Portraits of Youths in Quran and the History of Islam

Rabi-ur-raay

The Young Teacher Of Aged Students

Rabi-ur-Raay was one of the knowledgeable jurists of Medina . Many people who had seen the times of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to benefit from his knowledge. Among them some were poets of high caliber and when they recited their compositions the audience were left enchanted. Such an accomplished young man used to impart lessons in religion from the Prophet’s Mosque. He was surrounded by students that became luminaries in the world of Islamic sciences. One of his students was Malik Ibn Anas, a renowned Sunni scholar and the founder of the Maliki School of jurisprudence.

The respected father of Rabi departed to Khorasan with the army of Banu Umayyah and stayed there for a very long time. The name of Rabi’s father was Abdul Rahman Farokh. When he departed from Medina , his wife was pregnant and she gave birth to a male child after some days. The mother named her child as “Rabi”. Since the mother of Rabi was an accomplished lady herself, in the absence of her husband she brought up her son with utmost care and labor. She provided him with the best religious instruction and gave him the most excellent training. Under the care and training

of his mother the child gradually scaled the stages of perfection. By the time he reached his youth he became a famed intellectual of Medina .

When Farokh was leaving for Khorasan he had deposited three thousand Dinars with his wife for safekeeping so that she may return them to him on his return. Farokh stayed in Khorasan for a long period of twenty-seven years and one day he returned to Medina on a horseback holding a spear in his hand. He opened the door of his house and entered therein unannounced. At that time Rabi was staying with his mother and when Farokh entered he was sitting with his mother.

Seeing Farokh he said, “O enemy of Allah! What has happened to you that you enter the house of other people like this?” Rabi moved forward so that Farokh may not step further. Farokh said, “Actually you are the enemy of Allah who is ready to associate with my lawful wife.” The matter reached to physical altercation between the two and the neighbors gathered to watch the spectacle.

The news reached Malik Ibn Anas and he arrived with other intellectuals to see what the matter was. The people could not believe that a personality like Rabi could be involved in such a dispute.

Rabi was infuriated and he said, “I will not rest till I hand this man to the Qazi (Judge) and having him punished.” Farokh also reiterated, “By Allah! I will not rest till I take you before the authorities, because you are sitting in my house with my wife.” During this argument Farokh’s wife realized that it was her husband who had changed so much after all these years. She at once said, “O People! This is my

husband and Rabi is his son.” When the father recognized the son, both of them embraced each other and tears of love flowed between them.

After some time Farokh entered his quarters and sat down with relief. Then he asked his wife where she had kept those three thousand Dinars. He gave her another four thousand and told her to keep them in safe custody with the previous amount.

Farokh’s wife said, “The amount you gave me previously has been deposited by me at a safe place. Now I also accept this amount which you have brought after so many years.”

Sometime later Rabi came of his house and arrived in the mosque of Medina to conduct his classes. At that time his students included Malik Ibn Anas, Hasan ibn Zaid, Ibn Ali Lahbi Masahiq and other notable scholars of the time.

When Rabi had left the house, Farokh’s wife told her husband, “Please go out to the Prophet’s mosque for sometime and then come back and take a rest.” When Farokh entered the Prophet’s mosque, he saw a huge gathering of students receiving instructions from an elegant young man wearing a cap. Seeing his father, Rabi bowed down his head and Farokh did not recognize him. He stood between the students and watched the scene. Then he asked a student sitting near him who that great teacher was. He replied, “Rabi Ibn Abdul Rahman Farokh.”

There was no limit to the joy of Farokh. He said, “What a great position Allah has bestowed to my son!”

After that he returned home happily and related the whole episode to his wife. The wife said, “Very good! Now tell me

whether you value this more or those Dinars you had left with me?”

Farokh said, “By Allah! I value my son more.”

The wife said, “Then you should know that I have spent the money you left on your son so that he could be provided with the best education through which he has reached this position.”

Farokh said, “By Allah! You have utilized my money in the best way and you have not wasted it.”[1]


[1] Wafayatul Ayan, Ibn Khallikan Vol. 2 Pg. 50

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