Amr ibn Jamuh [radiyallahu anh]

Amr ibn Jamuh [radiyallahu anh] was a leader of the Banu Salama clan of the Hazraj tribe in Medina. Before embracing Islam, he was deeply devoted to idolatry, which made him one of the last among the Ansar to accept the faith.

Before the end of the first year following the Hijrah, during the ceremony in which the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] established bonds of brotherhood (mu'akhah) between the Muhajirun and the Ansar, Amr was paired with Ubaydah ibn al-Harith, a close relative of the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam].

Amr had a pronounced limp in one leg, which prevented him from participating in the Battle of Badr. However, his fervent insistence led the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] to grant him permission to fight in the Battle of Uhud, where he was martyred. The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] later stated that Amr was walking in Paradise with sound, healthy legs.

He was a man of tall stature, remarkable generosity, bravery, and poetic sensibility. 

May Allah be pleased with him.

His Journey to Islam

When the people of Medina first encountered Islam, Amr ibn Jamuh was over sixty years old. Through the efforts of Mus'ab ibn Umayr [radiyallahu anhu], Amr's three sons accepted Islam, followed soon by his wife Hind. Knowing their father's strong attachment to idols, his family kept their acceptance of Islam a secret.

Amr, a prominent figure in Medina, kept an idol named "Manat" in his home, as was the custom among the elite of the Jahiliyyah. He had carved it himself from the finest wood and took meticulous care of it, anointing it with perfumes and cleaning it daily.

Amr was deeply worried that his sons would enter the fold of Islam. One day, he expressed his concern to Hind about their sons:

- Hind, make sure our sons stay away from that young man (Mus'ab ibn Umayr).

Hind, to pacify him, replied:

- Of course. But your son Mu'adh mentioned something about him.

Amr, suspicious, asked in anger:

- Has Mu'adh abandoned the religion of his ancestors without my knowledge?

- No, not at all! He simply heard some of what the young man was preaching, Hind replied.

Amr summoned Mu'adh and demanded to know what he had heard. In response, Mu'adh recited Surah Al-Fatiha. Deeply moved by its beauty, Amr asked:

- Are all his teachings this beautiful?

- Father, there is much more that is even better. Why not embrace it? All of Medina has accepted Islam.

Amr pondered and said:

- I will not make any decision without consulting Manat.

Entering the room where the idol stood, Amr anointed it with perfume and addressed it:

- O Manat, you are aware of this man from Makkah who wants us to abandon our worship of you. I will not act without your guidance. Show me a sign.

Amr waited, but there was no response. He decided to give it more time, promising:

- Perhaps I have angered you. I will visit again when your temper has cooled.

His sons, perplexed by their father’s reliance on a lifeless statue, devised a plan with their friend Mu'adh ibn Jabal [radiyallahu anhu]. They removed the idol and dumped it into a pit filled with refuse.

The next morning, Amr found Manat missing. After a frantic search, he retrieved it from the pit, cleaned it, and restored it to its place of honor. He vowed vengeance on whoever had committed the act.

This cycle repeated several times until one day, frustrated and resigned, Amr tied a sword around Manat’s neck and said:

- If you truly possess any power, defend yourself with this sword.

That night, his sons once again took the idol and tied it to the carcass of a dog before throwing it into the pit. The next morning, Amr found it there but left it untouched. Realizing the futility of his devotion, he went directly to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] and embraced Islam.

The Battle of Uhud

Due to his limp, Amr was excused from participating in battles. Despite this, when preparations for the Battle of Uhud began, he pleaded to join. His sons opposed his decision, fearing for his safety. Amr brought his case to the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam], saying:

- O Messenger of Allah, my sons wish to prevent me from fighting alongside you. Yet I long to walk with this lame leg on the path to Paradise.

Though the Prophet initially reminded him that jihad was not obligatory for him, Amr’s persistence led the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] to tell his sons:

- Do not stop him. Perhaps Allah will bless him with martyrdom.

At Uhud, Amr fought valiantly, using his one good leg to stand firm and strike at the enemy. Eventually, he and his sons attained martyrdom.

When Umar ibn al-Khattab [radiyallahu anhu] retrieved their bodies from the battlefield, the Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] remarked:

- Amr and his sons have entered Paradise together.