The early life of Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr.
His acceptance of Islam.
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- Mus’ab’s father was ‘Umayr, a wealthy Makkan, and his mother was Khunas bint Maalik. Mus’ab was brought up with the greatest care and was spoilt as a child. He grew up to be the most handsome, best-dressed and spoiled young man in Makkah. His polished look added to his good looks and he wore the best clothing available at the time. He was also fond of expensive perfumes and enjoyed his days of luxury.
- Mus’ab was enjoying his days of luxury and splendor, when the call of Islam was suddenly heard all over Makkah. Only a handful of people had accepted Islam and many were too weak to declare their beliefs openly. They secretly met at the house of Arqam, where they prayed together and discussed their plans. Mus’ab, who was a youth of young and tender age, regularly attended the meetings held at Arqam’s house and listened to the numerous messages that the Prophet spread about life and Islam. Slowly, this secret group succeeded in getting Mus’ab to think about his own life and the role that Islam played in it. The call I of truth sank deeply into his heart and changed his whole outlook on life. He had discovered a new purpose in life. The non-caring enjoyment that Mus’ab had previously enjoyed, lost its meaning. Mus’ab secretly entered Islam without any of his family knowing about it. He committed himself to the Prophet and his aim of spreading the word of Islam.
- When he accepted Islam, Mus’ab was especially concerned about the reaction of his mother. She was a woman of extraordinary determination and influence. She had a dominant personality and could easily arouse fear and terror in her opponents. Mus’ab feared her reaction. All the powerful nobles of Makkah and their practice of pagan customs and traditions were of little consequence to him.
His acceptance of Islam.
- Having his mother as an opponent could not be taken lightly. The house where all meetings were held became the center of Mus’ab’s thoughts. Mus’ab’s parents noticed a change in their son but did not know what the cause was. One day a Makkan saw Mus’ab performing Salah. He informed Mus’ab’s parents about this. The old couple’s love for Mus’ab immediately changed to intense anger and hatred. They begged their hand- some son not to give up the religion of his ancestors. When he refused to listen, he was thrown into solitary confinement. Fortunately, Mus’ab was not a man to be influenced by intimidation. The more his parents applied pressure on him, the more his faith grew. He was taken out of solitary confinement but the pressure of other restrictions continued as before. Although poverty-stricken, Mus’ab never paid any attention to the change in his physical appearance. To him the patched up rags he wore with the new faith he accepted, were more valuable than the life of ease he had enjoyed earlier as a mushrik. To him the message he accepted was worth more than anything else was in the world. He grew despondent with the situation in Makkah, and so when a group of helpless Muslims decided to migrate to Abyssinia, Mus’ab readily joined them. The journey was long and tough, but the elegant young man had now developed the tough character of a Muslim.
- The emigrants of Abyssinia were back in Makkah after a few months. Once she heard that her son had returned, Mus’ab’s mother came to have a look at her son. She was greatly distressed by the sight that greeted her. Her handsome son was nothing but a shadow of his old self. The freshness of his looks was gone. Instead of the handsome, elegant son she had known, she found herself facing a lean figure. He also had a look in his eyes that showed his love for Islam rather than worldly pleasures. His mother made a last attempt to gain control of him and threatened to have him tied up again and confined. He refused and she realized that they would separate again. He was thus thrown out of his mother’s house, and cut off from all material comforts.
- Mus’ab left her home and decided to put all his efforts into Islam. He was determined to use his talents and energies in acquiring knowledge and in serving Allah ﷻ and his Prophet ﷺ .
Learning from the lesson
- Mus’ab came from a very wealthy family, and was spoilt as a child.
- He grew up to be the most handsome and best-dressed young man in Makkah.
- Mus’ab heard about the call of Islam and regularly attended secret meetings.
- Mus’ab accepted Islam and committed himself to spreading the influence of Islam.
- His parents put him in solitary confinement and intimidated him.
- Mus’ab continued to practice Islam.
- He was very disappointed in the people’s attitudes in Makkah.
- He migrated to Abyssinia with a group of Muslims.
- He returned to Makkah determined to use his talents and energies to acquire knowledge and serve Allah ﷻ .
