Salafi Research Institute SRI
In Defence of The Sahabi al-Jalil
The Faqeeh, The Mujtahid, The Muhaddith
Abu Hurairah
(Radhiallaahu Anhu)
Series Part 19 / Part 8
By
Hafidh Sher Muhammad
Series Compilers, Translated and Annotated
Abu Hibbaan & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari
The famous tabiee (successor) Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahmaan went to Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) when he was in pain during his last days and said, “Oh Allah cure Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu). Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu)
“Oh Allah do not return me (ie back to normal health) Oh Abu Salamah if you can die then die I swear by him in whose hand my soul is in, the scholars will come upon a time when they will prefer death over pure red gold (a very rare and very expensive commodity) and in the near future a time will come upon the people that when they walk past a Muslims grave they will wish they were the one in the grave.” (Tabaqaat Ibn Saad 4/337-338)
When Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) was nearing his death he said,
“do not erect a tomb over my grave and do not take fire with me (ie my coffin) and take me to the graveyard quickly as I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) say when a believer is placed on the resting table he says take me to the next stage quickly and when a disbeliever or sinner is placed on the table he says oh I am ruined and destroyed where are you taking me? (Musnad Ahmad 2/292 no.7914, Tabaqaat Ibn Saad 4/338)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) said,
“When I die do not lament or wail over me because no one lamented or wailed over the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam)” (Taareekh Dimishq of Ibn Asaakir 17/282)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) had an astounding and incredible memory due to the supplication of the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam). Once Marwaan bin al-Hakam al-Amawee wrote some ahadeeth from Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) and in the following year he returned and said to Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) he has lost the book he had copied the hadeeth into so can you tell me them again. So Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) told him the ahadeeth again and when the 2 books were compared (some have said the book was later found) there was not a difference in a single letter. (al-Mustadak al-Haakim 3/510)
When Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) would narrate ahadeeth he would he would begin by saying,
“Abul Qaasim the truthful Messenger of Allah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Whoever intentionally lied upon me then his abode will be in the hellfire” (Musnad Ahmad 2/413 no.9350)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu)
would swear by Allah and say he would lie on the floor due to extreme hunger and would tie stones to his stomach (to suppress) his hunger.” (Saheeh Bukhari no.6452)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) would say to his daughter,
“Do not wear gold for I fear the flames (of the fire) for you.”(Hilyatul-Auliyaa 1/380)
Imaam Shaafiee said,
“Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) was the greatest preserver of hadeeth on this earth”(Taareekh Ibn Asaakir 17/253)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) would say.
“Oh Allah do not keep me alive until 60 Hijree” (Taareekh Dimish Of Abee Zur’ah ad-Dimishqi no.234)
Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) said another time,
“Oh Allah do not keep me alive until when the young ones rule” (Dalaail an-Nabuwwah 6/466, of Imaam Baihaqi)
Once Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) presented some dates to the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) and asked him to supplicate for blessings upon them. So the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) gathered the dates and supplicated on them and said.
“Take these dates and put them in a pot and whenever you wish take some but do not take all of them and spread them.” Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) said I spent so much of the dates in the way of Allah that we used to eat them and give them to people. The pot always used to be near my room up until Uthmaan (Radhiallahu Anhu) was martyred and the pot broke and was lost.”(Sunan Tirmidhee no.3839, Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan no.6498)
There are many virtues of Abu Hurairah (Radhiallahu Anhu) more than 700 taabieen ie successors learnt the knowledge of hadeeth from him and many of the companions including Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) relied upon. According to his supplication he either died in 57, 58 or 59H.
Imaam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ishaaq (Ibn Khuzaimah) said (summarised- also mentioned in a previous series in greater detail), “4 types of people criticise Abu Hurairah
(1) The Jahmiyyah wa Mu’attilah Sect
(2) The Khawaarij
(3) Qadariyyah
(4) The Juhala (the ignorant ones)
(Mustadrak al-Haakim (3/513)
