{"id":21903,"date":"2025-12-11T16:12:59","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T14:12:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/?p=21903"},"modified":"2025-12-11T16:12:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T14:12:59","slug":"faith-in-the-foreseen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/?p=21903","title":{"rendered":"Faith in the Foreseen"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Sayyiduna Abu Zarr [radhiyallahu \u2018anhu] \u2013 Part Six)<\/em><\/p>\n

In the 9th<\/sup> year after Hijrah, Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) set out with the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhum) towards Tabook to confront the Roman army. This expedition was marked by extreme hardship \u2014 the scorching heat, the immense distance and the scarcity of provisions \u2014 earning it the name \u201cJaishul \u2018Usrah\u201d (the Army of Hardship). Owing to these difficulties, many hypocrites stayed behind, concealing their insincerity beneath fabricated excuses.<\/p>\n

As the army advanced, certain individuals began to fall behind. Whenever the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhum) noticed an absence, they informed Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam). He would reply, \u201cLeave him. If there is good in him, Allah will soon unite him with you. If he is otherwise, then Allah has relieved you of him.\u201d Eventually, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhum) mentioned that Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) had fallen behind as his camel had slowed. Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) responded with the same words he had uttered regarding the others.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, when his camel delayed him further, Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) placed his belongings on his own back and began walking on foot to catch up with Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam). When the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhum) halted, one of them exclaimed, \u201cO Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam)! A man is walking along the road!\u201d Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) replied, \u201cLet it be Abu Zarr.\u201d Upon closer look, they recognised him and said, \u201cO Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam)! By Allah, it is Abu Zarr!\u201d It was then that Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) said, \u201cMay Allah have mercy on Abu Zarr. He walks alone, he will pass away alone, and he will be resurrected alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

This prophecy of Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) was realised when Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) passed away in Rabazah \u2013 a desolate, uninhabited place \u2013 with only his wife and slave present beside him. (Mustadrak Haakim #4373)<\/em><\/p>\n

As Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) neared the final moments of his life, his wife began to weep. When he asked her the reason, she replied, \u201cHow can I not cry? You are passing away in a desolate place, I have no one to assist me with your burial, and I do not even possess enough cloth to enshroud you.\u201d Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) comforted his wife, telling her not to weep. He reassured her with the glad tidings Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) had conveyed \u2014 that no two believers who patiently endure the loss of two or three of their children, seeking reward from Allah Ta\u2018ala, will ever see the fire of Jahannam.<\/p>\n

After consoling her, Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) shared another statement of Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) which he had heard while among a group of Sahaabah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhum): \u201cOne man among you will certainly pass away in a barren land, and a group of believers will be present (at his funeral).\u201d He then said, \u201cEvery one of those (who heard the prophecy) has passed away in a village or among people. I am the one who will die in a barren land. By Allah! I have neither spoken a lie, nor has a lie been told to me.\u201d (Musnad Ahmad #21373)<\/em><\/p>\n

Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) instructed his wife and slave that after his passing, they should perform his ghusl, enshroud him and place his body by the roadside. They should then stop the first caravan that passed and request their assistance for the burial. When he passed away, they carried out his instructions accordingly and laid his body on the road.<\/p>\n

As destined, the first group to pass by was Sayyiduna \u2018Abdullah bin Mas\u2018ood (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu), accompanied by a group from Iraq travelling for \u2018umrah. They were startled to find a body lying on the road, nearly trampled by their camels. The slave approached them and said, \u201cThis is Abu Zarr, the companion of Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam). Please assist us in burying him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna \u2018Abdullah bin Mas\u2018ood (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) began to weep and said, \u201cRasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) spoke the truth.\u201d He then repeated the words that Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) mentioned during the journey to Tabook: \u201cYou walk alone, you will pass away alone, and you will be resurrected alone.\u201d Thereafter, Sayyiduna \u2018Abdullah bin Mas\u2018ood (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) and his companions offered the janaazah salaah of Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) and buried him. After the burial, he narrated to them the incident of Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) which had taken place during the expedition to Tabook. (Tabaqaat Ibni Sa\u2019d vol. 4, pg. 234 and Usdul Ghaabah vol. 4, pg. 437)<\/em><\/p>\n

Lessons:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. True conviction in the words of Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) grants a believer unwavering certainty in the unseen. Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) had complete faith in the prophecy that one of them would die alone in a barren land, and he recognised himself as the one. With profound calm, he prepared for his death, confident that a group of believers would attend his burial.<\/p>\n

2. Hope in Allah Ta\u2018ala\u2019s mercy is a pillar of strength for a believer, especially in old age when death approaches. Sayyiduna Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) demonstrated this beautifully when he faced death in an isolated place, comforting his wife with the glad tidings Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) had given to parents who patiently endure the loss of their children.<\/p>\n

>>>Download Musjid Poster Page 1<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Page 2<\/a><<<<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21904,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspirational-incidents"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21903"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21903\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21905,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21903\/revisions\/21905"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}