Bidding Farwell to his Bride

Imagine the excitement and anticipation of the newly-wed bride and groom! Imagine their eagerness to finally meet and get to know each other! Easy to imagine, isn’t it? – That’s because we see it around us all the time.

Now try and imagine the same groom bidding his beautiful bride farewell, after spending just a single night with her, and marching off for war. Is this as easy to imagine?

What we perhaps find “unimaginable” was actually “perfectly natural” for a hero, a Sahaabi of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), a mountain of courage named Hanzalah bin Abu ‘Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).

This youngster had just married Jameelah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and had only spent a single night with her when, in the morning, they heard the announcement for all to march out for war. When Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) heard the call, he immediately grabbed his weapons and sprang into action. He was so eager to fight for Islam that he could not even wait to finish bathing! He ran to join the army in such haste that his bride had only managed to wash half his head for him.

The call they had heard was none other than the call for the Battle of Uhud. Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) marched out with the army and fought fiercely. He was filled with such courage that he even began roaming the battlefield in search of the leader of the disbelievers so that he could kill him! Alas! Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was spotted and a spear was thrust into his back, ending the life of this young lion of Islam.

When the battle had finally ended, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), “I saw the angels bathing (giving ghusl to) the body of Hanzalah bin Abu ‘Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) between the heavens and the earth with the water of the clouds in utensils of silver.” On hearing this, a few Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) began to search the battlefield until they eventually found the body of Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). To their absolute amazement, his hair was dripping with water!

They immediately rushed to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and told him what they had seen. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter asked Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)’s wife, Jameelah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the secret behind the angels washing her husband. Jameelah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied that her husband had been so eager and enthusiastic to join the army and fight for Islam that he did not even wait to finish bathing. Because his bath had been incomplete, the angels had washed him and completed the bath. 

Allah Ta‘ala has blessed youth with amazing energy and enthusiasm. When they love something and are determined to do it, they don’t let anything stand in their way. A group of soccer-lovers can be found outdoors kicking a ball even when the scorching sun of a hot summer’s day chases everyone else indoors.

If we develop the love for Islam that the young Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) had, we will use our energy for the cause of Islam and become the champions of our age.

(References: Nasbur Raayah vol. 2 pg. 316, Ibnu Hishaam vol. 3 pg. 75, and ‘Umdatul Qari vol. 14 pg. 224)

Ibnu Abbas Youth Academy