Salam from KL | Anas ibn Nazar

Bismillah.

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur. Assalamualaykum.

That's the waning full moon of Jamadil Awal seen this Friday morning. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah for the lovely weather.

I know I owe people an update on the tausiyah by Habib Husin Alwi Agiel al-Maliki. Pray Allah grant tawfik for me to continue later insha Allah.

In the meantime, here's a story of a sahabi I heard from Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin al-Hamid during the grand Mawlid gathering at Dataran Merdeka KL on 23rd March 2013.

Dataran Merdeka KL

Given the young-ish audience that evening, Habib Ali directed his tausiyah at the youth and talked about the young sahabah of Rasulullah salallah alaihi wasalam.

He said it's important for the youth especially, to be honest and truthful. If we are truthful, Allah will accept our good deeds. Anas ibn Nazar was one such honest young man who was true to his words. He was the uncle of Anas ibn Malik. He once said a prayer: "O Allah, if You let me go to battle with Rasulullah, You will see how good I'll be." Anas had missed out on the Battle of Badar. So he was determined to join the Prophet in the Battle of Uhud. And he did. And he did well.

When the situation was getting chaotic on battle field, people began to retreat. Another sahabi by the name of Saad saw Anas, who unlike many others, was marching forward instead. When asked, Anas said: "I smell the sweet fragrant of heaven from Mount Uhud." Anas went forward, fought and died in the battle. His body was not immediately identifiable because he was badly injured. He had 80 stabs on him. His sister however managed to recognize Anas from his fingers. The Prophet was dumbfounded to see Anas in such a condition, until a revelation came. It was one of the verses in Surah al-Ahzab: "Among the believers are men who are true to the covenant they made with God. Some of them have fulfilled their vow, and some are still awaiting; and they have not changed in the least." (Quran 33:23)

Habib Ali said: Allah would reciprocate a truthful person. If we are truthful and honest with Allah in our words and deeds towards people and His creations in general (makhluk), Allah will recompense.

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That much I can afford to write and share this blessed Friday morning. May it benefit us both. Alhamdulillah, in our lives we are faced with lots of challenges on various platforms and in various forms. I am just relieved and grateful that Allah allows me to escape and seek solace here through writing and sharing.

May we belong with those whom Allah describes in that verse of Surah al-Ahzab - some of the believers have fulfilled their vow, some are still awaiting and they have not changed in the least.

Ameen.