Employees of Allah

The believers were employees of Allah — working for Allah, Mighty and Majestic — and reward from Allah was their due. They did this expecting the reward to come from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and some of them passed away without enjoying any part of that reward, some died before receiving any of their payment. Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr was one of these. He was killed at the Battle of Uḥud, leaving nothing but a cloak; when they covered his head with it, his feet emerged, and when his feet were covered with it, his head emerged. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told them to cover his head with it and place some plant, idhkhir, over his feet. Of those living now, some have their fruit already ripened and are harvesting it, receiving the payment for their good deeds in this world, while some will receive it in full in the Hereafter. Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, who died with nothing and did not see the victory of Islam or see the world opening its gates to the believers, is one of those who will receive their payment in full on the Day of Judgment from Allah.

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Muṣʿab was killed, yet he was better than me." This is also mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: food was brought to ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, who was the wealthiest of the Companions. When he saw the food, he said, "Muṣʿab was killed, yet he was better than me — a cloak was used as his shroud. Ḥamzah was killed, yet he was better than me — while we have been granted these worldly favours." He then wept until his food went cold. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came and stood over Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, may Allah be pleased with him, and recited:

This āyah means there is a covenant with Allah — some people fulfilled that vow, and they died, and Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, may Allah be pleased with him, is an example of that. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then said, "I bear witness that these are martyrs, so come and visit them" — in the Name of the One in whose hand his soul is, anyone who gives them salām up to the Day of Judgment, they would answer it back. This is a ḥasan narration, narrated by al-Ḥākim.