderness moments when the world as we knew it was being turned upside down, or in a relationship, or in one key conversation, or on a disaster recovery trip to Puerto Rico or right down the street, or in those dark moments of our lives when we are longing for the light, or when we came to trust in a deep way that God is somehow, inexplicably present and active in our lives and that we are loved.

This is the moment that Kierkegaard is talking about – a movement of “infinity” that we cannot explain in a rational sense, but just know to be true and right and pure and good and loving at the heart of who we are.  This is the moment that Jesus and Nicodemus are talking about in today’s story when they have a whole back-and-forth on what it means to be “born from above” or “born anew.”[8]  It’s hard for Nicodemus – and for us – to understand what Jesus is saying here, but the invitation to be born – by water and the Spirit – is really an invitation to let God work in our lives.

You know, I’m not convinced that Nicodemus ever truly “gets it” when it comes to a life-changing experience of faith.  I think he likes Jesus.  A bit later, he urges his angry friends to show some restraint toward Jesus[9] and, when that doesn’t work, he ends up coming to Jesus’ tomb, as it’s getting dark, with one hundred pounds of spices to embalm the body.[10]  As preaching professor Anna Carter-Florence said in a recent sermon, it’s “. . . almost too much, too late.”[11]

When it comes to encountering the Holy – with all of the disruption and doubt and fear and trembling that it might bring our way – I think that most of us would like to be more like Abraham – the Knight of Faith – but we find ourselves leaning a lot more toward Nicodemus, coming to see Jesus under the cover of darkness, at night.

I mean, we really like Jesus. . .  But Jesus loves us.  And in the love of Jesus Christ, God does not choose to “self-isolate.”  No, in spite of – and perhaps because of – all of our germs and sin and everything else wrong with the world, Jesus came to offer light and abundant, everlasting life, and salvation – for you, for me, and for all the world.

The irrational and absurd promise of God’s love for even me is one thing that helps me to step out into the world – as faithless and as faulty as my steps can often be.  Is this promise enough for you to do the same?

May the promise of God’s love be more than enough to make all of us get up and go to the blessed place that God is leading us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

---------

[1] F. Brown, S.R. Driver, and C. Briggs, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody:  Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1997) 4.

[2] Eugene Peterson, The Message – Numbered Edition (Colorado Springs:  NAV Press, 2002) 30.  Genesis 12:2-3.

[3] See “Knight of Faith” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_of_faith.

[4] Also, see Luke 1:37 and Matthew 19:26.

[5] Soren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling (New York:  Penguin Books, 1985) 97.

[6] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Vol. XVII (Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2009) 105.

[7] David Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, ed., Feasting on the Word – Year A, Vol. 2 (Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2010) 68.  Deborah J. Kapp, “Pastoral Perspective.”

[8] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. . . (Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1979) 77.

[9] See John 7:50 ff.

[10] See John 19:39 ff.

[11] Anna Carter-Florence, “Nicodemus.”  Sermon on Day 1, March 8, 2020.  https://day1.org/weekly-broadcast/5e5693466615fb8fa8000207/anna-carter-florence-nicodemus.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas is honored by Islam

Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17 year old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterwards, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.” 

Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterwards, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim. 

Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.” 

Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother

Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:

“Are  you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”

“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.

Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:

“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”

Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.

When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not do so.” 

Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).

Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” 

This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:

“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”

By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!

Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.

This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”

As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.” 

Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.

The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d

It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.

Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.

In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of the Islam in which blood had been spilled.

At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!” 

Hazrat Ali would say:

“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you). 

During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:

"O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer." 

It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings. 

Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad: The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas is honored by Islam

Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17-year-old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterward, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.” 

Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterward, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim. 

Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH), maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.” 

Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother

Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:

“Are  you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”

“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.

Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:

“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”

Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.

When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not to do so.”

Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).

Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” 

This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:

“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”

By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!

Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.

This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”

As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.” 

Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.

The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d

It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.

Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.

In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of the Islam in which blood had been spilled.

At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!” 

Hazrat Ali would say:

“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (8) (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you). 

During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:

"O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer." 

It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings. 

Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad: The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas is honored by Islam

Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17-year-old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterward, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.” 

Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterward, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim. 

Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH), maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.” 

Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother

Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:

“Are  you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”

“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.

Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:

“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”

Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.

When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not to do so.” 

Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).

Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” 

This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:

“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”

By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!

Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.

This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”

As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.” 

Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.

The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d

It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.

Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.

In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of Islam in which blood had been spilled.

At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!” 

Hazrat Ali would say:

“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (8) (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you). 

During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:

"O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer." 

It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings. 

Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.

[lifeofresulullah]

PROPHET MUHAMMAD: The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Assignment of the Duty of The Prophethood and First Muslims

Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas is honored by Islam

Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17 year old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterwards, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.” 

Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterwards, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim. 

Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.” 

Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother

Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:

“Are  you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”

“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.

Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:

“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”

Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.

When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not do so.” 

Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).

Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.” 

This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:

“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”

By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!

Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.

This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”

As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.” 

Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.

The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d

It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.

Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.

In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of the Islam in which blood had been spilled.

At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!” 

Hazrat Ali would say:

“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you). 

During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:

"O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer." 

It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings. 

Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.