Zayd Ibn Thabit

He embraced Islam when he was still young. He was eleven years old when the Prophet migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

Although still young, he liked Jihad and he was enthusiastic in seeking religious knowledge. He wanted to participate in the Battles of Badr and Uhud but the Prophet refused because he was too young. The first battle in which he fought was the Battle of the Trench. During this battle, he carried sand to help prepare the trench.

Zayd Ibn Thabit accompanied the Prophet ever since he arrived in to Madinah.

His family brought him to the Prophet and said:

“This boy has memorized seventeen chapters of the Quran. When he recited the Quran to him, the Prophet admired him. He asked him to learn the Syriac which was the written language of the Jews in Madinah so that the Muslims could be aware of the evil plots of the Jews. Zayd Ibn Thabit learnt it in a short period”.

He used to write in this language the massages that the prophet used to send to the Jews, and he also used to write down the Quran that was being revealed to the Prophet. Whenever one verse or more was revealed to the Prophet, he would send to Zayd Ibn Thabit to come and write it down.

When the Prophet died, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, commanded Zayd Ibn Thabit to compile the Quran into one book. This was a very difficult task which could only be shouldered by the most intelligent of men. Zayd performed the task in an excellent way and he succeeded in compiling the Quran in one book that we recite until now.

Zayd Ibn Thabit died in 45 A.H. When he died, Abu Hurayrah said about him:

“Today, the best man in the Muslim nation has died. May Allah make Ibn ‘Abbas an excellent alternative to him.”

Anas Ibn Malik

He was born ten years before migration to Madinah. When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, Anas Ibn Malik started to serve him at that young age.

He continued to serve the Prophet until the latter died. Anas said:

“I served the Prophet for ten years, and he never hit me, insulted me, or frowned in my face.”

The first advice the Prophet gave to Anas when he started to serve him, was to keep the secrets and never disclose them. Anas adhered to this and nobody ever managed to make him disclose any of the Prophet’s secrets.

Anas grew up under the supervision of the Prophet. Anas learnt much and his manners were greatly affected by the noble manners of the Prophet. He narrated about two thousand Prophetic narrations and he was known as the “Narrator of Islam”.

Anas witnessed Al-Hudaybiyyah Treaty with the Prophet and he participated in the conquests of Makkah, Hunayn, Ta’if, and Khaybar. He lived long after the death of the Prophet. It is said that he is the last companion to die. Some hold the opinion that he died in 91 A.H.

Al-Hassan Ibn Ali

His father is Ali Ibn Abu Talib and his mother is Fatimah Az-Zahra’, the daughter of the Prophet. He was born in Ramadan in the third year after migration.

He was brought up under the close supervision of the Prophet who used to carry him, cuddle him and play with him along with his brother Al-Hussein.

It is narrated that the Prophet was delivering a speech, when Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein came stumbling, wearing red shirts. He came down from the pulpit, carried them and ascended it and lapped them saying:

“I saw both of them, stumbling in their shirts and I could not bear it so I descended the pulpit and carried them.” (An-Nasa’i)

Al-Hassan Ibn Ali was brought up in a Prophetic environment. He had excellent manners, never uttered obscene words, was eloquent, generous, and a courageous fighter.

When Ali Ibn Abu Talib was a martyred people chose his son Al-Hassan as the next caliph. Many events happened and Al-Hassan waived this position to Mu`awiyah out of the sole wish to unite the Muslims.

The Prophet said:

“This son of mine is a Sayyid (i.e. a master) and perhaps Allah will reconcile two sects of Muslims thanks to him.” (Al-Bukhari)

Al-Hassan Ibn ‘Ali stayed in Madinah where he was highly respected and honored owing to his generosity. He died in 50 A.H.

Al-Hussein Ibn Ali

He was born in Sha’ban in the fourth year after migration. Al-Hussein and Al-Hassan were the most beloved persons in the family by their grandfather, the Prophet (peace be upon him). He could not stand to stay away from them. He would either go to them or order someone to bring them to him. Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein used to climb on the back of the Prophet and play with him several times.

Sometimes, they did so while he would be prostrating in prayer and he would prolongate his prostration until they got down.

Alike his brother, Al-Hussein liked horsemanship and courage. He participated in Jihad in the cause of Allaah during the caliphate of `Uthman. He participated in the armies that fought the Romans in Morocco.

In 30 A.H., he participated with the army commanded by Sa’d Ibn Abu Waqqas in the Asian battles and in the conquest of Tabaristan.

Abridged from Islamweb.net