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“The best of you in
Jahiliyyah are the best of you in Islam, as long as they have understanding.”
[Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)]1
Khalid and the tall boy glared at
each other. Slowly they began to move in a circle, the gaze of each
fixed intently upon the other, each looking for an opening for his
attack and each wary of the tricks that the other might use. There
was no hostility in their eyes-just a keen rivalry and an unshakeable
determination to win. And Khalid found it necessary to be cautious,
for the tall boy was left-handed and thus enjoyed the advantage
that all left-handers have over their opponents in a fight.
Wrestling was a popular pastime among the boys
of Arabia, and they frequently fought each other. There was no malice
in these fights. It was a sport, and boys were trained in wrestling
as one of the requirements of Arab manhood. But these two boys were
the strongest of all and the leaders of boys of their age. This
match was, so to speak, a fight for the heavy-weight title. The
boys were well matched. Of about the same age, they were in their
early teens. Both were tall and lean, and newly formed muscles rippled
on their shoulders and arms as their sweating bodies glistened in
the sun. The tall boy was perhaps an inch taller than Khalid. And
their faces were so alike that one was often mistaken for the other.
Khalid threw the tall boy; but this was no ordinary
fall. As the tall boy fell there was a distinct crack, and a moment
later the grotesquely twisted shape of his leg showed that the bone
had broken. The stricken boy lay motionless on the ground, and Khalid
stared in horror at the broken leg of his friend and nephew. (The
tall boy's mother, Hantamah bint Hisham bin Al Mugheerah, was Khalid's
first cousin.)
In course of time the injury healed and the leg
of the tall boy became whole and strong again. He would wrestle
again and be among the best of wrestlers. And the two boys would
remain friends. But while they were both intelligent, strong and
forceful by nature, neither had patience or tact. They were to continue
to compete with each other in almost everything that they did.
The reader should make a mental note of this tall
boy for he was to play an important role in the life of Khalid.
He was the son of Al Khattab, and his name was Umar.
Soon after his birth Khalid was taken away from
his mother, as was the custom among the better families of the Quraish,
and sent to a Bedouin tribe in the desert. A foster mother was found
for him, who would nurse him and bring him up. In the clear, dry
and unpolluted air of the desert, the foundations were laid of the
tremendous strength and robust health that Khalid was to enjoy throughout
his life. The desert seemed to suit Khalid, and he came to love
it and feel at home in it. From babyhood he grew into early childhood
among the Arabs of the desert; and when he was five or six years
old he returned to his parents' home in Makkah.
Some time in his childhood he had an attack of
small pox, but it was a mild attack and caused no damage except
to leave a few pock marks on his face. These marks did not, however,
spoil his ruggedly handsome face, which was to cause a lot of trouble
among the belles of Arabia - and some -to himself too.
The child became a boy; and as he reached the
age of boyhood he came to realise with a thrill of pride that he
was the son of a chief. His father, Al Waleed, was the Chief of
the Bani Makhzum - one of the noblest clans of the Quraish - and
was also known in Makkah by the title of AlWaheed- the Unique. Khalid's
upbringing was now undertaken by the father who did his best (and
with excellent success) to instil into Khalid all the virtues of
Arab manhood-courage, fighting skill, toughness and generosity.
Al Waleed took great pride in his family and his ancestors, and
told Khalid that he was:
Khalid
son of Al Waleed
son of Al Mugheerah
son of Abdullah
son of Umar
son of Makhzum (after whom the clan was named)
son of Yaqza
son of Murra
son of Kab
son of Luwayy
son of Ghalib
son of Fihr
son of Malik
son of Al Nazr
son of Kinana
son of Khuzeima
son of Mudrika
son of Ilyas
son of Muzar
son of Nizar
son of Ma'add
son of Adnan
son of Udd
son of Muqawwam
son of Nahur
son of Teirah
son of Ya'rub
son of Yashjub
son of Nabit
son of Isma'il (regarded as the father of the Arabians)
son of Ibrahim (the prophet)
son of Azar
son of Nahur
son of Sarugh (or Asragh)
son of Arghu
son of Falakh
son of Eibar
son of Shalakh
son of Arfakhshaz
son of Saam
son of Noah (the prophet)
son of Lamk
son of Mattushalakh
son of Idris (the prophet)
son of Yard
son of Muhla'il
son of Qeinan
son of Anush
son of Sheis
son of Adam (the father of mankind)
1. Bukhari,
from Abu Hurayrah. Sahih Al-Jami’ Al-Saghir No. 3267
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