Stories of Sahaba
ABU HURAIRAH (RadhiAllahu Anhu)
Abu Hurairah (R A) , (also known as `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr Al-Azdi) was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the narrator of Hadith. Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.
HIS LIFE
Abu Hurairah (R A) was born in Baha, Yemen into the Banu Daws tribe from the region of Tihamah on the coast of the Red Sea. His father had died, leaving him with only his mother and no other relatives. His name at birth was Abd al-Shams (servant of the sun). However, as a child, he had a cat and became known as "Abu Hurairah (R A)" (which literally means "Father of the Kitten" or more idiomatically "Of the kitten").
Another recognized fact is that after embracing Islam Abu Hurairah (R A) looked after the mosque and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) . He made it a regular habit to give the left over food to the wandering cats. Gradually the number of cats around the mosque increased. He loved to caress and play with them. Hence he got the name Abu Hurairah (R A) - Father (care taker) of kitten.
As a young man, he worked for Bushra bint Ghazwan. Abu Hurairah (R A) embraced Islam through Tufayl ibn Amr the chieftain of his tribe.
Tufayl had returned to his village after meeting Muhammad (SAW) and become a Muslim in the early years of his mission. Abu Hurairah (R A) was one of the first to respond to his call, unlike the majority of Tufayl's tribesmen.
Abu Hurairah (R A) accompanied Tufayl to Mecca to meet Muhammad (SAW) who renamed him Abd al-Rahman (servant of the Merciful, one of the 99 Names of God). Abu Hurairah (R A) then returned to his tribe for several years.
In 629 he went to Medina with some others from his tribe. Since Muhammad (SAW) was absent due to the Battle of Khaybar, he stayed in the masjid.
Abu Hurairah (R A), with other Muslims, suffered from hunger when the Muslims were poor in Medina
The poorer members of the Community including migrants from other parts of the world had a special place in the mosque called the Suffa. They were called the Ahl al-Suffa, People of the Bench, and many of them had no possessions but the clothes on their back. Abu Hurairah was the most prominent of the Ahl al-Suffa. The Messenger, upon him be peace, used to send any charity that he received and shared with them gifts that had been given. Abu Hurairah related how he used to lie on the ground or tie a stone to his stomach due to the intense hunger. On one occasion, he waited outside the mosque and when Abu Bakr went by, he asked him about a verse of Qurân in the hope that he would notice his state and offer him something to eat. However, he answered the question and went on. Then he did the same with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb, who did the same as Abu Bakr. Then he waited for the Messenger, upon whom be peace, who invited him in to his house to see if there were any gifts of food. He felt fortunate as the Messenger, upon him be peace, had been given a cup of milk. To Abu Hurairah’s dismay, he was ordered to invite all the Ahl al-Suffa and then to pour out for each one of them. At this, he despaired of getting any milk because they were so numerous and the person pouring the milk is always the last to drink. To his surprise when everyone had drunk, the cup was still full. He drank his fill and when he had finished, the Messenger, upon him be peace, said ‘drink!’ Abu Hurairah obeyed. When he had drank until he could drink no more, the Messenger, upon him be peace, smiled and again said, ‘drink!’ Despite being sated, he drank. After he had finished, the Messenger smiled again and said, ‘drink!’ To this Abu Hurairah, said ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is no way I can drink any more.’ He realized that the Messenger, upon him be peace, was teaching him not to doubt the blessings of his Lord.
Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.
"Narrated Abu Huraira: I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! I hear many narrations from you but I forget them.’ He said, ‘Spread your covering sheet.’ I spread my sheet and he moved both his hands as if scooping something and emptied them in the sheet and said, ‘Wrap it.’ I wrapped it round my body, and since then I have never forgotten a single Hadith."
Abu Huraira helped pass and teach the religion of Islam on through narrating the traditions of the Prophet(SAW) to the early Muslims.
The Memory of the Revelation Era
Abu Huraira (R A) was good in the art of listening and his memory was good in the art of storing. He used to listen, understand, and memorize; then he hardly forgot one word, no matter how long his life lasted. That is why his gift made him memorize and narrate the Prophetic traditions (Hadiths) more than any of the Companions of the Messenger (SAW).
Abu Hurairah (R A) was not one of the scribes, but, he had a strong memory that made him retain things in his mind very quickly. He had neither land to plant nor commerce to keep him busy; hence he stayed with Messenger (SAW) all the time.
Thus, he devoted himself and his precise memory to memorizing the hadiths and instructions of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). When the Prophet (SAW) died, Abu Hurairah (R A) kept narrating his traditions, which made some Companions wonder how he could know all those hadiths? When did he hear them?
Once Marwaan Ibn Al-Hakam wanted to examine Abu Hurairah (R A)'s ability to memorize. He invited him to sit with him and asked him to narrate about the Messenger of Allah (SAW) while a scribe sat behind a screen and was told to write whatever Abu Hurairah (R A) said. After a year, Marwaan invited him once again and asked him to narrate the same traditions the scribe had written. Abu Hurairah (R A) had not forgotten a single word!
Imam Ash- Shaafiy (R A) said about him, "No one in his period was more capable of narrating traditions with such a memory than Abu Hurairah (R A)."
Al Bukhaariy said, "Almost eight hundred or more Companions, followers (the generation after the Companions) and people of knowledge narrated through Abu Hurairah (R A)." Thus, Abu Hurairah (R A) was a big, immortal school.
DEATH
Umar appointed him as ruler over Bahrain but after a short time, he decided he did not want to be involved in politics or ruling, resigned and went into recluse. He returned to Madina where he died in the year 57, 58 or 59 H, aged 78 years old.
ABDULLAH IBN MASUD
Abdullah ibn Masud(R A) was one of the first converts to Islam after Muhammad (SAW) started preaching in Mecca. He remained one of the closest companions of Muhammad (SAW) during his lifetime.
According to Muslim sources, he was a young shepherd who worked for Uqbah ibn Abu Mu'ayt. It was not long before Abdullah (R A) became a Muslim and offered to be in the service of Muhammad(SAW). Muhammad(SAW) agreed and Abdullah (R A) gave up tending sheep in exchange for dedicating himself to Islam. Abdullah (R A) held administrative and diplomatic duties under the caliphs Umar (R A) and Uthman(R A) . Some of his well-known disciples in Kufa included Alqama ibn Qays al-Nakha'i, Aswad ibn Yazid and Masruq ibn al-Ajda'. Abdullah (R A) is especially important for his commentaries and traditions on the interpretation of the Qur'an, having been present for many revelations.
Before the Prophet (SAW) entered Daar Al-Arqam, Ibn Mas'uud had declared his belief in him. He was the sixth one to embrace Islam and follow the Prophet (SAW). Thus he was one of the early Muslims.
Before his Islam he never dared to pass by a session attended by any Quraish nobleman except with hastened steps and a bowed head, but after Islam he was capable of going to the Ka'bah, where the elite Quraish congregated and standing among them reading the Qur'aan in a loud, beautiful, impressive voice: In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent! Has taught the Qur'aan. He created man. He taught him eloquent speech. The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each. And the herbs (or stars ) and the trees both prostrate (55: 1-6).
He went on reciting while the Quraish were thunderstruck, not believing their own eyes or ears. They could not imagine that the one challenging their pride was just one of their hired shepherd boys who was the poor unknown "Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud. Let us hear an eye witness, Az-Zubair (R A), describe the exciting scene: Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud was the first one to recite Qur'aan publicly in Makkah after the Prophet (SAW). It happened one day that the Prophet's Companions were gathered with the Prophet (SAW). They said, "By Allah, the Quraish have never heard the Qur'aan being recited to them before. Isn't there any man to recite it so that they may hear it?" Thereupon 'Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud said, "I." They said, "We are afraid they may harm you." We want a man with a strong family to protect him from those people if they want to harm him." He said, "Let me go, Allah will protect me." Ibn Mas'uud went to the Maqaam at the Ka'bah and recited < In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent! Has taught the Qur'aan... > and he went on reciting. The Quraish gazed at him and said, "What does Ibn Umm "Abd say? He is reciting some of what Muhammad came with." They went to him and began to beat him in the face while he was reciting till he finished whatever Allah wished him to recite from the surah. He returned to his friends with a wounded face and body, and they told him, "This is what we were afraid would happen to you." He answered them, "Those enemies of Allah have never been more worthless to me than this moment, and if you wish I will go back to them and do the same tomorrow." They said, "No, it is enough for you. You have made them hear what they hated.
It was a pleasure for the Prophet (SAW) to hear Qur'aan being recited from the mouth of Ibn Mas'uud. The Prophet (SAW) once called on him and said, "Recite to me, 'Abd Allah," and 'Abd Allah said, "How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?" The Prophet (SAW) said, "I like to hear it from others." Thereupon Ibn Mas'uud started reading part of Surat An-Nisaa' till he reached the verse: How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you as a witness against those people. On o that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah (4: 41-42). Upon hearing this, the Prophet's (SAW) eyes flooded with tears and he waved to Ibn Mas'uud saying, "Enough, enough, Ibn Mas'uud."
He was so near to the Prophet (SAW) and so trusted by him that he was given more privileges than anyone else was given. The Prophet (SAW) told him, "My permission to you is that you may raise the curtains." This indicates his being allowed to knock at the Prophet's door at any time during the day or night. This is why the Companions said, "He was admitted to the company of the Prophet (SAW), whereas we were detained, and he was present in his company, whereas we were absent."
Ibn Mas'uud(R A) never missed the company of the Prophet (SAW) either while traveling or at home. He participated in all the battles, and on the Day of Badr his role was significant, especially with Abu Jahl. The Prophet's (SAW) caliphs were also fully aware of his proper value. The Commander of the Faithful Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (R A) appointed him as director of the treasury (Bait Al-Maal) in Kufa and he said to the people there, "By Allah, there is no god but He. You know that I have given you a preference over myself when I sent him to you to learn from him."
The people of Kufa liked him as they never liked anyone before him. It was a real miracle that the whole people of Kufa agreed on liking somebody because they were known to be a people of rebellion and mutiny. They hardly agreed on one kind of food, and they did not tolerate peace and tranquillity. Their love for him was great.
It was Allah's bounty on him that he was counted among the first ten Companions of the Prophet (SAW) who were promised to enter Paradise while they were still alive. ^He participated in all the victorious wars with the Prophet (SAW) and his caliphs. He witnessed how the two greatest empires opened their gates in submission to the banners of Islam. He saw the high positions and lucrative money pouring into the hands of the Muslims, but his mind was never obsessed by such matters. Instead, he was pre-occupied with how to fulfil the pledge he offered to the Prophet (SAW), and he was also never tempted to give up the life of humbleness and self-denial that he used to lead.
Abu Hurairah (R A) , (also known as `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr Al-Azdi) was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the narrator of Hadith. Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.
HIS LIFE
Abu Hurairah (R A) was born in Baha, Yemen into the Banu Daws tribe from the region of Tihamah on the coast of the Red Sea. His father had died, leaving him with only his mother and no other relatives. His name at birth was Abd al-Shams (servant of the sun). However, as a child, he had a cat and became known as "Abu Hurairah (R A)" (which literally means "Father of the Kitten" or more idiomatically "Of the kitten").
Another recognized fact is that after embracing Islam Abu Hurairah (R A) looked after the mosque and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) . He made it a regular habit to give the left over food to the wandering cats. Gradually the number of cats around the mosque increased. He loved to caress and play with them. Hence he got the name Abu Hurairah (R A) - Father (care taker) of kitten.
As a young man, he worked for Bushra bint Ghazwan. Abu Hurairah (R A) embraced Islam through Tufayl ibn Amr the chieftain of his tribe.
Tufayl had returned to his village after meeting Muhammad (SAW) and become a Muslim in the early years of his mission. Abu Hurairah (R A) was one of the first to respond to his call, unlike the majority of Tufayl's tribesmen.
Abu Hurairah (R A) accompanied Tufayl to Mecca to meet Muhammad (SAW) who renamed him Abd al-Rahman (servant of the Merciful, one of the 99 Names of God). Abu Hurairah (R A) then returned to his tribe for several years.
In 629 he went to Medina with some others from his tribe. Since Muhammad (SAW) was absent due to the Battle of Khaybar, he stayed in the masjid.
Abu Hurairah (R A), with other Muslims, suffered from hunger when the Muslims were poor in Medina
The poorer members of the Community including migrants from other parts of the world had a special place in the mosque called the Suffa. They were called the Ahl al-Suffa, People of the Bench, and many of them had no possessions but the clothes on their back. Abu Hurairah was the most prominent of the Ahl al-Suffa. The Messenger, upon him be peace, used to send any charity that he received and shared with them gifts that had been given. Abu Hurairah related how he used to lie on the ground or tie a stone to his stomach due to the intense hunger. On one occasion, he waited outside the mosque and when Abu Bakr went by, he asked him about a verse of Qurân in the hope that he would notice his state and offer him something to eat. However, he answered the question and went on. Then he did the same with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb, who did the same as Abu Bakr. Then he waited for the Messenger, upon whom be peace, who invited him in to his house to see if there were any gifts of food. He felt fortunate as the Messenger, upon him be peace, had been given a cup of milk. To Abu Hurairah’s dismay, he was ordered to invite all the Ahl al-Suffa and then to pour out for each one of them. At this, he despaired of getting any milk because they were so numerous and the person pouring the milk is always the last to drink. To his surprise when everyone had drunk, the cup was still full. He drank his fill and when he had finished, the Messenger, upon him be peace, said ‘drink!’ Abu Hurairah obeyed. When he had drank until he could drink no more, the Messenger, upon him be peace, smiled and again said, ‘drink!’ Despite being sated, he drank. After he had finished, the Messenger smiled again and said, ‘drink!’ To this Abu Hurairah, said ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is no way I can drink any more.’ He realized that the Messenger, upon him be peace, was teaching him not to doubt the blessings of his Lord.
Abu Hurairah (R A) had an excellent memory which is why he was able to narrate so many hadith.
"Narrated Abu Huraira: I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! I hear many narrations from you but I forget them.’ He said, ‘Spread your covering sheet.’ I spread my sheet and he moved both his hands as if scooping something and emptied them in the sheet and said, ‘Wrap it.’ I wrapped it round my body, and since then I have never forgotten a single Hadith."
Abu Huraira helped pass and teach the religion of Islam on through narrating the traditions of the Prophet(SAW) to the early Muslims.
The Memory of the Revelation Era
Abu Huraira (R A) was good in the art of listening and his memory was good in the art of storing. He used to listen, understand, and memorize; then he hardly forgot one word, no matter how long his life lasted. That is why his gift made him memorize and narrate the Prophetic traditions (Hadiths) more than any of the Companions of the Messenger (SAW).
Abu Hurairah (R A) was not one of the scribes, but, he had a strong memory that made him retain things in his mind very quickly. He had neither land to plant nor commerce to keep him busy; hence he stayed with Messenger (SAW) all the time.
Thus, he devoted himself and his precise memory to memorizing the hadiths and instructions of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). When the Prophet (SAW) died, Abu Hurairah (R A) kept narrating his traditions, which made some Companions wonder how he could know all those hadiths? When did he hear them?
Once Marwaan Ibn Al-Hakam wanted to examine Abu Hurairah (R A)'s ability to memorize. He invited him to sit with him and asked him to narrate about the Messenger of Allah (SAW) while a scribe sat behind a screen and was told to write whatever Abu Hurairah (R A) said. After a year, Marwaan invited him once again and asked him to narrate the same traditions the scribe had written. Abu Hurairah (R A) had not forgotten a single word!
Imam Ash- Shaafiy (R A) said about him, "No one in his period was more capable of narrating traditions with such a memory than Abu Hurairah (R A)."
Al Bukhaariy said, "Almost eight hundred or more Companions, followers (the generation after the Companions) and people of knowledge narrated through Abu Hurairah (R A)." Thus, Abu Hurairah (R A) was a big, immortal school.
DEATH
Umar appointed him as ruler over Bahrain but after a short time, he decided he did not want to be involved in politics or ruling, resigned and went into recluse. He returned to Madina where he died in the year 57, 58 or 59 H, aged 78 years old.
ABDULLAH IBN MASUD
Abdullah ibn Masud(R A) was one of the first converts to Islam after Muhammad (SAW) started preaching in Mecca. He remained one of the closest companions of Muhammad (SAW) during his lifetime.
According to Muslim sources, he was a young shepherd who worked for Uqbah ibn Abu Mu'ayt. It was not long before Abdullah (R A) became a Muslim and offered to be in the service of Muhammad(SAW). Muhammad(SAW) agreed and Abdullah (R A) gave up tending sheep in exchange for dedicating himself to Islam. Abdullah (R A) held administrative and diplomatic duties under the caliphs Umar (R A) and Uthman(R A) . Some of his well-known disciples in Kufa included Alqama ibn Qays al-Nakha'i, Aswad ibn Yazid and Masruq ibn al-Ajda'. Abdullah (R A) is especially important for his commentaries and traditions on the interpretation of the Qur'an, having been present for many revelations.
Before the Prophet (SAW) entered Daar Al-Arqam, Ibn Mas'uud had declared his belief in him. He was the sixth one to embrace Islam and follow the Prophet (SAW). Thus he was one of the early Muslims.
Before his Islam he never dared to pass by a session attended by any Quraish nobleman except with hastened steps and a bowed head, but after Islam he was capable of going to the Ka'bah, where the elite Quraish congregated and standing among them reading the Qur'aan in a loud, beautiful, impressive voice: In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent! Has taught the Qur'aan. He created man. He taught him eloquent speech. The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each. And the herbs (or stars ) and the trees both prostrate (55: 1-6).
He went on reciting while the Quraish were thunderstruck, not believing their own eyes or ears. They could not imagine that the one challenging their pride was just one of their hired shepherd boys who was the poor unknown "Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud. Let us hear an eye witness, Az-Zubair (R A), describe the exciting scene: Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud was the first one to recite Qur'aan publicly in Makkah after the Prophet (SAW). It happened one day that the Prophet's Companions were gathered with the Prophet (SAW). They said, "By Allah, the Quraish have never heard the Qur'aan being recited to them before. Isn't there any man to recite it so that they may hear it?" Thereupon 'Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud said, "I." They said, "We are afraid they may harm you." We want a man with a strong family to protect him from those people if they want to harm him." He said, "Let me go, Allah will protect me." Ibn Mas'uud went to the Maqaam at the Ka'bah and recited < In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent! Has taught the Qur'aan... > and he went on reciting. The Quraish gazed at him and said, "What does Ibn Umm "Abd say? He is reciting some of what Muhammad came with." They went to him and began to beat him in the face while he was reciting till he finished whatever Allah wished him to recite from the surah. He returned to his friends with a wounded face and body, and they told him, "This is what we were afraid would happen to you." He answered them, "Those enemies of Allah have never been more worthless to me than this moment, and if you wish I will go back to them and do the same tomorrow." They said, "No, it is enough for you. You have made them hear what they hated.
It was a pleasure for the Prophet (SAW) to hear Qur'aan being recited from the mouth of Ibn Mas'uud. The Prophet (SAW) once called on him and said, "Recite to me, 'Abd Allah," and 'Abd Allah said, "How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?" The Prophet (SAW) said, "I like to hear it from others." Thereupon Ibn Mas'uud started reading part of Surat An-Nisaa' till he reached the verse: How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you as a witness against those people. On o that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah (4: 41-42). Upon hearing this, the Prophet's (SAW) eyes flooded with tears and he waved to Ibn Mas'uud saying, "Enough, enough, Ibn Mas'uud."
He was so near to the Prophet (SAW) and so trusted by him that he was given more privileges than anyone else was given. The Prophet (SAW) told him, "My permission to you is that you may raise the curtains." This indicates his being allowed to knock at the Prophet's door at any time during the day or night. This is why the Companions said, "He was admitted to the company of the Prophet (SAW), whereas we were detained, and he was present in his company, whereas we were absent."
Ibn Mas'uud(R A) never missed the company of the Prophet (SAW) either while traveling or at home. He participated in all the battles, and on the Day of Badr his role was significant, especially with Abu Jahl. The Prophet's (SAW) caliphs were also fully aware of his proper value. The Commander of the Faithful Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (R A) appointed him as director of the treasury (Bait Al-Maal) in Kufa and he said to the people there, "By Allah, there is no god but He. You know that I have given you a preference over myself when I sent him to you to learn from him."
The people of Kufa liked him as they never liked anyone before him. It was a real miracle that the whole people of Kufa agreed on liking somebody because they were known to be a people of rebellion and mutiny. They hardly agreed on one kind of food, and they did not tolerate peace and tranquillity. Their love for him was great.
It was Allah's bounty on him that he was counted among the first ten Companions of the Prophet (SAW) who were promised to enter Paradise while they were still alive. ^He participated in all the victorious wars with the Prophet (SAW) and his caliphs. He witnessed how the two greatest empires opened their gates in submission to the banners of Islam. He saw the high positions and lucrative money pouring into the hands of the Muslims, but his mind was never obsessed by such matters. Instead, he was pre-occupied with how to fulfil the pledge he offered to the Prophet (SAW), and he was also never tempted to give up the life of humbleness and self-denial that he used to lead.