(Friday Sermon - September 20, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama’s title was Abu Muhammad, and he belonged to the Banu Aamir bin Lui tribe. He was also called Abdullah Akbar as well. He was one of the companions who accepted Islam early on. His father’s name was Makhrama bin Abdul Uzza and his mother’s name was Bahnana bint Safwan. In regard to his children, it is mentioned that one of his sons, Masahik, was the son of Zainab bint Suraqah, the wife of Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama.

Migrations

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama was among those companions who accepted Islam in its early days. He had the honour of migrating twice, one migration was towards Abyssinia and the second one towards Medina. Ibn-e-Ishaaq has mentioned Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama among those companions who migrated to Abyssinia with Hazrat Jafar^(ra). Yunus bin Bukair, Salma and Bukai have recorded this saying of Ibn-e-Ishaaq in which there is mention of Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama’s migration to Abyssinia. After migrating to Medina, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama resided in the house of Hazrat Khulthum^(ra) bin Hidam. The Holy Prophet^(sa) established a bond of brotherhood between Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama and Hazrat Farwah^(ra) bin Amr Ansari.

Participation in Battles and Martyrdom

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama participated in the Battle of Badr as well as all the battles that took place after. He was 30 years old at the time of the Battle of Badr. When he was martyred at the Battle of Yamama during the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr^(ra), he was 41 years old. (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, pp. 308-309, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990), (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, pp. 377-388, Atiyyah bin Nuwairah^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008)

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama had an extraordinary level of passion to attain the status of martyrdom. He would pray to God Almighty that he remain alive until he had witnessed a wound on every joint of his body in the way of God Almighty. Subsequently, during the Battle of Yamamah, he suffered injuries on many of his joints, as a result of which he attained the status of martyrdom. (Al-Isaba Fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Vol. 4, p. 193, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut, 2001)

Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama was extremely devoted to worship and would fervently pray even in his youth. Hazrat Ibn Umar^(ra) relates:

“In the year in which the Battle of Yamamah took place, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama, Hazrat Salim^(ra), who was the freed slave of Hazrat Abu Hudhaifah^(ra), and I were all together. All three of us would take turns to graze the goats and we also had to stand guard for protection of the provisions for the army. It was my turn to graze the goats on the day the Battle of Yamamah began. When I returned from grazing the goats, I saw Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama wounded and lying on the ground of the battlefield. I stood by him and he said, ‘O Abdullah bin Umar^(ra)! Have those who are fasting ended their fast?’ (it was evening). I replied in the affirmative, upon which he asked for some water to be poured into his shield so that he could break his fast.’”

Thus, even during the battle, he was observing the fast. Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Umar states that he went to fetch some water, but when he returned, Hazrat Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama had passed away. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 377, Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2008), (Sair Al-Sahaba, Vol. 2, p. 570, Abdullah^(ra) bin Makhrama, Dar-Isha’at, Karachi)