Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (R) The Nations Trustworthy

Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah رضي الله عنه accepted Islam in its earliest days in Makkah, when doing so cost everything and promised nothing. He made both migrations — to Ethiopia and then to Madinah — to preserve his faith, and he fought in all the major battles of Islam. He spent most of his life as a soldier in the cause of Allah.

His faith was tested more severely than almost anyone's. At Badr his own father fought on the other side and vowed to kill him, and Abu 'Ubaidah killed him instead. It is one of the hardest episodes in the whole Seerah, and it is why his name is bound up with the idea of choosing Allah above every other tie.

The Prophet ﷺ praised him with words given to no one else: every Ummah has a trustworthy man, and Abu 'Ubaidah is the trustworthy man of this Ummah. He later commanded the Muslim armies in Syria and died there of plague, having refused to leave his soldiers.

About the Golden Series

The Golden Series of the Prophet's Companions tells the life of one Companion per book, in language written for young readers and for families reading together. Each account is drawn from authentic Islamic sources and told as a story rather than a lesson — which is why children finish them.

The series works well for Islamic schools and weekend academies, for home libraries, and as a reading reward or gift. Because each title stands alone, a family can start anywhere and collect the rest over time.

More in the Golden Series

Each title in the series covers one Companion in the same short, readable format. Eighteen are currently available:

• Salman Al-Farisi — In Quest of Truth
• Abu Dhar Al-Gifari — Struggle for Equality
• Abdullah bin 'Umar — The Jurist
• 'Amr bin Al-'Aas — The Conqueror of Egypt
• Abu Bakr As-Siddiq — The First Caliph
• 'Ali bin Abi Talib — The Fourth Caliph
• Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam — The Disciple
• Khabbab bin Al-Aratt — The Teacher
• 'Umar bin Al-Khattab — The Second Caliph
• 'Uthman bin 'Affan — The Third Caliph
• Bilal bin Rabah — The Mu'adhdhin
• Jabir bin Abdullah — The Example of Sacrifice
• Khalid bin Al-Waleed — The Sword of Allah
• Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas — The Lion in the Deen
• Sa'd bin Mu'adh — The True Supporter of Islam
• Suhaib Ar-Roomi — The Example of Sacrifice
• Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah — The Living Martyr

Related Reading

• Heroes of Islam — over 70 short biographies in a single volume
• Commanders of the Muslim Army — the commanders of the early Muslim armies
• Q&A on the Rightly Guided Caliphs — the four caliphs in question-and-answer form