Our Salaf (Pious predecessors) said, “Courage is a part of good Akhlaq (character). Courage is not physical strength but it is in the heart”.  If one is a coward, he would be  afraid to go to Masjid for prayer (for any insignificant reason) and if he is brave, he would not be afraid even on a stormy day or while facing tough situations.

Helping elders in crisis builds courage

During his childhood, the Prophet  ﷺ  saw a battle. Harb e Fujjar, the battle of Fujjar, which means a battle against  evil. The battle was named as such as it  involved two evils.

Firstly, it was fought in the premises of K’abah, breaking the desire of Ibrahim ﷺ that the city of Makkah should not witness bloodshed. Allah had fulfilled the dua of  Ibrahim ﷺ by declaring a vast boundary around Makkah as Haram and no violence was allowed within its limits. ‘Haram’ means the most sacred, where the magnitude of any committed sin is much higher as compared to the same sin committed elsewhere. Even birds cannot be killed nor can trees be cut in the vicinity of Makkah. The proclamation is recorded  in the Qur’an:

“Even if someone intends to commit sin in the vicinity of the sacred place, Allah will punish him severely”

The second evil was that the  battle of Fujjar was fought in the sacred month. It was fought between Banu Kanana and Quraish verses Qais e Banan.

The battle started.  Qais e Banan dominated over the Quraish in the beginning, but by evening, they were defeated. Mohammed  ﷺ  who was not yet a Prophet, also participated in the battle. He was in his boyhood. Years later he recalled, “I did not actually fight  but I gathered arrows for our army”.  Whatever he could do, he did to help his army, as he believed that his army was in the right.

How many boys help elders while  their family is facing a crisis or financial turmoil? The Prophe ﷺ  got lessons in bravery right from his childhood. This characteristic was  inculcated in his Companions  later,  when he took up the role of their teacher and mentor.

Brave leader produces brave followers

Years later, when the Prophet ﷺ himself led the battles, the young Muslim boys showed  eagerness to participate in the battles, even though their age did not qualify. Such was the  impact of Akhlaq of our Prophet ﷺ. The boys contributed in the same manner as the Prophet ﷺ had done  in his boyhood in the battle of Fujjar.  Today, our children are growing up with a lack of courage. This is entirely due to our own weakness.

Samurah ibn Jundoob (May Allah be pleased with him) recalled the battle of Uhud. Boys were presented before the Prophet ﷺ   for selection  in the army. He selected  those who were strong and dropped those who appeared weak or were too young.  Samurah ibn Jundoob (May Allah be pleased with him) was rejected. He reasoned with the Prophet ﷺ  and wanted to get admitted in to the team of warriors. He insisted on  participating though the Prophet ﷺ had said that he was  too young. He argued, “I can over power  so and so boy in wrestling, whom you have included  in the  army”. Both the boys wrestled. The other boy was heavier, older and stronger but Samurah defeated him. Samurah was then selected, too. 

There were two brothers who wanted  to be approved as warriors in a battle led by the Prophet ﷺ . The older one was selected but the younger one was so short that if he hung his sword on his neck, the tip of the  sword would touch the ground. So, he was refused.

When the Prophet ﷺ  saw him, this young boy stood on his toes in order to look taller. Even the  situations where necks could be cut down while fighting, failed to dampen the eagerness of those young Muslim boys  to participate in battles.