How beautiful is Paradise...
بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله
The story:
When the Muslim army reached Mu'tah, a small village situated among hills in Jordan, they discovered that the Byzantines had amassed a hundred thousand men backed up by a massive number of Christian Arabs from the tribes of Lakhm, Judhaam, Qudaah and others. The Muslim army only numbered thirty thousand...
Despite the great odds against them, the Muslim forces engaged the Byzantines in battle. Zayd ibn Haarithah, the beloved companion of the Prophet, was among the first to fall. Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib then assumed command. Mounted on his ruddy-complexioned horse, he penetrated deep into the Byzantine ranks. As he spurred his horse on, he called out:
"How wonderful is Paradise as it draws near!
How pleasant and cool is its drink!
Punishment for the Byzantines is not far away!"
Ja'far continued to fight vigorously but was eventually slain. The third in command, 'Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah, also fell. Khaalid ibn al-Waleed. the inveterate fighter who had recently accepted Islâm, was then chosen as the commander. He made a tactical withdrawal, redeployed the Muslims and renewed the attack from several directions. Eventually, the bulk of the Byzantine forces fled in disarray.
The news of the death of his three commanders reached the Prophet in Madeena. The pain and grief he felt was intense. He went to Ja'far's house and met his wife Asmaa'. She was getting ready to receive her absent husband. She had prepared dough and bathed and clothed the children. Asmaa' said:
''When the Messenger of God approached us, I saw a veil of sadness shrouding his noble face and I became very apprehensive. But I did not dare ask him about Ja'far for fear that I would hear some unpleasant news. He greeted and asked, "Where are Ja'far's children?" I called them for him and they came and crowded around him happily, each one wanting to claim him for himself. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his eyes.
'O Messenger of God,' I asked, 'Why do you cry? Have you heard anything about Ja'far and his two companions?'
'Yes,' he replied, 'They have attained martyrdom.'"
The smiles and the laughter vanished from the faces of the little children when they heard their mother crying and wailing. Women came and gathered around Asmaa'.
"O Asmaa'," said the Prophet, "Don't say anything objectionable and don't beat your breast." He then prayed to God to protect and sustain the family of Ja'far and assured them that he had attained Paradise. The Prophet left Asmaa's house and went to his daughter Faatimah who was also weeping. To her, he said: "For such as Ja'far, you can (easily) cry yourself to death. Prepare food for Ja'far's family for today they are beside themselves with grief."
Source.
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