I’m currently enrolled in an Al-Huda 4 Week Summer Course.  In it we study the tafsir of certain selected verses, practice reciting with proper tajweed, memorize different du’as, learn about various figures in Islamic history, and finally go over different aspects of good  Muslim behavior.  Today we had an assignment to find an example of patience in the life of any companion of the Prophet sallalahu alyahi wasalaam.  I used this site to find an amazing story.  Below is the post I wrote on my class forum to complete the assignment.

 ——————————————————

In class we mentioned the idea of having patience and knowing that when one door closes, another door opens. Such is the case of Zayd ibn Thabit, radhiAllahu ‘anhu.

When Zayd was a young man, he was very motivated to accompany the Muslims in battle. But the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalaam felt that Zayd was too young to join. He ordered Zayd to leave the battle grounds, and Zayd listened to this command. He did not whine and complain; rather he had patience and knew that what the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalaam had commanded for him to do was what he had to follow. The same thing happened two more times to him, but each time he was always patient and knew that a time would come when he would be able to help the Muslim Ummah.

Feeling rejected from helping on the battle fields, Zayd did not dwell and instead focused his energy on a different task– that of memorizing the Qur’an. He started slow, memorizing 17 surahs, but patiently continued. He later became one of the foremost scholars of the Qur’an. The Prophet sallalahu alayhi waslaam used to seek the help of Zayd in recording new revelations, learning different languages to communicate with non-Arabs, sending letters and interpreting messages.

During the time of Abu Bakr As Siddiq, Zayd was employed to collect all the manuscripts of the Qur’an, check the authenticity of them, and arrange them in the proper order. He can be accredited the the preservation of the words of Allah for later generations to benefit from.

old_quran.jpg

For his patience, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala provided Zayd ibn Thabit with a very unique opportunity to gain reward and make a place for himself in Islamic history.