الرحلةThe Journey

الفضيل بن عياض

al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad (RH)

Also known as: Fudail

c. 107–187 AH · c. 726–803 CE

Sufism & Theology Sufism Hadith

A highway robber who repented on hearing a verse, and became an ascetic and hadith narrator of Makkah.

Tradition says al-Fudayl was a highway robber in Khurasan who, while climbing a wall at night, heard someone reciting: 'Has the time not come for the hearts of those who believe to be humbled by the remembrance of Allah?' (57:16). He answered, 'Yes, my Lord, it has come', and turned to a life of devotion.

He studied hadith in Kufa and settled in Makkah, where he was known for his weeping in prayer and his frank advice to rulers, including Harun al-Rashid. Al-Shafi'i and Ibn al-Mubarak were among those who narrated from him.

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Life journey

  1. c. 726 CE Samarkand سمرقند
    Born in Samarkand or Abiward in Khurasan; he studied in Kufa.
  2. 770 CE Makkah مكة
    Died 803 CE · 187 AH
    Settled in Makkah; the year is approximate.

Places in their life

The Registan, Samarkand
The Registan, Samarkand
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Ka'bah in al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
The Ka'bah in al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah
Photo: Adli Wahid (minor modifications by Basile Morin), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
  • Abu Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliya'
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Birth year and place approximate.