Az-Zubayr ibn Al-Awam: companion of prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬

Az-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwām ibn Khuwaylid ( 594-656) was a companion of

Muhammad, father to Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and later one of the most successful
commanders of the Rashidun army and served under the Rashidun caliphs Abu Bakr
and Umar.
Az-Zubair embraced Islam at the age of fifteen, although he was still young, he
was a strong believer, fully convinced, for he had suffered a lot for the sake of Islam
despite his well-known family name and his honor.
His uncle used to wrap him in a burning straw mat until the smoke came out of
it and he almost suffocated and tried to force him to disbelief in Prophet Mohammad
and Allah. Az-Zubair would say: "By Allah now I would never return to Kufr ."
He is among the first five men who embraced Islam. He is also one of the ten
men who promised to enter paradise and one of the six Shoora (consultation) men that
Umar Ibn Al Khattab recommended as Khalifah (Caliph).
Az Zubair had immigrated in the two immigrations, to Ethiopia, then to Al-
Madinah. He was the first one to use a sword to fight in the Cause of Allah and that was
in Mekkah before the Muslims were ordered to fight.
Az-Zubair witnessed all the battles with Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). He was
never reluctant nor hesitant in joining the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in any of the battles against no-
believers.
Az-Zubair gave the highest priority in his life to fighting in the Cause of Allah
and joining the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬in battles to fight non-believers. The Prophet (PBUH) said
about him: "Al Zubair and Talhah are my neighbors in paradise."
During the battle of Badr, it was said that Az Zubair tied around his head a yellow
nomadic headcover and that the angels came down from heaven looking like him.
And in the Battle of Al-Khandaq when the non-believers took control over Al-
Madinah, the believers were extremely shaken. The Prophet (PBUH) called his
companions and said: "Who will bring us the news of the people in Al- Madinah?!,-
Az-Zubair said: I, O Prophet of Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) asked the same question
three times, and every time Az-Zubair would stand up and say: I."So the Prophet
(PBUH) said: "Every Prophet used to have a disciple), and my disciple Az-Zubair Ibn
Al -Awwam".
Az Zubair was seen during pilgrimage wearing "Ihram" clothes (pilgrimage
costume). Someone saw how his body was full of wounds from the strikes of swords.
He also saw in his chest what seemed like heavy deep scars from arrows and spears, so
he told him:
"By Allah, I have never seen a body like your body. So Az-Zubair said: Not any
of these wounds have happened except when I was in the company Prophet Mohammad
‫ﷺ‬, fighting in the Cause of Allah."
In the battle of Yarmuk, non-believers almost won the battle, so Az-Zubair said
in a loud voice Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is Great)and took his horse and ran towards the
enemies, riding through them all, and on his way back, he was cutting off their heads,
overthrowing them on both sides (right and left),. Doing so he encouraged the Muslims
and they started attacking the enemy in one man's power, and they won the battle with
Allah's help.