Men of Excellence

After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) stated:

The account of the companion that I will mention today is Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra). The name of Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha’s father was Rawahah Bin Tha‘labah. Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) participated in the bai’at at Aqabah and was the leader of Bani Harith bin Khazraj. His title was Abu Muhammad. Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha participated in all the battles alongside the Holy Prophet (sa) including the Battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Khaybar and ‘Umratul Qadaa. He was martyred during the Battle of Mautah and was one of the commanders during this battle.

It is mentioned in one of the narrations that Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) came to the Holy Prophet (sa), while he was delivering a sermon. During the sermon, he said to the people [inside the mosque], “Sit down!”. When Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) heard these words, he was still standing outside the mosque, but he sat down immediately. When the Holy Prophet (sa) finished his sermon and he came to know about this incident, he said to him, [ARABIC] i.e. “May Allah increase you further in your obedience to Allah and His Messenger.” A similar incident is also found in the books of hadith, regarding Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood. Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) was fond of gatherings to discuss and revive faith and the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “May Allah have mercy on Abdullah bin Rawaha. He loves such gatherings, of which even the angels are envious.” Hazrat Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, [arabic] meaning, ‘what an excellent man Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha is!’ Following the conquest of Khaybar, the Holy Prophet (sa) sent Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) in order to make an estimate of the fruit yield and land etc. He was also a poet and was among those poets who used to respond to the insults of the opponents on behalf of the Holy Prophet (sa).

Hazrat Ubadah bin Samit (ra) relates that when the Holy Prophet (sa) went to visit Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) whilst he was sick, he was unable to get up from his bed. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked, “Do you know who the martyrs of my ummah [people] are?” The people answered, “The martyrs are those Muslims who are killed.” The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “The Muslim who is killed by a martyr, the one who dies due to an ailment of the stomach is a martyr, the one who drowns is a martyr and the woman who dies during childbirth is a martyr, all these are various types of martyrdom.”

Hazrat ‘Urwah bin Zaid (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) appointed Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah (ra) as the commander of the army on the occasion of the battle of Mu’tah and stated that if Hazrat Zaid (ra) is martyred then Hazrat Ja’far bin Abi Talib (ra) will be the commander. If he too is martyred, then Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) will assume control. If Abdullah (ra) too is martyred, then the Muslims should appoint whoever they desire as commander. Then the Holy Prophet (sa) sent the army. When the army was away, the Holy Prophet (sa) announced to the people the news of the martyrdom of Hazrat Zaid (ra), Hazrat Jafar (ra) and Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha before receiving any direct news of their martyrdom. The Holy Prophet (sa) stated the events of martyrdom exactly how these happened and when the actual news of the martyrdom of Hazrat Zaid (ra) bin Haritha, Hazrat Jafar (ra) and Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha, he stood up to pay tribute.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) once sent some of his Companions (ra) on an expedition and Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawahah was also a part of this delegation. It was a Friday and the rest of the companions (ra) who were part of the delegation had left, however Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha said that he will remain behind and offer his Friday prayers behind the Holy Prophet (sa) and will then join the others. When the Holy Prophet (sa) saw Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha also offering his prayer alongside him, he stated, that the delegation he sent for this expedition was more important at the time than the Friday prayers and they could have performed their Friday prayers whilst travelling.

Hazrat Abu Darda (ra) relates that once Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha left with the Holy Prophet (sa) on an extremely hot day in the month Ramadan. He states that the heat was so intense that they were all covering their heads from the sun with their hands. He states that none of them were fasting at the time apart from the Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Rawaha. These were accounts in the life of Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra).

Now, I will mention some details of respected Dr Latif Ahmad Qureshi Sahib, son of Manzoor Ahmad Qureshi Sahib. He passed away on 19th January 2020 at around 1pm in the afternoon at the age of approximately 80 – “To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return”. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, the deceased was a Moosi. After graduation from the King Edwards Medical College, he travelled to the UK in 1961. After MRCP, he then worked as consultant in a hospital in Yeovil, Somerset and specialised in diseases and illnesses related to the heart. In 1968, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (rh) asked Dr Sahib when he was planning to come back to them, and Dr Sahib replied that whenever Huzoor would direct him. And so, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (rh) asked him to come back and he left UK and returned to Pakistan. Dr Sahib was appointed to serve in the Fazle Umar Hospital in Rabwah and continued to work there for a long period of time. His total service was approximately 30 years. His wife, who was the daughter of Maulana Abdul Malik Khan Sahib, passed away a few days ago. May Allah the Almighty shower His mercy and forgiveness upon him, both parents of the children have passed away within a short space of time, may Allah grant his children patience and steadfastness. May Allah enable the children to continue the virtues of both parents. As mentioned, the mother of Dr Quraishi Sahib is alive but is unwell, may Allah have mercy on her and grant His blessings.