The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 174
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 174 Pioneers After Ḥaḍrat Khadījah ra , Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra , Ḥaḍrat ‘ Alī ra and Zaid bin Ḥārithah ra , five more individuals accepted Islām, by the preaching of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra. All of these individuals acquired such eminence and dignity, that they are considered the greatest of companions. These are their names: First was Ḥaḍrat ‘ Uthmān bin ‘Affān ra who belonged to the dynasty of the Banū Umaiyyah. When he accepted Islām, his age was approximately 30 years. After Ḥaḍrat ‘ Umar ra he became the third Caliph of the Holy Prophet sa. Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān ra was remarkably modest, loyal, soft-hearted, beneficent and affluent. Therefore, he served Islām financially at many instances. The love of the Holy Prophet sa for Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān ra can be measured by the fact that he gave him two of his daughters in marriage, one after another, due to which he is known as Dhūn Nūrain. Second was Ḥaḍrat ‘ Abdur-Raḥmān bin ‘Auf ra who belonged to the dynasty of the Banū Zuhrah – the dynasty of the Holy Prophet’s sa mother. He was a man of extraordinary understanding and experience. It was he who settled the issue of the Caliphate of Ḥaḍrat ‘ Uthmān ra. When he accepted Islām he was approximately 30 years of age. He died in the reign of ‘Uthmān ra. Third was Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqāṣ ra who, at that time, was in the prime of his youth – that is to say, 19 years of age. He was also from the Banū Zuhrah and was astonishingly brave and courageous. In the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘ Umar ra , Iraq was conquered at his hands. He died in the time of Amīr Mu‘āwiyah. The fourth was Zubair bin Al-‘Awwām ra , who was a cousin of the Holy Prophet sa. He was the son of Ṣafiyyah bint ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib and later became the son-in-law of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra. He belonged to the Banū Asad and when he accepted Islām he was only 15 years old. At the occasion of the Battle of the Ditch, the Holy Prophet sa endowed him the title of Ḥawārī 1 due to an exceptional service performed by him. He was martyred in the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘ Alī ra during the Battle of the Camel. The fifth was Ṭalḥah bin ‘Ubaidullāh who was from the tribe of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra , the Banū Taim. During that time he was at the prime of his youth. Ṭalḥah was also amongst the distinctive devotees of Islām. He was martyred in the reign of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alī ra during the Battle of the Camel. All of these five companions are amongst the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah , in other words, they are included amongst those ten companions who were 1 Disciple (Publishers)