Lessons from the Black Companions – Julaybib

It's February,

which means that once again, it's black history month.

So we will take a break from our series on solo units to remember and learn from the Companions of our Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu, ala Amos,

who were black, or who, if they were alive today might be considered black. And I say might be considered.

Because we have to remember that the racial categories that we think through today that we are asked to think through today, whenever we filled out a census or a college application, those are specifically American racial categories. You did not choose them. I did not choose them. They were handed to us.

They don't necessarily make complete sense, or describe reality exactly.

For example, there are some people from India who have darker skin than some African Americans. Despite this, they will never be thought of, or treated as black in America. And that is because historically, the racial hierarchy that exists today was invented, specifically to justify the kidnapping and enslavement of black Africans under the system of European colonialism. Prejudice has always existed everywhere. There's no arguing that. But European colonialism took one system of prejudice, institutionalized it enriched itself off the free labor if provided, and then exported that system of prejudice all over the world, including the Muslim world,

when your uncle or auntie from Bangladesh, or from Syria, or from Egypt doesn't want you to marry a spouse who has darker skin than you.

This is not from us that

this is not from a Bengali culture or Syrian culture or Egyptian culture.

This is the inheritance given to us from our former colonizers, the British or the French or whoever it was.

So when it comes to the companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we're talking about a time before this system was spread worldwide. Yes, there was prejudice then to but the Islamic scholars who documented their lives didn't always specify the color of their skin. Sometimes you even find conflicting, conflicting reports about the color of this companion skin or that companion because that was not their primary concern.

They were more concerned with their deeds. They had achieved the ideal that ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada laid out and sort of projetos Yeah, Nas in Fela. Kanakuk. vindicating.

Insomma fu in a chroma comprender LA, sparkle in the lava Alima kabhi Oh mankind, indeed we have created you from male and female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and acquainted. Someone might wonder, okay, if that's the ideal,

then why are we even talking about these companions through the lens of race or through the lens of color? Why even bring it up at all?

One of the answers to that question is that in response to the oppression that people have experienced based off the color of their skin, or their racial identity, people have rallied around those identities in an effort to find purpose,

to find pride, and to pursue justice. Some of this work has been extremely useful and meaningful and needed. And some of this work has gone too far.

Trying to delegitimize every other approach to justice, including Islam.

Some people actually accused Islam of being anti black.

Or they say that Islam, which is the majority religion on the continent of Africa,

was forced upon black people by Arabs, just like Christianity was forced on them by Europeans. This is false.

First black people were an integral part of Islam from the very beginning.

Second, Islam was and is more liberating to black people than any black liberation movements invented by a human being. And that is because it's now recognized and reorganized society away from ethnic, racial, and tribal associations, all of which we don't get to choose. And it directed society towards Association based on your chosen faith.

And it did not do that by sweeping prejudice under the rug, or ignoring racial oppression. It achieved this by confronting it head on, and replacing it with something better.

By talking about the Companions, through the lens of color, we are confronting the existing racial hierarchy head on, and hoping that one day we can rid ourselves of prejudice and return to the ideals of the first generation of Muslims. Our first companion is July read, probably a lot more.

Some of the biographers though not all of them mentioned that do they need was black. We do know for certain that he was poor,

and that he did not have a family or a plan to support him in the city of Medina where he lived.

July B was a righteous young man who loved Islam. But he had a problem.

He also loved women.

He was not married. And given his economic situation, he probably did not think that his marriage prospects were very good.

But clearly he had the desire, he was known to walk in on other women, without first asking permission to enter.

He would also go out of his way to pass by the young ladies and even flirts with them. Everyone else was aware enough of the situation that the men used to tell their wives don't let July deep into this house swap out or else.

Now our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam knew Jul be situation very well. And it was the practice of the people of Medina, that if they had a young lady who was ready to get married, they would ask the prophets permission first solo Gauahar they give us

the prophets of Allah Who are they he was salam would sometimes play the role of matchmaker. And sometimes he would sit back and let things happen on their own. So one day our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa salam went to the house of the family that had a young lady who was ready to get married, he knocked on the door. It was open to him and the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa salam addressed to the young lady's Father, I have a marriage proposal for you.

The man was overjoyed. He thought the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself wanted to marry his daughter.

The prophets of Allah hottie Who said I'm realized the misunderstanding and said, it's not for me. It's for Judah Habib.

Immediately the man's face changed. Judah Habib. This was not a moment of prejudice. This was because of jewelry, beads behavior, and his economic situation. And the man being a very, very wise man responded to the prophets of Allah Akbar. He was salam saying, let me go ask my wife.

The man tells his wife the situation, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came with a marriage proposal for our daughter. His wife has the same reaction. She's overjoyed. She's praising Allah, she's happy as can be.

Wait a second. It's not for the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa Salam is for July indeed. His wife's face changed immediately. July be

Julia beam, no, never. He couldn't find anyone else.

And so the husband stood up. He now had the unenviable job of saying no to the greatest of mankind. So long ago, I think he was something I would imagine that he walked very slowly towards the door. But before he could get there, his daughter, who had overheard the entire conversation

Asian stocks and wait, she said,

Is this proposal jewelry beads idea? Or is it the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam, because if it's truly bebes idea, then it's perfectly fine to reject it. But if this is from the prophets of Allah who Allah He was Sunday, then it has to be the best.

Her mother told her and I imagined that it was reluctant. It's from the Prophet.

The daughter said to her parents, are you going to reject the wishes of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Rani who said

marry me to July be

the prophets Allah Allahu alayhi wa sallam will not ever let me down.

So the parents agreed they accepted the proposal and their daughter was married to July Vive and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made a beautiful dua, he made a beautiful prayer on their wedding day Allah humma sub de la Hellfire sub one and Tatiana Ayesha can then can Oh ALLAH pour your blessing upon her and don't make her life full of toil and difficulty. Just a few days later, the call for jihad went forth, do they be answered? Immediately? He attended the battle with the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi salam. And once the battle was over, and the dust had settled, the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked his companions who's missing?

The Companions started naming people one by one. Who else he asked so Lovato Ali he was said that finally, they noticed that do they be was missing?

Go find him, said the prophets of Allah body.

After searching, they found his body. It was surrounded by seven enemy soldiers, all of them dead.

The Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam said he killed seven people, and then was slain himself. Then the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said about you they've even had many. Well, no, I mean,

he said it three times. He is from me and I am from him. He is from me and I am from him. He is from me, and I am from him.

They buried him as a martyr without washing him and returned to Medina.

That's not the end of the story. When the army returned to Medina and July beam's wife was informed that he was a martyr she cried, not out of sadness, but she cried tears of joy that ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada had chosen him for such an honor. And despite marrying a poor man, and despite becoming a widow, Allah subhanahu wata other answered the prayer of the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam that he had made on her wedding day, Allah azza wa jal opened the doors of his provision to her and many companions reported that she became the wealthiest woman in Medina. According to Cali ha That was tough Allah Hollywood The company said I'm just

a stone's throw in the hole for rocking.

Alhamdulillah he

was shopping, topia, he wants to serve Allah. Allah watchdog Nash Anika Chao li Manisha shadow. Vienna was Mohammed Abdul rasuluh at Dairy sallallahu alayhi wa ala alihi wa sahbihi was when he was certainly going to Stephen's Cathedral.

The story of July Eve is remarkable and full of lessons for us today. One of the things we learned is that the Companions Radi Allahu Anhu imaginary were people to

they had problems that they struggled with. Some struggled with greed, some struggled with cowardice, still others with lust. This does not lessen their status or their honor at all. In fact, it adds to their status because despite their

of chronic struggles, and their occasional mistakes they possessed inside them. Such an immense potential for goodness and righteousness, look at through the bead. He had a problem with lust. He was flirting with women. It was wrong, but that did not mean that he was damned. That did not mean that he was worthless. Despite his sins he was capable of greatness. When he was called to the battlefield he responded right away despite just getting married a few days before and finally having a legitimate outlets for his desires.