Appointment of Hazrat Anas (ra) as the Holy Prophet's (sa) Assistant

Hazrat Anas (ra) bin Malik relates, “The Holy Prophet (sa) said to Hazrat Abu Talha (ra), ‘Search someone from among your young men, who may assist me so that I may embark on the journey to Khaybar.’ Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) placed me (that is Hazrat Anas (ra)), on the back of his mount and took me with him.” Hazrat Anas (ra) relates, “I was a young boy at that time and had almost reached the age of adolescence. I would serve the Holy Prophet (sa) and when the Holy Prophet (sa) would dismount, I would often hear him recite the following prayer:

اَللّٰہُمَّ إِنِّیْ أَعُوْذُبِکَ مِنَ الْہَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْکَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّیْنِ وَغَلَبَۃِ الرِّجَالِ

‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from being burdened with debt and from being overpowered by others.’”

(Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Wasaya, Bab Istikhdamal Yateem fi As-Safar Wal-Hadar, Hadith 2768)

In another account of Hazrat Anas (ra), which is from Bukhari – as was the previous narration – he states, “When the Holy Prophet (sa) arrived in Medina, he had no servant. Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) held my hand, brought me to the Holy Prophet (sa) and said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, Anas is an intelligent child, he can be of service to you’”. Hazrat Anas (ra) then says, “I served the Holy Prophet (sa) on journeys and also whilst he remained in his residence. The Holy Prophet (sa) never questioned me as to why I carried out a task the way I did, similarly, if there was a task I failed to undertake, he would never ask me why this was the case.” i.e., he would never admonish him.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Jihad wa As-Siyar, Bab Man Ghazaa bi Sabyi lil-Khidmah, Hadith 2893)