>Asad bin al-Furat: The Conqueror of Southern Italy

>asalaam alaikum warahmatatulah wabarakatuh

Asad bin al-Furat: The Conqueror of Southern Italy

adh-Dhahabi introduced him in ‘Siyar A’lam an-Nubala” (9/14):

“Asad bin al-Furat, the Imam, the ‘Allamah, the Qadi, the Amir, the forerunner of the Mujahidin, Abu ‘Abdillah al-Harrani then al-Maghribi. He was born in Harran in 144 according to Ibn Makula. Others have said he was born in 145.”

In ‘Shajarat an-Nur az-Zakiyyah fi Tabaqat al-Malikiyyah’ (p. 62), Shaykh Muhammad Makhluf al-Maliki said:

“He traveled with his father when he was two years of age with the army of Arabs under the leadership of Ibn al-Ash’ath, and he entered Qayrawan in the year 146. He then entered Tunis and dedicated himself to reciting and studying the Qur’an and its sciences. He heard ‘al-Muwatta” from Ibn Ziyad (’Ali bin Ziyad at-Tunisi), and when he was eighteen, he traveled east. He lived in Madinah for some time, and reviewed ‘al-Muwatta” with Malik himself.

He then traveled to Iraq and met the most famous companions of Abu Hanifah, including the two leading scholars Abu Yusuf and Muhammad bin al-Hasan. He obtained much useful knowledge from them, and he then traveled to Egypt and met a group of the most famous scholars including ‘Abd ar-Rahman bin al-Qasim. He stayed with him for some time, and this is where he wrote ‘al-Asadiyyah.’

He then returned to Qayrawan, and this is where he became famous for his knowledge and his reputation became great. In the year 212, the governor Ziyadatullah al-Aghlabi gathered his army naval fleet and prepared them to invade Sicily, and the commander and judge of the army was Asad bin al-Furat. He went out as part of a huge caravan that included scholars and his supporters.

When Asad saw this huge number of people of all types in front of him and behind him, he said to them after praising Allah: “There is none worthy of worship except Allah, without any partners. O people! By Allah, I did not inherit any position of leadership from my father or grandfather, and none of my ancestors have ever seen a gathering such as this! I am not witnessing what you see for any reason other than the pens (i.e. due to learning and studying knowledge, writing it, and placing oneself at its service). So, exert yourselves and exhaust your bodies in seeking knowledge and writing it. Be patient upon its hardship, as you will attain the good of this world and the next through it.”

This caravan stretched all the way to Marsa Susah (on the northern coast of Libya), and the fleet of ships departed from there towards Sicily. After enduring much hardship, he finally entered it and made a great conquest! He died of his wounds during the siege of Syracuse (southern Italy) and was buried there, may Allah have Mercy upon him.”

adh-Dhahabi concluded in ‘as-Siyar’ (9/15):

“…In addition to his immense knowledge, he was also a courageous and heroic warrior. The leader of Sicily confronted him with an army of 150,000, and a man said: “I saw Asad carrying the banner of his army that day while reciting ‘Ya Sin.’ He then charged the enemy and defeated them, and I saw the blood flowing on the banner and onto his arm,” and he became ill and died while laying siege to Syracuse.”

"Do not cry for me Mother…" [A Poem for Abu Sabaaya]

Asalaam alaikum

By Mahmoud al-Misri (referring to the imprisonment of Abu Sabaaya & false charges against him);

The poem is written by Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, who wrote it to his mother who was saddened and crying for his imprisonment.

I felt it fits the situation of our dear brother, his love for this Deen, and how his family must be affected by this (ofcourse translation of poems ruin their beauty … I had to change words here and there).

لا تـبكني أمـاه وابـك بلوعة ديـناً جـريحاً ما عليه بــواكيا

Do not cry for me, Mother, rather cry heavily [instead] * for a wounded religion no one is crying for

ما كنت يومـا رغم حبسي جاثيا فـلأجل ربـي أسـتطيب عذابيا

Never in spite of my imprisonment did I kneel * and for the sake of my Lord I shall enjoy this punishment

أمـاه إن خـط القـضاء منيتي بـدم تحـرر فـاصبري لمصـابيا

O Mother, if my death has been decreed * then be patient for my tribulation

لله قـد قدمت روحـي راغبـا ثـمنـا ليبقى أصـل ديـني عاليا

I have willfully given my soul to Allah. * A small price to pay for my religion to remain high

وقحـمت أسـباب المنايا حاملا بيـدي لنـصرة دعـوتي أكفـانيا

I crossed the pathway of death, carrying * in my hands my Kaffan hoping to bring victory to my Religion

فالمـوت لا يـريع نفسـاً حرةً قهـرت خطوباً قـد عصفن عواتيا

For Death does not scare a free soul * [A soul] which has overcome trials coming forth as violent winds

والقيد ليس بمـوهن لي هـمتي والسجن ليـس بمحبطٍ آمــاليا [1]

Handcuffs will not lower my determination * Neither will this prison lower my hopes

يا أمّ لا تبـكي لحبسي دمعـةً وابكي لـدينٍ ما علـيه بواكيـا

[So], Mother, do not shed tears for my captivity * And weep instead for this Religion which no one is weeping for

فالسجن خير من حيـاة مذلـةٍ وأنا لـربي قـد نذرت حياتيـا

For Prison is better than a life of disgrace. * And for my Lord, I vowed my life

أنا لست أركعُ رغبةً في لقمـةٍ أو أشتكي سـوطاً يُعربد عاتيـا

I am not one to bow down for a loaf [of bread] * or one to complain of the whip tearing my shoulders

فالسجن ليس بضائري إن ضمّني والقيد ليـس معجـلاً أكفانيـا

For Prison is not going to harm me when it embraces me * And these chains will not bring my death any sooner

والسجن ليس بحابسٍ لي دعـوتي والقيد ليـس بمطفـئ أنواريـا

This prison is not going to hold back my Message * and these shackles are not going to dim my Lights

أنا هـاهنا حر برغم سلاسـلي ورنينها يشـجي ربوع فؤاديـا

I am here free, in spite of my chains * and its sounds bring life to my heart

أنا هـاهنـا عزّي هنا حريـتي فالعز قيدي والشموخ جراحيـا

Over here I find my dignity, over here I find my freedom * Dignity [can be seen] in my shackles, and determination [can be seen] in my wounds

[سأقول للسجن الذي قد ضمني ] اشدد قيودك لا تفـك وثاقيـا

I will tell this prison which has embraced me * Tighten your bonds, and do not let untie my chains

أنا هـاهنا حـر ودون قيودنـا شـعبٌ يُطأطئ للخيانة جاثيـا

I am here free, and away from these chains * is a nation which has lowered its head kneeling for Treachery

يا سجن إنّي قد عشقتُ سلاسلي هذي السلاسل والقيود سلاحيا

O Prison, I have fallen in love with these chains * these chains and bonds are my weapons [and source of strength]

يا سـجن إنـّي قد ألفتُ زنازني هـذي الزنازن والظلامُ ردائيـا

O Prison, I have gotten used to this jail cell. * This cell and its darkness are my cover and clothing

أنا في قيودك شامـخٌ في عـزتي والحرُ يخنع خلف سورك راضيـا

I am in your chains steadfast with my dignity * and those “free” outside your walls are happy in their disgrace

قد حددوا عيشي على قضبانـهم وبظـلِ قيدك مولدي ووفاتيـا

They restricted my life between these bars * and within the shadows of these chains is by birth and death

وعلى جدارك قد خططت ملاحمي حفراً بظفري والـمداد دمائيـا

On your walls I have recorded my struggles * with my nails I have carved it, and my blood I used as ink

بدمي خططت براءتي من كفرهم ولأجل ذا ضـاقت عليّ بلاديـا

With my blood I have written my dissociation from their Kufr * And for that reason my own country have narrowed and closed in on me

يا أمّ مـالك تذرفـين الدمع لا لا تفعلي أفديـك أمـاً حانيـة

O Mother, do not shed these tears over me, don’t * May I be scarified for you, what a kind loving mother you are

يا أمّ لا تبكـي لقيدي واصبري فالفجـر يشرق عن قريبٍ آتيـا

O Mother do not cry because of my shackles and be patient * Since Dawn will soon come bringing forth its light

والكفر مندحـرٌ بإثْر جيوشهم والنور من ديني يُشـعشع زاهيـا

Disbelief will soon disintegrate with its armies * And the light from my Religion [will remain] brightly shining

والحـقّ منتصرٌ برغم سجونـهم والقيد منكسـرٌ وديـني عاليـا

And the Truth will prevail, in spite of their jails * And the cuffs would soon break, and my Religion will remain high

أبو محمدالمقدسي – رمضان 1417- سجن سواقة في الاردن

In any case, I ask Allah to grant our respected brother Tariq patience and steadfastness.

I ask Allah, Subhanhu wa Ta’ala, to grant him and his family patience and steadfastness, as well as our imprisioned sisters and brothers everywhere in the world along with their families.

I ask Allah not to make this tribulation as a Fitna for them, and ask Him to make it a reason for the elevation of their ranks in the hereafter.

http://ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showpost.php?p=41903&postcount=8