The Story of Saeed ibn Aamir Al-Jumahiy (RA)

Were we to look back at the lives of some of the sahaba, the companions of our Prophet (pbuh), we’d find in them many an inspiration and stories to melt our hearts.  Indeed, if we are to look for role models from among men after the Prophets (peace be upon them), what better place to start than the lives of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.  It’s a shame then that in this day and age we teach and are taught more about fictitious characters than we are about these hidden gems.  One such person whose name may not be too common among us today is Saeed ibn Aamir Al-Jumahiy and this is a summary of his story, a tale of a man who historians have described as: “A man who purchased the hereafter with this dunya and preferred Allah and His Rasool (pbuh) over everything beside them”.

A Calamity Which Changed His Life

At a very young age Saeed ibn Aamir (RA) witnessed an event which would change the course of his life forever.  He was one among thousands of people invited by the chiefs of Quraish for a procession towards Tan’eem, a district in Makkah, to witness the execution of the great Sahabi: Khubaib ibn Adiy (RA).  When the procession reached the place of execution, Saeed ibn Amir (RA) looked towards Khubaib (RA) and he found him, among all the screaming and shouting, firm and in a calm voice addressing the chiefs among those gathered: “If you will, leave me (for a few moments) so that I can pray 2 rakats (units of prayer) before my execution…”

The Quraysh obliged and Saeed ibn Amir (RA) witnessed Khubayb (RA) face the Qibla and start praying the 2 units of prayer in their completeness and beauty.  After he finished, Khubayb (RA) turned towards the chiefs of Quraysh and said: “By Allah if it wasn’t for you thinking that I have prolonged my prayer out of fear of death, I would have increased it”.  It is said that after this, Saeed ibn Amir (RA) witnessed the Quraysh set upon Khubayb (RA) and start dismembering his body while he was still alive. As blood was flowing out of him, the Quraysh started taunting him and saying: “Wouldn’t you like Muhammad (pbuh) to be in your place and you go free?”.  To which Khubayb, May Allah be pleased with him, replied with words which deserve to be written in gold: “By Allah I would not like to be safe and secure with my family and children while even a thorn was to harm Muhammad (pbuh)!”.  These words enraged the Quraysh and they started attacking him ferociously.  Khubayb (RA) raised his glance towards the sky, made a powerful dua and breathed his last.

This episode had a profound impact on the young boy, Saeed ibn Amir (RA).  It is said that this incident and what happened to Khubayb (RA), occupied Saeed’s mind even up until he was reaching adulthood.  He used to see Khubayb (RA) in his dreams when he slept and when he was awake, his thoughts wandered to him. He would see him in front him praying the 2 rakaats in complete calmness and serenity in front of the wood which he was due to be crucified on.  And he would hear Khubayb’s voice as he made dua against the Quraysh.  Saeed became worried and feared that he would be struck by a lightning bolt or that a rock would fall on him from the sky as punishment.

Allah Opens Saeed’s Heart to Islam

It is said that in his dying, Khubayb (RA) taught Saeed ibn Amir (RA) a number of lessons which no one had taught him before.  And among these lessons was that the man who the companions loved so much could only be a Prophet supported Divinely.

And with this, Allah (swt) opened Saeed’s heart to Islam so he stood in a gathering of people and declared that he was free from the sins and burdens of the Quraysh.  He renounced the idols and superstitions of the Quraysh and announced his entry in to the deen of Allah, Al-Islam.

After this, Saeed migrated to Madeenah and participated in a number of expeditions with the Prophet (pbuh).  After the Prophet (pbuh) passed away, Saeed remained in the service of Islam and the Khulafah that lead the Believers after the Prophet (pbuh), namely, Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA).  Saeed ibn Aamir (RA) was known to both as an honest and God-conscious individual and his opinions and advice was greatly valued.  

His Advice to Umar (RA)

One day he visited Umar bin Khattab (RA) when Umar (RA) became the khaleefah after the passing away of Abu Bakr (RA) and Saeed advised him with the following words:

"I advise you to fear Allah in dealing with people and do not fear the people in your relationship with Allah. Do not let your actions contradict your words for indeed the best of speech is that which is confirmed by action. Consider those who have been appointed over the affairs of Muslims, far and near. Like for them what you like for yourself and your family and dislike for them what you would dislike for yourself and your family. Overcome any obstacles to attain the truth and do not fear the criticisms of those who criticise when it comes to matters prescribed by Allah.”

To this, Umar (RA) replied: “And who is able to do this Saeed?”

To which Saeed said: “A man like yourself from among those whom Allah has appointed over the affairs of the Ummah (nation) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and whose sole responsibility is to Allah” said Saeed.

Not long after this, Umar (RA) called Saeed for help and said: “O Saeed, I appoint you to be the Governor of Homs”.  To which Saeed (RA) replied with: “O Umar, I ask you by Allah to not allow me to be tested or to be concerned by worldly affairs.”  At this, Umar (RA) became angry and said: “Woe to you… You have placed this great responsibility (i.e appointing me as the Khaleefah) on my neck and then left me!” To which Saeed quickly responded with: “By Allah I will not leave you”. 

It was here that Umar (RA) then appointed Saeed ibn Aamir as the governor of Homs and said to him: “Should I not offer you some money (to help him with his affairs)?”

Saeed (RA) simply said: “And what will I do with that (money)? For indeed the stipened I will be paid from the baytul maal will be more than sufficient for my needs.” And having said that, Saeed (RA) departed for Homs.

A Simple Life in Homs

It wasn’t long after this that a delegation whom Umar (RA) trusted from Homs came to him and he asked them to write down the names of their poor so that he could help towards their needs.  When the list was completed and he was going through the names, he was surprised to find the name: Saeed ibn Aamir so he asked: “And who is Saeed ibn Aamir?”

“Our Ameer.” they replied.

“Your Ameer is poor?” Asked Umar (RA),

“Yes, and by Allah days go by without fire being lit in his house.”

Upon hearing this, Umar (RA) cried profusely and then gathered a thousand Dinars, put them in a pouch, gave the pouch to the delegation and said to them: “Convey my Salaam to him and say to him: The Ameerul Mumineen has sent this wealth to you so that you can use it to help look after your needs”.

When the delegation reach Saeed and presented the pouch to him, he looked at it and saw that it contained Dinars, he started to push it away from himself saying: ina lilahi wa ina ilaihi rajioon - To Allah we belong and to Him is our return - as if a disaster had been revealed upon him.  His wife rushed to him, scared and said: “What’s happened to you O Saeed?! … Has the Ameerul Mumineen passed away?”

He said: “No, something greater than this.”

“Have the Muslims been defeated in battle?”

“No, something greater than that.”

“And what is greater than that?!”

Saeed replied: “The world has entered upon me to to cause corruption to my aakhirah (hereafter) and to create fitna in my house.”

To which his wife said: “Then get rid of it!” Without knowing anything about the Dinars.

“Will you help me with this?” Saeed asked.

“Yes” She replied.

So he took the Dinars and put them in to smaller pouches/cases and began distributing them among the poor and needy Muslimeen.

His People’s 4 Complaints Against Him

It wasn’t too long after this incident that Umar bin Khattab (RA) visited Shaam and Homs to examine the affairs of the Muslimeen there.  When he reached Homs, he greeted its people and then asked: “How have you found your Ameer (Saeed ibn Aamir)?” i.e, what is your opinion of your leader?

So the people started complaining about him and said that they had 4 complaints against him. Umar (RA) gathered the people and Saeed and he privately made dua to Allah to not allow his opinion of Saeed ibn Aamir (RA) be wrong because he had great trust in him.  So when the people and Saeed gathered, Umar (RA) asked them what their complaints were against their Ameer?

They started with: “He does not come out to us until the sun has risen high.”

“What do you have to say about this O Saeed?” Asked Umar (RA).

Saeed (RA) remained silent for a short while and then said: “By Allah I hate to say this, but since the matter is such and I am compelled to answer, my family has no helper so I get up in the morning and prepare dough for bread.  I then wait a while until it rises and then bake it for them.  After this, I make wudhu and leave my house to see the people.”

Umar turned to the people and asked them what their next complaint was about Saeed.

They said: “He does not answer anyone at night.”

Umar (RA) asked Saeed what he had to say about this.

He said: “Again, by Allah, I hate to announce this… I have dedicated my day for them and my nights for Allah (swt)”

Umar (RA) then asked them what other complaint they had against Saeed.

They said: “He does not come to us one day every month”

Saeed replied to this complaint by saying: “I have no helper O Ameerul Mumineen and I have no clothes other than the ones I am wearing.  So I wash them once a month and wait until they are dry.  After this I go out to the people in the latter part of the day.”

Umar (RA) once again turned to the people and asked them what other complaint they had against Saeed.

They replied: “Every now and then he faints and does not know his surroundings during gatherings”

Here Saeed became emotional and replied: “I witnessed the execution of Khubayb while I was still a mushrik and I witnessed the Quraysh cut his body in to pieces while they were saying to him: ‘Would you not like Muhammad (pbuh) to be in your place right now?’. And he replied to them by saying: ‘By Allah I would not like to be safe and secure with my family and children while even a thorn was to harm Muhammad (pbuh)!’ … By Allah whenever I remember that day and how I did not help him and think that maybe Allah will not forgive me, I faint.”

Upon hearing this, Umar (RA) praised Allah and thanked Him for not allowing his opinion of Saeed ibn Aamir (RA) to be wrong.  

A Man Who Preferred Others Even When He Was in Great Need Himself

Shortly after, Umar (RA) sent another thousand Dinars to Saeed (RA) to help him with his needs. 

When his wife saw the money she said to him: “Praise be to Allah Who has enriched us via your services. Buy some essentials and hire a helper for us with this money.”

Saeed replied: “Should I get you something better than that?”

“And what is that?” she asked.

“We will give it to the one who can return it to us when we need it most”, said Saeed.

She was still confused, so he said: “We will give it to Allah as a beautiful loan”.  

“Yes”, she said, “and He will reward us with better”.

And straight away, he started dividing the money and putting it in to cases and then sent a person from his household to give the money to such and such widow, to such and such orphan and to such and such poor person of such family.

May Allah be pleased with Saeed ibn Aaamir (RA), for indeed he preferred others over himself even when he was in great need himself.