Islamic Figures: Amr ibn Thabit (entered Paradise without ever having prayed a single prayer to God)
The Companion Amr ibn Thabit ibn Waqish ibn Zaghbah ibn Za'ura ibn Abd al-Ashhal al-Ansari entered Paradise without ever having prayed a single prayer to God. He was known by the nickname al-Usayrim. He was from the Banu Abd al-Ashhal clan of the Aws tribe. He is sometimes referred to by his grandfather's name, Amr ibn Uqaysh. His mother was the daughter of al-Yaman, the sister of the noble Companion Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman. He was nicknamed al-Usayrim and was martyred at the Battle of Uhud.
Before the Battle of Uhud, what prevented him from embracing Islam
was that he had money earned through usury, which he feared he would lose if he
converted. He was reluctant to convert until he received it. When the Battle of
Uhud took place, God instilled Islam in his heart. He went to inquire about his
cousins and other people from his tribe, and was told that they had gone out
to fight the polytheists at Uhud. So he went out to fight. Some Muslims saw him
and said to him, "Leave us alone." He said, “I believe.”
Then he fought until his wounds proved fatal, and he was on the
verge of death. They carried him to his tribe, Banu Abd al-Ashhal, and asked
him the reason for his coming: was it out of zeal for his people, or out of
anger for God and His Messenger?
He said, “Rather, I was angry for God and His Messenger.” Then he
died a martyr, without having offered a single prayer to God.
Then they mentioned his case to the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him), who testified that he was destined for Paradise, saying, “He is
among the people of Paradise.”
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that he said:
“Amr ibn Uqaysh had a debtor during the pre-Islamic era, and he disliked
embracing Islam until he had taken him. So he came on the day of Uhud and said,
‘Where are my cousins?’ They said, ‘At Uhud.’ He said, ‘Where is so-and-so?’
They said, ‘At Uhud.’ He said, ‘And where is so-and-so?’” They said: At Uhud.
So he put on his armor and mounted his horse, then he headed towards them. When
the Muslims saw him, they said: Get away from us, O Amr. He said: I have
believed. So he fought until he was wounded. He was carried to his family
wounded. Saad bin Muadh came to him and said to his sister: Ask him if he was
out of zeal for his people, or anger for them, or anger for God? He said:
Rather, anger for God and His Messenger. So he died and entered Paradise, and
he did not pray to God a single prayer. (Source: Sahih Abi Dawud; Summary of
the Hadith scholar’s ruling (Al-Albani): Hasan). This hadith clarifies that
striving in the path of God is a means of entering Paradise, and that embracing
Islam erases what came before it. Anger is for the sake of God Almighty and His
Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
May God be pleased with Amr ibn Thabit and with all the Companions
of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
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