“To you, I Have Come Prophet Muhammad, not to this Tombstone!”

– Extracted from an article by A.Ali Ural

Madinah has never awaited anyone like this before. Not only the eyes of humans, but the eyes of clouds, hills and gardens are fixed on the road. For days the city has talked of nothing but him. When his name is whispered, the trees rustle, the well-water rises, and children hold hands and begin to run. Spirits who sense that history will begin with his entrance to the city hold their breath on the edge of time and wait for the moon to appear. However, there is one resident in this city who walks three or four miles every morning to meet him.  Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is climbing hills in pursuit of a new day that will shine with the illuminated hands he had embraced at the Aqaba Agreement. Even if he does not see him first, he will give the glad tidings before anyone else: “Muhammad’s convoy is coming!” He runs immediately to his tribe. He arouses the whole city, particularly the Banu an-Najjar whose chief he is. Women, men, children, trees, the wind, and clouds – everyone and everything go to meet him. Tambourines become exited. The awaited moon appears on the farewell hills. Children make their best screams at that moment. Women cry their most innocent tears at that moment. Najjar males are vying with one another to invite him to their houses. They surround his camel and extend their hands at that moment. The Prophet turns towards the children singing the hymn, “How wonderful to be a neighbor of Muhammad,” and asks, “Do you love me?” In unison the children shout, “We love you, O Prophet!” Then the Prophet tells them, “Allah knows my heart and that I love you, too!”

There is such a circle of love that the Prophet does not want to break this siege. Just as he divided among the tribes the honor of carrying the Black Stone before he became an apostle, he would now divide the sun to all the windows if he could. So that his choice will not cast any shadow of sadness, he leaves the choice to his camel Kuswa. Wherever it kneels, he will get down there. Kuswa walks and everyone is in suspense. Kuswa approaches the city slowly. A cry of lament rises from whichever house the camel passes, a sacred joy from whichever street it enters. Kuswa kneels, making hearts pound. Suddenly it stops and gets back up from where it had knelt. As if it had heard a voice from the unknown, the camel takes a few more steps. Choosing the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Kuswa kneels again.
What a blessed guest! What an unforgettable visit! Abu Ayyub’s voice is trembling from joy: “O Prophet! You are welcome. This is my house. And this is my door!” Together with Zayd ibn Harise, he carries the Prophet’s baggage. A journey of love begins that will last seven months. The blessed guest prefers the lower floor so that his visitors will not bother his host. However, the Host of the Apostle is uneasy with this. How can those on the upper floor be comfortable when the Prophet is living in the lower floor? The water jug can be bumped over and water can spill out. What if it seeps through to the lower floor and drips on the Prophet? This won’t work. The Prophet should live on the upper floor. “The Prophet immediately orders that his baggage be taken upstairs. It was immediately carried up; there was not much anyway.” The goods were few, but the love was increasing at every meal. The greatest pleasure of Abu Ayyub and his wife was to eat from the Last Prophet’s dish. One day when Abu Ayyub saw that his blessed guest had not touched his food, he said sadly, “O Prophet, our biggest honor is to eat from the same plate after you have eaten. But I noticed that you did not eat the food today.” The Prophet replied, “I didn’t eat it because I saw onion in the food. But even if I do not like it, there is no harm in your eating it.”  Sahih- Muslim again records a note in history here so that Abu Ayyub’s reply will never be forgotten: “O Prophet! We do not like what you do not like!”

Sahih Muslim makes a note in history at this point:

Aflah, the freed slave of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, reported: “Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) had alighted in his house (viz. of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari at the time of his emigration to Madinah) and he occupied the lower storey, whereas Abu Ayyub al-Ansari lived in the upper storey. One night, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari got up and said (to himself): (How unfortunate it is) that we walk above the head of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), so they went aside and spent the night in a nook and then told Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) about it whereupon Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: The lower storey is more comfortable (for me). but he (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari) said: We (would not live) over the roof under which you live. So Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) shifted to the upper storey, whereas Abu Ayyub al-Ansari shifted to the lower storey; and he (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari) used to prepare food for Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) ; and when it was brought (back) to him he asked (to locate) the part, where his fingers had touched (the food), and he followed his fingers on that part where his fingers (those of the Holy Prophet) had touched it. (One day) he prepared food which contained garlic, and when it was returned to him he asked (to locate) the part which the fingers of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) had touched. It was said to him that he had not eaten (the food). He (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari) was distressed and went up to him (to the Holy Prophet) and said: Is it forbidden? But Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: No, (it is not forbidden), but I do not like it. and he (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari) said: I also do not like what you do not like or which you did not like. He (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari) said: (The Holy Prophet did not eat garlic) as Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) was visited (by angels) and brought him the message of Allah.” (Sahih Muslim, Book #023, Hadith #5099)

The thing that Abu Ayyub likes most is fighting on the path of Allah. Badr, Uhud, Hendek, Hayber, the Conquest of Makkah, Hunayn, Tabuk… Wherever the flag is raised, he is there. Those who see Abu Ayyub in the front row in every battle ask, “Why have you dedicated yourself to holy war?” He whispers in their ears, “After I read in the Holy Quran the divine edict, ‘Do not refrain from holy war and battle in any situation,’ it was not possible for me to abandon holy war.” When a campaign is to begin at dawn, his eyes open first. If it is necessary to wait on guard in front of the Prophet’s tent, then Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is there. Forget about the shadow of a sword falling on the Prophet; he can not even endure a bird feather in the Prophet’s beard. With his own hands, he removes a bird feather from the Prophet’s face between Safa and Marwa. He receives the prayer, “O Abu Ayyub, from now on no evil will touch you.” And this prayer girds Abu Ayyub in such a coat of armor that he comes out alive from every battle every time. He does not hang his sword on the wall after the Prophet’s death. The Host of the Prophet points out new battlefields in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Cyprus during the time of Abu Bakr and Umar.

He is not just an imposing warrior. He is a scribe of revelation, one who brings verses together. He is a memorizer of the entire Quran. He is a vice-gerent who takes Ali’s place when he goes to Iraq. He is a reporter who journeys from Madinah to Egypt just for one narration. He is a faqi whose fatwas are trusted by the people. He is an imam who leads the prayers in the Masjid Al Nabawi when Uthman is confined. He is a god-brother overseeing the spirit of Madinah with Musab ibn Umayr. He is a father who becomes angry at his son and his enemy because he killed with torture in war. He is a warner to those who do not make the evening prayer in the favored time. And he is a sage crying with his head on the Prophet’s grave. It is the time of the Omayyads. Marwan ibn Hakem is the governor of Madinah. Abu Ayyub hears a voice from behind: “Do you know what you’re doing!” Abu Ayyub recognizes the cold voice; it belongs to the incompetent Marwan. He implies that he is doing something contrary to the sunnah. The time has come. The Host of the Prophet answers emphatically making his point: “I have come to the Prophet, not this tombstone!” I heard him say, “Do not worry when qualified people take up religious matters; however, when unqualified people take the helm, you cannot cry enough.”