Muslims across the world, should seriously reflect on the lives and habits of the Companions of Prophet (Pbuh) and apply them in their own lives. The blessed companions of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) were gifted with understanding, wisdom and inner knowledge. They discarded the comfort of this world, and gave up the company of its advocates. They laboured hard and renounced most of the worldly pleasures, they truly emulated the lives of God’s prophets and messengers, their deputies and the blessed ones who abide in the safety and nearness of their Lord. To them material comfort was a burden that they had to constantly unload, Seldom did they sleep, and so little did they eat.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him)
Iyyadh bin Ghanam narrated that God’s messenger (peace be upon him) said: “I was informed by the heavenly hosts of angels that the most dignified among my followers are people who rejoice in public when they ponder the vastness of Allah’s all-encompassing mercy and compassion, and they weep privately when they contemplate rigorous punishment He reserved for the sinners and the deniers of the truth. They sit in His blessed mosques morning and evening worshipping Him and celebrating His praises inwardly, and they implore Him with their tongues outwardly with reverence and awe. They pray to Him with their hands raised as well as lowered, and they yearn for Him unceasingly. They take little from people, and yet, it bears heavily on their hearts. They walk barefooted, humble, unpretentious, and unnoticed, just like ants, without finery; and they are free of self-adulation. They walk with dignity and serenity, and they rise to the nearness of their Lord through their link to His messenger (saws). They wear the garment of good conduct and follow the clear proof. They read the Qur’an regularly, take their daily guidance from it, and they happily make the necessary personal sacrifices to meet its requirements. Almighty Allah has surrounded them with distinguished witnessing angels, and faithful guardians, and He has illumined their faces with effulgence as a sign of His blessings upon them and as a demostration of His satisfaction with them. When they look at His servants, they anticipate promising signs. They often contemplate the vastness of Allah’s creation. Their bodies dwell on earth, and their eyes are anchored upon the heavens. Their feet stand on earth, and their hearts dwell in the heavens. They breath on earth, and yet, their spirits are connected to the divine Throne. Their souls live in this world, and their thoughts are focused on the hereafter. They only worry about what may come. Their graves are in this world, and their ranks are exalted in Allah’s sight.” God’s messenger (saws) then recited: “Such is the reward of one who reveres My Majesty, and fears My warning.” (Qur’an, 14:14)
Salmân al-Fârasi
`Abdullâh bin Siwar narrated that Salmân al-Fârasi Allah be pleased with him, once had the intention to betroth a woman from the tribe of Bani Laith, and he took Abu Ddardâ’ with him to ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf. When they arrived to that family’s house, Salmân waited outside, and Abu Ddardâ’ sought permission and entered to speak to her father.
Abu Ddardâ,’ spoke highly of his friend Salmân al-Fârisi, his illustrious qualities; his early acceptance of Islam and his lofty companionship of Allah’s messenger upon whom be peace. Abu Ddardâ’ then informed the family of Salmân’s intention. The girl’s father replied: “We will not give our daughter in marriage to Salmân, but should it be your wish, we will be honored to give her hand to you in marriage!'” Abu Ddardâ’ felt favored and honored to accept the offer, and sometimes later, and under the circumstances of the moment, he only came out of the house hours later being married to the girl.
When Abu Ddardâ’ came out of the house, he said to Salmân: “Something else happened here today, and I am ashamed to tell you about it!” Salmân asked: “What is it and why where you there so long?” When Abu Ddardâ’ told him the story, Salmân congratulated him and remarked: “I am the one who should be ashamed of himself before you my brother, and for seeking to betroth a woman Allah has destined her to be your wife!
Ali bin Abi Tâlib on The Sum Of Islam
Muqâtil bin Qatâda narrated that a man from the Tribe of Khazâ`a once came and asked `Ali, God bless his countenance: “Have you ever heard God’s messenger, upon whom be peace, epitomizes [typifying] the religion of Islam?”. `Ali replied: “Yes indeed, I have heard God’s messenger say,
‘Islam is based on four pillars:
1) patience (sabr);
2) certitude (yaqîn);
3) struggle (jihâd); and
4) justice (`adl).
From patience evolve four branches,
1.1) yearning;
1.2) compassion;
1.3) ascetic detachment; and
1.4) contemplation.
Therefore, whosoever yearns for the heavenly paradise must control his passion, and whosoever fears burning in hell-fire must step away from what is forbidden, and whosoever develops ascetic detachment from this world must regard his adversities as negligent, and whosoever awaits death must hasten to do good.
On the other hand, from certitude branches four shoots;
2.1) An intelligent insight;
2.2) wisdom in interpreting the events;
2.3) cognizance and taking heed of the past and present lessons of life; and finally,
2.4) pursuing the prophetic traditions.
Therefore, whosoever develops an intelligent insight, he will be able to interpret the past and current events with wisdom, and he will recognize and take heed of the lessons of life. Whosoever develops such true knowledge and wisdom, he will unavoidably pursue the prophetic traditions, and finally, whosoever pursues the prophetic traditions, he will be assembled among the earlier (al-awwalîn) and the most blessed cluster of believers.
As for the branch of struggle (jihâd), it also has four branches,
3.1) to command what is good and beneficial;
3.2) to forbid what is evil and loathsome;
3.2) to speak the truth in its proper place; and
3.4) to forsake the company of evil people.
Therefore, whosoever commands what is good and beneficial, he would have become the backbone of the believer, and whosoever forbids what is evil and loathsome, he would have compelled the spite of a hypocrite to yield to the truth, whosoever always speaks the truth, he would have paid his dues and proved the truthfulness of his religious adherence, and whosoever forsakes the company of evil people, he would have spared himself the wrath of Allah, and finally, whosoever becomes angry for the sake of Allah, then Almighty Allah will defend him imperiously.
Finally, the branch of justice also has four shoots,
4.1) depth in one’s understanding;
4.2) fruition [fulfillment, realization] of his knowledge;
4.3) unswerving adherence to the divine jurisprudence; and
4.4) resting in the gardens of forbearance.
Therefore, one who fathoms [gets to the bottom of] the depth of matters can explain the beauty of knowledge; one who guards the fruit of knowledge will recognize and adhere to the divine jurisprudence (fiqh); and one who recognizes the boundaries of the divine jurisprudence will be able to enter and enjoy the gardens of forbearance, and finally, one who enjoys the gardens of forbearance will be shielded against the bitterness of trials and visitations, and will he live among people who will delight in his company.”
It is also said that spiritual purity means to exclusively and happily seek one’s Beloved (God) for all of one’s needs.
Ali bin Abi Tãlib on the Types of People
Abdu-Rahman bin Jandab narrated that Kamil bin Ziyad told him:
” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) held my hand once, and he walked with me in the direction of the cemetery. When we reached the open desert, he soughed a deep breath before he said to me,’O Kamil son of Ziyad, hearts are like vessels, the best are exceptionally conscious and vast. Learn from what I am going to tell you. There are three types of people ..
(1) A godly scholar,
(2) a student who is seeking salvation, and
(3) a ferocious follower of every howler and his own type.
The third type of people are biased, and they float with the currents. They neither seek enlightenment through knowledge, nor do they take refuge in a safe recess during a storm. You must understand that knowledge is better than money, for knowledge will guard you, while you have to be the guard of your money. Deeds are more exalted than knowledge, while money needs someone to spent it justly in order to render it pure. To love a man of knowledge and to learn at his hand is a debt one can never repay. Knowledge earns its owner respect during his lifetime and praiseworthy remembrance after his death, while what money can do expires once it is spent. The keever of a safe dies and what he guards and the treasures remain, however, a men of knowledge lives throughout the ages.
Their distinct form may no longer be seen, but their findings are preserved in people’s hearts. Although knowledge is preserved in the hearts, yet if it is acted upon, it will carry its bearer, otherwise when merely memorized, knowledge remains vulnerable. (Another) person may use his religious knowledge for worldly gains … like that, knowledge dies away when its carrier dies.
However, the earth will never remain devoid of someone who carries the proof of God’s sovereignty, and the testimony of His messenger otherwise, God’s revelations and clear signs will be abrogated. Such true human beings are the rare few, although they are the most exalted in God’s sight. Through them, Almighty Allah guards His message, and He will not take them back unto Himself until they have delivered the same to their coequals. These people endeavor to plant such seeds in hearts akin to their own. Hence, knowledge gushes forth from their hearts, and they take from it the terrain the opulent ones judge as rugged and what the ignorant ones deem as reprehensible. In fact God’s people live in this world with bodies who’s souls are captivated by the Supreme Observer of all. Such are God’s vice-regents on earth, and such are the callers to His religion. Ah, ah! I yearn to meet them, and I ask for God’s forgiveness for me and for you. Now if you wish we may go back.”
A Sermon of `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ood (may Allah be pleased with him)
Amr ibn Thabit narrated that `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood said in one of his sermons: “Surely the most truthful speech is that of the Qur’an, the Book of Allah; and the best of covenants and bonds are an expression of piety; the best of persuasions is that of Ibraahim `alayhis salam, and the best of traditions are those of Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. The most noble and exalted of speeches and conversations is to talk about Allah the Most High; the best and most truthful of stories are told in the Qur’an; the worth of a good deed will show at the end, and the most evil of deeds are innovations; to have less of what satisfies one’s needs is better than to have aplenty one cannot compass or control; the worst self-blaming (nafsu lawwaama) is sorrow when death comes to seize the person, and the worst grief is to have regret on the Day of Judgment; the worst of aberration is to stray from Allah’s path after receiving His guidance; true prosperity is to have satisfaction and contentment; the best provision for the hereafter is piety; suspicion is a branch of apostasy; the worst blindness is that of the heart; wine is the source of every evil; the temptation about women is the rope of Satan; teenage heralds the growing up of arrogance and folly; mourning losses is a pagan act; some people come late to the Friday’s congregational prayers, dragging their feet, and they speak of Allah the Most High illusively.
In fact, to lie is the greatest sin; to insult a believer is an act of insolence; and to fight a believer is apostasy. The sanctity of the property of a believer is as sacred as his life; one who pardons the sins of others, Allah will forgive him his sins, and one who swallows his anger, Allah will reward him, one who forgives others, Allah will forgive him, and one who bears his adversity, Allah will reward him aplenty. The most evil of earnings is money made of usury and accumulation of interest; the worst of food is to eat up the inheritance of orphan. The luckiest of people is one who takes heed of the reason behind others’ misfortunes; and the unlucky is thus conceived in the womb of his mother. Sufficient for you is what satisfies your basic needs; surely the lag of one’s journey will culminate in a grave six linear feet long; one’s real goal will eventually be seen at the end, – and truth will surely manifest at the end. The results of one’s actions will expose his initial intention; the worst story is a lie; the best death is that of a martyr; one who knows the value of adversities will bear them, and one who does not understand that will question the reason behind them. Allah the Most High will surely bring an arrogant person to humiliation. Whosoever vies to capture the world will reach a dead end, and whosoever obeys Satan would have disobeyed Allah the Most High, and finally, whosoever disobeys Allah the Most High will be punished in hell-fire.”
Wahb Ibn Munbih reported that the disciples asked Jesus son of Mary, upon both of whom be peace: it is said that Gods deputies are not subject to fear nor shall they Grieve; tell us something about them, who are they? Jesus replied: They are those who look deep into the earth when others look at the surface. They observe what is hidden when others are attracted to the passing pleasures, and they focus on the consequences of this world, when others seek its immediate profits. They let die in them what may shame them, and they renounce what will ultimately leave them. They are satisfied with little and the bare necessities from this world, and they do not even waste their time in discussing what is ephemeral. What they receive from this world becomes a burden and a cause of their sorrow, and they are adamant in refusing to look at other attractions therein. What comes to them as lawful they renounce, and the success that may cross their path they turn down. When their dwellings fall apart, they do not rebuild them, and when their desire for this world dies in their hearts, they do not renew it. They use their determination and will to sustain their true comfort in the abode of the hereafter instead. They have sold the pleasure and comfort of this world for the price of their comfort in the hereafter.
They sold what is ephemeral, and for such a meagre price, they bought what is eternal, and subsequently, they became the truly happy ones. They look at the people who love this world and see them as dead and toiling in between one calamity after another. They recall death and renounce the idea of occupying themselves with this life. They truly love Almighty Allah. They love to speak of him, and to constantly invoke his remembrance. They walk by his light and they invite and allow others to walk by it as well. In fact they are a true wonder, and they know the true wonder. Allahs glorious Book is proclaimed through them, they establish it, and live by it. The magnificent revealed book speaks through them, and with it they speak. Through them the glorious Book becomes known and will live by it. They consider their trials as a vehicle for advancement despite the extreme sufferings they may endure. They find no peace except in what they seek, and they fear nothing except what should concern them most.
Such are the true believers, and such are Gods deputies (awliyah). They are protected from looking at this abject world with arrogance, and they observe the work of their Beloved with contemplation and heedfulness.
On this subject, Ibn Abbas, God be pleased with him, once said: When God Almighty commissioned Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh, He said to them: Be not deceived by the garment with which I dressed him, for I control his destiny, and he cannot utter a word or blink without My will. Be not deceived by the comfort and pleasures of the world he dwells in, for these are the lot of the ornate and the luxury of the opulent ones. If it were My will, I can surely dress you with ornaments from this world, and which pharaoh will certainly recognize his inability to muster. It is not because you are not worthy of it, rather it is because I have dressed you with your share of honour and exaltedness besides which the world becomes insignificant. I protect My deputies in this world just like a shepherd drives his flock away from dangerous fields. I drive them away from its pleasures just like a shepherd prevents his flock from eating contaminated or poisonous grass. I want thus to illuminate their stations, and cleanse their hearts. The countenance of my deputy carries his signs and reason for his true happiness. You also must know that whosoever persecutes any of my deputies or causes them fear, has indeed declared war on me, and he shall meet with My ultimate wrath on the day of Resurrection.
Wahb bin Munbih in his narration of the same Sacred Tradition (Hadith Qudsi), added that God almighty also said to Moses and Aaron:You also must know that My servants cannot wear a garment which has more significance that the garment of asceticism and renouncing the world, for it is the cloak of the pious ones. By it, their peacefulness and piety can be identified. The marks of their prostration show on their faces. Such are My true servants. If you encounter them, lower your wings to them, and speak humbly to them. You also must know that whosoever persecutes any of my deputies or causes them fear, has indeed declared war on Me, and thus, he has invited Me to bring about his destruction, for I hasten first to help My deputies, and I have assigned such responsibility to no one but Me.
Ismail Ibn Isa in relating the above Sacred tradition also reported another section of the divine address whereby, Allah further said:O Moses! You must know that my servants maintain vigilant hearts and constant fear of Me. Such state manifests in their physical condition and in their striving in the world, and it is the immediate cause of their winning my blessings in the hereafter. I am their sole Hope by which they call upon me and thus, if you meet them, humble yourself to them.
Indeed such special beings are the light that dispels the darkness. They are people who have filled their hearts with constant awareness of God Almighty, and with recognition of His witnesses. He dresses them with the effulgent light of his love, and raises before their eyes the banners of his guidance so that they may seek it. He endows them with patience to protect them against resisting his will. He makes them the champions and models of those consenting to his will. He purifies their their bodies with the constant alertness of observing and contemplating Him. He anoints them with the perfume of His intimate ones. He then fills their hearts with the vestige of the innermost secrets of his being, so that they become attracted to Him, and their hearts attached solely to him. Thus, their zeal and ardour rise only towards Him. Their inner eyes constantly observe Him, and he stations them at the gate of gazing at him. He then makes them the Gnostics, the physicians of the hearts, and the wise sages to serve the needs of the seekers of his path. He then says to them, If a needy one comes to you asking for the medicine of My nearness, nurse his needs. Treat kindly the one who is sick and emaciated because of his separation from Me. Comfort the heart of the one who is fearful of me. Warn he who is not mindful of Me. Congratulate the one who yearns for my continuos presence. Provide the provisions for a seeker journeying toward Me. Encourage a coward to come forward and to barter with Me. Promise a good reward for the one who is in despair of My munificence. Give the glad tidings of My generosity to one who is hoping for Me. Honour those who honour Me. Guide those who are seeking My path. Inquire about the once who fails to regularly join your circles. Be patient with someones burdens if he unloads them before you. Bear up any accusations any one may cast upon you. Do not reprimand someone who fails in observing My rights upon him. Gently advise one who is committing wrongdoing. Visit the sick among My deputies. Comfort someone who is struck with grief, and shelter someone who desperately seeks you.
O my deputies, for your sake I reprimand, and keeping you in My presence is My will. I ask nothing from you except loyalty and gratitude. To comfort you, I have chosen and elected the best of people to serve you. I have chosen you to serve Me, for I do not like to employ tyrants or arrogant people. I do not cultivate the confused ones for my company, nor do I answer the inquisitions of the fraudulent ones. I do not bring nigh unto Me the ostentatious or the pretentious ones. I do not like to sit with the lazy ones, nor do I favour the company of the gluttonous ones.
O my deputies! I shall reward you with the best reward and I shall endow you with the choicest of gifts. I have conferred upon you My bounty. My favour upon you is the most generous, and My dealing with you is the best of commerce. However, what I ask of you is most demanding. I am the expert collector and connoisseur of hearts, I am the best judge of their quality, and I know what they hide. I am the observer of every move, and not a single blink of an eye can escape My knowledge. I oversee all thoughts, and I know best the range of each mind. Be ye My harbingers. Let no authority bewilder you, and fear only Me. Whosoever harms you, I shall destroy him. Whosoever recognizes you as My servants, I shall reward him, and whosoever forsakes you, I will let him suffer confusion, regret, and loneliness.
Such are Gods deputies. He is their only delight. His subtle presence and kindness is their only solace. He safeguards their covenant, and they are answerable solely to him.
Abu Ddarda
Abdu- Rahman Bin Muhammad al-Muharibi narrated that Abu Ddarda (May Allah be Pleased with him), once sent a letter to one of his brethren, and after greeting him with the peace of Allah, blessed be His Name, he wrote: My dear brother, remember that there is nothing which is in your possession today that did not belong to someone else before you, and which will not soon become the trust of someone else after you. The only benefit you can partake of what is under your control today is the way you use it to allow your soul to reap its benefits tomorrow! Therefore, give preference to charitable deeds over and above beefing up the size of the inheritance of any one of your righteous children, and whom you do not know how will he use it? Otherwise, you will pass from this world to stand before someone who will not accept your failure; meanwhile, you would have worked hard in this world to bequeath one who will be grateful to someone other than you. The wealth you worked hard to amass in this world will eventually culminates in one of two possibilities:
1) It will either fall into the hands of someone who will use it in obedience to Allahs commands, and whose deeds will benefit him, while you would have worked hard and deprived yourself of the benefits of such deeds; or,
2) It will fall into the hands of someone who disobeys Almighty Allah, blessed be His Name, and who will use it in an evil way, whereby you will share in his punishment and sufferings for what you have bequeathed him to nurture his weaknesses.
I swear by Almighty Allah, blessed be His Name, that neither of the above-described two categories of people is more worthy than yourself to receive Allahs mercy, and none of them merits more than you what have worked hard and sweated to bequeath them to pacify their life and to assuage their comfort in this world after you depart from it. The best you can do for them is to pray for their sake. Ask for Allahs mercy for those who died, and as for those who will remain the dwellers of this world after you die, trust that Almighty Allah, blessed be His Name, has guaranteed their sustenance, as well as that of everyone else, and for as long as they dwell herein. I bid you peace.
Talha bin Ubaidullah
Abdullah bin Ja’far narrated that ‘Aisha, God be pleased with her, used to say: “Whenever the day of the Battle of Mount Uhud was mentioned, Abu Bakr (RA) referred to it as ‘The day of Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah’.”
Abu Bakr, once said: “On the day of Uhud, Abi Ubaida al-Jarrah and myself took shelter in the shade near God’s messenger who turned to us and said: ‘Hasten to your friend!’ He meant Talha bin Ubaidullah, who was bleeding profusely, but we first took care of God’s messenger’s condition, and then we sought Talha who was lying wounded in one of the groves. When we found him, he had sustained near seventy wounds and blows, and he had lost his fingers during the battle, hence, we attended to him and nursed him the best we could.”
“After the battle, when God’s messenger returned to Madinah, he stood upon the pulpit, praised God Almighty and thanked Him for His countless blessings, and he then recited: Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Some have fulfilled their vows, while others await their end, yielding to no changes. (Qur’an 33:23). Someone stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, who are such people?’”
Abu Bakr continued: “At that moment, Talha had just arrived in the mosque, and he was wearing a green robe under a green cloak, when God’s messenger saw him, he said, ‘O questioner, here is one of them.’
“Muhammad bin Imran narrated that Sa’dah, daughter of Awf, and wife of Talha, said: “In one day, Talha distributed one hundred thousand Dirham in charity. Some money was still left in the house, so I tied it up in his robe, and he carried it to the mosque where he distributed it in charity.”
Al-Hassan, God be pleased with him, narrated that Talha once sold a piece of land he owned for seven hundred thousand Dirhams. Talha kept the money in his house for a long sleepless night, and at sunrise, he distributed everything in charity.”
Al-Zubair bin Al-Awwam
The peer and companion of Talha bin Ubaidullah was Al-Zubair bin al-Awwam, God be pleased with both of them. Besides his spiritual distinctions, al-Zubair was a stern challenger, as well as a resolute and prudent warrior, however, he was submissive to his Master, and he was totally dependent on Him. Al-Zubair was loyal, steadfast, forgiving, and generous. At the age of 16, when he embraced Islam, his uncle used to tie him up to a metal pole and kindle a fire around him, nearly suffocating him with its smoke, and his uncle used to scream at him: “Renounce your faith,” and al-Zubair would keep on avowing: “I will never ever go back to denying the truth.”
Ali bin Zaid reported that those who were close to al-Zubair narrated that his chest was filled with open cuts and wounds he sustained while defending God’s messenger. The poet Hassan bin Thabit once lauded al-Zubair bin al-Awwam, saying: “He unsheathed his sword during scores of stressful moments to defend God’s chosen Messenger, and God surely gives His munificent blessings to whomever He wills. In his time, no one matched his courage, nor before that did anyone meet his calibre. Moreover, time will pass and no one can come even near his uprightness. To praise you, O lion of the jungle, is surely better than many immaculate deeds, and yet, O son of al-Hashimiyya, your actions are a much greater deed.”
Al-Walid bin Muslim narrated that Said bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz said: “At one time, al-Zubair bin al-Awwam was extremely rich, and he had one thousand servants who collected his daily revenues from a variety of businesses and properties he owned. Each night, he divided the entire income they brought him, and he distributed the same in full before he entered his house.”
The same was confirmed in the narration of Mughith bin Sama, who said: “Al-Awwam had one thousand workers who collected his land revenues, and not a Dirham (i.e., a dime) of that money ever entered his house.”
Abi Salma narrated that upon the revelation of the Quranic verse: Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will settle your disputes in the presence of your Lord, (Qur’an 39:31) al-Zubair asked: “O Messenger of Allah, will we have to face each other again and re-enact the arguments we had in this world?” God’s messenger replied: “Indeed you will surely do that.” Al-Zubair pondered for a moment and then said: “I swear by Almighty Allah that this is a most serious matter.”
Abdullah bin Al-Zubair also narrated that on the day of the Battle of the Camel, his father al-Zubair instructed him concerning his debts, and he added: “My dear son, when sometimes you find it difficult to manage, then call for the help of my Master.”
Abdullah added: “I did not understand what he meant by ‘My Master’ until I once asked him, ‘Father! Who is your master?’ He replied, ‘Allah.’ Later on, ‘Abdullah said, ‘By God, whenever I felt any anxiety about his business, I prayed, ‘O Master of al-Zubair, satisfy his debt and surely Allah fulfilled his wish.”
Hisham bin Urwa narrated, that upon his martyrdom, al-Zubair bin al-Awwam did not leave a single Dinar or Dirham in cash, except for two estates and some houses he owned. He incurred his debts from his practice of not accepting to keep anything on consignment, for during the pilgrimage season, and whenever a travelling merchant brought him his remaining goods to sell for him and to keep the money until the next season, al-Zubair bin al-’Awwam would reply: “I do not accept anything on consignment, but I will take the goods as a loan, for I fear to mix them with other merchandise.”
Later on, after he died, and when his son counted his debts, they added up to two million. To satisfy his father’s debts, Abdullah bin al-Zubair used to attend the pilgrimage season annually, and he called the pilgrims to come forward to claim the money they loaned to his father. Abdullah did that for four consecutive years until everything was repaid. Only after the four years passed, that Abdullah divided the remaining balance between the heirs. Al-Zubair had four wives, and each one of them inherited one million and two hundred thousand Dirhams.
Excerpts from The Beauty of the Righteous & Ranks of the Elite
Hilyat-ul Awliya Wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya
By Imam Abu Na’im al-Asfahani (948-1038 C.E.)
Trans. by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Akili
© 1996-2005 Pearl Publishing House
A Collection of Over 1000 Rare Accounts of the Blessed Companions of God’s Messenger Muhammad (Pbuh). Based on the classic 10th century work of Imam Abu Naim al Asfahani- Hilyat-ul Awliya Wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya.
Sunnah Muakada 