Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) was thrust with a sword into his body, as the sword pierced through
him, Jabbar ibn Salma looked at his face. Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) looked up in the sky and
said
“Fustu wallah” (I have succeeded by Allah).
Amir bin Fuhayra (RA)
On hearing these words Jabbar ibn Salma’s dark valleys of the heart were enlightened with the noor of Islam.
Initial Life
Hazrat Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) was born in slavery and was from Abyssinian dissent. He
was among the early ones to accept Islam even before Darul Arqam. He was enslaved by
Tufail ibn Abdullah Al Azdi who was the stepson of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) and half
brother of Hazrat Aisha (R.A.).
Fortitude and Steadfastness
Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) was tortured for accepting Islam. An enormous lesson of fortitude
can be drawn by us from these incidents of Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.)’s life. It is said that no
torture tactic was left that was not experimented on Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) and it was just
because he accepted the truth and shunned falsehood. Burning coal used to be left dripping
from his back, sleep deprivation, dehydration, he was not allowed food for several days,
dragged through the streets, chained and beaten by random people. All this for accepting
Islam. Despite going through such harsh circumstances Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) never gave
up on deen and remained steadfast.
Such were the tests of the believers then compared to
now how weak our Imaan has become with petty issues we face we start losing hope, we
must look up to these great personalities in Islam and their struggles through which they
went to give us Islam. Amir bin Fuhayra’s (R.A.)’s fortitude and steadfastness deserves great
acclaim and recognition.
Life out of slavery
It was the habit of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) to purchase those slaves and free those
who were tortured for accepting Islam. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) purchased Amir bin
Fuhayra (R.A.) and freed him. To gain closeness to Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) due to his
character and his relation with the Prophet (P.B.U.H), Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) became his
shepherd.
Allah says in the Quran:
"And whosoever puts his trust in Allah then He will suffice him."
(65:3)
Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) remained patient during the hardships of agony he went through
and Allah made a way out for him and now he was serving the one who is the greatest
human being after the Prophets.
Role during Hijrah
During the migration period when the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.)
were in the cave of Thawr, Asma bint Abu Bakr (R.A.) who was the daughter of Hazrat Abu
Bakr (R.A.), her role was to get food and drink to the Prophet(P.B.U.H) and her father and
her brother, son of Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) named Abdullah bin Abu Bakr (R.A.) used to
move around with kuffar of Makkah and get the news to the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat
Abu Bakr (R.A.).
Hazrat Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) used to raise sheep in the Thawr area and hide the tracks of
the Prophet(P.B.U.H) and Abdullah bin Abu Bakr (R.A.) leading towards the cave so that no
one can reach the Prophet (P.B.U.H). Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) used to take sheep to the
cave so that the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) could benefit from it.
Though this might seem a mere task but is of great importance as during those times
footprints were one the prime sources to identify one’s location. After three days when the
search receded, Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) brought two camels to the cave of that the Prophet
(P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) for migration to Madinah. He was the only one to be
with the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) on the journey. Suraqa Ibn Malik
wanted to gain the bounty on the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and was the only one to reach the
Prophet (P.B.U.H). Suraqa ibn Malik felt divine forces stopping him from reaching the
Prophet (P.B.U.H). Suraqa’s animal started to sink in the sand when he was in the range of
the Prophet (P.B.U.H) to shoot an arrow, his hands paralyzed. Suraqa ibn Malik understood
that Islam is the truth. He asked the Prophet (P.B.U.H) for a letter of amnesty for forgiveness
and the one who wrote the letter was Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.).
Badr and Uhud
Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) remained steadfast in his religion. He served in the battle of Badr
thus getting the opportunity to become one of the Badri Sahabi. Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) also
served in the battle of Uhud and he was the one who did not flee the battle but stood firm.
Time of Shahadah
After the battle of Uhud people of Najd asked the Prophet (P.B.U.H) to send someone from
his (P.B.U.H) side to Najd to teach their people about Islam. The Prophet (P.B.U.H) sent a
group of learned scholars to Najd among them was Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) who had great
knowledge of the Quran. But the Prophet (P.B.U.H) was betrayed and the Sahaba were
killed. It was a great loss as after huge casualties at Uhud this was also at the same level.
Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) was being killed by a man named Jabbar ibn Salma, and when he
thrust his sword through Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.), Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) saw up in the
skies and said
“Fustu wallah” ( I have succeeded by Allah).
Looking at this Jabbar ibn Salma was astounded as to what deen is this and what does Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) meant when he said those words: “Fustu wallah”. Later on, Jabbar ibn Salma went on to accept Islam hence we title him with Radi Allahu ‘Anhu. This incident is one of the clear manifestations ofthe following hadith:
Abu Huraira (R.A.) reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2671, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1890 Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
said, “Allah laughs at two men, one of them killed the other, yet they both entered Paradise.
This one fought in the way of Allah and was killed, then his killer repented and was also
martyred.”
What a great journey, being freed by Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) after being tortured as a muhajireen, being a guide on hijrah, surviving Badr and Uhad and attaining Shahadah. Amir
bin Fuhayra (R.A.)’s life is an example we all should reflect upon. The lessons that we can
draw from his life are being patient at times of hardship as Allah mentions in Quran:
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear”
(2:286)
And
"So undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease."
(94:5)
If we remain patient and steadfast during times of hardship we will surely be delivered from
our situation. Obedience to Allah and his Rasool (P.B.U.H) is another lesson we get from the
life of Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.), remaining on the right path and ignoring devils tricks will help
us gain success in this life and next. Yet another lesson we can draw from the life of this
noble Sahaba is love for shahadah. We can learn that this life is nothing but delusion as
mentioned in Quran:
"The life of this world is merely enjoyment of delusion"
(3:185)
Whatever we do should only be for Allah and we should always try to attain closeness to
Allah. Hazrat Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.)’s body wasn’t found, in some narrations it’s mentioned that
his body was ascended by the Angels.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala have mercy on Amir bin Fuhayra (R.A.) and gather us
among him, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and his companion on hijrah Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq
(R.A.) on the day of judgement. And may Allah make us able to follow his footsteps.
