`Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah Al-Ansaari:
His name is `Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah ibn Tha`labah ibn Umru` Al-Qays ibn `Amr ibn Maalik Al-Ansaari, may Allah be pleased with him, from the tribe of Al-Khazraj.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, was a great poet who was known for his brisk and nimble mind and for his intuition.
`Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam during the `Aqabah pledge along some of his tribesmen. He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the representative of the tribe of Al-Haarith ibn Al-Khazraj on the night of the`Aqabah pledge. The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), joined him in the brotherhood bond with Al-Miqdad, may Allah be pleased with him.
He, may Allah be pleased with him, attended all the battles with the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and was one of the commanders in the Battle of Mu`tah (8 A.H.) and was martyred during it.
During the Battle of Mu`tah, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), equipped an army of 3000 men under the command of Zayd ibn Haarithah, may Allah be pleased with him. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), designated a chain of command and responsibility. In the event of Zayd's death, the command of the army was to pass on to Ja`far ibn Abu Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him. If he too were to be killed, then the third general was to be `Abdullaah ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him. On the other hand, Heraclius had amassed two hundred thousand troops.
After the martyrdom of the first two leaders `Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah, may Allah be pleased with him, proceeded to hold up the banner. He hesitated for a split second, but then using his talent in poetry, he addressed himself with beautiful verses saying:
I swear upon you O self, that you shall enter or shall be forced to do so,
The people have gathered and the cries are raised
What is the matter with you? I see that you do not wish for Paradise!
It has been too long for you to have been comforted
What are you (O self) but a tiny speck?
O self if you are not killed then you shall still die
These are the signs of death upon you
And it is your exact desire that you have been given
If you do their (the two other leaders’) action then you have been guided
Then he fought bravely on horseback while reciting these enthusiastic verses of poetry until he too was martyred.
Ka`b ibn Zuhayr ibn Abu Sulma:
Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him, took after his father who was very famous for his poetry. Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him, used his talent for composing poems to slander the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), before embracing Islam. He, may Allah be pleased with him embraced Islam late after the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), returned from the conquest of Makkah.
The story of his embracing Islam states that Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him, lampooned the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and thus he, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), instructed the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to kill him whenever they found him. After the conquest of Makkah he received the news of what the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), had told his Companions through an old friend who had embraced Islam and who advised him to embrace Islam as well.
Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him, was terrified and decided to embrace Islam. After he embraced Islam, he went to Madeenah as a Muslim and took refuge in his friend's house. The next day, after the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), concluded the Fajr (dawn)prayer, he, may Allah be pleased with him, covered his face because he was afraid someone might kill him if he did not get the assurance of security from the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), before disclosing his identity. Therefore, he covered his face and walked up to the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Ka`b ibn Zuhayr is asking if he would be safe if he comes to you and announces himself a Muslim." The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), informed him that he would be safe and his Islam would be accepted, Thereupon, he uncovered his face and disclosed his identity. One of the Companions from the Ansaar, jumped up and asked the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), to allow him to kill the man because of his history of harming the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) with his poems but he, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), told him to refrain since the man had come after having repented and embraced Islam.
Once `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, described him to be the best poet, and when he was asked why, he, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, 'He does not use any strange language and he would never praise a man with any quality which he does not possess."
