Page 154 - Self-Sacrifice in the Qur'an's Moral Teachings

Self-Sacrifice in the Qur'an's Moral Teachings

myself a shield against any arrows that might strike him. An arrow
fired at him would find me before hitting its target. Eventually, an
arrow came and one of my eyeballs protruded… 42

On the Day of Uhud, I protected the Prophet's face with my face, and
Abu Dujana Simak, an Ansari, protected his back with his own back.
That day, many arrows struck Abu Dujana's back. 43
Ibn Ishaq narrates an example of the self-sacrificial enthusiasm
that Muslims displayed, committed to winning Allah's approval:
I was present at the Battle of Uhud. My brother was also there. We both
left the battle wounded. When the Prophet's herald declared: "Everyone
will follow the enemy," I said to my brother: "Let's not miss fighting to-
gether with the Prophet." I swear to Allah, we had no animal to ride and
were both severely wounded. We set out together with the Prophet. But
I was less heavily wounded than my brother. When he fell exhausted, I
carried him a little on my back, and he walked a little. This went on
until the Muslims reached their destination. 44

Allah gives the good news of Paradise to all sincere Muslims who,
like the Companions, voluntarily sacrifice their own interests and pos-
sessions to win His approval:
Their Lord responds to them: "I will not let the deeds of any
doer among you go to waste, male or female – you are both the
same in that respect. Those who migrated and were driven
from their homes, and who suffered harm in My way and
fought and were killed, I will erase their bad actions and admit
them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, as a re-
ward from Allah. The best of all rewards is with Allah." (Surah
Al 'Imran: 195)

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