The Masters of the Youths of Paradise
The Prophet stated the following in a hadith:
"An angel who had never come down to the earth before came and greeted me. Then, he gave me the good news that Hasan and Husayn were the masters of the young people in Paradise and that Fatima was the master of the women in Paradise." (Tirmidhi, Manaqib: 31)
In a similar hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stated the following: "Five people are the young people of Paradise: Hasan, Husayn, Abdullah ibn Umar, Sa'd bin Muadh, Ubayy bin Kab" (Jamius-Saghir: 4858)
Thus, he encouraged people to take their lives as an example in a sense.
For, to be the master of the young people in Paradise is a high rank. The young people who take their lives, ethics and service of those who reached this rank as an example will approach them. The young people who love them and who live like them will be the neighbors of those masters in Paradise with the permission of Allah.
The Companions whom the Prophet (pbuh) described as the masters of Paradise spent their youth worshipping Allah and serving His religion and they served as an example to all young people through their lifestyles.
Now, we will narrate some anecdotes from their exemplary lives and introduce them briefly.
Hz. Hasan (r.a.)
Upon the order of Allah, the Prophet (pbuh) married his daughter Fatima off to Hz. Ali (r.a.). Hz. Hasan (r.a.) was born out of this marriage in the third year of the Migration.
The Prophet (pbuh) loved his dear grandson very much. He caressed, kissed and carried him on his shoulders. He advised his ummah to love him, too: O Allah! I love him. You love him, too. Love those who love him, too." Thus, he stated that Allah would love those who love him. The love of the Prophet pbuh toward him did not originate from kinship only. His love was due to the luminous people to come from his descent that would continue with Hz. Hasan (r.a.) and to serve Islam.
Hz. Hasan (r.a.) lost his grandfather when he was eight years old and his mother six months later; and he became very sorrowful.
He was a Companion that was famous for his generosity. He gave away all of his fortune twice and half of his fortune three times. He loved giving his property away so much that if he had two pairs of shoes, he would give away one pair.
He loved worshipping a lot. He performed prayers and fasting a lot. He went from Madinah to Makkah on foot 25 times for hajj.
After the death of his father, Muslims paid allegiance to him and elected him as their Caliph. The number of those who paid allegiance to him amounted to 40 thousand. He became the Caliph of the Muslims living in Iraq, Hejaz, Khorasan, Yemen, Makkah and Madinah. However, the Muslims living in Egypt and Damascus did not recognize his caliphate. Besides, they had paid allegiance to Hz. Muawiya (r.a.) before.
Unity was not restored among Muslims. As a matter of fact, in the seventh month of his caliphate, the armies of both parties confronted in Madayin. Hz. Hasan's army was very strong. It was so strong that when Amr bin As, who was in the army of Muawiya, saw it, he could not help saying 'Now I see such an army that it will not go back unless it eliminates the army against it."
However, Hz. Hasan did not want the blood of Muslims to be shed. Therefore, he accepted the offer put forward by Muawiya and waived his right to be the Caliph based on two conditions. The conditions demanded by him were: The Caliphs would be chosen by Muslims and Muawiya would not appoint his son Yazid as his heir to the caliphate; Muawiya would send a certain amount of money as sadaqah to be distributed to the poor.
It is a great example of sacrifice that Hz. Hasan waived his right though he was strong because he did not want the blood of Muslims to be shed. This event displayed a great miracle of the Prophet (pbuh). Once, the Prophet said the following about his grandson: This is my son; he is an honorable master. I envisage that Allah will make two groups of Muslims compromise thanks to him."
Hz. Hasan was poisoned and became a martyr in the 49th year of the Migration when he was 46 years old.
Hz. Husayn (r.a.)
Hz. Husayn, the second grandson of the Prophet, who would continue the Prophet's descent, was born in the fourth year of the Migration. After his birth, the Prophet started to go to his daughter, Fatima, more often and loved his grandsons. He said the following about them: "Hasan and Husayn are two basils that I smell in the world."
The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following about him: "Husayn is of me; I am of Husayn. A person who loves Allah loves Husayn, too. Husayn is a grandson among grandsons." After the death of the Prophet (pbuh), Husayn was brought up and trained by Hz. Ali, his father. He led a simple and plain life. He led a life that would serve as an example to all humanity.
After the death of Hz. Muawiya, he did not accept the caliphate of Yazid, his son, because he was an oppressor and a sinner. He did not act in accordance with the orders of Allah. It was impossible for Hz. Husayn to pay allegiance to him. When the people of Kufa saw that he did not pay allegiance to Yazid, they invited Hz. Husayn to Kufa and said that they would pay allegiance to him. Thereupon, he set off toward Kufa with his family and relatives.
Yazid got furious when Hz. Husayn did so. He ordered Ubaydullah bin Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, to prepare an army. The followers of Yazid made Hz. Husayn settle in a place where there was no water, stones or trees. Yazid's men blocked the way to the water. When Hz. Husayn saw that they were determined to kill him, he asked the people who were together with him to leave him. However, his relatives did not accept it.
All of the peace attempts of Hz. Husayn turned out to fail. The mob was definitely determined to kill him. They attacked at once and martyred him and the people who were together with him. They cut off his head and sent it to Yazid. It was the 61st year of the Migration. The people of Ghadiriyya village buried the martyrs the next day. They wanted to keep the place of his grave a secret but the nice scent coming from his grave revealed his grave.
There was an eclipse of the sun on the day he was martyred. The sky became red. People thought Doomsday would strike. Not only humans but also jinn cried because he was martyred.
The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following for the virtue of his grandsons:
"Hasan and Husayn are my sons. Those who love him love me, too. Allah loves those who love me. Allah puts those whom He loves into Paradise. A person who does not love them and becomes their enemies will become my enemies. Allah does not love those who become my enemies. Allah puts those whom He does not love into Hell."
Abdullah ibn Umar (r.a.)
Hz. Abdullah is Hz. Umar's (r.a.) son. When his father became a Muslim, he was a five-year old child. Therefore, he never worshipped idols. When he migrated to Madinah, he was only 13 years old.
When Abdullah became 15 years old, he wanted to join the Battle of Badr. However, the Prophet did not allow him and a few more young people to join the army. Abdullah narrates:
"The Prophet did not allow me to join the army because I was small and short. I do not remember any other night that I cried so much and did not sleep a wink."
Hz. Abdullah could not participate in the Battle of Badr because he was too young. However, he took part in all of the other battles together with the Prophet. He fought heroically and was appreciated by the Prophet.
After the Migration, he joined the People of Suffa, who spent all their life learning Islam and obtaining knowledge. In a very short time, he became one of the distinguished people of the People of Suffa. After Abu Hurayra, he is the Companion who narrated the most hadiths.
The dream that Abdullah had while he was staying in the mosque is exemplary to the young people. He saw two angels take him to Hell. He said the following prayer 3 times: I take refuge in Allah from Hell. Meanwhile, another angel met them and said to Abdullah, "Do not fear." Abdullah asked his sister Hafsa to tell the Prophet about his dream. The Messenger of Allah said, "Abdullah is such a nice person. If only he performed tahajjud prayers. After that, Abdullah started to sleep a little at night and he never quit performing tahajjud prayers.
He followed the sunnah of the Prophet very closely. Everybody knew that whatever he did was sunnah. Once he had all of his hair cut. Then, he said to the people around him, "O people! This is not sunnah. I have had my hair cut because they give me trouble."
He was very generous. He never avoided sacrificing the things that he loved in the way of Allah. He helped the poor, orphans and helpless people. He died in the 73rd year of the Migration when he was 86 years old.
Sa'd bin Muadh (r.a.)
Sa'd bin Muadh spent only six years of his life as a Muslim but he served the religion of Islam a lot. The Prophet said that he was the most beloved person among Ansar.
Hz. Sa'd was the leader of the Ashhal branch of the Aws tribe; he was the actual leader of the Aws tribe.
Hz. Prophet (pbuh) appointed Mus'ab bin Umayr to spread Islam in Madinah. Hz. Sa'd, who became a Muslim thanks to Hz. Mus'ab, summoned Sons of Ashhal and addressed them:
"O Sons of Ashhal! How do you know me?"
They said, "You are our master; you are the most far-sighted person among us. You are our most reliable man."
Thereupon, Sa'd said,
"I want to tell you that I will not talk to any men or women among you unless you believe in Allah and His Messenger like me."
This speech was very influential. All of the Sons of Ashhal, men and women, became Muslims that day.
Hz. Sa'd took part in the battles of Badr and Uhud. He fought heroically. He was wounded severely in the Battle of Khandaq and died after a while as a martyr.
The Prophet (pbuh) said after his death, "The dead body of Sa'd made the throne of the creator shiver. Seventy thousand angels who had never stepped on the earth before came down for Sa'd bin Muadh.
While carrying the dead body of Sa'd bin Muadh, the munafiqs (hypocrites) said mockingly, "What a light body!" When the Prophet (pbuh) was informed about their words, he said, "Angels were carrying his dead body."
The Prophet loved him very much. He mentioned his virtues and spiritual rank after his death.
Ubayy bin Kab (r.a.)
Ubayy bin Kab, who had great service in the recital of the Quran in the nicest way received the following compliments from the Prophet: "the person who recites the Quran in the nicest way", "the master of the reciters of the Quran" and "the master of Ansar".
He became a Muslim before the Pledge of Aqaba and joined all of the battles together with the Messenger of Allah.
Once, the Prophet (pbuh) said to him, "O Ubayy! Allah ordered me to recite the Quran to you."
Ubayy asked, "Did Allah mention my name?"
The Prophet said, "Yes. He mentioned your name at the Highest Assembly together with your family name."
Ubayy said, "Then, read, O Messenger of Allah! Then, he started to cry when he heard this divine grace and compliment."
During the period of Hz. Uthman, when different views appeared about the recital of the Quran, a committee consisting of 12 people from Qurayshis and Ansar was formed. Hz. Ubayy was appointed as the leader of this committee. He recited the Quran and Zayd bin Thabit wrote it. With this service, he fulfilled a great duty that will make him gain rewards until Doomsday.
He died in Madinah in the 35th year of the Migration.
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