Heroic Stands by Shiekh Abu Nizhar Ash Shaami: As’ad ibn Zurara - The first Ansari

Our lives are a collection of stands taken. These stands are what will decide our status and value before Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgement. Heroic stands, which changed the course of history, produced events, and greatly influenced all who witnessed them or heard of them. Heroic stands, which we mention while living at a time when most stands we see are those of humiliation and shame. Heroic stands, we mention them whose heroes are mentioned in the Quran, and the pages of the Seerah and our Ummah's past and recent history are overflowing with them. Heroic stands, which we mention in order to take lessons from. We mention them in order to receive flames of glory, optimism, and expecting good from Allah (swt), and to prove that our Ummah, by the permission of Allah (swt), is capable of bringing back the dignified stands which will fill the world with justice and light after it was filled with injustice and tyranny.

When you find that the truth was rejected by everyone due to its danger and abstain from it due to its rarity, then you overcome yourself and challenge yourself, advancing where others retreated then that is heroic by Allah (swt). The Messenger (saw) was presenting himself to the people for ten years. Hundreds of people heard his (saw) Dawah. More than 20 states (tribes) heard what He (saw) was after. Some rejected, others placed conditions and others harmed and beat Him (saw). A man whom the peninsula was in uproar over the risk He (saw) posed, and the Arabs warned everyone from speaking to him (saw) or coming near him (saw). In this context, As'ad bin Zurara (ra) comes to Makkah among 6 of his people - the Khazraj. Suddenly, this dangerous man enters upon them. "Who are you people?" "A group from the Khazraj?" "From the allies of the Jews?" "Yes." "Will you not sit so that I speak to you?" They said yes. They sat with Him (saw). He (saw) called them to Islam and recited the Quran. As'ad stood up and said to his people: "He is, by Allah (swt), the Prophet (saw) whom the Jews have been threatening you about. Do not let them get to Him first."Meaning "take it". Take it and leave the way of life of your ancestors, your alliance with the Jews, toss aside all the media propaganda that is scaring you and prepare yourself for the dangers that will fall upon you because of this stand. What triumph over the self and what awareness and heroism did Allah (swt) give this young man who was in his early twenties? He (ra) was the first Muslim from the Ansar and that delegation indeed became Muslim at the hands of the Prophet (saw), bringing joy to His noble eyes for the first time after tens of failed attempts and harsh rejections. Then, As'ad (ra) said to the Messenger (saw): "We left our people back (in Yathrib) and there are no people between which is such enmity and hatred as theirs, but if Allah (swt) unites them under you then you will be the mightiest of people." How did you know, As'ad (ra), that a Dawah which you just heard its very basics - La ilaha illa Allah - how did you know that this Dawah is capable of uniting the worst enemies and stop the bloodshed between the Aws and Khazraj? What political awareness did this hero have regarding the Islamic Dawah!

Then As'ad (ra) returned and took responsibility for spreading Islam among his people, the Khazraj in Madinah. In fact, some of the Aws - the enemies - embrace Islam with him and he comes back the next year among 12 men to give the Messenger (saw) the first Bay'ah then returning to Madinah but this time in the company of the ambassador of Islam, Musab bin Umayr. As'ad (ra) was Musab's advisor and established the centre which Musab was based in.

There was Dar ul-Arqam in Makkah and Dar As'ad bin Zurara in Madinah. As'ad would gather the people to him and introduce him to tribal leaders without caring for the looming danger. He would join Musab in all of his ventures. He is the one who introduced Musab to the leaders of the Aws: Sa'd bin Mu'adh and Usayd bin Hudhayr. And he advised him saying: "This is the leader of his people, so be true to Allah regarding him." He (ra) was also from the stars of the second Bay'ah of Aqaba - the Bay'ah of war - the critical one. In fact, he was the youngest of the 70 men giving the Bay'ah, and the Messenger had chosen him to be a representative for his people. At Aqaba, he was holding the hand of the Messenger and calling the delegation, saying: "O people, do you know what you are pledging allegiance to Muhammad (saw) over? You are pledging allegiance to Him to fight the Arabs and non-Arabs, humans and Jinn!"

Brothers and Sisters, would you believe that all of these heroic stands were made by a man who hadn't reached 25 years of age yet? Would you believe that the age of As'ad's (ra) Islam was only 3 years? He passed away just after the Hijra and did not participate in Badr nor Uhud, nor any Jihad or conquest. Yet, his glorious stands were shrouded in heroism. O Youth! Yes, you can do what As'ad (ra) did. Yes, you can pledge allegiance to the programme of establishing the Khilafah State. You can reject the "hazards" which are fabricated for you by the rulers to scare you away from Islamic political Dawah. You can call your family and people, and introduce them to the Du'aat, opening your localities to the Dawah. You can decorate your youth with spreading and supporting this Dawah, so your stands are taught in the universities of the Khilafah State in the future just as we teach the stands of As'ad bin Zurara (ra) today. Therefore, arise to work so that we may all be able to witness what As'ad bin Zurara (ra) wanted to see: "Victory from Allah (swt) and imminent conquest."

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