There has been disagreement regarding the name of Abū Hurayra in both the pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. There is also disagreement concerning the name of his father. Various opinions have been put forward on this matter, and in our book "Takmīl" we have transmitted most of these names. Ibn ʿAsākir also relates this in his history. According to the well-known narration, Abū Hurayra's name is ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ṣakhr. After the Azd tribe, he is from the Daws tribe. According to another narration, his name in the pre-Islamic period was ʿAbd al-Shams. There are also some weak opinions that it was ʿAbd al-Nahīm or ʿAbd Ghanam. He was called by the kunya Abū al-Aswad. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him the name ʿAbdullāh. There is also a narration that he gave him the name ʿAbd al-Raḥmān. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) also gave him the kunya Abū Hurayra. According to the narration, he said: "I saw a wild cat and took its kittens with me. When my father asked me, 'What is that in your lap?' I said it was a kitten. Thereupon my father said to me, 'You are Abū Hurayra,' meaning 'the father of the kitten.'"
According to a sound hadith, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) called him "Abāhirr." It is also established that he called him "Abū Hurayra."
Muḥammad b. Saʿd, Ibn al-Kalbī, and Ṭabarānī said: The name of Abū Hurayra's mother was Maymūna bint Ṣafīḥ b. Ḥāris b. Abī Saʿd b. Hibba b. Saʿd b. Thalaba. This woman became Muslim and died as a Muslim.
Abū Hurayra transmitted very beautiful words and hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He was among the memorizers of the Companions. He narrated hadiths from Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, Ubayy b. Kaʿb, Usāma b. Zayd, Nadra b. Abī Nadra, Faḍl b. ʿAbbās, and the mother of the believers ʿĀʾisha. Many from the people of knowledge also narrated hadiths from him. In our work "Takmīl," we have listed these narrations alphabetically. Our shaykh relates this in his work "Tanzīh."
Bukhārī said: Eight hundred or more scholars from among the Companions and the Successors narrated hadiths from Abū Hurayra.
ʿAmr b. ʿAlī al-Fallās said: "Abū Hurayra came and settled in Medina and became Muslim in the year of Khaybar."
Wāqidī said: "Abū Hurayra had a house in Dhū al-Ḥulayfa." According to others, Abū Hurayra was a man of dark complexion, broad between the shoulders, and his front teeth were close together.
Abū Dāwūd al-Tayālisī narrated from Abū ʿĀliya that he said:
"When Abū Hurayra became Muslim, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: — Who are you from? He replied that he was from the Daws tribe. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) then placed his hand on his forehead and said: 'I did not think there was a good man among the Daws tribe.'"
Al-Zuhrī narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "I participated in the expedition of Khaybar with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him)."
ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "I arrived on the day of Khaybar after the Muslims had completed the battle."
Yaʿqūb b. Sufyān narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) set out from Medina (to go to Khaybar) and left Sibaʿ b. ʿUrfuta as his deputy in Medina. When I arrived in Medina, they had already left. I performed the morning prayer behind Sibaʿ. In the first rakʿa, he recited Sūrat Maryam, and in the second rakʿa, Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn. When he recited Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn, I said to myself: Woe to the father of so-and-so! In the land of Azd, a man would use two measures when trading. One was a full measure, which he used when buying goods. The other was a deficient measure, which he used when selling to people."
According to a narration established in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, on the night before he was to meet the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in the morning, Abū Hurayra lost a slave. Upon this, Abū Hurayra recited the following poem:
"How long and arduous is this night.
It is as if it is a night returning from the land of disbelief."
When Abū Hurayra came to him, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Here is your slave." When he saw his slave, he replied: "He is freed for the sake of the pleasure of the Exalted God." After becoming Muslim, he stayed with the Messenger of God
(peace and blessings be upon him). He never left his side, whether in residence or on journeys. He was very eager to listen to hadith from him. He strove greatly to learn religious knowledge from him. He stayed with him in exchange for food to fill his stomach.
One day, while Abū Hurayra was walking wearing a linen shirt, he nearly fell and said to himself: "Abū Hurayra, you are about to fall to the ground while wearing a linen shirt. When I was between the minbar and the chamber of felicity, I felt I was about to fall to the ground from hunger, and I fell. Someone passing by said: 'He has gone mad.' But I was not mad; I was acting that way from hunger. I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no god, that I would press my stomach to the ground from hunger, and I would tie a stone to my stomach because of hunger. Even though I knew better, I would recite a verse to a man and ask him whether I had made a mistake, hoping that he would take me to his house and feed me something."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Yazīd b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Azīna al-Sāhimī al-Aʿmā that Abū Hurayra said: "I swear by Allah, whoever among the believers created by Allah hears my name or sees me will surely love me." The transmitter Yazīd b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said: I said to him:
- How do you know this, O Abū Hurayra?
- My mother was a polytheist woman. I was inviting her to Islam, but she would not respond to my invitation. One day, I invited her again to Islam. She said things about the Messenger of God that I did not like, so I went to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in tears and said:
- O Messenger of Allah! I am inviting my mother to Islam, but she does not respond to my invitation. Today I invited her again, and she said things about you that I did not like. Pray to Allah to grant guidance (hudā) to the mother of Abū Hurayra.
Thereupon the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed: "O Allah, grant guidance (hudā) to the mother of Abū Hurayra." After this prayer of the Messenger of God, I ran out from his presence. I wanted to give my mother the good news of the Messenger's prayer. When I reached the door, I found it closed. I heard the sound of footsteps from inside. My mother said to me: "O Abū Hurayra! Truly, it is as you say." Then she opened the door, and she was dressed. She quickly reached for her headscarf to cover her head and said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger." As soon as I heard this, I returned to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), and whereas before I had cried from sadness, this time I was crying from joy, and I said to him:
- O Messenger of Allah, rejoice! Allah has answered your prayer. He has granted guidance (hudā) to the mother of Abū Hurayra. O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me and my mother beloved to His believing servants. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) then prayed: "O Allah, make this little servant of Yours and his mother beloved to Your believing servants, and make them love these two."
From among the believing servants created by Allah, whoever hears my name or sees me or my mother will surely love us." This hadith is among the proofs of prophethood. For Abū Hurayra has been made beloved to all people. Allah has spread his name. On Fridays, in every country and every mosque, during the sermon, the hadith he narrated about not speaking during the sermon is recited before the congregation. This too is a decree of Allah. Thus, his name has spread everywhere. This is the decree of the Exalted Allah, the All-Knowing, the Powerful and Mighty, and so people love him. May Allah be pleased with him.
Hishām b. ʿAmmār narrated from Abū Hurayra that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"I am only Muḥammad, a human being. I become angry as a human being becomes angry. (O my Lord), I have taken a covenant from You, and I desire that You fulfill it. If I have harmed, insulted, or whipped any Muslim, let that insult be a means of nearness to You for that person on the Day of Resurrection."
Abū Hurayra said: "One day, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) raised my whip to strike me; I wish he had struck me. If he had struck me, it would have been better for me than owning red-haired livestock. Because of that blow, I would have hoped to be a believer and that Allah would accept the prayer he made to Allah."
Ibn Abī Zib narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"I said:
- O Messenger of Allah! I hear many hadiths from you but I forget them.
- Spread your cloak on the ground.
I spread my cloak on the ground. Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
- Gather your cloak. So I gathered my cloak. After that, I never forgot any hadith."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Aʿraj that Abū Hurayra said: "You claim that Abū Hurayra narrates many hadiths. By Allah, I was a poor man before. I would keep company with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) for the sake of a full stomach, staying with him. The Muhājirūn were busy trading in the market. The Anṣār were occupied with managing their property. One day, I was present in the assembly of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:
- Whoever spreads his cloak on the ground until I finish my words, then gathers it after I finish, will never forget anything he hears from me thereafter.
Upon the Messenger of God's saying this, I took off my cloak and spread it on the ground. After he finished his speech, I gathered it up. I swear by Allah, in whose hand is my soul, that after that I never forgot anything I heard from the Messenger of God."
It is reported that this hadith concerns the speech the Messenger of God was giving at that moment. That is, Abū Hurayra did not forget any of the words in that particular speech of the Messenger of God. But at other times and places, Abū Hurayra did forget some of what the Messenger of God said. As is clearly stated in sound narrations, Abū Hurayra forgot the hadiths: "There is no contagiousness of diseases or bad omens," and "Do not bring a healthy camel near a sick camel." According to another narration, the aforementioned prayer of the Messenger of God concerns Abū Hurayra's narration of all hadiths. Allah knows best.
Derāwardī narrated from Saʿīd al-Maqburī that Abū Hurayra said to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him):
'O Messenger of God, who will be the happiest among people by your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?'
- O Abū Hurayra, I knew that no one would ask me this before you, because you are so eager for people and care for them. The person who will be the happiest by my intercession on the Day of Resurrection is the one who says lā ilāha illā Allāh with sincerity and ikhlas (sincerity) from his heart."
Ibn Abī Zib narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"I memorized two vessels of knowledge from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). I have spread one among the people, but as for the other, if I were to spread it, this throat of mine would be cut."
The vessel that Abū Hurayra did not disclose was related to tribulations and wars. It was the vessel of conflicts and struggles that would occur among people. It was the vessel of future disputes, disagreements, and fights. If he had disclosed it before its time, most people would have immediately denied him and rejected the true report he would transmit. As he himself said: "If I had told you beforehand that you would kill your leader and strike each other with swords, you would not have believed me." Many groups and factions with false innovations and corrupt actions have relied on this hadith. They have attributed their misdeeds and the chaos they caused to that vessel of words that Abū Hurayra did not disclose. They believed that they, too, were included in the vessel of words that Abū Hurayra did not disclose. Everyone on the false path—though their words contradict each other—claims this. They are all lying. Since Abū Hurayra did not disclose it, who after him could have knowledge about this? As for the vessel of words containing tribulations, wars, and fights, Abū Hurayra and other Companions later disclosed it, as we have explained in the book "al-Fitan wa Maʿālim."
Ḥamrāʾd b. Zayd narrated from Abū Zuʿayziʿa, the scribe of Marwān b. Ḥakam, that Marwān summoned Abū Hurayra and seated him behind the throne. Marwān began to ask questions, and I was writing. This continued until the beginning of the year. Then he summoned him again and seated him behind a curtain. He began to ask him about what I had written, and Abū Hurayra neither increased nor decreased anything, nor did he take anything forward or backward.
Abū Bakr b. ʿAyyāsh and others narrated from Abū Ṣāliḥ that he said:
"Abū Hurayra, though not the most virtuous and superior among the Companions of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), had the strongest memory among them."
Rabīʿ narrated that al-Shāfiʿī said regarding this: "Abū Hurayra had the strongest memory among the hadith transmitters of his time."
Abū al-Qāsim al-Baghawī narrated from Makhūl that he said: "People gathered one night under one of Muʿāwiya's domes. Abū Hurayra stood up and narrated hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) to them until morning."
Sufyān b. ʿUyayna narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"Among the Companions of the Messenger of God, no one narrated more hadiths than I did, except for ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar. He used to write, but I did not write."
Abū Zurʿa al-Dimashqī narrated from Sāʾib b. Yazīd that he said: I heard ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb say to Abū Hurayra: "Either you stop narrating hadiths from the Messenger of God or I will exile you to the land of Daws."
ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb also said to Kaʿb al-Aḥbār: "Stop narrating hadiths about the previous peoples, or I will exile you to the land of monkeys."
ʿUmar took such measures because he feared that some people might fabricate hadiths, or that hadiths would not be transmitted appropriately, or that hadiths concerning dispensations would be transmitted. When a man narrates many hadiths, he may make some mistakes and errors. Those who hear these errors may transmit them to others. However, as later narrations show, ʿUmar later permitted Abū Hurayra to narrate hadiths.
Musaddad narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "When ʿUmar heard that I was narrating hadiths, he sent for me. I went to him. He asked me:
- On such-and-such a day, in the house of so-and-so, when you were with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), were you with us?
- Yes, I know this, but why are you asking?
- You tell me why I am asking.
- On that day, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever deliberately attributes a lie to me, let him prepare his seat in the Fire.'
- Well then, go and narrate hadiths."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from ʿĀṣim's father, Kulayb, that he said: "I heard Abū Hurayra begin his narration of hadiths as follows: The Messenger of God, whose word is true and whose word is confirmed, said: Whoever deliberately attributes a lie to me, let him prepare his seat in the Fire."
Ibn Wahb narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "I narrate such hadiths that if I had said them during ʿUmar's time or in his presence, ʿUmar would have split my head."
Ṣāliḥ b. Abī al-Akhdar narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "Until ʿUmar died, we did not say: 'The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said.'"
Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā al-Zuhalī narrated from al-Zuhrī that ʿUmar said: "Narrate few hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) except those that are acted upon (maʿmūl bih)." Then Abū Hurayra used to say: Could I have narrated these hadiths to you while ʿUmar was alive? By Allah, if I had narrated these hadiths to you while he was alive, I know for certain that my back would have been lashed."
ʿUmar said to the Muslims: "Busy yourselves with the Qur'an. For the Qur'an is the word of Allah." For this reason, when ʿUmar sent Abū Mūsā to Iraq, he said to him: "You are going to a people among whom the sound of Qur'an recitation is heard in their mosques like the buzzing of bees. Leave them to themselves. Let them recite the Qur'an. Do not occupy them with hadiths. I will assist you in this matter."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Ibn ʿUmar that he said: I visited Abū Hurayra. He narrated the following hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever follows a funeral and prays over it, there is for him a qīrāṭ of reward. If he is present at its burial, there are two qīrāṭs of reward. A qīrāṭ is greater than Mount Uhud." I said to Abū Hurayra: "O Abū Hirr! Be careful, what kind of hadith are you narrating from the Messenger of God?" Abū Hurayra got up and took me to ʿĀʾisha. He said to her: "O mother of the believers! For Allah's sake, tell me. Did you hear the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Whoever follows a funeral and prays over it, there is for him a qīrāṭ of reward. If he is present at its burial, there are two qīrāṭs of reward.'" ʿĀʾisha said: "By Allah, yes, I heard it." Thereupon Abū Hurayra said: "Planting trees in the valley or trading in the market did not take me away from the Messenger of God. I only sought from the Messenger of God a word to teach me or a morsel to feed me."
I said to him: "O Abū Hirr, you were with the Messenger of God more than us and you know his hadith better than us."
Wāqidī narrated from Nāfiʿ, the father of ʿAbdullāh, that he said: "I was with Ibn ʿUmar at the funeral of Abū Hurayra. He was walking in front of the funeral, praying much for mercy upon him, and saying: 'Abū Hurayra was among those who memorized hadith from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and transmitted them to the Muslims.'"
It is narrated that ʿĀʾisha interpreted most of the hadiths transmitted by Abū Hurayra and stated that some of them contained errors. According to a sound narration, ʿĀʾisha reproached Abū Hurayra for narrating many hadiths at once.
Abū al-Qāsim al-Baghawī narrated that ʿĀʾisha said to Abū Hurayra:
"O Abū Hurayra! You narrate many hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).
- By Allah, I was always with him. Things like applying kohl or henna did not keep me from him. You find the number of hadiths I narrate to be many. This is because you were busy with applying kohl and henna.
- Perhaps."
Abū Yaʿlā narrated from Abū Rāfiʿ that a man from Quraysh came to Abū Hurayra in a showy garment and said to him:
- O Abū Hurayra! You narrate many hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). Have you heard anything from him about this garment of mine?
- By Allah, you are causing us hardship. If it were not for the covenant that Allah took from the People of the Book: {You shall make it clear to the people and not conceal it} (i.e., the verse: {latubayyinunnahu lil-nāsi wa-lā taktumūnahu}), I would not tell you anything or narrate hadiths to you. I heard Abū al-Qāsim (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man from the previous nations was once walking proudly in his garment when Allah caused the earth to swallow him up. He will continue to sink into the earth until the Day of Resurrection." By Allah, I do not know, perhaps that man is from your people."
Muḥammad b. Saʿd narrated from Walīd b. Ribāḥ that he heard Abū Hurayra say to Marwān: "You are not the governor. Someone else is the governor. Do not interfere in this matter (when Marwān wanted to prevent the burial of Ḥasan next to the Messenger of God). You are interfering in matters that do not concern you, and by doing so you are trying to please Muʿāwiya, who is not present here." Upon this, Marwān turned to Abū Hurayra in anger and said: "O Abū Hurayra, people say that you narrate many hadiths from the Messenger of God, but you came to Medina shortly before the death of the Messenger of God." Abū Hurayra replied to Marwān:
"Yes, I came to Medina during the event of Khaybar in the seventh year of the hijra. The Messenger of God was at Khaybar at that time. I was over thirty years old, and I stayed with him. I did not leave his side until he died. I would go with him to the rooms of his wives, serving him. By Allah, I was a poor man at that time, praying behind him, performing the pilgrimage with him, going on expeditions with him. By Allah, I am the one who knows his hadith best among the people. Yes, by Allah, there are those who became his companions before me, who were in his company, who migrated to him. There are those from Quraysh and the Anṣār who are more senior than me, but they all know that I stayed with the Messenger of God. They ask me about his hadith, and among those who ask are ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, Ṭalḥa, and Zubayr. By Allah, not all the hadiths the Messenger of God said in Medina are hidden from me. I know everyone whom the Messenger of God loved. I know everyone who had status and esteem in his presence, all his companions. Abū Bakr was his companion in the cave. The Messenger of God had another companion, but he exiled that other companion so that he would not reside with him in Medina (the person Abū Hurayra meant by the exiled man was Marwān's father, Ḥakam b. al-ʿĀṣ). Abū ʿAbd al-Malik asks me about this and similar people; I have much to say and comprehensive information on this matter."
I swear by Allah that after this, Marwān began to be wary of Abū Hurayra, fearing his response and character.
According to another narration, Abū Hurayra said to Marwān, who was arguing with him: "I became Muslim and migrated of my own will and volition. I loved the Messenger of God very much. You were the owners of Dār al-Nadwa and a place of invitation, but you expelled the inviter from his land, you expelled the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) from his city. You harmed him and his Companions. You became Muslim after me, and you only entered Islam when you were in difficulty." Marwān regretted speaking with Abū Hurayra and became cautious toward him."
Ibn Khaythama narrated from ʿUrwa b. al-Zubayr that his father al-Zubayr said to him:
- Bring that Yemeni (Abū Hurayra) closer to me. He narrates many hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).
I brought Abū Hurayra closer to my father. Abū Hurayra began to narrate hadiths. My father began to say:
- He spoke the truth, he lied, he spoke the truth, he lied.
I said:
- Father, what do you mean by saying: "He spoke the truth, he lied"?
- My son, if he heard these hadiths from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), I have no doubt about them. But he expresses some of them appropriately and puts them in their place, while he does not put others in their proper place." ʿAlī b. al-Madīnī narrated from Abū Yusr b. Abī ʿĀmir that he said: "I was with Ṭalḥa b. ʿUbaydullāh. At that time, a man came and said to him:
- O Abū Muḥammad! By Allah, we do not know. Does this Yemeni (Abū Hurayra) know the Messenger of God better than you, or does he attribute to the Messenger of God things he did not hear, or does he say things the Messenger of God did not say?
Ṭalḥa replied to that man:
- By Allah, we know that he heard from the Messenger of God what we did not hear, and he knows what we do not know. For we were a wealthy people. We had houses and families. We would come to the Messenger of God in the morning and evening and then return to our homes, but Abū Hurayra was a poor man. He had no wealth or family; he was always with the Messenger of God. He would go around with the Messenger of God, so we have no doubt that Abū Hurayra knows what we do not know and heard what we did not hear."
Shuʿba narrated from Salīm, the father of Ashʿath, that he said: "I heard Abū Ayyūb narrate hadith from Abū Hurayra. They said to Abū Ayyūb:
- You are a Companion of the Messenger of God. Yet you narrate hadith from Abū Hurayra. Is this appropriate?
- Abū Hurayra heard what we did not hear. For me to narrate hadith from him about something I did not hear from the Messenger of God is more pleasing to me than to narrate something from the Messenger of God that I did not hear myself."
Muslim b. Ḥajjāj narrated from Bishr b. Saʿīd that he said: "Fear Allah, be careful regarding hadith, and memorize well. By Allah, we would sit with Abū Hurayra in the same assembly. He would narrate to us from the Messenger of God and from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, then get up and leave. But I saw that some of those present would memorize a hadith of the Messenger of God as if it were from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, and a statement of Kaʿb as if it were a hadith of the Messenger of God. Therefore, fear Allah and be very careful regarding hadith. Memorize hadith well."
Yazīd b. Hārūn narrated from Shuʿba that he said: "Abū Hurayra would narrate statements he heard from Kaʿb and from the Messenger of God without distinguishing between them. He would mix them together." Shuʿba, by this, referred to the hadith Abū Hurayra narrated: "Whoever wakes up in a state of major ritual impurity has no fast." When this hadith was investigated, Abū Hurayra defended himself: "A person who informed us narrated this to me; I did not hear it directly from the Messenger of God." Shurayk narrated from Ibrāhīm via Mughīra that he said: "Our companions did not rely on the hadiths narrated by Abū Hurayra."
Al-Thawrī narrated from Ibrāhīm that he said: "Our companions found some issues with the hadiths narrated by Abū Hurayra, and for this reason, they did not take all the hadiths he narrated as proof, except for those that describe the attributes of Paradise or Hell, encourage righteous deeds, or prohibit an evil that the Qur'an has mentioned."
Ibn ʿAsākir, regarding these words, defended Abū Hurayra and rejected the words of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhāʿī mentioned above. However, some Kufans also confirmed the words of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhāʿī. But the majority disagreed with them.
Abū Hurayra had a significant share in truthfulness, piety, worship, asceticism, righteous deeds, and memorization of hadith. Ḥammād b. Zayd narrated from Abū ʿUthmān al-Nahdī that he said regarding this:
"Abū Hurayra, his wife, and his daughter would each worship for a third of the night. When one finished his turn, he would wake the next. When that one finished, he would wake the third. Thus, they would spend the night in worship until morning." In the sound collections of Bukhārī and Muslim, it is established that Abū Hurayra said: "My friend, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), enjoined me to fast three days of every month, to perform two rakʿas of the forenoon prayer, and to pray the witr prayer before sleeping."
Ibn Jurayj narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"I divide the night into three parts. I devote one part to reciting the Qur'an, one part to sleeping, and one part to reading and repeating the hadith of the Messenger of God."
Muḥammad b. Saʿd narrated from Abū Ayyūb that he said: Abū Hurayra had a mosque in his bedroom, a mosque in his house, a mosque in his room, and a mosque at the door of his house. When leaving the house, he would pray in all these mosques. When entering the house, he would pray in all these mosques as well."
Ikrima said: "Abū Hurayra would recite tasbīḥ (glorifications) 12,000 times every night and say: 'I make tasbīḥ as much as my blood money.'"
Hushaym narrated from Maymūn b. Abī Maysara that he said:
"Abū Hurayra would let out two cries every day. At the beginning of the day, he would cry out and say:
- The night has passed, the day has come. The family of Pharaoh is presented to the Fire. In the evening, he would say:
- The day has passed, the night has come. The family of Pharaoh is presented to the Fire.
Everyone who heard his cry would seek refuge in Allah from the Fire."
ʿAbdullāh b. Mubārak narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"Do not envy the blessings given to a wicked and sinful person. For behind him is Hell, which seeks to overtake him. Whenever its fire is about to subside, We increase its blaze."
Ibn Luhayʿa narrated from Abū Yūnus that he said: "One day, Abū Hurayra led the people in prayer. After giving the salām, he raised his voice and said: 'Praise be to Allah, who established the religion upright and made Abū Hurayra an imam after he had been a hired worker for the daughter of Ghazwān in exchange for enough food to keep his feet standing.'"
Ibrāhīm b. Isḥāq al-Ḥarbī narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"I grew up an orphan, migrated as a poor man. I became a hired servant for the daughter of Ghazwān in exchange for enough soup to keep my feet walking. When they mounted their animals, I would walk behind them. When they dismounted, I would gather wood for them. Praise be to Allah, who established the religion upright and made Abū Hurayra an imam. O Muslims, I swear by Allah, my service to them was in exchange for a piece of dry bread and a bowl of soup on a dark, dusty night. Then Allah gave me the daughter of Ghazwān as a wife. When they mounted, I mounted. When they were served, I was served. When they dismounted, I dismounted."
Ibrāhīm b. Yaʿqūb al-Jurjānī narrated from Abū Salama that he said: "Abū Hurayra and Abū Dharr said: 'To learn one chapter of knowledge is more beloved to us than performing 1,000 units of supererogatory prayer. To learn one chapter of knowledge, whether we act upon it or not, is more beloved to us than performing 100 units of supererogatory prayer. We heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
"If a seeker of knowledge dies while seeking knowledge, he dies as a martyr."
According to many narrations, Abū Hurayra would prostrate and seek refuge in Allah from committing fornication, disbelief (kufr), or major sins. When asked:
- Do you fear these things?
He replied:
- As long as Iblīs is alive, I do not feel secure.
Allah, who turns the hearts, turns them as He wills and shapes them as He wills. How can I feel secure? His daughter once said to him:
- Father, other girls reproach me, saying: Why does your father not give you gold jewelry?
- O my little daughter, say to them: 'My father fears the heat of the Fire of Hell.'"
Abū Hurayra said: "I went to ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb and waited for him. He was engaged in tasbīḥ after prayer, so I waited. After he finished, I approached him and said:
- Recite to me some verses from the Book of Allah (by this I meant that I wanted him to feed me; I had no other purpose)."
He recited to me some verses from Sūrat Āl ʿImrān. When he reached his house, he entered, leaving me at the door. I thought he would take off his clothes and order his family to prepare food for me. But after waiting for him to order something to be prepared, I got up and started walking. On the way, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) met me, spoke to me, and said:
- O Abū Hurayra, tonight there is a strong odor coming from your mouth.
- Yes, O Messenger of God, I was fasting, but I have not yet broken my fast. I could not find anything to eat for ifṭār.
- Come with me. I began to walk with him, and we reached his house. He called his black slave girl and ordered her:
- Bring us that food tray. The slave girl brought a tray with traces of oil and milk. There were some crumbs of barley bread, and a little remained at the edge. I said bismillah and began to eat. I ate until I was full."
Ṭabarānī narrated that Abū Hurayra said to his daughter: "Do not wear gold jewelry. For I fear that the heat of the Fire of Hell will harm you."
Imām b. Ḥanbal narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "These filths (desires and what you eat) ruin your world and your Hereafter."
Ṭabarānī narrated from Ibn Sīrīn that ʿUmar summoned Abū Hurayra to appoint him as governor, but Abū Hurayra did not want to be governor. ʿUmar said to him: - Do you not like to be governor? Yet people better than you have been governors and rulers.
- Who?
- Yūsuf (peace be upon him)
- Yūsuf (peace be upon him) is a prophet, the son of a prophet. But I am Abū Hurayra, the son of Umayma. I fear three and two.
- Instead of saying three and two, why not say five?
- I fear speaking without knowledge, judging foolishly, being whipped on my back, having my wealth taken from me, and being insulted in my honor."
Saʿīd b. Abī Hind narrated from Abū Hurayra that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Do not ask me for the spoils that your companions desire. Do not request them from me.
- O Messenger of God, I only ask you to teach me what Allah has taught you. After I said this, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) took off his cloak and spread it on the ground between himself and me. I paid close attention as if following an ant walking on that mat. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) began to speak and finished his words. Then he said:
- Gather up the mat. After that, I never forgot a single letter of what the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me."
It is narrated from Abū ʿUthmān al-Nahdī that he said to Abū Hurayra:
- How do you fast?
- I fast three days at the beginning of the month, but if something happens and I cannot fast, I still attain the reward for that month.
Ḥammād b. Salama narrated from Abū ʿUthmān al-Nahdī that he said: "Abū Hurayra once set out on a journey with a group. When they stopped to rest, they set the table. They invited Abū Hurayra to eat with them, but he said he was fasting. They began to eat. When the meal was nearly finished, Abū Hurayra came and began to eat. His companions looked at the messenger they had sent to call Abū Hurayra to eat. The messenger said to them:
- I see you are looking at me. By Allah, Abū Hurayra told me he was fasting.
Thereupon Abū Hurayra said to his companions:
- The friend spoke the truth, but I heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Fasting for a whole month is the fast of patience. Fasting three days of every month brings the reward and virtue of fasting the whole time.' I fasted three days at the beginning of the month and broke my fast due to Allah's dispensation. Because Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, multiplies the reward, I fasted."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Abū Mutawakkil that he said:
"When Abū Hurayra and his companions fasted, they would sit in the mosque and say: 'We are purifying our fast.'" Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Farkad al-Ṣabḥī that he said: "Abū Hurayra would circumambulate the House and say:
'Woe to my stomach! If I fill it, it troubles me. If I leave it hungry, it weakens me.'"
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"Every day I ask Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, for forgiveness 12,000 times. This is equal to my blood money."
According to a narration from ʿAbdullāh, the son of Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, Abū Hurayra had a rope with 12,000 knots. Before sleeping, he would recite tasbīḥ as many times as the knots. According to another narration, the rope had 2,000 knots, and before sleeping, he would recite tasbīḥ as many times as the knots. This second narration is more accurate than the first.
When Abū Hurayra was dying, he wept. When asked why he was weeping, he replied: I do not weep for this world, but I weep for the length of my journey and the scarcity of my provisions. I am at the slope leading to Paradise and the precipice leading to Hell. I do not know to which of the two I will be taken."
Qutayba b. Saʿīd narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "When you gild your mosques and decorate your copies of the Qur'an, you are ruined."
Ṭabarānī narrated from Maʿmar that he said: According to a report I received, when a funeral passed in front of Abū Hurayra, he would say to those with him: "Let us go, for we too will go where this one is going. Death is an effective admonition. It is a swift reflection. The one in front goes, the one behind remains, but does not reflect on this."
Ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr b. Mālik narrated from Abū Yazīd al-Madanī that he said:
"Abū Hurayra ascended the minbar of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), but stood on the step below where he stood and said:
'Woe to the Arabs for what is approaching! Woe to the Arabs for children ruling over them! These child rulers will judge among them according to their desires and will kill people in anger.'"
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
I had fifteen dates. I broke my fast with five, had suḥūr with five, and left five for the next day's ifṭār."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Abū Mutawakkil that he said:
"Abū Hurayra had a black slave girl. Because she did not work properly, she angered Abū Hurayra. One day, Abū Hurayra raised his whip to beat her. Then he said:
- If there were no retaliation on the Day of Resurrection, I would have struck you with this whip, but I will sell you to someone who will pay me your full price. I am in great need of what he will pay. Go, you are free for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."
Ḥammād b. Salama narrated from Abū Salama that he said: "Abū Hurayra fell ill, and I visited him. I prayed: 'O Allah, grant healing to Abū Hurayra.' But Abū Hurayra prayed: 'O Allah, do not return me to life.' Then he said to me:
'O Abū Salama, soon people will reach a time when death will be more beloved to them than red gold.'"
ʿAṭāʾ narrated that Abū Hurayra said:
"If you see six things, then if your soul is in your hand, release it (i.e., if you can die, then die). That is why I want to die. I fear reaching that time. When the foolish become rulers, judgments are sold for money, there is no safety for lives, ties of friendship and kinship are severed, security forces multiply, and a group arises who make the Qur'an into a musical instrument—then, if you can die, die."
Ibn Wahb narrated from Thalaba b. Mālik al-Qurazī that he said: "When Abū Hurayra was appointed as an administrator by Marwān b. Ḥakam, he carried two bundles of wood on his back to the market. At the entrance to the market, he called out: 'Make way for the amīr, O Ibn Abī Mālik!' I said to him: 'May Allah have mercy on you. That is enough, this is too much.' But he again—while the bundle of wood was on his back—said: 'Make way for the amīr!'"
Abū Hurayra had many virtues, merits, and noble qualities, as well as beautiful words, advice, and admonitions. As we have mentioned earlier, he became Muslim in the year of Khaybar and began to reside with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He never left his side. Only when the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him with ʿAlāʾ b. al-Ḥaḍramī to Bahrain did he leave his side for a short time. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) advised ʿAlāʾ b. al-Ḥaḍramī to take good care of Abū Hurayra and to look after him. ʿAlāʾ made him his muʾadhdhin. Abū Hurayra said to ʿAlāʾ: "O amīr, do not say 'āmīn' before me."
During the caliphate of ʿUmar, he appointed him as an administrator. Along with other governors, he was also given a position of authority.
ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated from Ibn Sīrīn that he said: "ʿUmar sent Abū Hurayra as governor to Bahrain. When he returned, he brought 10,000 dirhams. ʿUmar rebuked him:
- O man, enemy of Allah and His Book, have you preferred to acquire these goods?
- I am not the enemy of Allah and His Book, but I am the enemy of those who are enemies of Allah and His Book.
- Then where did you get this wealth?
- My horse gave birth, my slave worked and earned, and I saved from my salaries.
They investigated the matter and confirmed the truth of Abū Hurayra's statement. After that, when ʿUmar wanted to appoint him as governor again, he refused. ʿUmar said to him:
- Do you not like to be a governor, even though people better than you have sought this position?
- Who?
- Yūsuf (peace be upon him)
- Yūsuf (peace be upon him) is a prophet, the son of a prophet. But I am Abū Hurayra, the son of Umayma. I fear three and two.
- Instead of saying three and two, why not say five?
- I fear speaking without knowledge, judging foolishly, being whipped on my back, having my wealth taken from me, and being insulted in my honor."
According to others, during his first governorship, ʿUmar fined Abū Hurayra 12,000 dirhams. For this reason, Abū Hurayra did not accept the second offer of governorship.
ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated from Muḥammad b. Ziyād that he said: "Muʿāwiya appointed Abū Hurayra as governor of Medina. But when he became angry with him, he removed him from office and appointed Marwān b. Ḥakam in his place. When Abū Hurayra wanted to enter to see Marwān, the doorkeepers prevented him. When Marwān was removed and Abū Hurayra was reappointed as governor, he instructed his doorkeeper: 'If anyone comes to see me, never turn him away. Only turn Marwān away. Do not let him see me.' When Marwān became governor, the doorkeeper punched him in the chest and prevented him from entering. With great difficulty, he managed to enter. When he entered, he said: 'Your doorkeeper tried to prevent me from seeing you.' Abū Hurayra said to him: 'If there is anyone among the people who should not be upset about this, it is you.' In fact, the person who wanted Abū Hurayra to be appointed governor of Medina was Marwān himself, but he did this with Muʿāwiya's permission. Allah knows best.
Ḥammād b. Salama narrated from Abū Rāfiʿ that he said: "Sometimes Marwān would appoint Abū Hurayra as acting governor of Medina. He would ride a donkey, go around the streets, and say to those he met: 'Make way, the amīr is coming.' By 'amīr,' he meant himself. Sometimes, at night, he would go to where Bedouin children were playing. Without them noticing, he would throw himself among them, stamp his feet like a madman, and try to make the children laugh. The children would panic and run away, laughing."
Abū Rāfiʿ said: "Sometimes Abū Hurayra would invite me to dinner and say: 'Leave the carving of the meat to me.' I would look at the food and see that the dish he made was a stew with olive oil."
Ibn Wahb narrated from Thalaba b. Abī Mālik that he said:
"When Abū Hurayra was acting governor for Marwān in Medina, one day he came to the market with a bundle of wood on his shoulder and said to me: 'O Ibn Abī Mālik, make way for the governor.' I said to him: 'May Allah set you right, what is this?' But while the bundle of wood was still on his back, he again said: 'Make way for the governor.' Marwān's scribe Abū Zuʿayziʿa said: Marwān sent 100 dinars to Abū Hurayra. The next day, he sent word to him: 'I sent you that money by mistake. I actually intended to send it to someone else. Return the money.'"
Abū Hurayra replied: 'I have spent the money you sent. Deduct it from my salary at the beginning of the month.' Abū Hurayra had distributed the money sent to him by Marwān as charity. Marwān did this to test him.
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Yaḥyā b. Saʿīd b. al-Musayyab that he said: "When Muʿāwiya gave money to Abū Hurayra, he would remain silent. When he did not give, he would speak."
According to several narrators, a young man once came to Abū Hurayra and said:
"O Abū Hurayra, I woke up fasting. In the morning, I went to my father, and he brought me meat and bread. I forgot I was fasting and ate. What is my situation?
- That is food Allah has given you. It does not harm your fast.
- Then I went to my family. They brought me camel's milk. I forgot I was fasting and drank it. What is my situation?
- Then I slept, and when I woke up, I drank water (or had intercourse with my wife, forgetting I was fasting). What is my situation?
- O son of my brother! You have not broken your fast (your fast is not invalidated)."
According to several narrators, when Abū Hurayra saw a funeral, he would say: "You go on. We will follow you."
Again, according to several narrators, when Abū Hurayra was about to die, he wept, and they asked him:
- Why are you weeping?
- I weep for the scarcity of my provisions and the barrenness of the field. I am descending a slope. I will go either to Paradise or to Hell. I do not know to which of the two I will go.
Mālik narrated from Saʿīd b. Saʿīd al-Maqburī that he said: "When he was about to die, Marwān visited Abū Hurayra and said to him: 'O Abū Hurayra, may Allah grant you healing.' Abū Hurayra replied: 'O Allah, I want to meet You, so desire to meet me.'"
After Marwān left, as soon as he reached the region of Aṣḥāb al-Qutn, Abū Hurayra passed away.
Yaʿqūb b. Sufyān narrated that Abū Hurayra said: "O Allah, do not let me reach the sixtieth year of the hijra." Abū Hurayra died either in the sixtieth year of the hijra or one year before that. Wāqidī said that Abū Hurayra died in the fifty-ninth year of the hijra at the age of seventy-eight. According to Wāqidī, in the same year, ʿĀʾisha died in the month of Ramaḍān, and Abū Hurayra led her funeral prayer. In the same year, in the month of Shawwāl, Umm Salama also died, and Abū Hurayra led her funeral prayer. After these two wives of the Prophet, Abū Hurayra himself died in the same year. Although Wāqidī said this, in fact, Umm Salama died after Abū Hurayra. According to several narrators, there are reports that Abū Hurayra died in the fifty-ninth year of the hijra.
According to the well-known opinion, he died in the fifty-ninth year of the hijra. His funeral prayer was led by Walīd b. ʿUtba b. Abī Sufyān (the governor of Medina), and among those who performed the funeral prayer were Ibn ʿUmar, Abū Saʿīd, and some other Companions. The funeral prayer was performed after the ʿaṣr prayer. He died in his house in the region of ʿAqīq. He was taken from there to Medina, and after the funeral prayer was performed there, he was buried in the Baqīʿ cemetery. May Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him. The governor of Medina, Walīd b. ʿUtba, informed Muʿāwiya of Abū Hurayra's death by letter. In his reply, Muʿāwiya wrote: "Take care of the heirs of Abū Hurayra, show them kindness, spend 10,000 dirhams on them, be a good neighbor to them, and treat them well. For Abū Hurayra was among those who supported ʿUthmān, and during the siege, he stayed with him in his house.
May Allah have mercy on them."