Abu Hurairah

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Abu Hurairah (Arabic: أبو هريرة), (also known as `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr Al-Azdi (Arabic: عبدالرحمن بن صخر الأذدي), Abu Hurayrah, or Abu Horaira) (603 - 681) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad by Sunni Muslims[citation needed].

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Abu Hurairah was born in Baha, Yemen into the Banu Daws tribe from the region of Tihamah on the coast of the Red Sea. He was an orphan with only a 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" (which literally means "Father of the Kitten").

As a young man, he worked for Bushra bint Ghazwan.

Abu Hurairah embraced Islam through Tufayl ibn Amr the chieftain of his tribe.[1]

Tufayl had returned to his village after meeting Muhammad and becoming a Muslim in the early years of his mission. Abu Hurairah was one of the first to respond to his call, unlike the majority of Tufayl's tribesmen.

Abu Hurairah accompanied Tufayl to Mecca to meet Muhammad who, according to Sunni tradition, renamed him Abd al-Rahman (servant of the Merciful, one of the 99 names of God). Hurairah then returned to his tribe for several years.

In 629 he went to Medina with some others from his tribe. Since Muhammad was absent due to the Battle of Khaybar, he stayed in the mosque.

He was single without a wife or child. His mother, who was still a polytheist, was with him. He prayed for her to become a Muslim, but she refused. Sunni sources report:

One day, he again invited his mother to believe in the One God and His Prophet. She answered with some bad words about the Prophet. Abu Huraira went to the Prophet with tears in his eyes. “Why are you crying, Abu Huraira?” asked the Prophet. “I always invite my mother to Islam, and she always refuses,” said Abu Huraira. “I asked her again today. But she said some things about you that made me sad. Can you pray to God for her to turn to Islam?” The Prophet prayed for Abu Huraira’s mother to accept Islam. When Abu Huraira went home, he found the door closed. He heard the splashing of water. He tried to enter the house, but his mother said, “Wait a minute. Don’t come in yet.” Then she got dressed and said, “You can come in now.” When Abu Huraira went inside, his mother said, “I declare that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” Abu Huraira again went to the Prophet crying. But this time his tears were tears of joy. “I have good news, Rasul Allah,” he said. “God has answered your prayer and guided my mother to Islam.” [2]

Abu Huraira, with other Muslim, suffered from hunger when the Muslims were poor in Medina.

When I was afflicted with severe hunger, I would go to a companion of the Prophet and asked him about an ayah of the Qur'an and (stay with him) learning it so that he would take me with him to his house and give food. One day, my hunger became so severe that I placed a stone on my stomach. I then sat down in the path of the companions. Abu Bakr passed by and I asked him about an ayah of the Book of God. I only asked him so that he would invite me but he didn't. Then Umar ibn al-Khattab passed by me and I asked him about an ayah but he also did not invite me. Then the Messenger of God, peace be on him, passed by and realized that I was hungry and said: "Abu Huraira!" "At your command" I replied and followed him until we entered his house. He found a bowl of milk and asked his family: "From where did you get this?" "Someone sent it to you" they replied. He then said to me: "O Abu Huraira, go to the Ahl as-Suffah and invite them." Abu Huraira did as he was told and they all drank from the milk. [1] Abu Hurairah then spent one year and ten months with Muhammad in Medina, before the Prohet's death on 8 June 632 in Medina.

It is reported that after Caliph Umar appointed Abu Huraira governor of Bahrain in 21 A.H. (643 C.E.), the people informed the Caliph that Abu Huraira had amassed great wealth and had purchased many horses. Umar therefore deposed him in 23 A.H. and summoned him to his court.

As soon as Abu Huraira entered the court, the Caliph said:

"O enemy of Allah and enemy of His Book! Have you stolen Allah's property?" He replied, "I never committed theft, but the people have given me gifts."

It is also reported that the Caliph said in the same instance:

"When I made you the governor of Bahrain, you had not even shoes on your feet, but now I have heard that you have purchased horses for 1,600 dinars. How did you acquire this wealth?' He replied, 'These were men's gifts which profit has multiplied much."

The Caliph's face grew red with anger, and he lashed him so violently that his back bled. Then he ordered the 10,000 dinars which Abu Huraira had collected in Bahrain be taken from him and deposited in the account of the Baitu'-Mal. [3]

Abu Hurairah died in 681 at the age of 78.

Of the hadith held as authentic by a considerable number Sunnis, Abu Hurraira is the most quoted person. Next to him comes the names of such companions as Abdullah ibn Umar, Anas ibn Malik, Aishah, Jabir ibn Abdullah and Abu Said al-Khudri all of whom transmitted over a thousand sayings of Muhammad.

He is quoted saying:

“I grew up as an orphan. I emigrated as a poor person. I used to serve Gazevan’s daughter, Bushra. I served others when they stopped on the road. I drove the camels on the road. Then God made it possible for me to marry Bushra. Praise be to God who has strengthened His religion and made me an imam (leader).” [2]

His daughter married Said ibn Al-Musayyib.

Main article: Sunni view of Abu Huraira

A majority of Sunni scholars consider Abu Hurairah to be one of the major narrators of Hadith, and like all of the Sahabah, trustworthy.

Main article: Shi'a view of the Sahaba

Shi'a tradition almost always rejects the authenticty of Abu Hurairah's hadith, seldom accepting only when there are similar hadith narrated by reliable Sahabah (companions). They consider him an enemy of Ali due to having been in favor with Mu'awiya, and thus hold him in low regard.

  1. ^ a b Abu Hurayrah. witness-pioneer.org. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
  2. ^ a b Abu Huraira. geocities.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
  3. ^ Condemnation of Abu Huraira and Umar's beating him. al-islam.org. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Hurairah"
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