The watch that would not be broken off
On a military expedition, at night, while Abbad ibn Bishr and a companion took turns at watch.
Moment 1 of 1On a military expedition, away from MadinahThe Madinan years1 min read
Two companions were set to keep watch overnight, dividing it between them: one would sleep while the other stood guard, and they would swap later.
Abbad ibn Bishr took the first turn, and stood praying while he watched.
A man had been observing the camp, and when he saw Abbad standing there he shot an arrow at him. Abbad drew it out and kept praying, without waking his sleeping companion.
The man shot again, and a third time. Each time Abbad drew the arrow out and continued his recitation, bleeding from the strikes, until he had finished the portion he was reading.
Only then did he complete the prayer and wake the companion beside him.
Asked why he had not woken him at the very first arrow, he answered, in substance, that he had been in the middle of a passage of the Qur'an and had not wanted to break it off.
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Sources & review
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Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Companions of the Prophet
Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid
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