Amr Khaled (عمرو خالد) and Preference (ithar ايثار) Part 2
This is a continuation from a previous lecture. Amr Khaled is discussing the manner of preference which can also be translated as selflessness.
0:00-1:58
The best people in this trait were the Ansar. When believers left Mecca on their way to Medina, Qureish (also transliterated Quraysh and Quraish) forced them to leave alone leaving everything behind. They were rich people. When they arrived in Medina they kept wondering how they would be able to live. It is said that each of them entered Medina with a ballot among the Ansar. All of them were willing to host them. They used to divide their houses, their money and even their clothes into two halves; one for his own wife and children and one for the whole family of the other man.
We’ve heard about a lot of immigrations throughout history. The owners of the land usually refused the others, but this one was totally different. It witnessed no fights or conflicts or massacres. On the contrary, it was full of love for others. To the extent that Prophet Muhammad after a while asked the Ansar to share their money with the immigrants. The Ansar told him that they already did that . Prophet Muhammad told them that he wanted them to share another thing, and that is their harvest. They all agreed but they asked him about their reward. Prophet Muhammad told them that their reward would be going to into Heaven. To the extent that the immigrants went to Prophet Muhammad and told him that they got all rewards Prophet Muhammad then asked them to pray for the Ansar.
Amr Khaled tells about Abu Huraira, another companion of Prophet Muhammad
1:59-5:44
Once Prophet Muhammad was teaching one of his companions preference (selflessness). This one was Abu Huraira. Abu Huraira was very poor. Abu Huraira used to say that he would sometimes faint out of hunger. That people thought he was crazy or something when he was not. It was just his hunger. He used to stand in a place near Prophet Muhammad, waiting for someone to pass by. He would ask anyone to recite for him verse about charity. May be any one would pity him. See how shy this person was. He did not want to ask anyone to give him money. Abu Bakr passed by him and recited the verses but he did not get what he was aiming at.
Omar passed by him as well and did the same as Abu Bakr. But when Prophet Muhammad passed by him, he looked at him and smiled. From his looks, Abu Huraira knew that Prophet Muhammad knew how hungry he was. Abu Huraira then says that as soon as Prophet Muhammad entered his house, someone brought to him an earthenware of milk that would be enough for a man or two.
Prophet Muhammad asked Abu Huraira to come with him. Abu Huraira came with him right away. Prophet Muhammad then asked Abu Huraira to call the people of the First Row to him. Abu Huraira thought to himself that there are more than one hundred of them and so he is so thirsty and hungry and milk would barely be enough for a man or two. Prophet Muhammad wanted to teach him preferring the others to hiw own self though he is so poor. What about us?
When Prophet Muhammad told Abu Huraira to call the people of the Front Row, he felt depressed. He wanted to tell him that it would hardly be enough for him. He then went and brought them to Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad kept looking at him and smiling. Then he asked Abu Huraira to give milk to each of them. He passed among them with the milk. Each would drink from it. Then he asked Abu Huraira to give mile to each of them. He passed among them with the mild. Each would drink from it. It is a real miracle for Prophet Muhammad but it aims at teaching us to prefer others to ourselves. They all quenched their thirst and went on their way.
Prophet Muhammad then turned to Abu Huraira, smiled to him and said that they are the only ones left. He then asked him to drink. Abu Huraira then drank until he quenched his thirst. And then he gave it to the Prophet who gave it back to him and asked him to drink again. Prophet Muhammad wanted to say that things are to be a lot and enough for everybody if we prefer others. Abu Huraira said that he drank again. And Prophet Muhammad asked him to drink again. And he drank. Then Prophet Muhammad asked him to drink for the fourth time. Abu Huraira told him that he is quite full. And he gave it to the Prophet and he drank from it.
Amr Khaled discusses the Battle of the Trench and the miracle related to Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah’s preference/selflessness
5:45-8:50
We want Allah to bless us in all that we do. In the battle of the Trench, people were really exhausted. They kept drilling and they were really hungry. They went to Prophet Muhammad and told him that they were quite hungry, and that they were putting a stone on their stomach. Prophet Muhammad then pulled up his clothes and showed them that he was putting two of them on.
At this time, the wife of Sayedna Jaber Ibn Abd Ellah (Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah) cooked some food, a little barley and a chicken. This food would be enough for a man or two. Jaber went to Prophet Muhammad and told him that they invite him to eat with them. Hungry as he was, Jaber would not eat without inviting Prophet Muhammad to the food they had. Now, people may be going out together and each of them eating his own food. They would hide the food away from each other. Prophet Muhammad asked him if he is inviting him alone. Jaber told him that it would be alright if he invited a man or two. He thought of Abu Bakr and Umar. Prophet Muhammad asked Jaber about the food. Jaber told him that it was just a little barley and a chicken. Prophet Muhammad told him that it would be alright. He then called upon the immigrants and the Ansar and told them that they were invited to eat at the house of Jaber Ibn Abd Ellah. Upon which, Jaber ran to his wife telling her that Prophet Muhammad is on his way and the whole army is along with him. The woman asked him if he told Prophet Muhammad of the food. He told her that he did. She told him to take it easy for sure. Prophet Muhammad knows more than them. Prophet Muhammad came and told Jaber to be the doorman.
He then let people in ten at a time. They would eat and then make way for another ten. When they all ate, Prophet Muhammad called upon Jaber to tell him that Allah blessed their food. And now that he can eat along with his wife. See how all miracles were related to one aspect of this manner. Imagine a society in which all members would prefer others to themselves.
Imagine the safety that would prevail among neighbors. Nowdays, neighbors would hide the food from each other. But if we were different we would feel tranquility and safety that we have never known before.
Amr Khaled discusses Ja‘far ibn Abī Tālib
8:51-end
Sayedna Jaafar Ibn Abi Taleb died on the day of the battle of Mu’ta. Prophet Muhammad stood among all Muslims asking for someone who would volunteer to support the children of Jaafar. The narrator of this Hadith said that he saw three of the Prophet’s companions raising their hands. They were all poor that you could not tell which was the poorest. All racing to support the children.
Today, we see some people who may refuse to support or even help his nephews after the death of their father. For he may prefer his wife and children to them. We actually need to love each other more. The greatest sense in today’s manners is to prefer to please Allah to all others. It is to give up what you want only to please Allah.
Before the end of today’s episode, I would like to tell you that if we live for our own selves, our lives would be too short. We will be born small and live and die small. On the day we die, we will be of no value. But when we make others happy we will live for as long as we make others happy. Allah will bless all our life and in the life of our children afterwards. We need to rid our souls from being stingy. We need to feel the sweetness of preferring others. I wish we would change to the better. Peace be upon you all.
Related Post
Amr Khaled: Preference/Selflessness Part 1
References
i’thar (altruism) – in Wikipedia
