Ubayda ibn al-Harith | |
|---|---|
| عبيدة ابن الحارث | |
| Born | ʿUbayda ibn al-Ḥārith c. 562CE |
| Died | 13 March 624(624-03-13) (aged 61–62) 17 Ramadan, 2AH. Badr, Hejaz, Arabia |
| Cause of death | Died from thewounds received in theBattle of Badr |
| Known for | Being acompanion of theIslamic prophetMuhammad, Being the first martyr of Islam in a battlefield |
| Spouse | Zaynab bint Khuzayma |
| Family | Banu Muttalib (Quraish) |
Ubayda ibn al-Harith (Arabic:عبيدة ابن الحارث,romanized: ʿUbayda ibn al-Ḥārith) (c. 562 – 13 March 624) was a relative[1] andcompanion of the Islamic prophetMuhammad. He is known for commanding the expedition in which Islam’s first arrow was shot[1][2] and for being the first Muslim to bemartyred in battle and third ever in Islam.[3][4]
Ubaydah was the son of al-Harith ibnMuttalib ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy,[5]: 116 [6]: 36 hence a first cousin of Muhammad and nephew of Muhammad's fatherAbdullah and of his brothersAbu Talib andHamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib. If He is son of al-Harith ibnMuttalib ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy, then he can not be the first cousin of Muhammad instead in that case he will be a Uncle of Muhammad and first cousion of Muhammad’s fatherAbdullah and of his brothersAbu Talib andHamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib. However if he is son of Muhammad's uncleal-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib as indicating by His mother, Sukhayla bint Khuza'i ibn Huwayrith ibn al-Harith ibn Khaythama ibn al-Harith ibn Malik ibn Jusham ibn Thaqif, was from theThaqif tribe and a wife ofal-Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib. In that case he shall be considered as Muhammad's first cousion. He had two full brothers, al-Tufayl and al-Husayn, who were more than twenty years younger than himself.
By various concubines, he was the father of nine children: Muawiya, Awn, Munqidh, al-Harith, Ibrahim, Rabta, Khadija, Suhaykhla, and Safiya.[6]: 36 He had no children by his only known legal wife,Zaynab bint Khuzayma.
Ubaydah's appearance is described as "medium, swarthy, with a handsome face."[6]: 36
Ubaydah became aMuslim before Muhammad entered the house ofal-Arqam in 614.[6]: 36 His name is twelfth on Ibn Ishaq's list of people who acceptedIslam at the invitation ofAbu Bakr.[5]: 116
In 622, Ubaydah and his brothers, together with their young cousin Mistah ibn Uthatha, joined the generalemigration toMedina.[6]: 36 They boarded with Abdullah ibn Salama in Quba[5]: 218 until Muhammad allotted them some land in Medina. Muhammad gave Ubaydah two brothers in Islam: Abu Bakr's freedmanBilal ibn Rabah and anansar named Umayr ibn Al-Humam.[6]: 36–37
Some say that Ubaydah was the first to whom Muhammad gave a banner on a military expedition; others sayHamza was the first.[6]: 37
In April 623, Muhammad sent Ubaydah with a party of sixty armedMuhajirun to the valley of Rabigh. They expected to intercept a Quraysh caravan that was returning from Syria under the protection ofAbu Sufyan ibn Harb and 200 armed riders.[5]: 218 [6]: 37 [7][8][9] The Muslim party travelled as far as the wells at Thanyat al-Murra,[5]: 281 [8] whereSa`d ibn Abi Waqqas shot an arrow at the Quraysh, said to be the first arrow shot in Islam.[5]: 281 [10][7] Despite this surprise attack, "they did not unsheathe a sword or approach one another," and the Muslims returned empty-handed.[6]: 37 [7][8]
Ubaydah was killed in thebattle of Badr in 624 in triple combat againstShaybah ibn Rabi'ah, who cut off his leg. Although he was the first Muslim to be struck down at Badr, he survived his injury for several hours, so the first Muslims who actually died in the battle were Umar’s freedman Mihja’ and Haritha ibn Suraqa.[5]: 300 It is alleged that Ubaydah composed poetry while he was dying:
You may cut off my leg, yet I am a Muslim.
I hope in exchange for a life near to Allah,
withHouris fashioned like the most beautiful statues,
with the highest heaven for those who mount there...[5]: 349
He died at al-Safra, a day's march from Badr, and was buried there.[6]: 37
Following his tragic death, his widow Zaynab was married by Muhammad himself.[11]
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