ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf (; born ʿAbd Amr ibn ʿAwf; ) was one of the companions of the Islamic Prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

. One of the wealthiest among the companions, he is known for being one of

the ten to whom Paradise was promised The ten to whom Paradise was promised (Arabic: or ) were ten early Muslims to whom, according to Sunni Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad () had promised Paradise. Several different lists of names exist, but most of them contain the ...

Background

His parents were both from the Zuhra clan of the

Quraysh The Quraysh () are an Tribes of Arabia, Arab tribe who controlled Mecca before the rise of Islam. Their members were divided into ten main clans, most notably including the Banu Hashim, into which Islam's founding prophet Muhammad was born. By ...

tribe in Mecca. His father was Awf ibn Abd Awf and his mother was al-Shifa bint Abdullah. His original name was Abd Amr ("servant of Amr"). It was Muhammad who renamed him Abd al-Rahman ("servant of the Most Merciful"). It is also said that his original name was Abdul Kaaba. His name has also been transliterated as Abdel Rahman Ibn Auf. He married

Habiba bint Jahsh Ḥabiba bint Jaḥsh (Arabic: حبيبة بنت جحش) was an Arab woman who was one of the disciples (known in Arabic as Sahaba or companions) of Islamic prophet Muhammad. Biography Her father was Jahsh ibn Riyab, an immigrant from the Asa ...

, whose entire brethren joined Islam.

Biography

Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...

spoke to Abd al-Rahman about

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, then invited him to meet Muhammad, who heard his declaration of faith and taught him the Islamic prayers. This was before the Muslims had entered the house of Al-Arqam; Abd al-Rahman was one of the first eight men to accept Islam.Muhammad ibn Ishaq. ''Sirat Rasul Allah''. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). ''The Life of Muhammad''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. From about 614 the

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

Quraysh in

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

"showed their enmity to all those who followed the apostle; every clan which contained Muslims was attacked." The usual threat to Muslim merchants was: "We will boycott your goods and reduce you to beggary." Abd al-Rahman was one of a pioneering party of fifteen Muslims who emigrated to Abyssinia in 615. Other Muslims joined them later, forming a group of over a hundred. "They were safely ensconced there and grateful for the protection of the Negus; so they could worship Allah without fear, and the Negus had shown them kind gesture and warm hospitality as was foretold by the prophet even before they departed." In late 619 or early 620 "they heard that the Meccans had accepted Islam." This turned out not to be entirely true, however a fair number of people did accept Islam as a result of the conversion of both

Umar ibn Khattab Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muh ...

and the prophet's own paternal uncle, the Lion himself, Hamza ibn Abdulmuttalib. Abd al-Rahman was one of forty who "set out for the homeland. But when they got near Mecca they learned that the report was false, so that they entered the town under the protection of a citizen or by stealth." where he lodged with Saad ibn Al-Rabi.

Life in Medina

Abd al-Rahman was friends with

Umayyah ibn Khalaf Umayya ibn Khalaf ibn Habib ibn Wahb ibn Hudhafa ibn Jumah al-Jumahi (; 563 – 13 March 624) was an Arab slave master and the chieftain of the Banu Jumah of the Quraysh in the seventh century. He was one of the chief opponents against the Muslims ...

, a stern opponent of Islam. When Abd al-Rahman emigrated to Medina, the two reached a written agreement, according to which Abd al-Rahman was to protect Umayyah's property and family in Medina, while Umayyah would protect Abd al-Rahman's in Mecca. When Abd al-Rahman wanted to sign the document, Umayyah protested, saying "I do not know Ar-Rahman" and requested that the pre-Islamic name "Abd Amr" should be used, to which Abd al-Rahman agreed. The two met again in the Battle of Badr in March 624. Abd al-Rahman was one of those who stood with Muhammad at the

Battle of Uhud The Battle of Uhud () was fought between the early Muslims and the Quraysh during the Muslim–Quraysh wars in a valley north of Mount Uhud near Medina on Saturday, 23 March 625 AD (7 Shawwal, 3 AH). After the expulsion of Hijrah, Muslims from ...

when most of the warriors fled. Later, he also participated in the

pledge of the Tree The Pledge of the Tree () was a pledge that was sworn to the Islamic prophet Muhammad by his companions prior to the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya (6 AH/628 CE). The pledge, sworn under a tree, was to avenge the rumoured death of Uthman. Backgrou ...

during

the first pilgrimage The First Pilgrimage or Umrah of Dhu'l-Qada (Pilgrimage of the 11th month) was the first pilgrimage that the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the Muslims made after the Migration to Medina. It took place on the morning of the fourth day of Dhu al-Q ...

of the Medinan Muslims Abd al-Rahman participated in all military operations led by Muhammad.

Invasion of Dumatul-Jandal

In August 626 Muhammad directed Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf to raid the Kalb tribe in Daumatul-Jandal, instructing him: “Take it, Ibn Awf; fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who disbelieve in Allah. Do not be deceitful with the spoil; do not be treacherous, nor mutilate, nor kill children. This is Allah's ordinance and the practice of His prophet among you.” Muhammad also told him how to wind a turban. Abd al-Rahman defeated the Kalbites and extracted from them their declaration of Islam and the payment of the ''

jizya Jizya (), or jizyah, is a type of taxation levied on non-Muslim subjects of a state governed by Sharia, Islamic law. The Quran and hadiths mention jizya without specifying its rate or amount,Sabet, Amr (2006), ''The American Journal of Islamic Soc ...

''. He then sealed the alliance by marrying the chief's daughter Tamadur bint Al-Asbagh and bringing her back to Medina.Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir Volume 8''. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). ''The Women of Madina''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.

Rashidun caliphate

In August 634 the dying Caliph

called in Abd al-Rahman and

Uthman Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, played a major role ...

to inform them that he had designated

Umar ibn al-Khattab Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muh ...

as successor. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awff witnessed the

Battle of al-Qadisiyyah The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah ( ; ) took place between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sasanian Empire in November 636. It resulted in a decisive victory for the Rashidun army and is considered to be one of the most significant engagements of the ...

, which took place in 14 AH, before the Muslim armies continued to subdue Ctesiphon, the capital of the

Sasanian empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

. Later, Abd al-Rahman also participated in the

battle of Jalula The Battle of Jalula was fought between the Sasanian Empire and the Rashidun Caliphate soon after conquest of Ctesiphon. After the capture of Ctesiphon, several detachments were immediately sent to the west to capture Qarqeesia and Heet the f ...

in the year of 16 AH, where the Muslims managed to seize massive spoils of war. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf and Abdullah ibn Arqam were then assigned by caliph Umar to escort the spoils to the capital of the caliphate. Later, After the conquest of

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf was involved in the writing of the 'covenant of Umar' regarding the newly subdued Jerusalem, which was ratified by the caliph. Nevertheless, during the caliphate of Umar, Abd al-Rahman was mostly pursuing a scholarly career and assumed the leadership of the

Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...

pilgrims' convoy. In 644 the dying caliph Umar nominated a board of six members (the Council of Shura) to elect one of themselves as the next

caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

. The group consisted of

Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhri () was an Arab Muslim commander. He was the founder of Kufa and served as its governor under Umar ibn al-Khattab. He played a leading role in the Muslim conquest of Persia and was a close companion of the ...

, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf,

Zubayr ibn al-Awwam Al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam ibn Khuwaylid al-Asadi (; ) was an Arab Muslim commander in the service of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the caliphs Abu Bakr () and Umar () who played a leading role in the Ridda Wars, Ridda wars against rebel tribes in ...

Talha ibn Ubayd Allah Ṭalḥa ibn ʿUbayd Allāh al-Taymī (, ) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Sunni Islam, he is mostly known for being among ('the ten to whom Paradise was promised'). He played an important role in the Battle of Uhud and ...

Ali ibn Abi Talib Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...

and Uthman ibn Affan. Uthman was chosen as the third caliph by Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf.

Death

Abd al-Rahman died in

Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

in 32 AH (653-654 CE) at the age of 72 years. He was buried in

Al-Baqi' ''Jannat al-Baqī'' (, "The Baqi'", ) is the oldest and first Islamic cemetery of Medina located in the Hejazi region of present-day Saudi Arabia. It is also known as ''Baqi al-Gharqad'' (, meaning "Baqiʿ of the Boxthorn"). Al-Baqi is reporte ...

Personal life

Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf was known for his wealth. He was also known for his astute entrepreneurship. After his Hijra to Medina, at which time he was a poor man, he started a business making clarified cheese and butter. That business, combined with the gift by Muhammad of two small palm groves called al-Hashsh and al-Salil in Syria, were hugely profitable for him. Abd al-Rahman was recorded as possessing a hundred horses in his stable and a thousand

camel A camel (from and () from Ancient Semitic: ''gāmāl'') is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provid ...

s and ten thousand

sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...

, which all grazed on land in

. The area was also tilled by twenty of Abd al-Rahman's camels, enabling Abd al-Rahman's family to grow crops from the land. As Abd al-Rahman participated in all of Muhammad's battles, Asad Q. Ahmed believed that his wealth grew substantially due to the large portion of the spoils of war that he gained from the battles. At his death, Abd al-Rahman left such an inheritance that a quarter of his property alone was worth 84,000 Dinars. Abd al-Rahman was known as a successful businessman. There is an anecdote regarding his "midas touch". When he was asked about the secret for his success, Abd al-Rahman replied that he never lifted a stone unless he expected to find gold or silver under it.

Family tree

, - , style="text-align: left;", His sister was married to

Bilal Ibn Rabah Bilal ibn Rabah (; ), also known as Bilāl al-Ḥabashī or simply Bilal, was a sahabah, close companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born in Mecca, he was of Abyssinian people, Abyssinian (modern-day Ethiopia) descent and was formerly ensl ...

. He married at least sixteen times and had at least thirty children.Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir Volume 3''. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). ''The Companions of Badr''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.Ahmed, A. 1. (2011). ''The Religious Elite of the Early Islamic Hijaz: Five Prosopographical Case Studies''. Oxford: Unity for Prosopographical Research. # Umm Habiba bint Zama'a, a sister of

Sawda Al-Sawda (, also spelled Sauda or al-Soda) is a town in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located 15 kilometers northeast of Tartus. Nearby localities include Annazah to the northeast, Maten al-Sahel to the nor ...

. No children are known from this marriage. # Umm Kulthum bint Utba of the Abdshams clan of the Quraysh in Mecca. ## Salim ''the Elder'' (died before Islam). # The Daughter of Shayba ibn Rabia ibn Abdshams. ## Umm Al-Qasim (born before Islam). #

of the Asad tribe, a sister of

Zaynab bint Jahsh Zaynab bint Jaḥsh (; ), was the first cousin and the seventh wife of Muhammad and therefore, considered by Muslims to be a Mother of the Believers. Abdulmalik ibn Hisham. ''Notes to Ibn Ishaq's "Life of the Prophet"'', Note 918. Translated by ...

(childless). # Tamadir bint al-Asbagh of the Kalb tribe. Although Abd al-Rahman divorced her during his final illness, she, like his other three widows, inherited one-thirty-second of his fortune, which was 80,000 or 100,000 ''dirhams''. ## Abdullah ''the Younger'' (Abu Salama). #

Umm Kulthum bint Uqba Umm Kulthūm bint ʿUqba () () was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. A verse of the Qur'an, 60:10, was declared in response to her situation.Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). ''Th ...

from the Umayya clan of the Quraysh in Mecca. ## Muhammad, from whom he took his ''kunya'' of Abu Muhammad. ## Ibrahim. ## Humayd. ## Isma'il. ## Hamida. ## Amat ar-Rahman ''the Elder''. # Sahla bint Asim from the Baliyy tribe of Medina. ## Maan. ## Umar. ## Zayd. ## Amat ar-Rahman ''the Younger''. # Bahriya bint Hani of the Shayban tribe. ## Urwa ''the Elder'' (killed at Ifriqiya). # Sahla bint Suhayl of the Amir ibn Luayy clan of the Quraysh. ## Salim ''the Younger'' (killed at Ifriqiya). # Umm Hakim bint Qariz of the Kinana tribe. ## Abu Bakr. # The Daughter of Abu al-His ibn Rafi from the Abdulashhal ibn Aws tribe of Medina. ## Abdullah (killed during the conquest of Africa) # Asma bint Salama ## Abd al-Rahman. # Umm Horayth, a war-captive from Bahra ## Mus'ab. ## Amina. ## Maryam. # Majd bint Yazid from the Himyar tribe. ## Suhyal (Abu'l-Abayd) # Zaynab bint As-Sabbah. ## Umm Yahya. # Badiya bint Ghaylan from the Thaqif tribe. ## Juwayriya. # Ghazzal bint Khosrau (concubine), a war-captive from Al-Mada'in ## Uthman # Other Concubines (unnamed). ## Urwa. ## Yahya. ## Bilal. ## Saad. ## al-Miswar (died at al-Harra). ## Fakhita, a wife of

Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan ibn Harb ibn Umayya (; died 639) was a leading Arab Muslim commander in the conquest of Syria from 634 until his death in the plague of Amwas in 639. Following the capture of Damascus around 635, he was placed in command of ...

. ## Umm al-Qasim ''the Younger'', a wife of Yahya ibn al-Hakam (brother of

Marwan I Marwan ibn al-Hakam ibn Abi al-As ibn Umayya (; 623 or 626April/May 685), commonly known as MarwanI, was the fourth Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad caliph, ruling for less than a year in 684–685. He founded the Marwanid ruling house of the Umayyad ...

). ## Daughter, a wife of Abdullah ibn Uthman ibn Affan. ## Daughter, a wife of

Abdullah ibn Abbas ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās (; c. 619 – 687 CE), also known as Ibn ʿAbbās, was one of the cousins of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, prophet Muhammad. He is considered to be the greatest Tafsir#Conditions, mufassir of the Quran, Qur'an. ...

Philanthropy

Many stories are told of Abd al-Rahman's personal generosity. He once furnished Muhammad's army with 1,500 camels. He bequeathed 400 ''dinars'' to the survivors of Badr and a large legacy to the widows of Muhammad. Dhahabi reported that Abd al-Rahman brought a caravan of about 700 merchant-camels into Medina.

Aisha Aisha bint Abi Bakr () was a seventh century Arab commander, politician, Muhaddith, muhadditha and the third and youngest wife of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. Aisha had an important role in early Islamic h ...

remarked, "I have heard Allah's Messenger say: 'I have seen Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf entering Paradise crawling.'" This was repeated to Abd al-Rahman, who replied: "If I could, I would certainly like to enter Paradise standing. I swear to you, ''yaa Ammah'', that this entire caravan with all its merchandise, I will give in charity." And so he did. Abdel Rahman also reportedly gave in charity 50,000

gold dinar The gold dinar () is an Islamic medieval gold coin first issued in AH 77 (696–697 CE) by Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. The weight of the dinar is 1 mithqal (). The word ''dinar'' comes from the Latin word denarius, which was ...

s of his personal wealth.

Sunni view

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

s regard him as one of —the ten companions that Muhammad prophesied would enter Paradise.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Companions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf 581 births 654 deaths Muhajirun Sahabah who participated in the battle of Badr 7th-century merchants Banu Zuhrah Sahabah hadith narrators Burials at Jannat al-Baqī Arab people of the Arab–Byzantine wars 7th-century Arab people People from the Rashidun Caliphate