Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu anhu

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. . . . Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu. . . . .

The Memory of the Revelation Era!

It is true that a person's intelligence reckons against him, and those who own extraordinary gifts often pay the price at a time when they should receive a reward or thanks. The noble Companion Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu is one of those. He had an unusual gift which was his strong memory.

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu 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 (Hadîth) more than any of the Sahâbah of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam.

During the period of Al-Wada' in, the writers who were specialized in telling lies about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allah misused Abû Hurairah's Radi-Allahu 'anhu wide reputation for narrating about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, and whenever they fabricated a Hadîth they used to say, "Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu said...." By so doing they were attempting to make Abû Hurairah's Radi-Allahu 'anhu reputation and status as a narrator about the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam questionable. However, because of the extraordinary efforts exerted by great reverent people who devoted their lives to serve the Prophetic Hadîth and reject every falsehood, Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was saved from the lies and fabrications that the vicious wanted to infiltrate into Islâm through him and to make him bear their sins.

Now, when we hear a preacher, lecturer or the one who delivers the Friday sermon saying this transmitted expression, "Narrated by Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu: The Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said,..."

I say when you hear this name in that form, or when you meet it many times in books of Hadîth, Seerah, Fiqh, and religious books generally, you have to know that you are meeting the most interesting personality of the Companions with regard to his ability and talents of listening because of the wonderful traditions and wise instructions that he memorized about the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, which was his great fortune and incomparable gift.

Having this gift (Subhân Allâh), he was naturally one of the Companions who were most capable of vividly reminding you of those days when the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and his Companions were living and of transporting you to that horizon which witnessed the glorious deeds of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and his Companions who gave vitality and significance to life and led to the right path.

So if these lines have moved your curiosity to get introduced to Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu and hear some things about him, here is what you want.

He was one of those who reflected the Islâmic revolution and all the tremendous changes that it brought about! He changed from a workman to a master, from a lost man in the crowd to an Imâm and outstanding man, from a worshiper of accumulated stones to a believer in Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, the One, the irresistible.

He said. I was brought up as an orphan, and I emigrated as a poor man. I worked for Busrah Bint Ghazwaan Radi-Allahu 'anha for my daily food. I used to serve them when they dismounted, and walked near them when they rode. And now Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has married her to me. All praise to Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala Who made the religion our support and made Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu an Imâm.

It was A.H.7 when he went to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, while the latter was in Khaibar, and embraced Islâm. From the time he pledge allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, he would not part from him except to sleep. Thus were the four years in which he lived with the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala from the time he embraced Islâm till the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam died. We say that those four years were very long, full of virtuous words, deeds, and listening.

By virtue of his good nature, Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was able to play a prominent role by which he could serve the religion of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. There were many war heroes among the Companions. There were many jurisprudents, propagators of the faith, and teachers, but the milieu and people lacked writing and scribes. In that time, mankind - not only Arabs - was not much concerned with writing. It was not a sign of development in any society. It was the same even in Europe not so long ago. Most of its kings, with Charlemagne at the top of the list, could not read or write, although they were intelligent and capable at the same time.

Let us go back to our talk about Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu . He realized by his nature the need of the new society that Islâm was building for those who would keep its legacy and teachings. There were scribes among the Companions who used to write, but they were few. Besides, some of them had no free time to be able to write every Hadîth that the Messenger uttered.

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was not a scribe, but learned by heart, and he had this necessary free time, for he had no land to plant or commerce to take care of. Believing that he had embraced Islâm late, he intended to compensate for what he had missed by accompanying and sitting with the Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam. Besides, he himself knew the gift Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala had bestowed on him, which was his broad, retentive memory, which became even broader and stronger after Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam had invoked Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to bless it for him. Then why should he not be one of those who took the burden of keeping this legacy and transmitting it to the coming generations? Yes, this was the role that his talents made possible for him to play, and he had to play it without flagging.

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was not one of the scribes, but, as we said, 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 used to not part from the presence of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, neither in travel nor at other times.

Thus, he devoted himself and his precise memory to memorizing the Hadîth and instructions of the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. When the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam died, Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu kept narrating his traditions, which made some Companions wonder how he could know all those Hadîth? When did he hear them?

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu shed light on this phenomenon, as if defending himself against the doubts of some of the Companions.

He said: You say that Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu narrates much about the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and that the Muhaajiruun who preceded him to Islâm do not narrate those traditions. But my friends among the Muhaajiruun were busy with their contracts in the market, and my friends among the Ansâr were busy with their lands. I was a poor man, always sitting with the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, so I was present when they were absent, and I memorized if they forgot. Besides, one day the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam said, "Whoever spreads his garment till I finish my speech, then collects it to his chest, will never forget whatever I've said!" Therefore, I spread my clothes and he directed his speech to me, then I collected it. By Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, I did not forget what he said to me later on. By Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, I would have narrated nothing at all, but for a Ayât of Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala Book:

Sûrah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) II : Ayât 159

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللاعِنُونَ

Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by the cursers. (TMQ*2:159).

This was the way Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu explained the reason for being unique in narrating so many Hadîth about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. First, he had the time to accompany the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam more than any one else. Second, he had a strong memory blessed by Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam so it became stronger. Third, he did not narrate because he was fond of narrating but because spreading those traditions was the responsibility of his religion and life; otherwise he would be a congealer of the good and right, negligent of his duties, and would deserve the punishment of the negligent.

For these reasons he kept narrating, and nothing could stop or hinder him, even when 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu, told him, "Stop narrating about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, or I'll send you to the land of the Daws" - the land of his people. But this prohibition from the 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu was not an accusation of Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu, but a support of a theory 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu was adopting and stressing, that the Muslims during this very period should read and memorize nothing but the Qur'ân Al Kareem so that it would settle in their hearts and minds. The Qur'ân Al Kareem is Islâm's book, constitution and dictionary. Narrating about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala abundantly, especially in those years that followed his death when the Qur'ân Al Kareem was being compiled, caused unnecessary confusion. That is why 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu used to say, "Get busy with the Qur'ân Al Kareem; it is Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala words. He also used to say, "Narrate a little about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala but for what can be followed."

When he sent Abû Mûsa Al-Ash'ariy Radi-Allahu ‘anhu to Iraq, he said to him, "You are going to people where you can hear the sound of the Qur'ân Al Kareem in their Masjid's as if it were a drone of bees. Let them do what they are doing and don't occupy them with traditions. I'm your partner in this." The Qur'ân Al Kareem had been compiled in a warranted way such that nothing had crept into it. But 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu could not guarantee that some traditions were not slanted, forged, or taken as a way to tell lies about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and thus harm Islâm.

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu appreciated 'Umar's bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu point of view, but he was also sure of himself and his honesty. He did not want to conceal anything of the traditions or knowledge that he thought would be a sin to conceal. Hence, whenever he found a chance to unload the traditions he had heard or understood from his breast, he did so.

An important reason which played a prominent role in provoking troubles around Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu for talking about and narrating many traditions was the fact that there was another narrator in those days who used to narrate and exaggerate about Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam, and the Muslim Companions were not certain of his traditions. This narrator was Ka'b Al-Ahbaar, who was a Jew who had embraced Islâm.

Once Marwan Ibn Al-Hakam wanted to examine Abû Hurairah's Radi-Allahu 'anhu ability to memorize. He invited him to sit with him and asked him to narrate about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala while a scribe sat behind a screen and was told to write whatever Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu said. After a year, Marwan Ibn Al-Hakam invited him once again and asked him to narrate the same traditions the scribe had written. Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu had not forgotten a single word!

He used to say about himself, "No one among the companions of the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala narrates about him more than I do except `Abdullâh Ibn Amr Ibn Al-'Aas Radi-Allahu 'anhu. He used to write, but I didn't."

Imâm Ash-Shâf'i Radi-Allahu 'anhu said about him, "No one in his period was more capable of narrating traditions with such a memory than Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu."

Sahîh Al-Bukhâri Radi-Allahu 'anhu said, "Almost eight hundred or more Companions, followers (the generation after the Companions) and people of knowledge narrated through Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu." Thus, Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was a big, immortal school.

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was an ever- and oft-returning worshiper who used to take turns with his wife and daughter in praying the whole night. He prayed one third of the night, his wife another third, and his daughter a third. Thus, not one hour of the night passed in Abû Hurairah's Radi-Allahu 'anhu house without prayers. In order to be free to accompany the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, he suffered the cruelty of hunger like nobody else. He used to talk about the times when hunger was so cruel that he would put a stone on his stomach, press his liver with his hand, and fall in the Masjid while twisting that stone such that some of his friends thought that he was epileptic, but he was not.

When he embraced Islâm, he had only one continuously oppressing problem that would not let him sleep. That problem was his mother, for from that day onwards she refused to embrace Islâm. Not only that, but she also used to hurt her son by speaking disgusting of the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. One day she spoke to Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu about the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam in a way that he hated. So, he left her crying and sad and went to the Prophet's Masjid.

Let us listen to him narrate the rest of the story: I went to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam crying and said, "O Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, I used to call Um Hurairah to Islâm, and she used to refuse. Today, I called her, but she spoke to me about you in a way that I hated. Invoke Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to guide Um Hurairah to Islâm." So the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, guide Um Hurairah." Then I ran out to give her the good news about the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh's Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala invocation to Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. When I arrived at the door, I found it closed, and I beard the sound of water. She called, "Stay where you are, Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu ." Then she put on her shift and veil and she came out saying, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and that Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam is His slave and Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam." So I hurried to the Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala crying out for joy as I had cried for sadness and I said, "Here is good news, O Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has answered your invocation. Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has guided Um Hurairah to Islâm." I added, "O Messenger Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, invoke Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to make all the believers love me and my mother." He said, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, make every believer love this slave of Yours and his mother."

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu led the life of a worshiper and fighter. He did not miss a battle or a pious deed. During the caliphate of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu, he made him governor of Bahrain. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu, as we know, used to call his rulers sternly to account. If he made one of them governor when he had two garments, on the day he ceased to govern, he should still own no more than those two garments, and it would be better to leave office with only one ! But if he left office with any display of wealth, he would not escape 'Umar's bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu reckoning, even if the source of his fortune was Halâl. It was another world that 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu filled with wonders and miracles.

When Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu was made governor of Bahrain, he saved some money from Halâl sources However, 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu knew and invited him to Madînah.

Let Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu narrate the quick conversation that took place between them: 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said to me, "O the enemy of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and His Book, did you steal the money of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala?" I said, "I am not the enemy of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala or His Book. I am the enemy of their enemy. Besides, I am not the one who steals the money of Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala!" He said, "Then how did you gather 10,000 dirham?" I said, "I had a horse that had foaled repeatedly." 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu said, "Put it (the money) in the Bait Al-Maal (the treasury)."

Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu gave the money to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu and raised his hands towards the sky saying, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, forgive 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu." After a while 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu called Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu and offered him the governorship again. However, he refused and apologized. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Radi-Allahu ‘anhu asked why. Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu said, "So that my honour would not be at stake, my money would not be taken, and my back would not be beaten." He added, "I'm afraid I would judge without knowledge or speak without patience."

One day, his yearning to meet Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala intensified. While his visitors were invoking Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to cure him of his disease, he was imploring Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala saying, "O Allâh Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, I love to meet You, so love to meet me." In A.H. 59, he died at the age of 78. His calm body was buried in a blessed place among the reverent inhabitants of Al-Baqî'

Returning from his funeral, the people kept reciting many of the traditions that he had taught them about Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam. One of the recent Muslims asked his friends, "Why was our deceased sheikh called Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu?" His knowing friend answered, "In the pre Islâmic time his name was `Abd Shams. When he embraced Islâm, the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam called him `Abdur-Rahmân. He used to be sympathetic towards animals. He had a cat that he used to feed, carry, clean, and shelter, and it used to accompany him as if it were his shadow. Thus, he was called Abû Hurairah Radi-Allahu 'anhu, which means father of the small cat.

* = Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'ân Al Kareem. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Sûrah : Ayât) of the Qur'ân Al Kareem. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'ân Al Kareem can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.