MATURE AND PROACTIVE INDIVIDUALS

MATURE AND PROACTIVE INDIVIDUALS Asset for a Mission A BDULLAH IBN UBAYY (d. 631) was a great chief of ancient Madinah. The people of Madinah had unanimously agreed to make him their king. However, it so happened that the Prophet Muhammad left Makkah and came to Madinah. The people of Madinah (Ansar) now started to treat him as their leader. In the beginning, the people who had migrated to Madinah (Muhajiroon) were in the minority. But people continued migrating from different places until the Muhajiroon became the majority and Ansar became a minority. So far, Abdullah ibn Ubayy had been the ruler of the Ansar. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/370) This was the reason Abdullah ibn Ubayy had feelings of antagonism for the Prophet and the Muhajiroon. He would somehow try to find ways of accusing and humiliating them. One of the incidents in this regard happened during the expedition against Banu Mustaliq (December 627). Abdullah ibn Ubayy participated with the people of his tribe in support of the Muslims. Taking advantage of an incident on the way, he made some accusations against the Prophet and the Muhajiroon. Addressing the people of his tribe, he said, “Indeed, when we return to Madinah, [we] the ones most worthy of honour will surely drive out from there the contemptible ones!’ [referring to poor Muslims]." (63: 8) This event is described in detail in books. In summary, the caravan continued to move until it approached Madinah. At that time a very unusual incident happened: His son Abdullah stood at the entrance of Madinah waiting for his father Abdullah ibn Ubayy. When Abdullah ibn Ubayy reached the gate, his son stopped him saying, “Wait, by God you cannot enter the city until the Prophet of God allows you to enter.” When the Prophet reached there, Abdullah ibn Ubayy asked him for permission to enter the city. The Prophet permitted him to enter the city. His son Abdullah then left his father so that he could enter. This incident shows that the Companions of the Prophet were so mature and proactive that they knew what they needed to do without someone telling them. The Prophet had said nothing to Abdullah. He The success of a mission depends on the fact that it gets a team of prepared, proactive and mature people. Without such a prepared team, no mission can succeed.