الرحلةThe Journey

أبو الدرداء

Abu al-Darda' (RA)

Also known as: Abu Darda, 'Uwaymir ibn Zayd, Abu ad-Darda'

c. 43 BH – 32 AH · c. 580–652 CE

Companions

Ansari Companion, one of those who gathered the Quran, and the great teacher and judge of Damascus.

Abu al-Darda', 'Uwaymir, was a merchant of the Khazraj in Madinah who accepted Islam relatively late, around the time of Badr. He gave himself to worship and learning, and he was among those who had gathered the whole Quran in the Prophet's lifetime. The Prophet ﷺ made him a brother of Salman al-Farisi, and Salman's advice to him, that his body, his family and his Lord each had a right over him, was approved by the Prophet ﷺ.

'Umar sent him to Syria to teach the Quran, and he became judge of Damascus. His circle in the mosque of Damascus is said to have numbered over a thousand students, and he is counted the founder of the Damascene tradition of Quran reading. His sayings on knowledge, humility and the remembrance of death were widely collected. He died in Damascus around 652.

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Life journey

  1. c. 580 CE Madinah المدينة
    Of the Khazraj of Madinah, where he was a merchant before Islam.
  2. 635 CE Damascus دمشق
    Died 652 CE · 32 AH
    Sent by 'Umar to teach the Quran in Syria; became judge of Damascus and taught there until his death.

Places in their life

al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque, Madinah
al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque, Madinah
Photo: TheHadiRahim, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
The courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Fasting, on Salman and Abu al-Darda')
  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala' (entry on Abu al-Darda')
  • Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, al-Isaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Birth year approximate. His death is given as 32 AH by most, with 31 and 34 also reported.