Abu Hurayra

`Abdul-Rahman bin Sakhr Al-Azdi [A.K.A. Abu Hurairah, Abu Hurayrah or even Abu Horaira.] (d. 678) is the narrator of hadith most frequently quoted by Sunnis.

Biography

Early life

He was named Abd al-Shams (servant of the sun), a Jew from Yemen who was an orphan with only a mother and no other relatives.

He belongd to the Daws tribe, who lived in the region of Tihamah which stretches along the coast of the Red Sea in southern Arabia.

As a child, he has a cat and was "Abu Hurairah" (which literally means "Father of Kitten"), due to his love for cats.

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

Muhammad's era

Convertion

He embraced Islam through either 'Amr al-Dausi or Tufayl ibn Amr the chieftain of the Daws tribe to which he belonged ^[1].

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

Abu Hurraira acompanied Tufayl to mecca at one time, where he meet Muhammad who renamed him to Abd al-Rahman (servant of the Merciful, one of the 99 names of God).

He stayed with his tribe for several years after he became a Muslim.

Medina

In the 629 (7 AH), he went to Medina with some others from his tribe. Since Muhammad was abcent in due to the Battle of Khaybar, he stayed in the Mosques.

He was single without a wife or child. His mother was with him, whom was still a polytheist. 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 (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).

“I always invite my mother to Islam, and she always refuses,” said Abu Hurayra. “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 (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) prayed for Abu Huraira’s mother to accept Islam. When Abu Hurayra 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 Hurraira, with other Muslim, suffered from hunger when the Muslims where 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 Quran 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 Hurayrah!" "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 Hurayrah, go to the Ahl as-Suffah and invite them." Abu Hurayrah did as he was told and they all drank from the milk. [3]

Not before too long the Muslims received a lot of war booty. Abu Huraira got his share of the wealth. He got a house, and he married and had children.

Mecca

He spent a few years with Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad died 8 June 632 in Medina.

Umar's era

Umar appointed Abu Huraira as governor of Bahrain, where he became quite rich. Umar heard about this and called him back to Madinah.

"How did you become rich?", the caliph asked.

"From breeding horses and the gifts I received", replied Abu Huraira.

"Hand it over to the treasury of the Muslims", ordered Umar.

Abu Huraira turned over his wealth. He was later asked by Umar to be governor again, but he refused. he said: "So that my honor would not be besmirched, my wealth taken and my back beaten." And he added: "And I fear to judge without knowledge and speak without wisdom."

End life

He died in the year 681 (59 AH) when he was 78 years old.

Legacy

Many Sahaba were amazed at the number of hadith he had memorized and often questioned him on when he had heard a certain hadith and under what circumstances.

Of the hadith held as authentic by the 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 the prophet.

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 (of Bahrain).” [4]

Sunni view

He is one of the major narrators of Hadith, and like all of sahabas, he is trustworthy.

Sunni's belive that he was blessed with a unfailing memory, a mircle from God, bestowed upon him after Muhammad prayed for him. They depict him as a man living a ascetic and humble life, charishing knowledge and worship.

It is amazing how he had such a strong memory for hadith. He explain it as such:

"I was a poor man, and used to stick to Allah's Apostle contented with what will fill my stomach, and the Muhajirin (emigrants) used to be busy trading in the markets, and the Ansar used to be busy looking after their properties. One day I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'Who will spread his Rida' (a garment covering the upper body) till I finished my speech and then fold it, (i.e. wear it), in which case he will never forget anything he had heard from me?" So I spread my garment which I was wearing; and by Him Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, ever since, I have never forgotten whatever I heard from him (the Prophet)."

Abu Hurayrah loved the Prophet a great deal and found favor with him. He was never tired of looking at the Prophet whose face appeared to him as having all the radiance of the sun and he was never tired of listening to him. Often he would praise God for his good fortune and say: "Praise be to God Who has guided Abu Hurayrah to Islam. Praise be to God Who has taught Abu Hurayrah the Quran. Praise be to God who has bestowed on Abu Hurayrah the companionship of Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace."

"On reaching Madinah, Abu Hurayrah set his heart on attaining knowledge. Zayd ibn Thabit, the notable companion of the Prophet reported: 'While Abu Hurayrah and I and another friend of mine were in the Masjid praying to God Almighty and performing dhikr to Him, the Messenger of God appeared. He came towards us and sat among us. We became silent and he said: "Carry on with what you were doing.'"

"So my friend and I made a supplication to God before Abu Hurayrah did and the Prophet began to say Ameen to our dua."

"Then Abu Hurayrah made a supplication saying: 'O Lord, I ask You for what my two companions have asked and I ask You for knowledge which will not be forgotten.'"

"The Prophet, peace be on him, said: 'Ameen.' "We then said: 'And we ask Allah for knowledge which will not be forgotten, and the Prophet replied: 'The Dawsi youth has asked for this before you.' With his formidable memory, Abu Hurayrah set out to memorize in the four years that he spent with the Prophet, the gems of wisdom that emanated from his lips. He realized that he had a great gift and he set about to use it to the full in the service of Islam."

He had free time at his disposal. Unlike many of the Muhajirin he did not busy himself in the market-places, with buying and selling. Unlike many of the Ansar, he had no land to cultivate nor crops to tend. He stayed with the Prophet in Madinah and went with him on journeys and expeditions.

• Narrated Abu Huraira: People say that I have narrated many Hadiths (The Prophet's narrations). Had it not been for two verses in the Qur'an, I would not have narrated a single Hadith, and the verses are: "Verily those who conceal the clear sign and the guidance which We have sent down ... (up to) Most Merciful." (al-Baqarah 2:159-160). And no doubt our Muhajir (emigrant) brothers used to be busy in the market with their business (bargains) and our Ansari brothers used to be busy with their property (agriculture). But I (Abu Huraira) used to stick to Allah's Apostle contented with what will fill my stomach and I used to attend that which they used not to attend and I used to memorize that which they used not to memorize. (Sahih Bukhari 1.118)

• Narrated Abu Huraira:

I said to Allah's Apostle "I hear many narrations (Hadiths) from you but I forget them." Allah's Apostle said, "Spread your Rida' (garment)." I did accordingly and then he moved his hands as if filling them with something (and emptied them in my Rida') and then said, "Take and wrap this sheet over your body." I did it and after that I never forgot any thing. (Sahih Bukhari 1.119, Sahih Bukhari 1.120)

Shia view

Shi'as view him in a very negative view, seeing him for not more than a unscrupulous and irreligious serial fabricator of hadiths. They dissregard reports of his unfailing memory as fabricated and falsifieble.

Shi'a tend to portray him as driven by opurtunism and short won greed rather than malice or lust for power. Shi'a tend to portray him as a jester, doing whatever is required to get a meal.

In a time when being a friend of Muhammad was seen as a great merit, he expoited it for popularity among the masses. Shi'a belive that this was frowened upon by Umar, whom the they view as a brutish character, but exploited by Muawiya I, whom the Shi'a view as a schemer.

Humorous ahadith

For example:

The Prophet said, 'The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. The Prophet Moses used to take a bath alone. They said, 'By Allah! Nothing prevents Moses from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal hernia.' So once Moses went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Moses followed that stone saying, "My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone! till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, 'By Allah, Moses has got no defect in his body. Moses took his clothes and began to beat the stone." Abu Huraira added, "By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating."

(ref)

or:

(The Prophet) Solomon son of (the Prophet) David said, "Tonight I will go round (i.e. have sexual relations with) one hundred women (my wives) everyone of whom will deliver a male child who will fight in Allah's Cause." On that an Angel said to him, "Say: 'If Allah will.' " But Solomon did not say it and forgot to say it. Then he had sexual relations with them but none of them delivered any child except one who delivered a half person. The Prophet said, "If Solomon had said: 'If Allah will,' Allah would have fulfilled his (above) desire and that saying would have made him more hopeful."

(ref)

or:

The Prophet said, "Allah created Adam in his complete shape and form (directly), sixty cubits (about 30 meters) in height. When He created him, He said (to him), "Go and greet that group of angels sitting there, and listen what they will say in reply to you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your offspring." Adam (went and) said, 'As-Salamu alaikum (Peace be upon you).' They replied, 'AsSalamu-'Alaika wa Rahmatullah (Peace and Allah's Mercy be on you) So they increased 'Wa Rahmatullah' The Prophet added 'So whoever will enter Paradise, will be of the shape and form of Adam. Since then the creation of Adam's (offspring) (i.e. stature of human beings is being diminished continuously) to the present time."

(ref)

Shia content that, in general, every time a "imaginative" hadith is spotted, one can take a look at the narrator and feel reassured in that it is Abu Huraira narrating. They feel that is specially true if there is a reference to Israelites, former prophets, heaven or hell in the narration.

Shias claim that although the above are more comical than anything else, Abu Huraira fabricated many hadith for Muaviya, something Shias see very negative on. On one occasion he told a hadith from the battle of Uhud in first person. Worth of note is that he had adapted islam two years befor the demise of Muahmmad.

Umar & Abu Hurraira

Umar appointed Abu Huraira governor of Bahrain, the people informed the Caliph that Abu Huraira had amassed great wealth and had purchased many horses. Umar therefore deposed him.

As soon as Abu Huraira entered the court, Umar 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."

Umar said:

"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."

This was not the first time that Umar beat Abu Huraira. Muslim writes in his Sahih that during the time of the Prophet, Umar beat Abu Huraira so severely that the latter fell down on the ground.

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid writes in his commentary on Nahju'l-Balagha, Volume I, page 360: "Abu Ja'far Asqalani has said: 'According to our great men, Abu Huraira was a wicked fellow. The hadith narrated by him were not acceptable. Umar beat him with a lash and told him that he had changed hadith and had attributed false sayings to the Holy Prophet.'"

Ibn Asakir in his Ta'rikh Kabir and Muttaqi in his Kanzu'l-Umma report that Caliph Umar lashed him, rebuked him, and forbade him to narrate hadith from the Holy Prophet. Umar said: "Because you narrate hadith in large numbers from the Holy Prophet, you are fit only for attributing lies to him. (That is, one expects a wicked man like you to utter only lies about the Holy Prophet.) So you must stop narrating hadith from the Prophet; otherwise, I will send you to the land of Dus." (A clan in Yemen, to which Abu Huraira belonged.)

Muawiya and Abu Hurairah

Abu Huraira once entered the Kufa mosque and saw a huge gathering of people who had come to welcome Mu'awiya. He shouted to the crowd: "O people of Iraq. Do you think that I would tell a lie in opposing Allah and His Prophet and buy Hellfire for myself? Hear from me what I have heard from the Prophet. 'Every Prophet has a Haram (sacred dwelling place) and my Haram is Medina. One who is responsible for innovation in Medina is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all humanity.' I swear by Allah that Ali was responsible for an innovation." (That is, Ali incited dissension among the people and so, according to the Prophet, should be cursed). When Mu'awiya learned of this (that Abu Huraira did such a thing for him and did it in Ali's capital, Kufa), he sent for him, gave him a reward, and made him the governor of Medina. (ref)

External links

Sunni links

• Biography of a Companion: Abu Hurayrah - www.usc.edu
• Defense of Abu Hurayrah, A Reply to some erroneous claims - islamicweb.com
• Abu Huraira: The Beloved Narrator

Shi'a links

• Umar beat, lashed and called Abu Huraira a lier - peshawar
• Abu Hurairah or Paul? - al-islam.org

Non-Muslim links

• http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.tcl?site_id=8112