Written by: Hafiz Sher Muhammad
Allah Almighty says:"لَقَدْ رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنِ الْمُؤمِنِیْنَ اِذْ یُبَایِعُوْنَکَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَۃِ"“Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree.” (Al-Fath: 18)
Among these esteemed and fortunate Companions was Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him).
Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:"Among his virtues is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) testified to his entry into Paradise, and he is one of the people of Badr about whom it was said: ‘Do whatever you wish [you have been forgiven].’”
(Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 1/78)
There came a time on this earth when the Leader of the Prophets, Sayyiduna Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), came and saw that the prayer had commenced, and (Sayyiduna) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer. He had completed one rak'ah when the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived. When Abdur-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had come, he began to step back from the place of the Imam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gestured for him to continue leading the prayer. So he led the prayer, and when he completed it, what happened? Listen to the words of Sayyiduna Mughira bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him):"When he completed the prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I stood up and we completed the rak'ah that we had missed.” (Sahih Muslim 81/274 and Darussalam numbering: 633)
It is evident that one day, due to an excuse, the Leader of the Prophets (peace be upon him) prayed behind his follower, Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him). In the entire Ummah, the honor of the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying behind someone as an Imam was exclusively given to him.
Significant Note: The meaning of the narration in Sahih Muslim, along with many chains, is also found in the following books:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Abdur-Rahman bin Awf is in Paradise." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3747 and its chain is authentic, Hadith: 19 p. 56)
In one Hadith, it is mentioned that (Sayyiduna) Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take jizya from the Magians until (Sayyiduna) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) testified that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had taken jizya from the Magians of Hajr (an area). (Sahih Bukhari: 3156, 3157)
Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him): "You are just and trustworthy to us." (Musnad Abi Ya'la 2/153 Hadith 839 and its chain is Hasan)
Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When we came to Medina, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sa'd bin Rabi' (Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him)." (Sahih Bukhari: 2408)
Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say: "May Allah give Abdur-Rahman bin Awf a drink from the sweet spring of Salsabil in Paradise." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3749 and its chain is Hasan, and Tirmidhi said: This Hadith is Hasan Gharib)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was pleased with Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) until his death. (See Sahih Bukhari: 3700, and Hadith: 17 p. 48) He was one of the six members of the council chosen by Ameer al-Mu'minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as eligible for the Caliphate after him. (See Sahih Bukhari: 3700)
Note:
There is a narration that says you (Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, may Allah be pleased with him) will enter Paradise crawling on your knees. (Musnad Ahmad 6/115 Hadith 25353 from the Hadith of Umara bin Zadan from Thabit from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him)
About one of the narrators of this narration, Umara bin Zadan, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said: “He narrates Munkar Hadith from (Thabit from) Anas.” (Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil 6/366 and its chain is authentic, and Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 7/365 Dar Al-Fikr edition, and the addition is from it) Therefore, this narration is Munkar (i.e., weak and rejected). For the invalid and rejected proofs of this narration, see Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Hadithiyah (41/338, 339). Based on such weak and rejected narrations, some people continue to malign the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) even though the existence and non-existence of a weak narration are equal. (See Kitab al-Majruhin by Ibn Hibban 1/328, biography of Sa'id bin Ziyad)
Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away in 32 AH in Madinah Tayyibah.
Ibrahim bin Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "I saw (Sayyiduna) Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) at the funeral of (my father) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, and he was saying: 'O Ibn Awf! You are leaving this world in a state where you have not stained yourself with its impurities.’” (The meaning: Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim 3/307 Hadith 5338 and its chain is authentic)
Upon the death of Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), Ameer al-Mu'minin Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Go, O Ibn Awf! You have attained the best part of the world and surpassed its muddy part.” (Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim 3/308 Hadith 5347 and its chain is authentic)
May Allah be pleased with them.
Allah Almighty says:"لَقَدْ رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنِ الْمُؤمِنِیْنَ اِذْ یُبَایِعُوْنَکَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَۃِ"“Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree.” (Al-Fath: 18)
Among these esteemed and fortunate Companions was Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him).
Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:"Among his virtues is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) testified to his entry into Paradise, and he is one of the people of Badr about whom it was said: ‘Do whatever you wish [you have been forgiven].’”
(Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 1/78)
There came a time on this earth when the Leader of the Prophets, Sayyiduna Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), came and saw that the prayer had commenced, and (Sayyiduna) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer. He had completed one rak'ah when the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived. When Abdur-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had come, he began to step back from the place of the Imam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gestured for him to continue leading the prayer. So he led the prayer, and when he completed it, what happened? Listen to the words of Sayyiduna Mughira bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him):"When he completed the prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I stood up and we completed the rak'ah that we had missed.” (Sahih Muslim 81/274 and Darussalam numbering: 633)
It is evident that one day, due to an excuse, the Leader of the Prophets (peace be upon him) prayed behind his follower, Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him). In the entire Ummah, the honor of the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying behind someone as an Imam was exclusively given to him.
Significant Note: The meaning of the narration in Sahih Muslim, along with many chains, is also found in the following books:
- Kitab al-Umm by Al-Shafi'i (1/32)
- Musnad Ahmad (4/249, 251)
- Musnad Abdul Hamid (Al-Muntakhab: 397)
- Sunan Abi Dawood (149)
- Sunan An-Nasa’i (1/63, 24 Hadith 82 and its chain is authentic)
- Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (3/8 Hadith 1514)
- Sahih Ibn Hibban (Al-Ihsan: 1344, second version: 1347)
- Muwatta Imam Malik (1/36 Hadith 70)
- Musnad Al-Darimi (1341, second version: 1374)
- General books of Hadith.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Abdur-Rahman bin Awf is in Paradise." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3747 and its chain is authentic, Hadith: 19 p. 56)
In one Hadith, it is mentioned that (Sayyiduna) Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take jizya from the Magians until (Sayyiduna) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) testified that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had taken jizya from the Magians of Hajr (an area). (Sahih Bukhari: 3156, 3157)
Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him): "You are just and trustworthy to us." (Musnad Abi Ya'la 2/153 Hadith 839 and its chain is Hasan)
Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When we came to Medina, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sa'd bin Rabi' (Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him)." (Sahih Bukhari: 2408)
Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say: "May Allah give Abdur-Rahman bin Awf a drink from the sweet spring of Salsabil in Paradise." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3749 and its chain is Hasan, and Tirmidhi said: This Hadith is Hasan Gharib)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was pleased with Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) until his death. (See Sahih Bukhari: 3700, and Hadith: 17 p. 48) He was one of the six members of the council chosen by Ameer al-Mu'minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as eligible for the Caliphate after him. (See Sahih Bukhari: 3700)
Note:
There is a narration that says you (Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, may Allah be pleased with him) will enter Paradise crawling on your knees. (Musnad Ahmad 6/115 Hadith 25353 from the Hadith of Umara bin Zadan from Thabit from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him)
About one of the narrators of this narration, Umara bin Zadan, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said: “He narrates Munkar Hadith from (Thabit from) Anas.” (Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil 6/366 and its chain is authentic, and Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 7/365 Dar Al-Fikr edition, and the addition is from it) Therefore, this narration is Munkar (i.e., weak and rejected). For the invalid and rejected proofs of this narration, see Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Hadithiyah (41/338, 339). Based on such weak and rejected narrations, some people continue to malign the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) even though the existence and non-existence of a weak narration are equal. (See Kitab al-Majruhin by Ibn Hibban 1/328, biography of Sa'id bin Ziyad)
Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away in 32 AH in Madinah Tayyibah.
Ibrahim bin Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "I saw (Sayyiduna) Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) at the funeral of (my father) Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, and he was saying: 'O Ibn Awf! You are leaving this world in a state where you have not stained yourself with its impurities.’” (The meaning: Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim 3/307 Hadith 5338 and its chain is authentic)
Upon the death of Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), Ameer al-Mu'minin Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Go, O Ibn Awf! You have attained the best part of the world and surpassed its muddy part.” (Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim 3/308 Hadith 5347 and its chain is authentic)
May Allah be pleased with them.
