For every Muslim, it is necessary to have faith and trust in the Companions of the Prophet. Allah forbid, if those who call themselves Muslims fail to have trust in the Companions, they will have lost their connection to the Sunnah and the principles of Islam. Such a person will be devoid of Iman. From amongst the signs of the Day of Judgement, one sign is that the latter people of this Ummah will speak ill of the preceding generations. Verily, the respect and love for the Companions is indeed love and respect for Islam, and disrespect and enmity towards the Companions is indeed disrespect and enmity for Islam

It is very unfortunate that both Muslims and non-Muslims historians have come up with misinterpretations of 'Abdullah b. Zubayr and his stand against the Umayyads.

This is natural due to the fact it is possible to justify the Umayyad rule on the one hand and Ibn al Zubayr's revolt against Mu'awiya for having turned the office of the caliphate into a hereditary position. What is not acceptable is the fabrication of some hadiths to supporting historical facts.

A blessed child in his mother's womb was he, when his mother passed over the burning desert sand leaving Makkah for Al-Madiinah on her emigration route. While still unborn, "Abdullah was to emigrate with the Muhaajiruun. His mother Asmaa' (May Allah be pleased with her) had hardly reached Qubaa', when she began to suffer labor pains.

His birth was good tidings for the Muslims and an unpleasant answer to the Jews. At the time there were no births for the emigrants, and a rumour ran through the streets of Madinah. Whispers of foes who said, those who migrated from Makkah were bewitched; no children were being born to them. The Muslims began to become afraid that the sorcery that the jews had placed upon them was true. So when Asma bint Abu Bakr (ra) entered Madina carrying her baby son, Abdullah Ibn Zubair (ra), the first child born in Islam after hijrah, his birth dispelled the rumours and lifted the spirits of a community arriving in a new land.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) named him Abdullah - the slave of Allah. He ﷺ performed the Tahnik (the Islamic tradition of putting juice of a chewed date in a child's mouth and pronouncing the adhan in its ears.) The prophet then supplicated to Allah and invoked blessings on him. The Muslims were very happy and took him to his grandfather Abu Bakr who carried him. They followed him and they raised him and recited Takbir around Madinah, saying Allah is the Greatest proving that this call that the jews had made was false. They rejoiced glorifying Allah, for every life is decreed by Allah alone.

Imagine being born into this world amongst the companions of the Mercy of the World. The first nourishment you receive as a baby coming from dates the Beloved of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasalaam) has chewed. The one who names you is the Seal of Allah's Prophets. Hence, it is appropriate to say that the barakah on Ibn Zubayr was instilled since his birth. He is one among the blessed children Sahabas.

Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr had matrilineal and patrilineal links to both the family of the Prophet and the family of Abu Bakr. His paternal grand-mother Safiyyah was the Prophet's maternal aunt, the first Muslim to kill an infidel in service to Allah. Khadijah, the Prophet's wife, was the paternal aunt of his father al-Zubayr ibn Al Awwam. His mother Asma, a very wise woman, was the elder daughter of Abu Bakr and elder sister of A'isha.

So, with such a privileged birth and nobility as well as his upbringing, it is no wonder he became the staunchest defender of the house of the Prophet and the office of the caliphate. He stood in opposition to the house of Umayyad, won the support of Kalb, an Umayyad tribe, and worked very hard to seize power from the Umayyads.

Abdullah was close to our noble prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, this is because Mother of the believers Aisha, his maternal aunt may Allah be pleased with her, loved him so much that she was known as mother of Abdullah. It was reported on the authority of Urwah, may Allah be pleased with him: "Aisha did not love anyone after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and Abu Bakr As-siddiq as she did ibn Al-Zubair, and I have not seen my father and Aisha supplicating for anyone as they did for Ibn Al-zubair" (from Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nehaya, vol. 8)

Although 'Abdallah b. al-Zubayr was undeniably close to 'A'isha, a very reliable source for the sunna and the traditions of the Prophet, his loyalty to the teachings of the Prophet and particularly the warning to those who attribute to the Prophet what he had not said that they would be sent to hell determined his choice of only 33 hadith to transmit. His love for the house of the Prophet and his grandfather Abu Bakr made him a staunch defender of the office of caliphate when he saw it abused by Mu'awiyah and his son Yazid.

The first word Abdullah ibn Zubair (radiallahu anhu) uttered as a child was "As Sayf" - the sword. Raised in the house of a warrior, this was not a strange thing. The sword could always be found at his side. It never left him, not physically and not from his tongue. He would constantly be saying the word or playing with a sword. For this reason Abdullah ibn Zubair became one of the most magnificent warriors.

Like his father Az-Zubair Ibn Awwam (one amongst those promised jannah), Abdullah grew to be brave, confident and eloquent in speech.

One day Umar ibn Al Khattab (ra) was walking along a side road in Madinah. On seeing him, some children playing there scattered from fear, but not Abdullah Ibn Zubair, who quietly stood his ground. When Umar asked why he did not flee like the others, Abdullah replied; "I did not do anything wrong that I should run away from you. The path is not narrow either, that I need to make way for you." So Umar said to him, "Verily, you are the son of your father."

The little child's character developed rapidly. He displayed extraordinary energy, intellect, and firmness. His youth was full of chasity, purity, worship, and heroism beyond imagination. As days went by his manners did not change. He was a man sure of his path, walking his way with strong will and firm belief.

They used to say there were three things you could not challenge Abdullah ibn Zubair with. These were courage, Ibadah - worshipping Allah and his eloquence. If one looks in the books of Fiqh under the topic of concentration, one will always find the mention of Abdullah ibn Zubair because he used to never move in his salaah. They used to say that when Abdullah (radiallahu anhu) stood for salaah the bird would come and sit on him.

Umar Ibn 'Abd Al-'Aziiz once asked Ibn Abi Mulaikah to describe 'Abd Allah, so he said, "By Allah, I've never see a soul similar to his. When he began his prayer, he left everything behind. He bowed down and prostrated for such a long period that birds stood on his back considering him a wall or a gown thrown away. Once a projectile passed between his beard and chest while praying. By Allah, he did not feel it nor was he shaken by it. He did not stop his recitation nor hurry his bowing."

His fasting, his prayer, his pilgrimage, his noble soul, his continuous fear of Allah, his close relation to Allah, his being a devoted worshiper and a fasting fighter throughout his life were all in him like interwoven threads.

Ibn 'Abbaas described 'Abd Allah in the following words: "He was a reciter of the Qur'aan, a follower of the Sunnah, submissive to Allah, a God-fearing faster, son of the Prophet's disciple. His mother was As-siddiq's daughter, his aunt Aa'ishah the Prophet's wife; his rank can only be ignored by the blind."

Abdullah RA was an avid member of various armies that fought against both the Byzantine and Sassanid empires. As a young boy, he accompanied his father and mother, at the age of fourteen, to Yarmuk where he watched the battle from a hill (Rajab 15/August 636). Although he was not old enough to participate in the battle and fight, he gave a description of the battle in a few traditions related by him. He also took part in 'Amr b. Al-'As' army in the conquest of Egypt.

Since the martyrdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), the Muslims in Kufa pledged allegiance to Hasan ibn Ali as successor to his father's Caliphate.

However, Muawiyah (RA) from the Umayyads felt he was more worthy of being a leader than Hasan and had ambitions to seize that power.

Hasan (RA), who was a peacemaker, relented by handing over his power to Muawiyah through a peace treaty.

The terms of the Hasan-Muawiyah treaty were that Hasan would become caliph after Muawiyah. If anything happens to Hasan, then the leadership will be taken over by Hasan's little brother, Hussain.

But Muawiyah breaches the treaty. When Hasan died being poisoned, Muawiyah handed over his leadership to his own son, Yazid ibn Muawiyah, and not to Husayn.

After Muawiyah died in 680, his son Yazid became Caliph, in the process also becoming the first one through inheritance. Both Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of Muhammad SAW, and al Zubayr were instructed to give the Bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) to Yazid, which each refused. Both believed Yazid's ascension to the Caliphate as illegitimate. These disagreements would lead to the period of political and military disorder known as the Second Fitna .

Muawiyah is reputed to have told his son Yazid to defeat Hussein, who was surely preparing an army against him, and to deal with him gently thereafter as Hussein was a descendent of Muhammad; but to deal with Abdullah al Zubayr swiftly, as Muawiyah feared him the most.

Although Mu'awiyah had nominated his son Yazid as his successor, he was aware that any opposition from Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr, whom he called a lion and believed was going to be the foremost enemy of Yazid and the House Umayyads, would be very fierce. And indeed, it turned out as he feared.

Mu'awiyah used to say, "None of the other has the ability to take the Khilafah, from Yazid besides 'Abdullah ibn Zubayr."

When Hussain(ra) was martyred in Karbala, Ibn al-Zubair collected the people of Mecca and made the following speech:

"O people! No other people are worse than Iraqis and among the Iraqis, the people of Kufa are the worst. They repeatedly wrote letters and called Imam Husayn to them and took bay'at (allegiance) for his caliphate. But when Ibn Zeyad arrived in Kufa, they rallied around him and martyr Imam Husayn(ra) who was pious, observed the fast, read the Quran and deserved the caliphate in all respects"

After his speech, the people of Mecca declared that no one deserved the caliphate more than Ibn al-Zubair and requested to take an oath of allegiance to his caliphate.

Bay'ah was being given to Abdullah ibn Zubair. The Hijaz, Egypt, Iraq and much of Syria were favourable to him and acknowledged him as the Caliph. The Ummayyads however continued to contest the Caliphate and to field a massive army under the command of Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi. Relentless battles were fought between the two sides during which Abdullah ibn Zubayr displayed great acts of courage and heroism. Many of his supporters however could not withstand the continuous strain of battle and gradually began to desert him.

Abdallah b. al-Zubayr was sincere in his defence of the holy city. He believed that he was standing for the truth and fighting wrong. Deserted by all those around him, including his two sons, he had to choose between either continuing to defend the city with few men and thus cause further suffering and destruction to Mecca and its citizens or facing al-Hajjaj's forces on an open battlefield with a few men loyal to him. He chose the latter.

It was then that he went to his mother, now an old blind woman.

Her final meeting with her son, Abdullah, must remain one of the most unforgettable moments in early Muslim history. At that meeting she demonstrated the keenness of her intelligence, her resoluteness and the strength of her faith.

When he entered the room, he greeted her with salaam. She replied and asked him, "Where have the men of Al Hajjaj reached?" He said, "Oh my mother, in death I will find peace and tranquillity."

He continued to say,

"Oh my mother, all my companions have left me until my own family and my children have left my side and I only have a handful of people around me. If I were to do what the people want me to do then I will be free."

This meant the people were allowing him to go wherever he wanted. He asks his mother her advice. She tells him,

"Oh my son, you are more knowledgeable regarding your circumstances than I am. But I do say if you know that you are on the truth go forth and fight, for people more honorable than you were killed or have been killed and if you are not upon the truth, then what an evil son you are, you have destroyed yourself and those who are with you."

This is her son and she's telling him to die like those honorable people before him who were killed for the sake of Allah and for what they believe in. Then she said to her son, this is the statement of the mother to her son, "how long will you live in this world, death is more beloved to me than this state you are in, this state of weakness."

Then He said to his mother after she had told him to go forth and fight.

"I fear that if the people of Al Sham kill me, they may disfigure me or mutilate my body."

She tells him,

"Oh son, the sheep is not hurt by the skinning after death." After its death, the sheep does not feel when it is being skinned. "So go on your way and seek the help of Allah."

He stood up and kissed her upon the forehead and said,

"Oh my mother, I swear by Allah that this is my stance and I have no desire to live in this world for my aspirations are the Hereafter. All my life I have stood up for the truth. All I wanted to know was your opinion so that your stance will strengthen my stance."

She drew him closer and embraced him. When she embraced him she felt he had metal armour on and said,

"What is this? For people who want Shahadah don't wear this. This is not the action of someone who wants martyrdom, and that's what you want."

He tells her that he only put it on for her sake, so that she does not become afraid for him. She tells him to remove it and that he should tighten his clothes to be safe from becoming exposed. Look at what she was concerned with! She was ready to accept her son as a martyr but did not want his Awrah to be exposed in the process!

He leaves saying, "If I know the day I'm going to die, I will be patient upon that."

"Be patient inshaAllah, your fathers are are Abu Bakr and Az Zubair and your mother is Safia, the daughter of Abdul Mutallib," she tells him.

It is just unimaginable and unfathomable as to how a mother displays such strength of Iman and valour and bravery that she is able to tell her son to get martyred rather than dying a humiliating and wasteful death.

After getting the permission and blessing of

his mother, he left the city with the few men who had remained loyal to him. This seventy-two-year-old courageous man charged the forces of Hajjaj and vigorously fought to his death (1 October 692). Both Ibn al-Zubayr and his youngest son were killed on the battlefield.

The narration mentions that when they Martyred him Makkah erupted with crying.

The day he was born Madinah erupted with happiness and the day he died Makkah erupted with crying.

He fought to the last ounce of breath in his body for a complete Islam, he is a beloved son of two beloveds and grandson of a beloved.

It is mentioned that Abdullah ibn Zubair (radiallahu anhu) that day fought like a thousand men.He fought from noon until evening. The one defending ibn Zubair the most and fighting ferociously and fiercely, the last of his friends to die, was Abdullah bin Muti'ah.

Hajjaj bin Yusuf al Thaqafi went to Asma (radiallahu anha) to break her resolve and he said how has Allah dealt with his enemy. Asma (radiallahu anha) said,

"You may have corrupted this dunya but he has corrupted your aakhirah."

These were people who were not scared of death.

Hajjaj ordered the body of Abdullah be hung at the entrance of Makkah and the people would pass by.

Ibn Umar (radiallahu anhu) passed by while the army was reciting Takbir. He said to them,

"You make Takbir at his death. I swear by Allah I have seen the Muslims making Takbir at his birth. By Allah the ones who made Takbir at his birth are better than the ones who made Takbir at his death."

The people told Hajjaj to bring his body down but he refused, not until Asma (radiallahu anha) pleaded with him to. The narration mentions that there was a beautiful fragrance coming from the mutilated body of Abdullah ibn Zubair (radiallahu anhu). The men of Hajjaj tied a dead cat around his waist but still the beautiful fragrance was so beautiful it overwhelmed it.

His body was then given to his mother on the order of 'Abd al-Malik, and she had him buried in the house of Safiyyah near the tombs of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, and 'Omar.

A well-known figure in the world of Islam, 'Abdallah ibn al-Zubayr ruled as caliph for nine years. He was brave and very pious.

He performed hajj (pilgrimage) eight times between the years 64 to 71 A.H. It is said that he divided the time into three: spend one night in prayer standing, the second night bowing, and the third night prostrate.

We too should find inspiration in Abdullah bin Az-Zubair as well as other Companions in emulating their steadfastness, their courage in fighting for what they believed in, and in doing so, they became champions of the faith and were elevated in status in the eyes of Allah s.w.t.

I WANT TO ADD ONE MORE STORY AND COMPLETE THE BOOK INSHAALLAH...