الرحلةThe Journey

أبو هريرة

Abu Hurayrah (RA)

Abu Hurayrah al-Dawsi

Also known as: Abu Hurairah

c. 23 BH – c. 59 AH · c. 600–c. 679 CE

Companions

The Companion who narrated more hadith than any other.

Abu Hurayrah came to Madinah from the tribe of Daws in 7 AH and accepted Islam. For the next four years he stayed close to the Prophet ﷺ, living among the poor of the Suffah. He devoted himself to memorising everything he heard, and the Prophet ﷺ prayed for his memory. His nickname, 'father of the kitten', came from a cat he cared for.

He narrated more hadith than any other Companion, and hundreds of students learned from him. He served for a time as governor of Bahrain under 'Umar and of Madinah later, and he died in Madinah at about seventy-eight.

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Life journey

  1. c. 600 CE Lands of Daws (al-Sarat) ديار دوس
    From the tribe of Daws in the highlands of south-western Arabia.
  2. 629 CE Madinah المدينة
    Died c. 679 CE · c. 59 AH
    Came to Madinah in 7 AH, at the time of Khaybar.

Students

  • Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib (RH) c. 637–c. 713 CE
    Sa'id narrated a great deal from Abu Hurayrah, whose daughter he married, and became a leading transmitter of his hadith in Madinah.

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

Sources

  • Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Knowledge, on memorising knowledge)
  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
  • Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, al-Isaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Birth year is an estimate. Death reported as 57, 58 or 59 AH. His own name is disputed (most often 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr).