YOU ARE FROM ME AND I AM FROM YOU

YOUR WEALTH IS YOUR FAITH AND CHARACTER

 

There was a poor and weak person. He wore a torn garment with many patches on it. He was barefoot and hungry. Along with his having an obscure lineage, he possessed no status, wealth, or family. Without a roof to shelter him, he would steep in the mosque and drink from public fountains. His pillow was his own arm and his mattress was the uneven, rough ground beneath him. But he always remembered his Lord and he was constantly reciting the verses of Allah's book. He would not be absent from the first row in prayer or the front lines of battle. One day he met the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him), who upon seeing him, called him by his name, "O' Julaybeeb, will you not marry?" "And who would give me their daughter? With a man without rich and without any position?" was his reply. He passed by two others who asked the same question, to which he gave a similar reply. The Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) said to him, "O' Jualaybeeb, go to so and so, the Ansari, and say to him, 'The Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) sends his greetings of peace to you and he requests you to marry me your daughter."' This particular Ansari was from a noble household with an esteemed family. When Julaybeeb carried out the Prophet(Blessings and peace be upon him)'s order, the Ansari replied, "And peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. O' Julaybeeb, how can I marry you my daughter when you have neither wealth nor status?" His wife heard of the news, and she exclaimed in astonishment, "Julaybeeb! He who has neither wealth nor status!" But their believing daughter heard the words of Julaybeeb, words that to her, contained the message of the Messenger of Allah, and she said to her parents, "Do you turn down the request of the Messenger of Allah? By Allah, no! " Forthwith, the blessed wedding took place. When their first night came, a caller was in the streets announcing a forthcoming battle. Julaybeeb responded without delay and set out for the battleground. With his own hands, lie managed to kill seven disbelievers, and then he himself became martyred. He embraced death pleased with Allah and His Messenger, and pleased with the morals for which he sacrificed his own life. After the battle, the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) was asking about those who were martyred. The people began to inform him of those who died, but they forgot to mention Julaybeeb because of his obscurity.

Nevertheless, the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) remembered him, and he said, "But I have lost Julaybeeb. " He found Julaybeeb's corpse; dust covered his face. He shook off the dust from his face and said, "You killed seven and then you were killed! You are from me and I am from you..." And the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) repeated the second part three times - "You are from me and I am from you..."  This medal of distinction from the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him) is by itself an arnple reward and prize.

The value of Julaybeeb was his faith and his love for the Messenger of Allah(Blessings and peace be upon him), along with the principle for which he died. His humble circumstances and obscure family name did not prevent him from the great honour that was bestowed upon him. With his meagre resources he achieved martyrdom, contentment, and happiness for this world and the Hereafter.

A verse reads:

"They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind [not yet martyred] that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve." (Quran 3:1 70)

So remember, your value is determined by your principles and by your character. Poverty has never stood immovable in the way of distinction and the achievement of higher aims.