أخذ سيفاً يَومَ أُحُدٍ ، فَقَالَ : مَنْ يَأخُذُ منِّي هَذَا ؟ أنَّ رسول الله : عن أنس

فَبَسطُوا أيدِيَهُمْ كُلُّ إنسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ يقُولُ : أَنَا أَنَا . قَالَ : فَمَنْ يَأخُذُهُ بحَقِّه ؟ فَأَحْجَمَ القَومُ

أنا آخُذُهُ بحِقِّهِ ، فأخذه فَفَلقَ بهِ هَامَ المُشْرِكِينَ . : فَقَالَ أَبُو دُجَانَةَ

Anas RA narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a sword on the day of the battle of Uḥud and said: “Who will take this from me?” The Ṣaḥabah RA stretched out their hands, each one saying: “I will take it, I will take it.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: “Who will take it with the responsibility which it bears?” The people hesitated. Abu Dujanah RA said: “I will take it with the responsibility which it bears.” He took it and severed the heads of the polytheists with it. [Muslim]

According to Imam Qurṭubi R, “the responsibility which the sword bears” meant fighting until Allah granted the Muslims victory or one was martyred in the course of it.

Another Ṣaḥabi RA stated, “I was disappointed not to have received the sword after requesting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for it. I decided to follow Abu Dujanah and observe his movements. He tied a red cloth on his head, which the Anṣar regarded as the ‘head-cloth of death’ and after reciting some words of poetry, he entered the battlefield. He killed every enemy that he confronted.”

Abu Dujanah RA’s name was Simak ibn Kharashah. He participated in Badr and Uḥud. He bravely defended the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the battle of Uḥud. He was martyred in the battle of Yamamah.

This ḥadith is a perfect description of the mind-set of the Ṣaḥabah RA. Each of them had the desire to hasten towards good deeds when encouraged by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The Ṣaḥabah RA’s reluctance to accept the sword after being told of its responsibility does not suggest that they behaved unfaithfully or cowardly; rather, they were not prepared to take up the task and then fall short in fulfilling its responsibility. They were men of their word and realised that a Muslim who has been assigned a responsibility should fulfil it with truth and honour.

EASY GOOD DEED – Reciting Surah Fatiha

Although reading or reciting any part of Qur’an is an act of merit, but reading or reciting of certain Surahs have been indicated by our blessed Prophet ﷺ as particularly meritorious and rewarding. Among the short Surahs, Surah Fatiha has been indicated as much rewarding.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal R recorded in the Musnad that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla RA said, “I was praying when the Prophet ﷺ called me, so I did not answer him until I finished the prayer. I then went to him and he said, what prevented you from coming? I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.’ He ﷺ said, (`didn’t Allah say),

[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ]

O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life

He ﷺthen said,

«لَأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ»

I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before you leave the Masjid.

He held my hand and when he was about to leave the Masjid, I said, `O Messenger of Allah! You said: I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an.’ He said, (Yes.)

[الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ]

(Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin)”

«نَعَمْ هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْآنُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ»

It is the seven repeated (verses) and the Glorious Qur’an that I was given.” [Bukhari]

Also, Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Jabir RA said, “I went to the Messenger of Allah after he had poured water (for purification) and said, `Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah!’ He did not answer me. So, I said again, `Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah!’ Again, he did not answer me, so I said again, `Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah!’ Still, he did not answer me. The Messenger of Allah went while I was following him, until he arrived at his residence. I went to the Masjid and sat there sad and depressed. The Messenger of Allah came out after he performed his purification and said, (Peace and Allah’s mercy be unto you, peace and Allah’s mercy be unto you, peace and Allah’s mercy be unto you.) He then said, (O `Abdullah bin Jabir! Should I inform you of the best Surah in the Qur’an) I said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said, (Read, `All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the existence,’ until you finish it.)”

The virtue of Surah Fatiha can be gauged from the fact that Allah has made its recital compulsory in every rakaat of Salaah.

Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah RA said that the Prophet ﷺ said,

«مَنْ صَلَى صَلَاةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا أُمَّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ ثَلَاثًا غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ»

(Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not read Umm Al-Qur’an, then his prayer is incomplete.) He said it thrice.