Yusuf Circle Sheffield

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S7) When the Quraysh were struggling, the Messenger ﷺ sent wealth to them. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه said: “I have never seen anyone with a more sublime character than Muhammad”. (ﷺ). Khadija رضي الله عنها passed away and so did Abu Talib. The Messenger ﷺ and Zayd Ibn al-Haaritha رضي الله عنه go to Ta’if. Stones were thrown at the Messenger’s ﷺ feet, this caused his feet to bleed. Zayd Ibn al-Haaritha رضي الله عنه recieved many injuries to his head.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S6) The persecutions increase: The Quraysh boycotted the believers. This lasted ~3 years. Hishaam Ibn Amr Ibn al-Haarith would get a camel loaded with supplies and sneak it to the Muslims. Once, Hishaam was caught. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه intervened and said let him go, he only wishes to aid his family. The Messenger ﷺ supplicates and the Quraysh then went though a famine. It lasted ~1 year. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه goes to the Messenger ﷺ and asks him to supplicate to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى to end this.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S5) Abu Sufyaan and Abaas رضي الله عنهم go on a business trip to Yemen. This was in the early period of Prophethood. They meet a Rabbi and they talk about the Messenger ﷺ. An interesting exchange takes places. Abaas رضي الله عنه asks Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه if he now believes in the Messenger ﷺ. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه says: “I won’t believe in him [ﷺ] until I see horses high up on mount Kadaa”. Years later, at the conquest of Makkah Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه sees horses high up on mount Kadaa!

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S4) Abu Jahl once slapped Faatima رضي الله عنها. She told her father ﷺ. The Messenger ﷺ tells her to tell Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه. (Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه at this point hadn’t embraced Islam). Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه took Faatima’s رضي الله عنها hand and told her to hit Abu Jahl as he hit her! Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه said if he tries to harm you, I am here. Faatima رضي الله عنها then slapped Abu Jahl. The Messenger ﷺ made the dua: “O Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى, never forget this deed of Abu Sufyaan”. (رضي الله عنه). Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه hears the Messenger ﷺ reciting the Qur’an.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S3) After 3 years the message was now spread publicly. The Messenger ﷺ was 43 and Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was 53. The Messenger ﷺ famously went to mount Safa and called to the people. What was Abu Sufyaan’s رضي الله عنه reaction? The other chiefs treated the Messenger ﷺ harshly, however Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه did not. He didn’t accept the message straight away, but didn’t attack the Messenger ﷺ.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S2) Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه narrates a business trip he and Umayya Ibn Abu al-Salt went on to Syria. They encounter a village of Christians and discuss Religion - the priests mention the final Messenger ﷺ. Umayya thought he would’ve been the final Prophet himself, but the priest said the final Prophet ﷺ will be from the Quraysh. Umayya was from Ta’if. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه returns to Makkah and sees the Companions رضي الله عنهم being persecuted.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S1) His name: Sakhr Ibn Harb Ibn Umayya Ibn Abd Shams Ibn Abd Manaf رضي الله عنه. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was the chief of Banu Umayya. This tribe was second to Banu Hashim. The Messenger ﷺ and Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه were 3rd cousins. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was one of those who could read and write. He رضي الله عنه was ~10 years older than the Messenger ﷺ. When the Messenger ﷺ began preaching privately in the first 3 years, his business transactions remained with Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه. There was a trusting relationship between them.

Reflections (S11) Surah [76:20]: “a Majestic Kingdom”. This refers to the constant descending of the Angels (a.s) and their giving of Salaam to the dwellers of Paradise. The residents of Paradise will have the height of Adam (a.s), the beauty of Yusuf (a.s), the heart of Yaqoob (a.s), the age of Eesa (a.s) and the tongue of the Messenger ﷺ. Surah [4:122]: “and whose word is more truthful than Allah’s?” (سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى) Paradise awaits - the question is are you willing to work for it?

Reflections (S9) The Messenger ﷺ: “Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise whose banks are of gold and it flows over pearls. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey”. Paradise: The Messenger ﷺ: “The climes of Paradise are temperate - neither too cold nor too hot”. Surah [76:13]: “Never seeing scorching heat or bitter cold”. Surah [76:14]: “and their fruits will be placed totally under their command”. Whenever you desire fruit, the branch will lower itself and you will take what you wish. The branch then retracts. Thus, if you desire something in Paradise just think about it!

Reflections (S8) The Day of Judgment: Abu Zharr رضي الله عنه: “Even the stone will be asked why it broke the man’s finger”. The Messenger ﷺ: “and ants will settle their scores with other ants”. The goblet of Kawthar - the blessed drink the Muslims will recieve on The Day of Judgement. The Messenger ﷺ: “By Him سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى in Whose Hand is my soul! Whoever of you stretches out his hand will get the goblet of Kawthar. The blessed water will keep him from ever having to relieve himself again or break wind again”.

Reflections (S7) The Messenger ﷺ: “A believer is able to walk in his grave 70 feet all around, in lush green fields. The brightness is like the moon’s on the 14th night”. The Messenger ﷺ: “Beware of urinating in graveyards, for it brings about leprosy”. Discussion regarding passing rewards onto the deceased: Aisha رضي الله عنها observed itikaaf and freed a slave and passed this reward onto her brother Abdul Rahman Ibn Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهم who had passed away.

Reflections (S6) The Messenger ﷺ: “Bury your deceased amongst the pious, for proximity to the evil doers pains the deceased”. Many claim: “Where you are buried has no effect”. This is an incorrect statement. We do not have to look far to refute this claim, Umar رضي الله عنه asked Aisha رضي الله عنها if he could be buried next to The Messenger ﷺ and Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. Musa (a.s) asked to be buried a stones throw away from Baytul Maqdis. One must supplicate that he be buried in a virtuous place.

Reflections (S5) What should one recite at the grave when the deceased has just been buried?: When the body is buried, one should recite Surah Fatihah and the opening of Surah Baqarah at the head of the deceased. Read the last 3 verses of Surah Baqarah at the feet of the deceased. A beggar asked Imam Ahmed (r.h) for something. Imam Ahmed (r.h) gave him something. Another person began bidding for that thing, increasing the price. The Beggar said no, I want the blessings for myself.

eflections (S4) Mujahid (r.h): “No believer dies, except the Heaven and Earth weep for him for 40 days”. Before the body is buried, the soul sees the final acts performed on the body; the bathing, shrouding and carrying etc. The soul is in the hand of an Angel (a.s). The Messenger ﷺ: “Whoever carries the deceased for 40 steps, 40 of his major sins will be forgiven”.

Reflections (S3) The appearance of grey hairs is a great attainment, it marks the end of vain entertainment. Surah [23:13]: “Then We placed each as a sperm drop in a secure place”. The secure place is the womb. Surah [2:36]: “You will find in the Earth a residence and provision for your stay”. The words used for womb and Earth have the same root, thus both places have provisions, residence etc. As you go through life, more provisions are given to you. As a foetus, you have one source. The umbilical cord. When you’re born, you have two sources, your mothers milk. After weaning, you’re given four sources; 1). Meat, 2). Water, 3). Crops and 4). Dairy. When you die, you’re given the 8 gates of Paradise. Each time, the source doubles: 1 to 2 to 4 to 8. Transitioning to each phase has some grief but then you are happy with the next state. Just as once you started eating whole food and you didn’t want to return to your mother’s milk, once in Paradise you will not want to return to the Duniya.

Reflections (S2) Imam Junaid al-Baghdaadi (r.h): “If you grieve over the loss fortune, why do you not weep over the passing of your life?”. We lose sleep over money - but when is the last time you was distressed over the passing of your time? We are a number of days before we will die. Death comes for us all. The question is who will you be when the Angel of Death (a.s) comes to take your soul? Ali رضي الله عنه: “Is there no true free man who will this bit of scrap for those who deserve it?”. The Duniya is called the Abode of Deception. Our hopes and desires are distracting us. Safeguard whatever time you have left.

Reflections (S1) Ali رضي الله عنه: “Everything to which one limits himself, suffices”. The Messenger ﷺ: “Good deeds are numerous, but few are those who do them”. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said we are taking the comfort of this world, all the while this world is preparing to get rid of us! Do not let the few objects of this world distract you from the many things of the Hereafter.

Character (S6) Humour in our beautiful Deen: Huzhayfah Ibn al-Yaman رضي الله عنهم eloquently jokes with Umar رضي الله عنه to lighten the workload on Umar’s رضي الله عنه shoulders as he was the Ameer. A Bedouin got married at and old age. When asked why, he said: “I prefer my son to become an orphan before he could be able to disobey me!”. A Bedouin said: “I wasn’t good looking but I was intelligent. I married a beautiful woman who wasn’t intelligent, hoping my children would inherit my intelligence and her looks. They inherited my looks and her foolishness!”.

Character (S5) The Messenger ﷺ: “Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى will conceal the faults of the one who restrains his tongue”. The Messenger ﷺ: “The most beloved deed to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى is simply guarding one’s tongue”. Akhlaaq is a shop. The tongue is the lock. When the lock opens, you know whether the shop sells gold or coal. Silence beautifies the scholar and it protects the ignorant.

Character (S4) Ali رضي الله عنه: “Whoever exaggerates small hardships then Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى will test him with great hardships”. Ali رضي الله عنه: “Deprivation is better than complacency”. Ali رضي الله عنه: “Backbiting is the jihad of the feeble”. The Messenger ﷺ: “Backbiting is worse than zina”.