Knowing history is not only an option for a Muslim, it should be considered an obligation. We may well know the names of many sahaabah, but do we ever question ourselves about how much we know of their lives? Do we know how old the sahaabah were when they passed away? Do we know what they accomplished and achieved? Do we know of their relations with the Prophet Muhammad?

After knowing the great personalities of the past, what they did, how they worked, how they lived their lives – we can implement such great honourable qualities into our own and take maximum benefit. It would be great to know many ahadeeth and narrations about the Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah. But it would be a greater achievement to know of the benefit such actions brought, and how he pbuh conducted himself on a day-to-day basis. An achievement would be to know of how the Sahaabah protected themselves from fitnah, how they protected themselves from issues we face in this very day and age – issues of zina, issues of dating, issues of alcohol, issues of hijaab, issues of cleanliness and attire, issues of how they struggled to gain closeness to Allah and how they dealt with friends and family.  Many of us see the sahaabah as individuals who were on a different par to us. And this is true, the sahaabah were indeed elite, and the history of Islaam has never seen individuals like them ever again. And why should there be individuals like that ever again. They were the ones who sacrificed their free independent lifestyles for the servitude of Allah swt. They were the ones who assisted the Prophet of Allah when he had no individual on his side. They were the ones who lost their family members, who fought against their blood brothers in battles, all in defense of RasoolUllah, and in the propagation of the Deen of Allah swt. They were the ones who lived and saw the Prophet of Allah, and were willing to be martyred in the way of Allah.

Only through knowing their lives and how they led them, can we strive to be like them. Youngsters can take the example of Musab ibn ‘Umayr who after being brought up in a lush lifestyle, being young, free and single, sacrificed it all and turned into one of the simplest, most modest individuals seen, using his eloquency to bring people much older than him to the religion of Islaam. Those seeking knowledge and the truth can look at Salmaan al-Faarsi, who searched extensively from Persia to Syria, from town to town, to search for the true religion. Elders can take the example of Abu Bakr, who assisted Muhammad ibn Abdullah from the very beginning, was the first Khalifah, and assisted physically and financially with all he had at an age where he was much older and weaker than the others. Those who find hardness in their heart can take the example of Umar ibn al Khattab, who after being known as the harshest man in Makkah, broke down in tears every time he was in prayer out of fear of Allah. Those who are wealthy and own businesses can take the example of Uthmaan ibn Affaan, who did and gave all he had for the benefit of the Muslims, for the sake of Allah. Those who are children can take the example of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who stood by the truth from the beginning of Islaam to the end of his life. Those who feel cowardice should look to the example of Khaalid ibn Waleed and his outstanding courage in the battlefield. Those who are literate should look into the services of Zaid ibn Thaabit and Ubay ibn Ka’ab for the sake of Allah. Those who have blindness can look to the example of Abdullah ibn Makhtoom and what services he rendered for the Deen of Allah, despite his total blindness of the eyes. Wives can look to the likes of Khadeejah bint Khuwailid who supported her husband at the worst of times. Young girls can look to the example of Ayesha bint Abi Bakr, who gained so much knowledge and led the purest lifestyle despite being widowed at the age of 19. Daughters can look to the shining example of Faatimah bint Muhammad. Mothers should look to the example of Umm Roomaan who brought great benefit to the Deen of Allah through her respectable children who all assisted in the efforts of spreading Deen. Those who wish to be steadfast can look to the life of Zainab bint Jahash, who despite being proposed to by the Messenger of Allah himself, prayed and asked Allah for a sign if she should marry him.

Even after the sahaabah, came individuals who had the greatest of lifestyles, dedicating their entirety to the service of Islaam. They too had families to look after, parents to answer to, fitnah around them, and money to earn. But their aim was what is missing in our lives today. They strove in their daily activities to gain the pleasure of Allah swt, not to build comfortable lifestyles in this world, as they recognized that this world is but temporary, and every soul will inevitably taste death. They studied, taught, and acted upon; they were upright, modest, and remarkable in what they did, and how they dealt with matters.

In fact, who is there, that can’t relate to a great and well principled personality of the past. We struggle with daily fitnah, and so did those who came before us. We struggle to increase our memory, to seek knowledge, to render our services to Islaam, to be pure and chaste, to stay away from Zina, to stay away from daily vices, to stay away from haraam, to sacrifice for the sake of Allah, to be humble and honest, to be upright and worthy of Paradise – and so did those who came before us.  Through studying and reading about these great people, we can change our lives, and live in humbleness and have the beautiful characters that they did. Perhaps we cannot be 100% like the companions of the Prophet, but indeed, we can take great benefit from them and discipline ourselves the way they did. There is more to the life of Abu Hurayrah than being one of the main narrators of hadeeth. There is more to Imaam Abu Haneefah than being a faqih. There is more to Ibn Taymiyyah than being a scholar.

Indeed, after the Prophets, these were the best of people to ever walk the face of the earth.

May Allah raise us with such esteemed people in the Aakhirah.