There are moments in Islamic history that leave us speechless not because of miracles, but because of the depth of faith displayed by ordinary people.

One such story is that of Abbad ibn Bishr (رضي الله عنه), a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ whose devotion to Allah was extraordinary.

One night, during one of the military expeditions, the Prophet ﷺ instructed two Companions, Abbad ibn Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir (رضي الله عنهما), to guard the Muslim camp while everyone else slept.

They agreed to take turns. Ammar rested first while Abbad stood in prayer.

The night was calm. Surrounded by silence, Abbad began reciting the Qur’an with complete concentration, enjoying his intimate conversation with Allah.

Unknown to him, an enemy scout had spotted him from a distance.

The man drew his bow and released an arrow.

The arrow struck Abbad’s body.

He calmly pulled it out and continued his prayer.

The attacker was surprised.

He shot another arrow.

Again, it pierced Abbad’s body.

Again, he removed it and continued reciting the Qur’an.

The enemy fired a third arrow.

This time, blood flowed heavily from his wounds. Feeling that his strength was fading, Abbad finally completed his prayer quickly and woke Ammar ibn Yasir.

The enemy fled when he realised another guard was awake.

Ammar was shocked when he saw Abbad covered in blood.

He exclaimed,

“SubhanAllah! Why didn’t you wake me after the first arrow?”

Abbad replied with words that have echoed through Islamic history:

“I was reciting a surah, and I did not want to interrupt it. Had I not feared neglecting the duty entrusted to me by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would have preferred to die rather than stop reciting.”

Think about that.

He did not continue because he felt no pain.

He continued because his heart was so immersed in the words of Allah that physical suffering became secondary to the sweetness of worship.

Today, many of us struggle to remain focused in just two rak’ahs. A phone notification, a passing thought, or a minor distraction can pull our minds away from salah.

Abbad ibn Bishr reminds us that true khushu’ (humble concentration) is not merely lowering the gaze or reciting slowly. It is allowing the heart to become fully present before Allah.

This Jumu’ah, ask yourself:

• Do I rush through my prayers?
• When was the last time I truly reflected on what I was reciting?
• If my body is present in salah, is my heart there too?

Our goal is not to match the level of the Companions overnight, but to take one sincere step towards improving our relationship with Allah.

Every prayer is an opportunity to reconnect with the One who created us.

May Allah grant us hearts that find peace in prayer, tongues that delight in His remembrance, and the ability to stand before Him with sincerity and humility. Ameen.

Jumu’ah Mubarak.

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