Sayyiduna Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam (RA) is among the ten noble companions of Rasulullah (ﷺ) to be promised paradise. He is the disciple of the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). His full name is Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, the son of Safiyya bint Abdul Mutallib (RA) and Awwam ibn Khuwaylid, and was born in Makkah. He accepted Islam at a young age, when he was 16. He was among the first five converts to embrace Islam under the guidance of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (RA). When the call of Islam was spread among the people of Makkah, the early Muslims were tortured ruthlessly, and Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam was among them. Nawfal Ibn Khuwailid, his uncle, took charge of torturing him, it was reported that his uncle used to enroll his nephew onto a mat while lighting a fire outside causing clouds of smoke to suffocate Zubayr, and he said to him under his mat ”Leave Islam and I shall spare you”, but Sayyiduna Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam replied with his challenging spirit that he will never return to atheism.
He married Lady Asma bint Abi Bakr ”Zat an-nitaqayn” (The posser of the two scarves”. He immigrated twice, one to Abyssinia and the other one to Yathrib. After his last immigration to Madina, he had a baby, who was named Abduallah Ibn Az-Zubair. Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair was the first Muslim baby born after immigration in Madinah. Sayyiduna Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam was the first one to unsheathe his sword for the cause of Allah. He was resting in the valley of Mataabikh (the name of a place in Mecca) when all of a sudden, he heard that Muhammad (ﷺ) had been killed. He left his house immediately whilst wielding his sword. The Prophet (ﷺ) walked past the place where he was resting and when he saw Sayyiduna Zubair (RA), he said to him, “Zubair, stop! What is the matter?” He said that he heard someone saying that the Prophet (ﷺ) had been martyred. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) asked, “What could you have done even if I had been martyred?” Sayyiduna Zubair (RA) replied, “I swear by Allah, I had intended to kill every single person dwelling in Mecca.” At that moment, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) especially prayed for him. He participated in all the battles and never lagged behind any Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) from any expedition that he undertook.
Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam in the battle of Uhud
”Those [believers] who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward.”
﴾الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ﴿
Lady Ayisha narrated that regarding the above holy Ayahs: She said to `Urwa, “O my nephew! Your father, Az-Zubair and Abu Bakr were amongst them (i.e. those who responded to the call of Allah and the Apostle on the day (of the battle of Uhud). When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), suffered what he suffered on the day of Uhud and the pagans left, the Prophet (ﷺ) was afraid that they might return. So he said, ‘Who will go on their (i.e. pagans’) track?’ He then selected seventy men from amongst them (for this purpose).” (The sub-narrator added, “Abu Bakr and Az- Zubair were amongst them.”)
Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam in the battle of Khandaq (Trench)
The Battle of Khandaq (also known as the Battle of the Trench or the Battle of Ahzab) was a siege of Medina by a coalition of Meccan and Jewish forces against the Prophet Muhammad and his Muslim followers. Quraysh and its collaborators from the family of Kinanah, the inhabitants of Tihamah with ten thousand men as well as the tribe of Ghatafan from Najd rushed to help Quraysh putting Muslims in a corner. The Messenger of Allah who knew their decision beforehand, ordered Muslims to dig a ditch around the city of Medina, and Muslims were surrounded on all sides by their enemies. As the Muslims grew vulnerable with supplies dwindling, they heard a rumor that the tribe Banu Qurayza within Madinah were preparing to attack the Muslims from within. So, the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) asked “Who would go to the fortress of Banu Qurayza and verify if they were indeed rebelling?”. Jabir b. Abdullah reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) exhorting people on the Day of the Battle of the Ditch to fight. Zubair said: I am ready (to participate). He then again exhorted and he again said: I am ready to participate. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Behold. for every Prophet there is a helper and my helper is Zubair.
Conquest of Egypt
When Amr ibn al ‘As (RA) went to conquer Egypt, he did not have sufficient forces, so he wrote to Umar ibn al Khattab (RA) asking for support and reinforcements. Umar (RA) sent Zubayr ibn al ‘Awwam with twelve thousand men. And, he wrote to Amr ibn al As: ”I have sent to you four thousand men, each thousand of whom is led by a man who is equal to a thousand.” Conquest was slow for Amr ibn al As (AR), so Zubayr (RA) said: ”I will offer myself for the sake of Allah hoping that Allah may grant victory thereby to the Muslims.” Sayyiduna Amr ibn al As besieged the fortress of Babylon, so Zubayr ibn al ‘Awwam set up a ladder against the wall of the fortress, on the side of the marketplace of al Hamam, and then he climbed up. He told Muslims not to join him until they heard Takbeer. With the bravery of Sayyiduna Zubayr, the fortress of Babylon opened its gates to the Muslims and Egypt was conquered.
Sayyiduna Zubayr ibn al Awwam passed away at the age of 65 and is buried in Basra, Iraq, after he dedicated his serving Islam and Muslims. He witnessed the reign of the four Caliphs: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib.
