Theme
الشجاعة
Courage
ash-Shaja'ah
The courage of the Companions was not only on the battlefield. It was also holding to faith under torture, speaking the truth to people in power, asking the question no one else would ask, and stepping forward when a task needed a volunteer.
The practices here translate that courage into everyday choices: speaking up, staying when others leave, and taking responsibility.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَ سَيْفًا يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ فَقَالَ" مَنْ يَأْخُذُ مِنِّي هَذَا". فَبَسَطُوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُ أَنَا أَنَا. قَالَ" فَمَنْ يَأْخُذُهُ بِحَقِّهِ". قَالَ فَأَحْجَمَ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالَ سِمَاكُ بْنُ خَرَشَةَ أَبُو دُجَانَةَ أَنَا آخُذُهُ بِحَقِّهِ. قَالَ فَأَخَذَهُ فَفَلَقَ بِهِ هَامَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ.
“Who would take it in order to fulfil its rights?”
55 practices from 43 companions
Open any practice to read it in full on the Companion's page, with the Arabic and English text of every source.
Abdullah ibn Umm Maktumعبد الله بن أم مكتوم
Longing to strive despite disability
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Intend good even when you cannot do it, and ask for it.
Sit with this What good do you intend that your circumstances do not yet allow?
Abu Ayyub al-Ansariأبو أيوب الأنصاري
Never leaving off striving for Allah
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Do not let worldly comfort become an excuse to abandon good work.
Sit with this Has comfort become a reason to stop a good work you once did?
Abu Bakr al-Siddiqأبو بكر الصديق
Spending to free the oppressed
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Use wealth and influence to lift someone out of hardship.
Sit with this Whose hardship could your wealth or influence lift this month?
Abu Dujanah al-Ansariأبو دجانة الأنصاري
Taking a trust and fulfilling its right
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Do not take on a responsibility lightly; once you take it, give it its right.
Sit with this What responsibility have you accepted without yet giving it its full right?
Abu Musa al-Ash'ariأبو موسى الأشعري
Traveling far for the deen
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Set out toward knowledge even if the route is not the one you planned.
Sit with this How far would you travel to learn something that matters?
Abu Talhah al-Ansariأبو طلحة الأنصاري
Standing by the Prophet in danger
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Be the one who stays when others leave, when someone needs you.
Sit with this When someone you love is in difficulty, are you the one who stays?
Abu Talhah al-Ansariأبو طلحة الأنصاري
Calm in the face of fear
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In fear, steady yourself with dhikr and trust that Allah can send calm.
Sit with this Where could remembrance of Allah bring calm to a fear you carry?
Adi ibn Hatim al-Ta'iعدي بن حاتم الطائي
Standing firm in loyalty when others fall away
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Stay loyal to what is right when your circle is wavering.
Sit with this When your circle wavers, what keeps you steady?
Choosing peace over a fight he could win
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Be willing to give up your claim for the sake of lasting peace.
Sit with this Which argument could you give up for the sake of lasting peace?
al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswadالمقداد بن الأسود
Standing with the Prophet whatever the odds
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Be reliably present for your principles and the people you serve.
Sit with this Whom have you promised to stand with, whatever the odds?
al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwamالزبير بن العوام
Volunteering when the community needs someone
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Raise your hand first when there is a hard but necessary task.
Sit with this When a hard task needs a volunteer, are you the first hand raised?
al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwamالزبير بن العوام
Courage in the front line
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Lead by going first, not by sending others.
Sit with this Where could you lead by going first?
Asma bint Abi Bakrأسماء بنت أبي بكر
Ingenuity and loyalty in service
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Use what you have, immediately, in a worthwhile cause.
Sit with this What do you already have that could solve someone's problem now?
Defending the truth with courage and honesty
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Take a disagreement to the right authority, and report both sides faithfully.
Sit with this Can you raise a disagreement honestly and still report both sides fairly?
Asma bint Yazid al-Ansariyyahأسماء بنت يزيد الأنصارية
Asking the Prophet and the Companions what she did not know
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Do not be shy about asking when you do not know. Your question may help many.
Sit with this What question are you too shy to ask that others may also need answered?
Holding to tawhid under pressure
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Choose one short phrase of tawhid (such as "Ahad") to repeat when you are under pressure.
Sit with this What single word of tawhid would you hold on to when faith costs you something?
Fatimah bint Muhammadفاطمة بنت محمد
Standing by the Prophet in hardship
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Show up for family in hard moments, quietly and practically.
Sit with this Who in your family needs you to simply show up this week?
Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalibحمزة بن عبد المطلب
Standing up first to the challenger
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When something sacred is mocked, be the first to speak up with courage and restraint.
Sit with this When something sacred is mocked in front of you, how do you respond?
Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalibحمزة بن عبد المطلب
Facing the opening duels at Badr
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Do not hide behind others when a decisive moment comes.
Sit with this What decisive moment are you hoping someone else will step into?
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamanحذيفة بن اليمان
Completing an assigned task quietly
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Do exactly what you were asked, however tempting another course appears.
Sit with this Can you do exactly what was asked of you, even when another course tempts you?
Ja'far ibn Abi Talibجعفر بن أبي طالب
Courage and steadfastness
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Take responsibility when it falls to you, and do not turn away.
Sit with this What responsibility has fallen to you that you are tempted to turn away from?
Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajaliجرير بن عبد الله البجلي
Acting on the Prophet's mission with energy
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When asked to do a task for a good cause, do it fully and report back.
Sit with this What good task, once accepted, could you finish fully and report back on?
Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajaliجرير بن عبد الله البجلي
Spreading good by example
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Be the first to start a good deed; others will follow.
Sit with this What good deed could you begin so others find it easy to follow?
Juwayriyyah bint al-Harithجويرية بنت الحارث
Seeking help to gain freedom with dignity
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Ask openly for what you need, and trust that the best answer may be more than you expected.
Sit with this What do you need that you have not yet asked for openly?
Khabbab ibn al-Arattخباب بن الأرت
Refusing to trade his faith for money
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Do not let money or a deadline pressure you into any compromise of your faith.
Sit with this What would you refuse to trade your faith for?
Khalid ibn al-Walidخالد بن الوليد
Taking responsibility in a crisis
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Step forward when a need is clear and nobody is leading, and then report back honestly.
Sit with this Where is a clear need with nobody leading, and could you step forward?
Khawlah bint Tha'labahخولة بنت ثعلبة
Bringing a grievance to Allah and to the Prophet
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Turn to Allah first with a complaint, and seek just rulings from those who know.
Sit with this What grievance have you told people about but not yet told Allah?
Choosing the hereafter over a comfortable life
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Ask yourself what comfort you could trade for something that lasts.
Sit with this What comfort could you trade for something that lasts?
Standing firm until the last moment
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Stay steady in your commitment, and let the story of those who gave everything keep you humble.
Sit with this Whose story of sacrifice keeps you humble?
Nusaybah bint Ka'b (Umm Ammarah)نسيبة بنت كعب (أم عمارة)
Asking about women's place in the revelation
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Ask honest questions about your faith.
Sit with this What honest question about your faith have you been holding back?
Rufaydah al-Aslamiyyahرفيدة الأسلمية
Women of the Ansar treating the wounded
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Offer practical help in whatever skill you have, whether medical, logistical or comfort.
Sit with this What skill do you have that could serve people in need?
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqasسعد بن أبي وقاص
Kindness to his mother, firmness in faith
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Be kind to parents in everything permissible, and steady in your religion.
Sit with this Can you be gentle with your parents while firm in your faith?
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqasسعد بن أبي وقاص
Courage in defence of the community
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Stand in your place when the community needs you.
Sit with this Where does your community need you to stand in your place?
Standing up for the Prophet's honour
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Stand up politely and firmly when the Prophet or the faith is mocked.
Sit with this How do you respond, politely and firmly, when the faith is mocked?
Judging by Allah's law, not by tribe
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When you judge between people, put the revealed law above old loyalties.
Sit with this When you judge between people, do old loyalties tip the scale?
Absolute loyalty to the Prophet's call
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Make your loyalty to the right cause clear in words and in actions.
Sit with this Is your loyalty to the right cause clear in what you do as well as what you say?
Defending the honour of fellow companions
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Do not sit silently when good people are slandered in front of you.
Sit with this Do you speak up when good people are slandered in front of you?
Standing up against injustice, even when it is costly
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Speak the truth about injustice, with knowledge and with respect.
Sit with this Where could you speak the truth about injustice, with knowledge and respect?
Keeping watch for the community's safety
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Guard something that others rely on: a duty, a neighbour, a family member.
Sit with this What do others rely on you to guard?
Truthfulness about himself
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Do not hide or change your story to win approval.
Sit with this Have you ever reshaped your story to win approval?
Teaching steadfastness through the story of the boy and the king
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Be firm on the truth when it costs you.
Sit with this What truth would you hold to even if it cost you?
Sumayyah bint Khayyatسمية بنت خياط
Standing by her faith openly, with no concession
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When you are pressured to hide or abandon your faith, hold to it calmly, whether in a small way or a large one.
Sit with this In what small way are you tempted to hide your faith?
Talha ibn Ubaydullahطلحة بن عبيد الله
Staying beside the Prophet when others scattered
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Stay loyal when it becomes hard.
Sit with this When things get hard, are you still standing beside the people you love?
Talha ibn Ubaydullahطلحة بن عبيد الله
Making himself a step for the Prophet
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Put your own strength under someone who needs to get higher.
Sit with this Whom could you lift up today, even at a cost to yourself?
Thabit ibn Qaysثابت بن قيس بن شماس
Speaking for the truth when called
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If you have a gift for speaking, use it for truth and for those who cannot speak.
Sit with this Could a gift you have be used to speak for those who cannot?
Thabit ibn Qaysثابت بن قيس بن شماس
Preparing for death with dignity
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Keep your courage, composure and your manners even when things start to fall apart around you.
Sit with this How would you want to carry yourself when things fall apart?
Ubadah ibn al-Samitعبادة بن الصامت
Speaking the truth wherever you are
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Say what is true, kindly, even when it is hard.
Sit with this Where are you holding back the truth for fear of blame?
Umm Atiyyah al-Ansariyyahأم عطية الأنصارية
Caring for the wounded and cooking for fighters
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Put your practical skills in service of people who are struggling.
Sit with this What practical skill could you offer people who are struggling?
Umm Hani bint Abi Talibأم هانئ بنت أبي طالب
Giving protection to someone in danger
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Stand up for a person who has put their trust in you and keep your word to them.
Sit with this Who has put their trust in you, and will you keep your word to them?
Umm Haram bint Milhanأم حرام بنت ملحان
Asking Allah for lofty aims
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Ask for the highest good, and for a role in it.
Sit with this Are your du'as aiming high enough?
Asking questions without embarrassment
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Ask a scholar about the thing you are too shy to ask.
Sit with this What question are you too shy to ask?
Umm Sulaym bint Milhanأم سليم بنت ملحان
Asking about religion without shyness
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Do not let embarrassment stop you from asking what you need to know about your religion.
Sit with this What do you need to know about your religion that embarrassment keeps you from asking?
Umm Sulaym bint Milhanأم سليم بنت ملحان
Taking part in the community's struggle
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Help where you can, whether with food, water or care.
Sit with this Where could you bring water, food or care to people under strain?
Standing for equal justice
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Do not seek to bend the rules for the well-connected.
Sit with this Do you expect the rules to bend for the well-connected?
Obeying and leading in the cause of Allah
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Take responsibility when asked, and prepare others to take your place.
Sit with this Are you preparing others to take your place?
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