Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (RA)
Early Life and Background:
Abu Dharr was from the tribe of Ghifar and this tribe were known to steal from the caravans of the Quraysh which travelled between Syria and Makkah.
Qualities of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari:
He was known for his courage and his hatred of the idols which his people worshipped. He rejected the worship of idols which the Arabs were engaged in.
News of the Prophet:
Whilst he was in the desert, news reached Abu Dharr that a new Prophet had appeared in Makkah.
Abu Dharr hoped that the appearance of this Prophet would help change the hearts and minds of his people and lead them away from the disbelief of idol worship.
He called his brother Unays and said to him: Go to Makkah and get whatever news you can of this man who claims that he is a Prophet and that revelations come to him from the heavens. Listen to some of his sayings, come back and recite them to me.
Unays went to Makkah to meet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and after listening to what he had to say, he returned to the desert.
Abu Dharr then asked about the Prophet and his brother, Unays replied: I have seen a man who calls people to noble qualities and there is no mere poetry in what he says.
Abu Dharr replied: What do people say about him? Unays answered: They say he is a magician, a soothsayer and a poet.
Journey to Makkah:
Abu Dharr decided to leave his family with his brother Unays and left to go to Makkah himself.
When he arrived in the city, Abu Dharr immediately became worried and decided to approach Makkah with caution, refraining from asking anyone about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
This was because, the Quraysh were very angry over the criticism of their idols and Abu Dharr heard of the persecution they were handing out to the Muslims.
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari Stays at the House of Ali ibn Abi Talib:
One night, he lay near the Haram, where Ali ibn Abi Talib passed by him. Ali realised that he was a stranger so he invited him to his house.
Abu Dharr spent the night with him and in the morning, he took his belongings and returned back to the Haram.
Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Interactions with Abu Dharr:
On the second night, Ali ibn Abi Talub approached him by the Haram again and asked: Isn’t it time that a man knows his house? Abu Dharr then went and stayed in his house a second night.
On the third night, Ali ibn Abi Talib asked him: Aren’t you going to tell me why you came to Makkah? Abu Dharr replied: Only if you give me a promise that you will guide me to what I seek.
Abu Dharr Explains Why He Came to Makkah:
Ali ibn Abi Talib agreed to this and Abu Dharr explained: I came to Makkah from a distant place seeking a meeting with the Prophet and to listen to what he has to say.
Reaction of Ali ibn Abi Talib:
Ali ibn Abi Talib was very happy to hear this and said: By Allah, he really is the Messenger of Allah!
Ali continued to inform Abu Dharr about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his teachings.
Ali ibn Abi Talib then said: When we get up in the morning, follow me wherever I go. If I see anything which I am afraid of for your sake, I would stop as if to pass water. If I continue, follow me until you enter where I enter.
Abu Dharr did not sleep for the rest of the night out of his excitement to meet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Meeting the Prophet:
In the morning, he followed Ali’s footsteps until they were in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Abu Dharr then greeted the Prophet, who replied with glad tidings.
Abu Dharr was the first person to greet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the greeting of Islam.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ welcomed Abu Dharr, invited him to Islam and also recited some Ayats of the Quran for him.
Abu Dharr Accepts Islam:
Without any hesitation, Abu Dharr pronounced the Shahadah and accepted Islam.
Abu Dharr then stayed with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Makkah and the Prophet taught him how to recite the Quran.
Fearless Acceptance of Islam from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari:
The Prophet then told Abu Dharr: Do not tell anyone in Makkah about your acceptance of Islam. I fear that they will kill you.
Abu Dharr replied: By Him in whose hand is my life, I shall not leave Makkah until I go to the Sacred Mosque and proclaim the call of Truth in the midst of the Quraysh.
The Quraysh were sitting near the Kabah and Abu Dharr called out: O people of Quraysh, I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Quraysh jumped up and began to beat up Abu Dharr.
Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib’s Response to the Quraysh’ Actions:
The Prophet’s uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib recognised Abu Dharr and said to the Quraysh: Woe to you. Would you kill a man from the Ghifar tribe when your caravans must pass through their territory?
Return to the Prophet:
Abu Dharr returned to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who said: Didn’t I tell you not to announce your acceptance of Islam?
Abu Dharr replied: O Messenger of Allah, it was a need I felt in my soul and I fulfilled it.
Spreading Islam to His Family and the Tribe of Ghifar:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then commanded him: Go to your people and tell them what you have seen and heard. Invite them to Allah. Maybe Allah will bring them good through you and reward you through them. And when you hear that I have come out in the open, come to me.
Acceptance of Islam:
Abu Dharr then went to his brother, Unais and told him that he had accepted Islam. After hearing this, Unais also accepted Islam.
Abu Dharr and Unais both then went to their mother and invited her to Islam and she also became a Muslim.
They continued to spread dawah and invite the tribe of Ghifar to Islam and eventually, a large number of them became Muslims.
Abu Dharr remained in the desert until after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had migrated to Madinah, which was after the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq.
Life in Madinah:
In Madinah, he asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be in his personal service and the Prophet agreed to his request.
The Prophet’s Devotion to Abu Dharr al-Ghifari:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was pleased with Abu Dharr’s companionship and the Prophet would sometimes show preference to him over the others.
The Prophet would pat him whenever he would meet Abu Dharr and smile, showing his happiness.
Life After the Prophet:
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Abu Dharr could not stay in Madinah due to his grief.
He left for Syria and stayed there during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Abu Dharr in the Caliph of Uthman:
During the caliphate of Uthman, he stayed in Damascus and witnessed the Muslims desiring a life of luxur, and this saddened him.
Uthman ibn Affan asked him to come to Madinah and here, Abu Dharr was critical of their inclination towards worldly affairs and the residents did not like his criticism.
Because of this, Uthman ordered Abu Dharr to go to Rubdhah, a small village near Madinah.
Simple Lifestyle and Ascetism:
Abu Dharr stayed far away from people, who were focused on the Dunya, as he held on to the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions in avoiding the luxury of the Dunya and seeking the reward of the Hereafter.
Once a man visited Abu Dharr and began looking at his house and found it quite empty. He asked Abu Dharr: where are your possessions? Abu Dharr replied: We have a house yonder (meaning the Hereafter) to which we send the best of our possessions.
Abu Dharr continued with his simple life until the day he passed away.
Once, the leader of Syria sent three hundred dinars to Abu Dharr to meet his needs, but he returned the money saying: Does not the Amir (leader) of Syria find a servant more deserving of it than I?
Death of Abu Dharr:
In the year thirty two AH, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari passed away in Rubdhah.
Hadiths on Abu Dharr al-Ghifari:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said about Abu Dharr al-Ghifari: The Earth does not carry nor the heavens cover a man more true and faithful than Abu Dharr. (Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Tirmidhi)
Abu Dharr once said: O Messenger of Allah, advise me! The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: Fear Allah wherever you are, follow up a bad deed with a good one to erase it, and treat people with good character. (Tirmidhi)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once said to Abu Dharr: O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak, and I love for you what I love for myself. Do not accept leadership over even two people, and do not manage the wealth of an orphan. (Muslim)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: O Abu Dharr, do you see that having much wealth is richness? Abu Dharr replied: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. The Prophet then said: Rather, true richness is the richness of the heart. (Bukhari, Muslim)