There are many great men and women in history. They were rare examples of piety, morals, and the best qualities a human being can ever have.

Allah the Exalted has told us in the Holy Qur’an a lot about such men and women; on the top being the infallible Messenger Muhammad sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam and the other Messengers `alaihimus salaam who were great examples of patience, faith and Jihad in the way of Allah. They also fought the people of heresies and they were really the ideal people to be followed. Allah the Exalted described the morals and manners of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam as:

“And verily, you (o Muhammad) are on an exalted (standard of) character.” (68:4)

Narrated Anas radiyallahu `anhu: “I have never touched a velvet or silk that was more tender than the hand of Allah’s Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam and I have never smelt any perfume more nice than the smell of the Messenger’s body. I served the Messenger ten years, he never said “of” (a puff of uneasiness) to me and he never asked me about something I had not done (why not?) and he never asked me about something I had ever done (why?).” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The caliph of the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Abu Bakr radiyallahu `anhu, supported the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam by money and jihad by himself and was the first to believe the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam. When some people apostated from Islam after the Prophet had died, Abu Bakr bravely stood up against them and said: (By Allah, if they refuse to pay – in zakat for Allah’s sake) a goat (in another narration, a goat rope) they used to give to the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam I will fight them.

Umar ibn al Khattab radiyallahu `anhu, though he was the Emir of the believers, used to carry flour on his back for Muslims and also used o cook for the orphans at night. The Satan used to run away from Umar’s way, as reported (in hadeeth), because of his piety and closeness to Allah.

Uthman bin Affan radiyallahu `anhu, the third Caliph, financed a Muslim expedition that was called “The Expedition of a Hard Time”, as Muslims were very poor at that time. And Ali bin Abi Talib radiyallahu `anhu, the fourth Caliph, was appointed by the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam as a leader of Muslims in a war and he, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “I will give the leadership to someone whom Allah and His Messenger love.” That was Ali bin Abi Talib, radiyallahu `anhu, the great brave fighter.

Rabee` ibn Amir radiyallahu `anhu, when he went as an ambassador the the leader of the Persians, refused to bow to Rustom, the Persian Monarch. And he said (meaning), “We have come to take you from the worship of creation to the worship of the Creator.”

Faith makes the impossible look possible.

In the battle of Badr, Umair ibn al-Hamam al-Ansari radiyallahu `anhu heard the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam saying: “He who fights facing the enemy and not (turning away) showing his back to him will enter Paradise.” Umair was chewing some dates, he threw them up and said: “It is a long life then, if I wait to eat up these dates, they will impede me from Paradise.” Then he fought facing the enemy and was killed as a martyr. When the Messenger was told about him, He sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: “He is now in Paradise, enjoying its bounties.”

Amr ibn al Jamouh radiyallahu `anhu was disabled. The Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam told him, “Do not worry (about Jihad), you are limping and there is no blame on you.” And Allah revealed, regarding Jihad of the disabled, “…there is no restriction on the lame…” (24:61)

But all this did not stop Ibn al-Jamouh to fight in the way of Allah. He said, “I wish to enter Paradise limping”, then he went and fought until he died as a martyr.

Another example of great men is Abu Dijana who made himself a shield for the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam on the Day of Uhud to protect him against the enemy’s arrows. There are many other great people to mention here but the space does not allow. The books of Islamic history have numerous examples of such great people who sold themselves for the pleasure of Allah.

Allah the Exalted says in this regard:

“Men who have been true to their covenant with Allah (i.e. they have gone out for Jihad and showed not their backs to the disbelievers); of them are some who have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred); and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed in the least (i.e. never proved treacherous to their covenant with Allah).” (33:23)