(Friday Sermon - January 25, 2019 )

Background and Participation in Battles

Next there is the companion Hazrat Qais bin al-Sakan. His title was Abu Zaid, his father’s name was Sakan bin Zawwarah. Hazrat Qais bin al-Sakan belonged to the Banu Adiyy branch of the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. Hazrat Qais was better known by his title of Abu Zaid. He participated alongside the Holy Prophet^(sa) in all the battles, including the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. He is counted among those Companions who, during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet^(sa), collected the parchments on which the Holy Quran was written. (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 389, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 4, p. 406, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (al-Isabatu Fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba, Vol. 5, p. 362, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995)

Hazrat Anas^(ra) bin Malik states that there were four Ansari Companions who gathered all the parchments of the Holy Quran in the time of Holy Prophet^(sa), Hazrat Zaid^(ra) bin Thabit, Hazrat Mu‘az^(ra) bin Jabal, Ubayy^(ra) bin Ka’b and Abu Zaid^(ra) i.e. Qais bin Sakan. With regard to Abu Zaid^(ra), Hazrat Anas^(ra) relates, “He was my uncle.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Manaqib al-Ansar, Bab Manaqib Zaid bin Thabit^(ra), Hadith 3810)

Journey to Preach in Oman

In 8 AH the Holy Prophet^(sa) sent Abu Zaid Ansari and Hazrat Amr bin Aas al-Sahmi with a letter to the two sons of Julandi – Ubaid and Jaifar – in which he invited them towards Islam. Furthermore, the Holy Prophet^(sa) mentioned to them that if they give true testimony and obeyed Allah and His Messenger (sa) then Amr would be their Amir [leader] and Abu Zaid would be their Imam. That is to say that in the eyes of the Holy Prophet^(sa) Abu Zaid had a stronger faith or was more well-versed in his understanding of the Holy Quran. The Holy Prophet^(sa) stated that he would then be the one to lead the prayers, propagate the message of Islam to them and teach them the Holy Quran and the Sunnah [practice of the Holy Prophet^(sa)]. The two of them travelled to Oman and met Ubaid and Ja‘far at the seashore. They handed them the letter of the Holy Prophet^(sa). Thereafter they accepted Islam and began preaching their new religion to the Arabs there, who also became Muslims. Islam spread here only through preaching the message. There was no war or fighting there, but the Arabs still accepted Islam. Amr and Abu Zaid remained in Oman up until the demise of the Holy Prophet^(sa). Some are of the opinion that Abu Zaid returned to Medina prior to the demise of the Holy Prophet^(sa). (Futuh-ul-Buldan, p. 53, “Umman”, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2000)

Martyrdom

Hazrat Qais was martyred on the Day of Jisr. (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 389, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)

This battle with the Iranians took place during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar^(ra) on the bridge of the Euphrates river, and this is why the battle is known as the Day of Jisr. (Mu’jam-ul-Buldan, Vol. 2, pp. 162-163, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)