Brief Biographies of some of the Companions
Taken from
Siyaar ‘Alaam an-Nubalaa & Thahdheeb at thahdheeb
Compiled & Translated
By
Abbas Abu Yahya
From the Companions–Radi Allaahu anhum
Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was the first to accept Islaam from amongst the men, the friend of the Messenger of Allaah–sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, the first Khalifa of the Muslims. He is Abdullaah bin Abee Quhafah Uthmaan bin ‘Aamir al-Qurashee at-Taymee, may Allaah be pleased with him, and may Allaah curse those who curse him.
He was called Ateeq because he had a beautiful face. ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas asked: O Messenger of Allaah which of the men is most beloved to you? He said: Abu Bakr.’
Reported by Bukharee & Muslim.
Muhammad bin Jubair bin Mutim said: My father told me that a woman came to the Messenger of Allaah & spoke to him about something, and then he ordered her with something, so she said: O Messenger of Allaah if I don’t find you? So he said: If you don’t find me, go to Abu Bakr.’
Bukharee & Muslim.
‘Alee said: The best of this Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr & Umar.
Adh-Dhahabee said: I swear by Allaah, The ‘Atheem, that ‘Alee said this & it is mutawaatir upon him, because he said it on the Mimbar of Koofah, so may Allaah curse the Rawafidah, how ignorant they are!!
Az-Zuhree said: Abu Bakr requested in his will that he be washed by his wife ‘Asmaa bint Umays & if she cannot then she should take the help of his son AbdurRahmaan.
He was buried next to the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, & his head was placed near to the shoulders of the Messenger–sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–.
Umar bin al-Khattab –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was the second of the great Khulafa of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, Abu Hafs, Umar bin al-Khattab bin Nufail –Radi Allaahu anhu. He died in the year 23 A.H. after leading the Fajr prayer, he was stabbed whilst leading the prayer. His Khilaafah lasted for 10 years after the Khilaafah of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq –Radi Allaahu anhu, the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was always seen with Abu Bakr & Umar –Radi Allaahu anhum.
The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Verily Allaah has placed the truth upon the tongue & heart of Umar.’
Narrated by Ibn Umar & Abu Dharr, collected by Ahmad, Tirmidhee, Abu Dawood & authenticated by al-Albaanee in saheeh al-Jaami’.
Talha bin Ubaidullaah said: That Umar was not the first to embrace Islaam nor the first to make Hijraa but was the foremost in Zuhud & desiring for the hereafter out of us.
The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– mentions as is narrated in Saheeh al-Bukharee by Jabir bin Abdullaah : ‘I saw myself entering Paradise, and behold! I saw ar-Rumaisa the wife of Abu Talha. And I heard footsteps, so I asked who is that? It was said: It is Bilal. Then I saw a palace with a lady sitting in its courtyard. So I said whose is this? They said it is Umar’s. I wanted to enter it and see it then I remembered your Ghira (possessive jealousy).’
Then Umar said: Let my parents be sacrificed for you O Allaah’s Messenger how dare I think of my Ghira being offended by you?’
The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–said: ‘If there were to be a Prophet after me it would have been Umar al-Khattab.’
Narrated by Uqbah bin Aamir, & collected by Ahmad, Tirmidhee & Hakim, & made Hasan by al-Albaanee in Saheehah (327).
Ayesha daughter of Abu Bakr as-Sideeq –Radi Allaahu anhum
She is Ayesha daughter of Abu Bakr as-Sideeq –Radi Allaahu anhum– wife of the Messenger of Allaah, after Khadija –Radi Allaahu anha– had died, the Angel Jibra’eel had shown her to the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– in his dream before he married her, she was 18 years of age when the Messenger of Allaah died. She died 59 A.H. On the 17th Ramadan, Abu Huraira –Radi Allaahu anhu– buried her.
She was the Mother of the Believers, as-Siddeqqah –Radi Allaahu anha. Umar –Radi Allaahu anhu– asked the Messenger of Allaah, ‘who is the most beloved of people to you?’ he replied: ‘Ayesha’, then he asked, ‘from amongst the men?’ he replied: ‘Her father.’
Ash-Shaabee said : when Masrooq would narrate on Ayesha to us, he would say : ‘I was told by the truthful one, daughter of the truthful one, the beloved of the most beloved to Allaah, who’s innocence was established from above the seven heavens.’
Az-Zuhri said: ‘If the knowledge of Ayesha was gathered against the knowledge of all the other wives of the Messenger of Allaah and all the women, then Ayesha’s knowledge would remain unsurpassed.’
Abdullaah bin Abbas –Radi Allaahu anhu
The great companion of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, his name is Abdullaah bin Abbas bin AbdulMuttalib, the son of the uncle of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam. He was 13 years of age when the Messenger of Allaah passed away, he was known as the scholar of the Ummah. He died in 70 A.H. in Taif. It is authentically narrated that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– embraced him and supplicated ‘O Allaah teach him the wisdom.’ Ibn Umar said of him:’ He was the most knowledgeable from the Ummah of Muhammad about what was revealed to Muhammad.’
Jabir ibn Abdullaah –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was the great companion of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, Jabir ibn Abdullaah ibn Haraam, he died in the year 74 A.H. at the age of 94, he was the last companion who witnessed the oath of allegiance at ‘Aqabah to die. He –Radi Allaahu anhu– took part in 19 battles with the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, he mentions that he did not attend the battle of Badr nor that of Uhud because his father prevented him, when his father was killed he never stayed away from a battle. He also lost his eyesight in his later life, and he was one of the main narrators of Hadeeth on the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.
‘Irbaad bin Saariya –Radi Allaahu anhu
He is the great companion of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-, ‘Irbaad bin Saariya as-Salama –Radi Allaahu anhu– who died after 70 A.H. his kunya was Abu Najeeh. He was from amongst the ahl-ul-Suffah, Utbah bin Ubaid would say that ‘Irbaad is better than me and vice versa
Abdullaah bin Ukeem –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was a Companion of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– but he did not narrate from him. His name is Abdullaah bin Ukeem Abu Ma’baad al-Koofi, he died during the rule of Hajjaj. He was around from before the time of Islaam.
Abdullaah bin Mas’ood –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was the great Companion of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, Abdullaah bin Mas’ood bin Ghafil bin Habeeb –Radi Allaahu anhu–, died in 32 A.H. in Madina and Zubair led the funeral prayer and was buried in Baqi’.
He was the sixth person to embrace Islaam even before Umar bin Khattab –Radi Allaahu anhu–. The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– testified to his place in Paradise.
‘Alee –Radi Allaahu anhu– mentions that the Messenger of Allaah ordered Ibn Mas’ood to climb up a tree to bring something down from it, and his companions looked at the shins of Abdullaah bin Mas’ood while he was climbing the tree, and they began to laugh at the thinness of his shins! So the Messenger of Allaah said: ‘What causes you to laugh?! The leg of Abdullaah is heavier in the scales on the Day of Judgement than mount Uhud.’
Recorded by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad and authenticated by Shaykh Ahmad Shakir.(920).
Abdullaah bin Mas’ood was of the great recitors of the Qur’aan, it was said that he was one of the closest in guidance to the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.
Abdullaah bin Umar –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was a great Companion Abdullaah bin Umar al-Khattab al-Qurashy –Radi Allaahu anhu, he died at the age of 83, in 63 A.H. He was a great Companion and the son of the second Khalifah of Islaam, he embraced Islaam at a very young age. He was killed by the order of Hajjaj during Hajj.
Jabir bin Abdullaah said: ‘There wasn’t anyone of us except that we were affected by the world and its wealth, except for Umar & his son Abdullaah.
Imaam Maalik said: Ibn Umar is from amongst the leaders of the Muslims.
Jareer bin Abdullaah –Radi Allaahu anhu
He was a great Companion Jareer bin Abdullaah bin Jabir who died in the year 51 A.H. He was from amongst the main Companions of the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, he accepted Islaam before the death of the Prophet by 40 days. He was very handsome & good looking.
Umar bin al-Khattab –Radi Allaahu anhu–said: Jareer is the Yusuf (i.e. the Prophet Yusuf) of this Ummah. (Meaning that he was very beautiful.)
He was also the leader of his people.
All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace
and blessings be upon our final
Prophet Muhammad, his
family, his companions
and all those who
follow his
guidance.