Zaydu’l Hayr

 

According to a hadith of the Prophet, the best people in the Age of Ignorance are the best in Islam.

There are two stories from the life of ‘‘Zaydu’l Hayr’’, a noble companion which illustrate this hadith.  One shows him before Islam.  The other shows him as a Muslim.  During the Age of Ignorance he was called ‘Zaydu’l Hayl’.  When he became a Muslim, the Prophet renamed him ‘‘Zaydu’l Hayr’’.

One year during the Age of Ignorance, the Ameer Tribe experienced a very bad drought.  The crops dried up and the cattle died.  One of the tribesmen took his family to Hira in Iraq.  He told them, “Wait for me here until I come back.”

The man swore to himself to either bring them money or die.  He took some provisions and started walking.  He walked all day long.  That night he saw a tent.  There was a horse near the tent.  He thought to himself, This is my first booty.  He untied the horse and got on it. 

Suddenly he heard a voice.  It said, “Leave the horse and take your life as booty.”  The man left the horse there.

He walked for seven more days.  Then he reached a pasture where camels were grazing.  There was a large tent nearby with a smaller leather tent inside.  These were signs of great wealth and riches.  The man thought to himself, There must be camels in this pasture and their owner must be in the tent.

He looked into the tent.  A very old man was sitting in the center of the tent.  The traveler sat down quietly behind the old man and waited for sunset.  The old man didn’t know he was

there.

Shortly, the sun went down.  A well-built man appeared on a tall horse.  Two male servants were with him.  There was also a male camel standing in front of about one-hundred she-camels.  The male camel knelt down and all the other camels knelt down, too.

The man on the horse pointed to one of the she-camels.  He ordered one of the servants, “Milk her and give the old man the milk.”  The servant did as he was told.  He gave the milk to the old man in the tent.

The old man took one or two drinks of milk.  Then he put the pot down.  The hungry traveler took the pot and quietly drank the rest of the milk.  The servant returned and took the empty pot.  He said, “Master, the old man  drank all the milk.”  The horseman was happy.  He ordered the servant to milk another camel.

The servant milked another she-camel and gave the milk to the old man.  He took only one drink.  This time, the traveler drank only half the milk.  He didn’t want the horseman to be suspicious.

The horseman ordered his second servant to kill a sheep.  Then he grilled the meat and fed some to the old man.  After that the horseman and the servants ate the meat. They all fell into a deep sleep.  Their snoring filled the tent.

The poor man crept out of the tent and went to the male camel.  He untied it and mounted.  He rode off and all the she-camels followed. He rode all night long.  At daybreak he looked around in every direction.  But he didn’t see anyone following him.

The sun rose high in the sky.  The man saw something coming towards him.  It looked like an eagle or a large bird in

the distance.  It came closer and closer.  The man realized that it was not a bird after all.  It was the horseman riding towards him.

The poor man got off the camel and tied it to a tree.  He took out an arrow and placed it in his bow.  The horseman stopped at a distance.  He shouted, “Untie the camel.”

The poor man refused to do so.  He told the horseman about his hungry family.  He said that he either had to return to them with money or die.

“You will die if you don’t untie the camel,” shouted the horseman.  But the poor man refused again.

“Hold out the camel’s reins,” said the horseman. “There are three knots in them.  Which knot should I hit with my arrow?”

The poor man pointed to the middle knot.  The horseman hit the middle knot with an arrow.  Then he hit the other two knots as well.  After that the poor man quietly returned his arrow to its place.  He gave himself up.  The horseman took the other man’s sword and bow.  Then he said, “Ride behind me.”

The poor man got on the horse behind the horseman.  He was afraid he would be severely punished.  “How do you think I will treat you,” asked the horseman.

“I guess you will treat me badly,” replied the captive man.

“Do you think I can treat you badly after you’ve shared milk and meat with Muhalhil?” said the horseman.  Muhalhil was the old man’s name.  He was the horseman’s father.

When the poor man heard Muhalhil’s name, he asked, “Are you Zaydu’l Hayl?”

“Yes,” replied the horseman.

“Treat me well, then,” said the poor man.

“Don’t worry,” said Zaydu’l Hayl.  “If these camels were mine, I would give them to you.  But they belong to one of my sisters.  But stay with me a few days.  I’ll make a raid.”

Three days later Zaydu’l Hayl raided the Numayr Tribe and captured about one hundred camels as booty.  He gave them all to the poor man.  He even sent some men along to guard the camels until the poor man reached his family in Hira.

During the Age of Happiness, Zaydu’l Hayl heard the news about the Prophet.  He asked about him and then decided to go to Medina to meet the Prophet.  Zaydu’l Hayl went to Medina with a group of his own people.  Zurr bin Sadus, Malik bin Jubayr and Ameer bin Cuvayn were with him.

When they reached Medina, they went straight to the Prophet’s mosque.  The Prophet was on the mimbar.  He was talking to the Muslims. Muhammad’s speech affected Zayd and his friends.  They were amazed at how carefully the Muslims listened to the Prophet.  Muhammad  (pbuh) saw Zayd and his friends.

Muhammad addressed the Muslims, “I am better for you than Uzza and everything else you worship.  I’m better for you than the black camel you worship.”

The Prophet’s words affected Zayd and his friends differently.  Some of them accepted the Truth.  But some ofthem turned away and rejected it.

Zurr bin Sadus rejected the Prophet.  He saw the devotion of Muhammad’s (pbuh) followers.  Zurr felt both jealousy of the Prophet and fear.  He said to his friends, “This man will captivate all Arabs and bring them under his sway.  I will never let him control me.”

Then Zurr went to Syria.  He shaved his head like some monks and became a Christian.

Zayd and others acted differently.  The Prophet finished his talk.  Zayd stood up.  He was tall and imposing.  In a loud and clear voice he said, “O Muhammad, I believe that there is no god but God and you are His messenger.”

The Prophet approached Zayd and asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Zaydu’l Hayl, son of Muhalhil,” replied Zayd.

“From now on you are ‘Zaydu’l Hayr’, not Zaydu’l Hayl,” said the Prophet.  “Praise to God Who has brought you from your native land and softened your heart towards Islam.”

From that time on people called him ‘Zaydu’l Hayr’ or Zayd the Good.

Then the Prophet took him to his house.  Omar and some other companions were with them.  The Prophet gave Zayd a cushion to sit on.  But Zayd felt uncomfortable.  He gave the cushion back.  The Prophet handed it to him again.  But Zayd returned it again.  This happened three times.

They all sat down.  The Prophet said, “Zayd, until now people are always less than they are described to be.  But you are an exception.  You have two characteristics that please God and His Prophet.”

“What are they?” asked Zayd.

“Patience and moderation,” replied the Prophet.

“Praise be to God,” said Zayd.  “He has given me what He and His Prophet like.”

Then Zayd turned to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of God, give me three hundred horsemen and I promise to conquer Byzantium with them.”

“What a man you are, Zayd,” said the Prophet.

During this visit all of Zayd’s friends became Muslim, too.  Then they left for their homes in Najid.

Zayd wanted to work and fight for Islam.  Unfortunately, there was an epidemic in Medina at that time.  Zayd fell ill with the fever.  He tried to return home anyway.  He wanted to invite his people in Nacid to accept Islam.  However, he died before he reached Nacid.