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`Amr Ibn Al-`As: A Man For All Seasons
`Amr
Ibn Al-`As, may Allah be pleased with him, was born about fifty
years before Hijrah (the Prophet’s Migration to Madinah), and he
died in the forty-third year after Hijrah. His father “Al-`As Ibn
Wa’il” was one of the `Arab chieftains during Jahilyiah (the
Pre-Islamic era).
`Amr,
may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam in the eighth year
after Hijrah. At that time, he went to the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be with him, who stretched his arm to shake
hands with `Amr, but the latter refused to shake hand with the
Prophet. Upon being inquired by the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be with him, what was wrong, `Amr replied: “I will not
pledge allegiance to you unless you guarantee that all my previous
sins would be forgiven.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“(Embracing) Islam and Hijrah expiate all previous sins.” Then
`Amr pledged allegiance to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him.
His
achievements:
1-
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed him a
commander of the army during the Battle of Dhat As-Salasil (the
Battle of Chains) for his great abilities.
2-
He participated in wars of apostasy (during the reign of Abu Bakr).
3-
At the time of `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, `Amr led the Muslim army to
conquer Palestine and restore Jerusalem back to Muslims.
4-
He conquered Egypt and, thus, opened the way for Islam to spread in
Africa and Europe.
He
was also known for his eloquence and fluency. In his last breath,
he took to implore Allah saying: “O Allah! You ordered us and we
disobeyed; You warned us and we paid no heed. So, we have no hope
except Your Forgiveness. O Most Merciful!”
With
that supplication `Amr gave up the ghost.
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