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Like the other Sahibah, he did business and carried on with his family and his daily life, but when the time came to fight, there he was, dressed for war and standing beside his Prophet SAW. On the day of Badr, 'Abd-ar Rahman ibn 'Auf RA fought bravely for the sake of Allah SWT ~ and killed Allah's enemy, 'Umair ibn 'Uthman ibn Ka'b Al-Tayyimi.
In those days, soldiers would take anything they could get from the enemy soldiers or the enemy camp.
Badr was no exception to this; after the battle, the Muslims combed the battlefield for weapons, armor,
tools, anything the enemy left behind. They also took prisoners, as prisoners would bring money when their families ransomed them. The Muhdjiriin had left their belongings behind, and the Ansar had shared half of what they had with the newcomers.
'Abd-ar-Rahrnan RA had gotten two nice suits of armor and was carrying them across the battlefield when Abd ar-Rahman RA 'takes prisoners like the other Sahabah, he did business and carried on with his family and his daily life, but when the time came to fight, there he was, dressed for war and standing beside his Prophet SAW. On the day of Badr, 'Abd-ar Rahman ibn 'Auf RA fought bravely for the sake of Allah SWT and killed Allah's enemy, 'Umair ibn 'Uthman ibn Ka'b Al-Tayyimi.
In those days, soldiers would take anything they could get from the enemy soldiers or the enemy camp.
Badr was no exception to this; after the battle, the Muslims combed the battlefield for weapons, armor,
tools, anything the enemy left behind. They also took prisoners, as prisoners would bring money when their families ransomed them. The Muhdjiriin had left their belongings behind, and the Ansar had shared half of what they had with the newcomers. 'Abd-ar-Rahman bin Auf RA had gotten two nice suits of armor and was carrying them across the battlefield when somebody, Umayyah, called out to him. (Umayyah used to be a friend of his in the days before Islam, but he had become one of the great haters of the Muslims.
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| The Honest Merchant |
He had been the owner of Bilal RA, torturing him so severely in the blazing sun that he nearly died. Umayyah was too fat to escape and had lost his camel. He cried, "0 'Abd -ar-Rahman, I cannot escape, take me captive and you will get my ransom along with my son here." Hearing this, 'Abd-ar-Rahman bin Auf RA ~ put down his valuable suits of armor, captured him and his son, and was walking with them back across the battlefield, when Bilal RA himself spotted Umayyah.
"Look! The Shai~tan Umayyah! By He Who owns my soul, that man cannot leave here alive!" shouted
Bilal RA ~ in the big voice that he used to call the prayer. 'Abd-ar-Rahman RA tried to protect his prisoners, but Bilal's shout had alerted the army, and soon, the little group was surrounded with furious Muslims who knew the extent of Umayyah's tortures and cruelties. 'Abd-ar-Rahman bin Auf RA saw what was coming, dropped the hands of his prisoners, and told them to fend for themselves. So, on that day he lost both his two suits of armor and his prisoners. (And he never let Bilal RA~ forget it, even when he became rich beyond his wildest dreams.)
The Jihad of Abd-ar Rahman bin Auf RA.
'Abd-ar-Rahmarr's RA conduct in battle was exemplary. On the day of the battle of Uhud (3 A.H.), he remained loyal and steadfast, while many people fled. He came out of the battle with over twenty wounds, some so deep that no one thought he would survive. At the time of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah (7 A.H.), 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Auf RA was present to take the Oath of Ridwan with Ra sulullah SAW~ under the tree. He was also asked by Rasulullah SAW to sign the treaty itself that they made with the Makkans. He was also one of the few who could make a fatwah (religious ruling) in Madinah during the life of Rasulullah SAW. This is an indication of his wisdom and understanding.
Yet, 'Abd-ar-Rahman's RA true jihad was within his soul. His jihad in battle fades in comparison to his jihad with his money. Throughout his life, he continued to give his money away. The more he gave, the more he got. On the inside, he had to fight pride, greed, and selfishness, all of which he fought and apparently conquered, with the help of Allah and His Prophet SAW.
Once, Rasulullah SAW wanted to mobilize a troop for war. He stood among his sahabah and said, "Pay
sadaqah, because I want to send an army." 'Abd-ar Rahman RA hurried home and came rushing back and said, "0 Rasulullah, I have four thousand dinars. I'll lend two to my Lord and keep two for my children." So Rasulullah SAW said, "May Allah grant you blessing (barakah) in what you gave ... and may He grant you blessing in what you kept!" When Rasulullah ~ decided to go for the last battle of his life, the battle of Tabuk-a-the city at the frontier between as-Sham and the Arabian peninsula, at that time under Roman rule, now part of Saudi Arabia-he needed money as well as men. That year in Madinah was one of scarcity; the trip was very long, the weather was very hot, and it was time to work on the harvest.
Not only that, but the available provisions were mediocre and the camels scarce. Some people came to Rasulullah SAW ~ begging him to take them with him, but he had to tum them down for want of a horse or camel to carry them. The army Rasulullah SAW ", finally established was called "the army of constraint," because the circumstances surrounding its assembly were tight and difficult. At that point, Rasulullah SAW ordered his sahabah to spend money for Allah and to seek Allah. Many Muslims jumped to answer the call of Rasulullah SAW, and one of the first to give Sadaqah was 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Auf RA.
He gave two hundred ounces of gold. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab RA said to Rasulullah "" "This is not good; he has left nothing for his family!
" "Have you left something for your family, 'Abdar-Rahman?" asked Rasulullah SAW.
"Yes," he said, "I have left for them more than what I spent and better."
"How much?" asked Rasulullah SAW.
"The support, the good, and the payment in return Allah SWT promised," replied' Abd-ar-Rahman RA happily.
