Usamah bin Zayd raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) was one of the beloved companions of the Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him).
Both of Usamah’s raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) parents, Zayd bin Harithah raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) who was Arab and Umm Ayman raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) who was Ethiopian, were freed from slavery by the Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him). He was born in Makkah seven years prior to hijrah and is described as having black skin.
Umm Ayman: Mother After the Prophet’s Mother
The first luminous figure in this series that was a companion is Barakah also known as Umm Ayman. Umm Ayman was Abyssinian and a servant of Abdullah bin Abdil Muttalib, the father of the Prophet . When Aminah, the mother of the Prophet died, Umm Ayman took over as primary care-giver of the Prophet . Umm Ayman was later emancipated at the time of the marriage of the Prophet to Sayyidah Khadijah bint Khuwaylid .
Umm Ayman was one of the early adherents of Islam in Makkah and was one of those who faced persecution from Quraysh. She was among those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah.
Umm Ayman’s first marriage was to Ubayd bin Zayd who was from Bani Khazraj, a prominent tribe in the Hijaz. According to ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah and others, Ubayd (RA) himself was black in color or Al-Habashi though his lineage was from Bani Khazraj, a prominent Arab tribe in the Hijaz. Umm Ayman and Ubayd bore a son named Ayman who was also black. Ubayd was martyred at Ghazwah Khaybar, and Ayman was martyred at Ghazwah Hunayn. Umm Ayman participated in Ghazwah Uhud and Ghazwah Khaybar.
After Ubayd’s martyrdom, it’s reported by Ibn Sa’ad in At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra that the Prophet said to the companions that if anyone wanted to marry a lady from the People of Paradise then marry Umm Ayman . Zayd bin Harithah , the man who the Prophet emancipated and raised like a son, was then married to Umm Ayman . Though Zayd was Arab and there are some conflicting descriptions about his physical appearance, Tanwir Al-Ghabash min Fadl Al-Sudan wa Al-Habash by ibn Al-Jawzi and others states that Zayd was short with a flat nose and had dark skin.
Umm Ayman had a particularly close relationship to Ahl al-Bayt, the Household of the Prophet . She shared intimate moments with Ahl al-Bayt such as being present at the marriage that the Prophet conducted between his daughter Sayyidah Fatimah and Imam Ali . At the time of the passing of the Prophet , she grieved alongside Ahl al-Bayt.
There are conflicting narrations about Umm Ayman’s passing.
Much of Usamah’s upbringing was done in the house of the Prophet in the same time-frame as the rearing of the Prophet’s grandson Al-Hasan bin ‘Ali .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Ov5r61DjY
Usamah was later married by the Prophet to Fatimah bint Qays, who was Arab and from Quraysh. It is narrated that this marriage took place when Usamah was at the age of 15 years old and that on his ring was etched at the time of the wedding “Love of the Messenger of Allah.”
While a teenager, Usamah was elected by the Prophet to be a general of an expedition against the Romans in Syria. Some of the companions became extremely angry at Usamah being appointed as general over older companions from Quraysh. The Prophet said after praising and thanking Allah (SWT), “Oh People! Word has come to me that some of you mad that I appointed Usamah bin Zayd. I swear by Allah that surely your obeying Usamah is certainly your obeying me just as obeying his father before him.”
Usamah passed in 61 A.H. in Al-Madinah during the government of Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan.
‘Ammar bin Yasir: the Man who the Prophet Predicted his Martyrdom
One of the companions who has several narrated merits pertaining to his faith, personality and resilience is Ammar bin Yasir .
‘Ammar is described in Al-Mustadarak ‘ala As-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim and authenticated by Adh-Dhahabi as being tall in stature, black in skin color and having kinky hair. His father Yasir was Arab.
‘Ammar was one of the earliest Muslims to accept Islam and was regularly tortured along with his family. Once while being severely tortured, he unwillingly recanted Islam. He later came to the Prophet in a state of tears saying that he verbally recanted Islam but did not mean it, in which the Prophet wiped away his tears and recited Surah 16, ayah 106, “Whoever disbelieves in Allah after belief except who is forced and whose heart is still content with faith…”army of Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan.
Mihja’: One of the Best of the Blacks
One of the famed companions of the Prophet is Mihja’ bin Salih (RA). Mihja’ was one of the early adherents of Islam in Makkah, and one of those who migrated for the sake of Allah to Al-Madinah.
According to At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra of ibn Sa’ad, Mihja’s lineage traces back to Yemen. He’s described as has having black skin (aswad al-lawn) and Arab. He was enslaved in the Hijaz and suffered as other enslaved (wo)men did. He was later emancipated by Umar bin al-Khattab.
In Makkah, Quraysh used to mock the Prophet because he used to sit and keep company with his poor followers who were formerly enslaved. Allah told the Prophet in Surah 6, Ayah 52, “Do not repel those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening seeking His face.” According to Abdullah bin Abbas in Zad Al-Masir fi ‘ilm At-Tafsir by ibn Al-Jawzi, those people that Allah was referring to were Bilal, Suhayb, Khabbab, ‘Ammar, Mihja’, Salman, ‘Amir bin Quhayrah and Salim, who was freed by Abu Hudhayfah.
Abu Dharr: Man of Moral Courage
One of the honorable companions, who is known for his faithfulness and concern for the poor was Abu Dharr .
Abu Dharr’s full name was Jundab bin Junadah from the Tribe of Ghifar. He was described by ibn Sa’ad in At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra and others as being tall with brown (asmar) skin.
In the Era of Ignorance, the Ghifari tribe was known for banditry and alcohol consumption besides worshiping idols. Abu Dharr, however, turned away from these tribal norms even before embracing Islam.
Ayman: The Brave Shepherd
One of the faithful companions of the Prophet was Ayman bin ‘Ubayd .
Ayman’s roots were Abyssinian through his mother. He was born through the union of his mother Barakah, a woman who was eventually freed from slavery by the Prophet and his father ‘Ubayd bin Zayd who was from the tribe of Harith bin Khazraj; their marriage took place in Makkah in the Era of Al-Jahiliyyah. Ayman was also born in Makkah.
Ayman embraced Islam in Makkah and made migration for the sake of Allah to Al-Madinah. He was a shepherd and was entrusted by the Prophet to look after his goats.
Ayman was a participant in the campaigns to defend Islam. At Ghazwah Hunayn when some of the Muslims became panicked, Ayman was one of eight Muslims who stood by the Prophet (SAWS) and defended him. The Muslims ended up winning the battle. In the process, Ayman achieved martyrdom.
Dawah
