ONE HADITH A DAY
Narrated by Bukhari · Authentic hadith
عن إبراهيم بن عبد الرحمن بن عوف، أن عبد الرحمن بن عوف رضي الله عنه أُتي بطعام وكان صائمًا، فقال: قُتِل مُصعب بن عمير رضي الله عنه وهو خيرٌ مني، فلم يوجد له ما يُكفَّن فيه إلا بُردة إن غُطِّيَ بها رأسه بَدَت رِجْلاه؛ وإن غُطِّيَ بها رجلاه بدا رأسه، ثم بُسِط لنا مِنَ الدنيا ما بُسِط، أو قال: أُعْطِينا من الدنيا ما أُعطِينا، قد خَشِينَا أن تكون حَسَنَاتُنا عُجِّلَت لنا، ثم جعل يبكي حتى ترك الطعام.
“Ibrahīm ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf reported that food was brought to his father, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) and he was fasting (that day), so he said: "Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was martyred and he was better than me, but only one garment was available to shroud him. It was so small that if his head was covered, his feet remained uncovered, and if his feet were covered, his head remained uncovered. Then the bounties of this world were bestowed upon us generously. Or he said: We were given of this world what we were given. I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds has been hastened to us in this world.” Upon saying this he started crying and left the food untouched.”
Hadīth eplanation: ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was fasting one day and when it was time to break his fast food was brought to him. Normally the fasting person desires food, but he remembered the state of the earlier Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for he himself was one of those Companions who migrated from Makkah to Madīnah. He said in humility that Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was better than him. Since scholars stated that the ten companions who were given glad tidings of Paradise are better than the remaining Companions, Ibn ‘Awf's words are interpreted to mean that Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was better than him in terms of his humbleness and modesty, or in terms of being poor and patient. Before Islam, Mus‘ab used to live with his wealthy parents in Makkah who used to pamper and indulge him with luxuries, and he used to wear the best and most extravagant of clothing. When he embraced Islam, his parents abandoned him and completely boycotted him. Then he migrated with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to Madīnah and was one of the Muhājirīn. The clothes he used to wear in Madīnah was full of holes after being used to wearing the best of clothing in Makkah while he was living with his parents. He left all of that luxury to migrate for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. During the battle of Uhud, the Prophet gave Mus‘ab the flag to hold and he was martyred in that battle. He was wearing a garment that wasn't big enough to cover his whole body, so it was not large enough to shroud him in. When they covered his head his feet wou…