Misbah-uz-Zulam, Roots of the Karbala’ Tragedy

Merits Of Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari, Ammar Bin Yasir, Abdullah Bin Masood, Owais Qarni And Salman Farsi

The tradition of Mishkat[^1] from Abdullah Ibn Umar says that the Holy Prophet (S) has described Abu Dharr (r.a.) to be a very truthful person. The second tradition is related from Abu Dharr himself. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “Abu Dharr is a very truthful and loyal person and is having similarity to Prophet Isa (a.s.).”

He is the same companion of the Messenger of Allah (S) whom Uthman exiled to Rabaza. We have already written about him in the foregone pages. The main cause for his calamities and discrimination was that he was a great devotee of Ali (a.s.). When as per the orders of Uthman, he came to Medina, Marwan got him exiled from Medina. Sharh Ibn Abil Hadid[^2] says that the externing of Abu Dharr caused animosity between Ali (a.s.) and Marwan, but due to his relationship to Marwan, Uthman paid no attention to the objections of Ali (a.s.).

Ammar bin Yasir was another devotee of Ali (a.s.) and a distinguished companion of the Holy Prophet (S). We have written about him before also. Ammar also had to suffer at the hands of Uthman. Ammar and Salman were such blessed and great companions that there is a tradition in Tirmidhi, in which the Holy Prophet (S) said:

“Paradise is eager for the two of you and Ali (a.s.).”[^3]

The second tradition is also from Tirmidhi that Allah has protected them from Satan. Salman was an Iranian and lived to a very old age. The Holy Prophet (S) has described him as the scholar of two books: Injeel and Quran. This tradition is also present in Sahih Tirmidhi. He is such that Paradise was eager for him and the key of Paradise used be in the possession of these people and that key is the love of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.).

Owais Qarni is said to be the best of the Tabein (companion of companion) according to the tradition of the Holy Prophet (S) recorded in Mishkat.[^4] He was a great devotee of the Prophet and obviously, one who is the devotee of the Prophet, would also be the devotee of Ali (a.s.). Thus, he in the old age sided with Ali (a.s.) and fought Muawiyah and was martyred on the battlefield.

In Sahih Muslim[^5], there is a tradition of Abu Moosa that Abdullah Ibn Masood was closely related to Ahlul Bayt of the Messenger of Allah (S). There is a tradition in Tirmidhi from Abdullah Ibn Umar that the Prophet said: “Take Quran from four people: Ibn Umme Abd, Maaz bin Jabal, Ubayy Ibn Kaab and Salim, the freed slave of Ibn Abi Huzaifah.” A similar tradition is seen in Sahih Muslim.[^6] The Holy Prophet (S) said: “Learn the Quran from four people: Ibn Masood, Salim, the freed slave of Ibn Huzaifah, Ubayy bin Kaab and Maaz bin Jabal.”

This is the saying of the Holy Prophet (S) that proves the Quranic knowledge of Ibn Masood, but this same Ibn Masood suffered a lot at the hands of Uthman for this Quran. His Quran was forcibly taken away from him and he was also beaten up. The reign of Uthman was strange indeed, when many distinguished companions of the Prophet suffered in different ways due to the corruption of the Caliph.

[^1]: Pg. 242

[^2]: Pg. 445

[^3]: Pg. 570

[^4]: Pg. 574

[^5]: Vol. 2, Pg. 292.

[^6]: Vol. 2, Pg. 292.