Salaat of a Muhajir and an Ansari keeping watch

While returning from a campaign, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) happened to halt for the night at some place. He inquired:

"Who would keep watch over the camp this night?"

Hadhrat Ammar bin Yasir (Radhiyallaho anho) of the Mu-hajirin and Hadhrat Abbaad bin Bishr (Radhiyallaho anho) of the Ansar offered their services. Both of them were posted to watch from a hill-top against any possible night attack by the enemy.

Abbaad (Radhiyallahu anho) said to Ammar (Radhiyal-lahu anho):

"Let us keep watch and sleep turn by turn. In the first half of the night I shall keep awake, while you go to sleep. In the next half, you may keep watch while I go to sleep."

Hadhrat Ammar (Radhiyallaho anho) agreed and went to sleep, and Hadhrat Abbaad (Radhiyallaho anho) started his Salaat. But an enemy scout made him out in the dark from a distance, and let fly an arrow at him. Seeing that he made no movement, he shot another and still another arrow at him. Hadhrat Abbaad (Radhiyallaho anho) drew out and threw away each arrow as it struck him, and at last awakened his companion. The enemy fled when he saw them both together, fearing that there might be many more of them. Hadhrat Ammar (Radhiyallaho anho) noticed Abbaad (Radhiyallaho anho) bleeding from three places. He said:

"Subhanallah! why did you not awake me earlier?"

Abbaad replied:

I had started"reciting Surah 'Kahf in my Salaat. I did not like to cut it short, but when I was struck by the third arrow, I was greatly concerned that my death might jeopardise the safety of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). I therefore finished the Salaat and awakened you. But for this fear, I would not have gone to Ruku' before finishing the Surah even if I had been killed."

Look at the devotion of the Sahaba to Salaat. One arrow after another is piercing Hadhrat Abbaad's (Radhiyallaho anho) body and he is bleeding profusely, but is not prepared to sacrifice the pleasure of reciting the Qur'an in his Salaat. On the other hand, the bite of a wasp, nay of a mosquito, is sufficient to distract us from our Salaat.

According to the Hanafiyyah school of jurisprudence, Wudhu breaks with bleeding, while according to the Sha-fi'iyyah it does not. It is just possible that Abbaad might be having the latter view, or that this point might not have been brought to an issue till then.

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