Abu Mihjan

Abu Mihjan was one of the companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (may Allaah be pleased
with them).

This Sahaabi was suffering from an addiction to drinking wine.
He was brought and flogged, then brought and flogged again, but
he knew that this problem did not relieve him of his duty to strive
for the cause of Islam. So he went out with the Muslims to al-Qaadisiyyah
as a soldier, seeking martyrdom on the battlefield. In al-Qaadisiyyah
he was brought to the commander of the army, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas,
for having drunk wine. Sa'd detained him so that the Muslims ranks
would be cleansed of such a person.

This detention was a harsh punishment which caused Abu Mihjan a
great deal of anguish. When he heard the sounds of swords and spears,
and the neighing of the horses, and he knew that the jihad had begun,
and the gates of Paradise were open, he was filled with longing
for jihad. He called to the wife of Sa'd ibn Abi Waaqqas saying,
"Let me go and I promise Allaah that if I come back safe and
sound, I will put my own feet in the chains, and if I am killed,
then you will be rid of me." She felt sorry for him, so she
let him go, and he leapt onto a horse belonging to Sa'd which was
called al-Balqa'. Then he picked up a spear and set off. He did
not attack any group of enemy soldier but he scattered them. Sa'd
was supervising the battle and he was surprised and said, "This
is the running of al-Balqa', and the style of attack is that of
Abu Mihjan, but Abu Mihjan is in chains."

When the battle was over, Abu Mihjan went back and put his feet
in the chains. The wife of Sa'd told him this wonderful story, so
Sa'd admired this man and his care for Islam and his longing for
jihad, so he himself went to this wine-drinker, released the chains
with his own hands and said, "Get up, for by Allaah I will
never flog you for drinking wine again." Abu Mihjan said, "By
Allaah, I will never drink it again."

See al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez al-Sahaabah, 4/173-174; al-Bidaayah wa'l-
Nihaayah, 9/632-633