Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “Ever since I became Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ never once turned me away and whenever he saw me, he smiled at me. I once complained to him that I was unable to remain firm when riding a horse. He struck me on the chest with his hand and said: “O Allah, make him firm and make him a guide who is rightly guided.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari No. 3035 and Sahih Muslim No. 2475)
Jarir bin Abdullah al-Bajali was one of the leaders of his tribe, Bajeelah. He was known for his nobility, poetry and physical appearance. Late in the Prophet’s life, he came to Madinah with a delegation from his tribe to accept Islam.
Here Jarir gives us an insight into how the holy Prophet ﷺ treated him. Although he was not one of the elite of the Companions and was a latecomer to Islam, the Prophet showed him the utmost honour and respect. He was never excluded from the Prophet’s private gatherings or denied entry to his apartments. The Prophet could see his noble qualities and his potential to serve the cause of Islam. For many of the Companions who were not living in Madinah with the Prophet, time was short and the opportunities for spending time with the Prophet ﷺ were limited. The Prophet knew this and generously invested his precious time in people. As if this was not enough, whenever the Prophet met Jarir, he smiled at him. Let us consider for a moment what that smile meant from the Beloved and what it meant to Jarir. From the Beloved it was a smile of pleasure, a smile of love, a smile of genuine happiness that he and his people had been guided and a smile of encouragement for the work that he would go on to do. His smile was like rays of sunshine falling on a fresh shoot. We have to ask ourselves how much we smile at those who are new to Islam, how much we value them and how much love we show them.
Jarir felt comfortable with the Prophet ﷺ and felt that he could tell him anything. So he complained of his inability to remain firm when riding a horse. We are told that he was a very tall man and perhaps this was the reason. The Prophet responded by striking him on the chest with his hand, something he often did to his Companions. Imagine the feeling of the Prophet’s hand lightly striking you and imagine the sensations that followed. Then the Prophet prayed for him. He asked Allah to make him firm, not just on a horse but in the most complete sense. He did not just pray for that specific need but for something far greater. Then he gave him more. He was teaching us that when we ask Allah, we should ask Him for the most important things, and what is more important than guidance? The Prophet prayed that Jarir be someone who was always rightly guided and who is also a guide to others. No doubt Jarir would remember the prayers of the Prophet as he grew older, and how Allah had answered them. And I’m sure he would never forget the smile that he received from the Beloved every time he saw him.
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