In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Introduction

All praise is due to Allah. “The Lives of the Companions of the Messenger (Volume Three)” is being published. I had wished to publish it earlier, but that did not happen. It has been delayed for various reasons. This volume presents the lives of twenty Ansari Companions. As in the preceding two volumes, I have tried here as well to present, in brief, the identity and deeds of these great Companions. From the very beginning, our commitment to the readers has been to present the identity of the noble Companions in few words. We have tried to uphold it. However, not a single statement made here is our own. Everything has been taken from reliable sources.

After “The Lives (Volumes One and Two)” reached the readers, many urged me to write in somewhat greater detail. Various people offered various kinds of advice. But it was not possible to accept anyone’s advice. We believe that others will fulfill their wishes. There is much to write about the deeds of the noble Companions.

I am grateful to those who have contributed in various ways to my continuing this line of writing. I express special gratitude to Professor A. K. M. Nazir Ahmad, Director of the Bangladesh Islamic Center, who is constantly advising and assisting me regarding my writing. I pray that Allah Almighty may grant him the best recompense.

Finally, I humbly acknowledge that if there are any errors or inconsistencies in this book, or if even the slightest expression of disrespect toward the noble Companions has appeared anywhere, all of it is my own failing. I request kind-hearted readers to bring these matters to my attention.

May Allah accept this small effort of mine as the slightest service to the Faith. Amin.

1 September 1993
13 Rabi al-Awwal, 1414
Muhammad Abdul Mabud
Assistant Professor,
Department of Arabic, University of Dhaka,
Dhaka-1000.

An Introduction to the Ansar of Medina

The Arabic word “al-Ansar” is plural. In the singular, “nasir” means helper. After the Messenger of Allah migrated from Mecca to Medina, the Muslims there who welcomed and helped him came to be called the “Ansar.” Essentially, they were the people of Medina’s Aws and Khazraj tribes.

The inhabitants of ancient Arabia are divided into three principal categories: 1. al-Arab al-Ba’idah, 2. al-Arab al-Aribah, and 3. al-Arab al-Musta’ribah. The tribes that established authority in Arabia after the Flood of Noah and eventually disappeared are called the Ba’idah. The peoples of Ad, Thamud, Amalika, Tasm and Jadis are included among them. The other tribes contemporary with the Ba’idah, which gained control of Arabia after them, are called the Aribah. Qahtan, Saba, Himyar and Mu’in are branches of these. The Musta’ribah refers to those tribes who were descendants of the Prophet Ishmael and were essentially inhabitants of northern Arabia.

The common view regarding the Ansar of Medina is that they were descendants of al-Arab al-Aribah. On this basis, Arab genealogists trace their lineage back to Qahtan ibn Abir, who was an heir of al-Arab al-Aribah. However, from Qahtan onward, the genealogists divide into two groups. One group says that Qahtan himself was the founder of an independent family. The other does not regard him as the founder of a separate branch family. They consider Qahtan a descendant of Nabit ibn Ishmael. Kalbi and some Yemenis held this opinion. They regard Ishmael as the forefather of all Arabia. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/7) Masudi, however, says that it is incorrect that the Yemenis consider Qahtan a descendant of Nabit. Rather, they consider Qahtan a descendant of Abir. (Kitab al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf, 81)

In any case, Qahtan was the founder of an independent family and an independent kingdom. His descendants held power in Yemen for a long time.

Arab historians regard the Ansar as descendants of Qahtan. For this reason, they begin the history of the Ansar from Qahtan’s time. In this lineage there was a man named Abdi Shams. His title was “Saba,” and he is considered the founder of the Saba kingdom of Yemen. He had two sons, Himyar and Kahlan. Before his death, he summoned his two sons, the members of the royal family and the kingdom’s senior officials, and instructed them: “Give my elder son Himyar the right side of the kingdom and my younger son Kahlan the left side.” Since the right hand requires a sword, whip and pen, and the left hand requires reins and a shield, everyone decided that Himyar would be king and Kahlan would be responsible for the kingdom’s defense. Thus Himyar became king. Thereafter, they occupied the throne generation after generation, while Kahlan’s descendants continued to undertake the kingdom’s defense.

During the reign of King al-Harith al-Ra’ish, Amr al-Muzayqiya continued to perform this same duty. Amr’s wife, Turaifa daughter of Jabr, was a kahina, or soothsayer. One night she dreamed that a dense black cloud had surrounded all of Yemen. Lightning flashes and the unbearable roar of thunder shook the entire region. Wherever lightning struck, the place turned into ruins. She awoke frightened and alarmed, described the dream to Amr, and said that there was no longer any way out. Amr asked, “What should we do now?” She replied, “We must leave Yemen very soon and go somewhere else.”

Amr possessed great wealth, livestock and other property. He could not suddenly leave wherever he wished. Moreover, what would he tell the people? So he devised a plan. He told his eldest son Tha’laba, “I will order you to do something before the people, and you will pretend not to obey. When I reprimand you, slap me across the face.” He repeated the instruction to Tha’laba. Tha’laba said, “How could I possibly do such a thing?” Amr said, “Good lies in this.” According to the plan, Amr invited the leading people to a feast. When everyone was present, he ordered Tha’laba to do something, and Tha’laba refused. As Amr raised his hand to strike him, Tha’laba slapped his father hard across the face. Amr cried out, “What an insult!” Tha’laba’s brother stood up to strike him. Amr stopped him and said, “Leave him. I am selling my property and leaving for somewhere else. I will not give him even a farthing for this insolence.” Thus Amr sold his possessions at a high price and left Yemen with his family. After that, the Arim dam burst, inundating all of Yemen and turning it into ruins.

Amr left Marib and first took refuge in Akka. He sent his three sons—Harith, Malik and Haritha—ahead. Before they returned, Amr died, and his eldest son, Tha’labat al-Anqa, succeeded him. Later they also migrated from Akka and scattered throughout various regions of Arabia. Thus Khuza’a settled in Mecca in the Hijaz, Ghassan in Syria, and Aws and Khazraj in Yathrib (Medina). In this way the “First Saba” kingdom came to an end. From that time the Arabic proverb “Tafarraqu ayadi Saba”—“They scattered like the power of Saba”—came into use.

Some have expressed the view that this is a fabricated story.

Others have said that the Ansar were descendants of Nabit. They believe that the history of the Ansar began in Nabit’s time. In that case, the Ansar would belong to al-Arab al-Musta’ribah.

In Arabic he is Nabit and in Hebrew Nayabut. The Torah mentions him among the children of Ishmael and calls him Ishmael’s eldest son. Arab historians have given only a very brief account of him. Tabari says: “Allah increased the descendants of the Arabs through Nabit and Qaidar.” (Tabari, 1/352) Ibn Hisham writes in his Sirah: “After Ishmael, responsibility for the custodianship of the Kaaba passed to his son Nabit.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/63) This account indicates that Nabit lived in Mecca and received responsibility for the custodianship of the Kaaba built by Abraham and Ishmael. Nothing else is known about him.

Mecca was a dry, mountainous land. Therefore, after Nabit’s death, his children and the children of his brothers settled in various parts of Arabia. Nabit’s descendants established homes in northwestern Arabia. Qaidar’s descendants, however, remained in Mecca. Later, when Mudad ibn Hami seized control of Mecca, they left Mecca and settled in regions such as Kazima, Gumar, Jiqundah and Sha’ Shamim.

As mentioned earlier, Nabit’s descendants settled in the northern part of the Hijaz. There, four hundred years before the birth of Jesus, they established a kingdom called “Anbat.” In the second century before Christ, this Nabataean empire became very powerful and uprooted the Sabaean Empire from northern Arabia. In 62 BCE, Harith ascended the throne. He was the most powerful king of this empire. In short, these Nabataeans ruled with great power until the first part of the second century CE.

There is another branch of the descendants of Anbat. At some unknown time, they settled in Yemen. They were the Azd, or Asad, tribe. They were descendants of Nabit ibn Malik. Probably during or after the settlement of the Ishmaelites in Yemen, these people went there. They lived in Marib. As their population increased over time, want and other difficulties forced them to leave Marib. When they left Marib, their leader was Amr ibn Amir, known in history as Mu’ayqiya. He was in fact the forefather of the entire Ansar community and the Ghassanids. The history of the Ansar becomes clear from his time onward.

Amr initially left Marib accompanied by Malik ibn Yaman and the Azd tribe. His descendants lived for many generations in various regions of Arabia. At one point in history, the descendants of this Amr settled in Yathrib and its surroundings. They were the ancestors of Medina’s famous Aws and Khazraj tribes.

Regardless of what may be commonly said about the ancient history of the Ansar, in reality all the tribes of Medina’s Ansar originated from two men named Aws and Khazraj. Their father was Haritha and their mother was Qayla daughter of Amr ibn Jafna. They had another brother named Adi, whose descendants also lived in Medina. Little is known about Khazraj. Regarding Aws, it is known that he was a khatib, or orator, and a sha’ib, or poet. Some wise sayings attributed to him have been preserved. The descendants of Aws, Khazraj and Adi multiplied in Yathrib and divided into various subtribes, as follows:

Adi: There was no separate branch tribe named after him. Many believe that his children merged with Aws and Khazraj, because in Arabia nephews become known as the children of their uncle due to the uncle’s fame. (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/204)

Aws: He had a son named Malik. Malik had five sons, each the ancestor of a separate branch tribe: Amr ibn Malik, Awf ibn Malik, Murrah ibn Malik, Imra al-Qays ibn Malik and Jusham ibn Malik.

Khazraj: Khazraj had five sons: Amr, Awf, Jusham, Ka’b and Harith. All the branches of Banu Najjar, the maternal tribe of the Messenger of Allah’s grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, were descendants of Amr ibn Khazraj.

The Jews had settled there before the forefathers of the Ansar arrived in Medina. According to some, they came to Arabia during the time of Solomon; according to others, after Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Bayt al-Maqdis, and established control over Yathrib and its surrounding areas. Later, the forefathers of Aws and Khazraj arrived, built forts and houses, and settled there. They made a security pact with the Jews. But as their numbers increased over time, the Jews became afraid, and this later turned into hostility.

The people of the Aws and Khazraj tribes initially lived in the same area of Yathrib. Later, when the Jews’ power had somewhat weakened, they spread throughout the lowlands and highlands and established separate settlements.

The two tribes of Aws and Khazraj lived together in harmony for a long time. At one stage, however, hostility arose between them, and they became involved in one terrible war after another. Had Islam not appeared, they might have vanished from the earth. The author of Khulasat al-Wafa says: “Thereafter so many wars took place between them that no other community is known to have experienced wars more numerous or longer than theirs.” They began with the Samir War and ended with the Bu’ath War. The Bu’ath War took place five years before the Messenger of Allah migrated to Medina. No count exists of how many wars occurred between these two; history has recorded only the major ones. (Al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh, 1/503)

The Ancient Religious Beliefs of the Ansar

If the Ansar were descendants of Nabit ibn Ishmael, then originally their religious beliefs were the same as those of Ishmael and his children. Later, when Amr ibn Luhayy introduced idol worship into Arabia, they too began worshipping idols, like the other Ishmaelites. Little information is available about the religious beliefs of the Ansar’s forefathers while they lived in Yemen. Their condition after settling in Yathrib, however, is known in general terms. The fourth descendant from the founder of the Khazraj lineage was Najjar. He was the forefather of Banu Najjar. History records his original name as Taim al-Lat. (Tabari, 1/1085) It was later changed to Taimullah. Ibn Hisham mentions this name in his Sirah. The change probably occurred after the Ansar accepted Islam. There are other examples of such changes. Banu Samma of the Age of Ignorance came to be called Banu Sumayya in the Islamic era. This name was given by the Messenger himself. (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/179) Many individuals’ names were also changed, just as tribal names were.

In any case, the name Taim al-Lat indicates that the goddess al-Lat was worshipped among the Ansar. Some Ansari tribes identified themselves as Awsullah. It may previously have been Aws al-Lat. Arab historians mention Manat as the goddess of the Ansar. Manat was a goddess of the Nabataeans. It is mentioned in the Quran’s Surah al-Najm. Mu’jam al-Buldan states that Manat was the oldest goddess of the descendants of Ishmael. (8/167) Worship of al-Lat began later. (7/310) The people of Aws, Khazraj and Ghassan also worshipped Manat. (Tabaqat, 1/106) Other Arab tribes, such as Huthayl, Khuza’a, Azd Shanua and Banu Ka’b, also worshipped it.

It is not correct that the people of Yathrib worshipped only al-Lat and Manat, or that no other Arab tribe worshipped these two goddesses. Rather, just as the people of Yathrib worshipped many other gods and goddesses, large and small, besides al-Lat and Manat, other Arab tribes also worshipped al-Lat and Manat.

The historian Tabari mentions an incident while discussing the Messenger’s migration. Once Ali had to stay for several nights in the home of a Muslim woman in Quba, Medina. During that time, every night he heard the sound of the door opening. The woman would open the door and bring some things in from outside. She was a widow. One day Ali asked her why the door was opened in this way every night. She replied, “I am an orphaned woman. Therefore, Sahl ibn Hunayf breaks his tribe’s idols at night and secretly gives their wood to me as fuel.” (Tabari, 3/1244) This shows that many wooden idols were kept in the homes of the people of Yathrib.

Amr ibn Jamuh was a highly respected man of Banu Salamah. After Mu’adh ibn Jabal became a Muslim, he would take Amr’s wooden idol called Manat out of the house under cover of darkness and throw it far away. Amr would retrieve it. Thus prominent people had their own idols in their homes. In addition, almost every tribe had a temple for idol worship. Yaqut al-Hamawi said: “No tribe honored the goddess Manat as much as the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj.” (Mu’jam al-Buldan, 8/168)

There were some people among Aws and Khazraj who did not worship idols. They believed in one Allah. Many of them were influenced by the Jews of Medina and Khaybar. Others followed the Hanif religion. Regarding the religious beliefs of the Ansar, Ibn Hisham said: “Aws and Khazraj were polytheists. They worshipped idols. They knew nothing of Paradise, Hell, the Resurrection, the Gathering, the Re-creation, the Book, the lawful or the unlawful.” (Sirah, 1/304) This was the general state of affairs.

The Beginning of Islam among the Ansar

During the Age of Ignorance, the Ansar maintained contact with Mecca. They came there for Hajj, Umrah, trade and other purposes. Because of their internecine wars and the hostility of the Jews, they came hoping to obtain Mecca’s support and assistance. For various other reasons as well, the people of the Aws and Khazraj tribes had close relations with the people of Mecca. There were also family ties and alliances between the people of Mecca and Medina.

It is reported that Suwayd ibn Samit was the first among the people of Medina to receive the call to Islam from the Messenger of Allah and to have the good fortune of hearing the Holy Quran from his lips. He was a respected man of Medina’s Amr ibn Awf tribe. Even in the Age of Ignorance, the Arabs had given him the title “Kamil.” When he went to Mecca, he met the Messenger of Allah. After hearing the call to Islam from him, he said, “What you have is almost the same as what I have.” The Messenger asked, “What do you have?” He replied, “The Scripture of Luqman.” When the Messenger expressed a desire to hear some of it, he recited something. The Messenger expressed his approval and said, “What I have is better than this, namely the Quran.” He was captivated upon hearing the Quran. The result, according to Ibn Hisham, was that “he did not remain distant from Islam.” When he returned to Medina, he was killed by the Khazrajites. The people of the Amr ibn Awf tribe believe that he died as a Muslim. This occurred before the Battle of Bu’ath. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/16)

After that, Abu al-Maysar Anas ibn Rafi came to Mecca accompanied by several men of the Abd al-Ashhal tribe. Their purpose was to make an alliance with Quraysh. Yas ibn Mu’adh was among this group. When the Messenger learned of their presence in Mecca, he met them and invited them to Islam. Yas was a young man. After hearing the Quran from the Messenger’s lips, he said to his companions, “This is better than the purpose for which you have come.” He died after returning to Medina. During his brief companionship with the Messenger, he understood Islam to such an extent that at the final moment of his life he uttered only the takbir and caused people to hear Allah’s praise and glorification. The people of his tribe believed that he was a Muslim. (Musnad, 5/427)

There is disagreement among historians as to who was the first Muslim among the people of Medina. The names mentioned by various historians in this regard are Rafi ibn Malik al-Zurqi, Mu’adh ibn Afra, As’ad ibn Zurarah, Dhakwan ibn Adi, Jabir ibn Abdillah, and others. (See Tabaqat, 1/146; Zarqani, 1/361)

In reality, the spread and propagation of Islam among the Ansar of Medina began with the First Pledge of Aqabah. Aqabah means a mountain pass. Here, Aqabah refers to the mountain pass adjoining the Jamrat Aqabah at Mina. At this place, the Ansar who came from Medina pledged allegiance on three occasions. The first took place in the eleventh year of Prophethood. At that time, six people—according to another report, eight—accepted Islam, pledged allegiance to the Messenger, and returned to Medina. This was the First Pledge of Aqabah. Through it, Islam and the Noble Prophet began to be discussed in every home in Medina.

The following year, during the Hajj season, twelve people gathered there. Five were from the earlier group and seven were new. They all pledged allegiance to the Messenger. This was the Second Pledge of Aqabah. They requested the Messenger to send someone to teach them the Quran. He sent Musab ibn Umayr. He taught the Muslims of Medina the Quran and propagated Islam. As a result, Islam spread rapidly and widely in Medina.

Then, in the thirteenth year of Prophethood, seventy—or according to another report, seventy-three—men and two women again met the Messenger of Allah at Aqabah during the Hajj season and pledged allegiance. This was the Third, or Final, Pledge of Aqabah. Usually, this is what is meant by the Pledge of Aqabah. This pledge was taken concerning the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam, jihad against the disbelievers, and the protection, assistance and support of the Noble Prophet when he migrated to Medina. After the pledge, the Messenger appointed twelve naqibs, or representatives, from among them. They all returned and prepared the way and the environment for the Messenger’s migration to Medina.

Of the 72 or 75 people who took part in this Third or Final Aqabah, eleven were from the Aws tribe, while sixty-four, including two women, were from the Khazraj tribe. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/249–255)

The Ansar left no deficiency in supporting and assisting Islam. Through their unparalleled sacrifices and aid, they raised Islam’s honor and dignity. History is filled with accounts of their bravery and sacrifice. Two hundred and thirty Ansar took part in the Battle of Badr. Of them, 170 were from the Khazraj tribe, while the remaining Ansar were from Aws. Of the total seventy camels used in the battle, Sad ibn Ubadah al-Khazraji alone donated twenty. Of the fourteen Muslims martyred in the Battle of Badr, eight were Ansar. Many Ansar took part in the Battle of Uhud, and sixty-six of the seventy martyrs were Ansar. Some suffered seventy wounds on their bodies. A significant number of the martyrs of Bi’r Ma’unah were also Ansar. (Islamic Encyclopedia, Volume One, “Ansar”)

It is impossible to describe in a few words the Ansar’s perseverance and sacrifice for Islam. They devoted everything, including their lives and wealth, to Islam. For the Muhajirun who came to Medina, they divided their wealth and homes. It is difficult to find in human history examples of the honesty and generosity they displayed. For this reason, the Messenger had deep love for them. He regarded their contributions, sacrifices and devotion with due honor. Through his words and actions, he acknowledged these contributions. He declared love for the Ansar to be part of faith. He said that no person who believes in Allah and the Hereafter can harbor hostility toward the Ansar. He described hatred of the Ansar as the nature and character of a hypocrite. He prayed for Allah’s mercy upon the Ansar and their descendants. He departed this world pleased with them.

The word Ansar appears in several places in the Holy Quran. Among them, portions of verses 100 and 117 of Surah al-Tawbah directly concern the Muslim Ansar of Medina. Allah says:

1. “And the first forerunners among the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and those who followed them with excellence—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. That is the supreme success.” (al-Tawbah, 100)

2. “Allah has turned in mercy to the Prophet, and to the Muhajirun and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship, when the hearts of a group of them nearly swerved. Then He turned to them in mercy. Indeed, He is Kind and Merciful to them.” (al-Tawbah, 117)

In many other Quranic verses as well, the courage of the Ansar is indicated, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly. For example, verse 9 of Surah al-Hashr states:

“Those who had settled in Medina and embraced faith before the arrival of the Muhajirun love those who emigrate to them. They do not find in their hearts any need for what has been given to the Muhajirun, and they give them preference over themselves, even though they are in need. And whoever is protected from the selfishness of his own soul—it is they who are successful.”

As’ad ibn Zurarah (may Allah be pleased with him)

Abu Umamah As‘ad, also known as As‘ad al-Khayr, was a descendant of the Najjar branch of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. His father was Zurara ibn ‘Adas. (Al-Isabah, 1/34; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71) Nothing is known about the year or date of his birth.

Before the Prophet’s attainment of prophethood, the entire Arabian Peninsula was shrouded in the darkness of disbelief and misguidance. Even so, some people, following the demands of their sound nature, or fitrah, advocated tawhid, or the oneness of God. As‘ad ibn Zurara was one of them. (Tabaqat, 1/146)

Even in the pre-Islamic period, the people of Yasrib (Madinah) used to travel to Makkah to obtain the support of the Quraysh in their disputes and have them adjudicated. They also went there to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah. Then Islam arose in Makkah. By that time, the Messenger of Allah had already passed several years of his prophetic life. Along with inviting the people of Makkah to Islam, he appeared at various fairs and marketplaces and widely called people to the truth. He also continued secretly conveying the message of the Qur’an to outsiders who came to Makkah for various purposes.

Ibn al-Athir says, on the authority of al-Waqidi: At such a time, As‘ad ibn Zurara and Dhakwan ibn ‘Abd al-Qays went to ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, a Quraysh leader of Makkah, to settle a dispute between them. At ‘Utbah’s place they met the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet presented Islam to them and recited some verses from the Holy Qur’an for them. At that very meeting, both of them accepted Islam. Instead of returning to ‘Utbah, they went straight back to Madinah from the Messenger of Allah. Thus, they were the first two Muslims to arrive in Madinah. This occurred before the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, in the tenth year of prophethood. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71; Al-Isabah, 1/34; Hayatus-Sahabah, 1/86)

However, Ibn al-Athir, citing Ibn Ishaq, says that As‘ad ibn Zurara was one of those who participated in the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, held in the tenth year of prophethood, and accepted Islam there. He then attended the Second and Third Pledges, held in the eleventh and twelfth years of prophethood. Thus, he was a complete ‘Aqabi. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71)

It should be mentioned in this connection that there is considerable disagreement among biographers as to who was the first Muslim of Madinah. Ibn Hisham says that Suwayd ibn Samit went to Makkah for Hajj or ‘Umrah and met the Messenger of Allah. The people of Yasrib had given him the title “Kamil.” In that age, the Arabs bestowed the title “Kamil” on a person endowed with every virtue—bravery, courage, poetic talent, noble lineage, honor and influence—in short, one possessing all good qualities. Among the people of Madinah, he was the first to have the fortune of receiving the Messenger of Allah’s invitation and hearing the Qur’an. Ibn Hisham says that after this invitation he did not remain distant from Islam. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/426–27) But he was killed immediately afterward. In any event, even if Suwayd was the first Muslim, he did not have the opportunity to return to Madinah and begin the work of calling people to Islam. It was probably As‘ad and Dhakwan who were the first two people to begin propagating Islam in Madinah.

Upon reaching Madinah, he first met Abu al-Haytham and told him about his new faith. Abu al-Haytham immediately exclaimed, “I too, along with you, have believed in his messengership.” (Tabaqat, 1/146) Many have considered this Abu al-Haytham to have been the first Muslim of Madinah.

In the tenth year of prophethood, as every year, the people of Yasrib came to Makkah for Hajj. Six of them secretly met the Messenger of Allah at a place called Mina al-‘Aqabah after Hajj and pledged allegiance to him. As‘ad was among these six. The following year, during the Hajj season, the people of Yasrib again came to Makkah. Twelve of them secretly met the Messenger of Allah at ‘Aqabah and pledged allegiance to him. As‘ad was also among these twelve. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/429, 431, 433, 435, 436, 437)

After this ‘Aqabah, when the prospects for the propagation and invitation to Islam in Madinah had become quite promising, they requested the Messenger of Allah to send them a teacher who would teach them the Qur’an and the religion. In response to their request, the Messenger sent Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr to Yasrib as a da‘i, or caller. Until Mus‘ab went to Madinah, As‘ad ibn Zurara had led the prayers there. Then Mus‘ab became the imam. According to some, however, As‘ad continued leading the prayers there until Salim, the freedman of Abu Hudhayfah, arrived in Madinah. Mus‘ab taught them only the Qur’an. In Madinah they prayed facing Bayt al-Maqdis. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/239, 266) As‘ad gave Mus‘ab the honor of staying as a guest in his own home in Madinah. (Tabaqat, 3/483)

After Mus‘ab went to Madinah, As‘ad ibn Zurara began extensive missionary activity with him. They went to various areas of Madinah and invited people to Islam individually and collectively. Ibn Ishaq says: One day As‘ad ibn Zurara set out with Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr toward Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal and Banu Zafar. They entered an orchard belonging to Banu Zafar and sat on a wall beside a well called Ma‘raq. People gathered around them. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr were leaders of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal. They were still idolaters. Sa‘d was As‘ad’s maternal cousin.

When Sa‘d learned that As‘ad and Mus‘ab had arrived, he said to Usayd, “Usayd, go to these two men. They have come to our neighborhood and are deceiving our weaker people. Go and forbid them. If As‘ad, my maternal cousin, were not there, you would not be needed; I would drive them away myself.” Usayd advanced toward them carrying a spear. Seeing him, As‘ad said to Mus‘ab, “This man is one of his tribe’s leaders; he has come to you.” Mus‘ab spoke with him, and by Allah’s will Usayd became a Muslim at that very gathering. (Hayatus-Sahabah, 1/187–190)

Through the combined efforts of As‘ad and Mus‘ab, Islam spread so widely in Madinah that only a year later, in the twelfth year of prophethood, during the Hajj season, a group of seventy-three—or, according to another view, seventy-five—men and women secretly met the Messenger of Allah again at Mina al-‘Aqabah. There is disagreement among biographers about who was the first to place his hand in the Messenger of Allah’s hand and pledge allegiance, or take the oath, at this Third and final ‘Aqabah. According to one view, that fortunate person was As‘ad. (Al-Isabah, 1/34; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/254; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71)

It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr that after the pledge the Messenger of Allah said, “Choose twelve naqibs from among yourselves, who will be responsible for their respective tribes like the disciples of Jesus.” As‘ad assented and said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah said, “You will be the naqib of your tribe.” He then announced the names of the other naqibs. (Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir wa al-A‘lam, 1/182)

Thus, he became the Messenger’s appointed naqib of Banu Najjar. Ibn Mundah and Abu Nu‘aym, however, say that he was the naqib of Banu Sa‘idah. Ibn al-Athir says that this was merely their assumption. In reality, he was the naqib of his own tribe, Banu Najjar. Therefore, when he died, the people of Banu Najjar appealed to the Messenger of Allah: “O Messenger of Allah, As‘ad has died; he was our naqib. Now appoint another naqib for us.” The Messenger replied, “You are my maternal-uncle tribe. I myself am your naqib.” This was a great distinction for Banu Najjar. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71–72)

The Messenger did not merely appoint him naqib; he also declared him “Naqib al-Nuqaba,” or chief of those responsible. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/254) Ibn al-Athir says that, except for Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah, As‘ad was the youngest among these ‘Aqabah participants. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71; Al-Isabah, 1/34)

After the Third Pledge of ‘Aqabah, he returned to Madinah bearing the burden of a great responsibility. What if he was young? His enthusiasm and emotion born of faith were extremely intense. He arranged congregational prayer in Madinah and, with forty worshippers, arranged the first Friday prayer there. Whenever they went out for the first Friday prayer in Madinah and heard the call to prayer, he would seek forgiveness and pray for Abu Umamah As‘ad ibn Zurara. One day I asked, “Father, why do you always pray for him in this way whenever you hear the call to prayer?” He replied, “My son, before the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he was the first to gather us at a place called Naqi‘ al-Khadimat, near a mountain called Hazm al-Nabit of Banu Bayda’, and lead us in the Friday prayer. We numbered forty.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71; Al-Isabah, 1/34; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/435; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/243; Hayatus-Sahabah, 3/387) There is disagreement as to who first established the Friday prayer in Madinah.

Although, after arriving in Madinah, the Messenger stayed at the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, his she-camel became the guest of As‘ad. (Tabaqat, 1/160) At the very first moment of the Messenger’s arrival in Madinah, the she-camel knelt down first at the place that was later selected for the Messenger’s mosque and residence. The land belonged to two orphan boys named Sahl and Suhayl, and their guardian was As‘ad ibn Zurara. (Bukhari; Hayatus-Sahabah, 1/343)

The Messenger asked As‘ad, the guardian of the two boys, about the price of the land. The boys immediately said, “We seek its price only from Allah.” Since the Messenger was unwilling to accept the land without payment, Abu Bakr paid its price. Some reports, however, state that As‘ad ibn Zurara gave the two orphans an orchard of his in Banu Bayda’ in exchange for this land for the mosque. (Zarqani, 1/422)

Baladhuri reports that, after the Messenger arrived in Madinah and was staying at Abu Ayyub’s house, As‘ad ibn Zurara sent him food on alternate nights. On the night when it was the turn for food to come from As‘ad’s house, the Messenger would ask, “Has As‘ad’s bowl arrived?” They would say, “Yes.” He would say, “Then bring that one.” The Companion narrator says that from this we understood that the food in that bowl was dear to the Messenger of Allah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/267)

Al-Waqidi narrated from ‘A’ishah. After the Messenger had taken up residence at Abu Ayyub’s house in Madinah, he asked one day, “Abu Ayyub, do you have a bed or couch?” It should be noted that the Quraysh in Makkah were accustomed to sleeping on beds. Abu Ayyub said, “No.” When this reached As‘ad ibn Zurara, he sent a bed with a post and ornately carved legs. The Messenger used to sleep on it. Thereafter, when the Messenger moved to my room, he slept on the same bed that my mother had given me. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/525)

After migrating from Makkah to Madinah, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah stayed at As‘ad’s house. It is also reported that Hamzah stayed at his house. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/477–478)

The construction of the Prophet’s Mosque was then under way. At that time, in Shawwal of the first year after the Hijrah, the call to the Hereafter came to him. He contracted a disease of the throat called jabah. The Messenger personally applied heat to the affected place and placed his hand on his head, but no benefit was seen. He died. According to al-Waqidi, he died in the ninth month after the Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah was grieved by his death. He said, “Now the Jews will go about saying, ‘If he were a prophet, his companion would not have died.’ Yet can I cure death?” The Messenger led his funeral prayer and buried him in Madinah’s Baqi‘ cemetery. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/507; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/71; Al-Isabah, 1/34; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/243)

It is said that this was the first death after the Messenger’s migration to Madinah. It is also thought that this was the first time the Messenger performed the funeral prayer. According to the Ansar, As‘ad was the first Muslim buried in Baqi‘, while according to the Muhajirun, it was ‘Uthman ibn Maz‘un. (Al-Isabah, 1/34)

At the time of his death, As‘ad left two daughters in the care of the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger looked after them throughout his life. He placed gold bracelets mixed with pearl beads on their hands. He married one of the girls to Sahl ibn Hunayf, and Abu Umamah ibn Sahl was born to her there. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/243; Al-Isabah, 1/34)

Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan (may Allah be pleased with him)

He is famous in history by the kunya Abu al-Haytham. There is disagreement about his actual name and the tribe to which he belonged. According to one view, his actual name was ‘Abdullah. According to another, it was Malik. Musa ibn ‘Uqbah, Ibn Sa‘d, Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Abu Ma‘shar and Muhammad ibn ‘Umar all held the latter view. There is likewise disagreement concerning his tribe and his father’s name. According to one opinion, his father was Bali ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Haff ibn Quda‘ah. On this basis he is called al-Balawi. This was Ibn Sa‘d’s view. Ibn Ishaq and ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ammarah al-Ansari opposed it. Ibn Ishaq said that Abu al-Haytham who participated in Badr was named Malik, and that his brother was named ‘Atiq. Both were sons of al-Tayyihan. ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Ansari said that Abu al-Haytham belonged to the Aws tribe. His mother was Layla bint ‘Atiq. This is the view of most scholars. (Tabaqat, 3447; Al-Isabah, 4/212; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/433) The exact time of his birth is unknown.

Abu al-Haytham accepted Islam at the hands of his friend As‘ad ibn Zurara. According to one report, As‘ad ibn Zurara and Dhakwan ibn ‘Abdi Qays went to ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah in Makkah. There, after hearing about the Messenger’s invitation, they secretly met him and accepted Islam. As‘ad returned to Madinah, met Abu al-Haytham, and related to him the story of his own acceptance of Islam, as well as information about the Messenger of Allah and his call. Ibn Sa‘d says that, even before Islam—in the age of ignorance—As‘ad and Abu al-Haytham had been advocates of tawhid, or the oneness of God, in Yasrib. Hearing from his friend Zurara about the Messenger of Allah and his call, Abu al-Haytham immediately exclaimed without any hesitation or reservation: “Ana ashhadu ma‘aka annahu Rasulullah—I too testify with you that he is indeed the Messenger of Allah.” Thus, he accepted Islam at the hands of his friend Zurara.

At the next Hajj season, when eight—or, according to another view, six—people from Yasrib secretly met the Messenger of Allah in Makkah and pledged allegiance, Abu al-Haytham was among them. In history, this pledge is also called the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah. According to another report, however, Abu al-Haytham was not present at that pledge. (Tabaqat, 1/218–219) According to this latter view, As‘ad accepted Islam at the First ‘Aqabah, returned to Madinah, and invited Abu al-Haytham to Islam. It was through this invitation that Abu al-Haytham accepted Islam. A year later he met the Messenger at ‘Aqabah with the twelve, and the following year with seventy-three—or, according to another view, seventy-five—people. Thus, he attained the honor of participating in every one of the ‘Aqabah pledges. (Tabaqat, 1/22; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/433)

According to one report, at the final ‘Aqabah Abu al-Haytham was the first to extend his hand to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah. Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrated this from Imam al-Zuhri. There is considerable disagreement on this matter, however. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/447; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/254)

When, at the time of the oath at the Third ‘Aqabah, the people of Madinah invited the Messenger to go to Madinah, Abu al-Haytham was one of several men who spoke on behalf of the people of Makkah and Madinah. al-Tabarani narrated from ‘Urwah that when Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan pledged allegiance to the Messenger, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have agreements with other people. Could it happen that we annul those agreements and fight them, while you return to your own people?” Hearing this, the Messenger smiled slightly and said, “The claim for your blood will be my claim for blood, and your bloodshed will be my bloodshed.” In other words, there would be no difference between me and you.

Pleased by these words of the Messenger, Abu al-Haytham addressed his companions: “O my fellow tribesmen! This man is the Messenger of Allah. I testify that he is certainly truthful. Today he is safe among his relatives in the sanctuary of Makkah. Know that if you take him from here to yourselves, the whole of Arabia will shoot arrows at you from one bow. In other words, you will become the common target at dawn. If you are prepared to strive in Allah’s path and spend your lives, wealth and children, then invite him to your land. For he truly is the Messenger of Allah. But consider the matter if you fear that you may later regret it.”

After Abu al-Haytham’s speech, his companions said, “We accept whatever Allah and His Messenger have given us. O Messenger of Allah, whatever you have asked of us, we give to you. Abu al-Haytham, step aside for a moment; we shall pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah.” Abu al-Haytham said, “I shall be the first to pledge allegiance.” After his pledge, the others pledged one after another. (Hayatus-Sahabah, 1/247–248; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/442)

After this pledge, the Messenger announced the names of twelve naqibs, or responsible leaders. From the Aws tribe, Abu al-Haytham, Usayd ibn Hudayr and Sa‘d ibn Khaythamah were appointed as the three naqibs. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/252)

After the Messenger migrated to Madinah, he established a bond of brotherhood between Abu al-Haytham and the renowned Muhajir ‘Uthman ibn Maz‘un. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/271; Al-Isabah, 4/212)

He participated in all the battles fought during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, including Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. At Uhud, his brother ‘Atiq ibn al-Tayyihan was martyred at the hands of ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl. (Ansab, 1/329) Ibn Sa‘d says that after ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah was martyred at Mu’tah, the Messenger sent Abu al-Haytham to Khaybar as a measurer of dates. After the death of the Messenger, Abu Bakr also expressed his wish to retain him in that post, but he refused to accept it. (Tabaqat, 3/448)

He died in the twentieth year after the Hijrah during the caliphate of ‘Umar. According to one report, he died in the thirty-seventh year after the Hijrah, before the Battle of Siffin. Imam al-Asma‘i transmitted a report in which he said, “I asked the people of Abu al-Haytham’s tribe about his death. They said that he died during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah.” Some have said that he died in the twenty-first year after the Hijrah, while others have said that he fought on the side of ‘Ali at Siffin. Some went even further and said that he fought on ‘Ali’s side at Siffin and was martyred there. (Ansab, 1/240; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/433)

The historian al-Waqidi clearly said that the report of his participation at Siffin was entirely baseless. In contrast, his death in the twentieth year after the Hijrah was reported by eminent hadith scholars such as Imam al-Zuhri, Salih ibn Kaysan and al-Hakim. Therefore, a doubtful report cannot be accepted against this. (Siyar al-Ansar, 2)

Some hadith narrated from Abu al-Haytham are found in the hadith collections, but their authenticity is not beyond doubt. Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani said, “All the hadith narrated from Abu al-Haytham that are found are doubtful. No chain of transmission can be found by which the authenticity of even one of them can be established.” The reason is that he died very early. (Al-Isabah, 4/213)

Al-Haytham ibn Nasr al-Aslami said, “I served the Messenger of Allah. Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan had a well called Jasīm. Its water was sweet. I used to bring water for the Messenger from that well. Once, on a hot day, the Messenger came to Abu al-Haytham’s house accompanied by Abu Bakr and asked, ‘Do you have cold water?’ Abu al-Haytham brought a bucket of water as cold as ice, mixed it with goat’s milk and gave it to the Messenger to drink. Then he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have a cool shelter, an ‘arish. Please rest there for a while during this midday.’ Abu al-Haytham sprinkled water over the shelter, and the Messenger entered it with Abu Bakr. Abu al-Haytham brought before them various kinds of dates and a dish filled with tharid, a delicious preparation. The narrator, Haytham ibn Nasr, said, ‘The Messenger, Abu Bakr and all of us ate and drank from it. When the time for prayer came, he led us in congregational prayer at Abu al-Haytham’s house. Abu al-Haytham’s wife stood behind me in the congregation. After the prayer, he returned to the shelter and performed two rak‘ahs after the obligatory Zuhr prayer there.’ (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/535)

One day the Messenger of Allah came out of his house at an unusual time, when he normally did not go out. After a while Abu Bakr also arrived. The Messenger asked, ‘Abu Bakr, what brings you out at such an hour?’ He replied, ‘I came hoping to meet you.’ Meanwhile ‘Umar also arrived. The Messenger asked him the same question. ‘Umar replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, hunger drove me here.’ The Messenger said, ‘I too am hungry.’ The three of them went together to Abu al-Haytham’s house.

Abu al-Haytham had a date orchard and a flock of goats, but no servant. He did all the work himself. At that time he was not at home. When they called out, his wife said that he had gone to fetch water. After a while he returned carrying a water-skin full of water. On seeing the Messenger, he put the water-skin down, embraced him and began saying with great emotion, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you!’ He then took them all to the orchard and spread something for them to sit on. Leaving them seated, he cut down a cluster of dates and brought it. The Messenger said, ‘Why did you not bring ripe dates?’ He replied, ‘It contains every kind, ripe and unripe; take whichever you like.’ The Messenger ate some of the dates and then drank water. The water was very clear and delicious.

After eating and drinking, the Messenger said, ‘Look at how many blessings Allah has given: shade, fine dates and cold water. By Allah, you will be questioned about all of this on the Day of Resurrection.’ Abu al-Haytham left his honored guests seated in the orchard, returned home, arranged a meal, slaughtered a small goat, roasted it and served it to his guests.

After the meal, the Messenger asked him, ‘Do you have no servant?’ He replied, ‘No.’ The Messenger said, ‘Whenever a prisoner of war comes into my hands, come to me.’ At that time two prisoners of war came into the Messenger’s possession. He told Abu al-Haytham to choose either one of them. Abu al-Haytham left the choice to the Messenger. The Messenger handed one of them over to him and said, ‘Treat him well.’ He returned home with the slave and told his wife about the Messenger’s advice.

His wife was extremely intelligent. She said, ‘If you wish to obey the Messenger’s command, set him free.’ Following his wife’s advice, he freed the slave. When the Messenger learned of their deed, he was very pleased and praised them both. (Tirmidhi, 391) The incident is also recorded in Kanz al-‘Ummal. Imam Muslim and Imam Malik narrated it in abbreviated form. Hafiz al-Mundhiri said that this incident has been narrated concerning both Abu al-Haytham and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. (Hayatus-Sahabah, 1/310)

Abu al-Haytham was asked, “Upon what did you pledge allegiance at ‘Aqabah?” He replied, “We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah for the same matter for which the Children of Israel pledged allegiance to Musa.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/240)

Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him)

The renowned Ansari Companion Usayd was from the Banu Abd al-Ashhal branch of Medina’s distinguished Aws tribe. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/240) Several kunyas, or nicknames, are found for him in various books of the Sirah. For example, he was known as Abu Yahya after his son Yahya; it is also narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, called him Abu Isa. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92) He was also known by the names Abu Atik, Abu Hudayr, and Abu Amr. (See: Siyar al-Ansar, 1/228; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/240; al-Alam, 1/330)
His father was Hudayr ibn Simak and his mother was Umm Usayd bint Uskun. Hudayr was a chief or leader of the Aws tribe. In the pre-Islamic period, he led all the wars fought between Medina’s perpetually hostile tribes, Aws and Khazraj. He was the chief horseman of the Aws tribe and possessed a strong fortress of his own. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92) The last and greatest bloody battle between Aws and Khazraj was the Battle of Buath. Hudayr was also its commander, while the commander of the opposing Khazraj tribe was Amr ibn Numan Rujaylah. Both led their troops with great skill. At one stage, the Aws tribe came close to defeat. At that point Hudayr himself entered the battle. The Khazraj commander, Amr, was killed and the Aws tribe was victorious. This battle took place five years before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, migrated to Medina. (Siyar al-Ansar, 1/228)
Three years after the aforementioned Battle of Buath, the Pledge of Aqabah took place in Makkah. At the request of the newly Muslim people of Medina, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent Musab ibn Umayr to Medina to propagate Islam. Usayd had not yet accepted Islam. He accepted Islam in Medina at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr, before Muadh ibn Jabal. According to some, he accepted Islam after the Last Aqabah—that is, after the occasion when seventy-three or seventy-five people of Medina pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at a place in Makkah called Aqabah. This is not correct, however, because it is reliably narrated in the books of the Sirah that he took part in this Last Aqabah and that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed him as the naqib, or responsible representative, of Banu Abd al-Ashhal. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92; Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir wa al-Alam, 1/181; al-Alam, 1/310; al-Isabah, 1/49)
The books of the Sirah recount a remarkable story concerning Usayd’s acceptance of Islam. Musab ibn Umayr stayed as a guest in the house of Asad ibn Zurarah in Medina and sat among the Banu Jafar, teaching people the Quran. The settlement of Banu Jafar was near the tribe of Abd al-Ashhal. One day, Sad ibn Muadh and Usayd ibn Hudayr learned that Musab was sitting in a garden teaching the Muslims the Quran. Sad said to Usayd, “Go there and tell him never again to come within the boundaries of our neighborhood.” Although Asad was Sad’s maternal or paternal cousin, Usayd went toward the garden at Sad’s command, intending personally to uproot Islam. Seeing him approach, Asad said to Musab, “Look, a man is coming toward you. He is the leader of his tribe; make him a Muslim.”
Usayd, in a very angry tone, said, “Why do you keep deceiving our weak people in this way? If you want good for yourselves, leave this place at once.” Musab, a preacher trained at the court of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied with a smile and great calmness, “Please sit and listen to what I have to say. If you like it, accept it; and if not, I shall stop and leave.” Usayd said, “This is a very wise and just proposal.” The humility of Musab’s conduct dispelled Usayd’s anger, and he sat down. Musab explained the essence of Islam to him and recited some verses of the Quran. As Musab continued reciting the Quranic verses, Usayd’s face gradually began to change. At last, he was deeply moved, and the words spontaneously escaped his lips: “How can one enter this religion?” Musab said, “First you must bathe, put on clean clothes, and pronounce the kalimah. Then you must offer the prayer.” Before Musab had finished speaking, Usayd left. When he returned a short while later, his hair was wet and he was wearing clean clothes. Then, placing his hand in Musab’s hand, he recited, “I testify that there is no deity except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger”—that is, “I bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” Then, as he rose from the gathering, he said, “I am going now and will send the other leaders. You must make them Muslims as well.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/188–189; Siyar al-Ansar, 1/229)
Usayd rose and went straight to Sad ibn Muadh. Seeing him approach, the people sitting with Sad began saying to one another, “Here he comes, but his face has changed from when he left. He was extremely agitated when he went, but now he appears calm, well-mannered, and cheerful.”
Usayd decided to use his intelligence. He sincerely wanted Sad also to hear what he had heard from Musab. But if he announced directly, “I have accepted Islam; you should follow me too,” Sad might have attacked him. Instead, he wanted to bring Sad before Musab as well. Musab was the guest of Asad ibn Zur- arah. So, intending to provoke Sad, Usayd said, “I have heard that the people of Banu Harithah have gone out intending to kill Asad ibn Zur- arah. They know very well that he is your cousin.”
Sad became furious. Immediately taking an arrow, he reached Musab and Asad. He found no sign of shouting or quarrelling there; rather, in a peaceful setting, Musab was reciting the Quran to the people, who were listening attentively. Sad understood the deception of his friend Usayd. He too listened carefully to Musab and announced his acceptance of Islam there. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/436–437; Rijal Hawl al-Rasul, 460–461)
A few days after Usayd accepted Islam, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, migrated to Medina. He established a bond of religious brotherhood between Usayd and the renowned Muhajir Companion Zayd ibn Harithah, may Allah be pleased with him. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92; al-Isabah, 1/49)
He took part in all the battles fought during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, beginning with Uhud. (al-Alam, 1/330) There is disagreement regarding his participation in the Battle of Badr. According to Waqidi, Ibn Ishaq, and Ibn al-Kalbi, he did not take part in Badr. Some specialists in the Sirah, however, held a different view. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/240; Tabaqat, 3/605) Ibn Sad says that, along with several other naqib Companions like Usayd, some distinguished Companions did not join the Battle of Badr. Baladhuri says that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, set out toward Badr, but some of his Companions remained behind. They had not imagined that the Muslims would fight the Quraysh. Usayd was one of those who stayed behind. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, returned to Medina after the Battle of Badr, Usayd hurried to him, congratulated him because Allah had granted victory over the enemy, and expressed his sorrow and regret at not having taken part. By way of explanation he said, “I thought it was the Quraysh trade caravan and that you would not fight them. If I had understood that they were enemies and that you would clash with them, I would never have stayed behind.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, believed him. Ibn Sad has narrated the same account. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/288; Tabaqat, 3/605)
He participated in the Battle of Uhud. Before this battle, a group of men under the leadership of Sad ibn Muadh, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Sad ibn Ubadah were assigned to guard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in Medina. They guarded his door throughout the night. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/314) At one point during the fiercest part of the battle, when almost all the Companions had been scattered and thrown far from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he remained steadfast with a small number of Companions. In this battle, seven parts of his body were severely wounded. (al-Isabah, 1/49; al-Alam, 1/330) The relatives of those martyred at Uhud began to weep for them. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Today there is no one to weep for Hamzah.” Hearing this, Sad and Usayd returned to their tribe and instructed their women to mourn Hamzah. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/99) On the day of Uhud, the banner of Banu Aws was in Usayd’s hand. During the intense fighting, some Muslim soldiers mistakenly took their own soldiers for unbelieving soldiers and struck them. Usayd was accidentally wounded by Abu Bardah ibn Niyar. Likewise, not recognizing Abu Bardah, Abu Jannah struck him twice with his sword. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said concerning them, “Even if one of you is killed in this manner, he will be a martyr.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/318, 322)
He took part in the Battle of the Trench. Even ten days after the battle ended, the Muslims remained surrounded in Medina. The polytheist army of Makkah would patrol at night in search of the Muslim leaders. Usayd then guarded the trench with two hundred men. After the Battle of the Trench, the people of the Ghatafan tribe began extensive looting. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, summoned their leaders, Amir ibn Tufayl and Zayd, to Medina. They came to Medina and jointly said that an arrangement could be made if they were given a share of the fruit produced in Medina. Usayd was standing nearby. He tapped both of them on the head with the shaft of his spear and exclaimed, “You jackals, get away from here!” Amir became extremely angry and asked, “Who are you?”
“Usayd ibn Hudayr.”
“The son of Qatab?” (Qatab was the title of Usayd’s father, Hudayr.)
“Yes.”
“Your father was better than you.”
Usayd immediately roared, “Never! I am far better than all of you and better than my father, because he was an unbeliever.” (Siyar al-Ansar, 1/230)
It is likely that this was the very incident narrated by al-Tabarani from Ibn Abbas. Two men named Amir ibn Tufayl and Arbad ibn Qays came to Medina to attend upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Addressing the Messenger of Allah, Amir said, “Muhammad, what will you give me if I accept Islam?” The Messenger replied, “Whatever is due to all Muslims will be due to you. The same obligations that apply to them will apply to you.” He said, “If I become a Muslim, will you grant me authority to rule after you?” The Messenger replied, “Neither you nor anyone from your tribe will receive that. You may, however, become a commander of the cavalry.” After speaking with them for some time, they rose and left. They then plotted to kill the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Their plan was disclosed to him, and they fled. Muadh and Usayd pursued them. At one point Usayd called out to them, “O enemies of Allah, may Allah’s curse be upon you!” Both men died accidental deaths on the way. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/548–549)
Before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Quraysh leader of Makkah, Abu Sufyan, sent a man to Medina to kill the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Concealing a small dagger at his waist, he came to the mosque of Banu Abd al-Ashhal while asking about the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw his face and immediately said, “This man has come to deceive.” When he advanced toward the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, intending to kill him, Usayd pulled at his lower garment. The dagger immediately fell from his waist. He realized that there was no escape. To prevent him from attempting to flee, Usayd seized his garment tightly near his throat. (Siyar al-Ansar, 1/230)
In the sixth year after the Hijrah, the Battle of Banu Mustaliq took place. After the battle, a minor quarrel broke out between a Muhajir and an Ansari over the trivial matter of watering camels and horses at a well. The hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubay unsuccessfully tried to inflame this small quarrel further. Addressing the Ansar, he said, “You have allowed them to live in your land and divided your wealth among them. By Allah, if you had not done so, they would have gone elsewhere. If we can return to Medina, we nobles—the people of Medina—will surely drive out these lowly people.” Zayd ibn Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him, heard these words and informed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was deeply distressed.
After this incident, Usayd came to meet the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger said to him:
“Did you hear what your friend said?”
“O Messenger of Allah, which friend?”
“Abdullah ibn Ubay.”
“What did he say?”
“He said that if they can return to Medina, the nobles will expel the lowly.”
Usayd said, “O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, Allah willing, you will be the one to expel him. By Allah, he is the lowly one, while you are most honored and victorious.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/1292)
Usayd further said, “O Messenger of Allah, show him some kindness. Allah Most High brought us here with you. His fellow tribesmen were making a crown for him so that they could make him king of Medina and place it on his head. He will see with his own eyes that his kingdom has been taken away.” (Rijal Hawl al-Rasul, 463)
It is mentioned in one narration that, after learning of Abdullah ibn Ubay’s aforementioned remark, Usayd said, “O Messenger of Allah, grant me permission to kill the man who is causing disorder among the people.” The Messenger said, “Would you kill him if I ordered you to?” Usayd replied, “Yes. If you permit me, I will sever his neck with my sword.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, seated him and calmed him. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/474)
During this journey for the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. On the return journey to Medina, the hypocrites falsely slandered Aishah’s character over an incident. In the books of the Sirah, this is known as the Ifk, or fabricated story. Some simple-hearted Muslims were also misled by the hypocrites’ propaganda. Finally, Allah Most High exposed the truth by revealing Quranic verses. When the matter reached its peak, Usayd came one day to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, if people of the Aws tribe cause you pain, we will stop them. And if the people of our brother tribe, Khazraj, cause you pain, command us. By Allah, they deserve to be killed.” The Khazraj leader, Sad ibn Ubadah, immediately objected, saying, “You can say this because they are from the Khazraj tribe. If they were from your own tribe, you could not say such a thing.” Usayd immediately roared, “By Allah, you have lied. You are a hypocrite, and therefore you are arguing in support of the hypocrites.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/300)
During the Battle of Khaybar, Amir, the uncle of Salamah ibn al-Akwa, attacked a Jew, but his sword blow missed and he himself was wounded and died. Many people, including Usayd, thought that since he had died from his own blow—which was a form of suicide—all his good deeds had become invalid. Salamah conveyed the matter to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger said, “Those who said this are mistaken. He will receive a double reward.” (Muslim, 2/96)
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was with the Muhajirun and Ansar during the campaign for the conquest of Makkah. His group was at the rear of everyone. He was between Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and Usayd. During the campaigns of Hunayn and Tabuk, the banner of the Aws tribe was in Usayd’s hand.
The day of the Saqifah of Banu Saidah was the day when, after the death of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a group of Ansar led by Sad ibn Ubadah claimed that the Ansar had priority for the caliphate. This spread throughout Medina and debate began. Usayd was one of the leaders of the Ansar tribe Aws. He played an important role in controlling this difficult situation. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92) He stood and addressed the Ansar: “You know that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was one of the Muhajirun. It is appropriate that his caliph too should be from among the Muhajirun. We were the Ansar, or helpers, of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” Addressing Sad ibn Muadh, he said, “Today too, we should remain the Ansar of the caliph of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” (Rijal Hawl al-Rasul, 462) At one point he addressed the people of his own tribe, Aws, saying, “The Khazraj tribe wants to monopolize leadership by making Sad ibn Ubadah caliph. If they succeed today, they will gain superiority over you forever and will never again give you any share in the caliphate. In my opinion, allegiance should be given to Abu Bakr.” He then instructed everyone to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr. Thus, because of the decision of the Aws tribe, the strength of the supporters of Sad ibn Ubadah was weakened. (Siyar al-Ansar, 231)
When the final illness of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, drew near, Usayd was among the distinguished Companions—Muhajir and Ansar alike—whose opinions and advice he sought concerning whom to entrust with the caliphate. When Abu Bakr asked his opinion about Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, “I consider him well suited to assume the caliphate after you. His inner self is better than his outward appearance. There is no one more capable than him of undertaking this responsibility.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/26) In the sixteenth year after the Hijrah, he traveled with the caliph Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, from Medina to Bayt al-Maqdis. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92)
He died in Medina in the month of Shaban in the twentieth year after the Hijrah; according to another view, in the twenty-first year. The Caliph Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, carried his body on his shoulders, led his funeral prayer, and buried him in the Baqi cemetery. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/240; Tabaqat, 3/506; Shadharat al-Dhahab fi Akhbar man Dhahab, 1/31)
Before his death, he instructed Caliph Umar to take charge of his movable and immovable property and pay all his debts himself. After his death, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, summoned the creditors and persuaded them to agree to receive one thousand dirhams each year. Thus, by selling the produce of the garden over four years, all the debts were paid. In this way, all his property was preserved. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say, “I do not want to see my brother’s children in need.” (Tabaqat, 3/606; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/93)
Usayd’s wife died during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. (Siyar al-Ansar, 1/231) Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: “Once we returned to Medina from Hajj or Umrah. We were welcomed at Dhul-Hulayfah. The members of the Ansari families joined their respective family members. There, Usayd was informed of his wife’s death. He wrapped a sheet around his head and began to weep. I said, ‘May Allah forgive you. You are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah, one of the earliest to accept Islam, and yet you are weeping like this for a woman?’ Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that upon hearing this he removed the cloth from his head and said, ‘You have spoken the truth. After Sad ibn Muadh, we should not weep for anyone else.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/595; Musnad Ahmad, 2/352)
Usayd apparently had only one son, named Yahya. He is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari in the chapter “The Descent of Tranquility and the Angels When the Quran Is Recited.”
He made a great contribution to the propagation of the Quran and Hadith. He narrated many hadiths directly from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Highly respected Companions such as Aishah, Abu Said al-Khudri, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Layla al-Ansari, and Kab ibn Malik narrated hadiths they had heard from him. A total of eighteen of his hadiths are recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. (al-Alam, 1/330; al-Isabah, 1/49)
Usayd’s father was a highly respected man of his tribe. Ibn Sad said, “After his father, in both the Islamic and pre-Islamic eras, he too became an extremely courteous and respected man. He was regarded as an intelligent and thoughtful member of the tribe. These qualities were combined in Usayd.” In addition, he was a skilled archer and runner. In Arabia of that age, a person possessing these three qualities was given the title Kamil. (Tabaqat, 3/604; al-Alam, 1/330; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92)
After accepting Islam, he advanced so far in spiritual discipline that all veils were removed from his sight. He could also recite with a melodious voice. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92) One night he was reciting the Quran. A horse was tethered nearby. The horse began to leap. When he stopped reciting, the horse also stopped. When he resumed recitation, the horse began leaping again. His son Yahya was sleeping nearby. He became frightened, thinking that if this continued, the boy might be trampled by the horse. The third time, he went outside and saw a canopy like a shadow in the sky, with what seemed to be the light of a lamp shining within it. The recitation had ended, and when he looked toward the sky, the light disappeared. In the morning, he related the incident to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who said, “The angels had come to listen to the Quran being recited. If you had continued reciting until morning, people would have been able to see them in daylight.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/543; Usud al-Ghabah, 1/93; Sahih al-Bukhari, 2/750)
With spiritual sight, he witnessed the tangible form of sakinah, or tranquility. He was one of those before whom a nur, or light, would move as he walked. Bukhari narrated that on a dark night, Abbad ibn Bishr and Usayd ibn Hudayr came out from the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Light radiated from the staffs in their hands and illuminated their path. When the two went in separate directions, the light divided with them. (Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/31; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/611)
Usayd said, “One day I mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a needy Ansari family. They were extremely poor, and most of the members of the household were women. Hearing me, the Messenger said, ‘You have come at a time when everything in my possession has already been given to the people. When you hear that something has come into my possession again, remind me about this family.’ Within a few days, some goods arrived from Khaybar. He gave a larger share to the Ansar, and especially gave a great deal to that family. I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, may Allah grant you the best reward.’ The Messenger said, ‘O Ansar, may Allah grant you the best recompense. My long experience with you is that you are extremely forgiving and patient. After my death, people will disregard you and give preference to themselves. You will remain patient until you meet me. Our meeting place will be the Hawd.’”
Usayd said, “Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, died, and after Abu Bakr, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, assumed the caliphate. Once he distributed some spoils among the people of Medina. He sent me a garment, but it turned out to be too short. I was sitting in the mosque when I saw a Quraysh youth wearing a long garment just like mine. It was so long that it dragged on the ground. I told the man with me the foregoing statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah spoke the truth.’ The man ran to Umar and told him what I had said. Umar came rushing over. I was praying at the time. Umar said, ‘Usayd, finish your prayer.’ When I finished, he asked, ‘What did you say?’ I told him what I had seen and what I had said. He replied, ‘May Allah forgive you. I had sent that garment to so-and-so. He is an Ansari, one who pledged allegiance at Aqabah, and a mujahid of Badr and Uhud. This Quraysh youth purchased the garment from him. Do you think that the Messenger of Allah’s statement concerning the Ansar will come true during my era?’ Usayd said, ‘By Allah, O Commander of the Believers, I do not believe it can happen during your era.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/402–403; Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/36–39)
The Mother of the Believers, Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that Usayd was an excellent man. He used to say, “If I could always remain in any one of these three states, I would certainly be an inhabitant of Paradise, and I would have no doubt about it. The three states are: 1. when I recite the Quran myself or hear someone else recite it; 2. when I hear the sermon of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him; and 3. when I attend a funeral. When I attend a funeral, I ask my nafs: What have I made it do, and what will its final outcome be?” (al-Isabah, 1/49; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/41–42)
Al-Hakim narrated through the chain of Abu Layla. He said that Usayd was a righteous, cheerful, and humorous man. One day, he was making people laugh in the gathering of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, by saying various things. The Messenger jokingly gave him a light tap on the waist. Usayd immediately said, “You have hurt me.” The Messenger said, “Take your retaliation.” Usayd said, “O Messenger of Allah, I was not wearing a shirt, but you are wearing one.” The Messenger removed his shirt, whereupon Usayd embraced him and began kissing his ribs again and again. Then he said, “O Messenger of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed for you. This is what I had wished for.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/330–331)
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Muadh ibn Jabal, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Muadh ibn Amr—how excellent these men are!” (al-Isabah, 1/92) In another narration, the Messenger said, “Ni‘ma al-rajul Usayd”—Usayd is indeed an excellent man. (Tabaqat, 3/603) Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “No one surpassed three men of the Ansar in merit. All of them belonged to Banu Abd al-Ashhal. They were Muadh ibn Jabal, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Abbad ibn Bishr.” (al-Isabah, 1/49) For all these reasons, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, held him in the highest esteem and did not prefer anyone over him. (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/92)

Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him)

Abu al-Walid ‘Ubada was a descendant of the Banu Salim branch of Medina’s famous Khazraj tribe. He was born in Yathrib in 586 CE, thirty-eight years before the Hijrah. (Al-A‘lam, 4/30) His father was Samit ibn Qays and his mother was Qurrat al-‘Ayn. His mother was the daughter of ‘Ubada ibn Nadla ibn Malik ibn Ajlan. He named his son ‘Ubada after his own father. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106) ‘Ubada’s brother Aws ibn al-Samit was married to Khawla bint Tha‘laba. She was the woman concerning whom the verses on zihār in Surah al-Mujadilah were revealed. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/251)

The settlement of Banu Salim lay in a rocky area west of Medina, adjoining Quba. They had several fortresses there known as ‘Utum Qawaqil. On this basis, it may be said that ‘Ubada’s house was outside the central part of Medina.

When ‘Ubada had only just entered youth, Islam began to emerge in Makkah. He was one of the small number of fortunate people who responded as soon as the first call of Islam reached their ears. When six people from Medina pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, he was one of them. Many historians, however, did not call this pledge the Pledge of ‘Aqabah. In their view, there were only two Pledges of ‘Aqabah. In any case, he also attained the honor of participating in the Second and Third Pledges of ‘Aqabah. According to many, he accepted Islam at the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah along with twelve others. At the Third, or Final, Pledge of ‘Aqabah, he was one of the twelve naqibs appointed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him—that is, one of those entrusted with responsibility. He was appointed naqib of Banu Qawaqil. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106; Bulugh al-Amani—Sharh Musnad Ahmad, 22/275; Fath al-Bari, 7/172; Tabaqat, 3/546) It should be noted that Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf ibn Khazraj had been known as “Qawaqil” since ancient times. The word “qawqala” means a particular kind of movement. They were given this name because whenever someone sought their protection, they would place an arrow in his hand and say, “Go now and roam wherever you wish in Yathrib.” (Ibn Hisham, 1/431)

‘Ubada’s life was full of vitality. After accepting Islam and returning from Makkah, he first taught his mother about Islam. In Medina, he had an intimate friend named Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah. At that time Ka‘b was still a non-Muslim, and there was a huge idol in his house. ‘Ubada was constantly thinking about how to free that house from shirk. One day, when the opportunity arose, he entered the house and smashed the idol. Ultimately, by the will of Allah, Ka‘b became a Muslim.

When the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina, he established a brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar. Abu Marsad al-Ghanawi became ‘Ubada’s religious brother. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106; al-Isabah, 2/268; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/270) Abu Marsad was one of the Muslims from the earliest period of Islam and was a halif, or covenant ally, of Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with him.

‘Ubada joined the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in every battle, including Badr, Uhud, and al-Khandaq. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106) After the Battle of Badr, a slight disagreement arose among the mujahidin concerning the distribution of the spoils of war. Several verses from the beginning of Surah al-Anfal were then revealed, bringing the dispute to an end. Ibn Hisham says that when ‘Ubada was asked about the verses mentioned in Surah al-Anfal, he replied, “These verses were revealed concerning the warriors of Badr. On the day of Badr, we disputed over the anfāl. When our character deteriorated because of it, Allah took it away from our hands and placed it in the hands of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He distributed it equally among us.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/66)

At the time of this Battle of Badr, the Jewish tribe of Medina, Banu Qaynuqa, rebelled against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at the instigation of the hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. ‘Ubada’s tribe, Banu ‘Awf, had long maintained an alliance with them. The hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul likewise had a treaty with them. When the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, declared jihad against them because of their rebellion, ‘Ubada hurried to him and publicly announced that he was annulling his treaty with them, saying, “I declare that I have severed all ties with them and am free of all obligation toward them. I take Allah, His Messenger, and the believers as my friends.” On the other hand, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul remained firm in his former position. After the rebellion was suppressed, the decision was made to expel them from Medina. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, entrusted ‘Ubada with carrying out the expulsion. In connection with this incident, verses 51 to 58 of Surah al-Ma’idah were revealed. These verses clearly praise ‘Ubada and condemn the hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/49) He participated in the Bay‘at al-Ridwan in the sixth year after the Hijrah. (Musnad Ahmad, 5/319) He also took part in the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, or al-Muraysi‘, which occurred in the sixth year after the Hijrah. During this battle, a man from his group mistakenly killed another Muslim mujahid, thinking he was an enemy. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/290)

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, ‘Ubada participated in several of the expeditions conducted in Syria. During the caliphate of ‘Umar al-Faruq, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As led an expedition into Egypt. For a long time, he was unable to achieve a decisive victory and sent to the caliph in Medina requesting additional assistance. Caliph ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, sent a supplementary force of four thousand—or, according to another report, ten thousand—soldiers. ‘Ubada was the commanding officer of one quarter of that force. (Al-Isabah, 2/268) In a letter to the caliph, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As further wrote that each of these officers was equal to one thousand soldiers. After this supplementary force reached Egypt, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As gathered all the soldiers and delivered an impassioned speech. At the end of the speech, he called ‘Ubada and said, “Give me your spear.” He took the spear, removed the turban from his own head, and tied it to the spearhead. Then, as he handed it back to ‘Ubada, he said, “This is the commander’s sign, or banner. Today you are the commander.” By Allah’s will, the city fell at the very first attack.

At different times, ‘Ubada held three highly important administrative positions in the Islamic caliphate: 1. an officer responsible for sadaqah; 2. judge of Palestine; and 3. amir of Hims.

Toward the end of his life, the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed collectors of sadaqah, or zakat, in various regions of Arabia. He also appointed ‘Ubada in one of the regions. As he was setting out, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, advised him: “Fear Allah. Do not let it be that, on the Day of Resurrection, even a four-legged animal comes to complain against you.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106)

During the caliphate of ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he was at one point appointed judge of Palestine. At that time, the region was under the administration of Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him. On one occasion, a disagreement arose between the two over a matter, and eventually Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke harshly to him. In response, he said to Mu‘awiyah, “In the future, wherever you are, I will not be there.” He left for Medina. When Caliph ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked him why he had left in this manner, he related the entire incident. After hearing everything, ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Return to your post. This land is suitable for people like you. May Allah bless the place where you and people like you are not absent.” He then wrote to Amir Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, informing him, “I have freed ‘Ubada from your authority.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106) The office of judge of Palestine was first entrusted to ‘Ubada. Imam al-Awza‘i said, “‘Ubada was the first judge of Palestine.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106)

When Abu ‘Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, was amir of Syria, he appointed ‘Ubada ibn al-Samit as his representative in Hims. During his residence in Hims, he conquered Laziqiyyah. In this expedition, he employed a new military technique. He had large pits dug, so large that a horseman could easily hide inside one together with his horse. (Futuh al-Buldan, 139)

‘Ubada lived in Syria, or greater Syria, until the end of his life. There is disagreement concerning the year and place of his death. He died in 34 AH/654 CE, at the age of seventy-two, in Ramla—or, according to another view, in Bayt al-Maqdis. Ibn ‘Asakir mentions in ‘Ubada’s biography several incidents involving him and Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, which suggest that he was still alive during the caliphate of Mu‘awiyah. For this reason, some believe that he lived until 45 AH. Ibn al-Athir says that the earlier opinion is correct. (Tabaqat, 3/546; al-Isabah, 2/269; Usd al-Ghabah, 3/107; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/251)

Before his death, he fell ill. Many people came and went to see him one last time. Shaddad ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, also came with some people. He asked, “How are you?” ‘Ubada replied, “By Allah’s grace, I am well.” Shortly before his death, his son came and requested that he give him some final counsel. He said, “Help me sit up.” Then he said, “My son, maintain firm faith in divine decree; otherwise there is no good in faith.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/317; Bulugh al-Amani—Sharh Musnad Ahmad, 22/276)

At that time, his student Sanabihi came. Seeing the final condition of his beloved teacher, he began to weep. ‘Ubada forbade him to cry and said, “I am content in every condition. Why are you crying? If you are asked to testify, I will testify for you. If I make intercession for anyone, I will do so for you.” Then he said, “I have conveyed to you all the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, that I had preserved. But one hadith remained; I shall now narrate it. Until now, I have not narrated it to anyone. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Whoever testifies that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Allah will forbid the Fire of Hell for him.’” (Bulugh al-Amani, 22/276) Immediately after narrating this hadith, he breathed his last. It was during the caliphate of ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.

There is disagreement about where he was buried. Ibn Sa‘d writes that he was buried in Ramla. According to another report, the sacred soil of Bayt al-Maqdis became his final resting place, and his grave there remains well known. Imam al-Bukhari states that his burial place was Palestine. In reality, Palestine was a province at that time, and the two places mentioned were two different districts of it. The author of al-A‘lam, al-Zirikli, says that he died in Qibrys of Syria. To this day, his grave there remains a place visited by people. He had been its wali on behalf of Caliph ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. (Al-A‘lam, 4/30)

As the evening of ‘Ubada’s death drew near, he ordered all his servants, neighbors, relatives, and family members to be brought before him. When everyone had assembled, he said, “This day is my last day in this world, and the coming night will be the first night of my Hereafter. If I have caused any kind of harm to any of you with my hand or tongue, then take qisas, or retaliation, from me now. I place myself before you.” They said, “You are our father and our teacher.” The narrator says that he had never spoken harshly to any servant. He then gave them his final instructions: “When I die, no one should weep. Perform ablution properly, go to the mosque, and pray. After the prayer, supplicate for ‘Ubada and for yourselves. For Allah has said: ‘Seek help through patience and prayer.’ (Surah al-Baqarah, 45, 153) Bury me very quickly.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/46)

Of the five Ansari men who memorized the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Ubada was one. He was one of the educated and respected Companions and possessed special expertise in the science of Qur’anic recitation. During the lifetime of the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he was in charge of the first madrasa of recitation established in Medina for the Companions of the Suffah. The highly honored and respected Companions of the Suffah studied under him. Along with teaching the Qur’an, writing was also taught at this madrasa. Many people graduated from it having learned recitation and writing. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106; Musnad Ahmad, 5/315)

He also arranged lodging and food for some of the students studying at this madrasa. One man stayed in his house and ate dinner with him. When the man was returning home, he gave ‘Ubada an excellent bow as a gift. ‘Ubada informed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, of this, and the Messenger forbade him to accept the bow. (Musnad Ahmad, 5/324; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/230) At one point, ‘Umar sent him to teach the Muslims of Syria the Qur’an correctly.

In the transmission of hadith, he introduced several special practices. The Companions of his time who narrated hadith would say, “I heard this from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” Some used additional wording, which later became established as part of the method of hadith narration. ‘Ubada also introduced certain expressions. For example, when narrating a hadith, he would say, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said this directly to me. I am not saying that so-and-so narrated this hadith to me.”

Similarly, on one occasion he delivered a speech at a gathering. When he narrated a hadith during the speech, Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was among the listeners, expressed some doubt about its authenticity. ‘Ubada then said, “I testify that I heard this from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.”

He narrated the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in every circumstance and every place. At preaching gatherings, study circles, and even when he sometimes visited a church, he conveyed the sacred words of the Messenger of Allah to the ears of the Christians there.

Approximately 181 hadiths have been narrated from ‘Ubada, of which six are agreed upon. (Al-A‘lam, 4/30) Many eminent Companions and Followers narrated these hadiths from him. Among the Companions were Anas ibn Malik, Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah, Abu Umamah, Salamah ibn Muhabbaq, Mahmud ibn Rabi‘, al-Miqdam ibn Ma‘dikarib, Rafi‘ah ibn Rafi‘, Aws ibn ‘Abdullah al-Thaqafi, Shurahbil ibn Hasanah, and others. Among the Followers were ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Usaylah al-Sanabihi, Hittan ibn ‘Abdullah al-Raqashi, Abu al-Ash‘ath al-Saghani, Zubayr ibn Nadir, Junadah ibn Abi Umayyah, Aswad ibn Tha‘labah, ‘Ata ibn Abi Yasar, Abu Muslim al-Khawlani, and Abu Idris al-Khawlani, who deserve particular mention. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/106) He was also a highly learned authority in jurisprudence. The Companions honored his scholarship. Khalid ibn Ma‘dan said, “Among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in Syria, there is no greater jurist or more trustworthy person than ‘Ubada and Shaddad ibn Aws.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/62)

In a speech, Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned the plague of ‘Amwas. He said, “I discussed this matter with ‘Ubada, and what he said is correct. Benefit from him, for he is a greater jurist than I am.” Junadah went to meet ‘Ubada, and later related that ‘Ubada had acquired profound understanding of Allah’s religion. (Al-Isabah, 2/268; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/56)

Speaking the truth openly before rulers was one of the outstanding features of his character. He performed this duty with great enthusiasm. When he went to Syria, he saw that the rules and prohibitions of the Shariah were being violated in buying and selling. He delivered such an impassioned speech that it caused great agitation throughout the gathering. Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, was also present. He exclaimed, “The Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not say this to ‘Ubada.” ‘Ubada’s religious zeal then became intense. He said, “I have no desire to remain with Mu‘awiyah. I testify that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said this to me.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/107; Musnad Ahmad, 5/319)

The incident mentioned above occurred during the caliphate of ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. During the era of Caliph ‘Uthman, however, Amir Mu‘awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to the caliph, “ ‘Ubada has disrupted the entire situation in Syria. Either summon him to Medina, or I myself will leave Syria.” In reply, the Commander of the Believers instructed him to send ‘Ubada to Medina. After receiving the caliph’s order, ‘Ubada went directly from Syria to Medina. When he reached the caliph, the caliph was speaking with a Muhajir. Many people had gathered outside the caliph’s room. He entered and sat silently in a corner. As soon as the caliph raised his eyes, he saw him. He asked, “What is the matter?” At once, ‘Ubada stood and began addressing the assembled people: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘After me, rulers will turn good into evil and evil into good, but there is no obedience in wrongdoing. Never become involved in sinful acts.’” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/319)

In the midst of his speech, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, attempted to say something. ‘Ubada roared, “You were not present when we pledged allegiance at the hand of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Therefore, do not interfere unnecessarily.” We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on these conditions: that we would obey his command in every circumstance; provide financial assistance in both prosperity and hardship; command people to do good and restrain them from evil; and fear no one when speaking the truth. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Yathrib, we would support him. We would protect him as we protect our own lives, wealth, and children. And concerning Allah, we would not care about the criticism of any critic. The reward for all these deeds would be Paradise. It is our duty to fulfill all these pledges completely. Whoever does not fulfill them is responsible for that failure.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/253; Musnad Ahmad, 5/325; Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim also narrated this hadith.)

‘Ubada fulfilled the duty of commanding right and forbidding wrong at all times, even while traveling. Once, as he was going somewhere, he saw ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbad al-Zarqi hunting birds. He snatched the bird from his hand and released it into the air. He told him, “This place is within the Haram; hunting is forbidden here.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/317)

‘Ubada possessed an intense love for the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. After their first meeting, he went to Makkah two more times, met him, and pledged allegiance. After the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Medina, there is no incident or battle in which ‘Ubada was deprived of the good fortune of participating. For this reason, he too was especially beloved by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Once, when ‘Ubada fell ill, the Messenger came to visit him, accompanied by some Ansar. The Messenger asked, “Do you know who a martyr is?” Everyone remained silent. ‘Ubada said to his wife, “Help me sit up against a pillow.” After sitting up, he answered the Messenger’s question: “A person who accepts Islam and emigrates, then is killed in battle; one who dies of cholera or by drowning; and a woman who dies while giving birth—all of these are considered martyrdom.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/317) For as long as he remained ill, the Messenger visited him morning and evening. During this illness, he taught him a supplication and said, “Jibril taught this to me.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/323)

A report concerning ‘Ubada’s wife appears in Hayat al-Sahabah. One day, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, went to the daughter of Milhan and sat leaning against something. Then he smiled. When she asked why he had smiled, he said, “Some people from my ummah will cross the sea in the path of Allah.” She said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray for me, that I may be one of them.” The Messenger prayed, “O Allah, make her one of them.” Then he smiled again. When she asked again, he gave the same answer. This time too she requested the same supplication. He then said, “You will be among the first of them, but not among the last.” Anas says that ‘Ubada married this woman. Later, she crossed the sea with the army of Qarajah, the wife of Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, intending to fight. She then fell from her mount and died. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/592)

‘Uthman ibn Sawdah said, “I saw ‘Ubada ibn al-Samit weeping with his chest pressed against the wall of the mosque of the Valley of Hell. I said, ‘Abu al-Walid, why are you weeping in this manner?’ He replied, ‘This is the place about which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, told us that he had seen Hell.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/626)

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him, summarized the identity and status of ‘Ubada, may Allah be pleased with him, in very few words: “‘Ubada was an ‘Aqabite, an Uhudi, a Badri, a Shajari, and, in addition, a naqib.” (Bulugh al-Amani—Sharh Musnad Ahmad, 22/275) Indeed, he was a member of the Pledge of ‘Aqabah and a warrior at Badr and Uhud. He was also one of the members of Bay‘at al-Shajarah, that is, Bay‘at al-Ridwan, which took place at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Moreover, he was one of Medina’s twelve naqibs.

Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him)

There is disagreement regarding the name Jābir’s kunya, or appellation. They are: Abū ʿAbdillāh, Abū ʿAbdir-Raḥmān, and Abū Muḥammad. Ibn al-Athīr considered the first to be more accurate. (Usd al-Ghābah 1/257, al-Iṣābah 1/213, Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt 1/144) His father was ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr and his mother was Nasībah bint ʿUqbah. Through Ḥarām ibn Kaʿb, an ancestor in his lineage, the paternal and maternal lines converged. The descendants of Salamah, an ancestor of Jābir’s paternal line, were spread from Madinah’s Ḥarrah to the Masjid Qiblatayn. However, his own clan, Banū Ḥarām, lived between the cemetery and a small mosque. His father, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr, was one of the naqībs, or appointed leaders, at the Last ʿAqabah. (Ṭabaqāt 3/620, 661; Usd al-Ghābah 1/256)

Jābir’s grandfather, ʿAmr, was the chief or leader of his family. The well called ʿAyn al-Arzaq, which Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam renovated during the caliphate of Muʿāwiyah, belonged to him. Besides several fortresses of Banū Salamah, several other fortresses near Jābir ibn ʿAtīk were also under his control. After ʿAmr’s death, his son ʿAbdullāh became the owner of all these properties. Jābir, the son of this ʿAbdullāh, was born in Madinah in 611 CE, or according to another opinion, in 607 CE, corresponding to thirty-four years after the Year of the Elephant. (al-Aʿlām 2/92, Siyar al-Anṣār 1/294)

Jābir participated with his father ʿAbdullāh in the pledge at the Last ʿAqabah. It is possible that he accepted Islam at the hands of Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr in Madinah during this pledge or even before it. After the pledge, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed his father as the naqīb, or responsible leader, of Banū Salamah. Jābir said, “I was the youngest person at this ʿAqabah.” According to Ibn Saʿd’s account, he was eighteen or nineteen years old at the time. Ibn al-Athīr said that Jābir was then merely a boy. (Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/248, 249, 252; Ṭabaqāt 3/561; Usd al-Ghābah 1/257; Ṭabaqāt al-Mashāhīr wa al-Aʿlām 1/181)

Jābir participated with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in every battle except Badr and Uḥud. There is disagreement among the experts of prophetic biography about whether he participated in Badr and Uḥud. Ibn ʿAsākir recorded one report in his history. Jābir used to say, “On the day of Badr, I brought water in a leather container for my father.” Muḥammad ibn Saʿd said, “I related this report to Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar.” He replied, “This is merely an unfounded notion of the Iraqis.” He denied that Jābir had participated in Badr. Moreover, Jābir himself used to say, “I did not participate in Badr or Uḥud. My father prevented me. Apart from these two, I never stayed behind from any battle.” (Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/386; Usd al-Ghābah 1/257; Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt 1/143; Tadhkirat al-Ḥuffāẓ 143)

Jābir did not participate in the Battle of Uḥud. The reason for his absence is found in the following report. Ibn Hishām said: “Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad is a place situated eight or nine miles from Madinah. The Quraysh withdrew from Uḥud and gathered there. This occurred on the eighth or ninth of Shawwāl in the third year after the Hijrah. When the Messenger ﷺ received the news, he announced: ‘Everyone except those who participated at Uḥud should go out in pursuit of the enemy.’ The people went out, even those who had been wounded at Uḥud, and their number became large. Jābir came to the service of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, yesterday I was deprived of participating in jihād. My father prevented me. He left me in charge of my seven sisters. He said to me: “My son, it is not right for you and me to leave them when there will be no man with them. And I cannot give you preference over myself in going to jihād with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”’ Jābir said, ‘Thereafter the Messenger ﷺ gave me permission to go out to battle.’” (Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/338; Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/207)

There is disagreement among historians regarding the number of battles, apart from Badr and Uḥud, in which he joined the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Some reports say nineteen, some eighteen, and others seventeen battles. (al-Aʿlām 2/92; Usd al-Ghābah 1/257; al-Iṣābah 1/313; Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ 1/143)

Jābir’s father, ʿAbdullāh, participated in the Battle of Uḥud and was martyred. Jābir said, “On the night before the Battle of Uḥud, my father called me and said, ‘I wish to see myself among those who will be martyred first from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. After the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I am leaving no one dearer to me than you. I have some debts; you must pay them. And I advise you to treat your sisters well.’” Jābir said, “Morning came, and my father was the first martyr.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/593) A disbeliever named Sufyān ibn ʿAbd Shams al-Sulamī killed Jābir’s father, ʿAbdullāh. (Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/333)

The disbelievers killed Jābir’s father, ʿAbdullāh, and mutilated his body by cutting off his limbs. For this reason, the severed limbs were gathered in a cloth. When Jābir wished to see the body, the people tried to stop him, but the Messenger ﷺ gave him permission. His paternal aunt was standing nearby. On seeing her brother in this condition, she cried out. The Messenger ﷺ asked, “Who is that?” The people replied, “The sister of ʿAbdullāh.” He said, “Whether you weep or do not weep, the angels will continue shading him with their wings until the body is lifted.” (Muslim 2/346; Bukhārī 2/584; Ṭabaqāt 3/561)

Jābir’s sisters sent a camel to bring their father’s body from Uḥud. They intended to bury him in the cemetery of Banū Salamah. Jābir was preparing to take his father’s body. When the Messenger ﷺ learned of this, he said, “He will be buried where all his other martyred brothers have been buried.” Thus he was buried with the other martyrs of Uḥud in the plain of Uḥud. (Ṭabaqāt 3/562)

According to one report, Jābir said, “I came upon the grave in which my father had been martyred at Uḥud. The body was covered with a cloth. I removed the cloth and began kissing his face. The Messenger ﷺ saw me but did not forbid me.” (Ṭabaqāt 3/561) He further said, “I was weeping. The Messenger ﷺ asked me, ‘Why are you crying? Would you not be pleased that ʿĀʾishah is your mother and I am your father?’ Saying this, he passed his hand over my head. Today, although all the hair on my head has turned white, the place touched by the hand of the Messenger ﷺ remains black.” (Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/386)

Regarding the burial of his father, Jābir said, “I buried him in one grave with another martyr, but my heart was not content with this. Six months later I opened the grave and brought out the body. I found that the earth had not touched the body at all except for the ear. The body was so well preserved that it seemed as though it had been buried that very day.” (Ṭabaqāt 3/562; Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ 1/143; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/592)

Jābir said, “Forty years later, when Muʿāwiyah had a well dug at Uḥud, my father’s body emerged along with the bodies of some martyrs buried there, and it was completely preserved.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/593) One report states that when Jābir’s father was martyred at Uḥud, Allah restored him to life and asked him, “ʿAbdullāh, what do you wish?” He replied, “I wish to return to the world and be martyred again.” (Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ 1/143)

Jābir’s father was a man burdened with debt. After his death, Jābir found himself overwhelmed by all these debts. He became distressed, wondering how he could repay them. His only property consisted of two gardens, and even all their produce was insufficient to pay the debts. He hurried to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and requested that the Jewish creditors be called and asked to remit part of the debt. The Messenger ﷺ called the creditors and presented Jābir’s case to them. Since they were Jews, they did not respond to the Messenger’s ﷺ request. He asked them to accept half the amount in two installments over two years, but they still refused. Then he told Jābir, “I shall come to your house on such-and-such a day.” He came on the appointed day, performed ablution, and prayed two rakʿahs. Then he came into the tent and sat down calmly. After a short while Abū Bakr and ʿUmar arrived. The Messenger ﷺ ordered that the dates be piled up and divided, and he sat on one of the piles. Jābir began dividing them while the Messenger ﷺ sat and supplicated. By Allah’s will, much remained even after the debt had been paid. Jābir came to the Messenger ﷺ delighted and said, “The debt has been paid, and this much remains.” The Messenger ﷺ praised Allah. Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them, were both very happy. (Bulūgh al-Amānī min Asrār Fatḥ al-Rabbānī 22/208–209; Ṭabaqāt 3/564; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/631)

In the fifth year after the Hijrah, Jābir joined the expedition of Dhāt al-Riqāʿ. He was riding an excellent camel. As they proceeded, the camel suddenly stopped. Jābir was trying to make it rise and move when the voice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came from behind: “Jābir, what is the matter?” He replied, “The camel will not move.” The Messenger ﷺ came near and struck the camel once with his whip. Immediately it began moving rapidly and went ahead of everyone. Jābir was passing alongside the Messenger ﷺ in search of the camel. The Messenger ﷺ asked, “What has happened?” He replied, “The camel has gone missing.” The Messenger ﷺ said, “There it is, in that direction. Go and bring it.” Jābir ran in that direction, but after searching extensively without finding it, he returned and said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I could not find it.” The Messenger ﷺ said the same thing a second and third time, and each time Jābir returned. Finally, the Messenger ﷺ took Jābir by the hand, led him to the camel, held it, and said, “Here, take your camel.” In the meantime, the people of the caravan had gone far ahead. As soon as Jābir mounted his camel, it moved so quickly that it reached the front of everyone else. The Messenger ﷺ offered to buy the camel from Jābir. Jābir agreed to sell it without taking a price. The Messenger ﷺ said, “No, that will not do. You must take its price, and you may ride it until Madinah.” Thus the purchase and sale took place on the journey. When they reached Madinah, Jābir brought the camel to the door of the Messenger ﷺ. The Messenger ﷺ examined it from every side and said, “How beautiful it is.” Then he called Bilāl and instructed him, “Weigh out one uqiyyah of gold for him and give him a little extra.” Thereafter the Messenger ﷺ asked Jābir whether he had received the price of the camel. Jābir replied, “Yes, I have.” The Messenger ﷺ then handed the camel back to Jābir and said, “Take both this camel and its price; everything is yours.” Jābir returned home happily with the camel and told his paternal aunt, “Look, the Messenger ﷺ has given me one uqiyyah of gold and the camel as well.” (Bulūgh al-Amānī min Asrār Fatḥ al-Rabbānī 22/209–210)

The incident of the camel has been related differently in various reports. Ibn ʿAsākir narrated the purchase and sale from Jābir in the following manner: The Messenger ﷺ said, “Jābir, will you sell this camel to me?” “Yes, I will.” “For how much?” “For one dirham.” “Can a camel be bought for one dirham?” “Then for two dirhams.” “No, I have bought your camel for forty dirhams, and I shall let you ride it in the path of Allah.” The remaining details of the purchase and sale were then completed in Madinah as mentioned earlier. (Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/387)

The money given to Jābir in excess of the price was a gift from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. For this reason, Jābir placed that money in a separate purse and kept it safely at home. On the day of the Ḥarrah incident, the Syrians attacked his house and looted that purse along with his other belongings. (Musnad 3/308; Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/206–207)

It should be noted that during the rule of Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah, a widespread massacre and looting once took place in Madinah. The leader of this extremely brutal operation was Muslim ibn ʿUqbah al-Murrī, whom the people of Madinah called Musrif ibn ʿUqbah. This was because the people of Madinah refused to recognize Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah as caliph, expelled his appointed governor, Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam, from Madinah, and appointed ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥanẓalah as their amīr in his place. None of the distinguished Companions who were alive at that time agreed with this action.

Ḥaḍrat Jābir was blind by then. He would walk through the streets of Madinah while houses were being looted and acts of terror were taking place before his eyes. He would stumble over corpses and say, “Destruction be upon those who frighten the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” In reality, he was alluding to the saying of the Messenger ﷺ: “Whoever frightens Madinah has in fact frightened what lies between my two sides.” The terrorists seized him intending to kill him. However, Marwān himself granted him protection and sheltered him in his own house. (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/207, note 5)

Jābir said, “The camel gifted to me by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained with me until the caliphate of ʿUmar. He took it from me, placed it among the camels of charity, and ordered that it be given good food and pleasant water.” (Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/387)

The Battle of the Trench took place in the fifth year after the Hijrah, in the same year as the expedition of Dhāt al-Riqāʿ. Jābir said, “We were digging the trench when a hard rock appeared before us which we could not break in any way. The matter was reported to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said, ‘I shall go down and see.’ He struck the rock with a large axe, and it shattered into pieces.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 1/320, 2/191)

When the Messenger ﷺ came with the axe to remove the rock, Jābir saw that he had tied a stone to his stomach because of the pain of hunger. (Bukhārī 2/588, 789) Seeing this, Jābir sought permission from the Messenger ﷺ and went home. He said to his wife, “Today I have seen something that cannot be endured patiently. If there is anything in the house, cook it.” He slaughtered a young goat and came to the service of the Messenger ﷺ, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, please come to my house and eat whatever there is.” There had been no food in the house of the Messenger ﷺ for three days. He accepted the invitation. Not merely accepting it, he also announced publicly among all those working in the trench, “Jābir has invited all of you to a meal.” Jābir had prepared food only for the Messenger ﷺ and two or three additional people. Hearing this announcement, Jābir became anxious, but remained silent out of courtesy and good manners. The Messenger ﷺ arrived at Jābir’s house with all the people of the trench, and even after everyone had eaten their fill, food remained. (Bukhārī 2/789) The Messenger ﷺ said to Jābir’s wife, “Eat the food that remains and send some to the other people, for they are hungry.” (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/218–219; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/191–193)

In the sixth year after the Hijrah, the Battle of Banū al-Muṣṭaliq took place. The Messenger ﷺ set out and began to pray. Before this, he had sent Jābir somewhere on an errand. When Jābir returned, the Messenger ﷺ ordered the departure. After Banū al-Muṣṭaliq came the Battle of Anmār, in which Jābir also participated. (Bukhārī, Ghazwatu Anmār)

In that same year, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out for Makkah to perform ʿumrah. Jābir said, “There were fourteen hundred of us on this journey.” (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/309) The famous incident of the Pledge of Riḍwān occurred during this journey. Jābir also attained the honor of taking the pledge. At the time of the pledge, ʿUmar held the hand of the Messenger ﷺ, while Jābir held ʿUmar’s hand. (Musnad 3/369) Jābir said, “Everyone took the pledge except al-Jadd ibn Qays. By Allah, it is as though I can still see him hiding close to the armpit of his camel so that no one would see him.” (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/316)

When Jābir was pledging allegiance at the hand of the Messenger ﷺ, the Messenger ﷺ said, “You are the finest people in the entire world.” (Bukhārī, Ghazwatu Ḥudaybiyah) Regarding this pledge, the other Companions later used to say, “We pledged ourselves to death.” But Jābir used to say, “We did not pledge ourselves to death. We pledged that we would not flee.” (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/315)

The Companions began their journey from Ḥudaybiyah. They stopped at a place called Suqiyā, where there was no water. An announcement was made by Muʿādh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him: “If only someone would bring water!” Hearing this, Jābir set out with several Anṣār in search of water. They found water at a place called Qursāyā, twenty-three miles away, and brought it back in a waterskin. After the ʿishāʾ prayer, he saw a man riding a camel toward the reservoir. It was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Jābir pulled the reins of the Messenger’s ﷺ camel and made it sit down. The Messenger ﷺ dismounted and prayed, and Jābir stood beside him and joined the prayer. (Musnad 3/380)

In the eighth year after the Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent an army toward the coastal region. Its commander was Abū ʿUbaydah. In the history of Islam, this expedition was an astonishing test. The Muslims passed this test completely. Jābir was also a member of the army. All the army’s food was exhausted, and they began eating leaves from trees. Suddenly, one day, they saw an enormous dead fish on the seashore. Considering it a gift and favor from Allah, they began eating it. The fish was so large that the commander of the army held one of its ribs upright, and the tallest camel passed beneath it. Jābir sat with five others inside one of the fish’s eye sockets, yet they experienced no discomfort. Three hundred men ate the fish for fifteen days. The fish was called ʿAnbar. (Musnad Aḥmad 3/308; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/208–209, 3/369, 640)

Writers of prophetic biography have mentioned Jābir’s participation in the expeditions of Ḥunayn and Tabūk. He also participated in the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after the Hijrah. (Musnad 3/349, 292) However, he was absent from the expedition of Khaybar. Despite this, the Messenger ﷺ gave him a share of the spoils equal to that of those who had participated. (Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/349) In the Battle of Ṣiffīn, which took place in the thirty-seventh year after the Hijrah between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah, Jābir fought on the side of ʿAlī, may Allah be pleased with him. (Usd al-Ghābah 1/257)

In the fortieth year after the Hijrah, the governor of Amīr Muʿāwiyah, Busr ibn Arṭāt, came to establish authority in the Hijāz and Yemen and delivered a speech in Madinah. He said in his speech, “Banū Salamah will not be granted security until Jābir appears before me.” Jābir feared for his life. He went to Umm al-Muʾminīn Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, and sought her advice. She told him, “I have instructed my sons to pledge allegiance; you too should pledge allegiance.” Jābir said, “That would be a pledge upon misguidance.” Umm Salamah replied, “No, it will be a pledge made under compulsion. This is my opinion.” Following her advice, Jābir appeared before Busr and pledged allegiance in support of the caliphate of Amīr Muʿāwiyah.

In the seventy-fourth year after the Hijrah, Ḥajjāj was the governor of Madinah. Even the Companions were not safe from his oppression and tyranny. He showed such limited mercy to some Companions that he stamped their necks with seals, while he stamped Jābir’s hand. (Usd al-Ghābah 2/366) In his final years Jābir used to say, “I was present at the ʿAqabah, and I also witnessed Ḥajjāj and his actions. How wonderful it would have been if both my ears had been destroyed, just as my eyes were. Then I would not have had to hear so many things.” Ḥajjāj said, “When this statement of Jābir reached me, I regretted not killing him more than I have ever regretted anything else.” When ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, heard this, he said to him, “Then Allah would have cast you into Hell.” (Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/249)

In his old age, Ḥaḍrat Jābir became extremely weak and also lost his sight. The oppression of the government made him even more debilitated. There is disagreement regarding the year of his death and his age at death. The year of death has been given as 78, 77, 74, or 73 AH. According to the most famous opinion, he died in 78 AH at the age of ninety-four. He was the last among those who participated in the Third ʿAqabah to depart from this world. (Shadharāt al-Dhahab fīman Dhahab 1/84; Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/386; al-Iṣābah 1/248)

Al-Wāqidī said that Jābir was the last of the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ in Madinah. Qatādah also supported this view. Imām al-Baghawī said that this was merely an unfounded notion. In reality, Sahl ibn Saʿd was the last Companion of Madinah to depart from this world. He died in 91 AH. (al-Iṣābah 1/213; Shadharāt al-Dhahab 1/4; Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/248)

Of those who had been present at the Third ʿAqabah, Jābir alone remained alive until this time. The age of the Companions was also drawing to an end, and only a small number of them were still alive. For this reason, his presence was a mercy and blessing for the Muslim ummah of that time.

He had witnessed and himself endured the oppression and tyranny of Ḥajjāj. Therefore, before his death he left instructions that Ḥajjāj should not lead his funeral prayer. For this reason, the son of ʿUthmān—Abān ibn ʿUthmān—led the funeral prayer. Imām Bukhārī and al-Ṭabarī mention in their histories that Ḥajjāj participated in his funeral. However, the work Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb states that Ḥajjāj himself led the funeral prayer. (al-Iṣābah 1/213; Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/391)

After his father’s martyrdom, Ḥaḍrat Jābir married a previously married woman. A hadith regarding this is narrated in Musnad Aḥmad and Bukhārī. Once Jābir was returning from a journey with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When they neared Madinah, he said to the Messenger ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allah, I have recently married. If you permit me, may I reach my family a little sooner?” The Messenger ﷺ asked, “Have you married?” He replied, “Yes.” He asked again, “A virgin or a previously married woman?” He replied, “A previously married woman.” The Messenger ﷺ then said, “Why did you not marry a virgin girl? Then you could have played and jested with one another.” Jābir said, “My father was martyred at Uḥud and left me responsible for several young girls. I did not wish to marry someone like them. I needed an older woman who could comb their hair, braid it, and sew clothes for them to wear.” On hearing this, the Messenger ﷺ said, “You have done the right thing.” (Bulūgh al-Amānī min Asrār Fatḥ al-Rabbānī 6/146, 22/209; Bukhārī 2/580; Sīrat Ibn Hishām 2/207) He married a second time within the Banū Salamah tribe. Islam permits looking at a prospective bride. Therefore, after the marriage proposal, he secretly looked at the prospective bride. His first wife was Suhaylah bint Masʿūd, the daughter of Banū Jufar and a female Companion. His second wife was Umm al-Ḥārith, the daughter of Muḥammad ibn Maslamah, a respected Companion of the Aws tribe. Among his children, history records the names ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, ʿAqīl, Muḥammad, Ḥamīdah, Maymūnah, and Umm Ḥabīb.

Ḥaḍrat Jābir began acquiring knowledge at the school or educational circle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He also gained knowledge from the study circles of the outstanding students of the Madrasah Nabawiyyah. Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar, ʿAlī, Abū ʿUbaydah, Ṭalḥah, Muʿādh ibn Jabal, ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir, Khālid ibn al-Walīd, Abū Bardah ibn Naḍar, Abū Qatādah, Abū Hurayrah, Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī, ʿAbdullāh ibn Unays, Umm Sharīk, Umm Mālik, Umm Mubashshir, and Umm Kulthūm bint Abī Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them, were all among his honored teachers. (Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt 1/142)

His eagerness to hear and collect hadith was so strong that he would travel for months to hear a single hadith. Jābir said, “I came across a hadith narrated by a man who had heard it directly from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I then purchased and prepared a camel and, riding it, reached Syria after a month. When I arrived, I found that the man was ʿAbdullāh ibn Unays. I said to his doorkeeper, ‘Tell him that Jābir is standing at the door.’ He asked, ‘Jābir, the son of ʿAbdullāh?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ He came running, pulling on his clothes, and embraced me. I said, ‘I have learned that you heard a hadith concerning qiṣāṣ from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I have come fearing that either you or I might die before I hear it from you.’ Then ʿAbdullāh ibn Unays narrated the hadith to him.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/196)

Similarly, he traveled to Egypt to hear a single hadith. Al-Ṭabarānī narrated from Maslamah ibn Mukhallad, may Allah be pleased with him, in his work al-Awsat. He said, “While I was in Egypt, a doorkeeper came one day and said, ‘A Bedouin is waiting at the door on the back of a camel and wishes to meet you.’ I asked, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Anṣārī.’ I said, ‘I will not come down; you should come up.’ He replied, ‘There is no need for you to come down, and I will not come up either. I have heard that you narrate a hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning satr al-muʾmin, and I have come only to hear that hadith from your mouth.’ I narrated the hadith to him. As soon as he heard it, he struck his camel with his whip and set out toward Madinah.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/197; Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/386; Siyar al-Anṣār 1/301)

After completing his period of acquiring knowledge, he took his place as a teacher. He had a study circle in the Prophet’s Mosque. (al-Aʿlām 2/92) Students from Makkah, Madinah, Yemen, Kūfah, Baṣrah, Egypt, and other places attended his lessons. The dissemination and propagation of hadith was one of the principal aims of his life. He narrated a very large number of hadith. The total number of hadith narrated by him was 1,540. Of these, sixty were agreed upon by Bukhārī and Muslim, twenty-six were narrated independently by Bukhārī, and 126 independently by Muslim. (Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt 1/142; al-Aʿlām 2/92) He was extremely cautious when narrating hadith. For example, while narrating a hadith, he stopped when he came to the word samiʿtu, “I heard.” He then narrated the hadith as mawqūf from his own side, because he could not be certain that he had heard every word of the hadith directly from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. (Musnad 3/333)

The list of his students is very long. Distinguished scholars of hadith from all the generations of the Tābiʿūn were his students. Among the most famous Tābiʿūn were Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, Abū Salamah, Saʿīd ibn Mīnā, Saʿīd ibn Abī Bilāl, ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn Qatādah, Abū al-Zubayr, Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, al-Shaʿbī, Abū Sufyān Ṭalḥah ibn Nāfiʿ, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, Muḥammad al-Bāqir, ʿAṭāʾ, Sālim ibn Abī Juʿd, ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, Mujāhid, Muḥammad al-Bāqir, and al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad al-Ḥanafiyyah, among others. (Tadhkirat al-Ḥuffāẓ 1/44; Tahdhīb al-Asmāʾ wa al-Lughāt 1/144) Apart from the Tābiʿūn, a large group of Companions also narrated hadith from him. (al-Aʿlām 2/92) The scholar al-Dhahabī mentioned Jābir among the hadith scholars of the first class in his work Tadhkirat al-Ḥuffāẓ.

Besides hadith, he possessed profound knowledge of tafsīr and fiqh. Although few of his narrations are found in tafsīr, those that exist are highly reliable. People differed regarding the descent of all human beings into Hell. Some believed that no Muslim would enter Hell. Many thought that everyone would enter Hell once, but the Muslims would be saved. When Jābir was asked about this, he said, “Both the righteous and the wicked will enter Hell. However, the Fire will not touch the bodies of the righteous. Then the God-fearing will be saved, while the wrongdoers will remain in Hell.” (Musnad 3/329)

Ṭalāq ibn Ḥabīb denied intercession. Regarding this, he recited all the verses concerning eternal residence in the Fire and debated with Jābir. After listening to everything he said, Jābir remarked, “Perhaps you consider yourself more knowledgeable than I in Qurʾān and hadith.” Ṭalāq ibn Ḥabīb replied, “I seek Allah’s forgiveness! I could never imagine such a thing.” Jābir then said, “Listen! These verses refer to the polytheists. They do not mention those who will be released from Hell after being punished. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned them in his hadith.” (Musnad 3/330; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/49)

Jābir said, “The first two verses of Sūrat al-Muzzammil made qiyām al-layl obligatory upon us. Our feet would swell from standing in prayer at night. Later, Allah revealed verse 20 of the same sūrah, abrogating the earlier command.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/141) According to Jābir, the first Qurʾānic revelation consisted of several verses from Sūrat al-Muddaththir. (Ansāb al-Ashrāf 1/107)

He also had extensive knowledge of fiqh. If the legal questions on which he issued fatwas at various times were compiled, they would form a small book. He was one of the leading muftīs of Madinah. (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/255) The foundations of Islamic character and morality are the implementation of Allah’s prescribed punishments, the emotion of faith, the courage to speak the truth, enjoining what is right, love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, following the Sunnah, compassion and sympathy for other Muslims, and similar virtues. Each of these qualities developed to some degree in Ḥaḍrat Jābir.

Implementing Allah’s prescribed punishments is obligatory upon every Muslim. In this matter, Jābir made no distinction between relatives and outsiders. Māʿiz al-Aslamī, may Allah be pleased with him, was a resident of Madinah and one of the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ. When he was stoned as punishment for adultery, Jābir was present and personally cast stones at him. (Musnad 3/381)

No one’s influence or prestige could ever prevent Jābir from speaking the truth or lead him astray. Saʿd ibn Muʿādh, may Allah be pleased with him, was a leader of the Aws tribe and a highly honored Companion. When he died, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The Throne has trembled today.” The Companion al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, may Allah be pleased with him, knew this hadith, but instead of the word “Throne,” he would use the word sarīr, meaning a bier, implying that the funeral bier had shaken. When this statement of al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib was conveyed to Jābir, he said, “The authentic hadith is the one I have narrated. The statement of al-Barāʾ was influenced by jealousy and hostility, because before Islam there had been disputes and conflicts between the Aws and Khazraj tribes.” It should be noted that Ḥaḍrat Jābir was from the Khazraj. Nevertheless, he did not support al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib; he declared what was true.

After Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf became governor of Madinah, he altered the prayer times somewhat. The people hurried to Jābir, and he announced, “The Messenger ﷺ would pray ẓuhr after midday, ʿaṣr while the sun was still clear and bright, maghrib at sunset, and fajr in the darkness. For ʿishāʾ, he would wait for the people. If they gathered quickly, he would pray early; otherwise, he would delay it.” (Musnad 3/369)

Once, ʿAbdullāh ibn Jābir sold the fruit of his garden for three years. When Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him, learned of this, he came to the mosque with several people and announced publicly that the Messenger ﷺ had prohibited this type of sale. Fruit may not be bought or sold until it becomes fit to eat. (So how could it be permissible to sell it before it had even formed?) (Musnad 3/395)

His enthusiasm for following the Messenger ﷺ was so intense that he followed him even in matters where following was not necessary. Once he saw the Messenger ﷺ praying in a single garment, so he prayed in the same manner. When people said, “You prayed in this way although you possess additional clothing,” he replied, “I did this so that you may understand the permissibility granted by the Messenger ﷺ.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicated for three days at the Mosque of Victory. On the third day, when his supplication was accepted during the prayer, a radiance appeared on his blessed face. Ḥaḍrat Jābir witnessed this. Therefore, whenever he faced a particular difficulty, he would go there at a specific time and supplicate. (Musnad 3/332)

He had profound love for the Messenger ﷺ and a powerful desire to sacrifice his life for him. This was manifested at the pledge of the Third ʿAqabah. Many other incidents also show the extraordinary efforts he made to please the Messenger ﷺ.

Once he presented some excellent dates to the Messenger ﷺ. The Messenger ﷺ looked at them and said, “I thought they were meat.” Jābir returned home and told his wife what had been said. He immediately slaughtered a goat and cooked meat for him.

On one occasion, the Messenger ﷺ came to Jābir’s house. Jābir slaughtered a goat. The goat bleated during the slaughter, so the Messenger ﷺ said, “Why are you eliminating its lineage and milk?” Jābir replied, “It is still young; it became so fat by eating dates.”

Once Jābir was carrying dates in a large dish. When he saw the Messenger ﷺ passing in front of him, he invited him to eat, and the Messenger ﷺ accepted the invitation. On another occasion Jābir brought the Messenger ﷺ to his house and served him meat, dried dates, and water. The Messenger ﷺ said, “Perhaps you know that I like meat very much.” As he was leaving, Jābir’s wife called from inside the house, “O Messenger of Allah, supplicate for me and my husband.” He immediately said, “Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalayhim—O Allah, shower Your mercy upon them all.” (Musnad 3/297, 303; Bukhārī 2/580)

On one occasion, during a particular incident, the Messenger ﷺ sought forgiveness for him twenty-five times. Once Jābir became ill, and the Messenger ﷺ came to visit him. Jābir was unconscious. When the Messenger ﷺ performed ablution and sprinkled water on him, he regained consciousness. At that time Jābir had no children, and his father had also died. In the terminology of the Sharīʿah, such a person is called kalālah. Since he had become anxious about his life, he asked the Messenger ﷺ, “If I die, how will my inheritance be distributed? Should I give two-thirds to my sisters?” He replied, “Yes, give it.” He asked again, “Should I give half?” He replied, “Yes, you may also give that.” Saying this, the Messenger ﷺ went outside. Then he returned and said, “Jābir, you will not die from this illness. A verse has been revealed concerning you.” He then recited verse 176 of Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, the Verse of Kalālah: “They ask you for a ruling. Say: Allah gives you a ruling concerning one who has neither parents nor children…” (Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir 3/390; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/509; Musnad 3/298, 372)

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ received an invitation to a meal somewhere, he would sometimes take Jābir with him. At times he would also take him to his own house and feed him there. One day Jābir was sitting near his house when he saw the Messenger ﷺ passing by. He ran toward him and, out of respect, began walking behind him. The Messenger ﷺ said, “Come alongside me.” He then took Jābir by the hand, brought him to his house, lifted the curtain, and seated him inside. Three pieces of bread and some vinegar were brought from inside. The Messenger ﷺ divided the three pieces of bread into two equal portions and said, “Vinegar is an excellent condiment.” Jābir said, “From that day I loved vinegar very much.” (Musnad 3/379, 40; Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/183)

Once the Messenger ﷺ fell from a horse, and Jābir went to visit him. (Musnad 3/300) Whenever the Messenger ﷺ needed a loan, he would borrow from Jābir. Once, when repaying a loan, he came gladly and gave something extra in addition to the principal. (Musnad 3/302)

Toward the end of the life of the Messenger ﷺ, goods once arrived from Bahrain. He promised to give Jābir something from them. In the meantime, the Messenger ﷺ passed away. When Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, became caliph, he announced, “If the Messenger ﷺ promised to give anything to anyone, or owed anyone a debt, let that person take it from me.” When Jābir mentioned the promise of the Messenger ﷺ, Abū Bakr fulfilled it.

Ḥaḍrat Jābir had deep affection and love for the Muslim ummah. He was a living embodiment of “ruḥamāʾu baynahum”—merciful among themselves. Once one of his neighbors went on a journey. When the man returned, Jābir went to meet him. The man described the divisions, factionalism, and spread of innovations that he had witnessed among the people. How could the Companions, who had established Islam through the sacrifice of their blood, bear to hear such things? Jābir’s eyes filled with tears, and he said, “The Messenger ﷺ truly said that just as people enter Allah’s religion in groups, they will also leave it in groups.” (Musnad 3/343)

His residence was one mile from the Prophet’s Mosque. From that distance he came to the Prophet’s Mosque every day to perform the five daily prayers. Once some houses beside the Prophet’s Mosque became vacant. Jābir and another man from Banū Salamah wished to move into those empty houses so that attending the prayer would be easier. When they raised the matter with the Messenger ﷺ, he said, “You receive a reward for every step you take while coming from there. Consider how much reward that amounts to.” The two accepted the words of the Messenger ﷺ wholeheartedly. Toward the end of his life, he built a mosque beside his home.

Jābir said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent us on an expedition under the command of Abū ʿUbaydah. Apart from some dates in a bag, we had nothing with us. Abū ʿUbaydah gave each of us only one date a day. We would suck it like children and drink water. In this way, we managed to continue until night with a single date.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 1/321)

Ibn Ḥibbān narrated in his Ṣaḥīḥ from Abū al-Muṣabbiḥ al-Muqriʾī. He said, “Once we were traveling through Roman territory under the command of Mālik ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Khashʿamī. One day, as Mālik passed by Jābir, he saw him leading his mule by the reins. Mālik said, ‘Abū ʿAbdillāh, Allah has given you a mount; ride on its back.’ Jābir replied, ‘I am giving it some rest. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “Allah has forbidden the Fire of Hell to the two feet that have become dusty in the path of Allah.”’” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 1/476–477)

Ḥaḍrat Jābir performed the pilgrimage several times. Two pilgrimages of his are mentioned in hadith: one was the Farewell Pilgrimage and the other was a different pilgrimage.

Simplicity is the principal secret of the Muslims’ progress. Ḥaḍrat Jābir was extremely simple and unpretentious. Once a group of the Companions came to his house. Bread and vinegar were sent out from inside. He said, “Say bismillāh and eat. Great merit has been mentioned regarding vinegar. When a relative or friend comes to a person, whatever food is available should be placed before him; one should not hesitate in any way. Similarly, those present should eat with contentment whatever food is placed before them. They should not look down upon it, for affected behavior contains the means of destruction for both sides.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/181; Musnad 3/371) In his dealings with people, he was sincere and generous.

Every habit and conduct of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taken a permanent place in his heart and mind. The Pledge of Riḍwān at Ḥudaybiyah had taken place beneath a tree. The people regarded the place as blessed and began praying there. Seeing this, Ḥaḍrat ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, had the tree cut down. Musayyab ibn Dukhn said, “The following year we had already forgotten the tree and the place.” (Bukhārī 2/599) But Jābir remembered it for many years. In his old age he became blind. Once, when Ḥudaybiyah was mentioned, he said, “If I had my sight today, I could point out that place to you.” (Bukhārī 2/598)

Ḥaḍrat Jābir used to say, “The treaty of Ḥudaybiyah is the true victory mentioned in the Qurʾān.” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/18) Jābir also used to say, “The news of the prophethood of the Messenger ﷺ first reached Madinah through a jinn. A woman of Madinah had a jinn attached to her. One day the jinn took the form of a white bird and perched on the wall of the woman’s house. She said to it, ‘Come down; let us speak and exchange news.’ The jinn replied, ‘A prophet has appeared in Makkah. He has declared fornication unlawful and forbidden us from remaining on earth.’” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 3/573)

Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Once I bought meat for one dirham. When ʿUmar heard this, he came to me and said, ‘Jābir, what is this?’ I replied, ‘My family wanted to eat meat, so I bought meat for one dirham.’ ʿUmar repeated my words several times: ‘My family wanted to eat meat.’ I then wished that my dirham had been lost or that I had not met ʿUmar. According to another report, ʿUmar said, ‘Whenever you desire something, do you buy it in this manner?’” (Ḥayāt al-Ṣaḥābah 2/302–303)

Thus, in the books of hadith and prophetic biography, many scattered accounts of the various aspects of Ḥaḍrat Jābir’s life are found, within which much instruction for Muslims is hidden.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA)

His name was Khalid, and his kunyah was Abu Ayyub. His father was Zayd ibn Kulayb al-Najjari al-Khazraji. Some also refer to him as al-Maliki because of his connection with Malik ibn al-Najjar, and as al-Azdi because the Ansar were Azdi. (Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah, Urdu 1/742.) His mother was Hind bint Sa‘d. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/80.) According to Ibn Sa‘d, however, she was Zahra bint Sa‘d. (Tabaqat 3/484.) Zahra was the paternal cousin of Abu Ayyub’s father. Abu Ayyub was born in Yathrib forty ‘Am al-Fil—meaning thirty-one years before the Hijrah. In history he is known by the kunyah Abu Ayyub. (Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah, Urdu 1/742.)

The Najjar clan was one of the distinguished clans of Yathrib, and its distinction was further enhanced because it was the maternal clan of the Messenger of Allah. Abu Ayyub was the chief or leader of this noble Najjar clan.

The Messenger of Allah continued calling people to Islam in Makkah. The hostile conditions there for the Islamic call were deteriorating day by day. Meanwhile, the call of Islam had also spread to Yathrib. In the tenth year of prophethood, six people; in the eleventh year, twelve; and in the twelfth year, seventy-three—or, according to another report, seventy-five—people from Yathrib, that is, Madinah, came to Makkah for Hajj, accepted Islam at the hand of the Messenger of Allah, and pronounced an oath. These are known in history as the First, Second, and Third Pledges of ‘Aqabah. Abu Ayyub was present at this final pledge and returned to Yathrib after pledging allegiance to the Messenger of Allah. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/80; Tabaqat 3/484.) He could not rest until he had informed others of the great truth with which he had returned. He presented Islam to close relatives, friends, and members of his household. Soon he brought his wife into Islam as well.

Because a number of people of Madinah had accepted Islam through the Pledges of ‘Aqabah, and because of the efforts of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, the Messenger of Allah’s representative sent to Madinah, the Islamic call spread there very rapidly. At the same time, on the instruction of the Messenger of Allah, many persecuted Muslims began secretly migrating from Makkah to Madinah. The Messenger of Allah himself, however, continued to remain in Makkah amid the hostile environment of Quraysh. Finally, in the thirteenth year of prophethood, he too set out for Madinah by Allah’s command.

The people of Madinah were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Noble Prophet. A group of the Ansar—Abu Ayyub being one of them—would go every morning to a place called Harrah, four or five miles from Madinah, and wait until noon, gazing toward the route by which the Messenger of Allah might arrive. Then they would return. One day, as they were returning, a Jew saw the Messenger of Allah from a distance and gave them the good news. The Ansar quickly went out, armed, to welcome the Noble Prophet. Banu Najjar were the foremost among them.

The Noble Messenger stayed for several days in the settlement of Quba on the outskirts of Madinah. Then he decided to proceed to the main city. The day of his journey from Quba to Madinah was the most glorious and blessed day in the history of Madinah. People of all the Ansari clans of Madinah, including Banu Najjar, stood in rows on both sides of his route, while the tribal chiefs waited at the doors of their homes. Veiled women came out into the streets, and Abyssinian slaves joyfully displayed their military skills. The young boys and girls of Banu Najjar sang the welcoming song “Tala‘a al-Badru ‘Alayna” in chorus. Amid such a magnificent and sacred welcome, the Noble Prophet entered Madinah.

Every person in Madinah waited eagerly to see who would gain the honor of hosting the Noble Prophet. As he proceeded, people of the neighboring clans came forward, saying “Ahlan wa sahlan wa marhaban”—welcome and greetings—and invited him to stay in their homes. But Allah had designated Abu Ayyub’s house for the hospitality of the Noble Prophet. The Messenger of Allah repeatedly said to those obstructing the path of his she-camel, “Leave her way open; she has been directed.” (Usd al-Ghabah 2/80.) Imam Malik says that at that time the state of revelation was upon the Messenger of Allah. He was awaiting revelation concerning the place where he should dismount. [Siyar-i Ansar, Urdu 1/110.]

As the she-camel continued, she finally sat down at a place among Banu Malik ibn al-Najjar—later at the door of the Prophet’s Mosque. She then looked around, rose again, wandered a little, returned to the former place, and sat down. The Messenger of Allah dismounted. Abu Ayyub’s house was nearby. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/81.) Abu Ayyub came forward and said, “My house is nearby. If you permit me, may I take the belongings down from the animal?” The crowd of those wishing to host the Messenger of Allah in their homes had still not diminished. Everyone earnestly wished him to be their guest. At last the people drew lots among themselves, and Abu Ayyub’s name was chosen. Thus Abu Ayyub received the opportunity to attain the supreme honor of hosting the Noble Prophet. (Siyar-i Ansar 1/111.)

The Noble Messenger stayed in Abu Ayyub’s house for about six months, until the mosque and his adjoining residence had been built. Abu Ayyub fulfilled the duty of hospitality with great affection and humility. His house had two stories, though the roof was very simple. He designated the upper floor for the Messenger of Allah. But the Messenger preferred the lower floor, considering his own convenience and that of visitors. Thus the days passed.

One day, by coincidence, a water vessel broke upstairs and water began to flow out. Since the roof was very plain, Abu Ayyub and his wife, Ummu Ayyub, became distressed and fearful that the water might run down and cause hardship to the Messenger of Allah. They had only one quilt, which they threw over the water to absorb it. Immediately they came downstairs and requested the Messenger of Allah to move upstairs, expressing their desire to move down themselves. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/81.) This small inconvenience was not really difficult for them. They had become afraid of something else: the intense feeling that “we are above while the bearer of revelation is below us” made them restless. They could not sleep that night. The husband and wife spent the night awake, huddled in a corner of the room as best they could. In the morning Abu Ayyub went to the Messenger of Allah and told him what had happened and how they felt. Respecting their feelings, the Noble Messenger accepted their request and moved upstairs. (Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/498; Hayat al-Sahabah 2/328–329.)

After the death of Abu Ayyub, the house passed into the possession of his freed slave Aflah. When its walls collapsed and it was about to become ruined, Mughirah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham purchased it from him for one thousand dinars and renovated it. Aflah distributed the money among the poor and needy of Madinah. (Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/498, note 3.)

While the Noble Messenger stayed in Abu Ayyub’s home, the Ansar would generally send food for him in turns, or Abu Ayyub himself would send it. After he ate, whatever remained would be sent back to Abu Ayyub. Abu Ayyub would look at the marks of the Messenger’s fingers on the dish and eat from the place where he had eaten. One day, however, the Messenger did not touch the food and returned it all. Hesitantly and shyly, Abu Ayyub went to him and asked why he had not eaten. He replied, “There was garlic in the food. I do not like garlic, but you may eat it.” Abu Ayyub said, “What you do not like, I shall not like either.” (Muslim 2/198; Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/499; Usd al-Ghabah 2/81.)

After the Hijrah, the Noble Messenger gathered the Ansar and Muhajirun at the house of Anas and established bonds of religious brotherhood between one Muhajir and one Ansari, according to their disposition, social standing, inclinations, and other characteristics. Abu Ayyub was paired in brotherhood with Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr al-Qurashi, the first propagator of Islam in Yathrib. (Tabaqat 3/484.) Mus‘ab was an energetic and enthusiastic Companion who had endured many difficult trials in the path of the Islamic call. Before the Messenger of Allah migrated to Madinah, he sent Mus‘ab there as the first preacher. The significance of establishing brotherhood between him and Abu Ayyub was that Abu Ayyub too possessed enthusiasm and zeal like Mus‘ab. Events in his later life proved this.

Abu Ayyub participated with the Messenger of Allah in every battle and expedition, including Badr, Uhud, the Trench, and the Pledge of Ridwan. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/80; al-Isabah 1/405.) He had truly sold his life and wealth to Allah, Lord of the worlds. After the death of the Messenger of Allah, he did not hold back from a single battle fought during the era of the caliphs, despite thousands of hardships. Day and night, publicly and privately, his constant slogan was Allah’s command: “Go forth, light or heavily equipped”—that is, go to war in all circumstances: alone or in a group, energetic or exhausted, in youth or old age, in prosperity or poverty—in short, in every condition. (al-Fath al-Qadir 2/263.) He would say, “I have always found myself among the light and the heavy.” (Hayat al-Sahabah 1/457–458; Tabaqat 3/485.)

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, there was only one occasion on which Abu Ayyub did not leave his home. In that campaign the caliph appointed a young man as commander, and Abu Ayyub could not feel satisfied with his leadership. According to the experts in prophetic biography, that commander was Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah. Yet Abu Ayyub could not remain at home for long. He wavered amid doubts, burned with remorse, and soon reached a decision. He said to himself, “What does it matter to me who my commander is?” Without wasting another moment, he left his house. To live as a soldier in the Islamic army and preserve the honor of Islam by fighting beneath its banner—this he regarded as the greatest attainment of his life. (Rijal hawl al-Rasul, 406; Hayat al-Sahabah 1/458.) He traveled for jihad to all three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. (Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah 1/743.)

In 35 AH, when ‘Uthman was besieged by the rebels, Abu Ayyub was in Madinah. During that troubled period he would sometimes lead the prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque. During the crisis and conflict between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiyah, he supported ‘Ali without hesitation. In his view, ‘Ali was the imam, and the Muslims had pledged allegiance to him. (Rijal hawl al-Rasul, 407.) According to Ibn al-Athir, Abu Ayyub participated with ‘Ali in all his battles. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/81.) In Muruj al-Dhahab, Mas‘udi states that he took part with ‘Ali in the Battle of the Camel in 36 AH. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr supports Mas‘udi’s report in al-Isti‘ab. However, no historian before Mas‘udi, a historian of the fourth century AH, is known to have mentioned Abu Ayyub’s participation in the Battle of the Camel.

He took part in the Battle of Nahrawan against the Kharijites. Abu Ayyub was among those who tried to negotiate with the Kharijites before the battle. He went with ‘Ali to Mada’in. ‘Ali had deep trust and confidence in him. When the capital was transferred from Madinah to Kufa, ‘Ali left him as his deputy in Madinah. Abu Ayyub served as amir of Madinah at that time. [Siyar-i Ansar 1/111; Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah, Urdu 1/743.]

At the time of the martyrdom of ‘Ali, Abu Ayyub was in Madinah. Then Mu‘awiyah assumed the caliphate. Abu Ayyub was not a man of worldly wants. His sole desire was to have a small place on the battlefield and among the mujahidin. In 42 AH, Muslim campaigns against the Byzantine Romans increased. At that time he joined the jihad under the command of ‘Abd al-Rahman, son of Khalid ibn al-Walid. He was then seventy-five years old. In the same year he went to Egypt to participate in a naval campaign.

The Noble Messenger had foretold the conquest of Constantinople, the Byzantine Roman stronghold. Muslim commanders were always eager to see through whose hands this victory would be achieved. In 52 AH—or, according to another report, 49 AH—Mu‘awiyah declared jihad against the Romans. He appointed his son Yazid as commander and ordered him to besiege Constantinople. Abu Ayyub joined this army as an ordinary soldier alongside distinguished Companions such as Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbas, and Ibn al-Zubayr.

Separate military units from various regions of the Muslim caliphate, including Egypt and Syria, joined the campaign. The commander of the Egyptian unit was the renowned Companion ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir al-Juhani, the governor of Egypt. Two further units joined under the command of Fudalah ibn ‘Ubayd and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid.

The Romans made full preparations and advanced to fight the Muslim army. The Muslims too were well prepared, and their number was nearly equal to that of the enemy. The enthusiasm of the Muslim soldiers was so intense that at times a single Muslim soldier fought against an entire Roman line. Once, a Muslim soldier alone broke through the Roman formation and entered among them. Seeing his daring, the other Muslims cried out together with the Qur’anic verse: “Do not throw yourselves into destruction with your own hands.” (al-Baqarah 2:195.) Abu Ayyub came forward and said, “Do you understand this verse in that way? It was revealed concerning the Ansar’s attitude toward trade and commerce. Once the Ansar said, ‘The losses we suffered in trade last year because we joined the jihad must be recovered this year.’ It was in that context that the verse was revealed. Its meaning is that destruction lies not in jihad, but in abandoning jihad and becoming occupied with accumulating excess wealth.” (Siyar-i Ansar 1/112; Hayat al-Sahabah 1/470–471, 458–459; Tabaqat 3/484–485.)

During this expedition to Constantinople, an epidemic broke out, and many mujahidin died. Abu Ayyub was also afflicted. He lay on his deathbed. Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah, commander of the Muslim army, came to see him for the last time and asked, “Abu Ayyub, is there anything you desire? I shall try to fulfill your final wish.” But what could a man who had sold everything he possessed in exchange for Paradise desire in this mortal world? What he asked of Yazid at the final moment of his life was beyond anyone’s imagination. Calmly he said, “When I die, place my body upon a horse, take it as far as possible into the enemy’s land, and bury me at the farthest point. Then drive the Muslim army swiftly along this route so that their horses’ hooves fall upon my grave, and I may know that they have attained the help and success they seek.” (Rijal hawl al-Rasul, 407; al-Isabah 1/405.)

After Abu Ayyub’s death, his final wish was carried out. One night the Muslim army, fully armed, lifted his body and buried him beside the city wall of Constantinople, modern Istanbul. All members of the Muslim army attended his funeral prayer. Fearing that unbelievers might desecrate his tomb, Yazid leveled it with the ground. The next morning the Romans asked the Muslim mujahidin, “You seemed rather occupied last night. What happened?” They replied, “A highly honored companion of our Prophet died, and we were occupied with his burial. You know where he was buried. If his tomb is ever dishonored, know that your bells will never again ring anywhere in the vast Islamic caliphate.” (Siyar-i Ansar 1/113.)

The grave of Abu Ayyub near Istanbul remains a place of pilgrimage for people of every race and religion. During famine and drought, the Romans would gather near his grave, seek Allah’s mercy, and ask for rain. (Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah 1/745; Usd al-Ghabah 2/82.)

There is disagreement concerning the year of Abu Ayyub’s death. In Usd al-Ghabah (2/81), Ibn al-Athir mentions three opinions: 50, 51, and 52 AH. He comments that 52 AH is the opinion of the majority. Ibn ‘Asakir, according to one of his reports, gives 55 AH. Abu Ayyub was approximately eighty years old when he died.

Many accounts of Abu Ayyub’s virtues and rank are found in books of Hadith and prophetic biography. Numerous instructive incidents from his life are known, though it is not possible to relate them all in detail in this brief article.

Ibn ‘Abbas says: “One day, at exactly noon during a period of intense heat, Abu Bakr left his house and came toward the mosque. ‘Umar saw him and asked, ‘Why have you come out at such an hour?’ He replied, ‘What could I do? Unbearable hunger drove me out.’ ‘Umar said, ‘By Allah, I am in the same condition.’ Before the two had finished speaking, the Noble Messenger arrived. Seeing them, he asked, ‘What brings you here at this hour?’ They replied, ‘Hunger drove us from our homes.’ The Messenger said, ‘By the One in whose hand is my life, I too could not remain at home because of hunger. Come with me.’

The three of them walked until they reached the door of Abu Ayyub’s house. Abu Ayyub’s custom was to prepare food every day for the Noble Messenger. If he was late or did not eat, his family would divide it among themselves. Hearing the three men, Ummu Ayyub, Abu Ayyub’s wife, came out and said, ‘Welcome to the Messenger of Allah and his two companions.’ They asked, ‘Where is Abu Ayyub?’ He was working nearby in his date orchard. Hearing the voice of the Messenger of Allah, he came running and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you do not usually arrive at such a time.’ The Messenger replied, ‘You are right.’

Abu Ayyub hurried to the orchard, cut down a cluster of ripe, unripe, and dried dates, and brought it. The Messenger said, ‘I did not ask you to cut this.’ Abu Ayyub replied, ‘Please eat some ripe, unripe, and dried dates from it; this is my earnest wish. I shall slaughter a goat for you immediately.’ The Messenger said, ‘If you slaughter one, do not slaughter a milk-giving goat.’ Abu Ayyub slaughtered a goat that did not give milk. He told his wife, ‘Roast the meat and make bread; you are skilled at making bread.’ Abu Ayyub began cooking half the goat. When it was ready, he placed it before the Messenger and his two companions.

The Messenger picked up a piece of meat, placed it on a piece of bread, and said, ‘Abu Ayyub, quickly take this piece to Fatimah. She has not seen food like this for many days.’ They all ate their fill. Then the Messenger said, ‘Bread, meat, dates, ripe and half-ripe dates.’ His eyes filled with tears. He then said, ‘By the One in whose hand is my life, you will be questioned about this blessing on the Day of Resurrection. When you receive such a blessing, say “Bismillah” before eating it, and after eating your fill say, “Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ashba‘ana wa an‘ama ‘alayna fa afdala”—Praise belongs to Allah, who fed us, favored us, and bestowed His grace upon us.’

As the Messenger was leaving, he said to Abu Ayyub, ‘Come and see me tomorrow.’ The following day Abu Ayyub went to him. The Messenger placed a young female slave in Abu Ayyub’s hands and said, ‘Abu Ayyub, treat her well. During the time she was with me, we saw nothing from her but good.’ Abu Ayyub returned home with the girl. His wife asked, ‘Father of Ayyub, who is this?’ He replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah has given her to us.’ His wife said, ‘The Giver is most generous, and the gift is most honorable.’ Abu Ayyub said, ‘The Messenger of Allah instructed us to treat her well.’ She asked, ‘How will you fulfill that instruction?’ He replied, ‘There is no better way to fulfill the Messenger’s instruction than to set her free.’ She said, ‘You have received the correct guidance; you are a person aided by Allah.’ They then emancipated the girl. (Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah 1/124–130; Hayat al-Sahabah 1/308–310.)

On the night when the first marital union of the Messenger of Allah took place with Safiyyah bint Huyayy, the Mother of the Believers, Abu Ayyub secretly stood throughout the night at the Messenger’s door, holding an unsheathed sword. At dawn the Messenger came out and saw him. Abu Ayyub said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you killed her father, brother, and husband; therefore I did not feel that you were safe.’ Hearing this, the Messenger smiled and prayed for him. (Ansab al-Ashraf 1/443; Hayat al-Sahabah 2/663.)

His rank among the Companions was so high that other Companions asked him about various legal matters. Distinguished Companions such as Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Umamah, Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, Miqdam ibn Ma‘dikarib, Jabir ibn Samurah, and ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khatami narrated Hadith through him. Distinguished Tabi‘un such as Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, Salim ibn ‘Abdullah, ‘Ata ibn Yasar, ‘Ata ibn Yazid al-Laythi, Abu Salamah, and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla were also his students, and all narrated Hadith through him. (Usd al-Ghabah 2/81; al-Isabah 1/405.)

Abu Ayyub was a central figure among the Companions. Whenever they differed over a matter, they all hastened to him. Once Ibn ‘Abbas and al-Miswar ibn Makhramah differed over whether one might rub one’s head with one’s hand while performing the major bath in a state of ihram. They sent ‘Abdullah ibn Hunayn to Abu Ayyub to learn the ruling. When ‘Abdullah arrived, Abu Ayyub happened to be bathing. On learning why he had come, Abu Ayyub exposed his head, rubbed it, and said, ‘Look, this is how the Messenger of Allah used to bathe.’ (Bukhari 1/248.)

During the caliphate of Amir Mu‘awiyah, when ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir al-Juhani was governor of Egypt, Abu Ayyub visited Egypt twice. His first journey was in search of Hadith. He had heard that ‘Uqbah narrated a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah, and he traveled all the way from Madinah to Egypt merely to hear that one Hadith from ‘Uqbah’s own lips. On reaching Egypt, he went to the house of Maslamah ibn Makhlad. Maslamah welcomed him warmly. Abu Ayyub said, ‘Please show me ‘Uqbah’s house.’ When he reached him, he said, ‘I wish to ask you one matter. Of those Companions of the Messenger who were present at that time, no one besides you and me is now alive. What did you hear the Messenger of Allah say concerning “satr al-Muslim”—the privacy of a Muslim?’ ‘Uqbah replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Whoever conceals a believer’s private matter in this world, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection.’ As soon as he heard this, Abu Ayyub set out for Madinah. He did not even stop to rest his mount. Thereafter he would narrate the Hadith in this manner. (Hayat al-Sahabah 3/198; Musnad Ahmad 4/154.)

Abu Ayyub had such an intense desire to acquire and disseminate knowledge that he did not abandon it even on his deathbed. After his death, two Hadith were publicized among the people through a general announcement. (Musnad Ahmad 5/414.)

Abu Ayyub was a Hafiz of the Qur’an. Ibn Sa‘d relates that during the time of the Messenger of Allah, five Ansar compiled the Qur’an: Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Abu Ayyub, and Abu al-Darda. During the caliphate of the second caliph, ‘Umar, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan wrote to him: ‘The people of Syria are reciting the Qur’an in different ways. Send some learned teachers who can teach them the Qur’an correctly.’ After receiving the letter, ‘Umar summoned the five men mentioned above. When they arrived, he said, ‘Your brothers in Syria have asked for my assistance in teaching the Qur’an. Let at least three of you help us in this matter; if you wish, all of you may participate.’ They accepted the caliph’s request, but said, ‘Abu Ayyub is weakened by age, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b is ill.’ The remaining three then prepared to leave. (Hayat al-Sahabah 3/195.)

The books of prophetic biography mention that 150 Hadith were narrated from Abu Ayyub. The author of Jala’ al-Qulub, however, gives the number as 210, five of which are agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. In the fifth volume of his Musnad, Imam Ahmad compiled 112 Hadith narrated by him on pages 412–423, as well as additional narrations on pages 113–114. [Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah, Urdu 1/745.]

Three qualities were especially prominent in Abu Ayyub’s character: 1. deep love for the Messenger of Allah; 2. faith-inspired zeal and enthusiasm; and 3. truthfulness. He loved the Messenger of Allah so deeply that after his death he would go and remain near the Sacred Tomb. His faith, zeal, and firmness are demonstrated by the fact that he was absent from none of the battles fought during the Messenger’s lifetime. Even at the end of his life, at the age of eighty, he crossed the Roman Sea by way of Egypt and went near the city walls of Istanbul to fulfill the responsibility of calling people to Islam.

He never refrained from speaking the truth out of fear of any individual or state. Once ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir al-Juhani, the governor of Egypt and a Companion, was delayed for some reason in leading the Maghrib prayer. Abu Ayyub rose and challenged him, saying, “Ma hadhihis-salatu ya ‘Uqbah?”—“‘Uqbah, what kind of prayer is this?” ‘Uqbah replied that he had been detained by a task and was late. Abu Ayyub said, “You are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah. Through this action of yours, people may think that the Messenger of Allah used to pray at this time, whereas he strongly urged that Maghrib be performed early.” (Musnad Ahmad 5/417.)

He himself followed Islamic laws and regulations completely, and expected the same from others. If he noticed even a slight deviation in anyone, he corrected it. Once ‘Abd al-Rahman, the son of Khalid ibn al-Walid, killed four prisoners in a battle after binding their hands and feet. When Abu Ayyub learned of this, he said to him, “The Messenger of Allah prohibited killing in this manner, like animals. I would not even approve of slaughtering a chicken in this way.” (Musnad Ahmad 5/422.)

During a war with the Romans, many prisoners of war were held aboard a ship under an officer’s supervision. One day Abu Ayyub saw a female prisoner crying desperately. He asked why she was crying so bitterly. The people said, “She has been separated from her child.” Abu Ayyub took the boy by the hand and placed him with his mother. The officer complained about Abu Ayyub to the commander. In reply to the commander’s question, Abu Ayyub said, “The Messenger of Allah prohibited causing such suffering.” (Musnad Ahmad 5/412.)

He traveled to Syria and Egypt and saw that the latrines there had been built facing the qiblah. He repeatedly said, “What can I say? The latrines here have been built facing the qiblah, although the Messenger prohibited this.” (Musnad Ahmad 5/412.)

Salim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar relates: “During my father’s lifetime, a wedding was once held in our house. My father invited Abu Ayyub along with others. The walls of our house were covered with beautiful green cloths. Abu Ayyub entered, raised his head, and looked around once. Then he said sternly, ‘‘Abdullah, have you covered the walls?’ My father replied embarrassedly, ‘Abu Ayyub, the women have overpowered us.’ Abu Ayyub said, ‘I fear this concerning everyone, but I had not feared it concerning you. I will not enter your house or eat your food.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah 2/305.)

The incident of the Ifk demonstrates how exalted Abu Ayyub’s character was. His response to the slander against ‘A’ishah was exemplary. One day his wife asked him, ‘Abu Ayyub, have you heard what people are saying about ‘A’ishah?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I have. It is blatant falsehood. Ummu Ayyub, could you do such a thing?’ She said, ‘By Allah, I could never do such a thing.’ Abu Ayyub said, ‘Then how could ‘A’ishah, who is better than you, do it?’ (Sirat Ibn Hisham 2/302.)

During the campaign against Constantinople, a Muslim soldier once invited Abu Ayyub to a meal aboard their ship. He attended and said, ‘You invited me, although I am fasting today. I had no choice but to accept your invitation, because I heard the Messenger of Allah say: A Muslim has six rights over another Muslim brother. If he leaves any one of them, he has abandoned one right: 1. when he meets him, he must greet him; 2. when invited, he must accept the invitation; 3. when the other sneezes and says “al-hamdu lillah,” he must respond, “yarhamuk Allah”; 4. when he is ill, he must visit him; 5. when he dies, he must attend his funeral; and 6. when he asks for advice, he must advise him.’ (Hayat al-Sahabah 2/505.)

Abu Ayyub was extremely modest. Even when bathing beside a well, he would screen himself on every side with cloth. (Bukhari 1/248.)

He was extremely severe toward unbelievers and hypocrites, and this severity manifested itself in various ways. At that time the hypocrites of Madinah would come to the mosque, listen secretly to the Muslims’ conversations, and then mock the Muslims’ religion outside. One day several hypocrites gathered in the Prophet’s Mosque. As they huddled together and whispered conspiratorially, the Messenger saw them and ordered that they be expelled. Abu Ayyub immediately rushed forward, seized ‘Amr ibn Qays by one leg, and dragged him outside the mosque. As he pulled him, the man shouted, ‘Abu Ayyub, are you throwing me out of the Mirbad of Banu Tha‘labah in this way?’—the place where the mosque stood had formerly been a pen for camels and goats. Abu Ayyub then rushed toward Rafi‘ ibn Wadi‘ah, wrapped a cloak around his neck, dragged him out of the mosque, and struck him with kicks and slaps. As he pulled him, Abu Ayyub said, ‘Away with you, wicked hypocrite! Go back by the road through which you came.’ (Sirat Ibn Hisham 1/528.)

Because Abu Ayyub and his wife gave shelter to the Messenger of Allah and served him with their lives, they attained a special rank among the people of the Prophet’s household in particular and among all Muslims in general. During the caliphate of ‘Ali, when Ibn ‘Abbas was governor of Basrah, Abu Ayyub once visited him. Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘I wish that, just as you vacated your house for the Messenger of Allah, I could now vacate my house for you.’ Saying this, he moved all his family elsewhere and left the house, with all its furnishings, for Abu Ayyub’s use. (Hayat al-Sahabah 1/405.)

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, allowances were fixed for the Companions according to their earlier service and sacrifice. Abu Ayyub’s allowance was initially set at 4,000 dirhams. ‘Ali increased it to 20,000. Eight slaves had initially been assigned to cultivate his land; ‘Ali increased their number to forty.

The name of Abu Ayyub’s fortunate wife was Ummu Hasan bint Zayd, a noble Ansari woman. According to Ibn Sa‘d, their only son, ‘Abd al-Rahman, was born to her.

Although Abu Ayyub’s life was spent on the battlefield, and he had scarcely found time to remove his sword from his shoulder and rest, that life was nevertheless peaceful like the gentle, cool breeze of dawn. This was because he had heard the Messenger of Allah say: “When you pray, pray as though it is your final prayer. Never say anything for which you will later have to offer an explanation. Never hope to obtain what is in the hands of people.”

His tongue never became uncontrolled in an argument or dispute. No desire ever conquered his heart. Like a devoted worshipper, like one departing from this world at that very moment, he spent his entire life. (Rijal hawl al-Rasul, 408.)

Sa’d ibn Mu’adh (RA)

His actual name was Sa‘d, his kunyah was Abu ‘Amr, and his title was Sayyid al-Aws. He was a descendant of the Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal branch of Medina’s famous Aws tribe. His father was Mu‘adh ibn Nu‘man, and his mother was Kabshah, or, according to another account, Qubayshah bint Rafi‘. She was the cousin of the renowned Companion Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri. His father, Mu‘adh, died during the Age of Ignorance. His mother Kabshah embraced Islam after the Hijrah and remained alive for many years after Sa‘d’s death. Among the entire Aws tribe, the Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal branch was the most noble, and leadership had traditionally remained in their hands. Sa‘d was a great leader of his time. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/252; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/296; Tabaqat, 3/420; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 3/481.) Very little information is available about the year of his birth.

Although Islam began to influence Medina after the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, this influence was in reality connected with the personality of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr. After the Pledge of ‘Aqabah, at the request of the people of Medina, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent Mus‘ab to Medina with the responsibility of being a da‘i of Islam, that is, one who invited people to Islam. In Islamic history, he is remembered as a successful da‘i. Through tireless effort, he conveyed the call of Islam to the ears of every person in Medina. When Mus‘ab came to Medina and began inviting people to Islam, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh was an extreme rejecter. This condition did not last long. Very soon he too responded to Mus‘ab’s call. Ibn Ishaq narrated the story of his acceptance of Islam as follows:

One day, As‘ad ibn Zurarah went with Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, the da‘i sent by the Messenger of Allah, to the tribes of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal and Banu Jafar for the work of inviting people to Islam. They sat on a wall beside a well called Maraq. Some people who had accepted Islam gathered around them. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr were both leaders of the Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal tribe. At that time they were still polytheists. It should be noted that Sa‘d was As‘ad ibn Zurarah’s maternal cousin.

In any case, the news reached Sa‘d and Usayd. Sa‘d immediately said to Usayd, “May your father perish! Go at once to those two men. They have come upon our homes to deceive our weaker people. Drive them away and forbid them from coming along this path. If my maternal cousin As‘ad ibn Zurarah were not with that second man, I would not send you; I would go myself. It would not be proper for me to go before him.” Usayd went to them armed. The result was the opposite of what had been intended. While going to drive them away, he himself was influenced by their words and accepted Islam. He said to Mus‘ab and As‘ad, “I have left a man behind me who, if he listens to you, will cause not a single person of the tribe to remain distant from you. I am sending Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh to you now.” Saying this, he returned toward his own tribe.

Sa‘d was sitting at a tribal gathering. Seeing Usayd return, he remarked, “I swear by Allah, Usayd is returning to you with a face different from the one with which he went.” When Usayd came near, Sa‘d asked, “What have you done?” Usayd replied, “I spoke with the two of them and saw nothing particularly bad in them. Even so, I forbade them from coming here. They said, ‘Whatever you consider good will be done.’ However, I have heard that the people of Banu Harithah have gone out intending to kill As‘ad ibn Zurarah. They know that As‘ad is your maternal cousin.”

Sa‘d immediately rose angrily, took his spear, and rushed toward the two men. When he came near and saw them sitting very calmly and peacefully, he understood that Usayd had deceived him in order to make him listen to their words. While abusing both of them, he said to As‘ad, “Listen, Abu Usamah! If there were no family relationship between you and me, I would not say so much. You have come to our homes and are doing what we do not like.”

When As‘ad saw Sa‘d approaching, he had said to Mus‘ab, “Mus‘ab, a tribal leader is coming to you. If this man accepts what you say, not even two people of the tribe will remain distant from you.” Mus‘ab spoke to Sa‘d very gently: “Will you sit for a while and listen to what I say? If you like what I say and consider it good, accept it. If you dislike it and consider it bad, we shall leave.” Sa‘d said, “That is fair.” He planted his spear in the ground and sat down. Mus‘ab calmly presented the call of Islam before him and recited the Qur’an to him.

Mus‘ab and As‘ad both narrated: “After presenting the call of Islam, before Sa‘d said anything, we saw the radiance of Islam on his face.” After hearing the call of Islam, Sa‘d asked them, “What must one do to enter this Islam, this religion of yours?” They replied, “One must bathe and purify oneself, put on clean clothes, then pronounce the testimony of faith and perform two rak‘ahs of prayer.” Sa‘d did so. Then, taking his spear, he set out with Usayd toward the tribal gathering.

Seeing them return, the tribespeople began saying, “Sa‘d no longer has the face with which he went. He appears with a different face.” Sa‘d came near and said to the people of the tribe, “O people of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal! How do you regard my conduct in various matters?” They replied together, “You are our leader, the one among us with the soundest judgment, and our trusted naqib and responsible representative.” Sa‘d said, “Then, until you believe in Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, it is unlawful for me to speak to any of your men or women.”

As‘ad and Mus‘ab said, “By Allah, before evening came, every man and woman of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal had accepted Islam following Sa‘d’s proclamation.” After Sa‘d accepted Islam, As‘ad and Mus‘ab stayed at his home and continued inviting people to Islam. Consequently, before the Messenger of Allah migrated to Medina, there was no house or tribe there in which one or two people had not accepted Islam. Afterwards, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr together began breaking the idols of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal. (See Tabaqat, 3/420–421; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/435, 437, 479; al-Bidayah, 3/152; Usud al-Ghabah, 3/296; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/187–190.)

Sa‘d’s contribution to the propagation and teaching of Islam in Medina was extraordinary. No other Companion equaled him in this distinction. The reason is that, apart from his case, no other instance is known in which the acceptance of Islam by one person resulted in the acceptance of Islam by an entire tribe. For this reason the Messenger said, “The best household among the Ansar is that of Banu Najjar; after it comes that of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal.” Sa‘d and his tribe accepted Islam between the First and Second Pledges of ‘Aqabah.

Ibn ‘Asakir narrated an account from Bukhari and Kalbi. After the Messenger migrated from Makkah, the Quraysh could find no information about him. They were sitting in their council house beside the Ka‘bah when they heard a voice reciting poetry from the direction of Mount Abu Qubays. Part of it was as follows:

“If the two Sa‘ds accept Islam, Muhammad will be safe from the fear of his opponents. O Sa‘d of Aws, O Sa‘d of Khazraj, become protectors of Muhammad!”

There were several more lines like these. Hearing the poem, the Quraysh understood that the two Sa‘ds who were helping the Messenger in the tribes of Aws and Khazraj were Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah. (Tahdhib Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/89.)

Some time after accepting Islam, Sa‘d went to Makkah intending to perform ‘umrah. The prominent Quraysh leader Umayyah ibn Khalaf was his close friend. Sa‘d stayed at his house, and whenever Umayyah came to Medina he stayed at Sa‘d’s house. Sa‘d told Umayyah, “Tell me when the Sacred Precinct around the Ka‘bah is empty.” At midday Umayyah went with him toward the Sacred Precinct. On the way they met Abu Jahl, who asked Umayyah, “Who is this man?” Umayyah replied, “Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh.” Abu Jahl said, “It is truly astonishing that you have given shelter to an apostate and are freely walking around Makkah as his protector. If you were not with him, it would have been difficult for him to return home.” It should be noted that the unbelievers called those who accepted Islam apostates.

Sa‘d immediately issued a challenge to Abu Jahl, saying, “Just try to stop me and see what happens. I will block your road to Medina.” Umayyah said, “Sa‘d, Abu al-Hakam—Abu Jahl—is a prominent leader of Makkah. Speak softly before him.” Sa‘d said, “Let us go. I heard the Messenger say that the Muslims will kill you.” Abu Jahl asked, “Will they come to Makkah and kill us?” Sa‘d replied, “I do not know that.”

In Rabi‘ al-Awwal of the second year after the Hijrah, the Messenger went out in search of a caravan of one hundred men led by the Quraysh leader Umayyah ibn Khalaf. This expedition is known in history as the Buwat expedition. According to one report, the Messenger left Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh in Medina as his representative. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/287.)

The Messenger established a bond of brotherhood between him and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, or, according to another account, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas. (Tabaqat, 3/421; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/505.)

After the Buwat expedition in the second year after the Hijrah, the historic Battle of Badr was approaching. The time had come for Sa‘d’s prophecy to be fulfilled. The Quraysh of Makkah began preparations to attack Medina. Upon receiving the news, the Messenger set out toward Badr. On the way, after learning the latest movements of the Quraysh army, he consulted the Muhajirun and Ansar before making a decision. Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, al-Miqdad and other Companions from among the Muhajirun expressed their opinions. Then the Messenger addressed the Ansar: “O people, advise me.” Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh immediately stood and said, “O Messenger of Allah, perhaps you are addressing us?” The Messenger said, “Yes.”

Sa‘d said, “We have believed in you, recognized you as truthful, and testified that everything you have brought is true. We have pledged to listen to you and obey you. O Messenger of Allah, do whatever you wish; we are with you. By the One who sent you with the truth, if you ordered us to plunge into the sea, we would plunge into it, and not one of us would remain behind. If you confronted the enemy with us tomorrow, we would not resent it. In battle we are patient, and against the enemy we are utterly truthful. Allah will show you such conduct from us that your eyes will be delighted. Advance with us, relying upon Allah.”

He further said, “We will not be like those who said to Moses, ‘Go, you and your Lord, and fight the enemy while we remain sitting here.’ Rather, we say, ‘Go, you and your Lord; we shall follow you.’ You may have set out with one purpose, but Allah has ordained another. See what Allah brings about through you.” Historians have said that, in support of Sa‘d’s words, Allah revealed verse 5 of Surah al-Anfal. The Messenger was extremely pleased by Sa‘d’s speech. When deploying the army, he placed the banner of the Aws tribe in Sa‘d’s hand. According to another report, Sa‘d carried the banner of all the Ansar in this battle. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/613, 615; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/299; Tabaqat, 3/421; al-Bidayah, 3/262; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/415.)

Ibn Ishaq narrated that, just before the Battle of Badr began, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh said, “O Prophet of Allah, why do we not build an ‘arish, or pavilion, for you and station a force there? We shall go to fight the enemy. If Allah honors us and grants us victory, our hope will be fulfilled. If something else occurs, you can go with this force and join those whom we have left behind. O Prophet of Allah, the people who have remained behind in Medina are no dearer to us than you. If they had known that you would become involved in battle, they would not have stayed behind in this way. Allah will protect you through them. They will advise you sincerely and fight the enemy alongside you.”

For these words, the Messenger praised Sa‘d and prayed for him. Thus an ‘arish was constructed for the Messenger near the battlefield, from which he directed the Battle of Badr. (Al-Bidayah, 3/268; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/620.)

When the Quraysh army was defeated in the Battle of Badr and began fleeing for its life, the Muslim fighters pursued them and began capturing them one by one. The Messenger was then in the ‘arish. Fearing that he might suddenly be attacked, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh took several other Ansari fighters, armed themselves, and stood guard at the door of the ‘arish. Seeing an expression of displeasure on Sa‘d’s face, the Messenger said, “Sa‘d, it seems that you do not approve of what the people are doing.” Sa‘d replied, “Yes. This is our first clash with the polytheists, and I prefer killing their men to keeping them alive.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/628.) According to one report, he killed ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubaydullah in this battle, and one of his slaves also took part in it. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/297, 479.)

He also took part in the Battle of Uhud, where he was assigned to guard the Messenger’s position. At the outset, the Messenger intended to resist the unbelievers from within Medina. The hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul held the same view. However, some young fighters, who passionately desired martyrdom, insisted on going outside Medina to fight. Since they were the majority, the Messenger accepted their opinion and entered the inner quarters to put on his battle equipment. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr then said, “You have compelled the Messenger to go outside Medina, although revelation descends upon him from heaven. You should withdraw your opinion and leave the matter entirely to the Messenger.”

When the Messenger emerged from his house wearing his sword, shield, armor and other battle equipment, everyone regretted what had happened. They all said, “We did not intend to oppose you. Your command is above our heads.” The Messenger said, “There is nothing I can do now. Once a prophet puts on his weapons, the decision to fight has been made, and there is no opportunity to withdraw from it.” (Tabaqat, 2/26.)

The battle began at the foot of Mount Uhud. Although the Muslim army was victorious at first, it eventually retreated before the enemy’s powerful assault. A terrible disaster occurred. At that time the Messenger remained firm and steadfast. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh was one of the fifteen men who remained steadfast beside him. Sa‘d’s brother, ‘Amr ibn Mu‘adh, was martyred at Uhud. (Tabaqat, 2/30; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/318, 329.)

After the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger once passed by the Ansari tribes of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal and Banu Jufar. He heard the women of those two tribes mourning and weeping for the men who had been martyred at Uhud. The eyes of the Merciful Prophet filled with tears, and he too wept. Then he said, “But there is no one to weep for Hamzah.” When Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr returned to Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal and heard this, they instructed the women of their tribe, “Go to the house of the Messenger and mourn and lament for his uncle Hamzah.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/99.)

Ka‘b ibn Asad, the leader of Medina’s Jewish tribe Banu Qurayzah, had concluded a treaty of alliance with the Messenger on behalf of his tribe. During the Battle of the Trench, influenced by the evil counsel and incitement of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the leader of Banu Nadir, he broke that treaty and began conspiring against the Muslims. This news reached the Messenger and the Muslims. To verify the matter, the Messenger sent Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh on behalf of the Aws and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah on behalf of the Khazraj. ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah and Khawwat ibn Jubayr also went with them. They went to Banu Qurayzah and, through discussion and direct observation, realized that the matter was true. They returned and presented their investigation and report to the Messenger. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/221.)

Many accounts of Sa‘d’s firmness have been recorded in various books. Baladhuri and Ibn al-Athir narrated one such incident. The Messenger discussed a truce with the leaders of the Ghatafan tribe, al-Harith ibn ‘Awf and ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, on the condition that they would not threaten Medina in any way and would receive one-third of the crops produced in Medina in return. Meanwhile, in the fifth year after the Hijrah, severe hardship arose in Medina amid the turmoil of the Battle of the Trench. The Messenger consulted Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah about the proposed truce. They both said, “O Messenger of Allah, if this is your preference, we shall carry it out. If it is Allah’s command, then it must certainly be carried out. But are you doing this because of us?” He replied, “Yes, I am doing it because of you. I have seen that all Arabia is now against you. I wished at least to stop their hostility for a while in exchange for this.”

Hearing this, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh said, “O Messenger of Allah, they and we were once polytheists together. None of us worshipped Allah or knew Him. Even then, they did not hope to eat so much as one of our dates except as merchants or guests. Today we have accepted Islam, and Allah has honored us through Islam and through you. And now we are to give them a portion of our wealth? We have no need for such a truce. Until Allah decides finally between us and them, we shall give them nothing except the sword.” The Messenger accepted his opinion. (Al-Bidayah, 4/104; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/346–347.)

The time for battle was drawing near. Sa‘d was going toward the battlefield wearing armor and carrying a spear. On the way, at the fortress of Banu Harithah, his mother was sitting beside the Mother of the Believers, ‘A’ishah. She saw her son walking while reciting a line of poetry. One line was: “When the appointed time arrives, what objection can there be to death?” His mother called out, “My son, you have fallen behind; hurry!” The hand in which Sa‘d carried his spear was outside his armor. Pointing to it, ‘A’ishah said, “Sa‘d’s mother, look how short his armor is.”

As soon as he reached the battlefield, Hibban ibn ‘Abdi Manaf shot an arrow at him. Some reports name Abu Usamah or Khafajah ibn ‘Asim instead of Hibban. The arrow struck his hand and caused a serious wound. Overjoyed, Hibban exclaimed, “I am the son of ‘Arqah.” Hearing this, the Messenger—or, according to another account, Sa‘d—said, “May Allah immerse your face in sweat within Hell.” It should be noted that ‘Arqah means sweat. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/226–228; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/296.)

In those days, a camp had been established in the Prophet’s Mosque to care for and treat those wounded in battle. It was probably established after the Battle of Uhud and was near the Messenger’s chamber. A pious and service-minded woman named Rufaydah of the Aslam tribe served as one of its attendants. She cared for the wounded and treated them, and was experienced in nursing the sick and treating wounds. When Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh was wounded in the Battle of the Trench, the Messenger ordered, “Place Sa‘d in Rufaydah’s tent, so that I can look after him from nearby.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/239; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/297; Da’irah-i Ma‘arif-i Islamiyyah, Urdu, 11/33.)

The Messenger came to the camp every day to care for the ill Sa‘d. Sa‘d had become despondent about his life, so he prayed to Allah: “O Allah, if the conflict with the Quraysh still remains, keep me alive. I greatly desire to fight them, because they have harmed Your Messenger, rejected him, and expelled him from his homeland, Makkah. But if the time has come for the conflict to end, grant me martyrdom through this wound. Do not let me die until my eyes are comforted concerning Banu Qurayzah.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/227; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/296; Bukhari, 2/591.) Allah accepted the final part of his supplication.

After the retreat of the Quraysh and their allied forces from the Battle of the Trench, the Messenger decided to punish Banu Qurayzah, the Jewish tribe that was the source of Medina’s disorder, because they had broken their treaty and committed treachery. Banu Qurayzah had maintained an ancient alliance with Medina’s Aws tribe. When the Messenger decided to punish them, members of the Aws tribe said, “O Messenger of Allah, they were our allies against our rival, the Khazraj. You know what action you previously took against Banu Qaynuqa, the allied tribe of our brothers, the Khazraj.” The hypocrite leader ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul said the same. In reality, they feared that the Messenger would impose a severe punishment on Banu Qurayzah.

The Messenger said, “O people of Aws, would you be pleased if one of your own tribesmen judged them?” They replied, “Yes, we would be pleased.” The Messenger said, “Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh will judge them.” Thus the Messenger appointed Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh as judge to determine the fate of Banu Qurayzah. Sa‘d was then severely ill because of his wound. The people of Aws placed a saddle on a camel, seated Sa‘d upon it, and brought him to the Messenger. They said to him, “Abu ‘Amr, treat your allies kindly. Perhaps this is why the Messenger appointed you as judge.” When they began pressing him too much, Sa‘d said, “In implementing Allah’s command, Sa‘d has no regard whatsoever for the criticism of any critic.”

When Sa‘d reached the Messenger, the Messenger addressed the Ansar and Muhajirun seated around him: “Stand for your leader, in honor of him.” When the people of Sa‘d’s tribe again urged him to be lenient in judgment, he said, “You should follow the covenant and agreement you made with Allah concerning this matter.” Then the Messenger said to Sa‘d, “These people are awaiting your judgment.” Sa‘d said, “I declare my judgment: those among them fit to fight should be killed; their women and children should be made captives; and their wealth should be distributed.” Upon hearing this judgment, the Messenger said, “You have issued the very judgment Allah has given from above the seven heavens.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/239–240; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/297; al-Isabah, 2/38.)

Sa‘d lived only a short time after his judgment concerning Banu Qurayzah had been implemented. One day the Messenger applied heat to his wound with his own hand. The bleeding stopped, but the wound became swollen. Suddenly, one day, it burst and began bleeding profusely. Ibn ‘Abbas said that when blood began flowing from Sa‘d’s wound, the Messenger hurried to him and lifted his head onto his lap. The Messenger’s face and beard became wet with Sa‘d’s blood. He covered Sa‘d’s body with a white sheet. The sheet was so short that when it covered his head, his feet were exposed, and when it covered his feet, his head was exposed. Sa‘d was a fair, heavyset man.

The Messenger prayed for Sa‘d, saying, “O Allah, Sa‘d strove in jihad in Your path, believed Your Prophet to be truthful, and followed his way. Receive his soul in the best manner.” Hearing this prayer, Sa‘d opened his eyes and said, “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” (Tabaqat, 3/426; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/457.)

Sa‘d died. Ibn Ishaq said that after Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh breathed his last, Jibril came at night to the Messenger wearing a silk turban and said, “O Muhammad, who is this deceased person for whom all the gates of heaven have been opened and the Throne has trembled?” Pulling his garment along, the Messenger hurried to Sa‘d and found that he had died. (Tabaqat, 3/432; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/250–251.)

The Messenger sat holding Sa‘d’s head in his lap. Blood was still flowing from his hand. People began rushing in from every direction. Abu Bakr came running, saw the body, and cried out. The Messenger forbade him from doing so. ‘Umar recited, through tears, “Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.” A wave of weeping filled the entire tent. Sa‘d’s grieving mother recited a poem while crying. ‘Umar told her not to recite poetry, but the Messenger said, “Leave her; let her recite. Other mourners speak falsely, but Sa‘d’s mother is speaking the truth.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/252; Tabaqat, 3/228–229.)

After Sa‘d’s death, the Messenger was going to his house, and the Companions accompanied him. He walked so quickly that the Companions were unable to keep up. One of them said, “Why are you walking so quickly? We are becoming completely exhausted.” The Messenger replied, “I fear that the angels may bathe him before we reach him and leave him, as they did with Hanzalah.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/545.)

The Messenger went with Sa‘d’s funeral procession to the cemetery. The hypocrites also went. Sa‘d’s body seemed light, so the hypocrites said among themselves, “We have never seen a body so light.” They suggested that this was perhaps the consequence of the judgment he had given concerning Banu Qurayzah. When this reached the Messenger, he said, “By the One in whose hand is my life, the angels are carrying his bier.” It is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger also said, “Indeed, this Sa‘d was a most righteous servant. The Throne of Allah trembled for him, the gates of heaven were opened, and seventy thousand angels attended his funeral who had never before come to earth.” (Tabaqat, 3/430; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/297; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/251.)

Ibn Ishaq narrated from Jabir, who said, “When Sa‘d was buried, we were with the Messenger. He first pronounced ‘Subhanallah’ loudly once, and the people also recited ‘Subhanallah’ with him. Then he pronounced the takbir, and the people pronounced the takbir. They asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why did you recite tasbih in this manner?’ He replied, ‘The grave of this righteous man had become very constricted. Then Allah made it spacious.’” (Tabaqat, 3/432; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/251–252.)

After Sa‘d was buried, the Messenger appeared deeply saddened. Tears continuously flowed from his eyes. The author of al-Isti‘ab said, “Sa‘d died in the fifth year after the Hijrah, one month after the Battle of the Trench and several nights after the incident of Banu Qurayzah.” (Note in al-Isabah, 2/28.)

He was buried in the Baqi‘ cemetery of Medina. He was seventy-three years old at the time of his death. (Al-A‘lam, 3/139.) Ibn Ishaq included him among those of Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal who were martyred in the Battle of the Trench. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/252.)

The death of Sa‘d was an extraordinary event in the history of Islam. Because of his service to Islam and the faith-consciousness within him, he was regarded as the “Abu Bakr of the Ansar.” After the incident of the Ifk, the false accusation against ‘A’ishah, the Messenger once said angrily, “This enemy of Allah—‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites—has caused me immense pain. Is there anyone among you who can deal with him?” Sa‘d immediately stood and said, “If he is from the Aws tribe, tell me, and we shall sever his neck. If he is one of our brothers among the Khazraj, command us, and we shall carry out your command.” (Shahirat al-Nisa fi al-‘Alam al-Islami, 59.)

The importance of his death can be understood from the angels’ participation in his funeral and the trembling of Allah’s Throne. An Ansari poet therefore proudly said, “We have never heard that Allah’s Throne trembled at the death of any mortal, except at the death of Sa‘d Abu ‘Amr.” Likewise, the Messenger’s court poet, Hassan ibn Thabit, expressed respect and mourning for Sa‘d in many of his poems. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/252, 269–270, 272.)

Sa‘d was fair-skinned, tall, and handsome. At his death he left two sons, named ‘Amr and ‘Abdullah. Both attained the honor of participating in the Pledge of Ridwan. Their mother, Hind bint Sammak, was also a respected female Companion of the Messenger. (Tabaqat, 420, 433.)

Sa‘d died during the early period of Islam in Medina. He was fortunate to enjoy the companionship of the Messenger for only five years of his life. He may have heard many hadiths during this short period; however, since the chain of hadith transmission began after the Messenger departed from this world, his narrations did not become widespread. Nevertheless, Sahih al-Bukhari contains a narration from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud concerning Sa‘d’s ‘umrah, and Anas narrated from him a hadith concerning the martyrdom of Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ at Uhud. This too is recorded in Bukhari. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 3/482.)

In moral character, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh was a man of exceptionally high standing. ‘A’ishah said, “After the Messenger, no one among Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal was better than three men: Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and ‘Abbad ibn Bishr.” (Al-Isabah, 2/97.) Sa‘d himself used to say, “I am an ordinary man, but I have reached the proper level in three matters: 1. Whatever words I hear from the mouth of the Messenger, I believe that they are from Allah. 2. During prayer, no other thought arises in my mind. 3. When I am present at the funeral of a dead person, nothing occupies me except concern about the questioning of Munkar and Nakir.” (Notes: al-Isti‘ab; al-Isabah, 2/33; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 3/482.)

A hadith conveys the immense confidence the Messenger had in Sa‘d’s deeds. It is narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Messenger said, “There is certainly a squeezing in the grave. If anyone were to be spared that squeezing, it would be Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/252; Tabaqat, 3/252 and 3/432. Imam Ahmad and Bayhaqi also narrated the hadith.)

Khalid ibn al-Walid captured the king of Kindah, Uqaydir, and brought him to Medina. The Companions were astonished by his valuable clothing, or, according to another account, by a garment that had been presented to the Messenger. Seeing their reaction, the Messenger said, “Are you amazed at this? The handkerchiefs of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh in Paradise will be more beautiful than this.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/383; Tabaqat, 3/436; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/297; Ibn Hisham, 2/526; Sahih Bukhari, 1/536.)

Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri said, “I was one of those who dug Sa‘d’s grave in the Baqi‘ cemetery. As we dug the soil of the grave, we smelled the fragrance of musk.” Shurahbil ibn Hasanah said, “A man took a handful of soil from Sa‘d’s grave and kept it in his house. After some days he found that it was not soil, but musk.” (Tabaqat, 3/431; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/595.)

Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada (RA)

His real name was Sa‘d, and his kunyahs were Abu Qays and Abu Thabit. The first was better known. (Usud al-Ghabah, 2/283) His title was Sayyid al-Khazraj. He belonged to the Sa‘idah branch of Madinah’s famous Khazraj tribe. His father was ‘Ubadah ibn Dulaym and his mother was ‘Amrah bint Mas‘ud. ‘Amrah was a female Companion and died in the fifth year after the Hijrah. At that time Sa‘d was outside Madinah, accompanying the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the campaign of Dumat al-Jandal. When he returned to Madinah, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) visited her grave and prayed for her. (Tabaqat, 3/614; al-Isabah, 2/30)

Sa‘d’s honored grandfather, Dulaym, was the greatest leader of the Khazraj tribe. He was also renowned for public welfare work in Madinah. It was chiefly he who established the honor and prestige of the Sa‘idah family. He was a pagan and worshipped the goddess Manat. Her idol stood at a place called Musallal near Makkah. Every year he sacrificed ten camels there. After his death, ‘Ubadah, and then Sa‘d until he accepted Islam, continued this practice. In the Islamic period, Sa‘d’s son Qays, following the family tradition, sacrificed camels in the precincts of the Ka‘bah. Once Abu ‘Ubaydah and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) asked Qays to desist, but he paid no attention. They complained about him to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He said: “Qays is the son of a generous family.” (al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/37)

Sa‘d’s father, ‘Ubadah, was a worthy successor to his father. Living in the same manner as his father, he firmly established for his son Sa‘d a position of authority and leadership. He deliberately trained his son. Sa‘d earned the title “Kamil” even in pagan Arabia, because he was one of the very few people of that time who knew how to write Arabic. His Arabic handwriting was excellent. He was also one of Arabia’s finest swimmers and skilled archers. The Arabs bestowed the title “Kamil” only on those who had mastered these particular skills. (See Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 3/475; al-Isabah, 2/30; Tabaqat, 3/613)

Sa‘d accepted Islam at the time of the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed him as the naqib, or responsible leader, of Banu Sa‘idah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/250; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/283) He was regarded as a Companion of high rank. Sahih al-Bukhari says of him: “Wa kana dha qadamin fi al-Islam”—he was a foremost person in Islam.

Given the manner in which the final Pledge of ‘Aqabah took place, the number of Ansar who participated and the important conditions on which it was concluded, it could not remain secret, although it had occurred secretly in the darkness of night. The Quraysh were endlessly concerned about the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and kept constant watch over him. Thus, at the very moment when the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was receiving the pledge from the people who had come from Madinah to ‘Aqabah, someone stood on Jabal Abu Qubays in Makkah and shouted: “Look, if Sa‘d becomes a Muslim, Muhammad will become completely fearless.” (See Usud al-Ghabah, 2/284; al-Isti‘ab; al-Isabah, 2/37)

Although this voice reached the Quraysh, at first they attached little importance to it. By “Sa‘d” they thought the speaker meant men named Sa‘d from the Qudaya and Tamim tribes. The following night, some lines of poetry were again heard being recited from that mountain, clearly mentioning Sa‘d and identifying him. The Quraysh were greatly astonished. To investigate, they gathered in Dar al-Nadwah, their council house. They spoke with ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Sulul, chief of Madinah’s Aws tribe, but he declared complete ignorance of the matter. The Quraysh placed spies everywhere and returned home, while the Muslim residents of Madinah set out toward their homeland by way of Yajij.

Ibn Ishaq narrated the incident as follows: “After the naqibs had completed their pledge to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the night of ‘Aqabah, they dispersed. Some left Makkah and set out for their homeland. Meanwhile news of the pledge spread by word of mouth. After investigating, the Quraysh realized that it was true. They went out to seize those who had pledged and found Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah and al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr. Although they captured Sa‘d, al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr managed to escape. Sa‘d’s hair was long, and they seized it and dragged him along. Sa‘d said: ‘By Allah, I am in their hands as a captive.’ Several Quraysh men came to me. Among them I saw a handsome, radiant young man and thought: if anyone in this group has any good in him, perhaps it is this man. He was Suhayl ibn ‘Amr. But he dashed my hopes, came forward and struck me hard in the face. I said to myself: By Allah, after this it is useless to expect any good from anyone in this group. One of them asked: Have you accepted Muhammad’s religion? I said: Yes, I have. They tied me tightly with a rope. One of them tapped my thigh and asked: Do you have any agreement with anyone of the Quraysh? I said: Yes. When Mut‘im ibn ‘Adi and al-Harith ibn Umayyah come to our land, I guarantee their safety. He said: May your father perish! Quickly call out their names loudly and ask them for help. I did so. The man hurried to them and said: Several Quraysh men have captured, beaten and humiliated a man who is calling both of you by name. He claims that he has a pact of protection with you. They asked: Who is he? He said: Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah. They said: He has spoken the truth. Mut‘im ibn ‘Adi and al-Harith ibn Umayyah then hurried over, rescued me from their hands and directed me toward Madinah.’”

Mut‘im ibn ‘Adi was a very courteous and respected man of Makkah. During the early period of Islam he helped the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in many ways. The person who informed him was Abu al-Bakhtari ibn Hisham. In any case, Sa‘d’s capture caused great agitation in the Ansar caravan traveling toward Madinah. They decided in consultation that, even at the risk of their lives, they must return to Makkah and search for Sa‘d. Meanwhile Sa‘d was seen returning. They took him with them and set out directly for Madinah. (See Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/85–86; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/254–255; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/150–151; Tabaqat, 1/150)

Regarding Sa‘d’s captivity, the Quraysh poet Darbar ibn al-Khattab ibn Mirdas composed a poem. The poet Hassan ibn Thabit wrote a long poem in reply, praising Sa‘d and condemning the Quraysh. Portions are preserved in various books, including Ansab al-Ashraf and Sirat Ibn Hisham. (See Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/255; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/150–151)

Several months after this incident, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah. Waves of celebration swept through every lane and alley of Madinah. As soon as he reached Abu Ayyub’s house, gifts began arriving. Sa‘d sent from his house a large vessel of tharid and ‘uraq. (Tabaqat, 1/161)

A few months after the Hijrah, the Islamic movement began to intensify. In Safar, the twelfth month after the Hijrah, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went with a small force toward Makkah, to a place called al-Abwa’, in order to observe the Quraysh’s movements. This is also called the Waddan expedition. There was no Ansari mujahid in this force. The Messenger remained outside Madinah for fifteen nights and left Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah as his deputy in Madinah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/287; Tabaqat, 1/3)

In the second year after the Hijrah, the historic Battle of Badr took place. There is considerable disagreement among biographers regarding Sa‘d’s participation. Biographers such as Ya‘qub ibn Sufyan, Musa ibn ‘Uqbah, Khalifah ibn Khayyat, al-Waqidi, al-Mada’ini and Ibn al-Kalbi listed him among the participants at Badr. Abu Ahmad stated in his book al-Kuna that he participated at Badr with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (See Usud al-Ghabah, 2/283; al-Isti‘ab; al-Isabah, 2/36; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/84–85) On the other hand, Ibn Ishaq did not list him among the warriors of Badr. Ibn Sa‘d and al-Baladhuri said that Sa‘d prepared to go to Badr, but was bitten by a dog shortly before departure and therefore could not go. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said of him: “Although Sa‘d did not attend Badr, he was eager to go.” Some reports say that the Messenger allotted him a share of the spoils of Badr; Ibn ‘Asakir said this is neither unanimously accepted nor proven. (See Taqrib al-Tahdhib, 1/288; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/283; al-Isabah, 2/30; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/84–85) Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim tried to establish Sa‘d’s participation at Badr. However, the correct view is that he did not participate. This was also the opinion of ‘Allamah Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, who subtly drew evidence for it from Imam Muslim’s wording. (See Fath al-Bari, 5/224)

The Battle of Badr was the first and most famous battle of the Messenger’s life. Before it, four ghazwahs and four sariyyahs had taken place, but no Ansari soldier had participated in them. There may have been several reasons. One may be that at the Pledge of ‘Aqabah the Ansar had promised only to resist those who attacked Madinah. Nothing was said about their role if a conflict occurred outside Madinah. Another reason may be that the Messenger did not initially wish to make the native inhabitants of Madinah enemies of the Quraysh.

Therefore, when the Messenger was about to make the important decision to march toward Badr, he considered it necessary to consult the Ansar and obtain their opinion. People from all the tribes of Madinah were summoned to a meeting. The matter of war was raised. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stood and gave his opinion. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) rose to speak, but the Messenger did not look toward him. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah was also present. He understood that the Messenger wanted their opinion and said: “O Messenger of Allah! By the One in whose hand is my life, if you order us to cross the sea, we shall cleave through it; and if you command us to march over dry land, we shall drive our camels as far as Bark al-Ghimad in Yemen.” (Sahih Muslim, 2/84; al-Bidayah, 3/263; Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/273; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/424)

On the basis of this report, many biographers concluded that he participated at Badr. Yet the same report in Sahih Muslim says that when the Messenger learned that Abu Sufyan’s commercial caravan was coming from Syria, he consulted the people. In reality, he left Madinah to intercept the caravan, not to fight a war. (Muslim, 2/84) Later he learned that a Quraysh army was advancing from Makkah toward Badr, and only then decided to fight. Thus many inhabitants of Madinah did not realize that the Messenger would become involved in a battle at Badr, and many of them did not leave Madinah with him. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah was one of them. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/288)

After Badr came the Battle of Uhud. The pagan forces of Makkah advanced with such preparation that fear spread through Madinah. The whole city was guarded throughout the night. Along with such leading men of Madinah as Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Usayd ibn Hudayr, Sa‘d also stood armed to guard the Messenger’s house. They guarded Madinah throughout the night. On Friday, 6 Shawwal, preparations for battle were made. The Messenger placed the banner of the Ansari tribe of Khazraj in Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s hands. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/314, 317) When preparations were complete, the Messenger mounted his horse and set out. The two leaders of Aws and Khazraj, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, marched ahead carrying the standards of their respective tribes. The Messenger was in the middle, with the other Ansari and Muhajir warriors to his right and left. Seeing the Messenger depart with such grandeur, the unbelievers and hypocrites were stunned.

The battle began on Saturday at the foot of Mount Uhud. The fighting was so intense that at one point the Muslim army scattered, but the Messenger remained firm on the battlefield. Only fourteen men risked their lives at that time, fighting and driving the unbelievers away from before the Messenger. According to many, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah was one of those fourteen. (Zurqani, 2/40)

In the fifth year after the Hijrah, the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, or Muraysi‘, took place. The banners of both Aws and Khazraj were entrusted to Sa‘d. (Tabaqat, Maghazi section, 45) On the return from this expedition, an unfortunate incident occurred involving the Mother of the Believers, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). The hypocrites took advantage of the opportunity, making indecent remarks about ‘A’ishah’s character, and some simple Muslims became involved. The Messenger was deeply distressed and placed in an embarrassing situation. In Islamic history this incident is known as the Ifk, or the fabricated story.

At one stage of the Ifk incident, the Messenger stood on the pulpit and said: “Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Sulul has falsely slandered my family, and I am greatly distressed. Is there anyone among you who can deal with him?” Immediately Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh, leader of Aws, said: “I am ready. I will carry out whatever order you give. If he is from Aws, his head will be struck off at once; and if he is from Khazraj, I am ready to obey your command.” From ancient times there had been hostility and rivalry between Aws and Khazraj, and many major wars had taken place between them before Islam. Islam removed that enmity, but traces of the former hostility remained in their hearts. For this reason, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, leader of Khazraj, felt insulted by Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh’s words. He could not take them lightly. He stood and said: “O Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh! You have not spoken correctly. You will never be able to kill Khazraj, nor defeat them. Had this concerned your own clan, ‘Abd al-Ashhal, such words would not have come from your mouth.” Usayd ibn Hudayr was a maternal cousin of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh. Addressing Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, he said: “What are you saying? If the Messenger of Allah commands us, we shall certainly obey.” The two tribes then stood facing each other in agitation. The Messenger was on the pulpit. He dispelled the tension and brought the situation under control. (Fath al-Bari, 8/32; Sahih al-Bukhari, 7/335; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/33)

During the Battle of the Trench in the fifth year, when the Muslims of Madinah were in grave difficulty, the Messenger wished to make an agreement with the two leaders of Ghatafan, ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn and al-Harith ibn ‘Awf. He proposed that, in exchange for one-third of Madinah’s produce, they would abandon the Quraysh and refrain from attacking Madinah. He called Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah for consultation. When they came, he said: “I wish to give ‘Uyaynah and al-Harith one-third of Madinah’s produce on condition that they leave the Quraysh and return, but they are demanding half. What is your opinion?”

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah said: “O Messenger of Allah! If this is a revelation, there is no room for disagreement. But if it is not, then the answer to their demand is the sword. By Allah, instead of fruit we shall give them the edge of the sword.”

The Messenger said: “It is not revelation. Had it been revelation, there would have been no question of consulting you.” Sa‘d said: “Then we must answer them with the sword. We never imagined such humiliation even in the Age of Ignorance. Now Allah has honored us with guidance through you. Shall we give them a portion of our crops?” The Messenger was very pleased with their consultation and prayed for them. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah then took the draft agreement and tore it into pieces. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/221–223; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/284; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/346–347; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/44–45) In this battle too, the Ansar’s banner was in Sa‘d’s hands.

During the siege of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah distributed dates among the Muslim soldiers at his own expense. Likewise, during the siege of Banu Qurayzah, he supplied provisions to the Muslim soldiers. (Dairah-i Ma‘arif Islamiyyah, 11/32)

In the sixth year after the Hijrah, the Messenger led the expedition to Ghaba. He appointed Sa‘d officer over a force of three hundred men and left him responsible for Madinah’s security. Al-Waqidi narrated: During the Ghaba expedition, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah secured Madinah for five nights with three hundred men from his tribe, until the Messenger returned. When the Messenger was at a place called Dhu Qarad, he sent word to Madinah requesting assistance. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah sent ten camels loaded with dates. Sa‘d’s son Qays was also a mounted soldier in the Messenger’s force. When Qays presented the camels and dates sent by his father, the Messenger said: “O Qays! Your father sent you mounted, strengthened the mujahidin and guarded Madinah against enemy attack.” He then prayed: “O Allah, have mercy on Sa‘d and his family! How excellent a man Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah is.” The people of Khazraj exclaimed: “O Messenger of Allah! He is a man of our family, our leader and the son of our leader.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/88; Tabaqat, Maghazi, 58)

In the seventh year, during the Battle of Khaybar, the Muslim army had three banners; one was in Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s hands. (Tabaqat, Maghazi, 77) During the Battle of Tabuk, when the Messenger appealed to the Companions for material assistance, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, like the others, placed a large amount of wealth in his hands. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/421; Dairah-i Ma‘arif Islamiyyah, 11/32)

On the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger’s own banner was in Sa‘d’s hands. A group of Muslim soldiers was entering the city from the direction of Qudaya. Abu Sufyan, who had already accepted Islam, was watching with al-‘Abbas. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah led one of the Ansar groups. Seeing their proud march, Abu Sufyan’s eyes widened. He asked al-‘Abbas: “Who are these?” Al-‘Abbas replied: “The Ansar. Their commander is Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, and the banner is in his hands.”

Sa‘d came near Abu Sufyan and shouted: “Today you will see how fierce the fighting will be. Today the Ka‘bah will become halal”—that is, bloodshed will become lawful there. Abu Sufyan became frightened and said to al-‘Abbas: “There will certainly be fierce fighting today.” After Sa‘d’s force passed, the Messenger’s group arrived. Abu Sufyan called out: “O Messenger of Allah! For Allah’s sake, be kind to your people. Allah created you merciful and righteous. Sa‘d has frightened me, saying that there will be fierce fighting today and the Quraysh will be destroyed.” Several others supported Abu Sufyan. According to another report, ‘Umar heard Sa‘d’s words and informed the Messenger. ‘Uthman and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf said: “We fear that Sa‘d may be overcome by a desire for revenge.” Darrar ibn al-Khattab al-Fihri also recited a poem. Someone told him to go before the Messenger and plead through poetry. Portions of his poems are recorded in al-Isti‘ab. One poem said:

“O Messenger of Allah! The Quraysh have sought refuge with you at a time when they have no other refuge, when the world, despite its vastness, has become narrow for them and the Lord of heaven has become their enemy. Sa‘d has wished to break the backbone of the people of Makkah.”

After hearing the poem, the Messenger said: “Sa‘d has not spoken correctly. Today the honor of the Ka‘bah will be increased; a covering will be placed upon it.” He told ‘Ali: “Go quickly, take the banner from Sa‘d and give it to his son Qays.” ‘Ali went and asked for the banner. Sa‘d refused and said: “What proof is there that the Messenger truly sent you?” The Messenger sent his turban. Sa‘d then handed the banner to his son. But the same concern that had existed regarding Sa‘d now arose regarding his son. It was requested that the banner be given from Qays’s hands to someone else. The Messenger took it and placed it in the hands of al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam. This explains the statement in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Messenger’s banner was in the hands of al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam. (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/406–407; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/284; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/169; al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/39; Bukhari, 2/613; Fath al-Bari, 8/7)

After the conquest of Makkah came the expedition of Hunayn. The banner of Khazraj was in Sa‘d’s hands. (Tabaqat, Maghazi, 108) Apart from the battles mentioned above, Sa‘d participated in every major and minor battle from the Messenger’s arrival in Madinah until his death. In every expedition he carried the banner of the Ansar.

The Messenger died in the eleventh year after the Hijrah. Since ancient times, Madinah had belonged to the Ansar. From the beginning of Islam they had helped the Messenger more than anyone else. When Islam had no homeland, when the Messenger desperately sought a place of refuge and no Arab tribe dared shelter him because of fear of the Quraysh, a group of seventy-two or seventy-five Ansar came to Makkah, pledged allegiance to the Messenger on the condition that they would fight the Arabs and non-Arabs, and invited him to Madinah despite every fear.

In all the battles fought during the Messenger’s lifetime, the Ansar led the way in sacrificing their lives and wealth. Qatadah said that no Arab tribe could present as many martyrs as the Ansar. I heard Anas say that seventy Ansar were martyred at Uhud, seventy at Bi’r Ma‘unah and seventy at Yamamah. (Bukhari, 2/584; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/27) Numerous Qur’anic verses and many sayings of the Messenger also proclaimed the virtues and honor of the Ansar. It was therefore natural that they should desire leadership of the caliphate.

The Ansar of Madinah had long been divided into two rival tribes, Aws and Khazraj. In population and leadership, Khazraj was somewhat more distinguished. Its leader was Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, one of the twelve naqibs appointed by the Messenger. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh was leader of Aws, but he died in Madinah after the Battle of Uhud during the Messenger’s lifetime. Thus, when the Messenger died, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah was the undisputed leader of Madinah’s Ansar.

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s house stood beside the market of Madinah. Next to it was a covered meeting place belonging to the Banu Sa‘idah branch of Khazraj. It became famous as the Saqifah of Banu Sa‘idah. The Ansar used it as a council house, like Makkah’s Dar al-Nadwah.

When news of the Messenger’s death spread, prominent Ansar of Aws and Khazraj gathered there. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah was extremely ill. The people carried him to the platform and seated him there. He leaned against a cushion and wrapped himself in a garment. Their aim was to select a caliph from among the Ansar. Sa‘d wished to address the gathering. He told those nearest him: “My voice may not reach everyone. Repeat loudly whatever I say.” He then delivered a speech describing the honor and achievements of the Ansar and their assistance to the Messenger. Its substance was:

“No Arab tribe possesses the honor and precedence in religion that the Ansar possess. The Messenger remained among his own people for more than ten years, but no one listened to him; even those who did were very few. They lacked the power to protect him and the ability to raise the voice of religion. They were unable even to secure themselves. Allah wished to honor you, so He gave you two blessings together: you believed, sheltered the Messenger and his Companions, loved Allah’s Messenger more than yourselves and fought his opponents. Eventually all Arabia submitted to Islam willingly or unwillingly, and people near and far bowed their heads. Thus all this conquered land is indebted to your swords.

The Messenger remained pleased with you throughout his life and departed this world pleased with you. For all these reasons, you alone are entitled to this caliphate, and no one else can compete with you.”

When he finished, the Ansar said together: “Your words are entirely reasonable. In our view, no one is more qualified for this position than you. We wish to make you caliph.” They then discussed the matter among themselves. One asked: “If the Muhajirun refuse to accept this, what answer will we give them?” Another replied: “Then we shall say that there will be two amirs, one from us and one from you. We will accept nothing else.” Sa‘d commented: “This is the first weakness.”

Meanwhile, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard of the Ansar’s gathering. He went with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Saqifah of Banu Sa‘idah. ‘Umar’s stern nature agitated the Ansar, whose speakers were also delivering heated speeches. The exchange between ‘Umar and them escalated to threats involving swords. Seeing the danger, the calm Abu Bakr restrained ‘Umar and delivered an emotional speech. He mentioned the famous saying of the Messenger: “The imams are from Quraysh.” As soon as he finished, the character of the gathering changed. ‘Umar then stood and described Abu Bakr’s virtues and merits. Hearing him, the Ansar cried: “Na‘udhu billah an nataqaddama Aba Bakr”—we seek Allah’s protection from advancing before Abu Bakr.

As soon as ‘Umar finished, ‘Umar and Abu ‘Ubaydah from the Muhajirun, and Bashir ibn Sa‘d from the Khazraj branch of the Ansar, were the first to touch Abu Bakr’s hand and pledge allegiance. When the assembled people rose together to pledge, they began shouting: “Be careful that Sa‘d is not trampled underfoot!” ‘Umar said: “May Allah trample him!” Sa‘d was already tormented by remorse over his actions. Deeply angered by ‘Umar’s words, he told the people: “Take me away from here.” (See Musnad, 1/21; Tarikh al-Ummah al-Islamiyyah, 1/168–169; Tabari, events of 11 AH, 1843; Bukhari, 2/1010; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/12–18)

‘Allamah al-Zirikli, citing Fil-Budayah wa al-Tarikh (5/132), reported that when the Muslims accepted the hadith “The imams are from Quraysh” quoted by Abu Bakr and selected him as caliph, Sa‘d said: “La wallah! La ubayi‘u Qurashiyyan abadan”—By Allah, no! I shall never pledge allegiance to a Qurayshi. (Al-A‘lam, 3/135)

For some time Caliph Abu Bakr did not pressure him. Finally, he sent someone to tell Sa‘d to come and pledge allegiance. Sa‘d directly refused. ‘Umar told the caliph that he must obtain Sa‘d’s pledge. Bashir ibn Sa‘d al-Ansari was present and said: “Once he has refused, there is no way to obtain his pledge. Pressure may lead to bloodshed. If he takes a stand, his family and clan will stand beside him, and eventually all Khazraj will stand behind him. We should not awaken a sleeping discord. In my view, leave him; what can one man do?” Everyone approved Bashir’s opinion.

Sa‘d remained in Madinah until the end of Abu Bakr’s caliphate. Eventually he left Madinah for Syria and chose a fertile green place near Damascus called Hawran as his residence. He lived there until his death. (Usud al-Ghabah, 2/84; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/589; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/90)

It is reported that after ‘Umar became caliph, he once reproached Sa‘d for remaining apart from the pledge. Sa‘d replied: “Your friend Abu Bakr was more beloved to me than you. By Allah, your neighborhood has become unbearable to me.” ‘Umar said: “If someone dislikes his neighbor, he may move away.” Sa‘d immediately went to Syria. (Al-A‘lam, 3/135; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/84)

There is extensive disagreement regarding the year of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s death. Various books mention 11, 14 and 15 AH. Ibn ‘Asakir considered 14 AH the most reliable. (Tarikh, 6/91) According to Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam, he died in Hawran and was buried there. Ibn ‘Asakir did not consider reliable the reports that his grave was at a place called al-Munihah in Damascus. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/91; al-Isti‘ab; marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/40; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/284)

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah did not die a natural death; he was killed by an assassin. Historical works contain various reports about his killing. Al-Baladhuri said: Sa‘d migrated to Syria and was killed there. He had not pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr. ‘Umar sent a man to him and instructed him to demand Sa‘d’s pledge, and, if he refused, to seek Allah’s help. The man went to Syria and found Sa‘d in a walled garden in Hawran. He asked him to pledge. Sa‘d said: “I shall not pledge to any Qurayshi.” The man said: “Then I shall kill you.” Sa‘d replied: “Even if you kill me, I shall not pledge.” The man asked: “Then are you outside what the entire community has entered?” Sa‘d said: “I have no connection with the pledge. I am outside it.” The man then shot him with an arrow and killed him. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/589) Dr. Hamidullah said this was an invented claim of extremist Shi‘ites. (Ansab al-Ashraf, marginal note, 1/250)

Another report says that someone killed him and left him in a bathhouse. When his household found him, his life had ended and his entire body had turned blue. They searched for the killer but found no trace. Only the distant sound of a line of poetry was heard, meaning: “We have killed Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, the leader of Khazraj; we shot two arrows and did not miss his heart.” Since no killer was found and a voice was heard, many thought that jinn had killed him. (See Usud al-Ghabah, 2/285; al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/40; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/250)

Sa‘d had two wives: Ghaziyyah bint Sa‘d ibn Khalifah and Fukayhah bint ‘Ubayd ibn Dulaym. Fukayhah was Sa‘d’s cousin and was also a female Companion. Ghaziyyah bore him three sons—Sa‘id, Muhammad and ‘Abd al-Rahman—and Fukayhah bore him two sons, Qays and Sa‘dus, and a daughter, Umamah. (Tabaqat, 3/613; al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/538)

Sa‘d possessed abundant property. After leaving Madinah, he distributed it all among his sons and daughters. One son was still in the womb, and he left him no share. After the child was born, ‘Umar called Qays and told him to cancel his father’s share because a son had been born after his death. Qays replied: “My father’s share shall remain intact; however, if he wishes, he may take my share.” (Al-Isti‘ab, 2/539)

Sa‘d’s house stood at the far end of Madinah’s market. There were also a mosque and several forts there. He had another house in the Banu Harith quarter. (Khulasat al-Wafa’, 88)

Sa‘d attached extraordinary importance to the hadith of the Messenger. During the era of the Companions, writing became widespread and the Qur’an was written down, but the writing of hadith was not yet common. Sa‘d nevertheless wrote hadith. A report in Musnad Imam Ahmad says: “Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah narrated from his father Sa‘d. They found this hadith in Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s book or books.” (Musnad, 5/285) Sa‘d not only wrote hadith but spread it through teaching. Therefore his sons Qays and Sa‘id, his grandson Shurahbil, the famous Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Umamah ibn Sahl, the Successor Ibn al-Musayyib and others narrated many hadiths from him. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/84)

The quality of generosity reached its highest expression in Sa‘d’s character. Nearly every biographical scholar, when describing him, said: “He was extremely generous.” He was not alone; his family was famous for generosity through generations. Four generations of his family had gained renown for liberality, a distinction possessed by very few people of that era. His grandfather Dulaym, his father ‘Ubadah, his son Qays and Sa‘d himself were each famous benefactors and hosts of their respective times. (Al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/36)

In his grandfather’s time, hospitality was so extensive that a herald would climb to the top of the fort and call out: “Let those who wish to eat meat, fat and delicious food become our guests.” Once ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar passed by Sa‘d’s fort. He called Nafi‘ and pointed, saying: “This is Sa‘d’s grandfather’s fort.” A herald used to climb its top and announce: “Whoever wants fat and meat, come to Dulaym’s house.” After Dulaym died, the same announcement continued during the time of his son ‘Ubadah. It continued in Sa‘d’s time as well. I saw Sa‘d’s son Qays do the same. Qays was the most generous of people. (Al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to al-Isabah, 2/36–37)

The famous Successor ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr said: “I saw Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah standing on his fort and announcing: ‘Whoever likes fat and meat, come to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s house.’ Later I saw his son doing the same. One day in my youth I was walking in the streets of Madinah when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar passed me on his way to his fields in ‘Awali. He said: ‘Boy, see whether anyone is calling from the top of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s fort.’ I looked and said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘You have spoken correctly.’” (Tabaqat, 3/613; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/189) Such extensive hospitality and generosity made Banu Sa‘idah the “Hatim” of Madinah.

Many appealing stories of Sa‘d’s generosity toward Islam and the Messenger are scattered throughout various books. Here are one or two authentic accounts. When the Messenger came to Madinah after the Hijrah, food regularly came every day from Sa‘d’s house for him and his family. Each day a large bowl of meat, or tharid made with milk, or salid made with vinegar and oil or clarified butter, would arrive, and the vessel would circulate among the homes of the Messenger and his wives. (Al-Isabah, 2/30; Tabaqat, 3/614; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/700)

Once Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah brought the Messenger a vessel filled with cooked brains. The Messenger asked: “What is this?” Sa‘d replied: “By the One who sent you with the truth, today I slaughtered forty fresh, fat camels. I wished to let you eat your fill of brains.” The Messenger ate and prayed for his blessing. (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 7/40; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/189)

There was a group of Companions known as the People of the Suffah, who had come to Madinah from distant lands, leaving their homes. Their sole purpose was to acquire knowledge and receive religious training. The Messenger attached them to financially comfortable Companions. Whereas others took one or two of them, Sa‘d took eighty people home every evening to feed them. (Al-Isabah, 2/30; Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/190; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/196)

It is narrated from Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah and his son Qays ibn Sa‘d took turns participating in jihad. Once Sa‘d went to jihad with the people, while many outside guests came to the Messenger. Learning of this while in the army camp, Sa‘d said: “If Qays is my son, tell my slave Nistas to give him the key so that he can take out food to meet the Messenger’s needs.” Nistas would then say: “Bring a letter from your father.” Qays might become angry, strike him, seize the key and take out whatever food the Messenger needed. That is exactly what happened. On that occasion Qays brought one hundred wasq of food for the Messenger. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/200)

Al-Waqidi said: During the Farewell Hajj, one day the Messenger’s riding animal went missing. Sa‘d and Qays immediately took another animal to him and found him standing at the door. Allah had returned his animal. Sa‘d said: “O Messenger of Allah! We heard that your animal was lost, so we brought this one.” The Messenger said: “Allah has returned my mount. Take it back. May Allah bless you. O Abu Thabit! Is the honor you have shown us since I came to Madinah not enough?” Sa‘d replied: “O Messenger of Allah! Whatever you accept from our wealth is more beloved to us than what you do not accept.” The Messenger affirmed his words and said: “Abu Thabit, you have spoken truly. Receive good news; you have succeeded.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/88)

It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah asked the Messenger about his mother, who had made a vow but died before fulfilling it. Should he fulfill it on her behalf? The Messenger told him to fulfill it. When he asked about giving charity on her behalf, the Messenger said: “Yes, you may do so.” Sa‘d then declared, with the Messenger as witness, that he would donate his garden called al-Mikhraf. Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib narrated that after his mother’s death, Sa‘d once asked the Messenger which charity was best. He replied: “Give people water to drink.” Sa‘d arranged for water to be supplied at the mosque of Madinah in his mother’s name. For a long time it was known as “the watering place of the family of Sa‘d.” Once someone asked Hasan whether he could drink from the water provided in Sa‘d’s mother’s name. Hasan replied: “When Abu Bakr and ‘Umar drank from it, what objection can you have?” (Tabaqat, 3/614–615; Musnad Imam Ahmad, 5/285)

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah possessed a shield called Dhat al-Fudul. On the day the Messenger set out for Badr, Sa‘d gave it to him, along with a sword called al-‘Adab. The Messenger used both weapons at Badr. At Badr he acquired the sword Dhu al-Fiqar as booty. According to al-Waqidi, it belonged to the unbelieving soldier Munabbih or Nabih ibn al-Hajjaj; according to al-Kalbi, it belonged to al-‘As ibn Munabbih ibn al-Hajjaj. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/521)

Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Anas that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah once invited the Prophet to a meal. When he arrived, Sa‘d served dates and meat with bones. The Messenger ate and drank a cup of milk. At the end he said: “The righteous have eaten your food, the fasting have broken their fast, and the angels have prayed for you. O Allah, bless Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s family.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/66; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/189, 364)

Thus many accounts of Sa‘d’s hospitality, generosity, openhandedness and kindness are found in the books of sirah.

Sa‘d’s love for the Messenger was such that he conveyed to him even the most secret matters of his tribe. During the Battle of Hunayn, the Messenger gave large portions of the booty to the new Muslims of Quraysh for the purpose of winning hearts, while giving nothing to the Ansar. Many young Ansar became upset and said: “The Messenger gave to his own people and deprived us, although the blood of the Quraysh still drips from our swords.” Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah immediately informed him. The Messenger asked: “What is your opinion?” Sa‘d replied: “I am only one of my people, but I do not say such things.” The Messenger told him: “Go and gather the people in such-and-such a tent.” On hearing the announcement, both Muhajirun and Ansar came. Sa‘d told the Muhajirun to leave and asked only the Ansar to remain. The Messenger then came and delivered an emotional speech, part of which was: “Are you not pleased that others return with wealth while you return with me?” Everyone wept at these words and replied in one voice: “The whole world is nothing in exchange for you.” (Bukhari, 2/620; Musnad, 3/720; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/498–499; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/398)

During the Battle of Uhud, the whole of Madinah came under a grave threat. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah left his own house and guarded the Messenger’s house. The Messenger also loved him deeply and often visited his home. Sa‘d’s son Qays said: “Once the Messenger came to our house and, standing at the door, said salam. Sa‘d heard and replied very softly. I asked: ‘Will you not permit the Messenger to enter?’ Sa‘d said: ‘Wait. Give him the opportunity to offer us more salam.’ The Messenger said salam three times, received no answer and began to leave. Sa‘d ran after him and called: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I heard your salam and replied quietly. I wanted you to give us more salam.’ The Messenger returned with Sa‘d. That day he ate at Sa‘d’s house and prayed for every member of his family.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 2/283; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/491, 515; 3/314)

On one occasion the Messenger prayed: “O Allah, grant the Ansar the best reward, especially ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haram and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah.”

Once Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah went to the Messenger’s house to visit him. He stood directly before the door and sought permission to enter. The Messenger gestured for him to move farther away. After a while he went to the side of the door and sought permission. The Messenger said: “When you are standing to the side of the door, permission is not necessary.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/516)

Once the Messenger appointed Sa‘d as a collector of zakat. One day he went to Sa‘d and said: “Beware lest, on the Day of Resurrection, you be made to rise carrying a camel on your shoulders.” Sa‘d asked: “O Messenger of Allah! If I do such a thing, will that really happen?” He replied: “Yes.” Sa‘d said: “Then release me.” The Messenger accepted his request and released him. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/89; Musnad, 5/285)

Once Sa‘d became ill and the Messenger visited him with the Companions. Sa‘d was unconscious. Various Companions made different comments. Some said: “He is finished.” Others said: “No, there is still breath in him.” Hearing this, the Messenger began to weep, and the entire gathering immediately began crying. (Bukhari, 2/174)

On another occasion the Messenger went to visit the sick Sa‘d, seating Zayd ibn Thabit behind him on his mount. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/469)

Once the Messenger was going to visit Sa‘d. The hypocrite ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Sulul was sitting on the road and said some harsh words to the Messenger. The Companions became agitated, and a fight nearly began between the two sides. The Messenger restrained everyone and reached Sa‘d’s house. He said: “Sa‘d, have you heard what Abu Hubab—meaning Ibn Ubayy—said to me today?” Sa‘d replied: “O Messenger of Allah, forgive him. Before Islam, people had thought he would become king of Madinah. When Allah sent you with the truth, that expectation was shattered. These words are an expression of his pain.” At Sa‘d’s request, the Messenger forgave Ibn Ubayy. (Bukhari, 2/656; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/509) This incident shows that Sa‘d was gentle and peace-loving by nature.

Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit that one day Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah came to the Messenger with his son. After exchanging salam, the Messenger said to him: “Here, here,” and seated him on his right. He then said: “Marhaban bil-Ansar, marhaban bil-Ansar”—welcome to the Ansar, welcome to the Ansar. The boy was standing before the Messenger. He told him to sit, and the boy sat. A little later he called the boy closer. The boy came forward and kissed the Messenger’s hands and feet. The Messenger said: “I too am one of the Ansar.” Sa‘d said: “May Allah honor you as you have honored us.” The Messenger replied: “Allah honored you before I honored you. After me, you will suffer much, so remain patient. Eventually you will meet me again at the Pool of Kawthar.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/404)

Sa‘d had a separate teaching circle. One day the Messenger went there and taught them how to offer blessings and salutations upon him. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/314)

After accepting Islam, Salman al-Farisi made an agreement with his master to gain his freedom. One condition was that he would plant three hundred date palms for his master. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah helped him with sixty saplings. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/487)

At one time the Messenger possessed ten pregnant camels. Sa‘d donated three of them to him. One was named Muhrah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/512)

After Safwan ibn Mu‘attal was freed from captivity, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah gave him clothing to wear. When Safwan appeared before the Messenger wearing it, he said: “May Allah clothe with the garments of Paradise the one who clothed him.” Safwan said: “Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah gave me this garment.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/89)

It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that when verse 4 of Surah al-Nur was revealed—“Those who accuse chaste women and do not produce four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes and never accept their testimony; they are the rebellious”—Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah exclaimed: “O Messenger of Allah, was it revealed in this way?” Seeing astonishment in him, the Messenger said: “O Ansar, listen to your leader; listen to your leader.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, he is a man of intense honor and self-respect. By Allah, he has never married a woman except a virgin, and no one has ever dared marry a woman whom he divorced. This is because of his intense sense of honor.” Sa‘d said: “O Messenger of Allah, I know it is true and from Allah, but I am astonished that, seeing an immoral man committing an indecent act with my wife, I should say nothing, go in search of four witnesses and give him the opportunity to finish his deed. By Allah, when I return with the witnesses, he will already have finished.” Another narration says that Sa‘d said: “Never! By the One who sent you with the truth, I would certainly kill him with the sword.” The Messenger called the Ansar and said: “Listen to your leader. He is certainly a man of honor and self-respect. But I possess more honor than he, and Allah possesses more honor than I.” (See Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/89; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/638–639)

Malik narrated that when first-class Companions such as Abu ‘Ubaydah, Mu‘adh, Bilal and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah went to Syria, a Christian monk saw them and remarked: “Even the disciples of Jesus who were crucified and cut in two with saws were not equal in struggle to these Companions of Muhammad.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/91)

Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ (RA)

Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ al-Ansari belonged to the Banu al-Harith branch of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. al-Haytham states that ‘Abu Rabi‘’ was his kunya, or nickname. His father was al-Rabi‘ and his mother was Huzayla bint ‘Inba. The scholars of sirah have remained silent regarding the year of his birth. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/244; Tabaqat, 3/522; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/277)

There is disagreement concerning when Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ accepted Islam. Abu Nu‘aym, in his work Dala’il, narrated from ‘Aqil ibn Abi Talib and al-Zuhri that at the First ‘Aqabah, when six people from Yathrib accepted Islam at the hands of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) in Makkah and pledged allegiance to him, Sa‘d was one of them. Those six were: 1. As‘ad ibn Zurara, 2. Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan, 3. ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah, 4. Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘, 5. al-Nu‘man ibn Harithah, and 6. ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/105) On the other hand, some narrations indicate that he was one of the twelve members of the Second ‘Aqabah. According to these reports, he accepted Islam at that Second ‘Aqabah. At the Third ‘Aqabah, he joined seventy-three—or, according to another opinion, seventy-five—people. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) appointed him and ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah as joint naqibs, or responsible leaders, of their tribe, Banu al-Harith ibn al-Khazraj. (Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir wa al-A‘lam, 1/181; Tabaqat, 2/522; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/227)

Ibn Hisham narrates that on the day the Messenger of Allah (SAW) arrived in Madinah from Quba, people of every class in Madinah welcomed him. As he passed through the various tribes, the people of each tribe would block the path of his mount and request him to dismount among them. When he was proceeding through Banu al-Harith ibn al-Khazraj, Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘, together with Kharijah ibn Zayd, ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah, and some other members of Banu Harith, came before the mount of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Come to us, for we possess the numbers, equipment, and defenses necessary to protect you.” (That is, we have the capacity to shelter and honor you.) The Messenger (SAW) said: “Let my mount pass. It has received instructions from Allah.” They all moved aside. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/495)

Al-Zuhri and Muhammad ibn Ishaq say that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) established a bond of brotherhood between Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf. The devotion and sincerity Sa‘d showed toward this Muhajir brother have no parallel in the history of the world. The other Ansar divided half of their wealth, property, and land with their religious Muhajir brothers; but Sa‘d, in addition to his wealth, offered to divorce one of his wives and give her in marriage to his religious brother. Although ‘Abd al-Rahman was destitute and penniless at that time, his heart was exceedingly generous. He rejected all of Sa‘d’s offers. Anas ibn ‘Awf narrated concerning this: Sa‘d took his religious brother home and ate with him. Then he said: “You are my brother for the sake of Allah. You have no wife, whereas I have two wives. I shall divorce one of them, and you may marry her.” ‘Abd al-Rahman said: “By Allah, never.” Sa‘d said: “Come to my garden; let us divide it equally.” ‘Abd al-Rahman replied: “No. May Allah bless and prosper your children and wealth. I have no need of any of that. Just show me the way to the marketplace.” (al-Isabah, 3/26; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/278; Tabaqat, 3/523)

Sa‘d participated in the Battle of Badr. During that battle, he killed Rifa‘ah ibn Rifa‘ah of Banu Makhzum. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/711; Tabaqat, 3/523)

On the eve of the Battle of Uhud, the Quraysh of Makkah began extensive preparations. To inform the Messenger of Allah (SAW) of these military preparations, his uncle ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib secretly sent a letter from Makkah to him in Madinah. In the letter, he described their preparations and also wrote: “If they come upon you, do whatever you deem best, and prepare accordingly.” A man from Banu Ghifar faithfully delivered the letter into the hands of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) at Quba. The Messenger (SAW) first had Ubayy ibn Ka‘b read it and instructed him to keep it secret. He then went to Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ and informed him of the matter as well, also instructing him not to disclose it to anyone. After the Messenger (SAW) left, Sa‘d’s wife asked him: “What did the Messenger of Allah (SAW) tell you?” Sa‘d replied: “May your mother perish! Why do you need to hear that?” His wife said: “I heard everything you said,” and then repeated the entire conversation to Sa‘d. Sa‘d recited innalillahi and said: “It appears that you were eavesdropping on our conversation.” Sa‘d took his wife to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), related the whole incident, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I fear that the news may spread, and you may think that I was the one who disclosed it.” The Messenger (SAW) said: “Leave the matter.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/313–314)

He participated in the Battle of Uhud, which took place in the third year after the Hijrah, and fought with extraordinary bravery before attaining martyrdom. A group of enemy warriors defeated and killed him. (al-A‘lam, 3/134; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/277; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/330) His body bore a total of twelve wounds from arrows and spears. While he lay mortally wounded on the battlefield, Malik ibn Dukhshun came to him and asked: “Do you know that Muhammad (SAW) has reportedly been killed?” Sa‘d replied: “Even if he has been killed, Allah is Ever-Living; He does not die. Fight in support of your religion. Muhammad (SAW) has fully discharged his responsibility of conveying the message of his Lord and the commands of the religion.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/327; Tabaqat, 3/523)

At the end of the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Would someone go and find Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘?” A man said: “I will go.” al-Zurqani says that the man walked around among the fallen bodies, calling Sa‘d’s name loudly, but received no response. However, when he shouted, “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) sent me to look for you,” a faint voice was heard: “I am among the dead.” His life was then at its final moment. His breathing was becoming labored, and he could scarcely control his tongue. According to another narration, Sa‘d himself called out to the man while he was searching for him. In any case, Sa‘d said to him: “Convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), and tell him that I have received twelve wounds. I have also killed my killer. And tell the Ansar that if, God forbid, the Messenger (SAW) is killed and even one of you returns alive, you will have no excuse before Allah, because on the Night of ‘Aqabah you pledged to sacrifice your lives for the Messenger of Allah (SAW).” Some narrations name this man as Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. While he was standing there, Sa‘d’s pure soul departed from his mortal body. (Tabaqat, 3/523–524; al-Isti‘ab, 2/34; Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 1/210; al-Isabah, 2/27)

When Ubayy ibn Ka‘b returned and conveyed Sa‘d’s final words to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), he said: “May Allah have mercy upon him. In both life and death, he advised Allah and His Messenger.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 277) Sa‘d and another martyr of Uhud, Ibn Zayd, were buried in the same grave on the outskirts of Uhud. Kharijah was Sa‘d’s paternal uncle.

After Sa‘d’s death, his brother seized all his property according to the customs of the Age of Ignorance. Sa‘d left behind a pregnant wife and two daughters. At that time, the verse concerning inheritance had not yet been revealed. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that, after Sa‘d’s death, his wife once came to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) with her two daughters and said: “O Messenger of Allah! These are Sa‘d’s daughters. Their father attained martyrdom at Uhud, while their uncle has taken possession of all the property and given them nothing. How will they marry without wealth?” The Messenger (SAW) said: “Allah Most High will decide concerning them.” Immediately afterward, this portion of verse 11 of Surah al-Nisa’ was revealed: “If there are only two daughters, then they shall have two-thirds of the estate left behind.”

After the revelation of this verse, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) summoned the girls’ uncle and instructed him: “Give two-thirds of Sa‘d’s estate to his two daughters and one-eighth to their mother; then take the remainder yourself.” (al-Isabah, 2/27; Tabaqat, 3/524; Usud al-Ghabah, 2/278; Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 1/210; this hadith was also narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah.)

When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) made this decision regarding Sa‘d’s daughters and wife, no inheritance had yet been prescribed for a child in the womb. The ruling concerning inheritance for an unborn child was established much later. The child in Sa‘d’s wife’s womb was born. She was named Umm Sa‘d bint Sa‘d and later became the wife of Zayd ibn Thabit. During the caliphate of Caliph ‘Umar (RA), Zayd said to his wife: “If you wish, you may speak to the Commander of the Believers concerning your father’s inheritance. He is currently granting unborn children their shares of inheritance.” Umm Sa‘d replied: “I will not claim anything from my sisters.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/338)

In that pre-Islamic Arabia, when writing was very uncommon, Sa‘d knew how to write. (Tabaqat, 3/522; Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/210) Since he was the son of a tribal leader, he had received special educational opportunities and had learned to write. He had also memorized some hadiths heard from the lips of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). (Usud al-Ghabah, 2/278)

His religious zeal and intense love for the Messenger of Allah (SAW) were expressed in the pledge at ‘Aqabah, the Battle of Uhud, and the testament he gave before his death.

For all these reasons, Sa‘d held a position of special honor and esteem among the Companions. Once, one of his daughters came to Abu Bakr (RA), who spread his own garment for her to sit on. Seeing this, ‘Umar (RA) asked: “Whose daughter is she?” The Caliph replied: “She is the daughter of a man who was better than you and me.” He asked again: “Why does she have such status?” He replied: “He reached Paradise during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), while you and I are still left here.” (al-Isabah, 2/27)

Abu Bakr al-Zubayri narrated: A man went to Caliph Abu Bakr and saw him holding a small daughter of Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘ to his chest, wiping away her saliva and kissing her. The man asked: “Who is this girl?” He replied: “She is the daughter of a man who was better than you and me. She is the daughter of Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘, who was a naqib at ‘Aqabah, a warrior of Badr, and a martyr of Uhud.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/95)

‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah (RA)

His name was Abdullah. There is disagreement concerning his kunya, or surname: Abu Muhammad, Abu Rawaha, or Abu Amr. “Sha’iru Rasulillah”—“the poet of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)”—was his title. He was descended from the Banu al-Harith branch of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. His father was Rawaha ibn Tha’laba and his mother was Kabsha bint Waqid. The female Companion Amrah bint Rawaha was his sister, and the Companion-poet Nu’man ibn Bashir was his nephew. No information is available in history regarding the time of his birth. He was a highly respected person both in the Days of Ignorance and in his Islamic life. (Tabaqat, 3/525; al-A’lam, 4/217; Tahdhib al-Asma wa’l-Lughat, 1/265)

He took part in the Third Aqabah pledge with seventy (70) people of Madinah and pledged allegiance at the hands of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Along with Sa’d ibn al-Rabi’, he was appointed naqib, or responsible representative, of Banu al-Harith. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/443, 458; Tabaqat, 3/526; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/252; Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir, 1/181)

However, he probably accepted Islam before the Third Aqabah. Some narrations indicate that he accepted Islam with the six people at the First Aqabah and pledged allegiance at the hands of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/105)

After accepting Islam, he devoted himself to spreading and preaching Islam in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) migrated from Makkah and reached Quba. On the day he first entered Madinah from Quba, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, Sa’d ibn al-Rabi’, and Kharijah ibn Zayd ran ahead with the people of their clan, Banu al-Harith, and blocked the path of the Messenger of Allah’s (ﷺ) she-camel, humbly requesting him to dismount among their clan. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told them, “Clear the way for the she-camel. She is proceeding according to Allah’s command; she will stop wherever Allah wills.” They cleared the way. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/495) The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) established a bond of brotherhood between him and Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi.

He took part in every expedition—Badr, Uhud, the Trench, Hudaybiyyah, Khaybar, and the Compensatory Umrah. He could participate only in the expedition of the Lesser Badr, which took place in the fourth year after the Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left him as his deputy in Madinah. (Tabaqat, 3/526; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/458) It is worth mentioning that, while returning from Uhud, the Quraysh leader Abu Sufyan ibn Harb announced, “Exactly one year from now, at the Lesser Badr, I shall meet you again.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Muslims accepted this challenge and arrived there at the appointed time. But the Quraysh failed to fulfill their pledge. At this Lesser Badr, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) waited with his army for eight days. This occurred in Dhu al-Qa’dah of the fourth year after the Hijrah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/339–340)

At the beginning of the Battle of Badr, the Quraysh champion Utbah ibn Rabi’ah came with his brother Shaybah ibn Rabi’ah and his son al-Walid ibn Utbah and challenged the opposing Muslim army to single combat. In response to his challenge, Awf, Mu’awwidh, and Abdullah ibn Rawaha were the first to advance from the Muslim army. Utbah asked them, “Who are you?” They replied, “A group of the Ansar.” Utbah said, “We do not wish to fight you.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/625)

After the victory at Badr, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent people in all directions around Madinah to announce the news. He sent Abdullah ibn Rawaha toward the highlands of Madinah. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/642)

After the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sought the Companions’ opinions regarding the Quraysh prisoners held by the Muslims. Various people expressed various opinions. Abdullah ibn Rawaha said, “O Messenger of Allah, gather them in a valley filled with abundant firewood and throw them into it. Then I myself will set fire to the wood and burn them to death.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/42)

During the Battle of the Trench, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) repeatedly recited a poem composed by Abdullah ibn Rawaha. Some of it was as follows:

“O Allah, without Your help we would not have received guidance;
we would not have given zakat, nor performed prayer.
Send tranquility down upon us,
and make us steadfast in battle.
When those who have wronged us create turmoil,
we shall reject them.”
(Siyar al-Ansar, 2/59)

During this Battle of the Trench, Ka’b ibn Asad, leader of Madinah’s Jewish tribe Banu Qurayzah, broke their treaty with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and became involved in a secret conspiracy. The news reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He sent several people to Ka’b to verify its truth, and Abdullah ibn Rawaha was among them. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/221; Asah al-Siyar, 190)

The books of Sirah relate a miracle of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the Battle of the Trench, in connection with the name of Abdullah ibn Rawaha. In brief, the incident was as follows:

The niece of Abdullah ibn Rawaha—the sister of Nu’man ibn Bashir—said: “One day my mother, Amrah bint Rawaha, called me, tied some dates in my garment, and said, ‘Take these to your father Bashir and your maternal uncle Abdullah ibn Rawaha; they will eat them at midday.’ I took them and was passing by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), looking for my father and uncle. When the Messenger (ﷺ) saw me, he called, ‘Girl, come here. What do you have with you?’ I said, ‘Dates. My mother sent them for the midday meal of my father Bashir ibn Sa’d and my maternal uncle Abdullah.’ He said, ‘Give them to me.’ I poured the dates into both hands of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but they did not become full. He told me to spread out a cloth and scattered the dates over it. Then he said to the man nearby, ‘Go and call the people of the trench to come and eat their midday meal.’ After the announcement, everyone came and began eating. They ate, while the dates continued to lie scattered there.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/118; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/631)

In the sixth year after the Hijrah, Abdullah also took part in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the Pledge of Ridwan.

After Abu Rafi’, the Jew Usayr ibn Razim was appointed ruler of Khaybar. He was a worthy successor in hostility toward Islam. He went among the Ghatafan tribe and incited them to rebellion. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) received the news, he sent Abdullah to Khaybar in Ramadan of the sixth year after the Hijrah with a group of thirty men. Abdullah secretly gathered all information about Usayr ibn Razim and informed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger (ﷺ) placed a force of thirty men under Abdullah’s command and ordered them to kill Usayr. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/378)

Abdullah ibn Rawaha met Usayr and said, “If you give me a guarantee of safety, I will tell you something.” He gave the guarantee. Abdullah said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has sent me to you. He wishes to appoint you leader of Khaybar. However, you must go to Madinah once.” Usayr was tempted by this and began traveling with Abdullah’s force, accompanied by thirty Jews. On the way, Abdullah assigned one Muslim to watch each Jew. Usayr became suspicious and tried to turn back. Because of their deception and treachery, the Muslim fighters attacked swiftly and killed them all. After this incident, the rebellion that had arisen in Khaybar was suppressed. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/618; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/60)

Later, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) again sent Abdullah to Khaybar as a measurer of the dates produced there. Some people complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about Abdullah’s strictness. At one point they even tried to offer him a bribe. Ibn Rawaha said to them, “O enemies of Allah! Do you want to make me eat what is unlawful? I have come on behalf of my beloved. In my eyes you are more hateful than monkeys and swine. My hatred for you and my love for him will not lead me to wrong you in any way.” Hearing this, they said, “It is upon such justice that the heavens and earth stand.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/108; al-Bidayah, 4/199)

According to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the postponed Umrah of that year was performed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the following year, the seventh year after the Hijrah. It is called the Compensatory Umrah, or Umrat al-Qada. During this journey, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered Makkah and kissed the Black Stone while mounted on his camel, Abdullah held the reins of his mount and recited a poem of his own composition. The meaning of part of the poem was as follows:

“O sons of the unbelievers, move away from his path; clear the way. For every righteous deed is with him. We have fought you on the basis of the interpretation of the Qur’an, just as we fought you when it was revealed. We struck you so hard that your heads were separated from your bodies. A friend has forgotten his friend. O Lord, I have believed in his words.” (Tabaqat, 3/526; al-Isabah, 2/307)

At one point Umar (ra) rebuked him, saying, “Poetry like this in Allah’s Sanctuary and before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” The Messenger (ﷺ) calmed him and said, “Umar, I am listening to him. By Allah, his words are more effective against the unbelievers than arrows and spears.” (al-Isabah, 2/307) He told Abdullah to say: “La ilaha illallahu wahdahu, nasara abdahu wa a’azza jundahu wa hazamal-ahzaba wahdah”—“There is no deity except Allah alone. He helped His servant, strengthened His army, and alone defeated the confederate forces.”

Abdullah ibn Rawaha was reciting these words, and the assembled Muslims were repeating them with him. Their voices echoed through the valleys of Makkah. (Siyar al-Ansar, 2/61)

The Battle of Mu’tah took place in Jumada al-Awwal of the eighth year after the Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a letter through a messenger to the ruler of Busra. On the way, at a place called Mu’tah, the messenger was killed by a Ghassanid. The killing of a messenger was effectively a declaration of war. Upon hearing the news, the Messenger (ﷺ) sent an army of three thousand soldiers to Mu’tah under the command of Zayd ibn Harithah. Before their departure, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Zayd will be the commander of this army. If he is killed, Ja’far ibn Abi Talib will succeed him. After Ja’far, Abdullah ibn Rawaha will command. If he too is killed, the Muslims shall appoint their own commander through consultation.”

When the army departed from Madinah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) advanced as far as Thaniyyat al-Wida and bade them farewell. As they departed, the people of Madinah said to them, “Remain safe and return successful.” Abdullah ibn Rawaha began to cry. The people asked, “Why are you crying?” He said, “I am not crying out of love for this world.” He recited verse 71 of Surah Maryam: “There is none of you except that he shall pass over it. This is an inevitable decree of your Lord.” Then he said, “Will I be able to cross that bridge?” The people consoled him, saying, “Allah will reunite you with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).” He then recited a poem of his own composition. Its meaning was:

“Then I ask the Most Merciful for forgiveness,
and I ask for a piercing blow from a sword,
or a thrust of a spear that reaches the heart and entrails,
so that one passing by my grave may say,
‘How excellent a warrior and fighter he was!’”
(Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/74, 377; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/529–530)

Some narrations state that Zayd and Ja’far left Madinah with the army in the morning. It happened to be Friday. Abdullah said, “I will perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then join them.” After he had performed the prayer, the Messenger (ﷺ) saw him and said, “Why did you not leave with your companions in the morning?” Abdullah replied, “I intended to perform Friday prayer with you and then join them.” The Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Even if you spent everything in the world, you could not attain the equivalent reward of their morning departure.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/463)

When they reached a place in Syria called Ma’an from Madinah, they learned that the Roman emperor Heraclius was stationed at Ma’ab in Balqa with one hundred thousand Roman soldiers. Another one hundred thousand men from various tribes—including Lakhm, Judham, Qayn, Bahra, and Bali—had joined them. On receiving this news, they deliberated and consulted in Ma’an for two days. Some Muslim soldiers suggested, “We should inform the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of the enemy’s numbers and preparations. Then he will support us with additional troops or issue another command, and we shall act accordingly.”

Abdullah ibn Rawaha then delivered an impassioned speech to the soldiers. He said, “O people, you now dislike facing the enemy, although you all set out intending to attain martyrdom. We will not fight the enemy through numbers, strength, or superiority. We shall fight with the strength of the religion by which Allah Most High has honored us. Advance! Before you lie one of two blessings: either victory or martyrdom.” The soldiers agreed with him, saying, “By Allah, Ibn Rawaha has spoken the truth.” They cast away all hesitation and uncertainty and advanced. Abdullah ibn Rawaha also went with them, reciting a poem of his own composition. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/375; Asah al-Siyar, 280)

They left Ma’an, reached Mu’tah, and established camp. There they fought a bloody and unequal battle against the non-Muslims. In history this battle is known as the Battle of Mu’tah. The Muslim army numbered only three thousand, while the enemy army was innumerable. (Siyar al-Ansar, 2/62)

A fierce battle began. The commander, Zayd ibn Harithah, was martyred on the battlefield. Ja’far took up his banner. After a short while, he too attained martyrdom. Abdullah ibn Rawaha then took the standard and advanced. He was mounted on a horse. At the moment he was about to dismount, a slight hesitation appeared in his mind. He cast away all hesitation and began reciting a poem to himself. Part of it was as follows:

“O my soul! I have sworn that you must descend;
you will descend willingly or be forced to descend.
The cries and weeping of the people are rising;
what is wrong with you that you still disdain Paradise?
For so long you have hoped for this Paradise.
You are nothing but a drop of water from an old, worn-out waterskin.
O my soul, whether you die today or not, you will die one day.
The bath of death is being heated here.
What you desired has now been given to you.
If you follow the course of your two companions, you will receive guidance.”

Reciting this poem, he dismounted from his horse. At that moment, one of his cousins came with a piece of bone bearing meat and handed it to him. He had just taken a lick when the tumult of the fierce battle reached him. Saying, “You are still alive?” he threw away the bone, seized his sword, and plunged into battle. An enemy soldier shot an arrow with such force that panic spread through the Muslim ranks. An arrow pierced his body. Covered in blood, he called to his companions. They rushed to him, surrounded him, and attacked the enemy forces. By then he had fallen into the embrace of death. Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. (Tabaqat, 3/529; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/379; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/533; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/63; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/380, 244)

While stationed at Mu’tah, one night before his martyrdom, he was reciting a deeply moving poem. Hearing it, Zayd ibn Arqam began to cry. Abdullah raised his whip over Zayd’s head and said, “What is wrong with you? If Allah grants me martyrdom, you will return safely and confidently.” (al-Isabah, 2/307)

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was receiving, through revelation, news of every moment at Mu’tah and describing it before the people present in Madinah. It is narrated from Anas (ra) in Sahih al-Bukhari that, before the news of Mu’tah arrived, the Messenger (ﷺ) announced in Madinah the martyrdom of Zayd, Ja’far, and Abdullah. He said, “Zayd took the banner and was martyred. Then Ja’far took it, and he too was martyred. Then Abdullah took it, and he too was martyred.” As he said this, tears flowed from both his eyes. (Asah al-Siyar, 281)

Some narrations state that after announcing the martyrdom of Zayd and Ja’far, the Messenger (ﷺ) remained silent for a while. The faces of the Ansar became pale, and they thought that something had happened to Abdullah that they would not like. Then the Messenger (ﷺ) said, “After them, Abdullah ibn Rawaha took up the banner and fought until he was martyred.” He also said, “They were all brought to me in Paradise. I saw them reclining on golden couches. However, Abdullah’s couch was slightly inclined compared with those of his two companions.” I asked, “Why is that?” It was said, “The other two leapt forward without hesitation, while Abdullah’s heart wavered with hesitation for a moment. Then he leapt forward.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/380)

When news of the deaths of the three commanders of Mu’tah reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he stood and described their deeds, then prayed: “O Allah, forgive Zayd.” He said this three times, then said, “O Allah, forgive Ja’far and Abdullah ibn Rawaha.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/344)

Before leaving for Mu’tah, Abdullah once lost consciousness while ill in Madinah. His sister Amrah then began lamenting him in various ways, according to the Arab custom. When he regained consciousness, he told his sister, “Everything you were saying about me in exaggerated terms was being confirmed to me.” For this reason, when he died, everyone followed his advice and exercised sabr, or patience. It is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari that when he died, no one wept or lamented for him. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/147–159; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/380)

When he departed for Mu’tah, he had a wife and children. However, the author of Usd al-Ghabah says that he was killed and left no children. (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/159; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/265)

A story concerning the wife of Abdullah ibn Rawaha is related in al-Isti’ab. On a particular occasion, his wife said to him, “If you are in a state of purity, recite a little Qur’an for me.” Abdullah then resorted to a clever stratagem and recited a poem, part of which was as follows:

“I testify that Allah’s promise is true,
the abode of the unbelievers is Hell;
the Throne was above the water,
the Lord of the worlds was above the Throne,
and His mighty angels carried that Throne.”

His wife was not proficient in the Qur’an. Therefore, she believed that Abdullah had recited from the Qur’an. She said, “Allah is truthful; my eyes must have been mistaken. I have wrongfully accused you.” Abdullah had resorted to this excuse to escape his wife’s anger after having relations with a female slave. When he informed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of the incident the following morning, the Messenger laughed. (al-Isti’ab, 1/362; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/15)

Besides military ability, Abdullah ibn Rawaha possessed many other qualities. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) honored him. In the Arabia of the Days of Ignorance, only a small number of people knew how to write Arabic, and Abdullah was one of them. After accepting Islam, the Messenger (ﷺ) appointed him as his katib, or scribe. History does not say when or how he learned to write.

He was a famous poet of the Arabs of his time. Dr. Umar Farrukh says: “When Islam acquired political power in Madinah, the Arab polytheists became even more apprehensive. The pagan poets of Makkah, particularly Abdullah ibn al-Ziba’ri, Ka’b ibn Zuhayr, and Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith, wrote poetry condemning and slandering the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Islam. In Madinah, Hassan ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, and Ka’b ibn Malik stood as their opponents, gave fitting replies, and highlighted the beauty of Islam. This poetic battle between the two sides continued until the conquest of Makkah. Abdullah was one of the finest poets of his age. He was a poet equal to Hassan and Ka’b. During the Days of Ignorance, he competed with the poet Qays ibn al-Khutaym by composing satirical poems. In the Islamic period, he composed poetry praising the Messenger (ﷺ) and responding to and condemning the polytheist poets.” (Tarikh al-Adab al-Arabi, 1/258, 261, 262)

Jurji Zaydan says: “Among the pagan poets of Makkah who composed poetry condemning the Muslims, the most famous were Abdullah ibn al-Ziba’ri, Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith, and Amr ibn al-As. One day the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Those who have helped the Messenger of Allah with their weapons—what prevents them from helping him with their tongues?’ After this, the three poets who stood up to oppose the aforementioned poets were Hassan, Ka’b, and Abdullah. The Messenger (ﷺ) believed that the poetry of these three poets produced a powerful reaction among the enemy. He said, ‘These three poets are more powerful against Quraysh than the edges of arrows.’” (Tarikh Adab al-Lughah al-Arabiyyah, 1/191)

The poet Hassan attacked the lineage and blood of Quraysh. The poet Ka’b described the wars and past history of Quraysh and exposed their faults. Abdullah ibn Rawaha, on the other hand, condemned and denounced them for their disbelief. (Usd al-Ghabah, 4/248) Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani says: “Hassan and Ka’b composed poetry about warfare, battles, and heroic deeds, like the opposing Quraysh poets, and exposed various faults of Quraysh in it. Abdullah ibn Rawaha, however, denounced and condemned them for their disbelief. Until Quraysh accepted Islam, the poetry of the former two was more painful to them than Abdullah’s poetry. But when they accepted Islam and understood its message, Abdullah’s poetry appeared to them to be the most influential and painful.” (Kitab al-Aghani, 4/136)

Abdullah was a natural poet and was skilled at composing poetry spontaneously. Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (ra) said, “I have never seen anyone more capable than Abdullah at composing poetry on the spot.” (Tahdhib al-Asma wa’l-Lughat, 1/265) One day he came to the Prophet’s Mosque. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was already sitting there with a group of Companions. He called Abdullah near and said, “Recite some poetry about the polytheists now.” Abdullah recited some poetry. After hearing it, the Messenger (ﷺ) smiled slightly and said, “May Allah keep you steadfast.” (al-Isti’ab, 1/362; Tabaqat, 3/528; al-Isabah, 2/307)

During sermons and admonition, Abu Hurayrah (ra) would say, “Your brother Abdullah ibn Rawaha used to speak indecently.” He would then recite one of Abdullah’s poems. Imam Ahmad compiled the poem in his Musnad. (al-Fath al-Rabbani, Sharh Musnad Ahmad, 22/287)

All the poems of Abdullah ibn Rawaha have been lost in the passage of time. However, fifty verses are still preserved in various books of Sirah and history. Most of them are found in Sirat Ibn Hisham. (Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, Urdu, 12/780)

When the verses 224–226 of Surah al-Shu’ara were revealed—“The poets are followed only by the deviants. Do you not see that they wander bewildered through every valley, and say what they do not do?”—Hassan, Abdullah, and Ka’b became so frightened that they went weeping to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). They said, “O Messenger of Allah, when these verses were revealed, Allah knew that we were poets.” The Messenger (ﷺ) then recited the following part of the verse: “Except those who believe, do righteous deeds, remember Allah frequently, and defend themselves after having been wronged,” and said, “You are those people.” (al-Isabah, 2/307; Tabaqat, 3/528; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/77, 172)

Several hadiths have been narrated from Abdullah ibn Rawaha. He narrated hadiths directly from the Messenger (ﷺ) and Bilal. Those who narrated from him include Ibn Abbas, Usamah ibn Zayd, Anas ibn Malik, Nu’man ibn Bashir, and Abu Hurayrah. (al-Isabah, 2/306)

Abdullah ibn Rawaha was an ascetic worshipper, devoted to renouncing the world, and one who constantly remembered Allah. Abu al-Darda said, “No day passes without my remembering him. Whenever he met me, he would say, ‘Come, let us be Muslims for a little while.’ Then he would sit and begin dhikr. When the dhikr ended, he would say, ‘This was a gathering of faith.’” (Usd al-Ghabah, 3/157)

Anas ibn Malik said that whenever a Companion met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) together with Abdullah ibn Rawaha, Abdullah would say, “Come, let us renew our faith for a while.” One day a man became very angry at this statement. He went directly to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and complained, “O Messenger of Allah, do you not see that Ibn Rawaha prefers faith for a short while over your faith?” He said, “May Allah have mercy on Ibn Rawaha. He likes gatherings for which even the angels take pride.” Once, when he made a similar invitation, a man objected, “Are we not believers?” He replied, “Yes, we are believers. But we shall engage in dhikr, and thereby our faith will increase.” (al-Fath al-Rabbani, 22/286; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/15)

His wife narrated that whenever he left the house, he would perform two rak’ahs of prayer. When he returned home, he would do the same. He was never negligent in this matter. (al-Isabah, 2/307; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/148)

On one journey, the heat was so intense that people held their hands over their heads to protect themselves from the sun. Who could fast in such heat? Yet even then, only the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abdullah ibn Rawaha observed sawm. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1/261; Muslim, 1/357; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/479; Tahdhib al-Asma wa’l-Lughat, 1/265)

He had an irresistible attraction to jihad. He was absent from none of the battles fought from Badr through Mu’tah. Scholars of biography said, “Abdullah would go out to battle first and return home last.” (al-Isabah, 2/307)

He obeyed the commands and prohibitions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) exactly. A particular incident clearly proves this. Once, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was delivering a khutbah, or sermon, in the mosque, while Ibn Rawaha was walking toward the mosque. When he was on the road outside the mosque, he heard the Messenger (ﷺ) say, “Sit down in your places.” As soon as this instruction reached Ibn Rawaha’s ears, he sat down where he was. After the Messenger (ﷺ) finished the khutbah, someone told him what Ibn Rawaha had done. Hearing this, he said, “May Allah increase in him his eagerness to obey Allah and His Messenger.” (al-Isabah, 2/306; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/356)

Just as Abdullah ibn Rawaha deeply loved the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Messenger (ﷺ) loved him as well. Once Abdullah fell ill and lost consciousness. The Messenger (ﷺ) went to visit him and prayed, “O Allah, if his time of death has come near, make his death easy; otherwise, restore him to health.” (al-Isabah, 2/306)

Usamah ibn Zayd said: When Sa’d ibn Ubadah became ill, the Messenger (ﷺ) went out to visit him and had me sit behind him on his mount. Abdullah ibn Ubay was sitting with some other members of his clan in the shade of his fortress, Muzahim. The Messenger (ﷺ) thought that passing by them without saying anything would be contrary to good manners. Therefore, he dismounted, greeted them, and sat for a while. Then he recited some Qur’anic verses and invited them all to Islam. Abdullah ibn Ubay had remained silent until then. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished speaking, he said, “Look, if what you say is true, go and sit at home. Whoever comes to you, tell him as much as you wish. Do not enter gatherings in this unwelcome manner and annoy anyone.” Abdullah ibn Rawaha was among the Muslims present. He roared, “O Messenger of Allah, never heed his words. You should come! Come to our gatherings, house after house. That is what we like. Through your arrival Allah has honored us and granted us guidance.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/587; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/509)

One day Abdullah rested his head in his wife’s lap and began to cry. Seeing this, his wife also began to cry. He asked, “Why are you crying?” She replied, “I am crying because I see you crying.” He then recited verse 71 of Surah Maryam and said, “I am crying because I remember this verse. I do not know whether I shall be saved from Hell.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/45)

Abdullah’s role in the acceptance of Islam by the famous Ansari Companion Abu al-Darda deserves special mention. They had a close relationship during the Days of Ignorance. Even after Abdullah accepted Islam, Abu al-Darda remained an idol worshipper. He had a large idol in his house. One day Abu al-Darda left the house, and at exactly that time Abdullah entered by another route. He asked Abu al-Darda’s wife, “Where is Abu al-Darda?” She replied, “He has just gone out.” Abdullah entered the idol’s room and smashed the idol to pieces with a hammer kept there. Hearing the noise, Abu al-Darda’s wife ran over. Abdullah finished his task and left. Meanwhile, Abu al-Darda’s wife began crying in fear, holding her head. When Abu al-Darda returned and heard everything from his wife, he first became very angry. But then he thought, “If the idol possessed any power, it would have been able to protect itself.” After this realization, he went with Abdullah to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and declared his Islam. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/332–333)

Once the poet Hassan ibn Thabit condemned Safwan ibn al-Mu’attal and his tribe in a poem. Safwan became enraged, beat the poet, tied both his hands to his neck, and took him to the settlement of Banu al-Harith. Abdullah ibn Rawaha freed him and informed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of the matter. He brought both men before the Messenger (ﷺ), who settled their dispute. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/305)

Because of the qualities mentioned above, the Messenger (ﷺ) praised him by saying, “Ni’mar-rajulu Abdullah ibn Rawaha”—“How excellent a man Abdullah ibn Rawaha is.” (al-Isabah, 2/306)

Abu Talha al-Ansari (RA)

His name was Zayd, and his kunyah was Abu Talhah. He became famous in history by this name. He was born in Yasrib in 585 CE, thirty-six years before the Hijrah. (Al-A‘lam, 3/98) His father was Sahl ibn al-Aswad ibn Haram, of the children of Banu Jajilah. His mother was ‘Ubadah bint Malik. In the ancient Age of Ignorance, Abu Talhah’s family held a position of special honour in Yasrib. There were also relations of kinship between his paternal and maternal families. Their settlement was to the west, adjoining the present Prophet’s Mosque. In his time he was the head or leader of his family. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/42; al-Isti‘ab, 4/113; Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/445)

Before Islam he worshipped idols like the ordinary Arabs. His gatherings for drinking wine were also highly lavish, and people regularly gathered there. In that Age of Ignorance he was counted among the few brave archers of Yasrib. (Bukhari, 2/664; al-A‘lam, 3/98)

When Abu Talhah was a young man of twenty or twenty-two, the Noble Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, received prophethood in Makkah. Although it had little effect on Yasrib during the first few years, its influence gradually increased in the following years. A few years before the Messenger’s migration to Madinah, he sent Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umair there from Makkah to preach Islam. Through him, a noble woman of Madinah, Umm Sulaym, accepted Islam. Later, through this woman’s efforts, Abu Talhah abandoned idol worship, became a Muslim, and married her.

On examining the various reports concerning when Abu Talhah accepted Islam, two views emerge. According to one, he accepted Islam at the hands of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umair before the Messenger’s migration to Madinah, then went with him to Makkah for Hajj and pledged allegiance to the Messenger at the last ‘Aqabah along with seventy-three—or, according to another report, seventy-five—people. Of the twelve naqibs, or leaders, appointed by the Messenger from among those present at that pledge, Abu Talhah was one. The other view is that he accepted Islam after the Messenger came to Madinah. The first view, however, is the most famous, and most specialists in Sirah have transmitted it. (Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir wa al-A‘lam, 2/119; Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/40; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/234)

There is a connection between Abu Talhah’s acceptance of Islam and his marriage to Umm Sulaym. The honoured mother of the famous Companion Anas ibn Malik, the servant of the Noble Messenger, was Umm Sulaym. Anas’s father, Malik, had been her husband before Islam. When Umm Sulaym accepted Islam, Malik, overcome with grief and anger, left his wife and son, went to Syria, and died there. Abu Talhah then proposed to Umm Sulaym. We present here several reports concerning this marriage.

It is reported from Anas that Abu Talhah proposed to Umm Sulaym. Umm Sulaym said, ‘It would not be proper for me to marry a polytheist. Abu Talhah, do you not see that these gods of yours, which you worship, are merely made at such-and-such a person’s place? If fire is set to them, they burn.’ Hearing this, Abu Talhah rose and left, but the matter began to trouble him inwardly, and he could not sleep at all.

Another report states that Umm Sulaym said, ‘I have no objection to your proposal. The problem is that you are an unbelieving man while I am a Muslim woman. If you accept Islam, there will be no problem. Your Islam will be my dower; I ask for nothing else.’ Abu Talhah accepted Islam and married Umm Sulaym. Thabit used to say, ‘We have never heard of a dower better than Umm Sulaym’s. Her dower was Islam.’ Ibn ‘Asakir says that al-Tabarani, Abu Nu‘aym, and Ibn Duras­tawayh transmitted this report. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/5) Historians such as ‘Urwah, Musa ibn ‘Uqbah, the learned al-Dhahabi, Ibn al-‘Imad al-Hanbali, and Ibn al-Athir say that this occurred before the Messenger’s migration to Madinah, because Abu Talhah pledged allegiance to the Messenger at ‘Aqabah and was appointed a naqib.

Ibn ‘Asakir says that the reports about Abu Talhah’s marriage to Umm Sulaym give the impression that he accepted Islam after the Messenger’s migration to Madinah. In this connection he found a report transmitted by Hafiz and al-Bayhaqi from Nadr ibn Anas. Nadr said that one day Anas’s father, Malik, said to his wife Umm Sulaym, ‘It appears that this man [the Messenger] has forbidden wine.’ He then left his wife and child, went to Syria, and died there.

After that Abu Talhah proposed to Umm Sulaym. She said, ‘Listen, Abu Talhah, a man like you cannot simply be turned away. But you are an unbeliever and I am a Muslim; that is the problem. This marriage cannot take place.’ Abu Talhah asked, ‘Do you want gold or silver?’ She replied, ‘No, I do not want that. I want only your Islam.’ He asked, ‘Who will help me in this?’ She replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah.’ Abu Talhah went to the Messenger, who was sitting with his Companions. Seeing Abu Talhah approach, he said, ‘Abu Talhah is coming; the light of Islam can be seen upon his forehead.’ Abu Talhah told the Messenger what Umm Sulaym had said. Thus he accepted Islam and married Umm Sulaym. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/5; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/196)

When the Messenger came to Madinah, he established bonds of religious brotherhood between the Muhajirun of Makkah and the Ansar of Madinah. There are various reports about who became Abu Talhah’s religious brother. The majority of Sirah writers hold that this bond was established with the renowned Qurayshi Muhajir Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah. The Messenger had given Abu ‘Ubaydah the glad tidings of Paradise and the title ‘Trustee of the Ummah.’ Ibn ‘Asakir says that the Noble Messenger established brotherhood between Abu Talhah and Bilal by taking their hands. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/9) Ibn Sa‘d presents a report from ‘Asim ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger established brotherhood between Abu Talhah and al-Arqam ibn al-Arqam al-Makhzumi. (Tabaqat, 3/505)

Abu Talhah took part with the Messenger in all battles and expeditions, including Badr, Uhud, and the Trench. On the battlefield he often recited these lines: ‘I am Abu Talhah; my name is Zayd. Every day my weapon brings down prey.’ (Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/445; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 5/4)

Badr was the first battle in Islamic history. Abu Talhah took part in it with great enthusiasm. Ibn Sa‘d mentions his name in his Tabaqat among the Companions of Badr. He said, ‘At Badr, my sword fell from my hand while I was drowsy—not once, but three times.’ Concerning this Allah said: ‘Remember when He covered you with drowsiness, giving you reassurance from Him.’ (Surah al-Anfal, 11) (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/6) It should be noted that for a brief period during the battle of Badr, the Muslim army became drowsy, and their fatigue and fear disappeared.

In the Battle of Uhud he set a brilliant example of self-sacrifice for the Prophet of Allah. He was a member of the archers’ unit. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/125) At one stage of the fierce battle, the Muslim army became scattered and distressed and was pushed far from the Messenger. Abu Talhah and a small number of soldiers then risked their lives, surrounding the Messenger and repelling the enemy’s attacks. That day he shielded the Messenger behind himself while shooting arrows at the enemy. Whenever he shot an arrow, the Messenger raised his head slightly to see where it had landed. Abu Talhah would press him down by the chest and say, ‘O Messenger of Allah, sit down and remain like this, so that no arrow will strike you.’ Whenever he raised his head, Abu Talhah quickly stood in front of him to shield him. That day he also said, ‘This chest of mine will remain before your chest.’ At one point he said, ‘I am a strong and courageous man. Tell me whatever you need.’ He shot at the enemy’s chests while humming a line of poetry: ‘May my life be sacrificed for your life; may my face be a shield for your face.’

Abu Talhah was a powerful and courageous man. In the Battle of Uhud he broke two or, according to another report, three bows. The intensity of the attack left both his hands numb, yet he did not utter even a single sound of pain, because his only concern at that time was the protection and safety of the Messenger. (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/234; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7; Tabaqat, 3/507; Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi)

Abu Talhah took part in the Battle of Khaybar. During that battle his camel and the Messenger’s camel were very close together, and the Messenger appointed him to announce that the meat of donkeys was forbidden. (Musnad Ahmad, 3/121)

On the return from the expedition, the Noble Messenger and Safiyyah were riding one camel. Near Madinah the camel stumbled, throwing both riders to the ground. Abu Talhah immediately jumped from his own camel, reached the Messenger, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, may Allah sacrifice me for you! Have you been hurt?’ He replied, ‘No, but see to the woman.’ Abu Talhah covered his face with a cloth, went to Safiyyah, adjusted the camel’s howdah, and seated her again. (Musnad Ahmad, 3/180)

He also displayed remarkable bravery at the Battle of Hunayn. In that battle he alone killed twenty—or, according to another report, twenty-one—unbelievers. The Messenger had announced that whoever killed an unbeliever would possess all the slain man’s belongings. That day Abu Talhah became owner of the equipment of twenty-one men. This battle, which took place in the eighth year after the Hijrah, was the last battle of the Messenger’s life. (Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir, 2/119; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/235)

During this battle he came laughing to the Messenger and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Umm Sulaym has a dagger in her hand. Have you seen it?’ The Messenger asked, ‘Umm Sulaym, what will you do with this dagger?’ She replied, ‘If any polytheist comes near me, I shall rip open his stomach with it.’ Hearing this, the Messenger began to laugh. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/446–447; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/597)

Abu Talhah accompanied the Messenger during the Farewell Hajj. At Mina, while the Messenger was having his head shaved, he distributed one or two hairs from the right side among the Companions sitting nearby, but gave all the hair from the left side to Abu Talhah. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7) Imam Muslim also transmitted this report.

Around the time of the Noble Messenger’s death, two men in Madinah usually dug graves. Among the Muhajirun was Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, who dug according to the manner of the people of Makkah; among the Ansar was Abu Talhah, who dug according to the manner of the people of Madinah. After the Messenger’s death, the Companions sat in the Prophet’s Mosque and began consulting about burial and shrouding. The question arose: who would prepare the grave, and by which method? These two men were not present at the gathering. ‘Abbas sent people to both of them at the same time to summon them. It was decided that whichever arrived first would have the honour. After sending for them, ‘Abbas and the Companions present began praying: ‘O Allah, choose one of these two for Your Prophet.’ Shortly afterwards, the person who had gone in search of Abu Talhah returned with him. Abu Talhah then prepared the Messenger’s grave according to the custom of the people of Madinah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/573; Asahh al-Siyar, 587)

After the death of the Noble Messenger, many Companions left Madinah and settled in Syria. Abu Talhah was also among its inhabitants. Whenever he was afflicted by grief or anxiety, he would travel the long journey of more than a month to visit the sacred grave of the Messenger and gain peace of mind. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/4)

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Abu Talhah spent most of his time in Syria. He remained there for most of the caliphate of ‘Umar al-Faruq. When ‘Umar travelled to Bayt al-Maqdis, Abu Talhah was in Syria. Anas relates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab set out for Syria. Abu Talhah and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah came to welcome him and said, ‘You have with you the finest Companions of the Messenger, while we have left behind a blazing fire’—alluding to the plague. ‘Do not enter Syria on this journey; return to Madinah.’ ‘Umar returned and completed the postponed journey the following year. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/4)

Abu Talhah was in Madinah at the time of ‘Umar’s final illness. The Caliph ‘Umar had great confidence in his character and standing. When he lost hope of life, he nominated six universally respected men for the next caliphate. He then summoned Abu Talhah and said, ‘Through you Allah has established the honour and dignity of Islam. After my death, take fifty Ansar with you and watch the proceedings of these six men. If four of them take one side and two oppose them, strike off the necks of those two. If they divide equally, kill the group that does not contain ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf. If they reach no decision within three days, separate the heads from all their bodies. Until the next caliph is chosen after my death, you will be the interim caliph.’ (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 3/156–157; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/34)

A meeting of the six men was held in the house of Miswar ibn Makhramah. Abu Talhah stood at the door with his companions as a guard. Banu Hashim had opposed this consultation from the beginning because they desired to make ‘Ali caliph. At that time ‘Abbas quietly said to ‘Ali, ‘Do not leave your affair in the hands of these people; decide it yourself.’ ‘Ali gave some reply. Abu Talhah, standing nearby, heard their conversation. When ‘Ali suddenly looked toward him, he seemed to think of something. Understanding this, Abu Talhah said, ‘O Abu al-Hasan, there is nothing to fear.’

One day, while the secret meeting of the six men was in progress, Abu Talhah stood at the door with his force. At that time ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah came and sat at the door. Abu Talhah did not say much to them, but Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas was an extremely stern man. He could not tolerate their manner and gestures. He picked up pebbles and threw them at them, saying, ‘They have come to Madinah to spread the claim that we too were members of the council.’ ‘Amr and al-Mughirah became angry at the throwing of the pebbles and began quarrelling. Abu Talhah, annoyed, said, ‘I fear that you will become entangled in this pointless quarrel and abandon the real issue. By Him who caused ‘Umar to die, I shall not give you even a moment beyond three days.’

After the caliph had been chosen, Abu Talhah remarked, ‘I feared more that these six men would shrink from the responsibility than that they would compete for it. For after ‘Umar’s death, deficiency in religion and worldly affairs had appeared in every household.’ (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/473)

After the caliph was chosen, Abu Talhah withdrew completely into seclusion and spent the rest of his life devoted to the worship of Allah. Abu Talhah had several children by Umm Sulaym, but none of them lived long. One of his sons was Abu ‘Umair. As a child he had a small bird, which died. One day the Messenger went to their house and found him extremely sad. When the people explained the reason, the Messenger jokingly recited to him: ‘O Abu ‘Umair, what did the little bird do?’ (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/570; al-Isti‘ab)

Another son of Abu Talhah died after suffering illness for some days. While the child was ill, Abu Talhah went one day to the Prophet’s Mosque, and the child died during his absence. Umm Sulaym buried him without waiting for his father and told the people at home not to tell Abu Talhah about the burial. Abu Talhah returned from the mosque with several guests and asked, ‘How is the boy?’ The child’s mother replied, ‘He is better than before.’ Abu Talhah spoke with the guests. Food was brought, and they all sat and ate together. After the guests departed, Abu Talhah came inside. That night the husband and wife slept together and were intimate. At the end of the night Umm Sulaym disclosed the child’s death and the shrouding and burial, saying, ‘He was a trust from Allah with us, and He has taken back His trust. Who could object to that?’ Abu Talhah said, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return,’ though he was somewhat displeased that the news had been concealed in this way.

The next morning Abu Talhah informed the Messenger, who said, ‘May Allah bless your night.’ That very night Umm Sulaym conceived. After giving birth to this child, she sent him with Anas to the Messenger. The Messenger chewed a date, placed it in the child’s mouth, and the child began moving his mouth and sucking it. Seeing this, he said, ‘Look, the Ansar have an innate fondness for dates.’ He named the child ‘Abdullah. Through the blessing of the Messenger’s pure saliva, this boy later surpassed the other young Ansar in every field. Abu Talhah’s descendants continued through this ‘Abdullah. He had two sons, Ishaq and ‘Ubaydullah, and Ishaq had a son named Yahya. All of them were among the foremost hadith scholars of their age. (Musnad Ahmad, 3/257; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/6; the same event is reported in various forms by Bukhari and Muslim.)

There is disagreement concerning the year of Abu Talhah’s death. Imam al-Nawawi says, ‘He died in Madinah in the year 32 or 34 AH at the age of seventy.’ Most Sirah specialists say that he died in Madinah. Abu Zur‘ah al-Dimashqi, however, said that he died in Syria, while others said that he died while setting out on a naval expedition. It is related from Abu Zur‘ah al-Dimashqi that Abu Talhah spent forty continuous years fasting after the death of the Messenger. This report conflicts with the above-mentioned date of death, for if he died in 32 or 34 AH, it would not be possible for him to have lived forty years fasting after the Messenger’s death. Those who say that he died in Madinah also say that Caliph ‘Uthman led his funeral prayer. (Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 1/445–446)

The people of Basrah say that he set out on a naval expedition at the end of his life and died en route. According to this view, he died in 51 AH. Various books give a remarkable account of his going forth for this jihad. One day he was reciting Surah al-Tawbah. When he reached the words, ‘Go forth, light and heavy’—whether heavily equipped or lightly equipped (verse 41)—a powerful desire for jihad arose in him. He told his family, ‘Allah has made jihad obligatory upon the young and the old. I wish to go for jihad; prepare my journey.’ He repeated this twice.

He was old, and continuous fasting had made him thin and weak. His family said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you. You took part in every battle during the time of the Messenger and continued fighting in the eras of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. Do you still desire jihad? Remain at home; we shall go out for jihad on your behalf.’ Who could restrain a man driven by an irresistible longing for martyrdom? He said, ‘Do what I say.’ Despite their extreme reluctance, they prepared his journey. This seventy-year-old man left his home in the name of Allah. The Muslim army was ready, and the expedition was by sea. Abu Talhah boarded the ship and advanced, eagerly awaiting the moment when he would face the enemy. At that moment his summons came, and he died.

No trace of land could be seen anywhere along the sea route. Powerful winds and a turbulent sea drove the ship toward an unknown destination. The body of this believing mujahid remained on the ship’s deck for seven days. At last an unknown island was found, and he was buried there. Even after all those days, his body had neither decayed nor undergone the slightest change. (Tabaqat, 3/507; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7; Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir, 2/120; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/235; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/242)

Abu Talhah exercised exceptional caution in transmitting hadith. The hadiths he transmitted concerned various legal issues or battles and military encounters. Although he was honoured by long companionship with the Messenger, no report concerning the virtues of acts of worship is known from him. The total number of hadiths transmitted by him is ninety-two. Bukhari and Muslim each transmitted one hadith from him. A group of Companions, including ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and Anas ibn Malik, as well as a group of eminent Tabi‘un, heard and transmitted hadith from him. (Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/445; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/4)

A group of Abu Talhah’s students and admirers once came to visit him during an illness. They saw a curtain with pictures hanging at the door and began looking at one another. Finally, Zayd ibn Khalid gathered courage and said, ‘Yesterday you transmitted a hadith forbidding pictures.’ He replied to ‘Ubaydullah al-Khawlani, ‘Yes, I did. But I also said that pictures on cloth are not included under that prohibition.’ (Musnad, 4/28)

One day Abu Talhah was eating, with Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and Anas ibn Malik present. After the meal Anas asked for water for ablution. Abu Talhah and Ubayy both said, ‘Perhaps eating meat made you think of ablution?’ Anas replied, ‘Yes.’ Abu Talhah said, ‘You eat wholesome things and perform ablution, although the Messenger did not do that.’ (Musnad, 4/3)

One day Abu Talhah was observing a voluntary fast. By coincidence, snow fell that day. He took several pieces of snow in his hand and ate them. When people said, ‘You are eating while fasting,’ he remarked, ‘This is a blessing; it should be acquired. It is neither food nor drink.’ (Musnad, 3/279; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/10)

Abu Talhah possessed a love and talent for poetry. He composed and recited poetry. During fierce battles he would hum lines of verse. Some of his lines have been collected in various works of Sirah. (See al-Isabah, 4/113; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7; al-Isti‘ab)

The greatest feature of Abu Talhah’s character was Hubb al-Rasul—the profound love and affection he had for the Messenger of Allah. When his companions became scattered under the enemy’s fierce attack on the battlefield, he still stood firm, staking his life for the Messenger. He protected him by placing his entire body before him. Fearing that the beloved Prophet might suffer even a scratch, he received the blows of arrows and spears on his own chest. This gives some measure of the depth of his love. He generally accompanied the Messenger on every expedition, and their two camels usually travelled side by side.

Once fear spread through Madinah that the enemy was about to attack. The Noble Messenger asked for Abu Talhah’s horse, called Mandur, and rode in the direction from which an attack was feared. Abu Talhah followed, concerned for the Messenger’s safety. Before he had gone far, however, the Messenger returned and met Abu Talhah on the way. He said, ‘There is nothing there. Your horse is extremely swift.’

His deep love for the Noble Messenger was evident even in very small matters. Whenever something came to his house, he would send part of it to the Messenger’s house. Once Anas caught a rabbit. Abu Talhah slaughtered it and sent one of its thighs to the Prophet’s household. On another occasion Abu Talhah’s wife, Umm Sulaym, sent a dish of dates. The Messenger distributed the dates among his pure wives and the other Companions. (Musnad, 3/125, 171)

During the final illness from which the Noble Messenger died, Abu Talhah once visited him. The Messenger said, ‘Convey my greetings to your people—the Ansar—for they keep themselves away from what is unlawful and improper, and they remain patient.’ (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/401)

Abu Talhah said, ‘One day I went to the Messenger. I saw such a condition in his skin and face as I had never seen before. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have never seen you in such a condition.” He replied, “Abu Talhah, why should this condition not be present? Jibril has just departed. He brought me glad tidings from my Lord. He told me that Allah had sent him to give me the good news that whenever anyone from my Ummah sends blessings and peace upon you once, Allah and His angels send blessings and peace upon him ten times.”’ (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/235) Ahmad and al-Nasa’i transmitted the hadith in another form. It states that Jibril said, ‘Whoever among your Ummah sends blessings and peace upon you, Allah will record ten good deeds for him, forgive ten of his sins, and raise him ten درجات.’ (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/313)

Before wine was prohibited, Abu Talhah once drank a type of wine made from dates called fadikh. At that moment someone came and announced that wine had been declared forbidden. He immediately told Anas, ‘Break this jar of wine.’ Anas carried out the order. (Bukhari, 2/107)

When this verse of Surah Al ‘Imran was revealed—‘You will never attain righteousness until you spend from what you love most’—the Ansar brought whatever valuable things they possessed to the Messenger and gave them in the path of Allah. Abu Talhah came to the Messenger and dedicated his vast property called Bayruha as a charitable endowment in the path of Allah. It contained a well whose water was sweet, and the Messenger greatly liked its water. He was very pleased with Abu Talhah’s donation. (Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/40; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/8; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/157)

‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr relates that one day Abu Talhah was standing in prayer beside the wall of one of his gardens. A small bird flew about, searching for a way out, but could not find one because of the dense date palms. Abu Talhah watched this spectacle for a while during the prayer, and then could no longer remember how many rak‘ahs he had prayed. He thought, ‘This property has subjected me to trial.’ After completing the prayer, he hurried to the Messenger and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I give all of this in charity. Use this property in the path of Allah.’ The Messenger told him, ‘Distribute it among your close relatives.’ Among those to whom he distributed it were Hassan ibn Thabit and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/8; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/97; Musnad Ahmad, 3/141)

Once a man came to Madinah with no means of accommodation or food. The Messenger announced, ‘Whoever takes this man as a guest, Allah will be kind to him.’ Abu Talhah immediately said, ‘I will take him.’ There was no extra food in the house beyond what was needed for the small children. Abu Talhah told his wife, ‘Do this: distract the children and put them to sleep. Then bring the food before the guest and extinguish the lamp on some pretext. In the darkness we shall pretend to eat by moving our mouths, while the guest eats his fill.’ They did exactly this. The husband and wife fed the guest to satisfaction, while they and their children remained hungry.

In the morning Abu Talhah went to the Messenger. He recited to him the verse, ‘They give preference to others over themselves, even though they are in severe need’ (Surah al-Hashr, 9), and then told Abu Talhah, ‘Allah was greatly pleased with your conduct with the guest last night.’ (Muslim, 2/198; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/160–161)

Sincerity and devotion were special qualities of Abu Talhah. He always kept away from fame and ostentation. When donating the property of Bayruha, he swore to the Messenger that if he had been able to keep the matter secret, he would never have disclosed it. (Musnad, 3/115)

Abu Talhah had a powerful voice. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger used to say, ‘Among the soldiers, Abu Talhah’s single loud cry is better than a whole group of soldiers.’ According to another report, ‘better than a thousand men.’ Another report says, ‘For the polytheists, Abu Talhah’s roar is more terrifying than an entire troop of soldiers.’ (Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat al-Mashahir, 2/119; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/7; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/235)

The Noble Messenger prayed for Abu Talhah’s family. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/9) Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘After the death of the Messenger, Abu Talhah fasted throughout the entire year. He never abandoned fasting except on the two Eids, because during the Messenger’s lifetime he had been constantly occupied with jihad and could not fast then.’ (Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/246)

In his work al-Isabah, Ibn Hajar pointed to Abu Talhah’s honour and status by saying that he was one of the Companions of exalted rank.

Abu Mas‘ud al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him)

Abu Mas‘ud was his kunyah, and it was by this name that he became famous in history. His actual name was ‘Uqbah, and his father’s name was ‘Amr ibn Tha‘labah. He accepted Islam at the final Pledge of ‘Aqabah, in which he participated. Al-Waqidi says: Abu Mas‘ud participated at ‘Aqabah, but was absent from Badr. Muhammad ibn Ishaq says: Among those who participated at ‘Aqabah, he was the youngest. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/245; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/459; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/296) He has clearly mentioned this matter.

He joined the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the Battle of Uhud and in all the battles conducted against the unbelievers after Uhud. However, there is considerable disagreement among the experts on prophetic biography regarding his participation in the Battle of Badr. According to most of them, he participated at Badr, and for this reason he is called al-Badri. Imam al-Bukhari stated very firmly that he participated at Badr. In support of this, he presented several hadiths as evidence in his Sahih, including a hadith narrated by Bashir ibn Abu Mas‘ud. It states that when Mughirah delayed performing the ‘Asr prayer, Abu Mas‘ud ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr objected to him. This Abu Mas‘ud was the maternal grandfather of Zayd ibn Hasan, and he had participated at Badr. Abu ‘Utbah ibn Salam and Muslim also stated in the book al-Kuna that he participated at Badr. Ibn al-Barqi says: Ibn Ishaq did not mention him among the participants at Badr. al-Tabarani says: The people of Kufah claim that he participated at Badr, but the people of Madinah do not mention him among those who participated at Badr. Ibn Sa‘d narrated from al-Waqidi. He said: There is no disagreement among our companions that Abu Mas‘ud did not participate at Badr. He lived at Badr, and for this reason he is called al-Badri. (al-Isabah, 2/490–491; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/459; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/296)

Abu Mas‘ud remained in Madinah throughout the period of prophethood and the reigns of the first three caliphs. At some point in his life, he lived for a few days near the water of Badr. During the caliphate of ‘Ali, he left Madinah for Kufah, where he built a house and settled. (al-Isabah, 4/252; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/245)

Conflicting reports are found concerning Abu Mas‘ud’s role during the dispute between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiyah. According to one report, he was one of Mu‘awiyah’s close associates. When Mu‘awiyah went to the Battle of Siffin, he appointed Abu Mas‘ud as his deputy in Kufah. Abu Mas‘ud served as governor of Kufah until his return. (al-Isabah, 2/491) On the other hand, according to another report, he was an associate of ‘Ali. He went to Kufah during ‘Ali’s time, and when ‘Ali went to Siffin, he appointed Abu Mas‘ud as governor of Kufah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/245; al-A‘lam, 4/241) The latter report is correct, because at the time of the Battle of Siffin, Kufah was under ‘Ali, not under Mu‘awiyah.

There is disagreement concerning the year and place of Abu Mas‘ud’s death. Some have said that after the Battle of Siffin he returned from Kufah to his birthplace, Madinah, and died there. Others have said that he died in Kufah. (al-Isabah, 2/491; al-A‘lam, 4/241)

There is also disagreement about the year of his death. The years 41 and 42 AH have both been reported as the year of his death. Others have said that he died in 60 AH, toward the end of the caliphate of Mu‘awiyah. (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/296) It is certain, however, that he was alive during the governorship of Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah in Kufah. This was definitely after 40 AH. (al-Isabah, 2/491)

The identities of one son and one daughter of Abu Mas‘ud are known. His son’s name was Bashir, and his daughter was the wife of Imam Hasan. Zayd ibn Hasan was born from her. Bashir was born during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or shortly thereafter.

Abu Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) fulfilled the responsibility of disseminating the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with great seriousness. He is counted among the third generation, or tier, of the Companions who narrated hadiths. There are 102 hadiths narrated by him in various hadith collections. (al-A‘lam, 4/241) Among the Successors who narrated hadiths from him, several of the well-known ones were: Bashir; ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khutami; Abu Wa’il; ‘Alqamah; Qays ibn Abi Hatim; ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid al-Nakha‘i; Yazid ibn Shurayk; Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn ‘Abdi Rabbihi al-Ansari; and others.

Following the way of life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and enjoining what is right were the principal characteristics of his conduct. He observed the commands and prohibitions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with profound reverence. Once, he was beating one of his slaves. At that moment, a voice came from behind him: “Abu Mas‘ud! Think carefully. The Allah who has given you authority over him could have given him authority over you as well.” The voice belonged to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Abu Mas‘ud was deeply affected. At that moment, he swore that he would never again raise his hand against any slave. He then set that slave free. (Musnad, 5/273–274)

He was never negligent in carrying out the duty of enjoining what is right. Nor did he show consideration for anyone, great or small, in this matter. At that time, Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) was the governor of Kufah. One day, he led the ‘Asr prayer somewhat late. Abu Mas‘ud immediately objected. He said: “You know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform the five daily prayers at the times described by Gabriel, and he would say: ‘This is how I have been commanded.’” (Bukhari, 2/571)

He himself followed the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) exactly. One day, he asked the people, “Do you know how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed the prayer?” He then performed the prayer and demonstrated it to them. (Musnad, 5/122)

Standing shoulder to shoulder in the congregational prayer is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When he saw that the people were not observing it fully, he would say: “The benefit of standing in this manner was that they remained united. Now you stand far apart from one another; that is why discord has arisen.”

Abu Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is not counted among the Companion jurists known for issuing fatwas. However, he would occasionally issue fatwas. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr narrated from Ibn Sirin in his book Jami‘ al-‘Ilm (2/166). He said: Once Caliph ‘Umar said to Abu Mas‘ud: “Have I not been informed that you issue fatwas? Leave the heat of issuing fatwas to the one who has experienced its cold touch”—that is, to the ruler. “You are not the ruler.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/253)

Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him)

Hazrat Abu Qatadah was a member of the Banu Sulayma branch of the famous Khazraj tribe of Madinah. There is disagreement concerning his real name. Some have said al-Harith, while others have said Amr. According to al-Kalbi and Ibn Ishaq, it was al-Nu’man. However, al-Harith is the better-known opinion. In history he is known by the kunyah Abu Qatadah. His father was Rab’yi ibn Baldamah and his mother was Kabshah bint Mutahhir. She too was from the Sawad ibn Ghanam branch of Banu Sulayma of the Khazraj tribe. He was born in Madinah in 604 CE, eighteen years before the Messenger of Allah’s migration to Madinah. (Usud al-Ghabah, 5/274; al-Isabah, 4/158; al-A’lam, 2/154) Ka’b ibn Malik al-Ansari, who was punished for failing to join the Battle of Tabuk and whom Allah later forgave, was Abu Qatadah’s cousin. At that time, he too boycotted Ka’b like everyone else. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/467)

He accepted Islam sometime after the Second Pledge of al-Aqabah. There is disagreement among the sīrah authorities concerning his participation in the Battle of Badr. Many have called him a Badri Companion. However, neither Musa ibn Uqbah nor Ibn Ishaq mentioned his name among the Companions who fought at Badr. He joined the Messenger of Allah in all the battles after Uhud, including Uhud itself. (al-Isabah, 4/158; Usud al-Ghabah, 5/274)

In Rabi al-Awwal of the sixth year after the Hijrah, the expedition of Dhu Qarad, or al-Ghabah, took place. He displayed extraordinary courage in that expedition. The camels of the Messenger of Allah used to graze in a village called Dhu Qarad. The Messenger of Allah’s slave, Rabah, was responsible for them. Some men of the Ghatafan tribe killed the herdsmen and drove away the camels. The renowned Companion Salamah ibn al-Akwa, on hearing the news, stood on a mountain peak facing Madinah, according to the customary Arab practice, and shouted the warning cry, “Yā Sabāhāh!” three times. Meanwhile, he sent Rabah quickly to the Messenger of Allah and pursued the Ghatafani raiders himself. The Messenger of Allah immediately sent three horsemen to assist him and then set out behind them himself. Salamah ibn al-Akwa was waiting for help from Madinah. After a short while he saw Abu Qatadah al-Ansari, al-Akhram al-Asadi, and behind them al-Miqdad al-Kindi, galloping toward him at the speed of the wind. Seeing these horsemen, the Ghatafani raiders tried to flee, abandoning the camels. But al-Akhram al-Asadi was then filled with an intense desire for martyrdom. Disregarding Salamah’s prohibition, he pursued the Ghatafanis. At one point, he and Abd al-Rahman al-Ghatafani engaged in hand-to-hand combat, and al-Akhram attained martyrdom. Abd al-Rahman tried to flee on al-Akhram’s horse. At that moment Abu Qatadah arrived and killed Abd al-Rahman with a thrust of his spear. (al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, 2/198–191; al-Isabah, 4/158; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/561; Sahih Muslim, 2/101)

According to another report, the man Abu Qatadah killed in this battle of Dhu Qarad was Habib ibn Uyaynah ibn Hisn. After killing Habib, he covered the corpse with his own cloak and advanced farther behind the enemy. When the men behind saw a corpse covered with Abu Qatadah’s cloak, they thought it must be Abu Qatadah’s corpse. They immediately recited, “Inna lillahi,” and began saying among themselves, “Abu Qatadah has been killed.” When the Messenger of Allah heard this, he said, “It is not Abu Qatadah; rather, it is the corpse of the man killed by Abu Qatadah. He killed him and covered him with his cloak, so that you would understand that the killer was that man.” Abu Qatadah’s horse in this battle was named Hazwa. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/284)

Abu Qatadah said: On the day of Dhu Qarad, after the expedition had ended, when I met the Messenger of Allah, he looked at me and prayed, “O Allah, bless his hair and his skin, and make his face successful.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, may Allah also make your face successful!” (Usud al-Ghabah, 5/275) On hearing a description of his bravery and courage that day, the Messenger of Allah remarked, “Abu Qatadah is our best horseman today.” (al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, 2/191; al-Isabah, 4/158)

Abu Qatadah was also with the Messenger of Allah on the journey for the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. On the return journey, one day the dawn prayer of the Messenger and his traveling companions became due after its time had passed. A description of when and how the Messenger performed that missed prayer is known from a hadith narrated by Abu Qatadah. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/29)

In the seventh or eighth year after the Hijrah, the Messenger sent an expedition under Abu Qatadah’s command toward Idam. Idam was the name of a place or a mountain on the road from Madinah to Syria. After they reached the valley of Idam, Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashjai was passing by them. He greeted Abu Qatadah and the members of his army. Nevertheless, because of an earlier enmity, a member of the army, Muhallim ibn Juthamah ibn Qays, killed him and seized his camel and other belongings. When they came to the Messenger of Allah and informed him of the incident, verse 94 of Surah al-Nisa was revealed. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/381; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/389)

“O believers, when you travel in the way of Allah, investigate carefully, and do not say to anyone who offers you peace, ‘You are not a believer,’ seeking the goods of worldly life. With Allah are abundant spoils. You yourselves were like this before, then Allah showed you favor; therefore investigate carefully. Surely Allah is fully aware of what you do.” (Surah al-Nisa, 4:94)

In Sha’ban of the eighth year after the Hijrah, the Messenger sent a force of fifteen men toward a place in Najd called Khadrah. Abu Qatadah was the commander of this force. A settlement of the Ghatafan tribe was located there. They were a marauding tribe and bitter enemies of the Muslims. The aim was to launch a surprise attack against them. Therefore, they traveled throughout the night and hid somewhere during the day. In this way they suddenly reached the Ghatafan tribe. The Ghatafanis too were extremely courageous. Many people immediately gathered, and fighting began. Abu Qatadah told his companions, “Kill only those who fight you. There is no need to pursue everyone.” Because this policy was adopted, the battle ended quickly. After only fifteen days, they returned to Madinah with abundant spoils. The spoils included two hundred camels, two thousand goats, and many captives. One-fifth of the spoils was set aside, and all the rest was distributed among them.

Some time after this incident, the Messenger of Allah sent a group of eight men toward Batan Akham in Ramadan. Abu Qatadah was also their leader. Batan Akham was located between Dhu Khashab and Dhu Marwah, three stages from Madinah toward Makkah. The Messenger had decided to conduct a military expedition to Makkah. He sent this group so that people would not understand this at all. His purpose was essentially to divert people’s thoughts elsewhere. After reaching Dhu Khashab, the group learned that the Messenger had set out toward Makkah. Thus they joined the army of the Messenger of Allah at a place called Suqayyah. (Tabaqat, chapter on Maghazi, 91)

The expedition of Hunayn took place after the conquest of Makkah. The fighting in this expedition was so fierce that many great Muslim warriors were forced to retreat. Abu Qatadah displayed tremendous bravery in this battle. At one place, a Muslim soldier and a polytheist soldier were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. A second man was preparing to attack the Muslim soldier from behind. Abu Qatadah noticed this. He advanced quietly and struck the man’s shoulder with his sword from behind. One of the man’s arms was severed and fell away, but he suddenly seized Abu Qatadah’s neck with his other hand. The man was extremely strong. He squeezed Abu Qatadah so forcefully that he nearly died. While the two were struggling, the man became weak because he was losing a great deal of blood. Taking advantage of this, Abu Qatadah struck him again. The man fell to the ground.

While Abu Qatadah was occupied with killing him, a Muslim soldier from Makkah passed along that route. He took all the slain man’s equipment and belongings. Then great panic spread among the Muslim army. They were fleeing from the battlefield in every direction. Abu Qatadah was also going in one direction. On the way, he met Umar. Abu Qatadah asked him, “What has happened?” Umar replied, “Whatever Allah wills.” Meanwhile, the Muslims cast off their weakness, launched a counterattack, and gained control of the battlefield.

Abu Qatadah said: The battle ended, and we were resting. At that time the Messenger of Allah announced, “Whoever kills a person shall receive the belongings that the slain person leaves behind.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I killed a man equipped with arms and belongings. While I was occupied with killing him, someone took his belongings. I do not know him.” The man from Makkah then said, “O Messenger of Allah, he has spoken the truth. The slain man’s belongings are with me. Please persuade him to let me keep them.”

Abu Bakr immediately said, “By Allah, the Messenger will not persuade him. A lion of God fought in the path of Allah, and you intend to seize what belongs to him? Give the slain man’s belongings to him.” The Messenger of Allah then said, “Abu Bakr has spoken the truth. Return the booty to him.” Abu Qatadah said: I sold those items and used the money to buy about ten date palms. This was the first property I purchased after accepting Islam. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/448–449; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/90–91; Musnad, 5/306)

No detailed information is available about Abu Qatadah’s activities during the period of the caliphs after the death of the Messenger of Allah. When Caliph Uthman was under siege in his own house in Madinah by the rebels, it was the season of Hajj. One day at that time, Abu Qatadah went with another man to Caliph Uthman and asked permission to go for Hajj. He granted them permission. They then asked the Caliph, “If these rebels prevail, with whom should we remain?” The Caliph replied, “With the larger community.” They asked again, “If this very larger community prevails over you, with whom should we remain?” He said, “Remain with whichever group constitutes the majority.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/126)

Hazrat Ali once appointed him governor of Makkah. Later he appointed Qutham ibn Abbas in his place. The Battle of the Camel took place in the year 36 after the Hijrah, and the Battle of Siffin took place the following year. Abu Qatadah joined both battles on the side of Hazrat Ali. (al-A’lam, 2/154; al-Isabah, 4/158) In the year 38 after the Hijrah, the Kharijites raised the banner of rebellion. In the army that Hazrat Ali led against them, Abu Qatadah was an officer of the infantry.

There is considerable disagreement concerning the year of Abu Qatadah’s death. According to the people of Kufa, he died in Kufa in the year 38 after the Hijrah, and Hazrat Ali led his funeral prayer with seven takbirs. Imam al-Sha’bi said it was not seven but six takbirs. Hasan ibn Uthman said that he died in the year 40 after the Hijrah. al-Waqidi said that he died in Madinah in the year 54 at the age of seventy-two. Others have said that he was seventy, not seventy-two. In his work al-Awsat, Imam al-Bukhari mentioned Abu Qatadah among those who died between the years 50 and 60 after the Hijrah. He also said that when Marwan was governor of Madinah on behalf of Mu’awiyah, he summoned Abu Qatadah to meet him once, and Abu Qatadah met Marwan. Another report supports this. When Mu’awiyah came to Madinah, people of every class met him. He then summoned Abu Qatadah and said, “Everyone has met me except you Ansar.” These reports clearly indicate that he died after the year 40 after the Hijrah. (See al-Isabah, 4/159; al-A’lam, 2/154; Usud al-Ghabah, 5/275)

Very little is known about Hazrat Abu Qatadah’s physical appearance. He did, however, keep his hair down to his neck; this was called hamiyyah. He would comb his hair from time to time. Once, when the Messenger of Allah saw that his hair was neglected and disheveled, he said, “Put this in order. If a person keeps hair, he should care for it. Otherwise, what benefit is there in keeping it?”

He had four sons: Abdullah, Ma’bad, Abd al-Rahman, and Thabit. The last was born to a slave woman. His wife’s name was Salafah bint Bara ibn Ma’rur ibn Sakhr, a woman from a noble family of the Sulaymah clan. She herself was a female Companion, and her father, Bara ibn Ma’rur ibn Sakhr, was also a renowned Companion.

Hazrat Abu Qatadah was by no means indifferent to the responsibility of spreading the Qur’an and hadith. He was extremely cautious in narrating hadith. After hearing from the Messenger of Allah the hadith concerning “kizb ala al-Rasul,” or lying against the Messenger, he became extremely cautious regarding hadith. (Musnad, 5/292)

One day, hadith was being discussed in a gathering of the Followers. Everyone was saying, “The Messenger said this; the Messenger said that.” Hearing their discussion, Abu Qatadah said, “O wretched people, what is coming from your mouths? The Messenger said that those who narrate false hadith will suffer punishment in Hell.” (Musnad, 5/310)

Despite such caution, the number of hadith he narrated was 170. Among those who narrated hadith from him were both the greatest Companions and the greatest Followers. They included Anas ibn Malik, Jabir ibn Abdillah, Abu Muhammad Nafi (his emancipated slave), Said ibn Ka’b ibn Malik, Kabshah bint Ka’b ibn Malik, Abdullah ibn Rabah, Ata ibn Yasar, Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Umar ibn Sulaym al-Zurqi, Abdullah ibn Ma’bad, Muhammad ibn Sirin, and Said ibn al-Musayyib, among others. All these people were shining stars in the science of hadith.

Islamic brotherhood reached its fullest expression in Hazrat Abu Qatadah. Once, the body of an Ansari man was brought before the Messenger of Allah for the funeral prayer. The Messenger first asked whether the man had any debt. The people said that he owed two dinars. He then asked whether he had left behind any property. The people said no, that he had left nothing. The Messenger then said, “You pray over him.” Abu Qatadah asked, “O Messenger of Allah, if I pay his debt, will you lead the prayer?” He said yes. Abu Qatadah paid the man’s debt and informed the Messenger. The Messenger came and led the funeral prayer. (Musnad, 5/29, 203)

A Muslim man owed him some money. Whenever Abu Qatadah went to demand payment, the man would hide. One day he went to the man’s house and learned from his son that he was eating. He shouted, “Come out! Today I have found you out. Hiding will not work today.” When the man came out, Abu Qatadah asked why he hid in that way. The man said, “The truth is that I am very poor. I have nothing, and I also have the burden of my family.” Abu Qatadah asked, “Are you truly in such a condition?” He replied yes. Abu Qatadah’s eyes filled with tears, and he forgave the man’s debt. (Musnad, 5/308)

During the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr, the Ridda wars took place. At one stage of this war, the Caliph sent Khalid ibn al-Walid against Malik ibn Nuwayrah al-Yarbu’i. Malik ibn Nuwayrah had accepted Islam. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, Khalid killed him. Abu Qatadah was so angered by this act of Khalid that he appealed to the Caliph, saying, “I am not willing to remain under Khalid’s command. He has shed the blood of a Muslim.”

He reminded people of correct creed even concerning very minor matters. Once he was standing on a roof when a meteor began to appear. People looked toward it. Addressing them, he said, “It is forbidden to look at this excessively.” (Musnad, 5/299)

Hazrat Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, was blessed with constant companionship and service to the Messenger of Allah. Once he accompanied the Messenger on a journey. The Messenger told the Companions, “Find where there is water, otherwise you will awaken thirsty in the morning.” The people went out in search of water, but Hazrat Abu Qatadah remained with the Messenger. The Messenger was riding a camel. When he began to lean to one side in drowsiness, Abu Qatadah would move forward and support him with his hand on that side. Once the Messenger was about to fall, and Abu Qatadah quickly supported him with his hand. The Messenger opened his eyes and asked, “Who is it?” He replied, “Abu Qatadah.” The Messenger asked again, “Since when have you been with me?” He replied, “Since evening.” The Messenger then prayed for him, saying, “O Allah, protect Abu Qatadah as he protected me throughout the night.” (Musnad, 5/298; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/347; al-Isabah, 4/159)

Once Hazrat Abu Qatadah witnessed a miracle of the Messenger of Allah. Abu Nu’aym narrated it from Ibn Masud in his book al-Dalail (144). He said: We were accompanying the Messenger of Allah on a journey. During a stop, he asked, “Do you have any water with you?” We said, “Yes. I have some water in a vessel.” He said, “Bring it.” I brought the vessel of water. He said, “Take some water from it and all of you perform ablution.” After ablution, about a sip of water remained in the vessel. The Messenger said, “Abu Qatadah, keep this water safe. Very soon there will be news concerning it.” Gradually the intense heat of midday began. The Messenger came before his Companions. They all said, “No, you will not perish.” Saying this, he summoned Abu Qatadah and told him to bring the vessel of water. Abu Qatadah said: I brought the vessel. The Messenger said, “Bring my cup.” The cup was brought. He began pouring a little water from the vessel into the cup and giving it to the people to drink. A crowd gathered around the Messenger to drink, and great pushing and jostling began. The Messenger said, “Remain calm and behave properly; everyone will be able to drink.” Abu Qatadah said: When everyone except the Messenger and me had finished drinking, he said, “Abu Qatadah, now you drink.” I said, “You drink first.” He said, “The one who gives the people water drinks last.” I then drank, and the Messenger drank last. Even after everyone had drunk, exactly as much water remained in the vessel as before. The narrator said that there were three hundred people that day. According to another report, there were seven hundred. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/620–621)

He was naturally gentle, and he showed great kindness to living creatures. Once he went to his son’s house. His daughter-in-law had placed water for ablution. A cat began drinking from it. Rather than drive the cat away, Hazrat Abu Qatadah tilted the vessel a little more toward it so that it could drink properly. His daughter-in-law was standing nearby and watching this. He said to her, “There is nothing surprising in this. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The leftover water of a cat is not impure, because cats are creatures that move about within the house.’” (Musnad, 5/303)

Hunting was one of his special interests. Once he was traveling with the Messenger of Allah. During a stop, he went hunting with several companions. The place was mountainous. He was accustomed to climbing mountains very quickly, and he went up the mountain with his companions. There they saw an animal. Abu Qatadah advanced a little, examined it carefully, and asked his companions, “Tell me, what animal is this?” They said, “We cannot say exactly.” He said, “It is a wild donkey.” Abu Qatadah had accidentally left his whip behind while climbing the mountain. He asked his companions to bring it. They were in a state of ihram, and therefore they did not assist him in any way with the hunt. Finally, he himself pursued the animal with a spear and killed it. Then he asked his companions to help lift it, but none helped him. At last he lifted it alone, prepared the meat, and cooked it. The companions hesitated to eat. Some ate the meat, while others refused. Abu Qatadah said, “Very well, I shall ask the Messenger of Allah and tell you shortly.” He met the Messenger and related the whole incident. The Messenger heard him and said, “What is the problem with eating it? Allah sent it for you. If anything remains, bring some for me.” When the meat was brought before him, the Messenger said to the Companions, “Eat.” (Fath al-Bari, 9/528)

He was extremely sociable by nature, and therefore had a group of friends. He accompanied the Messenger on the journey to Hudaybiyyah. He traveled along the road joking and exchanging lighthearted remarks with his close friends. Abu Muhammad was also a member of his circle of companions. (Musnad, 5/295, 301)

Once Hazrat Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, went to the court of Hazrat Mu’awiyah wearing an Adani cloak, that is, one made in Aden. Abdullah ibn Mas’adah was sitting there. By chance, the cloak that Abu Qatadah was wearing slipped onto Abdullah’s body. Abdullah angrily threw it off. Abu Qatadah said, “By Allah, I defended his father’s chest with a spear on the day he attacked the outskirts of Madinah.” On hearing this, Abdullah remained silent. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/349) It should be noted that Abu Qatadah was referring to the expedition of Dhu Qarad. The father of this Abdullah was among those Ghatafani raiders.

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)

His name was Sa‘d, and his kunyah was Abu Sa‘id. Since he belonged to the Khudrah clan, he was called al-Khudari or al-Khudri. His father, Malik ibn Sinan, was one of the martyrs of Uhud. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was wounded in this battle, he sucked and swallowed the Prophet’s blessed blood. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then remarked: “The Fire of Hell will not touch the one whose blood has mingled with my blood.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/80; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44)

His mother, Unaysah bint Abi Harithah, was the daughter of ‘Adi ibn al-Najjar of Banu ‘Adi ibn al-Najjar. His grandfather, Sinan, was the chief of the locality. He was the lord of a fortress and a judge in the pre-Islamic era.

His mother’s first husband was a man named ‘Amman from the Aws tribe. He died. Before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah, she took Malik ibn Sinan as her second husband. Their son Abu Sa‘id was born in Yathrib in 613 CE, ten years before the Hijrah. (Al-Isabah, 4/88; Al-A‘lam, 3/138) The famous Badri Companion Qatadah ibn al-Nu‘man—whose eye was injured at Uhud and was restored through the blessing of the Messenger of Allah’s supplication—was Abu Sa‘id’s maternal half-brother. When this Qatadah died in 23 AH, Abu Sa‘id lowered him into the grave and buried him. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/242; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/211)

The work of preaching Islam in Madinah began, more or less, from the Pledge of ‘Aqabah. Many of the people of Madinah then devoted themselves to Islamic da‘wah and propagation. At that time Malik ibn Sinan accepted Islam. His wife also became Muslim along with him. Thus Abu Sa‘id grew up in the laps of Muslim parents.

The construction of al-Masjid al-Nabawi began in the very first year after the Hijrah. Abu Sa‘id took part in its construction. He participated in a total of twelve battles with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (Tahdhib al-Asma’, 2/237; Al-A‘lam, 3/138) He could not participate in the Battle of Badr because of his young age. He was thirteen at the time of Uhud. Before the battle, he went with his father to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Messenger examined him from head to foot and sent him back, saying that he was not yet of fighting age. His father, Malik, then took the Messenger of Allah’s hand and said, “What if my son is young? His two hands are strong like those of a man.” Nevertheless, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not permit him to go to battle. (Al-Isabah, 2/35; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/330)

In this Battle of Uhud, the blessed face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was wounded and stained with blood. Malik ibn Sinan drank that blood. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) remarked: “If anyone wishes to see a person whose blood has mingled with my blood, let him look at Malik ibn Sinan.” Thereafter Malik fought like a hero and attained martyrdom.

Abu Sa‘id’s father was not a wealthy man. Because of this, after his father’s death he faced difficulties as vast as mountains. He endured poverty and hunger, sometimes tying stones to his stomach. One day, when he had tied a stone to his stomach because of severe hunger, his wife (according to another account, his mother or a slave-girl) said to him, “Go to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and ask him for something. So-and-so came asking for help, and he gave him something.” Abu Sa‘id said: “When I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he was delivering a sermon and saying: ‘Whoever considers himself self-sufficient, Allah will make him wealthy. And whoever refrains from asking me for anything is dearer to me than the one who asks me.’” Hearing this, I asked for nothing. I returned home. Thereafter Allah the Exalted began to bless and increase our provision. At last, I did not know of any household among the Ansar that was wealthier than ours. (Musnad, 3/449; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/257)

He participated in the battles of the Trench and Banu al-Mustaliq. However, a report in Usd al-Ghabah states: “Abu Sa‘id said: On the day of the Trench, my father took me by the hand and brought me before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah, his bones are very strong.’ Even then he sent me back without permitting me to go to battle. He further said: ‘I participated with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the battle against Banu al-Mustaliq.’” Al-Waqidi said: “At that time Abu Sa‘id was fifteen years old.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 5/211; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/334)

Imam Ahmad narrates from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudari. He said: “On the day of the Trench we said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, our lives have reached our throats. Is there any supplication that we may recite?’ He said, ‘Yes. Say: Allahumma astur ‘awratina wa amin raw‘atina—O Allah, conceal our private matters and grant security to our fear.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/488)

He took part in the Pledge under the Tree, or the Pledge of Ridwan. (Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/81; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44) In the month of Safar in the eighth year after the Hijrah, a contingent of soldiers went to Fadak under the leadership of ‘Abdullah ibn Ghalib al-Laythi. He was also in this force. ‘Abdullah instructed the soldiers not to become separated. For this purpose, he established bonds of brotherhood among the members of the force. He also established a bond of brotherhood between Abu Sa‘id and a prominent Companion.

In Rabi‘ al-Thani of the ninth year after the Hijrah, ‘Arqamah ibn Mukarrar was sent on an expedition with a small force. Abu Sa‘id was one of its members. (Musnad, 3/270; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/67)

In addition to the battles mentioned above, his participation in the conquest of Makkah, Hunayn, Tabuk, Awtas and other expeditions is recorded in the books of seerah. According to a report in Sahih al-Bukhari, he attained the distinction of participating in twelve battles fought during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He narrated about the extreme poverty and famine suffered by the Muslims in the Battle of Tabuk. When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) distributed most of the spoils acquired at Hunayn among the newly converted people of Makkah in order to win their hearts, many of the Ansar of Madinah felt somewhat hurt. Abu Sa‘id narrated this incident. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/397–398; 3/625)

It is narrated from him: “We went to battle with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Ramadan. Some of us fasted and some did not. Yet none of us felt jealousy toward another. Each of them knew that whoever considered himself capable would fast, and that this was better for him; and whoever considered himself weak and incapable would not fast, and that this was better for him.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/479)

Once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent them on a small expedition. The force consisted of thirty men in all, and Abu Sa‘id was its leader. On the way they pitched their tents at a place and halted. A settlement lay nearby. They said to its people, “We are your guests.” But the people clearly refused to host them. By chance, the chief of that settlement was bitten by a scorpion that day. Various people tried various treatments, but nothing worked. Someone advised them, “Go to these guests; perhaps one of them knows some treatment.” They came as advised and told them what had happened. Abu Sa‘id said, “I know a ruqyah, but you must give thirty goats as payment.” They agreed. Abu Sa‘id went with them, recited Surah Muhammad, and blew lightly on the bitten place. The man became completely well. The Companions set out toward Madinah with the thirty goats. They were uncertain whether it was proper to take the goats in this manner. Finally, they decided to inform the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). As soon as they reached Madinah, they told him the whole incident. After hearing everything, he smiled slightly and said, “How did you know that this surah could be used for ruqyah? You have done rightly. Divide the goats among yourselves, and do not forget to give me a share.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1/251)

After the death of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he remained in Madinah. During the caliphates of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them), he was entrusted with the responsibility of issuing fatwas. Ibn Sa‘d narrates through Ziyad ibn Mina’: “Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, Abu Sa‘id al-Khudari, Abu Hurayrah, ‘Abdullah ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah and other Companions of the Messenger continued issuing fatwas in Madinah and narrating the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from the time of ‘Uthman’s death until their own deaths.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/255)

During the caliphate of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he participated in the Battle of Nahrawan against the Kharijites. He used to say, “I consider fighting the Kharijites more necessary than fighting the Turks.” (Musnad, 3/33, 56) When Imam Husayn decided to leave Madinah for Kufah, Abu Sa‘id, like many other Companions, advised him to abandon this decision. (Al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa’)

When Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) died in 59 AH, Abu Sa‘id attended her funeral. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/432) In 61 AH, the people of the Hijaz rebelled against Yazid and pledged allegiance to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of the maternal cousin of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Abu Sa‘id was among those who gave this pledge.

In 63 AH, the inhabitants of Madinah, the Abode of the Hijrah, rejected allegiance to Yazid, pledged allegiance to ‘Abdullah, the son of Hanzalah, the Ghasil al-Mala’ikah, and declared him their leader. Yazid’s army attacked Madinah and defeated its inhabitants. ‘Abdullah fought valiantly against Yazid’s army and attained martyrdom. The victorious army of Yazid then unleashed a rampage of killing, plunder, rape and destruction in Madinah. The Companions who were still alive were deeply distressed to witness such dishonor and violation of Madinah, the sanctuary and honored city of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Unable to bear the sight, Abu Sa‘id hid in a cave in the mountains. But a man searching for him reached the cave and raised his sword to kill him. At first Abu Sa‘id raised his sword to frighten him. When the soldier advanced further, he placed his sword on the ground and recited verse 28 of Surah al-Ma’idah: “If you stretch out your hand to kill me, I will not stretch out my hand to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

The soldier stopped. He asked, “For Allah’s sake, tell me, who are you?” He replied, “I am Abu Sa‘id al-Khudari.” The soldier asked, “Are you a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?” He replied, “Yes.” The soldier left the cave. (Al-Isabah, 3/55) Abu Sa‘id returned home from the cave. He was subjected to various interrogations and then imprisoned. Finally, under intense pressure, he was compelled to pledge allegiance to Yazid.

When ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) learned of this, he went to him and said, “I have heard that you pledged allegiance to two rulers?” He replied, “Yes. First I pledged allegiance to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, and after being imprisoned I pledged allegiance to Yazid.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “I had feared exactly this.” Abu Sa‘id said, “But what could I do? I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say that every morning and evening a person should pass under the authority of one ruler or another.” Hearing this, Ibn ‘Umar said, “Whatever the case, I do not approve of pledging allegiance to two rulers.” (Musnad, 3/29–30)

According to the majority of reports, he lived for seventy-four years after the Hijrah. However, ‘Allamah al-Dhahabi wrote that he died at the age of eighty-six, and this is correct. (See: Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/37; Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 2/237; Al-A‘lam, 3/138; Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/81; Usd al-Ghabah, 5/211)

Abu Sa‘id had two wives. One was Zaynab bint Ka‘b ibn ‘Ajrah. Some have said that she was a female Companion. The second was renowned by the name Umm ‘Abdillah bint ‘Abdillah. His children were named ‘Abd al-Rahman, Hamzah and Sa‘id.

Abu Sa‘id was one of the members of Ahl al-Suffah. He was one of the greatest jurists of his time. He learned Qur’anic recitation from a certain reciter. During his student years there were several study circles of the Ansar, where learned men of the Ansar taught. Abu Sa‘id’s student days belonged to the earliest period of Islam. At that time people could not even obtain enough clothing to cover their bodies properly. In the study circles, they would quietly sit concealed behind one another. One day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to such a study circle. Seeing him, the reciter stopped his recitation. The Prophet told everyone to sit in a circle and sat with them himself. Of all those present in that circle that day, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recognized only Abu Sa‘id. (Musnad, 3/63; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/204)

He acquired his knowledge of hadith and fiqh directly from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and other Companions. He heard hadith from the four caliphs and from Zayd ibn Thabit. He had memorized countless hadith. The total number of hadith narrated by him is 1,170. He was one of the hadith scholars who narrated a large number of hadith. Of his narrations, forty-three—or, according to another view, forty-six—are muttafaq ‘alayh (jointly narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim). Al-Bukhari and Muslim independently narrated sixteen and fifty-two hadith respectively. Some of the famous Companions and Tabi‘un who heard and narrated hadith from him are listed below:

Zayd ibn Thabit, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, Anas ibn Malik, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn al-Zubayr, Jabir, Abu Qatadah, Ibn ‘Amr, Mahmud ibn Labid, Abu al-Tufayl, Abu Umamah ibn Sahl, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, Tariq ibn Shihab, ‘Ata’, Mujahid, Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi, ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Ayyad ibn Abi Sarah, Bushr ibn Sa‘id, Abu Nudbah, Ibn Sirin and others. (See: Al-Isabah, 2/35; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44; Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 2/237; Al-A‘lam, 3/138)

His study circle was always full of students. Anyone who wished to ask a question obtained an opportunity only after a long wait. (Musnad, 3/35) Even outside the hours of instruction, people could approach him at any time to ask about various matters. He would answer their questions. Once Ibn ‘Abbas said to his son ‘Ali and his servant ‘Ikrimah, “Go and listen to hadith from Abu Sa‘id.” When they arrived, Abu Sa‘id was in an orchard. He sat with them and narrated hadith to them. (Musnad, 3/90–91)

Along with narrating a hadith, he would also describe the circumstances in which he had heard it. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once heard a hadith from a man. That man narrated it through Abu Sa‘id. Ibn ‘Umar went with him to Abu Sa‘id and asked, “Did this man hear such-and-such hadith from you? And did you hear it from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?” He replied, “My two eyes saw it and my two ears heard it.” (Musnad, 3/4)

Once a student named Quz‘ah liked a hadith very much. He asked, “Did you hear this hadith from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?” He became somewhat displeased at the question and said, “Then am I narrating it without having heard it? Yes, I heard it.” (Musnad, 3/91)

He exercised tremendous care in narrating those hadith whose wording he did not fully trust as having been heard from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Once he narrated a hadith but did not mention the name of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). A man asked, “Is this narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?” He replied, “I know that too.”

Abu Sa‘id warmly welcomed his students in accordance with the advice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Imam al-Tirmidhi narrates from Abu Harun. He said: “When we went to Abu Sa‘id, he would say, ‘Welcome to those who follow the counsel of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).’ The Prophet said: ‘People will follow you. Some people will come to you from different places seeking deep knowledge of the religion. When they come to you, give them good advice.’ Another narration states: ‘Teach them and say, “Welcome, welcome; come near.”’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/202; Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/243)

Abu Sa‘id also narrated: “The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed us to make room for them—the students—in our gatherings and to teach them hadith.” He said, “You are our successors and the transmitters of hadith who will come after us.” He also used to tell his students: “If you do not understand something, ask about it repeatedly until you understand it. For you to leave my gathering having understood is dearer to me than your leaving without understanding.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/203; Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/243)

He did not write down hadith for his students. Al-Tabarani narrates from Abu Nadrah. He said: “I asked Abu Sa‘id, ‘Write a hadith for us.’ He replied, ‘We will never write, nor will we ever turn hadith into the Qur’an. Rather, receive from us just as we received from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/217)

Hanzalah ibn Abi Sufyan al-Jumahi narrated from his teachers. They said: “There is no one more knowledgeable about the events of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) than Abu Sa‘id al-Khudari.” (Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 2/237)

He was extremely truthful. He used to say, “I heard the Messenger strongly emphasize truthful speech. Alas, if only I had not heard it!” (Musnad, 3/5) Once, when the hadith about truthful speech was being discussed, he began to weep. Then he said, “I certainly heard the hadith, but it is not being acted upon at all.” (Musnad, 3/61, 71)

During the rule of Amir Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), many innovations began to spread. Abu Sa‘id traveled a long distance to Mu‘awiyah and brought each of these innovations to his attention one by one. (Musnad, 3/84) Once he spoke with Amir Mu‘awiyah about the Ansar. He said, “The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed us to be patient with hardship.” Amir Mu‘awiyah replied, “Then be patient.” (Musnad, 3/89)

Once, while sitting in the court of the Umayyad caliph Marwan, he narrated to him the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning the excellence and rank of the Companions. Marwan did not wish to believe him. Zayd ibn Thabit and Rafi‘ ibn Khadij were also present at that gathering. Abu Sa‘id first called upon both of them as witnesses. Then he said, “Why would they speak? One fears being dismissed from responsibility for the charity, while the other fears losing the leadership of his tribe at your slightest gesture.” Hearing such plain words, Marwan moved to strike him with a whip. At that point the two men acknowledged the truth of his statement. (Musnad, 3/23)

Similarly, on one Eid, Marwan brought out the minbar and delivered the sermon before the prayer. A man stood up in protest and said that both actions were innovations contrary to the Sunnah. Marwan said, “The former practice has been abandoned.” Abu Sa‘id was present there. He said, “Whatever the case, the man has fulfilled his duty. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: ‘If anyone sees an evil deed, he should change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so, then he should object with his tongue; and if he is unable even to do that, then at least he should hate it in his heart.’” (Musnad, 3/10)

His zeal for enjoining what is right was so intense that once Marwan was sitting with Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). At that moment a bier passed before them, accompanied by Abu Sa‘id. Marwan did not rise even after seeing the bier. Abu Sa‘id said to him, “Commander, rise for the funeral prayer, for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to rise.” Hearing this, Marwan stood. (Musnad, 3/47, 97) According to Ibn Sa‘d, this funeral was that of Hafsah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her). (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/428)

When Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr was governor of Madinah, he once asked on the day of Eid al-Fitr, “What was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) regarding the prayer and sermon?” Abu Sa‘id replied, “The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led the prayer before the sermon.” Mus‘ab acted according to his statement. (Musnad, 3/4)

Once Shahr ibn Hawshab wished to travel to Mount Tur. He came to meet Abu Sa‘id. Abu Sa‘id told him that traveling to any sacred land other than the three mosques had been prohibited.

Ibn Abi Sa‘sah greatly liked the wilderness. Abu Sa‘id told him, “Raise the adhan there so loudly that the sound of the takbir echoes throughout the entire wilderness.” (Musnad, 3/95; 4/93)

His sister used to fast continuously without eating or drinking anything in between. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prohibited this type of fasting. Abu Sa‘id also constantly tried to prevent her from doing so.

He was a complete follower of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to lead the prayer in a mosque. Once he became ill or was unable to come for some reason. Abu Sa‘id led the prayer in his place. The people somewhat disagreed with his method of praying. He stood near the minbar and announced, “I led the prayer exactly as I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) pray. If you disagree with me now, it does not matter to me.”

He was patient. Once his foot hurt, and he lay with one leg resting over the other. His brother suddenly struck that foot with his hand, causing the pain to increase. He said very gently, “Did you hurt me? You knew that my foot was painful.” His brother replied, “Yes, I knew. But the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prohibited lying in this manner.”

Simplicity was one of the prominent features of his character. Once he was summoned for a funeral prayer. He arrived somewhat late, after everyone else. The people had been sitting waiting for him. When they saw him, they all stood and made room for him. He said, “This is not appropriate. A person should sit in an empty place.” Saying this, he sat down in an empty spot.

He had a student named Abu Salamah, who was a Tabi‘i. They had an excellent friendship. Once Abu Salamah called him. He came outside wrapped in a cloak. Abu Salamah said, “Please walk with me as far as the garden; I have something to discuss with you.” He went with Abu Salamah.

He cared for orphans. Layth and Sulayman ibn ‘Amr were under his care. He used to walk carrying a staff in his hand. He preferred a light, slender staff. He would straighten a date-palm branch and make it into a staff. In this too he followed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (Musnad, 3/65)

Anas said: “Twenty young men from the Ansar were constantly assigned to serve the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Whenever a need arose, the Messenger would send one of them. ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf said, ‘Four or five Companions would never leave the door of the Messenger of Allah’s house.’ Abu Sa‘id said, ‘We used to stay with the Messenger of Allah in shifts.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/687)

Once he was invited to a wedding feast. When he arrived, he saw that many different kinds of food had been prepared. He said to the people of the house, “Do you not know that on the day the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ate lunch, he would go hungry at night, and when he ate breakfast in the morning, he would not eat lunch?” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/308)

In the Battle of Siffin, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As went to the battlefield with his father, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, against ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Because of this, Hasan ibn ‘Ali stopped speaking with him for a long time. When Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) learned of this, he went to Hasan with ‘Abdullah, removed the estrangement between the two, and restored harmony and friendship between them. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/434)

Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him)

His name was Mu‘adh, his kunyah was Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, and his titles were Imam of the Jurists, Treasure of the Scholars, and Nourisher of Hearts. He belonged to the ‘Uday ibn Sa‘d branch of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. Some have stated that he belonged to the Salamah ibn Sa‘d branch. Muhammad ibn Ishaq said that he was actually from the Banu Quda‘ah tribe, while ‘Uday ibn Sa‘d was the name of the clan. The people of that clan claimed him as one of their own. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/247; al-Isabah, 4/427; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/464; Usud al-Ghabah, 4/376)

He was born in Yasrib (Madinah) in 603 CE, twenty years before the Hijrah. (Al-A‘lam, 8/166)

His ancestor Sa‘d ibn ‘Ali had two sons, Salamah and ‘Uday. Salamah’s descendants were called Banu Salamah, and among them were such renowned Companions as Abu Qatadah, Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah, Ka‘b ibn Malik, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haram. Many other eminent people were also connected with this branch. But when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, migrated to Madinah, only one member of the ‘Uday branch—Mu‘adh—was alive. With his death in 18 or 19 AH, this line disappeared forever.

Imam al-Sam‘ani, in Kitab al-Ansab, mentioned Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Tahir as a descendant of ‘Uday, but this is incorrect. Reliable reports establish that, in the early period of Islam, two members of this family were alive: Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and his son ‘Abd al-Rahman. Both died in the plague of ‘Amwas in Syria. (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/376)

The residence of Banu ‘Uday stood near the residence of their cousins, Banu Salamah, close to Masjid al-Qiblatayn. Mu‘adh’s house was also there. His father was Jabal ibn ‘Amr and his mother was Hind bint Sahl al-Juhaniyyah. The Badri Companion ‘Abdullah ibn al-Jadd was his maternal half-brother. (Tabaqat, 3/571, 583) Mu‘adh’s son was named ‘Abd al-Rahman, which is why he was called Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman. (Tabaqat, 3/583)

In the twelfth year of Prophethood, when Mu‘adh accepted Islam at the hands of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, whom the Messenger of Allah had sent from Makkah to Madinah as a caller to Islam, he was eighteen years old. (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/376) During the following pilgrimage season, Mus‘ab set out for Makkah, accompanied by a group of newly converted Muslims and polytheists from Madinah. Mu‘adh was among them. At ‘Aqabah in Makkah they secretly met the Messenger of Allah and pledged allegiance to him. This was the third, or final, pledge of ‘Aqabah. After the group returned to Madinah, the call to Islam spread from house to house.

When the young Mu‘adh returned from Makkah, his heart was filled with the fervor of faith. He could no longer tolerate idols in anyone’s home. He and several other young men decided that, openly or secretly, they would rid Madinah of idols. As a result of their campaign, ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh abandoned idol worship and accepted Islam.

‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh was a highly respected chief of Banu Salamah in Madinah. Like the other chiefs, he possessed a beloved wooden idol named Manat. He revered it greatly, perfumed it carefully, and always covered it with a silk cloth.

One night, the young men who had returned from Makkah secretly carried the idol away and threw it into the rubbish pit of Banu Salamah. Ibn Ishaq mentioned three of these enthusiastic youths: Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, ‘Abdullah ibn Unays, and Salamah ibn Ghanamah. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/699)

In the morning ‘Amr could not find the idol in its usual place and began searching. Eventually he found it lying face down in a heap of refuse. Grieved, he said, “May you perish! Who treated our deity like this last night?” He lifted it, cleaned it, perfumed it, and returned it to its place, saying, “O Manat, if only I knew who had done this to you!”

The same thing happened the next night. ‘Amr found the idol in another pit, washed it, and put it back. The following night it happened again. This time he hung a sword around the idol’s shoulder and said, “By Allah, I do not know who is doing this to you, but you have seen them. O Manat, if you possess any power, defend yourself from them. Here is a sword with you.”

That night the youths came again. They took the sword from the idol, tied it to a dead dog, and threw both the idol and the dog into a filthy pit. When ‘Amr found the idol in that condition the next morning, he recited a poem, whose opening line was: “By Allah, if you were truly a deity, you would not lie in a pit together with a dog.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/453–454)

Thus ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh became disgusted with idol worship and took refuge beneath the cool shade of Islam. (See Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 7/122–126; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/230; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/452, 453, 699)

Soon after Mu‘adh accepted Islam, the Messenger of Allah migrated to Madinah. Mu‘adh participated with him in every battle, including Uhud and al-Khandaq. (Tabaqat, 3/584; al-A‘lam, 8/166) During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, Mu‘adh memorized the Qur’an and was one of the six Companions who collected and preserved it. (Al-A‘lam, 8/166)

When a mosque was built in the quarter of Banu Salamah, Mu‘adh was appointed its imam. One day he recited Surat al-Baqarah in the ‘Isha prayer. Among those praying behind him was an exhausted farm laborer, who left the prayer before Mu‘adh had finished. Afterward, Mu‘adh remarked, “He is a hypocrite.” The man complained to the Messenger of Allah, who called Mu‘adh and said, “Mu‘adh, do you wish to put people to trial?” He then instructed him to recite shorter surahs, because elderly, weak, and occupied people prayed behind him. (Bukhari, 1/98)

In Ramadan of the ninth year after the Hijrah, after the Messenger of Allah returned from Tabuk, a messenger from the ruler of Himyar in Yemen arrived with news that the Yemenis had accepted Islam. The Messenger of Allah appointed Mu‘adh ibn Jabal as their amir.

Before that appointment, all Mu‘adh’s property had been sold to pay his debts. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said that Mu‘adh was among the finest people in appearance, character, and generosity. Because of his generosity he had incurred heavy debts. When his creditors began demanding payment, he hid at home for several days. They asked the Messenger of Allah to recover their money. He summoned Mu‘adh and told the creditors that Allah would show mercy to anyone who forgave his debt. Some gave up their claims, but others refused. The Messenger of Allah told Mu‘adh to be patient and distributed all his property among the creditors, though it did not cover the entire debt. He told them to take what remained and claim no more.

Mu‘adh returned empty-handed to Banu Salamah. Someone asked why he had not requested help from the Messenger of Allah. Mu‘adh replied, “Asking is not my habit.” The Messenger of Allah remembered his situation. The next day he summoned Mu‘adh, appointed him amir of Yemen, and said, “It is hoped that Allah will compensate your loss and arrange for the payment of your debts.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/377; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/21; Tabaqat, 3/584)

Although the Messenger of Allah had complete confidence in Mu‘adh’s ability to govern, he tested him before sending him to Yemen. He asked, “How will you judge?” Mu‘adh replied, “By the Book of Allah.” He asked, “If you find no answer there?” Mu‘adh said, “By the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.” He asked, “If you find no answer in the Qur’an or Sunnah?” Mu‘adh replied, “I will exercise my own ijtihad.” The Messenger of Allah was pleased and said, “Praise belongs to Allah, who has granted the messenger of His Messenger the ability to do what pleases His Messenger.” (Al-Isti‘ab; marginal notes to al-Isabah, 4/458; Tabaqat, 2/147–148)

After this test, the Messenger of Allah wrote to the people of Yemen: “I have sent to you the best of my family.” He instructed them to treat Mu‘adh and the other officials well, to deliver the charity and jizyah to him, and to obey him as amir over all those living in Yemen.

When Mu‘adh had completed his preparations, he went to the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger accompanied him part of the way. Mu‘adh was riding a camel while the Messenger walked beside him. The Messenger said, “Mu‘adh, your responsibility is great. If anyone gives you a gift, accept it; I permit you to accept it.” At the time of farewell he said, “Perhaps you will not meet me again. When you return to Madinah, you will visit my grave and my mosque in my place.” Mu‘adh began to weep. The Messenger said, “Do not weep; weeping is a work of Satan. Go—may Allah protect you from every calamity.” Mu‘adh then looked toward Madinah and said, “The God-fearing are my closest people, whoever and wherever they may be.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/336)

Mu‘adh remained in Yemen for only two years. He went there as amir in the ninth year after the Hijrah and voluntarily returned to Madinah in the eleventh year. Soon after his departure, the Messenger of Allah died and Abu Bakr became caliph. Abu Bakr sent ‘Umar to Makkah as leader of the pilgrimage. Mu‘adh also came directly from Yemen with many slaves and attendants. When ‘Umar saw them, he asked where they had come from. Mu‘adh said that people had given them to him as gifts. ‘Umar instructed him to report the matter to Abu Bakr and hand everything over to him, accepting only what Abu Bakr granted him.

Mu‘adh initially refused. ‘Umar advised Abu Bakr to provide Mu‘adh with enough for his livelihood and place the rest in the public treasury. Abu Bakr replied that the Messenger of Allah himself had appointed Mu‘adh amir; if Mu‘adh voluntarily brought something, he would accept it, otherwise he would accept nothing. Later, after a dream in which ‘Umar pulled him away from Hell, Mu‘adh agreed. He brought all his slaves and property to Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr either returned everything to him as a gift, or—according to another report—paid his remaining debts and gave him the rest. Mu‘adh then returned home, prayed with the slaves, and asked them for whom they had prayed. When they replied, “For Allah,” he said, “Then you are free, for His sake.” (Tabaqat, 3/586–588; Hayat al-Sahabah, 152–154)

In Yemen Mu‘adh was both governor and teacher. He judged disputes, taught the Qur’an, and trained people in Islamic law. A woman of the Hawlan tribe once came to him with her twelve sons, the youngest already bearded. She asked him about a wife’s duty toward her husband. Mu‘adh replied that she must fear Allah and obey him as far as possible. When she asked how she could fulfill the rights of her aged husband, he said that even if his body were afflicted with leprosy, split open, and dripping with blood and pus, and she sucked it with her mouth, she still would not have fulfilled all his rights. (Musnad, 5/239; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/590; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/166)

The Messenger divided Yemen into five districts: San‘a, Kindah, Hadramawt, Janad, and Khubayb. Janad was the capital, and Mu‘adh lived there. He built its congregational mosque. Khalid ibn Sa‘id governed San‘a, al-Muhajir ibn Abi Umayyah governed Kindah, Ziyad ibn Labid governed Hadramawt, and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari governed Khubayb and the coastal region. They collected charity and jizyah and sent them to Mu‘adh, who had overall responsibility for the treasury. (Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/30)

Mu‘adh regularly visited the regions governed by his officials, reviewed their judgments, and heard cases himself when necessary. On one journey he stayed in a tent beside Abu Musa’s tent. (Bukhari, 2/633) The Messenger had given him written instructions concerning booty, khums, charity, jizyah, and other rulings, and Mu‘adh always acted according to them. When a man brought thirty cattle, Mu‘adh refused to take a calf without knowing that the Messenger had authorized it. This shows that the governors of the Messenger were not tyrants like other rulers; they remembered the rights of the people and strictly fulfilled the responsibilities imposed upon them by the Shariah.

A Jew died leaving only one brother as heir, and that brother was a Muslim. The case was brought before Mu‘adh, who awarded the inheritance to the brother. (Musnad, 5/230)

Mu‘adh was intelligent from childhood. After the Messenger came to Madinah, Mu‘adh remained in his company and, through the blessing of Prophetic instruction, became one of the foremost Companions. The Messenger loved him greatly and often allowed him to ride behind him, teaching him knowledge and spiritual insight.

Once, while Mu‘adh was riding behind him, the Messenger called, “Mu‘adh!” He replied, “Here I am, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger called him three times, and each time he responded respectfully. The Messenger then said, “Whoever sincerely recites the testimony of divine oneness, Allah will make Hell forbidden to him.” Mu‘adh asked whether he should spread this good news. The Messenger said no, fearing that people would abandon good deeds. (Bukhari, 1/24)

On another occasion, while riding with Mu‘adh on a mule, the Messenger asked, “Do you know Allah’s right over His servants?” Mu‘adh said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He replied, “That they worship Him and associate nothing with Him.” After a while he asked, “And do you know the servants’ right over Allah?” Mu‘adh again said that Allah and His Messenger knew best. He replied, “That He admit them to Paradise.” (Musnad, 5/238)

The Messenger taught Mu‘adh many lessons concerning worship, morality, social conduct, and da‘wah. He advised him to avoid polytheism, honor his parents, never deliberately abandon an obligatory prayer, avoid wine and sin, never flee from jihad, remain steadfast during epidemics, treat his children well, teach them manners, and instill in them fear of Allah. He told him to visit the sick, accompany funerals, go forth in jihad, visit rulers with respect, and remain at home in safety so that others would be safe from him. He said, “Mu‘adh, follow an evil deed with a good deed; it will erase it, and treat people with excellent character.” (Musnad, 5/238)

He also warned him against the supplication of the oppressed, luxury, and separation from the congregation. He said, “Satan is the wolf of humanity; as a wolf takes the stray sheep, Satan dominates the one who separates from the congregation. Never separate yourself; remain with the congregation.” He further said, “If you guide even one polytheist to Islam, it is better for you than everything in the world.” (Musnad, 5/238, 243)

Because of such pure thought and lofty instruction, the eminent Companion Ibn Mas‘ud regarded Mu‘adh not merely as one man but as an entire ummah. He said, “Mu‘adh was an upright, obedient nation devoted to Allah; he was never one of the polytheists.” When asked about the meaning of ummah and qanit, he explained that an ummah is one who knows goodness and whose example may be followed, while a qanit is one obedient to Allah. In this sense, Mu‘adh was truly a teacher of goodness and obedient to Allah and His Messenger. (Al-Isti‘ab; al-Isabah, 4/361; Tahdhib al-Asma, 2/100)

During the caliphate of ‘Umar, the council of consultation reached full form, though its structure had begun during Abu Bakr’s caliphate. According to Ibn Sa‘d, Mu‘adh was among those whom Abu Bakr consulted on important affairs, and he remained a member during ‘Umar’s caliphate. When Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan requested Qur’an teachers for Syria, ‘Umar selected five Companions who had collected the Qur’an during the Prophetic period: Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and Abu al-Darda. Three were sent to Hims, Damascus, and Palestine; Mu‘adh went to Palestine. (Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 7/132–134)

Historical reports indicate that Mu‘adh went to Syria during Abu Bakr’s caliphate to undertake important state duties. During ‘Umar’s caliphate he fought on a Syrian front and displayed exceptional courage. Through the Messenger’s education he became, at once, a mufti of the Shariah, a member of the council, a teacher of Qur’an and Hadith, a provincial governor, an envoy, a courageous commander, a victorious warrior, and a collector of zakat.

When the Romans offered a truce at Fahl in Syria, Abu ‘Ubaydah selected Mu‘adh to negotiate. The Romans had prepared a magnificent tent with golden carpets. Mu‘adh refused to enter and sat on the ground, saying that he would not sit on bedding made by depriving the poor. When asked whether there was anyone greater than him among the Muslims, he replied, “I seek Allah’s protection! I am one of the least among them.”

The Romans asked why the Muslims had attacked their country. Mu‘adh replied that they should accept Islam, pray toward the Muslim qiblah, abandon wine, and avoid pork; then they would be brothers. Otherwise they should pay jizyah, and if they refused that, war would follow. Their numbers, even if equal to the stars or grains of sand, did not frighten the Muslims. He explained that the Muslim ruler did not regard himself as superior to the people: if he committed adultery he would be flogged, and if he stole his hand would be cut off. The Romans were astonished by this teaching of Islamic justice and equality. They offered the Muslims part of their territory if they would leave for Persia, but Mu‘adh rejected the proposal. (Siyar al-Ansar, 2/169–171)

Abu ‘Ubaydah appointed him commander of the right wing. At the Battle of Yarmuk in 15 AH, he again commanded the right wing. When it became separated from the main army, Mu‘adh leapt from his horse and declared that he would fight on foot. His son took the horse and joined him. Together they penetrated the Roman ranks and fought so bravely that the scattered Muslim forces regained their position.

In 18 AH the plague of ‘Amwas spread through Syria. Abu ‘Ubaydah and many Muslim soldiers died. Before his death Abu ‘Ubaydah appointed Mu‘adh as his successor. Mu‘adh led Abu ‘Ubaydah’s funeral prayer, descended into the grave, and delivered a moving address. He then served as commander for some time. When ‘Amr ibn al-‘As advised the army to leave the area, Mu‘adh strongly opposed him, declaring that the plague was not merely a calamity but a mercy from Allah and an answer to the Prophet’s supplication. He prayed that this mercy might reach his own household.

Afterward he found his son ‘Abd al-Rahman afflicted with the disease. His son recited, “The truth is from your Lord, so never be among the doubters.” Mu‘adh replied, “You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient.” His son died, and both of his wives also died before him. Finally Mu‘adh developed a boil on the index finger of his right hand. He was pleased, saying that all the riches of the world were worthless beside it. During severe pain he would say, “O Allah, make me suffer through my pain; You know how deeply I love You.”

On the night of his death he repeatedly asked whether morning had come. When told that it had, he said, “I seek Allah’s protection from a night whose morning leads to Hell. Welcome, O death. You have come to one who is utterly destitute. O my Lord, You know how much I love You. I never desired the world and a long life for planting trees or digging canals; rather, I desired life so that I might relieve people’s thirst in extreme heat, spread generosity, and sit with scholars in gatherings of remembrance.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/162; Tahdhib al-Asma, 1/30)

Before his death he wept. When people asked why, since he was a Companion of the Messenger and a man of high rank, he replied, “I do not fear death or grieve at leaving the world. But death has two handfuls, and I do not know in which of them I shall be. This is why I weep.” His pure soul then departed. (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/378; Siyar al-Ansar, 2/174–175)

There is disagreement concerning the year of his death and his age. The most famous view is that he died at the age of thirty-eight in 18 or 19 AH at a place called Bina, between Bayt al-Maqdis and Damascus, near the Jordan River. He was buried near the place from which Allah raised ‘Isa to heaven. (Al-A‘lam, 8/166; Usud al-Ghabah, 4/378)

Mu‘adh was fair-skinned, bright-faced, tall, large-eyed, black-eyed, thick-haired, and had brilliantly white front teeth. Pearls seemed to fall from his mouth when he spoke, and his voice was very sweet. He was regarded as the jewel of the Companions in appearance. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said that Mu‘adh was the most handsome, best-charactered, and most generous of people. Abu Nu‘aym called him the finest young man of the Ansar in intelligence, modesty, and generosity. Al-Waqidi said that he was the most handsome of men. (Al-Isabah, 4/427; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/19; Usud al-Ghabah, 4/377)

He died at thirty-eight. Some historians said that he had no children, but reliable reports state that he had one son, or according to another view two sons. One was ‘Abd al-Rahman; the other’s name is unknown. ‘Abd al-Rahman fought at Yarmuk and died before his father in the plague of ‘Amwas. (Al-Isti‘ab; al-Isabah, 4/356)

Mu‘adh was an expert in Qur’an, Hadith, and jurisprudence. A report from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As states that he was one of the four Companions from whom the Messenger instructed people to learn the Qur’an. He had memorized it during the Messenger’s lifetime. The Khazraj used to say that four of their men had collected the Qur’an in the Prophetic period, and Mu‘adh was one of them. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/264; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/395)

He was extremely cautious in narrating Hadith. Because he was continually away from Madinah fulfilling important duties, the number of his narrations was comparatively small, though he continued teaching Hadith until his final moments, even while dying of the plague. He narrated 157 hadiths; two are agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, three were narrated exclusively by al-Bukhari, and one exclusively by Muslim. (Al-A‘lam, 8/166; Tahdhib al-Asma, 2/98)

Many eminent Companions narrated through him, including ‘Umar, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Umamah al-Bahili, Abu Layla al-Ansari, and Abu al-Tufayl. Among his distinguished Successor-students were Ibn ‘Adi, Ibn Abi Awfa al-Ash‘ari, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Samurah, Jabir ibn Anas, Abu Tha‘labah al-Khushani, Jabir ibn Samurah, Malik ibn Nihamir, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam, Abu Muslim al-Khawlani, ‘Abdullah ibn Sanabihi, Abu Wa’il Masruq, Junadah ibn Abi Umayyah, Abu Idris al-Khawlani, Aslam the freedman of ‘Umar, al-Aswad ibn Hilal, and al-Aswad ibn Yazid. (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/378; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/19)

Even during the Messenger’s lifetime, Mu‘adh was counted among the greatest jurists. The Messenger himself testified to this, saying, “The most knowledgeable of them concerning the lawful and unlawful is Mu‘adh ibn Jabal.” Ka‘b ibn Malik said that Mu‘adh issued fatwas in Madinah during the time of the Messenger and Abu Bakr. Ibn al-Athir stated that among the Muhajirun, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali issued fatwas, while among the Ansar, Mu‘adh, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and Zayd ibn Thabit did so.

‘Umar once said, “Had Mu‘adh not been there, ‘Umar would have perished.” This shows his ability in ijtihad and research. In a sermon at Jabiyah, ‘Umar said, “Whoever wishes to learn jurisprudence should go to Mu‘adh.” (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/20)

Mu‘adh gained this vast knowledge through natural interest, sharp intelligence, and the special care of the Messenger. He remained near him, treating every gathering as a lesson and training session. Whenever he found an opportunity, he would be alone with the Messenger and ask questions. Once he searched for him until he found him praying. After the long prayer, the Messenger told him that he had asked Allah for three things, two of which had been granted and one withheld. (Musnad, 5/240)

Before Tabuk, while the people slept on their mounts at sunrise, Mu‘adh approached the Messenger. His camel stumbled, waking the Messenger, who called him near. Mu‘adh asked permission to raise a matter that troubled him, and the Messenger told him to ask whatever he wished.

Mu‘adh’s nature was inquisitive. When a man asked the Messenger about a particular ruling and received a sufficient answer, Mu‘adh asked whether it applied only to that man or to all Muslims. The Messenger replied that it was a general ruling. (Musnad, 5/244)

Through knowledge and ijtihad he became a jurist, mujtahid, and teacher. After the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year, the Messenger left him there to teach the people jurisprudence and Sunnah. In the ninth year he sent him to Yemen, entrusting him with the education of its people as well as its other responsibilities.

When Mu‘adh was in Palestine, his teaching extended beyond it. He held study circles in Damascus, Hims, and other places. In his method, Companions would discuss an issue while he listened silently; if they could not reach a conclusion, he would give the decision. Abu Idris al-Khawlani once saw people gathered around a handsome young man in the congregational mosque of Damascus. Whenever they differed, they referred to him, and he gave satisfactory answers. He was told that the young man was Mu‘adh ibn Jabal.

Abu Muslim al-Khawlani once visited the mosque of Hims and saw thirty-two elderly Companions sitting in a circle, with one young man among them. Whenever they differed over a legal issue, the young man resolved it. He later learned that the young man was Mu‘adh ibn Jabal. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/20; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/631, 638)

It is reported from Shahr ibn Hawshab that when the Companions discussed a matter and Mu‘adh was present, they looked toward him with respect. Ibn Mas‘ud said that there were only three scholars in the world, one of them living in Syria, indicating Mu‘adh. Ibn ‘Umar used to say that the scholars—or, according to another wording, the intelligent men—were Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and Abu al-Darda. (Tabaqat, 2/350)

One of the greatest qualities of a mujtahid is reaching the correct decision. Mu‘adh possessed this quality, and the Messenger expressed satisfaction with his judgment. His answer before being sent to Yemen established the three fundamental sources of Islamic law: the Book of Allah, the Sunnah, and analogy.

In the early period, those who joined the congregational prayer late would ask by gesture how many rak‘ahs had passed. One day Mu‘adh arrived while the first sitting was in progress. Contrary to the established practice, he joined the congregation first and made up the missed rak‘ahs afterward. The Messenger approved this and said, “Mu‘adh has introduced a method for you; follow it.” (Musnad, 5/233, 246)

A pregnant woman’s husband once disappeared for two years. When she became pregnant, the people brought the matter before ‘Umar, who ordered her to be stoned. Mu‘adh said, “You may order the woman to be stoned, but who has given you the right to stone the child in her womb?” ‘Umar postponed the punishment until after childbirth. The child resembled his father exactly, and the father recognized him. ‘Umar then said, “Women will never give birth to another like Mu‘adh. Had Mu‘adh not been present, ‘Umar would have perished.”

When ‘Umar’s death approached, people asked him to appoint a successor. He said, “If Mu‘adh ibn Jabal were alive today, I would appoint him caliph. If Allah asked me why, I would say that I appointed one concerning whom the Messenger said: On the Day of Resurrection Mu‘adh will be ahead of all scholars by the distance of one or two arrows.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/378; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/19)

Abu Bakr advised Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan to heed Mu‘adh ibn Jabal and Abu ‘Ubaydah and not make decisions without consulting them. Another report states that on the Day of Resurrection all scholars will rise beneath Mu‘adh’s banner. (Shadharat, 1/30)

‘Umar once sent Mu‘adh to collect zakat from Banu Kilab and distribute it among the poor. When he returned, his wife asked what gift he had brought her, since other governors brought presents for their families. Mu‘adh replied that a watchman had always been with him. She was surprised that ‘Umar had appointed a guard over him. The conversation reached ‘Umar, who asked Mu‘adh about it. Mu‘adh explained that he had said it only to satisfy his wife. ‘Umar smiled and gave him money, saying, “Take this and make your wife happy.” (Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 7/131–132)

Mu‘adh was exceptionally generous, so generous that all his property was once sold at auction. His generosity greatly benefited Islam. ‘Umar asked his companions what they wished for. One wished for a house filled with dirhams to spend in Allah’s path; another wished for a house filled with gold. ‘Umar said, “I wish for a house full of men like Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, so that I could employ them in obedience to Allah.” He sent four hundred dinars to Abu ‘Ubaydah, who immediately distributed them among the needy. He sent another purse to Mu‘adh, who likewise distributed it. When only two dinars remained, his wife asked for something, saying that she too was poor. Mu‘adh threw the purse to her and said, “Take it.” When ‘Umar heard of their conduct, he was delighted and said, “They are brothers to one another.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/231–233)

Deep love of Allah, obedience to Him, worship, and reliance upon Him were prominent in Mu‘adh. At night he would worship Allah and raise his hands in supplication: “O Allah, all eyes are asleep, but You are Ever-Wakeful and Ever-Living. My journey toward Paradise is slow and my flight from Hell is weak. Reserve for me guidance from You that I may receive on the Day of Resurrection.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/377)

His reliance upon Allah was evident during the plague of ‘Amwas. He rejected the suggestion that the army flee, considering it contrary to tawakkul, and remained steadfast until he died in the plague.

Once ‘Umar saw Mu‘adh weeping and asked why. Mu‘adh said that he had heard the Messenger say that even the slightest ostentation is a form of shirk, and that the hidden, God-fearing servants are Allah’s most beloved. When absent they are not missed, and when present they are not recognized; they are the leaders of guidance and lamps of knowledge. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/624)

Tawus reported that when Mu‘adh visited their region, the leaders offered to build him a mosque of stone and brick. Mu‘adh replied that he feared being ordered on the Day of Resurrection to carry that mosque on his back. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/621)

He was a living example of Islamic equality and justice. He never departed from fairness, even in small matters. He had two wives and was extremely careful to treat them equally. On the day he stayed with one, he would not even perform ablution or drink a glass of water in the other’s house. Both wives died together in the plague of ‘Amwas and were buried in one grave. When the grave was opened, he drew lots to determine which would be placed first. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/612)

Mu‘adh’s love for the Messenger was profound. If he could not find him, he became anxious and went in search of him. Once, during a journey, the Messenger quietly left a gathering of Companions that included Mu‘adh. Mu‘adh waited until evening, then went with Abu Musa to look for him. Hearing the Messenger’s voice, they approached. The Messenger asked their condition, and they replied that they had become worried when they could not find him. (Musnad, 5/232)

When Mu‘adh returned from Yemen, he asked whether they could prostrate before the Messenger as they had seen people prostrate before one another in Yemen. The Messenger replied that if prostration before a human had been permitted, he would have commanded wives to prostrate before their husbands. (Musnad, 5/227)

A hypocrite named Qays ibn Mutattiyyah once insulted Salman al-Farisi, Suhayb al-Rumi, and Bilal al-Habashi. Mu‘adh seized him by the chest and neck of his garment and dragged him before the Messenger. The Messenger addressed the people on unity and solidarity. When Mu‘adh asked what should be done with the hypocrite, the Messenger said, “Leave him for Hell.” Qays later apostatized, rebelled against the Islamic state, and was killed by Muslim fighters. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/476–477)

Once the Messenger took Mu‘adh by the hand and said, “Mu‘adh, by Allah, I love you.” Mu‘adh replied that he too loved him. The Messenger taught him a supplication, which Mu‘adh recited throughout his life. (Musnad, 5/245)

In 16 AH, when ‘Umar visited Bayt al-Maqdis, Bilal and Mu‘adh were present. ‘Umar asked Bilal to give the call to prayer. Bilal had resolved never to give it after the Messenger’s death, but honored ‘Umar’s request. The sound revived memories of the Prophetic period, and Mu‘adh wept intensely.

When Mu‘awiyah was governor of Syria, Mu‘adh noticed that people were not praying Witr. Mu‘awiyah did not know why, so he asked whether Witr was obligatory. Mu‘adh replied that it was. He never hesitated to command what was right. (Musnad, 5/242)

He was truthful, and the Messenger testified to his truthfulness. Mu‘adh once narrated a hadith to Anas, who asked the Messenger whether he had said it. The Messenger replied three times, “Mu‘adh has spoken the truth.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 4/377)

As Mu‘adh’s death approached, people lamented that knowledge was departing and asked whom they should consult after his death. He asked to be raised and seated, then said, “Knowledge and faith are not things that depart. Whoever seeks them will find them.” He repeated this three times, then instructed them to learn from Abu al-Darda, Salman al-Farisi, Ibn Mas‘ud, and ‘Abdullah ibn Salam. (Musnad, 5/243)

The books of Sirah mention several occasions connected with the revelation of Qur’anic verses in which Mu‘adh participated. Once he and several prominent men of Aws and Khazraj asked some Jewish scholars about matters in the Torah. They refused to answer in order to conceal the truth, and Surat al-Baqarah 2:159 was revealed concerning the incident. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/551)

The Messenger urged the Jews of Madinah to accept Islam and warned them of the consequences of associating partners with Allah. When they persisted in rejecting him, Mu‘adh and several Companions said, “O Jewish community, fear Allah. By Allah, you know that he is the Messenger of Allah. You used to tell us this before his Prophethood and describe him to us.” Rafi‘ ibn Huraymilah and Wahb ibn Ihaza denied this, claiming that Allah had sent no book after the Torah and no further bearer of glad tidings or warning. Allah then revealed Surat al-Ma’idah 5:19 in refutation of their words. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/564)

The books of Hadith and Sirah contain many scattered reports about Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, and these accounts can make an important contribution to the consciousness of the Muslim community.

Hanzala ibn Abi ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him)

Hanzala was his name; his epithets were ‘Ghasil al-Mala’ikah’ and Taqi. He belonged to the ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf branch of the Aws tribe of Medina. His father’s name was Abu ‘Amir ‘Amr, or, according to another opinion, ‘Abd ‘Amr. His mother’s name is not known. It is known only that she was the sister of the hypocrite leader of the Khazraj, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. Little information is available about Hanzala’s birth and adolescence.

Hanzala’s father, Abu ‘Amir, was a respected and influential man of the Aws tribe. As a believer in the religion of Hanif in that Age of Ignorance, he believed in prophethood, the Divine message, the Resurrection and so forth. This religious belief led him toward ruhbaniyyah (asceticism), and he abandoned every form of worldly leadership to attain religious leadership. At one point in his life, he donned saffron robes and adopted a life of seclusion. For this reason, he became known as a rahib (ascetic). (Al-Isabah, 1/361)

Meanwhile, the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) received prophethood, migrated from Makkah to Medina, and laid the foundation of the Islamic Caliphate. As a result, the leadership of both Abu ‘Amir and ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy began to decline. ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy adopted a hypocritical (two-faced) policy and continued living in Medina. Abu ‘Amir, however, could not endure it so patiently. He left Medina for Makkah and began living there. He joined the Quraysh army in the Battle of Uhud and came to attack Medina. For this reason, the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called him a fasiq (transgressor).

After the battle, he returned to Makkah and continued living there. When Makkah was conquered by the Muslims in the eighth year after the Hijrah, the earth of Allah once again became constricted for him. He left Makkah and reached the court of the Roman Emperor Heraclius, where he died in the tenth year after the Hijrah.

This was the extreme state of Abu ‘Amir’s disbelief. On the other hand, the extreme strength of faith of his son, Hanzala, is also remarkable. After accepting Islam, he requested: “O Messenger of Allah! If you command me, I would kill my father, Abu ‘Amir.” But the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not grant his request. ‘Abdullah, the son of the hypocrite leader ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, had made a similar request concerning his father, and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had likewise restrained him.

Hanzala did not participate in the Battle of Badr. The reason is not known. However, he did participate in the Battle of Uhud. This was both the first and the last battle of his Islamic life.

He was lying at home after having been with his wife. At that moment, he heard the voice of a caller: “You must go out for jihad immediately.” Hearing the call to jihad, he forgot to perform the ghusl of taharah (purification). In that impure state, he arrived at the field of Uhud carrying an unsheathed sword. The battle began. He engaged in single combat with the Quraysh leader, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. Just as he was about to overpower him and strike him with his sword, Shaddad ibn al-Aswad al-Laythi saw this from nearby and quickly leapt upon Hanzala, severing his head from his body with a single sword blow. Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Some have said that Abu Sufyan and Shaddad killed him together. However, the author of Rawd al-Anf identified Nafi‘ ibn Abi Nu‘aym—the mawla of Ja‘wanah ibn Sha‘ub—as Hanzala’s killer. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/75, 123)

In the Battle of Badr, Abu Sufyan’s son, Hanzala, was killed by the Muslim army. Therefore, after killing this Hanzala at Uhud, he remarked: “Hanzala in place of Hanzala.”

Hanzala (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred while in a state of janabah. After his martyrdom, the angels bathed him. Seeing this, the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to the Companions, “Ask his wife what happened.” Hisham ibn ‘Urwah narrated that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked Hanzala’s wife, “What was Hanzala’s condition?” His wife replied, “Hanzala was impure. I had washed only part of his head when the call to jihad reached his ears. He left in that condition without completing his bath and was martyred.” Hearing this, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “That is why I saw the angels bathing him.” (Al-Istia‘ab, marginal notes to Al-Isabah, 1/281; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/544) It was from this event that he received the epithet ‘Ghasil al-Mala’ikah’ (the one bathed by the angels).

At the time of his death, Hanzala left behind a son named ‘Abdullah. This ‘Abdullah was born after the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) arrived in Medina, and at the time of the Messenger’s death he was only seven or eight years old. Upon reaching maturity, he proved himself a worthy successor to his father. In protest against the disgraceful acts of the Umayyad ruler Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah, he rejected the bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance) made to Yazid and pledged allegiance to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him). Yazid’s forces attacked Medina. ‘Abdullah himself, with great courage, led the people of Medina in resisting the attackers. Numerous Medinans were martyred. One after another, ‘Abdullah’s eight sons fought against Yazid’s forces and were martyred. ‘Abdullah witnessed this heart-rending scene with his own eyes. At last, he himself advanced. Wearing the bloodstained garment of his father, who had been martyred at Uhud, he threw himself upon the enemy and was martyred. This occurred in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 63 after the Hijrah.

Hanzala’s father was a fasiq. Yet the son of this fasiq father, Hanzala, was given the epithet Taqi (God-fearing). This itself proves what an elevated character he possessed. Ibn ‘Asakir narrated that when Caliph ‘Umar arranged stipends for the people, he fixed two thousand dirhams for Hanzala’s son, ‘Abdullah. Talhah took his brother’s son by the hand and brought him to the Caliph. The Caliph fixed a somewhat smaller amount for him. Talhah said, “Commander of the Believers, have you given this Ansari more than you gave my nephew?” The Caliph replied, “Yes. For at Uhud I saw his father, Hanzala, disappear beneath the swords as a camel disappears.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/218)

Once, the two Ansari tribes—the Aws and the Khazraj—were describing their pride and honor. They mentioned the names of the finest sons of their respective tribes. The Aws tribe was the first to mention the blessed name of Hanzala ibn Abi ‘Amir. It is narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that on one occasion the people of the Aws proudly said, “We have Hanzala, whom the angels bathed; ‘Asim ibn Thabit, whose body Allah protected from the hands of the polytheists through bees and hornets; Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, whose single testimony was equal to the testimony of two people; and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, at whose death the Throne of Allah shook.”

(See: Al-Isabah, 1/361; Al-Istia‘ab, marginal notes to Al-Isabah, 1/280–282; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/75, 123)

Ubayy ibn Ka‘b al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him)

His name was Ubayy; his kunyas were Abu al-Mundhir and Abu al-Tufayl. (Al-A‘lam, 1/78; Al-Isabah, 1/19) Sayyid al-Qurra and Sayyid al-Ansar were among his titles. He belonged to the Najjar branch of the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. His father was Ka‘b ibn Qays and his mother was Suhaylah. She was the daughter of Banu ‘Adi ibn al-Najjar and the paternal aunt of the renowned Companion Abu Talhah al-Ansari. Thus, Ubayy was Abu Talhah’s cousin. The Messenger of Allah himself gave Ubayy the kunya Abu al-Mundhir, while ‘Umar gave him the second kunya, Abu al-Tufayl, after his son Tufayl. The exact year and date of his birth are unknown.

Little is known about Ubayy’s early life. According to Anas ibn Malik, however, he had been addicted to drinking wine before Islam. He was an important member of Abu Talhah’s drinking circle. He was regarded as one of Madinah’s Jewish religious scholars. He possessed knowledge of the ancient revealed scriptures. Although reading and writing were uncommon in that age, he could both read and write. Therefore, after accepting Islam, he served as the Messenger of Allah’s secretary and became one of the scribes of the Qur’an. (Al-A‘lam, 1/78)

The Jews had considerable religious influence in Madinah. The knowledge Ubayy had acquired from the Torah and other religious books before Islam was essentially what drew him toward Islam. He was among the people of Madinah who went to Makkah and pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah at the final ‘Aqabah. From that point his Islamic life began. (Al-Isabah, 1/19)

After the Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah established a bond of brotherhood between Ubayy and Sa‘id ibn Zayd, one of the members of the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/505) According to al-Baladhuri, his bond of brotherhood was established with Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/271) After arriving in Madinah, the Messenger of Allah stayed as a guest at the home of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. According to one report, however, his she-camel remained at the house of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/267)

Ubayy participated in every battle fought during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, from Badr through the expedition of Ta’if. (Al-Isabah, 1/19; Al-A‘lam, 1/78) After their defeat at Badr, the Quraysh returned to Makkah and began preparing for revenge. Before the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah’s uncle, al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, who was in Makkah, secretly sent him a letter through a man from Banu Ghifar. In it he informed the Messenger of Allah of all the Quraysh’s movements. The man handed the letter to him at Quba, on the outskirts of Madinah. The Messenger of Allah had Ubayy ibn Ka‘b read the letter aloud to him there and ordered that its contents be kept secret. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/314) During the Battle of Uhud, Ubayy was wounded by an enemy arrow. The Messenger of Allah sent a physician to treat him. The physician opened a vein and cauterized the wound.

At the end of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah ordered that the wounded and dead be searched for. At one point he said, “Let one of you find out about Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘.” An Ansari Companion found him, critically wounded, among the heaps of the martyrs’ bodies. According to some reports, this Ansari Companion was Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/95)

Before the Battle of the Trench, the Quraysh leader of Makkah, Abu Sufyan, sent a letter to the Messenger of Allah through Abu Usamah al-Jushami. The Messenger of Allah also had Ubayy read that letter. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/370) Likewise, in Rajab of the second year after the Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah sent a force toward Nakhlah under the command of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh al-Asadi. At the time of departure he gave ‘Abdullah a sealed letter and said, “After travelling for two consecutive nights, open the letter, read it, and act according to its instructions.” The Messenger of Allah had this letter written by Ubayy. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/371)

When zakat became obligatory in the ninth year after the Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah appointed collectors in various regions of Arabia. He sent Ubayy to collect zakat from Bali, ‘Adhra, and Banu Sa‘d. He fulfilled this duty with exceptional piety and honesty. Once he went to a settlement to collect zakat. In accordance with the rules, a man brought all his livestock before Ubayy so that he could take whatever he wished. Ubayy selected a two-year-old camel. The zakat payer said, “What use is such a young animal? It gives no milk and is not fit for riding. If you wish to take one, take this healthy, well-fed she-camel.” Ubayy replied, “I cannot do that. I cannot do anything contrary to the Messenger of Allah’s instruction. Madinah is not very far from here. Come with me and let us inform the Messenger of Allah of the matter. We shall do whatever he says.” The man agreed and went with Ubayy to Madinah, bringing his she-camel. After hearing them, the Messenger of Allah said, “If this is what you wish, then give the she-camel; it will be accepted. May Allah reward you for it.” The man gladly gave the she-camel and returned home. (Musnad, 5/142; Kanz al-‘Ummal, 3/309; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/151)

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr assumed the caliphate. At that time the important work of collecting and compiling the Holy Qur’an began. Ubayy was the leader of the group of the Companions assigned this responsibility. He would recite the Qur’anic wording while the others wrote it down. All members of this group were eminent scholars, and therefore they would sometimes discuss and debate certain verses. When verse 127 of Surah al-Tawbah was written, the other members said that it was the last verse revealed. Ubayy said, “No. After that, the Messenger of Allah taught me two more verses. Verse 128 of Surah al-Tawbah was the last verse revealed.” (Musnad, 5/134)

After Abu Bakr’s death, ‘Umar succeeded him. During his caliphate he introduced numerous public-welfare and reform measures, one of which was the Majlis al-Shura. It consisted of prominent Muhajir and Ansari figures, and Ubayy was a member as the representative of the Khazraj. (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 3/13)

Throughout ‘Umar’s caliphate, Ubayy lived permanently in Madinah, spending most of his time studying and teaching. Whenever the Majlis al-Shura met, or an important matter arose, Caliph ‘Umar sought his reasoning and advice. During the whole of ‘Umar’s caliphate, Ubayy held the office of ifta’ and no other official position. Once he asked ‘Umar, “Why do you not appoint me governor of some place?” ‘Umar replied, “I do not want to see your religion tainted by worldly affairs.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 3/123) When ‘Umar instituted the practice of performing Tarawih in congregation, he appointed Ubayy as imam. (Bukhari, Kitab Salat al-Tarawih) ‘Umar respected him and was also wary of him; he sought his fatwas.

Ubayy accompanied Caliph ‘Umar on his journey to Bayt al-Maqdis and was present during the caliph’s historic address at Jabiyah. He wrote the treaty that ‘Umar concluded with the inhabitants of Bayt al-Maqdis. (Al-A‘lam, 1/78; Sifat al-Safwah, 1/188)

After ‘Umar, during the caliphate of ‘Uthman, differences in the recitation and pronunciation of the Qur’an spread through the various regions of the caliphate. Caliph ‘Uthman became concerned and decided to eliminate these differences. He called the leading reciters and listened separately to their recitations. He noticed some differences in the pronunciation of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, and Mu‘adh ibn Jabal. He then said, “I wish to unite all Muslims upon one pronunciation of the Qur’an.” At that time twelve men among the Quraysh and Ansar were proficient in the entire Qur’an. Caliph ‘Uthman entrusted this great task to these twelve and appointed Ubayy ibn Ka‘b as chairman of the committee. Ubayy would dictate the words and Zayd ibn Thabit would write them. The Qur’an existing throughout the world today is essentially a copy of Ubayy’s recension. (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 1/282–283)

There is considerable disagreement regarding the year of Ubayy’s death. According to the most famous view, he died on a Friday in 39 AH, during the caliphate of ‘Uthman. ‘Uthman led his funeral prayer, and he was buried in Madinah. Haytham ibn ‘Adi and others say that he died in Madinah in 19 AH, while al-Waqidi, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, and others place his death in 22 AH. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/17; Shadharat al-Dhahab, 1/31) However, various reports indicate that he participated in several activities during ‘Uthman’s caliphate. Therefore, the view that he died in 39 AH appears to be correct.

The exact number of his children is unknown. The children whose names are known are: 1. Tufayl, 2. Muhammad, 3. Rabi‘, and 4. Umm ‘Umar. The first two were born during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah. His wife’s kunya was Umm Tufayl. She was a female Companion, and her name appears among the women Companions who narrated hadith.

Ubayy was of medium height and slender build. His complexion was bright and fair. In old age his hair became white, but he did not use dye. (Al-Isabah, 1/19; Al-A‘lam, 1/78; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/17) He was somewhat refined in his habits. At home he sat on cushions, had a mirror fixed to the wall, and regularly combed his hair facing it. He was somewhat stern by nature and generally became angry whenever he heard anything contrary to his temperament. ‘Umar had a similar disposition, so the two sometimes quarrelled. Numerous such quarrels are mentioned in the reports.

Once Ubay taught a man a verse. ‘Umar heard the man recite it and asked him from whom he had learned it. When the man named Ubayy, ‘Umar took him to Ubayy’s house and asked about the verse. Ubayy said, “I learned it exactly this way from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah.” ‘Umar asked again, “Did you learn it from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah?” Ubayy replied, “Yes.” When ‘Umar repeated the question, Ubayy became angry and said, “By Allah! Allah revealed this verse through Jibril into the heart of Muhammad. He did not consider it necessary to consult al-Khattab or his son about it.” Hearing this, ‘Umar placed his hands over his ears and left the house reciting the takbir. (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 1/287)

It is narrated from al-Hasan that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab disagreed with Ubayy’s recitation of a verse. Ubayy said to him, “While you were occupied with buying and selling in the market of Baqi‘, I heard this verse from the Messenger of Allah.” ‘Umar said, “You have spoken the truth. I only wished to test who was truthful.” In another report, when Ubayy recited verse 107 of Surah al-Ma’idah, ‘Umar said, “You are lying.” Ubayy replied, “You are a greater liar.” Someone said, “You have called the Commander of the Believers a liar?” Ubayy answered, “I honour the Commander of the Believers more than you do, but I called him a liar regarding the affirmation of the Book of Allah; that is, I did not accept him as truthful in denying the Book of Allah.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 1/285; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/74)

Once Abu al-Darda brought a large group of Syrians to Madinah to teach them the Qur’an. They studied with Ubayy. One day one of them recited before ‘Umar, who corrected him. The man said, “Ubayy taught me this way.” ‘Umar sent a man with him and said, “Go and bring Ubayy.” They found Ubayy feeding his camel. They told him that the Commander of the Believers had summoned him. He asked why, and when they explained, he became extremely angry, saying, “Will you not stop?” He rushed to ‘Umar carrying the camel’s fodder in his hand. ‘Umar heard the verse from him and from Zayd ibn Thabit; their recitations differed somewhat, and ‘Umar supported Zayd’s recitation. Ubayy became angry and said, “By Allah, O ‘Umar! You know well that when I was inside with the Messenger of Allah, you were standing outside. Yet today you treat me in this way. By Allah, if you wish, I shall remain at home, speak to no one for the rest of my life, and teach no one the Qur’an.” ‘Umar said, “Do not do that. Continue teaching eagerly the knowledge Allah has given you.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 1/285)

Ubayy was naturally independent-minded and possessed a strong sense of honour. Once Ibn ‘Abbas was walking through a street of Madinah reciting the Qur’an when he heard someone calling him from behind. Turning, he saw ‘Umar. ‘Umar told him, “Take my servant with you, go to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and ask him whether he recited such-and-such a verse in this way.” Ibn ‘Abbas reached Ubayy’s home, and ‘Umar arrived immediately afterward. They entered with permission. Ubayy was arranging his hair while facing the wall. ‘Umar was seated on a cushion, while Ubayy sat with his back toward him and did not turn around. After a while he said, “Commander of the Believers, welcome! Have you come to meet me, or for some other need?” ‘Umar said he had come on a matter, then recited a verse and said, “Its pronunciation is very difficult.” Ubayy replied, “I learned the Qur’an from the one who learned it from Jibril. This is very easy and gentle.” ‘Umar said, “I am not satisfied.”

During ‘Umar’s caliphate, a dispute arose between the caliph and Ubayy over a garden. Weeping, Ubayy complained, “Is this how you act during your caliphate?” ‘Umar replied, “I did not wish this. You may seek judgment from any Muslim you choose; I have no objection.” Ubayy chose Zayd ibn Thabit as judge, and ‘Umar agreed. On the day fixed for the hearing, the Caliph of the Muslims appeared before the court. He denied Ubayy’s claim and said to him, “You have forgotten; think and try to remember.” Ubayy said, “I cannot remember anything now.” ‘Umar then explained the whole matter. Zayd asked Ubayy whether he had proof. Ubayy said no. Zayd said, “Then I have no objection to your asking the Commander of the Believers to swear an oath.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 3/181–184; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/94)

Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said that so-and-so had intercourse with his father’s wife, his stepmother. Ubayy was present and exclaimed, “I would have struck off the neck of such a man.” The Messenger of Allah smiled gently and said, “How honour-conscious Ubayy is! But I possess even more honour-consciousness than he, and Allah possesses more honour-consciousness than I.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/638)

Every moment of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b’s blessed life was devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. While the Ansar and Muhajirun of Madinah were deeply occupied with trade and agriculture, Ubayy spent his time in the Prophet’s Mosque studying and teaching the various branches of Qur’anic and hadith knowledge. Among the Ansar there was no scholar greater than him. His superiority among the Muhajirun and Ansar in understanding the Qur’an, memorization, and recitation was universally acknowledged. The Messenger of Allah himself would sometimes listen to him recite the Qur’an.

Besides Islamic knowledge, he was equally proficient in the ancient revealed scriptures. He was a scholar of the Torah and Gospel and an expert on the prophecies and glad tidings concerning the Messenger of Allah found in earlier scriptures. Because of this learning, ‘Umar al-Faruq held him in great awe and respect and would himself visit his home at various times to obtain solutions to legal questions.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas was known as Hibr al-Ummah because of his profound knowledge and extraordinary intellect in Islamic history. He too considered it an honour to attend Ubayy’s study circle. This distinction and rank resulted from the knowledge he had acquired from the Prophet. He had gained so much knowledge from him that he had no need to go to anyone else for knowledge. Among the Companions, no one equalled him except Abu Bakr.

Ubayy was proficient in various sciences. In particular, he was an imam and mujtahid in Qur’an, tafsir, the occasions of revelation, abrogating and abrogated verses, hadith, and fiqh. He reflected on the Qur’an with the outlook of a mujtahid and researcher. One day the Messenger of Allah asked him, “Which is the greatest verse of the Qur’an?” He replied, “Ayat al-Kursi.” The Messenger of Allah was delighted and said, “May this knowledge bring you happiness, O Ubayy.”

This incident shows how deeply he reflected upon Qur’anic verses. Once a man asked Ubayy to give him some advice. He said, “Take the Qur’an as your guide, accept its commands, prohibitions, and judgments. The Messenger of Allah has left this for you. It contains the account of you and those before you, and everything that will occur after you.” (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/17; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/518)

By this statement Ubayy essentially expressed the following points: 1. The Qur’an is Islam’s complete code of life. 2. The Qur’an is the finest way of life for Muslims. 3. All its stories and accounts contain instruction and admonition. 4. It contains a general discussion of all nations and peoples. Anyone who views the Qur’an in this way can easily understand how broad, deep, and subtle his knowledge must be.

From the time he accepted Islam, Ubayy developed an extraordinary attachment to the Qur’an. After the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he was the first to attain the honour of writing revelation. (Al-Isabah, 1/17) From then onward he began memorizing the Qur’an. Whenever a portion was revealed, he memorized it. In this way he completed memorizing the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah. Among the five Ansaris who memorized the whole Qur’an during his lifetime, Ubayy held the highest position. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/195) The people of the Khazraj proudly said, “No one except four men of our tribe collected the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah; one of them was Ubayy ibn Ka‘b.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/395)

Ubayy memorized every letter of the Holy Qur’an after hearing it from the sacred mouth of the Messenger of Allah. Seeing his intense eagerness, the Messenger of Allah paid special attention to teaching him. Because of their boundless respect and fear of the Messenger of Allah, many eminent Companions refrained from asking him questions; Ubayy, however, asked freely whatever he wished. Because of this eagerness, the Messenger of Allah would sometimes tell him things before he even asked. Once he said, “I shall tell you of a surah the like of which is found neither in the Torah nor the Gospel, and there is no second like it even in the Qur’an.” Then he changed the subject. Ubayy thought he would name it, but instead the Prophet rose to go home. Ubayy followed him. Eventually the Prophet held Ubayy’s hand and continued speaking until they reached the door of the house. Ubayy then requested the name of the surah, and the Prophet told him. (Musnad, 5/114)

Once the Messenger of Allah led the dawn prayer and inadvertently omitted a verse. Ubayy joined the prayer midway. After the prayer the Messenger of Allah asked, “Was anyone among you attentive to my recitation?” No one answered. He asked again, “Is Ubayy ibn Ka‘b present?” Ubayy had by then completed the remainder of his prayer and said, “You did not recite such-and-such a verse. Has it been abrogated, or did you forget to recite it?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “It has not been abrogated; I forgot to recite it. I knew that no one besides you might notice it.” (Musnad, 5/123, 144)

This incident makes clear that when something was not understandable to Ubayy, he did not remain silent like the other Companions. Rather, he discussed it with the Messenger of Allah and did not leave until he understood it. Once, in the Prophet’s Mosque, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud recited a verse. Since he belonged to the Hudhayl tribe, his pronunciation differed slightly. After hearing him, Ubayy asked, “From whom did you learn this verse? I learned it from the Messenger of Allah in this way.” Ibn Mas‘ud replied, “The Messenger of Allah taught it to me as well.” Ubayy said that doubts began to pass through his heart. He took Ibn Mas‘ud to the Messenger of Allah and said, “O Messenger of Allah, a difference has appeared between my recitation and his.” The Messenger of Allah heard Ubayy’s recitation and said, “You have recited correctly.” He then heard Ibn Mas‘ud and said, “You too have recited correctly.” Ubayy gestured with his hand and said, “O Messenger of Allah, how can both recitations be correct?” By then Ubayy was drenched in sweat. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah placed his hand on Ubayy’s chest and said, “O Allah, remove Ubayy’s doubt.” Through the touch of that blessed hand, complete conviction entered his heart.

Ubayy was an expert in the science of qira’at. He was so proficient in it that the Messenger of Allah himself praised him. The Messenger of Allah personally designated the special merits of certain Companions, and Ubayy was one of those great men. He said of him, “Aqra’uhum Ubayy”—“The best reciter among them is Ubayy.” (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/16) Masruq narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Learn the Qur’an from four people: Ibn Mas‘ud, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, and Salim, the freedman of Abu Hudhayfah.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/264)

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, ‘Umar repeatedly reminded people of these statements concerning Ubayy. Once he stood on the pulpit of the Prophet’s Mosque and said, “Ubayy is the greatest reciter.” During his historic speech at Jabiyah on the journey to Syria, he again said, “If any of you wishes to learn the Qur’an, let him go to Ubayy.” (Musnad, 5/123; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/201) ‘Umar called him Sayyid al-Muslimin. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/519; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/17; Al-Isabah, 1/19)

The Messenger of Allah himself would recite the Qur’an to Ubayy. In the year of his death he also recited the Qur’an to him and said that Jibril had instructed him to recite it to Ubayy. Whenever a verse or surah was revealed, the Messenger of Allah recited it to Ubayy and made him memorize it. When Surah al-Bayyinah was revealed, he called Ubayy and said, “Allah has commanded me to teach you the Qur’an.” Ubayy wept from overwhelming joy. (Al-Isabah, 1/19) One of his students, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Abza, learned of this incident and asked him, “Abu al-Mundhir, surely you felt great delight and happiness at that time?” Ubayy replied, “Why should I not?” Then he recited verse 58 of Surah Yunus. (Musnad, 4/113) Because of his mastery of qira’at, a particular recitation became associated with his name and was known as the “Qira’at of Ubayy.” It was especially widespread among the people of Damascus.

During Ubayy’s lifetime, his recitation should have been widely accepted throughout the Muslim world, but this did not happen because his reading contained many abrogated verses. For this reason, although ‘Umar loudly acknowledged his rank, he often disagreed with Ubayy regarding Qur’anic recitation. He repeatedly said, “Ubayy knows the Qur’an better than any of us. Even so, in certain matters we have had to disagree with him. He claims that he learned everything from the Messenger of Allah, and his claim is certainly true. But when many verses have been abrogated and he does not know of their abrogation, how can we adhere firmly to his recitation?” (Musnad, 5/113)

Later, however, this was corrected. When the Qur’an was compiled during ‘Uthman’s caliphate, care was taken regarding abrogated verses. Ubayy’s recitation then gained universal acceptance and was adopted throughout the Muslim caliphate. (See Siyar al-Ansar, 1/162–163)

At his death, Ubayy left two qualified successors in the science of qira’at who became universally respected figures: Abu Hurayrah and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. Later, among the famous seven reciters, the chain of Nafi‘ ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Madani reaches Ubayy ibn Ka‘b through ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas.

In that age Ubayy’s Madrasa al-Qira’ah became a central educational institution. Students from Arabia, Rome, Syria, and various regions of the Islamic caliphate came to Madinah to learn qira’at there. Many eminent Companions brought keen students from distant lands and enrolled them in Ubayy’s school. During his caliphate, ‘Umar sent Abu al-Darda al-Ansari to Syria to teach people the Qur’an. Abu al-Darda was one of the five distinguished men who memorized the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah; nevertheless, he could not free himself from reliance upon Ubayy’s recitation. Once, during ‘Umar’s caliphate, he came to Madinah with a group of Syrians and studied the Qur’an with Ubayy along with them.

Although Ubayy was highly devoted to teaching students, he had a somewhat fierce temperament. His patience quickly turned to anger, and students were afraid to ask questions lest he become angry. Zur ibn Ja‘aysh, a student of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud who also had the honour of studying with Ubayy, once wished to ask him a question but lacked the courage. Eventually he began, “Please look upon me with a little kindness. I wish to acquire knowledge from you.” Ubayy said, “Hmm—perhaps you wish that no verse of the Qur’an should remain unasked about.” For this reason his gatherings were free of meaningless questions. He would not answer hypothetical problems, but instead expressed displeasure. When his student, the famous tabi‘i Masruq, once asked such a question, he said, “Does such a thing even exist?” Masruq said no. Ubayy replied, “Then wait. When such a situation occurs, you may undertake the exertion of ijtihad.” He was pleased, however, when questions were reasonable.

Jundub ibn ‘Abdullah al-Bajali said: “I went to Madinah seeking knowledge. At the Messenger of Allah’s Mosque I saw people sitting in circles at various places, discussing matters. I approached one circle and saw in its centre a sorrowful man wearing two garments, apparently just returned from a journey. I heard him say, ‘The rulers in power have been destroyed. I have no sympathy for them.’ I sat down. After speaking for a while he left. I asked people who he was, and they said, ‘He is Sayyid al-Muslimin, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b.’ I followed him to his house. It was extremely simple and dilapidated; he seemed like an ascetic indifferent to worldly comforts. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting and asked where I had come from. I said, ‘Iraq.’ He replied, ‘People ask me too many questions.’ I felt somewhat hurt. Without prolonging the conversation, I went toward my mount, raising my hands and saying, ‘O Allah, I complain to You. We spend money, endure physical hardship, and ride our mounts to visit scholars seeking knowledge, yet he treats us harshly.’ Hearing me, Ubayy wept and tried to please me. He said, ‘If you allow me until Friday, I shall tell you something I heard from the Messenger of Allah, and I shall not care about anyone’s criticism.’ I returned and waited for Friday. On Thursday I went out for a need and found all the streets of Madinah crowded. I asked what had happened. The people, astonished, said, ‘You seem to be a foreigner.’ I said yes. They said, ‘Sayyid al-Muslimin, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, has died.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/206)

Ubayy’s way of life was very simple but dignified. Both inside and outside his home he sat on a cushion, while the students sat in ordinary rows. When he came to or left the gathering, the students would stand upright out of respect. This custom was entirely new in that age. Once Sulaym ibn Hanzalah came to Ubayy to ask about a legal matter. When Ubayy rose, the students began following behind him. Seeing this, ‘Umar expressed strong displeasure and said, “This is a trial for you and humiliation for them.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 8/61; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/698)

In his early life he accepted gifts from students. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, he once taught the Qur’an to Tufayl ibn ‘Amr al-Dawsi, who gave him a bow as a gift. Ubayy hung it over his shoulder and went to the Messenger of Allah, who asked, “Where did you get this?” He replied, “It was a student’s gift.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Return it to him, and in future keep away from such gifts.” On another occasion a student gave him clothing, and the same thing happened. For this reason he later accepted no gifts at all. When people from Syria came to learn the Qur’an from him, they also had the scribes of Madinah write the Qur’an for them and fed the scribes in return. Ubayy never touched any of their food. Once ‘Umar asked him how the Syrians’ food was. He replied, “I do not eat their food.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/241)

While teaching qira’at, he insisted on the correct pronunciation of every letter. This caused little difficulty for the people of Madinah and its surroundings, but he faced serious problems with desert Bedouins and foreigners who did not know the correct pronunciation of Arabic sounds. He solved these problems with great patience. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah he taught the Qur’an to an Iranian. When he reached verse 43 of Surah al-Dukhan—“Indeed, the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinful”—the man mispronounced ‘athim. Ubayy pronounced it ‘athim, while the man said yatim. One day, while Ubayy was drilling the pronunciation, the Messenger of Allah passed by. Seeing Ubayy’s anxiety, he came to help. He first told the Iranian, “Say ta‘am al-zalim.” The man pronounced it clearly. He then told Ubayy, “First correct his tongue and teach him the pronunciation of the sounds. May Allah reward you.”

Ubayy would write down at home whatever portion of the Qur’an he read before the Messenger of Allah. In the history of qira’at, this Qur’an became famous as the ‘Mushaf of Ubayy.’ It remained until the caliphate of ‘Uthman and was renowned far and wide. After Ubayy’s death, his son Muhammad lived in Madinah. Once some people from Iraq came to him and said, “We have come to see your father’s noble mushaf.” He replied, “It is not with us; Caliph ‘Uthman took it.”

Ubayy was one of the Companions who interpreted the Qur’an. A large portion of the science of tafsir was transmitted from him. Imam Abu Ja‘far al-Razi was among its transmitters, and the chain reached Ubayy through only three intermediaries. He had many students in this field, whose reports are scattered throughout the books of tafsir. Most of them reached us through Abu al-‘Aliyah, whose student was Rabi‘ ibn Anas. The chain of Imam al-Tirmidhi reaches Rabi‘. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted many of Ubayy’s tafsir reports; al-Hakim included some in his Mustadrak, and Imam Ahmad compiled some in his Musnad.

There are two kinds of reports from Ubayy in tafsir: first, the questions he asked the Messenger of Allah and the answers the Messenger gave; second, interpretations attributed directly to Ubayy. Since the first kind was narrated from the Messenger of Allah, it rises to the level of faith and certainty. The second consists of Ubayy’s opinions and judgments. Some follow the method of interpreting the Qur’an through the Qur’an; some reflect contemporary ideas and beliefs; some show the influence of Jewish reports; and in other cases he rose above all these and expressed his own opinion as a mujtahid. This is essentially his greatest contribution to tafsir. Many reports concerning the occasions of revelation are also transmitted from him and are scattered among the tafsir works.

Ubayy ibn Ka‘b was among the Companions recognized as experts in hadith. ‘Allamah al-Dhahabi said, “Ubayy was one of those who heard a vast amount of hadith directly from the Messenger of Allah.” (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/16) Therefore, even eminent Companions who had their own study circles considered it an honour to attend Ubayy’s circle. His circle consequently attracted more Companions than tabi‘un. Eminent Companions such as ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari, Anas ibn Malik, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, Sahl ibn Sa‘d, and Sulayman ibn Surad considered it an honour to sit in Ubayy’s lessons. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/17) His lessons had fixed times, but his store of knowledge was always open to everyone. Whenever he came to the Prophet’s Mosque for prayer, he did not disappoint anyone who wished to ask something.

Qays ibn ‘Ubad came to Madinah to meet the Companions. He described his experience: “I found no scholar in Madinah greater than Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. When prayer time came, people gathered, including ‘Umar. Ubayy felt the need to teach the people about a matter. After the prayer he stood and conveyed a hadith of the Messenger of Allah to the assembled people. They listened silently, with great eagerness and emotion.” Qays remained impressed throughout his life by the honour and respect accorded to Ubayy.

Ubayy was extremely discerning and cautious in narrating hadith. Although he spent a large part of his life in the company of the Messenger of Allah, he did not narrate a great many hadith. Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim narrated 164 hadith from him. (Al-A‘lam, 1/78)

Among the Companions who possessed the ability of ijtihad and deduction, Ubayy was one of the foremost. He was entrusted with issuing fatwas during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah. During Abu Bakr’s caliphate he was counted among the jurists whose decisions were sought. Ibn Sa‘d narrates that when Abu Bakr faced a difficult problem, he consulted thoughtful and decisive figures among the Muhajirun and Ansar; Ubayy ibn Ka‘b was one of them. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/45) He continued in this position during the caliphates of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman. Ibn Sa‘d narrated from Sahl ibn Abi Khaythamah that during the time of the Messenger of Allah, three Muhajirun and three Ansar issued fatwas: ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Ubayy, Mu‘adh, and Zayd ibn Thabit. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/254)

People from various parts of the Muslim world sought his fatwas on many matters, including eminent Companions. Sumrah ibn Jundub was a highly distinguished Companion. He delayed slightly after the takbir and recitation in prayer, and people objected. He wrote to Ubayy, asking him to inform him of the correct ruling, saying he had forgotten it. Ubayy sent a brief reply: “Your practice conforms to the Shari‘ah; those who object are mistaken.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 4/251)

His method of ijtihad was first to reflect deeply on the relevant Qur’anic verse, then search for a hadith concerning the matter. If he found nothing in the Qur’an or hadith, he reached a decision through analogy or inference.

A woman once came to ‘Umar and said that her husband had died while she was pregnant and that she had now given birth, but her waiting period had not yet been completed. She asked the caliph’s opinion. ‘Umar said she must wait until the prescribed period ended. She then went to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and told him what had happened. Ubayy said, “Return to ‘Umar and tell him that Ubayy says your waiting period has ended and you are lawful. If he asks where I am, tell him I am sitting here and that he may come and take me.” The woman returned to ‘Umar, who summoned Ubayy. When he arrived, ‘Umar asked how he had reached that conclusion and where he had found it. Ubayy replied, “In the Qur’an,” and recited verse 4 of Surah al-Talaq: “For those who are pregnant, their term is until they deliver what they carry.” He then said that a pregnant widow was included in this ruling and that he had also heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah concerning it. ‘Umar told the woman, “Follow Ubayy’s opinion.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 5/166)

The house of the Messenger of Allah’s uncle, al-‘Abbas, adjoined the Prophet’s Mosque. When ‘Umar decided to expand the mosque, he told al-‘Abbas, “The mosque must be enlarged; sell your house.” Al-‘Abbas refused. ‘Umar said, “Then donate it to the mosque.” He refused this as well. ‘Umar said, “Then expand the mosque yourself and include your house within it.” Al-‘Abbas still refused. ‘Umar said that he must accept one of the three proposals. Eventually both accepted Ubayy ibn Ka‘b as arbitrator. Ubayy asked ‘Umar, “Where did you obtain the right to take someone’s property against his will?” ‘Umar asked whether this ruling was found in the Qur’an or hadith. Ubayy said, “In hadith,” and related that Sulayman built the wall of Bayt al-Maqdis, part of which was built on another person’s land and collapsed. Revelation then came to Sulayman instructing him to rebuild it only with the owner’s permission. Hearing this, ‘Umar fell silent. Afterward al-‘Abbas voluntarily donated his house to the mosque. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/94–95)

During an expedition with Suwayd ibn Ghafalah, Zayd ibn Sujan, and Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ah, they found a whip at a place called ‘Ujayb. His two companions told him to leave it, but he did not. Some time later Suwayd travelled for Hajj, stopped in Madinah, and visited Ubayy, telling him about the whip. Ubayy said, “Something similar happened once in my life. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah I found one hundred dinars on the road. He instructed me to announce it for one year. After a year he told me to remember carefully the amount of the dinars and the condition of the purse and wait another year. If anyone came with proof, I should give it to him; otherwise I would become its owner.”

Once ‘Umar expressed his intention to prohibit people from performing tamattu‘ Hajj. Ubayy told him, “You have no authority to issue such a prohibition.”

Ubayy advocated reciting the Qur’an behind the imam. His practice was to recite behind the imam in the obligatory Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers. ‘Abdullah ibn Hujayl once asked whether he recited behind the imam. He replied, “Yes.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 4/254) He acted upon the apparent meaning of verse 204 of Surah al-A‘raf: “When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent.” In Zuhr and ‘Asr, when the imam recites quietly, there is no question of listening. Thus, according to him, where the imam recites aloud the follower should listen silently, and where the imam recites quietly the follower should recite as well.

Once a man was making a commotion in the mosque about a lost object. Ubayy became angry. The man said, “I am not saying anything obscene.” Ubayy replied, “Even if it is not obscene, it is contrary to the etiquette of the mosque.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 4/250)

On another occasion the Messenger of Allah delivered the Friday sermon and recited from Surah Bara’ah. Abu al-Darda and Abu Dharr did not know this surah. During the sermon they gestured to Ubayy, asking when it had been revealed, since they did not know it. Ubayy gestured for them to remain silent. After the prayer, as the three were leaving, the other two asked why he had not answered them. Ubayy said, “Today your prayer has been spoiled, and for a pointless reason.” They went to the Messenger of Allah and told him what Ubayy had said. He replied, “He has spoken the truth.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 4/255)

Regarding the punishment for adultery, Ubayy said that there were three rulings for three kinds of people. Some deserved both lashes and stoning; some deserved only stoning; and some deserved only lashes. An old man who committed adultery despite having a wife was to receive both punishments. A young man who committed adultery despite having a wife was to be stoned only. A young man without a wife who committed adultery was to be lashed only.

Most scholars agree that nabidh, a drink made from dates, is lawful. But when Ubayy was asked about it, he said, “What have you seen in nabidh? Drink water, sattu, milk, and so forth.” The questioner said, “It seems that you do not approve of drinking nabidh.” He replied, “How could I approve of drinking wine?” A careful study of Ubayy’s opinions on such legal matters clearly reveals his lofty rank among the jurist Companions.

Ubayy could read and write. For this reason he wrote most of the verses of revelation. After the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he was the first to attain the honour of writing revelation. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/531) In that age it was not customary to write the scribe’s name at the end of a document or Qur’anic text. Ubayy was the first to introduce this practice, and others later followed him.

Ubayy was distinguished by qualities such as avoiding every innovation and possessing the courage to proclaim the truth. His intense enthusiasm for worship brought spiritual development to its highest degree within him. While people lay comfortably in their beds at night, he would remain humbly engaged in Allah’s worship in a corner of his house, the words of Allah flowing from his tongue and tears flowing from his eyes. He would complete the Qur’an in three nights. Part of the night was spent sending blessings and salutations.

His love for the Messenger of Allah was so intense that he kept a piece of the pillar known as Ustuwanah al-Hannanah in his house as a blessing; it remained there until termites consumed it completely.

He avoided all innovations so strictly that he considered it very wrong to say or do anything that had not been said or done during the sacred lifetime of the Messenger of Allah. During ‘Umar’s caliphate, ‘Umar came to the Prophet’s Mosque one day and saw people praying Tarawih separately. He wished to gather them into one congregation and said to Ubayy, “I wish to appoint you imam; you will lead the Tarawih prayer.” Ubayy said, “How can I do now what I did not do before?” ‘Umar replied, “I know that, but this is not an evil deed.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 4/248; Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/149)

Once a man asked the Messenger of Allah, “O Messenger of Allah, sometimes we fall ill or suffer various hardships; is there a reward in that?” The Messenger of Allah said, “It becomes an expiation for sins.” Ubayy was present and asked, “Do even small afflictions expiate sins?” He replied, “Even a thorn that pricks one is an expiation.” In a surge of faith, Ubayy exclaimed, “Ah! If only fever remained in my body constantly, while I still remained able to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah, go for jihad, and pray in congregation.” Allah accepted this supplication. From then until the end of his life, he constantly suffered from fever. (Kanz al-‘Ummal, 2/153; Al-Isabah, 1/20; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/502–503)

He constantly wept out of fear of Allah and fear of the Last Day. He became deeply frightened while reciting the Qur’an, especially when reciting verse 65 of Surah al-An‘am and the verses concerning punishment that followed it. (Rijal Hawl al-Rasul, 498)

When the boundaries of the Islamic caliphate expanded and ordinary Muslims began excessively flattering the governors and rulers of different regions, he would say, “By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, they have perished; they have perished. They have destroyed others, and I feel no sorrow for them. My sorrow is for those whom they have ruined.” (Rijal Hawl al-Rasul, 498)

Ubayy said, “The believer has four qualities: 1. He remains patient in adversity. 2. When he receives something, he thanks Allah. 3. When he speaks, he speaks the truth. 4. When he judges, he judges with justice.” He also said, “The believer’s life unfolds among five lights: 1. His speech is light. 2. His knowledge is light. 3. In the grave he will remain in light. 4. He will rise from the grave in light. 5. On the Day of Resurrection his final journey will be toward light. In contrast, the life of an unbeliever unfolds among five darknesses: 1. His speech is darkness. 2. His deeds are darkness. 3. His grave is darkness. 4. He will rise from the grave in darkness. 5. On the Day of Resurrection his final journey will be toward darkness.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/518)

Various books relate an incident involving Ubayy and a jinn. Ubayy had a courtyard where dates were spread out to dry, and he would sometimes go there. One night he noticed that some dates were missing and kept watch. Suddenly he saw in the darkness a creature resembling a young man. He greeted it, and it returned the greeting. He asked who it was. It replied, “A jinn.” He said, “Give me your hand.” It extended its hand. When he held it, it seemed to him like a dog’s hand, with hair like a dog’s. He said, “Are creatures really formed like this? I thought they were stronger.” He then asked why it had done what it did. It replied, “We learned that you love giving charity, so we wished to take some of these dates.” Ubayy asked what would protect people from them. It replied, “Ayat al-Kursi from Surah al-Baqarah. Whoever recites it in the evening and sleeps will remain safe until morning, and whoever recites it in the morning will remain safe until evening.” The next morning Ubayy went to the Messenger of Allah and related what had happened. After hearing everything, the Messenger of Allah said, “That wicked one has spoken the truth.” The incident is recorded by al-Nasa’i, al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, and others. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/290)

Anas narrated that Ubayy ibn Ka‘b once vowed, “Today I shall perform a prayer in the mosque and praise Allah in a manner in which no one else has ever praised Him.” He went to the mosque, prayed, and had just sat down to praise Allah when he heard someone loudly reciting praise from behind him. He informed the Messenger of Allah, who said, “The one who recited that praise was Jibril.” (See Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/541)

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: Once ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab told us to set out somewhere. We travelled, and at one point Ubayy and I fell slightly behind the caravan. A small cloud appeared in the sky. Ubayy supplicated, “O Allah, keep the harm of this cloud away from us.” We were spared the cloud’s harm. When we rejoined the caravan, ‘Umar asked, “Did you also suffer as we did?” I replied, “Abu al-Mundhir, Ubayy, supplicated to Allah to spare us the harm of the cloud.” ‘Umar said, “Why did you not make a supplication for us as well?” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/658)

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)

Anas ibn Malik was a famous Companion, a servant of the Messenger, an imam, mufti, teacher of the Qur’an, hadith scholar, renowned narrator, and an Ansari, Khazraji, and Madani. His kunyahs were Abu Sumamah and Abu Hamzah. Khadim Rasulillah was his title. (Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, 3/402; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44) Anas said: “I used to pick a kind of vegetable called hamzah. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ affectionately called me, ‘O Abu Hamzah.’ From that day it became my kunyah or nickname.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/141)

He was born in 612 CE, ten years before the Hijrah, in the Banu Najjar branch of the famous Khazraj tribe of Yathrib. (Al-Isabah, 1/71; Al-A‘lam, 1/365) This tribe was the most honored among the Ansar. Anas’s father was Malik ibn Nadr, and his mother was Umm Sulaym Sahla bint Milhan al-Ansariyyah. Umm Sulaym was related to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as his maternal aunt. The lineage of Anas’s mother met the lineage of the Prophet’s grandfather ‘Abd al-Muttalib through Salma bint ‘Amr, the mother of ‘Abd al-Muttalib, at ‘Amir ibn Ghanam. (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/127; Asahh al-Siyab, 606)

There is disagreement concerning Umm Sulaym’s original name. Among the names mentioned are Sahla, Rumayla, Rumaysa, Sulaykah, and al-Fayda. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/340)

Anas’s paternal uncle, Anas ibn Nadr, was martyred at the Battle of Uhud. The unbelievers mutilated his body, cutting it severely. Eighty wounds were found on his body. No one except one of his sisters could identify the corpse. Anas said: “I was named after this uncle of mine, Anas.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/83; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/504–505) His maternal uncle, Haram ibn Milhan, was martyred in the tragic incident of Bi’r Ma‘unah. (Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, 3/402)

When Anas was eight or nine years old, his mother accepted Islam. Because of this, his father, filled with anger and hatred, went to Syria and died there in disbelief. His mother married Abu Talhah for the second time. Abu Talhah was a wealthy man of the Khazraj tribe. His mother took the young Anas with her to Abu Talhah’s house, where he was raised.

Anas narrated the circumstances of his mother’s marriage to Abu Talhah. When Abu Talhah proposed to Umm Sulaym, he had not yet accepted Islam. Umm Sulaym said: “Abu Talhah, do you not know that the deity you worship is made of earth?” He replied: “Yes, I know that.” She further said: “Are you not ashamed to worship a tree? If you accept Islam, I have no objection to marrying you, and I will not ask you for any dowry.” Abu Talhah rose, saying, “I will consider the matter.” He later returned and declared: “I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Umm Sulaym then called her son Anas and said: “Anas, arrange the marriage.” Anas married his mother to Abu Talhah. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/195–196)

Before wine was prohibited, gatherings for drinking wine were held in Abu Talhah’s house. The young Anas served the drink at those gatherings and himself became accustomed to drinking wine. There was no one to prevent the boy from drinking. (Musnad, 3/181)

When Anas was eight or nine years old, Islam began to be preached in Madinah. The Banu Najjar were among the earliest to accept Islam, and most members of that family embraced Islam before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Madinah. Anas’s mother, Umm Sulaym, accepted Islam even before the Third Pledge of al-‘Aqabah. As stated earlier, after Umm Sulaym accepted Islam, her husband—the father of Anas—abandoned his wife and child and went to Syria. Umm Sulaym, now separated from her husband, agreed to marry Abu Talhah on the condition that he too accept Islam. Through Umm Sulaym’s efforts, Abu Talhah accepted Islam, went to Makkah, participated in the Third ‘Aqabah, and gained the honor of pledging allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Thus Anas’s home became illuminated with the light of faith. His blessed mother, Umm Sulaym, was a beacon of Islam, while her husband was a devoted worker for the religion. Anas grew up in such a refuge.

When Anas was ten years old, the Noble Messenger ﷺ came to Madinah. Although Anas was young, he was extremely enthusiastic. When the Messenger ﷺ was traveling from Quba toward Madinah, Anas stood beside the road with other boys and girls of his age and sang welcome songs. They ran from house to house announcing to the people of Madinah, “The Messenger of Allah has come! Muhammad has come!” When the crowd around the Messenger ﷺ became slightly thinner, Anas looked upon his blessed face and was honored with the status of a Companion.

According to the well-known view, Anas was ten years old when the Noble Messenger ﷺ came to Madinah. After the Messenger ﷺ had settled somewhat, Anas’s mother took him by the hand one day and brought him to the Messenger ﷺ. Anas said: “My mother took me by the hand to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, every Ansari woman and man has given you some gift. I am unable to give you anything comparable. I have this son, who knows how to write, although he has not yet reached puberty. Take him; he will serve you.’ From that day onward I served the Messenger of Allah ﷺ continuously for ten years. During that time he never struck me, insulted me, rebuked me, or frowned at me. The first instruction he gave me was: ‘My son, keep my secrets concealed; if you do so, you will be a believer.’ Whenever my mother or the wives of the Messenger ﷺ asked me about any secret of his, I never told them. I never disclosed any of his secrets to anyone.” Some narrations state that Abu Talhah brought him to the Messenger ﷺ. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/141; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/506; Al-Isabah, 1/71)

Anas served the Messenger ﷺ with great ability for nearly ten years, until the final day of his life. He was immensely proud of this service. He would attend the Messenger ﷺ before the dawn prayer and return home at noon. After a short while he would come again, perform the afternoon prayer, and return home. There was a mosque in Anas’s neighborhood where the worshippers would wait for him. When they saw him, they would stand for the afternoon prayer. (Musnad Ahmad, 3/222)

Apart from those times, he was always ready to carry out any instruction of the Messenger ﷺ. Whenever needed, he responded to his call. One day, after completing an errand for the Messenger ﷺ, he was returning home at noon. On the way he saw boys of his own age playing. He liked their game and stopped to watch. After a while he saw the Messenger ﷺ coming toward them. He first greeted the boys, then took Anas by the hand and sent him on an errand, while he himself stood waiting in the shade of a wall. When Anas returned, the Messenger ﷺ went home, and Anas continued toward his own house.

Because he was late, his mother asked why. He replied: “I went on a secret errand for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so I was delayed.” His mother thought he might be concealing the truth and asked what the errand was. Anas replied: “It is a secret and cannot be told to anyone.” His mother said: “Then keep it secret and do not disclose it to anyone.” Anas kept this secret throughout his life. Once, when his distinguished student Thabit asked him about it, he said: “If I were to tell anyone, I would tell you; but I will not tell it to anyone.” (Al-Fath al-Rabbani ma‘a Bulugh al-Amani, 22/204; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/343; 2/503)

Anas was always with the Messenger ﷺ, at home and while traveling, indoors and outdoors. No particular place or time was assigned to him. Before the verses concerning hijab were revealed, he freely entered and left the Messenger’s home. Anas said: “I would enter the house of the Messenger ﷺ and visit the Mothers of the Believers in the inner quarters. One day, as I was about to enter the inner area, the Messenger ﷺ called: ‘Anas, step back. The verse of hijab has been revealed.’” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/464) He also said: “On the day I reached puberty, I informed the Messenger ﷺ. He said: ‘From now on, do not go to women without permission.’ Anas said: “No day in my life was harder than that day.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/144)

One day before the dawn prayer the Messenger ﷺ said: “I intend to fast today. Bring me something to eat.” Anas quickly brought some dates and water. The Messenger ﷺ ate the pre-dawn meal with them and prepared for the dawn prayer. (Musnad, 3/197) Al-Waqidi said: “Anas was one of those servants of the Messenger ﷺ who never went far from his door.” Abu Hurayrah said: “I used to think that Anas was the slave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/485)

When the Noble Messenger ﷺ came to Madinah, he stayed as a guest with Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. At that time he drank, with great satisfaction, the water from the well of Anas’s father, Malik ibn Nadr. When the Messenger ﷺ moved from Abu Ayyub’s house to his own, Anas would carry that well water to him. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/535)

Anas carried out all the Messenger’s tasks with great skill and constantly pleased him through obedience. He said: “I served the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years. Throughout that long period he was never displeased with me. He never said about anything I had done, ‘Why did you do this?’ nor about anything I had left undone, ‘Why did you not do this?’ He never said about a mistake of mine, ‘You have made a mistake,’ or, ‘What you have done is very bad.’” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/464, 506)

In this way Anas gained a special place in the heart of the Messenger ﷺ. Affectionately, he sometimes called him “son” and sometimes “Unays.” He occasionally visited the house of Anas, ate there, rested at noon, offered prayer, and supplicated for Anas. Several hadiths concerning this are recorded in Musnad Ahmad. (Al-Fath al-Rabbani, 22/203)

Anas said: “One day Abu Talhah said to my mother, Umm Sulaym, ‘I seem to have heard the voice of the Messenger ﷺ somewhat weakly. I think he is hungry. Do you have any food?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ She wrapped several pieces of bread in my garment and sent me to the Messenger ﷺ. When he saw me, he asked, ‘Has Abu Talhah sent you?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘With food?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ The Messenger ﷺ told those with him, ‘Rise.’ They set out, and I went ahead of them. When Abu Talhah saw them, he called his wife and said, ‘Umm Sulaym, the Messenger ﷺ has come with people, but we have no food sufficient for them all.’ Umm Sulaym replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ Abu Talhah seated the guests. The Messenger ﷺ entered and said, ‘Bring whatever you have.’ There was only a small amount of food, and it was brought. He said, ‘Call the first ten.’ Ten entered, ate until satisfied, and left. Then another ten entered. In this way seventy people ate their fill from that food.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/194)

Anas also said: “My mother, Umm Sulaym, had a young son by Abu Talhah named Abu ‘Umayr. When the Messenger ﷺ came to our house, he would joke with him. One day he saw Abu ‘Umayr sitting sadly. He said, ‘Abu ‘Umayr, why are you sitting with such a gloomy face?’ My mother said, ‘His playmate, the nugayr, has died.’ From then on, whenever he saw him, the Messenger ﷺ would poetically say: ‘O Abu ‘Umayr, what did the nugayr do?’ The nugayr was a small bird resembling a sparrow with a red beak.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/139; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/570–571)

Many Qur’anic verses were revealed in the house of Anas’s family. When revelation descended, the Messenger ﷺ would perspire, and they preserved his perspiration. Anas said: “One day at noon the Messenger ﷺ came to our house, rested, and began to perspire. My mother brought a bottle and began collecting the perspiration. The Messenger ﷺ awoke and asked, ‘Umm Sulaym, what are you doing?’ She replied, ‘Your perspiration is perfume for us.’ Anas said: “In my life I have never smelled musk or amber more fragrant than the perfume of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/144–145)

As stated earlier, the blessed mother of Anas was related to the Messenger ﷺ as his maternal aunt. He loved and revered her sincerely, and the Messenger ﷺ never forgot her. He gave this honored woman the glad tidings of Paradise. (Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, Urdu, 3/402)

During the Battle of Khaybar, Safiyyah رضي الله عنها was taken captive, and the Messenger ﷺ expressed his intention to marry her. Safiyyah was sent to Umm Sulaym, who arranged all the wedding preparations. Ibn Ishaq said that the blessed marriage of the Messenger ﷺ to Safiyyah took place at Khaybar or on the return journey. Anas’s mother, Umm Sulaym, arranged her, dressed her, and attended to her hair and all related matters. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/339–340; Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/443)

Likewise, when the Messenger ﷺ married Zaynab, Umm Sulaym prepared and sent some food. The Messenger ﷺ invited the Companions, held a brief gathering, and served the food. (Musnad Ahmad, 3/163)

All these qualities made Anas a member of the Prophetic household. The Messenger ﷺ would sometimes humor him lightly, calling him “Abu Hamzah.” Once he called him “O possessor of two ears.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/127)

As noted earlier, Anas’s relationship with the Messenger ﷺ was exceptionally close. For this reason he remained with him at home and abroad, in peace and in war, and did not abandon his companionship even on the battlefield. Anas was only twelve during the Battle of Badr, yet he was present among the Muslim fighters. There he served the Messenger ﷺ and looked after the soldiers’ equipment and belongings. Because of his young age, some later doubted that he had attended the battle. Once a man asked him skeptically: “Were you present at Badr?” He replied: “How could I have been absent?” (Al-Isabah, 1/71; Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, 3/402)

The Battle of Uhud took place one year after Badr, and Anas was still young. In the sixth year after the Hijrah he gained the honor of participating in the Pledge beneath the Tree at Hudaybiyyah. He was then sixteen. He had become old enough to accompany military expeditions. In the seventh year, the Messenger ﷺ performed the compensatory ‘Umrah, and Anas accompanied him. Khaybar was conquered that same year. During the expedition Anas rode a camel with Abu Talhah. When the victorious Messenger ﷺ entered Khaybar, Anas was so close that his foot touched the blessed foot of the Messenger ﷺ. As a result, the Messenger’s izar rose above his knee and became visible to the people. (Musnad, 3/102)

He subsequently participated in the conquest of Makkah and the expeditions to Ta’if and Hunayn. Finally, in the tenth year after the Hijrah, he accompanied the Messenger ﷺ during the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Anas said: “On the day of Hunayn, Abu Talhah went laughing to the Messenger ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, have you seen the dagger in Umm Sulaym’s hand?’ The Messenger ﷺ asked, ‘What will Umm Sulaym do with a dagger?’ He replied, ‘If anyone approaches me, I will strike him with it.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/597)

The Noble Messenger’s expeditions numbered twenty-six or twenty-seven, though only nine involved actual fighting: Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Qurayzah, al-Mustaliq, Khaybar, Hunayn, and Ta’if, among others. Anas attended all of them. A man once asked Anas’s son Musa how many battles his honored father had attended. He replied: “Eight.” Perhaps he excluded Badr because Anas was younger than the age fixed for participation in jihad at that time.

After the death of the Noble Messenger ﷺ, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه became caliph. Anas is known to have participated in the Battle of Yamamah against the false prophets. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/537) The caliph wished to appoint Anas as the collector of sadaqah in Bahrain. When he consulted ‘Umar, ‘Umar said: “Anas is intelligent and educated. I approve the service you have proposed for him.” The caliph summoned Anas and sent him to Bahrain in that capacity. (Bukhari, Book of Zakat; Al-Isabah, 1/72)

When Anas returned from Bahrain, Abu Bakr had died and ‘Umar was caliph. ‘Umar gave Anas four thousand dirhams from the money he had brought from Bahrain. Anas said: “Upon receiving that money, I became one of the wealthiest people of Madinah.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/22)

Anas also said: “After Abu Bakr’s death, when ‘Umar assumed the caliphate, I came to Madinah and said to him, ‘Extend your hand. On the same pledge upon which you pledged allegiance to your predecessor, I pledge allegiance to you.’ Thus I pledged allegiance to ‘Umar.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/258)

Caliph Abu Bakr also sent Anas to Yemen with a letter addressed to its people, calling them to set out for jihad in the path of Allah. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/441–442)

Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah رضي الله عنه was governor of Basrah. A serious accusation was brought against him there under the leadership of Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنه. (See Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/490–492) Caliph ‘Umar dismissed him and appointed Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari in his place. He sent four men to Basrah as assistants to investigate the matter: Anas ibn Malik, Anas’s brother al-Bara’ ibn Malik, ‘Imran ibn Husayn, and Abu Najid al-Khuza‘i. (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/491)

Anas settled permanently in Basrah. He was among those to whom Caliph ‘Umar entrusted responsibility for jurisprudence and issuing legal verdicts there. He spent the rest of his life in Basrah. Besides serving in jurisprudence and issuing fatwas, he efficiently fulfilled every responsibility assigned to him. He took part in all the expeditions conducted during that period. In the expedition of Tustar he commanded the infantry. Tustar was conquered, and the Persian commander Hormuzan was captured with his family and brought before the Muslim commander Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari رضي الله عنه. Abu Musa sent Hormuzan to the caliph in Madinah under the protection of a force of three hundred men. Anas رضي الله عنه was the commander of this force and fulfilled his duty properly. Thus, after many years, he gained the opportunity to visit his beloved homeland. (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/66; Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, 3/402)

After remaining in Madinah for some time, Anas returned to Basrah. In Dhu al-Hijjah of the twenty-third year after the Hijrah, ‘Umar رضي الله عنه was martyred and ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه succeeded him. The first few years of his caliphate were peaceful, but later various kinds of discord and unrest arose. Self-seeking agitators raised the banner of rebellion and marched toward Madinah.

Even then, many people throughout the Islamic caliphate did not fear rebellion or threats. Thus the cry of the oppressed caliph first reached these soldiers of truth, who rose to his aid. Basrah, the capital of Iraq, also had many such men. When news of the grave situation reached them, Anas ibn Malik, ‘Imran ibn Husayn, and many other distinguished people prepared to defend the religion. Through sermons and speeches they stirred the whole of Basrah against the rebels. Unfortunately, before their aid could reach Madinah, Caliph ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه was martyred at the hands of the rebels.

After ‘Uthman, ‘Ali رضي الله عنه assumed the caliphate. Before six months had passed, a great rebellion arose in Basrah against him, involving distinguished Companions. Basrah was Anas’s home and he had considerable influence there, but he kept himself apart from all movements. Until conditions became calm, he withdrew from society, as did many other prominent Companions. Therefore, in the Battle of the Camel, fought near Basrah between ‘Ali and ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنهما, Anas played no role on either side. He remained completely neutral.

Anas lived many years after ‘Ali’s caliphate. During that long period he witnessed many scenes and conditions, but always preferred seclusion and never wished to make himself prominent. Nevertheless, he later could not escape persecution by the tyrannical Umayyad rulers. During the caliphate of ‘Abd al-Malik, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf was governor of the eastern provinces of the Umayyad empire. He was famous in history for tyranny and oppression. Once he came to Basrah, summoned Anas, reprimanded him, and branded his neck to humiliate him before the people. Al-Waqidi narrated from Ishaq ibn Yazid: “I saw Anas in that condition.” (Al-Istيعab, marginal notes to Al-Isabah, 1/72)

Hajjaj believed that Anas acted according to political winds. Seeing him, he exclaimed: “O wicked one! This is political maneuvering. Sometimes you are with Mukhtar al-Thaqafi and at other times with Ibn al-Ash‘ath. I have prepared severe punishment for you.” Even in this difficult moment Anas controlled himself. Calmly he said: “May Allah aid the amir. For whom is your punishment?” Hajjaj replied: “For you.” Anas quietly returned home and sent Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik a letter describing Hajjaj’s conduct. When ‘Abd al-Malik read it, he became furious and immediately wrote to Hajjaj: “Go at once to Anas’s house and ask his forgiveness, or you will be treated harshly.” Upon receiving the caliph’s letter, Hajjaj went with his council to Anas, apologized, and asked Anas to inform the caliph that he had forgiven him. Anas accepted his request and sent a letter to Damascus to that effect. In reality, Anas adopted such difficult patience out of fear of discord and disorder. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/148; Al-Fath al-Rabbani ma‘a Bulugh al-Amani, 22/205; Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/647–648)

During the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr رضي الله عنه, Anas served for some time as imam of Basrah. During the caliphate of al-Walid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, he once went to Damascus. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/139) According to another report, he first went to Damascus and from there reached Basrah. (Al-A‘lam, 1/365)

There is considerable disagreement concerning the year of Anas’s death and his age at death. The most famous view is that he died in 93 AH, at an age exceeding one hundred years, because he had been ten years old before the Hijrah. (Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/128; Al-A‘lam, 1/365; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/45; Usd al-Ghabah, 1/128)

For several months before his death he was bedridden with illness. Devotees and admirers constantly gathered to visit him, and people came in groups from distant places to see him once. When death approached, he told his devoted student Thabit al-Bunani: “Place a sacred hair of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ beneath my tongue.” The hair was placed there, and he died and was buried in that condition. He also possessed a staff of the Messenger ﷺ and instructed that it be buried with him. This instruction was carried out. (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/128; Al-Isabah, 1/71; Al-Isti‘ab, 1/73)

Ibn Qutaybah says in Al-Ma‘arif that three people of Basrah each lived for one hundred years: Anas ibn Malik, Abu Bakrah, and Khilfah ibn Badr رضي الله عنهم. (Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 1/128)

Anas was the last Companion of Basrah to depart this world. Perhaps, apart from Abu al-Tufayl رضي الله عنه, no other Companion was alive anywhere at that time. (Al-Isabah, 1/71; Al-A‘lam, 1/365; Al-Isti‘ab, marginal note to Al-Isabah, 1/73) However, the renowned scholar al-Dhahabi states in Tadhkirat al-Huffaz: “Kana [Anas] akhir al-sahabati mawtan”—Anas was the last Companion to die. Among the Companions, he was the last to leave this world. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44)

In his final years Anas himself used to say: “Among those who prayed facing the two qiblahs, no one remains alive except me.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/145)

Members of his family, students, devotees, and local people attended his funeral. Qutn ibn Mudrik al-Kilabi led the funeral prayer. He was buried beside his residence at a place called Tiff on the outskirts of Basrah. (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/129)

The entire Muslim community was plunged into deep grief at Anas’s death. It was natural that this should happen, for the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ had departed this world one after another. Of the two remaining men whose sight brought tranquility to people, one had now gone.

After Anas’s death, a Tabi‘i named Mawriq said regretfully: “Today half of knowledge has departed.” The people asked: “How so?” He replied: “A man who followed his own desires used to come to me. When he opposed a hadith, I took him to Anas. Anas would recite the hadith to him and settle his mind. To whom shall I go now?” (Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, 1/128; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/141)

Among the Ansar, Anas had the greatest number of descendants. This was through the blessing of the supplication of the Noble Messenger ﷺ. Anas said: “One day the Messenger ﷺ came to the house of Umm Sulaym, my mother. She offered him dates and clarified butter, but he was fasting that day. He said, ‘Take these away and put the dates in the date container and the butter in the butter container.’ He then stood in a corner of the house and prayed two rak‘ahs. We prayed with him. Then he supplicated for the welfare of Umm Sulaym and her family. Umm Sulaym said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have a special request.’ He asked, ‘What is it?’ She replied, ‘This is your servant, Anas.’ Anas said: ‘The Messenger ﷺ then supplicated for me, leaving out no good of this world or the Hereafter. At the end he said: “O Allah, bless Anas in his wealth and children and admit him into Paradise.”’

“Anas said: ‘Of the three things for which the Messenger ﷺ prayed, I have received two, and I await the third—Paradise.’ He also said: ‘Today no one among the Ansar is wealthier than I.’ Historians say that before this supplication of the Messenger ﷺ, Anas owned neither gold nor silver except for one ring. Thus the Messenger ﷺ repeatedly prayed for the welfare of Anas and his family.” (Al-Fath al-Rabbani ma‘a Bulugh al-Amani, 22/203; Al-Isabah, 1/72; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/142–143)

At his death Anas left eighty-two children: eighty sons and two daughters named Hafsah and Umm ‘Amr. He also had many grandchildren. (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/128) Khalifah ibn Khayyat said that when Anas died he owned four houses: one in front of the congregational mosque of Basrah, one in the lane of Istafnus, one two farsakhs from Basrah, and another house. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/141)

Anas showed immense affection for his children. He himself taught his sons and daughters, and allowed his daughters to attend his study circle. Several of his sons became recognized as shaykhs and imams in hadith. They were honored among the generations of the Tabi‘in, and Anas himself trained them.

Anas was a skilled archer and trained his children in archery. At first the boys would aim and shoot. If they missed the target, he would shoot and strike it accurately. Archery practice had been customary among the Ansar since the ancient days of ignorance. Al-Tabari mentioned this. (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/128)

A complete description of Anas’s appearance is not known. It is known that he was of medium build and handsome. He dyed his hair and beard with henna and constantly used a yellow perfume called khaluq on his hands. The author of Usd al-Ghabah says that he wore a ring engraved with the image of a lion. As a child he had a lock of matted hair on his head. Whenever the Messenger ﷺ placed his hand on Anas’s head, he touched that lock. Later, when Anas wished to cut it, his mother said: “The Messenger ﷺ touched it, so do not cut it.” (Usd al-Ghabah, 1/127–128) He wore a turban.

He was refined, exceptionally fond of cleanliness, and elegant in taste. Worldly wealth also favored him, and his life was consequently prosperous. He carefully cultivated a garden that produced fruit twice a year. In it was a flower that spread a fragrance like musk. (Al-Isabah, 1/71)

He built a house and lived at a place called Tiff, two farsakhs from Basrah. This shows that he preferred rural life to the city. He ate good food, and bread and broth were regularly included in his meals. He was generous; if a student or anyone else was present at mealtime, he invited him to share the food. He ate breakfast in the morning and had three or five dates. He spoke very little, repeated himself three times when necessary, and asked permission three times before entering anyone’s house. (Musnad, 3/128, 180, 221, 232)

Whenever relatives or friends visited, he placed some food before them. Once, when he fell ill, some people came to see him. He called his maid and said: “Bring even a small piece of bread for my friends, for I heard the Messenger ﷺ say: ‘Good character is an act of Paradise.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/182)

He was extremely humble and gentle and mixed generously with people. He was especially warm with his students. He often said: “During the time of the Messenger ﷺ we would be sitting and he would come, yet none of us would stand for him out of respect. Who could be dearer to us than the Messenger ﷺ? The reason was that he did not like such artificial behavior.”

The quality of patience was fully developed in him. Considering his rank, the reverence Muslims held for him, the honor the Noble Messenger ﷺ had described for him, and the closeness he had enjoyed with the Messenger ﷺ, everyone looked upon him with respect and love. His famous Tabi‘i student Thabit al-Bunani, out of intense devotion, would kiss the space between Anas’s eyes. Once Anas gave Abu al-‘Aliyah a date. He took it, smelled it, kissed it, and rubbed it over his face, then said: “This date has been touched by a hand that touched the blessed hand of the Messenger ﷺ.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/144)

Despite all this, many Umayyad rulers attached no importance to such matters. Their leader in tyranny was Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, whose arrogant conduct has already been described. Anas showed extraordinary patience. Had such treatment been inflicted on anyone else, Basrah would have been set ablaze. What principle enabled him to bear it? An indication can be found in his own words. He said: “The distinguished Companions of Muhammad ﷺ told us: Do not insult your leaders, deceive them, or disobey them. Fear Allah and be patient.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/72)

From childhood he was fearless and daring. He could run very fast. Once, at a place called Marr al-Zahran, he chased and caught a rabbit, while boys his age pursued it but returned without catching it. When he grew older, he became a skilled horseman and archer.

The number of Companions who narrated hadith is enormous. Among them was a group regarded as foundational authorities in narration, and Anas was one of them. Analysis of his narrations yields the following principles:

1. He exercised great caution in narrating hadith. Musnad Ahmad records: “Anas ibn Malik would become fearful while narrating hadith. At the end of a narration he would say: ‘Something like this, or as the Messenger ﷺ said.’” The practice of hadith scholars of saying “aw kama qala,” meaning “or as he said,” at the end of a narration, a practice continuing to this day, originated with Anas. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/148)

2. He did not narrate a hadith if there was a possibility that it might be misunderstood.

3. He distinguished between hadith he had heard from the Companions and those he had heard directly from the mouth of the Messenger ﷺ.

In reality, serving knowledge means spreading and expanding it, and Anas did not lag behind any Companion in this service. He spent his entire life devoted to the dissemination of hadith knowledge. He never withdrew from teaching hadith. While his contemporary Companions were occupied with battles and conflicts, this servant of the Messenger ﷺ detached himself from worldly affairs and sat in the congregational mosque of Basrah teaching people hadith.

The breadth of his knowledge can be estimated from the number of his students. Students came to his study circle from Makkah, Madinah, Kufah, Basrah, Syria, and many other regions. As numerous as his children were, so numerous were his students. Anas narrated hadith from the Noble Messenger ﷺ and from distinguished Companions. Nearly one hundred narrators transmitted hadith from him. The total number of his narrations was 2,286: 180 were agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, while al-Bukhari alone narrated 80 and Muslim alone 70. Many hadith were also narrated through his sons and grandsons. The famous Basran hadith scholar Abu ‘Umayr ‘Abd al-Qabil ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hafs ibn Hisham, who died in 291 AH, was his descendant. (Da’irah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah, 3/401) There is disagreement concerning the number of his agreed-upon hadith: some say 168 and others 128. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/45; Tahdhib al-Asma’, 1/127)

Anas first acquired knowledge through the companionship of the Pure Messenger ﷺ. After the Messenger’s death, he heard hadith from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, Abu Dharr, Abu Talhah, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah, Thabit ibn Qays, Malik ibn Sa‘sa‘ah, Umm Sulaym (his mother), Umm Haram (his maternal aunt), Umm al-Fadl (the wife of al-‘Abbas), Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman رضي الله عنهم, among others. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/44)

The list of Anas’s students is very long. Among those who achieved worldwide fame in hadith were Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, Sulayman al-Taymi, Abu Qilabah, Ishaq ibn Abi Talhah, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abdullah al-Muzani, Qatadah, Thabit al-Bunani, Humayd al-Tawil, Thumamah ibn ‘Abdullah (Anas’s grandson), Ja‘d, Abu ‘Uthman, Muhammad ibn Sirin al-Ansari, Anas ibn Sirin al-Azhari, Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Ansari, Rabi‘at al-Ra’y, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, and Sulayman Wardan, may Allah have mercy on them. (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, 1/45)

Just as he was learned in hadith, Anas was also an authority in jurisprudence. Jurist Companions are divided into three levels, and Anas belonged to the second. If his ijtihad and fatwas were compiled, they could form a separate book. ‘Umar رضي الله عنه sent him to Basrah with a group of jurist Companions. What greater proof could there be of his expertise in jurisprudence?

In the age of the Companions, teaching was generally confined to study circles. Anas also taught in this manner, answering students’ questions. A collection of such questions and answers from his lessons exists. Several legal issues are quoted here to illustrate his method of ijtihad, his insight, clear understanding, and sound conclusions.

It is disliked to drink nabidh from certain vessels. The Companions agreed on this, and Anas clearly indicated its reasons. Qatadah once asked whether nabidh could be prepared in a jar or earthen vessel. Anas replied: “Although the Noble Messenger ﷺ left no specific opinion on this, I consider it disliked, because when there is doubt whether something is lawful or unlawful, the possibility of unlawfulness should be given precedence.”

Mukhtar ibn Filfil once asked from which vessels nabidh should not be drunk. Anas replied: “Everything that intoxicates is unlawful.” Mukhtar asked: “May it be drunk from glass or tar-coated vessels?” He said: “Yes.” He was asked: “What about vessels that people regard as disliked?” He replied: “Avoid what causes doubt.” Then he was asked: “If an intoxicating substance is unlawful, what objection is there to one or two sips?” Anas said: “Whatever intoxicates in large quantities is unlawful even in a small quantity. Consider grapes, dates, wheat, barley, and other substances from which wine is produced; whatever in them produces intoxication becomes wine.”

Although Anas explained this issue well, it requires some further clarification. The regulations given by the Noble Messenger ﷺ concerning drinks can be summarized as follows:

1. Every drink that causes intoxication is unlawful. This hadith is narrated from ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها in the Two Sahihs.

2. Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is unlawful. This hadith is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما in Sahih Muslim.

3. “Whatever intoxicates when consumed in large quantity is unlawful even in a small quantity.” The meaning of the first hadith is that every drink in which intoxication appears is unlawful. The second means that every intoxicant is khamr and every khamr is unlawful. The conclusion is that every intoxicant is unlawful. The third means that whatever intoxicates in large quantities is unlawful even in a small amount. This is precisely what Anas said.

Why, then, was drinking nabidh from certain vessels prohibited? The underlying reason is that the attractive glass vessels used by the modern world to produce and preserve wine did not exist in Arabia at that time. Gourds and narrow-necked jars generally served that purpose, along with several other vessels made by drying and cleaning natural fruits. When wine was stored in them, its effects naturally penetrated the vessels and did not disappear even after washing. When wine was first prohibited, this was the true reason for prohibiting the use of such vessels. Later, if such vessels had not been used for wine, their use could be permissible. However, Muslims filled with the faith-consciousness of the first century after the Hijrah feared that using them might remind people of drinking wine.

A man once asked Anas whether the Messenger ﷺ prayed wearing shoes. He replied: “Yes. It is permissible to pray wearing shoes, provided they are pure and free of impurity. There is no harm in praying in new shoes.”

Yahya ibn Yazid al-Hanna’i once asked when one should shorten the prayer during travel. Anas said: “When I traveled to Kufah, I shortened the prayer. The Messenger ﷺ shortened the prayer after traveling three miles or three farsakhs.” Anas did not mean that one must shorten the prayer after traveling exactly three miles. Rather, when the Messenger ﷺ set out for Makkah, he first stopped at a place called Dhu al-Hulayfah. According to an authentic report, it was three miles from Madinah, and he shortened the prayer there.

Mukhtar ibn Filfil once asked how a sick person should pray. Anas replied: “Sitting.”

‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Dardan and some others came to Anas in Madinah. He asked: “Have you performed the afternoon prayer?” They replied: “Yes.” They asked him in turn: “At what time did the Messenger ﷺ pray the afternoon prayer?” He replied: “When the sun was still bright and high.”

Once he led the funeral prayer for a man. He stood level with the deceased’s head. When the funeral of a woman was brought, he stood level with her waist. ‘Ala’ ibn Ziyad al-‘Adawi, who had attended both prayers, asked why he had stood differently. Anas replied: “This is how the Messenger ﷺ used to do it.” ‘Ala’ told the people: “Remember this.”

A man once asked whether ‘Umar رضي الله عنه performed qunut after bowing. Anas said: “Yes, and the Messenger ﷺ did so too.” This, however, was Anas’s personal opinion, because authentic hadith establish that the Messenger ﷺ and generally almost all the Companions performed qunut before bowing in the witr prayer. In this issue Imam al-Shafi‘i followed Anas. He relied upon a hadith stating that ‘Ali also performed qunut after bowing, but that hadith has a disconnected and weak chain.

Moreover, Ibn al-Mundhir wrote in Al-Awsat that every report reaching him from Anas and certain other Companions stated that qunut was performed before bowing, and that this was correct. The narrations from Anas in Sahih Muslim clearly explain the matter. ‘Asim asked Anas: “Should qunut be performed before or after bowing?” He replied: “Before bowing.” ‘Asim said: “People think that the Messenger ﷺ performed it after bowing.” Anas replied: “That was a temporary event. Several tribes apostatized and killed a number of Companions. Therefore the Noble Messenger ﷺ performed qunut after bowing for one month and invoked a curse upon them.” (Musnad Ahmad, 3/100, 112, 118, 126, 129, 204, 209)

From the discussion above we can see how sound Anas’s judgments were. A special feature of his juristic reasoning was that it agreed in most cases with the reasoning of the other Companions; for this reason it was correct. (See Siyar Ansar, 1/137–142)

Four special qualities further adorned Anas’s character: love for the Messenger, adherence to the Sunnah, enjoining good, and speaking the truth. His love for the Noble Messenger ﷺ has already been described. Even when he was an innocent ten-year-old boy, his love for the Messenger ﷺ was so deep that every morning his eyes were blessed by seeing him. Before the true dawn, in the darkness of night, this son of Umm Sulaym would leave his bed and go toward the Prophet’s Mosque to arrange water for his beloved’s ablution.

There was no limit to this love in his youth. A single glance from the Messenger ﷺ brought Anas immense joy and peace. After the Messenger’s death, although Anas was outwardly deprived of seeing him, he was often blessed with seeing him in dreams. In the morning he would awaken weeping and relate the experience to people. Whenever he remembered the Messenger ﷺ, he became restless and sorrowful. Once, while describing the Messenger’s blessed face and physical appearance, he was overcome with emotion and began recalling, with a distant gaze, those fortunate days of the Messenger’s life.

Whenever he spoke of serving the Messenger ﷺ, one could see a sudden change in him. The words would spontaneously come from his mouth: “On the Day of Resurrection, when I stand before the Messenger ﷺ, I will say: ‘O Messenger of Allah, your lowly servant Anas is present.’”

Every gathering of Anas was filled with memories of the Noble Messenger ﷺ. He narrated events from the Prophetic period to his students and admirers. While narrating, he would feel intense pain in his heart and become agitated. He would return home, bring out the articles of the Messenger ﷺ that he possessed, look at them again and again, and console himself. This love for the Messenger influenced all his students.

Thabit was one of Anas’s foremost students and was completely colored by his teacher’s character. He constantly asked his teacher about the Prophetic age. One day he asked: “Did you touch the blessed hand of the Messenger ﷺ?” Anas replied: “Yes.” Or he said: “I never touched a hand softer than the hand of the Messenger ﷺ.” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/464) Hearing this, the fire of love kindled in Thabit’s heart. He said to his teacher: “Extend your hand so that I may kiss it.”

True love requires loving everything belonging to the beloved and every aspect of his conduct. Anas did this, and countless incidents from his life prove it. Anas said: “Once a tailor invited the Messenger ﷺ to a meal, and I went with him. Barley bread, dried meat, and a dish of gourd were served. I saw the Messenger ﷺ selecting and eating the gourd. From that day I came to love gourd.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/190)

Anas said: “A man once asked the Messenger ﷺ when the Hour would occur. He asked him in return, ‘What have you prepared for it?’ The man said, ‘Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Messenger.’ The Messenger ﷺ said: ‘You will be with those whom you love.’ Anas said: ‘We were overjoyed by these words of the Messenger ﷺ. I love the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar, and I hope that through this love I will be with them.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 2/318)

After the declaration of divine unity, prayer is Islam’s most important pillar. The Companions tried to imitate the humility, reverence, and manners with which the Noble Messenger ﷺ prayed. The prayer of many Companions closely resembled his, but Anas’s prayer had a particularly strong resemblance to the Messenger’s prayer. Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه once saw Anas praying and said: “I have never seen anyone whose prayer more closely resembled the prayer of the Messenger ﷺ than the prayer of Ibn Umm Sulaym”—meaning Anas.

Besides prayer, every word and deed of the Messenger ﷺ was before the Companions. Anas had been his constant servant for ten years, so none of the Messenger’s actions could remain hidden from him. Everything the Messenger ﷺ said or established through practice, Anas retained in memory and practiced accordingly.

Once, at a caliph’s invitation, Anas went to Damascus. On the return journey he intended to stop at a place called ‘Ayn al-Tamr. News of this reached his students and admirers, who gathered there on the appointed day. His camel was approaching across a broad field outside the settlement. It was time for prayer, and people saw him praying on the camel, which was not facing the qiblah. His students asked in astonishment: “How can you pray in this manner?” Anas replied: “Had I not seen the Messenger ﷺ pray in this manner, I would never have done so.”

Once Ibrahim ibn Rabī‘ah came to Anas and found him praying with one side of a garment worn and the other wrapped around his body. After the prayer Ibrahim asked: “Do you pray in one garment like this?” Anas replied: “Yes. I saw the Messenger ﷺ pray in this manner.” It should be noted that the final prayer of the Noble Messenger ﷺ—the prayer he performed behind Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه—was also performed in one garment. (Musnad, 3/159)

Every conduct and step in the pure life of the Noble Messenger ﷺ guided Anas’s life. The Messenger ﷺ was his model not only in obligatory matters but also in wajib and Sunnah practices. He greeted young and old alike and remained constantly in a state of ablution. He said: “The Messenger ﷺ told me: ‘Anas, when you leave your house, greet everyone you meet. This will increase your reward and love. If possible, remain constantly in a state of ablution, because you do not know when death will come to you.’” (Ansab al-Ashraf, 1/464)

Sacrifice is required of every person of means. Anas was a wealthy leader and could sacrifice as many animals as he wished. But for the people of the best generation, following and imitating the Messenger ﷺ was above fame and reputation. They sacrificed for reward, not renown. Since the Noble Messenger ﷺ sacrificed two animals, Anas also sacrificed two.

During the Umayyad period, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz رضي الله عنه was once governor of Madinah while still heir apparent. As a member of the royal family, he was unfamiliar with many aspects of public life. Following the practice of the time, he led the prayer himself and occasionally made mistakes. Anas often corrected him. Once he asked Anas: “Why do you oppose me in this way?” Anas replied: “If you lead the prayer as I saw the Messenger ﷺ lead it, I will be satisfied; otherwise I will not pray behind you.” ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was intelligent and upright. He was influenced by Anas’s words and accepted him as a teacher. After benefiting from his companionship and instruction for some time, he began leading the prayer so beautifully that Anas himself said: “No one’s prayer resembles the prayer of the Messenger ﷺ more than this young man’s prayer.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/133–134)

Once Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik summoned Anas and forty other Ansari men to Damascus. On their return, when they reached a place called Fajj al-Naqah, it was time for the afternoon prayer. Since the journey was not yet over, Anas led two rak‘ahs, shortening the prayer. Some people, however, prayed two additional rak‘ahs and completed four. When Anas learned of this, he became very angry and said: “Since Allah has permitted shortening, why do you refuse this concession? I heard the Messenger ﷺ say: ‘A time will come when people will go to excess in religious matters. In reality they will be heedless of the true wisdom of religion.’”

Speaking the truth and loving the truth were brilliant qualities of Anas’s character. After the first two caliphs of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, many young men who were entirely deprived of Islamic education and training occupied high government posts. Consequently, many of their actions contradicted the Qur’an and Sunnah. The noble Companions who had purchased Islam with their lives could not tolerate this. Rising above fear, they always spoke the truth plainly.

Anas lived for a long time after the death of the Messenger ﷺ and met many tyrannical rulers who openly neglected the Shariah. He did not remain silent; he warned them publicly before gatherings of people.

During Yazid’s reign, ‘Abdullah ibn Ziyad was governor of Iraq. When the blessed head of Imam Husayn was brought before him on his order, he poked the eyes with his staff and made an indecent remark about his beauty. Anas could no longer restrain himself. Angrily he said: “This face resembles the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the notorious tyrannical governor of the Umayyads, wished to appoint his own son as judge of Basrah. Hadith prohibit seeking the office of judge or ruler. When Anas heard of Hajjaj’s intention, he said: “The Messenger ﷺ prohibited doing this.”

Another Umayyad commander was al-Hakam ibn Ayyub. His brutality exceeded the bounds of humanity and extended even to animals. Once Anas went to his house and saw a chicken tied by its feet and being used as a target for arrows. When struck, it writhed in pain. Anas was deeply distressed and condemned the people for this act. (Sahih Muslim, 2/158)

Once some people came to visit Anas after performing the noon prayer. He asked his servant for water for ablution. They asked which prayer he was preparing for. He replied: “The afternoon prayer.” One man said: “We have just performed the noon prayer.” Anas became extremely angry at the governor’s indifference to religion and the people’s ignorance. He said: “This will be the prayer of hypocrites. They will sit idle and not rise for prayer. When the sun is about to set, they will hastily peck out four rak‘ahs like a rooster, remembering Allah very little in those pecks.”

A special quality of the true religious person is enjoining good. For this reason the Qur’an calls the Muslim community the best community. This quality was especially developed in Anas. Once, at a gathering of ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, discussion arose concerning the Hawd al-Kawthar. ‘Ubaydullah expressed doubt about its reality. When this reached Anas, he went directly to ‘Ubaydullah and asked: “Was something concerning the Hawd al-Kawthar discussed here?” He replied: “Yes.” Anas asked: “Did the Messenger ﷺ say anything about it?” Anas then recited to him the Messenger’s hadith concerning the Hawd and departed.

Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr رضي الله عنه received a report of a plot by an Ansari. He intended to seize the man for this offense. When people informed Anas, he went directly to Mus‘ab and said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed leaders to treat the Ansar well. He commanded them to treat their good people excellently and forgive their wrongdoers.” As soon as Mus‘ab heard this hadith, he descended from his bed, placed his forehead on the ground, and said: “The command of the Messenger ﷺ is before my eyes. I release the man.”

Thabit al-Bunani said: “One day I was walking with Anas in a place called Zabiyah in Basrah. The call to prayer was heard. Anas immediately began walking slowly, and in this manner we entered the mosque. He asked me: ‘Can you say why I came to the mosque walking like this?’ Then he answered himself: ‘So that my steps toward prayer would be greater in number.’” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/104)

Anas placed greater emphasis on acting according to acquired knowledge than on merely acquiring knowledge. He said: “Acquire as much knowledge as you wish, but by Allah, you will receive no reward for it unless you act upon it.” He also said: “The work of the true scholar is to understand and then act accordingly; the work of the ignorant is merely to narrate.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/241, 244)

He attached immense importance to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and narrated his hadith concerning it. The Messenger ﷺ said: “Whoever abandons my Sunnah is not one of my community.” He also said: “Whoever follows my Sunnah belongs to my group.” (Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/35)

Anas رضي الله عنه preserved several items used by the Messenger ﷺ as memories, including his shoes, a cloak, a bowl, and several tent pegs. Anas said: “When my mother Umm Sulaym died, she left me a cloak of the Messenger ﷺ, a bowl from which he drank water, several tent pegs, and a stone on which my mother used to grind perfume mixed with the perspiration of the Messenger ﷺ.” (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/144–145)

Thus scattered pieces of information concerning Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه are dispersed throughout the books of hadith and sirah. They are highly remarkable and beneficial for the Muslim community.

Abu Darda (RA)

His kunyah was Abu al-Darda. It was derived from the name of his daughter, Darda, and he became known by this name in history. There is disagreement about his actual name: Amir or Uwaymir. According to al-Asma‘i, it was Amir, though people called him Uwaymir, and this is the better-known view. Some say that Uwaymir was his laqab. There is also considerable disagreement about his father’s name: Malik, Amir, Tha‘labah, Abdullah, or Zayd. His mother’s name is variously given as Muhabbah or Waqidah. He belonged to the Balharith branch of the famous Khazraj tribe of Madinah. He was either the same age as the Messenger of Allah or slightly younger.

He was one of Arabia’s greatest scholars, horsemen, and judges. Before accepting Islam, he was a successful merchant of Madinah. Then he abandoned everything and devoted himself entirely to worshipping Allah. He himself said: “Before the Messenger of Allah received prophethood, I was a merchant. When Islam came, I tried to combine commerce with worship, but they could not be combined. So I abandoned commerce and devoted myself to worship.” Eventually he developed a strong aversion to business. He would often say: “Even if I had a shop in front of the Prophet’s Mosque, earned forty dinars every day, gave it all in charity, and did not miss the congregational prayer, I would still not like such business now.” When people asked the reason, he replied: “Fear of the difficult reckoning on the Day of Judgment.” After embracing Islam, he became especially renowned among the Companions for courage, piety, and indifference to worldly luxury.

The words of the noble Messenger of Allah attest to Abu al-Darda’s bravery, horsemanship, and wisdom. Regarding his wisdom, the Prophet said: “Uwaymir is the sage of my community”—that is, “Uwaymir is one of the great wise men of my community.” Regarding his horsemanship, he said: “What an excellent horseman Uwaymir is.” Many wise sayings of his are found in different works, some of which were compiled in al-Isti‘ab. For this reason Imam Ibn al-Jazari remarked of him: “Kana min al-‘ulama’ al-hukama’”—“He was one of the wise scholars.”

Sa‘id ibn Abd al-Aziz says that Abu al-Darda accepted Islam on the day of the Battle of Badr, while others say it was after Badr. The author of al-Isti‘ab says that he was the last of his family to accept Islam, but later became a good Muslim. Jubayr ibn Nufayr reports that the Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has promised me the Islam of Abu al-Darda.” Jubayr said: “Then he accepted Islam.”

It is remarkable that, despite being so intelligent, he did not accept Islam along with the other leading Ansar, but waited until the second year after the Hijrah. The reason was that his acceptance was not imitation of others; rather, it followed reflection and knowledge. Perhaps for a year after the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah he thought deeply about the matter and investigated it carefully. Yet he regretted throughout his life having fallen behind by that one year. He would often say: “The enslavement of desire for one moment produces regret for a long time.”

During the Age of Ignorance Abu al-Darda had a deep friendship and brotherly relationship with the celebrated martyr-Companion Abdullah ibn Rawahah. Abdullah accepted Islam early, but Abu al-Darda remained firm in idolatry. Nevertheless, he maintained his relationship with Abdullah as before. Abdullah continued striving to bring his friend into Islam and repeatedly invited him to it. At last, through his efforts, Abu al-Darda became Muslim.

The story of his conversion is narrated as follows. One morning Abu al-Darda Uwaymir awoke and went to his idol, which was kept in the finest room of the house. He first showed it respect and honor, then rubbed it thoroughly with the finest scented oil from his large shop. He covered it beautifully with a fine silk cloth given to him the previous day by a merchant who had come from Yemen. Later, when the day had advanced, he left for his shop.

On the way he saw the streets and alleys of Madinah crowded with the companions of Muhammad. They were returning in groups from Badr, with Quraysh prisoners walking ahead of them. He tried to avoid them, but suddenly a young man of the Khazraj came before him. Abu al-Darda asked about Abdullah ibn Rawahah. The youth said that Abdullah had fought valiantly at Badr and had returned safely to Madinah with his share of the spoils. Abu al-Darda then went to his shop.

Meanwhile Abdullah ibn Rawahah, having returned from Badr, went to the house of his brother Abu al-Darda. Inside he found Abu al-Darda’s wife combing her hair. After exchanging greetings, Abdullah asked where Abu al-Darda was. She replied that he had just gone out and, seating Abdullah in the house, became occupied with another task. Abdullah took a hammer, entered the room where the idol stood, and shattered it while reciting a poem listing the names of various devils. Its conclusion was: “Beware! Everything that is invoked besides Allah is false and worthless.”

Hearing the blows, Abu al-Darda’s wife rushed in and cried: “O Ibn Rawahah, you have ruined me!” Abdullah left without replying, as though nothing had happened. When Abu al-Darda returned, he found his wife crying. On asking what had happened, she pointed out what his brother had done. Abu al-Darda was initially enraged, but after deep reflection he said to himself: “If there were truly any good in this idol, it would have protected itself.” He then went with Abdullah ibn Rawahah to the Messenger of Allah and accepted Islam. The Messenger of Allah established a bond of religious brotherhood between him and Salman al-Farisi.

Abu al-Darda was still a non-Muslim at the time of Badr and therefore did not participate. It is nevertheless reported that Caliph Umar included his allowance among those of the veterans of Badr. By the time of Uhud he was a Muslim. He took part in that battle and played a vigorous role as a cavalryman. At one point the Messenger of Allah ordered him to drive away an enemy cavalry unit, which he did alone. The Prophet was greatly delighted by his courage and said: “What an excellent horseman Uwaymir is.” He participated with the Messenger of Allah in all the other battles and expeditions as well, although detailed information about his role in them is unavailable.

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, Abu al-Darda remained in Madinah during Abu Bakr’s caliphate. Little is known about his activities then. During Umar’s caliphate he left Madinah for Syria and settled there permanently. Biographers mention several reasons: the Prophet’s memory in Madinah continually distressed him; he understood that spreading Islamic knowledge was an obligation upon the heirs of the Prophet; and he had heard from the Messenger of Allah that the lamp of faith would remain safe in Syria amid the darkness of tribulation. For these reasons he settled in Damascus, the capital of Syria.

A well-known account concerns his departure from Madinah. After preparing for the journey, he sought Umar’s permission. Umar refused, but said he would allow it on condition that Abu al-Darda accept a state responsibility. Abu al-Darda said that he did not wish to be a ruler. Umar replied that he should then expect no permission. Abu al-Darda said that he would not undertake a governmental office, but would teach people the Qur’an and Hadith and lead them in prayer. Umar accepted this proposal and permitted him to leave. It was principally to fulfill this duty that Abu al-Darda took up residence in Syria.

Ibn Sa‘d and al-Hakim relate from Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi that, during the lifetime of the Prophet, five Ansar had collected the entire Qur’an: Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, Ubadah ibn al-Samit, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Abu Ayyub, and Abu al-Darda. During Umar’s caliphate, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan wrote from Syria that its population had grown and that teachers were needed. Umar called these five men, explained the letter, and asked at least three of them to help. Abu Ayyub was elderly and Ubayy was ill, so they were excused. The remaining three were sent to different places. Abu al-Darda was sent to Damascus, where he remained until his death.

Most of his time in Damascus was spent teaching the Qur’an and Hadith, training students in the rulings of the Shariah, and worshipping. While some of the simple lives of the Companions in Syria were touched by its luxury and splendor, Abu al-Darda maintained a completely sincere and unadorned way of life. During Umar’s famous visit to Syria, the caliph unexpectedly visited the homes of Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, Amr ibn al-As, and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari and saw signs of prosperity. He also visited Abu al-Darda’s dwelling, where he could not even find a lamp in the darkness of night. Abu al-Darda was lying wrapped in a blanket in a dark room. Umar’s eyes filled with tears. When he asked the reason for such austerity, Abu al-Darda replied that the Messenger of Allah had said: “Our provisions in this world should be only what a traveler needs.” He lamented what had happened after the Prophet’s departure, and the two men spent the night weeping.

During Uthman’s caliphate, Mu‘awiyah, governor of Syria, appointed Abu al-Darda judge of Damascus on the caliph’s instruction. Whenever Mu‘awiyah traveled, Abu al-Darda acted as his deputy. This was the first judgeship established in Damascus. Ibn Hibban says that Mu‘awiyah appointed him at Umar’s instruction, while the author of al-Isti‘ab considers the first view correct.

Abu al-Darda had two wives, both women of honor and distinction. The first was Umm al-Darda al-Kubra, Khayrah daughter of Abu Hadrad al-Aslami; the second was Umm al-Darda al-Sughra, Hajimah al-Wassabiyyah. Umm al-Darda al-Kubra was a famous female Companion, highly intelligent, an accomplished jurist, and a great worshipper. Many Hadiths are narrated from her. Umm al-Darda al-Sughra was not a Companion; she lived long after her husband’s death. Mu‘awiyah proposed marriage to her, but she declined.

A report about Abu al-Darda’s marriage is found in biographical works. Abu al-Darda once took his religious brother Salman al-Farisi to the house of a bride’s father so that Salman could marry her. He seated Salman outside and entered, praising Salman’s piety and sacrifice for religion and proposing marriage. The family replied: “We will not give our daughter to Salman, but we will give her to you.” Thus they married the girl to Abu al-Darda. When the marriage was completed, Abu al-Darda came out and, with great embarrassment, told Salman what had happened. No reliable information is available about which marriage this refers to.

Abu al-Darda was handsome. In old age he dyed his beard with henna. He always wore Arab clothing, including a tall cap called a qalansuwah and a turban. Among his known children were Bilal, Yazid, Darda, and Nusaybah. Bilal, known in history as Bilal Abu Muhammad al-Dimashqi, served as judge of Damascus during the reign of Yazid and later caliphs. Caliph Abd al-Malik dismissed him, and he died in 92 AH.

His daughter Darda was married to Safwan ibn Abdullah al-Qurashi, a noble Meccan and celebrated Tabi‘i. Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah proposed to marry Darda, but Abu al-Darda refused and later married her to an ordinary, pious Muslim. When people criticized this choice, Abu al-Darda said: “I considered Darda’s situation. What would become of her religion when servants stood over her and her eyes fell upon the abundant goods of the house?”

There is considerable disagreement concerning the year of Abu al-Darda’s death. Different historians give 31, 32, 33, or 34 AH; some say he died after the Battle of Siffin between Ali and Mu‘awiyah. The most famous view is that he died in Damascus in 32 AH, corresponding to 652 CE. He was reportedly buried near Bab al-Saghir, and his wife Umm al-Darda was buried beside him.

The account of his death is unusual. In the final moments of his life he wept intensely. His wife Umm al-Darda asked: “You are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah; why do you weep so much?” He replied: “Why should I not weep? Allah knows best how I shall be saved.” He called his son Bilal and said: “You too will one day face this condition; prepare something for that day.” As death approached, his lamentation and agitation increased. Faith, it is said, lies between fear and hope, but fear of Allah was especially powerful in Abu al-Darda.

His wife tried to comfort him, saying: “You used to love death; why are you now so agitated?” He replied: “You speak the truth, but this agitation appeared when I realized that death was inevitable.” He broke down crying and then said: “My final hour has come. Prompt me to recite the declaration of faith.” People prompted him, and he died while repeating it.

During his final illness, Yusuf ibn Abdullah ibn Salam came to acquire knowledge from him. Abu al-Darda asked his purpose. Seeing Abu al-Darda’s critical condition, Yusuf replied that he had come because of the deep relationship between Abu al-Darda and his father. Abu al-Darda said: “Falsehood is a vile thing, but if someone seeks forgiveness after lying, he may be forgiven.” Yusuf remained with him until his death. Before dying, Abu al-Darda asked him to announce that his death was near. People began arriving in great numbers. When told that the house was crowded, he asked to be taken outside. He sat up and narrated a Hadith to the people. Thus his eagerness to spread the Prophet’s Hadith remained until the final moments of his life.

Abu al-Darda is counted among the scholarly Companions. The Companions held him in great respect. Abdullah ibn Umar said: “Discuss the deeds of the two men who acted upon knowledge—Mu‘adh and Abu al-Darda.” Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah said that Abu al-Darda was among the scholars and jurists who cure spiritual ailments. Before his death, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal also testified to Abu al-Darda’s profound knowledge, directing people who sought knowledge after his death to Abu al-Darda, Salman, Ibn Mas‘ud, and Abdullah ibn Salam.

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari once said to him: “O Abu al-Darda, there is no scholar greater than you beneath the sky and above the earth.” Masruq, a distinguished Tabi‘i, said: “I found the knowledge of all the Companions gathered in only six men; one of them was Abu al-Darda.” Qasim ibn Abd al-Rahman said: “Abu al-Darda was one of those who had been granted knowledge.” Because of his vast learning, students hungry for knowledge came to his study circle from every direction, although great Companions occupied positions of issuing legal verdicts and leading prayer throughout the Hijaz.

His study circle was always crowded. Whenever he left his house, students stood in rows along both sides of the road. Once, as he went to the mosque, such a crowd gathered behind him that people thought it was a royal procession. Everyone asked him something.

He constantly encouraged people to seek knowledge. Hasan reports that Abu al-Darda said: “Be a scholar, a student, one who loves scholars, or one who follows them. Do not be a fifth kind, or you will perish.” When asked what the fifth kind was, Hasan replied: “An innovator.” Abu al-Darda also said that entering and leaving in the company of learned people is a sign of a person’s wisdom.

It is reported that he addressed the people of Damascus: “O inhabitants of Damascus, you are my religious brothers, neighbors, and helpers against the enemy. What prevents you from forming bonds of affection with me? What has happened to you that your scholars are departing while your ignorant people do not learn? You pursue only your livelihood and abandon what you have been commanded. A people built lofty palaces and accumulated great wealth; their ambition deceived them, their palaces became their graves, and their wealth became ruins. Learn and teach others, for the reward of the teacher and the learner is equal. There is no greater good in anyone besides these two groups.” He also asked the people of Damascus whether they were content merely to eat wheat bread year after year while their scholars departed and their ignorant people learned nothing.

Abu al-Darda was a scholar who acted upon his knowledge. Ibn Ishaq reports that the Companions said he acted upon knowledge more than any of them. He said: “The destruction of one who knows is once, but the destruction of one who knows and does not act is seven times.” He also said: “Ask me questions. By Allah, if you lose me, you will have lost a great man.”

After the dawn prayer he would sit in the congregational mosque for teaching. Students surrounded him, asking questions, and he answered. Though expert in Hadith and jurisprudence, his principal subject was teaching the Qur’an. He was among those who had memorized and collected the entire Qur’an during the Prophet’s lifetime. According to Imam al-Bukhari’s report from Anas, until the Prophet’s death no one besides Abu al-Darda, Mu‘adh, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Abu Zayd al-Ansari had collected the entire Qur’an. Imam al-Sha‘bi added Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and Sa‘id ibn Ubayd, making six. Ibn Hajar listed twenty-nine Qur’an memorizers in Fath al-Bari.

Abu al-Darda was therefore one of the Qur’an’s great memorizers during the Prophet’s lifetime, and Umar selected him to teach and spread the Qur’an in Syria. He taught at Damascus’s Umari Mosque, which eventually became a leading Qur’an school. He had many assistants and several thousand students. After the dawn prayer he divided them into groups of ten, assigning a reciter to each group. The reciters taught the Qur’an while Abu al-Darda walked among them and listened. When a student completed memorization, he took him under his personal supervision for advanced training. Once, 1,600 students were counted leaving the center.

Among its famous students were Ibn Amir al-Yahsabi, Umm al-Darda al-Sughra, Khalifah ibn Sa‘d, Rashid ibn Sa‘d, and Khalid ibn Sa‘d. Ibn Amir was head of the mosque administration under Caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik. Umm al-Darda al-Sughra became an unrivaled expert in Qur’anic recitation, learning it from her husband and teaching it to Atiyyah ibn Qays al-Kilabi. People regarded Khalifah ibn Sa‘d as Abu al-Darda’s worthy successor and counted him among Syria’s famous reciters.

Although Abu al-Darda is not usually listed among the celebrated exegetes, interpretations of several verses are transmitted from him. He said that a person cannot become a jurist until he considers the various dimensions of the Qur’an. He would ask the Messenger of Allah about difficult verses and learn their meanings from him. When asked about the interpretation of a verse, he gave satisfying answers.وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِWould an adulterer and a thief be included among them? He replied: “If he fears his Lord, how could he commit adultery or theft?”
In Surah al-Qalamالْقَلَمِ—concerning a disbeliever it says:عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍThe exegetes have offered various explanations of the word “utul.” Abu al-Darda gave it a broad meaning. He said that “utul” refers to a person with a large belly and a thick neck who overeats, accumulates wealth, and is extremely miserly.
Likewise, the wordالسَّرَائِرُappears in Surah al-Tariq. Abu al-Darda also explained this word in a particular sense.

After giving the teaching and service of the Qur’an, the Companions gave the greatest importance to spreading and transmitting the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah. Abu al-Darda fulfilled this duty exceptionally well. He had a distinctive manner of narrating Hadith. al-Tabarani reports from Idris al-Khawlani: “I saw Abu al-Darda. After narrating a Hadith from the Messenger, he would say: ‘This, or something like this, or something of this kind.’”

Ibn Asakir reports from Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf that Umar summoned several prominent Companions living in different places—Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, Abu al-Darda, Abu Dharr, and Uqbah ibn Amir. When they came, he asked: “What is this that you are spreading in the name of the Messenger’s Hadith?” They asked: “Do you forbid us to spread it?” Umar replied: “No, but remain near me. I shall accept or reject what I receive from you; we know more about this matter.”

Once Abu al-Darda narrated a Hadith to Sa‘dan ibn Talhah. Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, was present in the mosque of Damascus. To gain further reassurance, Sa‘dan asked Thawban about it. Thawban said: “Abu al-Darda has spoken the truth. I too was present with the Messenger of Allah at that time.”

Before his death, Mu‘adh narrated a Hadith and said: “If you need a witness for it, Uwaymir—Abu al-Darda—is here; ask him.” The people went to Abu al-Darda. After hearing the Hadith, he said: “My brother Mu‘adh has spoken the truth.”

It was the practice of the honored Companions to discuss the Prophet’s Hadith whenever they met. Once Abu al-Darda was present at a gathering with Ubadah ibn al-Samit, al-Harith al-Kindi, and Miqdad ibn Ma‘dikarib. He asked Ubadah whether the Messenger had said anything about the khums during a certain battle. Ubadah remembered and narrated the entire incident.

Abu al-Darda spent his whole life teaching and spreading the Word of Allah and the Prophetic Hadith. Shortly before his death, he gathered people from various classes of the city and left them the final instruction to perform the prayer properly. Most of the Hadith he possessed he had received directly from the Messenger of Allah. After the Prophet’s death he also narrated some Hadiths from Zayd ibn Thabit and Aishah.

The circle of his students and Hadith transmitters was limited. Distinguished Companions such as Anas ibn Malik, Fudalah ibn Ubayd, Abu Umamah, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Abbas, and Umm al-Darda narrated from him. Most of the renowned Tabi‘i scholars acquired Hadith knowledge from him and transmitted Hadith through him. Among them were Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, Bilal ibn Abu al-Darda, Alqamah ibn Qays, Abu Murrah the freedman of Umm Hani, Abu Idris al-Khawlani, Jubayr ibn Nufayr, Suwayd ibn Ghafalah, Zayd ibn Wahb, Ma‘dan ibn Abi Talhah, Abu Habibah al-Ta’i, Abu al-Safar al-Hamdani, Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman, Safwan ibn Abdullah, Qusayyib ibn Qays, Abu Bahriyyah Abdullah ibn Qays, Qusayyib ibn Murrah, Muhammad ibn Sirin, Muhammad ibn Suwayd Abi Waqqas, Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi, Hilal ibn Yasaf, and others.

The total number of Hadiths narrated through Abu al-Darda and found in various Hadith collections is 179. Of these, thirteen are recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and eight in Sahih Muslim.

He also held a distinguished position in jurisprudence. People came from far away to ask him about legal questions. One man traveled from Kufa to Damascus solely to ask one question. He had initially refused to marry, but later married under pressure from his mother. After deep affection grew between him and his wife, his mother began pressuring him to divorce her. He did not want to do so. Abu al-Darda replied: “I will not tell you specifically to sever relations with either your mother or your wife. I will not tell you to divorce your wife, nor will I regard disobedience to your mother as permissible. You may divorce her or remain as you are. But remember that the Messenger of Allah called the mother one of the gates of Paradise.”

Abu Habib al-Ta’i once asked him: “My brother gave some dinars in charity for the sake of Allah and instructed at his death that they be spent in one of the charitable causes. Which cause is best?” He replied: “In my view, the best cause is jihad in the path of Allah.”

Abu al-Darda was naturally honest and truthful, and Islamic teaching made this nature still purer and brighter. Among all the Companions, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari was the most outspoken and independent-minded. He too initially lived in Syria and had criticized Amir Mu‘awiyah severely in his court. This uncompromising man once told Abu al-Darda: “Even if you had never met the Messenger of Allah, or had accepted Islam after his death, you would still have been counted among the righteous Muslims.” What greater testimony could there be to the purity of Abu al-Darda’s character?

He was a Companion of the Prophet, and fear of Almighty Allah made his body tremble. Once, standing on the mosque’s pulpit, he said in his sermon: “I am very fearful of the day when Allah will ask me: Did you act according to your knowledge? On that day every verse of the Qur’an will stand before me as a living witness and ask how much I followed its command. The verses commanding good will testify against me and say: ‘He did nothing.’ Then I will be asked how far I stayed from what was forbidden, and the verses of prohibition will say: ‘He did nothing.’ O people, will I be saved on that day?”

He constantly feared the Hereafter. Hizam ibn Hakim reports that Abu al-Darda said: “If you understood what will happen after death, you would not eat and drink with satisfaction, nor enter a roofed house to escape the sun. Rather, you would go out into the road, beat your chests, and weep.” He also said: “Would that I were a tree and cattle ate me; or a goat belonging to my family, which they slaughtered, cut into pieces, and served to guests; or that I had been born this pillar—then I would have no fear of reckoning.”

In worship, besides the five daily prayers and night prayer, he observed three practices very strictly: fasting three days every month, performing the witr prayer, and performing the forenoon prayer whether resident or traveling. The Messenger of Allah had instructed him regarding these. After every obligatory prayer he recited tasbih thirty-three times, tahmid thirty-three times, and takbir thirty-four times.

Umm al-Darda reports that a man once came to him. Abu al-Darda asked: “Will you stay or leave? If you stay, I will light a lamp; otherwise I will provide food for your mount.” The man said he would leave. Abu al-Darda replied: “I will give you provisions. If I possessed anything better, I would give you that.” He then narrated that he had complained to the Messenger of Allah that the wealthy had gained both this world and the Hereafter: they prayed and fasted like the poor, but gave charity while the poor could not. The Prophet taught him to recite after every prayer thirty-three tasbih, thirty-three al-hamdulillah, and thirty-four Allahu akbar, saying that none would surpass him except one who did the same.

Abu al-Darda once said: “Reciting takbir one hundred times is dearer to me than giving one hundred dinars in charity.” He remained constantly engaged in tasbih. When asked how many times he recited it daily, he replied: “One hundred thousand times, unless my fingers make a mistake.”

When told that Abu Sa‘d ibn Munabbih had freed one hundred slaves, Abu al-Darda said: “One hundred slaves is a great amount of wealth for one man. If you wish, I can tell you something better: uninterrupted faith by day and night, together with a tongue that never ceases remembering Allah.”

A man once asked him for advice. He said: “Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will remember you in times of hardship. Whenever you look at anything of this world, look also at its ultimate consequence.” The Messenger of Allah taught him a form of remembrance. He asked Abu al-Darda what he recited, and when Abu al-Darda replied that he remembered Allah, the Prophet taught him a remembrance to recite by night and day.

He had complete faith in the statements he had heard from the Messenger. Once a man told him that his house had burned down. He replied: “It has not burned.” Two others brought the same report, and he gave the same answer. A fourth said that the fire had reached his house but had gone out there. Abu al-Darda said: “I knew that Allah would not allow it.” He then explained that he had learned words from the Messenger: whoever recites them in the morning will remain safe from calamity until evening.

His life was extremely simple and unadorned. The world’s glitter, luxury, and pleasures never marked him. He said that a person should live in this world like a traveler. The Sufis count him among the People of the Bench and have transmitted many valuable sayings from him concerning asceticism and piety.

Once Salman al-Farisi visited his home. They were religious brothers. Seeing Abu al-Darda’s wife in very plain clothing, Salman asked the reason for their poverty. She replied that Abu al-Darda had become completely indifferent to the world and had no interest in anything. When Abu al-Darda returned, food was brought. He said that he was fasting, but Salman swore that he must eat with him or Salman would not eat. Salman spent the night there. When Abu al-Darda rose to pray, Salman stopped him and said: “Your Lord has a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your body has a right over you. Fast some days and break the fast on others, pray, visit your wife, and give everyone his due.” At the end of the night they prayed together and went together to the Prophet’s Mosque. When Abu al-Darda told the Messenger what had happened, the Prophet said: “Salman has spoken correctly; he is wiser than you.”

Bilal ibn Sa‘d says that Abu al-Darda often prayed: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the scattering of my heart.” When asked what that meant, he replied: “It means having my possessions spread through every valley.”

Abu Nu‘aym reports that Khalid ibn Hudayr al-Aslami once saw him sitting on a leather or woolen mattress, wearing coarse woolen clothing and woolen shoes while ill and sweating. Khalid offered to bring him better bedding and clothing from the Commander of the Believers. Abu al-Darda replied: “I have another home. I shall go there, and I am working to reach it. What need have I of all this?”

Once guests came to his home in winter. He served hot food but gave them no warm bedding. One guest complained, but another entered the house and saw that Abu al-Darda and his wife themselves had no warm clothing. When asked why he spent the night like them, he replied: “We have another home, and we shall go there. We have sent all our bedding and quilts ahead. If any had remained with us, we would have sent it to your room.”

Mu‘awiyah ibn Qurrah reports that Abu al-Darda said: “I love three things that people dislike: poverty, illness, and death. I love death because it brings me to my Lord, poverty because it displays my humility before Him, and illness because it expiates my sins.”

Those who learned in the Messenger’s study circle understood that commanding what is right was obligatory. Abu al-Darda was never negligent regarding this duty. When Mu‘awiyah once bought a silver vessel and paid the seller unequal amounts of silver in exchange, Abu al-Darda immediately objected: “Such a transaction is not permissible. The Messenger ordered equality when gold and silver are exchanged.” When Yusuf ibn Abdullah came to him for one purpose but stated another, Abu al-Darda corrected him at once: “Lying is a very bad deed.”

When Mu‘awiyah expelled Abu Dharr from Syria, Abu al-Darda heard the news while traveling and spontaneously said: “Indeed, we belong to Allah.” He then said: “Wait regarding them as it was said concerning the companions of the she-camel”—meaning the companions of Salih. He continued emotionally: “O Allah, they called Abu Dharr a liar, but I do not. They falsely accused him, but I do not. They expelled him, but I am not with them in this. I know that the Messenger considered no one on earth more truthful than him and confided in no one as he did in him. By Him in whose hand is my life, even if Abu Dharr cut off my hand, I would not harbor hatred for him, because the Messenger said: ‘There is no one beneath the sky and above the earth more truthful than Abu Dharr.’”

Ibn Asakir reports that Abu al-Darda once wrote to Maslamah ibn Mukhalled: “When a servant acts for Allah’s pleasure, Allah loves him; when Allah loves him, He makes him beloved to all His servants. But when a servant disobeys Allah, Allah’s anger falls upon him, and he becomes an object of anger among Allah’s creation.”

The Messenger once said that whoever uttered the declaration of divine unity would enter Paradise. Abu al-Darda asked: “Even if he commits adultery or theft?” The Prophet replied: “Yes, even so.” Abu al-Darda set out to convey this good news, but Umar met him and said: “Do not do that, for people will abandon action.” Abu al-Darda returned and told the Prophet, who said: “Umar is right.”

Once Abu al-Darda returned home agitated and said: “By Allah, nothing of the Messenger’s practice is being observed except the congregational prayer. People have abandoned everything.” He advised Sa‘dan ibn Abi Talhah to pray in the city, saying that where there is neither the call to prayer nor prayer, Satan gains control; the wolf takes only the sheep that separates from the flock.

The entire Muslim community respected him deeply. Once a Qurayshi broke an Ansari’s tooth. The case came before Mu‘awiyah, who declared the Qurayshi guilty. When the man claimed that the Ansari had first hurt his tooth, Mu‘awiyah tried to persuade the Ansari to pardon him, but the Ansari insisted on retaliation. Mu‘awiyah said: “Abu al-Darda is coming; accept whatever judgment he gives.” Abu al-Darda narrated that if someone who has suffered bodily harm forgives the one who harmed him, Allah raises his rank and forgives his sins. Hearing this, the Ansari forgave the man. When he asked whether Abu al-Darda had heard the Hadith from the Prophet, Abu al-Darda said yes, and the Ansari said: “Then I forgive him.”

Abu al-Darda always kept away from tribulation and unrest. He said: “I would rather leave even a place where two men dispute over a handspan of land.” He also advised people to avoid market gatherings because they lead to amusement and frivolity. He preferred silence and contemplation. When asked about his best deed, Umm al-Darda replied: “Deep reflection.” He said: “An hour of reflection is better than a whole night of worship.” He also said: “Learn to remain silent just as you learn to speak. Silence is great forbearance. Be more eager to listen than to speak, and do not speak needlessly.”

He was always cheerful and mixed pleasantly with people. His wife considered his frequent gentle smile contrary to dignity and once warned him that people might think him foolish. He replied: “The Messenger used to smile gently while speaking.”

His nature was simple and unadorned. He planted trees with his own hands in the courtyard of the Damascus Mosque. People were astonished that a Companion of the Messenger and imam of the mosque’s teaching circle performed such small tasks himself. When one man asked him about it, he replied: “There is great reward in it.” He was extremely generous and hospitable. Despite poverty, he never neglected the service of guests. His house was usually full of people. He would ask guests whether they intended to stay or leave; if they wished to leave, he supplied their provisions. Some stayed for weeks. Salman al-Farisi would stay at his home whenever he came to Damascus.

His heart was gentle and generous. He disliked hating or insulting anyone. Once he saw people abusing a man. On inquiry he learned that the man had committed no sin. Abu al-Darda told them: “If someone falls into a well, he should be pulled out; insulting him brings no good. Consider it fortunate that you have been protected from this sin.” When asked whether he considered the man bad, he replied: “There is no inherent evil in him, but his action is bad. When he abandons it, he is again my brother.”

It was contrary to his nature to accept anything from others. When Abdullah ibn Amir came to Syria and the Companions collected their allowances, Abu al-Darda did not go. Abdullah therefore brought the allowance to his house. Abu al-Darda said that the Messenger had told him: “When rulers change their condition, you should change your condition as well.”

Many accounts are given of his spiritual excellence. Abu al-Bakhtari relates that Abu al-Darda was heating something in a pot while Salman sat nearby. Abu al-Darda heard a sound like children’s voices glorifying Allah within the pot and called out in amazement. Salman said: “Had you remained silent, you would have seen an even greater sign from Allah.”

Awf ibn Malik once saw in a dream a leather dome and a pasture beside which goats were lying and chewing cud. He was told they belonged to Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf. Abd al-Rahman emerged and said: “Allah has given me all this in exchange for the Qur’an. If you look toward this road, you will see things your eyes have never seen, your ears have never heard of, and your heart has never imagined. Allah has prepared them for Abu al-Darda, because he has pushed the world away with both hands and his chest.”

He maintained excellent relations with his friends. His lifelong bond with his religious brother Salman al-Farisi was particularly deep. Ash‘ath ibn Qays and Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajali once visited Salman in a fortress at Mada’in. When they asked whether he was Salman al-Farisi and whether he was a Companion of the Messenger, he answered uncertainly. Seeing their hesitation, he said: “I am the man you seek. I saw the Messenger and sat with him. A Companion is one who will go to Paradise with the Messenger.” They said they had come from his brother in Syria—Abu al-Darda. Salman asked where the gift sent by Abu al-Darda was. They said there was none. Salman insisted that Abu al-Darda always sent a gift with anyone who came from him. They swore he had sent none, but said he had instructed them to convey his greetings to the person whom the Messenger would call when going to relieve himself. Salman said: “What gift could I want besides his greeting? What gift is better than a greeting?”

Abdullah ibn Rawahah had been his intimate friend and brother in the Age of Ignorance, and through Abdullah’s invitation and efforts Abu al-Darda accepted Islam. Abu al-Darda would often pray: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from presenting to my brother Abdullah ibn Rawahah any deed of mine that would make him ashamed.”

He had many other religious friends and prayed for all of them after the prayer. His wife Umm al-Darda said that he had 360 friends in the path of Allah and prayed for each of them. When asked why, he replied that when a person prays for his brother from afar, Allah appoints two angels who say: “May Allah grant you what you ask for your brother.” He added: “Would I not want the angels to pray for me?”

He was a devoted lover of the Messenger. During the Prophet’s lifetime he loved him so intensely that he would sleep outside his door at night so that, if needed, the Prophet could awaken him and employ him.

A Qur’anic verse was indirectly revealed concerning an incident involving him. A man mocked Abu al-Darda, saying to the reciters: “Why are you more cowardly and stingy than us, while your portions at mealtime are the largest?” Abu al-Darda did not answer. When Umar heard, he asked Abu al-Darda, who said: “May Allah forgive him. Must we take account of every word?” Umar went to the man, pulled him by the neck, and brought him to the Messenger. The man said they had only been joking, and then verse 65 of Surah al-Tawbah was revealed.

Mu‘awiyah ibn Qurrah reports that when Abu al-Darda became ill, friends visited and asked what troubled him. He replied: “My sins.” They asked his final wish, and he said: “Paradise.” They offered to summon a doctor, but he replied: “There is no need. The greatest Doctor has caused me this suffering.”

On the day Cyprus was conquered, many fighters wept. Jubayr ibn Nufayr saw Abu al-Darda sitting alone and crying. When asked why he wept on the day Allah had honored Islam and the Muslims, he replied: “How wretched is a people who abandon Allah’s command. They were powerful and victorious and possessed a state, but they abandoned Allah’s command, and this was their fate.”

Mu‘awiyah once asked Abu al-Darda for a list of the sinners of Damascus. He replied: “What relationship do I have with them? How would I know them?” His son Bilal offered to prepare the list. When he did so, Abu al-Darda asked how he knew them, saying that one could not know them unless one belonged to their group, and told him to begin the list with his own name. Bilal then sent no list.

Abu al-Darda told people to keep away from the world, saying that it was a greater magician than Harut and Marut. He often prayed: “O Allah, let me die with the righteous and do not keep me alive with the sinful.” He also sought refuge from the curses of scholars. When asked how scholars could curse him, he replied: “They will hate me.”

Many remarkable and instructive fragments concerning Abu al-Darda are scattered throughout the books. As Ibn Hajar said, we too say that his virtues and excellences are numerous and cannot be expressed in a short article.

Hazrat Huzaifa ibn al-Yaman (RA)

His actual name was Hudhayfah, his kunyah was Abu ‘Abdillah, and his laqab, or honorific title, was “Sahib al-Sirr.” He was a descendant of the ‘Abs branch of the Ghatafan tribe; therefore, he was also called al-‘Absi. His father’s name was Husayl—according to another view, Hasal ibn Jabir—and his mother was Rabah bint Ka‘b ibn ‘Adi ibn ‘Abd al-Ashhal, the daughter of the ‘Abd al-Ashhal branch of the Aws, one of the Ansar tribes of Madinah. Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “This Hudhayfah was one of the greatest Companions.” (Al-Isabah, 1/317; al-Isti‘ab, marginal notes to al-Isabah, 1/277)

Hudhayfah’s father, Husayl, was originally from the Banu ‘Abs of Makkah. During the pre-Islamic period, he killed a man from his own tribe, fled Makkah, and took refuge in Yathrib. There he first entered into an alliance with the Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal and later established a marriage relationship with them, after which he continued to live there. The ancestral connection of the Ansar tribes of Madinah was principally with Yemen. Since Husayl married a woman from among them, the people of his tribe identified him as “al-Yaman.” For this reason he became known as Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman. (See Shajarat al-Dhahab, 1/44; al-Isabah, 1/317; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 2/193) Al-Yaman’s marriage into the ‘Abd al-Ashhal tribe produced the following children: 1. Hudhayfah, 2. Sa‘d, 3. Safwan, 4. Mudlij, and 5. Layla. They became known in history as the descendants of al-Yaman.

The obstacles and fears that had prevented al-Yaman from entering Makkah gradually disappeared. From time to time he travelled between Makkah and Yathrib, although he spent most of his time in Yathrib. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began inviting people to Islam in Makkah. At one point, Hudhayfah’s father, al-Yaman, went to the Messenger of Allah with eleven men from the Banu ‘Abs and accepted Islam. The Messenger of Allah had not yet migrated from Makkah to Madinah. Thus, although Hudhayfah was originally from Makkah, he was born in Madinah and grew up there. (Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 4/122)

Hudhayfah’s father, al-Yaman, became Muslim in the early period of Islam in Makkah. His mother also accepted Islam together with his father. In this way Hudhayfah grew up in the care of Muslim parents and became Muslim before attaining the blessing of seeing the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Among his brothers and sisters, only he and Safwan possessed this distinction. After becoming Muslim, he developed a strong desire to see the Messenger. Day by day this desire grew more intense. He would continually ask those who had seen the Messenger what his appearance, features, qualities, and characteristics were like. At last, one day he truly presented himself before the Messenger of Allah in Makkah and asked his opinion concerning hijrah and nusrah. The Messenger gave him the freedom to choose either of the two. Hudhayfah said: “The Messenger gave me the freedom to choose either hijrah or nusrah—that is, to reside among the Muhajirun or among the Ansar. I chose nusrah.” (Usud al-Ghabah, 1/394; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 2/193; al-Isabah, 1/318)

Another narration states that at his first meeting in Makkah he asked: “O Messenger of Allah, am I a Muhajir or an Ansari?” The Messenger replied: “You may choose to be either a Muhajir or an Ansari.” He said: “O Messenger of Allah, I shall be an Ansari.” (Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 4/123–124)

After the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came from Makkah to Madinah, he instituted the practice of mu’akhah, or the establishment of bonds of religious brotherhood. He declared Hudhayfah and ‘Ammar ibn Yasir to be brothers in faith. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, 1/506)

Hudhayfah did not participate in the Battle of Badr. Ibn Sa‘d listed him among the Companions who did not take part in Badr. (Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 1/94) Regarding the reason why he and his father did not participate in that battle, he himself said: “There was nothing preventing me from joining Badr. However, while my father and I were returning to Madinah, the unbelieving Quraysh stopped us on the road and asked: ‘Where are you going?’ We replied: ‘To Madinah.’ They said: ‘Then surely you are going to Muhammad?’ We said: ‘We are only going to Madinah; we have no other purpose.’ At last they let us continue, but only after taking a pledge from us that, when we reached Madinah, we would not assist Muhammad in any way in fighting the Quraysh. After being released from them, we reached Madinah and informed the Messenger of Allah of the pledge we had made to the Quraysh, asking him: ‘What should we do now?’ He said: ‘Fulfil your pledge. We shall seek Allah’s help for victory over them.’” (Tarikh al-Islam by al-Dhahabi, 2/153; Sahih Muslim, 2/89; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 2/193; al-Isabah, 1/317)

Hudhayfah joined the Battle of Uhud with his father. He fought with great courage and returned safely to Madinah, but his aged father attained martyrdom. That martyrdom occurred at the hands of fellow Muslim soldiers. The incident was as follows: During the Battle of Uhud, his father al-Yaman and Thabit ibn Waqsh had reached old age. Before the battle, the women and children were placed in a secure fortress, and these two elderly men were assigned to remain under its protection. When the battle became intense, al-Yaman said to his companion Thabit: “May your father perish! What are we sitting here waiting for? Like the short life of a thirsty donkey, the end of all our lives is approaching. At most, we have only today or tomorrow left to live. Should we not take up our swords and go to the Messenger of Allah? Perhaps Allah will grant us martyrdom alongside His Prophet.” The two men took their swords and left the fortress.

At one stage of the battle, the pagan army was defeated and began fleeing for its life. Then a wicked devil shouted: “Look, the Muslims have arrived!” Hearing this, one group of the pagan army turned back and clashed with a group of Muslims. Al-Yaman and Thabit were caught amid the fierce conflict between the two sides. Thabit was martyred by the pagan army, but Hudhayfah’s father, al-Yaman, was killed by the Muslims. This happened because they did not recognize him and because of the confusion of battle. From some distance Hudhayfah saw the tragic scene involving his father and cried out, “My father! My father!” But his cry reached no one’s ears; it disappeared amid the tumult of battle. By then the old man had fallen beneath the blows of the swords of his own companions. After becoming certain of his father’s death, Hudhayfah uttered only these words: “May Allah forgive us all. He is the Most Merciful.”

When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, offered Hudhayfah the diyah, or blood money, for his father, he said: “My father longed for martyrdom, and he has attained it. O Allah, bear witness that I have donated his diyah, or blood money, for the Muslims.” The Messenger was extremely pleased. (See Sahih al-Bukhari, 2/581; Sirat Ibn Hisham, 2/87; Hayat al-Sahabah, 1/519; Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah, 4/125–127)

Hudhayfah played an important role in the Battle of the Trench. The Quraysh advanced with such force that fear and terror spread throughout Madinah. Men of the Quraysh army were dispersed far and wide around the city. The Messenger of Allah prayed to Allah and, at the same time, ordered the digging of a trench for the defence of Madinah. One night an extraordinary event took place, and it was nothing other than an unseen aid for the Muslims. The Quraysh had established camps in the gardens surrounding Madinah. Suddenly such a violent wind began to blow that ropes snapped, tents were torn apart, cooking pots were overturned, and bone-chilling cold set in. Abu Sufyan said: “There is no other option; we must leave immediately.” (Tabaqat, 2/50)

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was deeply concerned about the Quraysh army. On that terrifying, stormy night he wished to make use of Hudhayfah’s strength and experience. Before making any decision, he wanted to send someone into the midst of the Quraysh army under cover of darkness to gather information. For this daring mission he eventually selected Hudhayfah. The books of sirah contain several accounts of this expedition. According to one narration, the Messenger said to his Companions: “If anyone can bring me information about the polytheists, I give him the glad tidings of my companionship on the Day of Resurrection.” It was bitterly cold, and a powerful wind was blowing. No one found the courage to volunteer. The Messenger repeated the statement three times, but received no response from any side. On the fourth occasion he called Hudhayfah by name and said: “Go and bring me information.” Since he had called him by name, Hudhayfah had no option but to obey the command.

References

1. Ibn Hisham: As-Sirah,
2. Ibn Sa’d: At-Tabaqat,
3. Ibn al-Athir:
– Usud al-Ghabah,
– Tajrid Asma’ as-Sahabah,
– Al-Kamil fi’t-Tarikh,
4. Ibn ‘Asakir: At-Tarikh al-Kabir,
5. Ibn Hajar:
– Al-Isabah
– Taqrib at-Tahdhib,
– Lisan al-Mizan,
6. Al-Baladhuri: Ansab al-Ashraf,
7. Ibn al-‘Imad al-Hanbali: Shadharat adh-Dhahab fi man Dhahab,
8. Muhyi ad-Din an-Nawawi: Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat,
9. Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani: Kitab al-Aghani,
10. Ibn al-Jawzi: Sifat as-Safwah,
11. Adh-Dhahabi:
– Tadhkirat al-Huffaz,
– Tarikh al-Islam wa Tabaqat
– Al-Mashahir wa al-A’lam,
12. Yaqut al-Hamawi: Mu’jam al-Buldan,
13. Al-Qurtubi: Al-Isti’ab (marginal notes to Al-Isabah),
14. Shah Waliullah: Fiqh ‘Umar (Urdu),
15. Muhammad Ali as-Sabuni: At-Tibyan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an,
16. Az-Zirikli: Al-A’lam,
17. Yusuf Kandhalawi, Mawlana: Hayat as-Sahabah (Arabic)
18. Khalid Muhammad Khalid: Rijal hawla ar-Rasul,
19. Dr. Rifat al-Basha: Suwar min Hayat as-Sahabah,
20. Abdur Rauf, Mawlana: Asah as-Siyar,
21. Sa’id Ansari, Mawlana: Siyar-e-Ansar,
22. Dr. ‘Umar Farrukh: Tarikh al-Adab al-‘Arabi,
23. Jurji Zaydan: Tarikh Adab al-Lughah al-‘Arabiyyah,
24. Imam Ahmad: Al-Musnad
25. Dairah-i Ma’arif Islamiyyah (Urdu)
26. Muhammad Khidri Bek: Tarikh al-Ummah al-Islamiyyah,
27. Abdur Rahman al-Banna: Al-Fath ar-Rabbani (Sharh al-Musnad)
28. Various hadith collections.