Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Abi Waqqaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates the following:
I noticed my brother, Sayyiduna ‘Umair bin Abi Waqqaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), attempting to remain hidden in anticipation of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) inspecting us before our departure to Badr. I asked him, “What is the matter, O my brother?” He replied, “I fear that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) will see me and regard me as being too small. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) will thus send me away, whereas I deeply desire to join the expedition as it is possible that Allah Ta‘ala will bless me with martyrdom.”
My brother, thereafter, appeared before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) did consider him too small to join the expedition to Badr. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus sent him away saying, “Go back.” Sayyiduna ‘Umair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), however, began crying (out of disappointment as he wished to join the expedition and be blessed with martyrdom). Observing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) allowed him to join the expedition.
On account of his tender age, I had to tie knots in the strap of his sword (as the sword was too big for him). He was thereafter martyred in the Battle of Badr. His age, at the time, was sixteen, and the disbeliever who killed him was ‘Amr bin ‘Abdi Wudd.
(Tabaqaat Ibni Sa’d vol. 3, pg. 149)
Lesson:
If a person is on the verge of gaining a billion rand, but the deal somehow slips through his fingers, he will be devastated and distraught. In fact, there are some people who even contemplate suicide after falling into depression! This is due to the love of money having permeated deep into their hearts. On the contrary, the love of good deeds had possessed the hearts of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) to such an extent that being deprived of a chance to join an expedition in the path of Allah Ta‘ala was devastating and would cause them to cry in grief. This is indeed the sign of true imaan and love for Allah Ta‘ala.