Real heroes have flaws
In Islam we have real role models, our heroes in the Ummah are not fictive like the Hollywood role models in the West. The role models we have are very human, and we see this when we look at the battlefield. The world keeps a close eye on the Mujahideen, and they criticize them heavily at the slightest defect they show, if we could even call it a real defect. One of the many misconceptions surrounding Jihad and the Mujahideen is that the Mujahid is flawless, or at least he should be. One imagines the Mujahid as some kind of holy figure free from any defects, many Muslims think like this. But the reality is that the Mujahid is a man just like any other man, with all his human weaknesses and flaws. He can commit sins and make mistakes. Think about the fact that many Mujahideen in Syria, just a few years ago, lived in the carelessness (Ghaflah) many Muslims, in many counties, are still living in today. Allah changed the situation of the Syrians, and opened the doors of Jihad for them. The same goes for the Muslims in Iraq, Libya and other Islamic countries who suddenly woke from their carelessness when they were confronted by the harsh realities of war and bloody repression. But does it mean that the Mujahid lost all his bad habits and sins and became sinless overnight? If we wait for Jihad until all our sins vanished we will never perform Jihad.
In Syria for example there are Mujahideen who still are addicted to cigarettes, there are Mujahideen who commit sins. Those who claims otherwise are very naive about the reality. But does it mean that a sinning Mujahid does not have the status of a Mujahid? Can we look down on a Mujahid who commits sins and not count him among the Mujahideen? Most certainly not! Shaykh Abdullah Azzam was once asked in Afghanistan if the Jihad of some Afghan Mujahideen, who at the time fought against the communist Russians, was accepted. Because some of them were still addicted to opium, and have not been able to overcome this addiction during their Jihad. On this the Shaykh gave a beautiful answer, he said, "Even the Mujahid who is smoking opium has a higher status than the pilgrim kneeling before the Kabah!" Because there is no worship that is more valuable and washes away more sins than Jihad, it is the pinnacle of worship. The pilgrim who prays for the Kabah benefits only himself, in the contrary to the Mujahid who sacrifices his life on the battlefield to defend the Muslims.
Abdullah ibn Mubarak also said, "When the good deeds of someone outweigh his bad deeds, then his evil deeds are not mentioned. And when his bad deeds outweigh his good deeds, then his good deeds are not mentioned." [Ad-Dhahabi in his Siyar]
If this doesn’t convinced the Muslims, then let's look at the best generation of this Ummah. The companion Abi Mihjan At-Thaqafi was an alcoholic before he became Muslim, in the time of Jaahiliyah he would even say to his son, "If I die bury me next to a vineyard so that the grapes can quench my thirst, and do not bury me in the desert because I fear I will never taste flavor of wine after I am dead. " He was really addicted. So when he converted to Islam, he couldn’t overcome this addiction completely. Sometimes he drank alcohol, he showed remorse and was punished for this. Until he was overmastered by his addiction again, afterwards he would repent again and was punished for this. This continued for years, up until the leadership of Umar ibn Khattab. This sounds strange to some, but this shows us the humanity of the companions. They were people just like us, that’s why they are a perfect examples for us! If Allah gave us sinless angels as role models we would never be able to follow in their footsteps.
The Battle of Al-Qaddisiyah occurred and Umar ibn Khattab sent the Muslim army to fight against the Persians. The army commander at the time was Sa'd ibn Abbu Waqqas. The companion Abi Mihjan At-Thaqafi wanted to take part in this battle, but Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas said to him that he could not take part because he was known as someone who drank alcohol and was therefore not suitable. Abi Mihjan insisted and said maybe Allah will forgive me by giving me martyrdom, and cleanse me of my sin. After insisting he eventually joined anyway. The army arrived on the battlefield and set up camp. Meanwhile negotiations were ongoing between Sa'd and the Persians, they took longer than expected, so a few days passed without fighting. During this Abu Mihjan started to crave alcohol, eventually he broke and secretly drank alcohol. Word got out to Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas that he drank alcohol, Sa'd was very angry. He punished Abu Mihjan and tied him down in his tent, he was forbidden to take part in the war against the Persians.
SubhanAllah this was his punishment! His money was not taken away, he was not tortured or abused. No, his punishment was that he was not allowed to sacrifice his life on the battlefield! He was not allowed to search for Martyrdom. This was his punishment! Because of this Abu Mihjan became very sad, he begged and said he would repent, he kept insisting to take part in the battle. But Sa'd refused and didn’t change his decision. This is the difference between our generation and their generation. We flee from battle and martyrdom, and are happy when we escape from it. While they were running towards it, and became sad when they wouldn’t reach it. We see struggle and martyrdom as a punishment, while they saw the opposite as a punishment.
The Battle of Al-Qaddisyah finally began and continued without Abu Mihjan. Many were killed on both sides: the Persians and the Muslims. While Abu Mihjan sat tied up in his tent the whole the time. He was desperate and tried to get out, but he did not succeed. He was tired of trying after a while and started screaming. Salma the wife of Sa'd had heard him. She came to him and asked what he wanted, maybe he wanted to drink or eat. But he began to beg Salma, he said, "Let me please go and give me Sa'd’s horse so I can fight! If I die then you are ridden of my burden, and if I survive, I promise that I will come back and tie myself again!"
Sa'd himself could not participate in this battle because of a wound on his leg, he led the army from an distance on a hilltop. So Abu Mihjan knew that his battle horse remained behind. Salma was sympathetic, and was eventually persuaded by Abu Mihjan. But she asked him to keep his promise if he survived. Abu Mihjan promised that he would return tied back to his place if he survived. She then released him and gave him the horse of Sa'd, he jumped on the horse and covered his face so no one could recognize him. Fearing that they would send him back.
When the Muslims saw him they were amazed by the veiled unknown person, they wondered who he was. They didn’t see him before in the battle. They stared suspiciously at him and kept an eye on him. Then they saw that he showed great heroism on the battlefield, he was handing out heavy blows to the enemy. He made victims left and right! When the Muslims saw this they thought that Umar ibn Khattab perhaps had sent reinforcement troops, others again thought that Allah had strengthened the Muslims with Angels. And the most amazed Muslim among them was Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas himself. He looked from a distance and was intrigued by this heroic warrior. His fighting style resembled that of Abi Mihjan and his horse appeared to be Balqaa: the horse of Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas. But how can this be, he thought to himself, because Abu Mihjan is tied up and his horse was also tied up. So Sa'd was in amazement and could not understand it.
Finally the battle was over and both sides retreated to their bases. Abu Mihjan who had survived, returned to his tent and tied himself up again as promised. When Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas also returned he looked to see if his horse was still there. He saw that his horse was sweating and panting. Thereupon he went to Abu Mihjan and saw that he was covered in blood and violently wounded. Sa'd said to him, "Did you fight?!" Abu Mihjan said "Yes I did and I promise that I will never drink again!" He could endure the lashes of the whip, but he could not be kept away from Jihad, this was too great a punishment! Sa'd then said "And I promise you that I will never punish you like this again!"
We learn from this that a sinful Muslim, despite his flaws, despite his sins, and despite his shortcomings, can pursue a higher purpose! Oh sinful brother you too can have lofty ambitions, you too can be loved by Allah and His Prophet, SallAllaahu Alayhi wa Selam, despite your sins. You too can be of great value for this Ummah and for this religion. Allah chose Abu Mihjan as one of the companions of the Prophet, despite his shortcomings and sins. He fought under the rightly guided caliphs, he fought side by side with noble companions. So you can also be chosen by Allah for a honored and elevated position in the Ummah, despite your major flaws and sins. You can climb up, you can be of great value for this Ummah and for this Religion insha'Allah. Don’t let your sins be an excuse!
We often tend to only focus on the bad deeds of a person, and let them weigh heavier than his good deeds. But we learn from the biography of Abu Mihjan that we can excuse the sins of a person when his enormous good deeds outweigh his mistakes in a great manner. Like the Prophet, SallAllaahu Alayhi wa Selam, said: "Fear Allah wherever you are and let a bad deed be followed with a good deed, because this will erase the sin. And behave kindly towards people. " [At-Tirmidhi, Hassan]
Originally written by: The Dutch Mujahideen in Syria.