Habib ibn Zayd (RA)
Family Background:
Father – Zayd ibn Asim:
Habib’s father, Zayd ibn Asim, was one of the first people in Yathrib (Madinah) to accept Islam.
Mother – Nusaybah bint Ka’b (Umm Ammarah):
Habib ibn Zayd’s mother, Nusaybah bint Ka’b, who was most commonly known as Umm Ammarah, was the first woman to fight for Islam and in support of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Early Life and Pledge of Allegiance:
At a young age, Habib was privileged to go with his mother, father, aunt and brother to Makkah with a group of seventy five people, pledging allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at Aqabah.
From that day, the Prophet became more loved to Habib than his own mother or father.
Participation in Battles:
Habib ibn Zayd did not participate in the Battles of Badr and Uhud because he was too young. However, he later took part in all of the expeditions that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was part of.
Dominance of Islam:
In the ninth year after the Hijrah, Islam had spread widely and become dominant throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
Groups of people from the tribes of different lands came to Makkah to meet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and announce their acceptance of Islam.
Confrontation with Musaylimah the False Prophet:
Musaylimah Meets The Prophet:
Among these delegations was the tribe of Banu Hanifa. Outside of Makkah, the members of this tribe tied up their mounts and appointed Musaylimah as their representative.
Musaylimah went to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and announced his people’s acceptance of Islam.
The Prophet welcomed them and treated them generously. Each man, including Musaylamah, was presented with a gift.
Musaylimah – The False Prophet
On his return to Najd. Musaylimah gave up his allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and he told his tribe that a Prophet had been sent by Allah to Banu Hanifa just as Allah had sent Muhammad ibn Abdullah to the Quraysh.
The tribe of Banu Hanifa began to follow him and most people followed him because of tribal loyalty or ‘asabiyyah’ (social connections).
One member of the tribe declared: I testify that Muhammad is indeed truthful and that Musaylimah is indeed an imposter, but the imposter of Rabiah (the tribal confederation that Banu Hanifa belonged to) is dearer to me than the genuine and truthful person from Mudar (the tribal confederation the Quraysh belonged to).
Eventually, the number of Musaylimah’s followers increased.
Musaylimah’s Letter to the Prophet:
Musaylimah then wrote a letter to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saying: From Musaylimah, the messenger of Allah to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Peace be on you. I am prepared to share this mission with you. I shall have (control over) half the land and you shall have the other half. But the Quraysh are aggressive people.
The Prophet’s Response:
Musaylamah sent two of his men with the letter to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
When the letter was read to the Prophet, he asked the two men: And what do you yourselves say about this matter? The two men replied: We affirm what the letter says.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then said: By Allah, were it not for the fact that emissaries are not killed, I would have smitten both your necks.
The Prophet’s Letter to Musaylimah:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then wrote to Musaylamah: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Compassionate. From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, to Musaylamah the imposter. Peace be upon whoever follows the guidance. Allah will bequeath the earth to whosoever of His servants He wishes and the final triumph will be for those who are careful of their duty to Allah.
Another Letter Sent to Musaylimah Through Habib ibn Zayd:
The fitnah of Musaylimah continued to spread and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ decided that he needed to send another letter to him and he chose Habib ibn Zayd to take this letter to him.
Musaylimah Punishes Habib ibn Zayd:
Habib ibn Zayd then headed to Najd and gave the letter to Musaylimah.
When he handed the letter to him, Musaylimah was very angry about this so he ordered Habib ibn Zayd to be chained and brought back to him the next day.
The next day Musaylamah ordered Habib, who was shackled in his chains, to be brought forward.
Musaylimah turned to him and asked: Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah? Habib ibn Zayd replied: Yes, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
An angry Musaylimah asked: And do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah? Habib ibn Zayd responded: My ears have been blocked from hearing what you claim.
This angered Musaylimah even more and he shouted: Cut off a piece of his body.
One of Habib ibn Zayd’s limbs was then cut off and Musaylimah continued to ask the same question but Habib remained patient.
The Martyrdom of Habib ibn Zayd:
Habib ibn Zayd continued to declare his belief that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Messenger of Allah and refused to acknowledge anyone else as a Prophet.
Musaylimah then ordered for another part of Habib’s body to be cut off and another limb fell to the ground right next to the first severed limb.
Habib ibn Zayd continued to suffer at the hands of Musaylimah but despite this punishment, he continued to say: I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Habib ibn Zayd died as a result of the severe torture he suffered at the hands of Musaylimah.
Habib ibn Zayd’s Final Moments.
Habib’s final words before he passed away were filled with the remembrance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
A Mother’s Patience and Strength:
When his mother Nusaybah (Umm Ammarah) heard this news, she said: It was for such a situation that I prepared him. He pledged allegiance to the Prophet on the night of Aqabah as a small child and today as an adult he has given his life for the Prophet. If Allah were to allow me to get near Musaylimah, I would certainly make his daughters smite their cheeks and lament over him.
Nusaybah bint Ka’b (Umm Ammarah) in the Battle of Yamamah:
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Abu Bakr declared war on Musaylimah.
Habib’s mother, Nusaybah (Umm Ammarah), and her son, Abdullah ibn Zayd were part of the Muslim army.
At the Battle of Yamamah, Nusaybah (Umm Amarah) was seen fighting through the enemy army, calling out: Where is the enemy of Allah? Show me the enemy of Allah?
When she eventually reached Musaylimah, he had already been killed.
Umm Habibah looked at his body as her son, Habib ibn Zayd’s death had finally been avenged.
The Prophet on Habib ibn Zayd:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ praised Habib ibn Zayd and his family and prayed: May Allah bless this household. May Allah have mercy on this household.