Abu Dujanah’s (RA) Final Words | Hidden Treasures Episode 13 | Mufti Hussain Kamani

Abu Dujanah al-Ansari: A Warrior of Rasulullah ﷺ

The treasure that I'd like to share with you is from a dear Sahabi of Rasulullah ﷺ, Abu Dujanah al-Ansari رضي الله تعالى عنه. Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه is known from many beautiful incidents and moments of the life of Rasulullah ﷺ. However, there's one moment that he really stands out. There's one particular incident that stands out above all others, and that is the Battle of Uhud.

The Battle of Uhud

The Prophet ﷺ is in Medina Munawwara and his uncle Abbas who lived in Mecca sent a letter: three thousand soldiers from Mecca have just departed and they are headed towards Medina. Rasulullah ﷺ speaks with the companions — there are three thousand soldiers heading our way, what do we do? Some of them advised, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, let's fight from the city of Medina. We'll play it defensive. Some other companions who weren't able to participate in the Battle of Badr, which took place one year earlier, they wanted a more aggressive encounter with the Quraysh. So they said, O Messenger of Allah, let's go out to the battlefield and fight them there.

Rasulullah ﷺ chose the second position and he appointed the mountain of Uhud to be the battleground. When the two armies faced off and the time for the two to clash with one another had come close, the Prophet of Allah ﷺ took his sword and said, "Who will take my sword and fulfill its right?" Many companions desired that day to be the inheritors, the recipients of the sword of Rasulullah ﷺ. Ultimately, it was given to Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه.

Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه tied a red bandana on his head, which he would refer to as his covenant of death — that once I have this on my head, I don't care if I die. And right before the battle started, he began to walk up and down the sufuf, the lines of the Muslims, swinging his shoulders with a strut in his walk.

The Prophet of Allah ﷺ said, "Such a walk is displeasing to Allah except for in a moment like this." This isn't a time where you humble yourself. Before the battle, toughen yourself up. When the opposition swears at you and they cuss at you, you don't soften up.

Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه — strong, broad. "I'm not afraid of anyone. I don't care if you have 3,000. I have the sword of Rasulullah ﷺ, I'm gonna smash you with this sword." And that's exactly what he does in the Battle of Uhud. A courageous warrior, strong, bold.

The Battle of Yamama and the Wars Against the False Prophets

After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه sent an army to deal with all of the pop-up false prophets that began to appear across the peninsula. One of them was a man by the name of Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab. He actually claimed prophethood during the life of Rasulullah ﷺ, and the Prophet of Allah ﷺ called him al-Kadhdhab — therefore, he was called the great liar: Musaylimah the Great Liar.

As Khalid ibn al-Walid رضي الله عنه with his army defeated them, the few that remained retreated back to Musaylimah and they made a mega pact — all these false prophets said we will fight against the army of Muhammad and defeat them, and then we'll figure out how to divide the land. This is referred to as the Battle of Yamama, which happened in modern-day Riyadh.

It's fascinating because Riyadh actually holds one of the greatest clusters of graves of the Sahaba outside of Mecca and Medina — it's a result of this battle. It was after this battle that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله عنه went on to compile the Qur'an, because most of the huffadh had been martyred. That's why you'll find them all buried there in Riyadh — there's a graveyard there.

Abu Dujanah's Heroism at Yamama

Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه was in that army. Musaylimah fought first. He saw the Muslims were too tough to deal with — they retreated into their fort and shut the gate.

As narrated in a riwayah in the siyar from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه, it was Abu Dujanah رضي الله عنه who climbed over the wall of the fort and jumped over to the opposite side — into the midst of the enemies — and went to the door and unlocked it so the Muslim army could rush in. When he climbed the fort and jumped, he broke his leg, and he fought the remainder of that battle with a broken leg, and was ultimately martyred in that battle.

The Hidden Treasure: His Final Words

When he was injured, they removed him from the battlefield. And when they were taking him out, his face was glowing, shining. He was happy. Someone asked him, "Why are you happy? You've just been injured — you may not live to see the rest of the day."

And this is the gem that I want you to take home.

This veteran, this warrior, on his deathbed says: "Why is my face shining? Why am I glowing? Because I am going to face Allah having fulfilled two promises."

Du'a

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala allow us to follow their footsteps. May Allah azza wa jalla purify our hearts from any malice or hatred towards another Muslim. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala protect us from engaging in that which brings us no benefit. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala raise us with the righteous in the hereafter.