The Biography of Abu Qatadah رضی اللہ عنہ

Shining Stars

Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

During a journey, the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to his Companions, “If you do not find water, you will be thirsty tomorrow.” As they left in search of it, one Companion stayed with the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Sleep then began coming to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  and the saddle upon the animal he was riding began sliding to one side. The Companion stopped it moving and kept it in its place. It began to slide again, so the Companion did the same as before. The saddle then began to slide for a third time and was close to descending to the ground. Seeing this the Companion again supported it, but this time, the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم awoke and asked, “Who is with the saddle?”

The Companion said, “Abū Qatādah!” The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then asked, “How long have you been alongside me?” The Companion said he had been there since night. The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then prayed for him in the following manner; “May Allah protect you, the way you protected His Messenger.” [1]

Dear Islamic brothers! The actual name of Abū Qatādah is Ḥārith b. RibꜤī, yet he is famous by his teknonym.[2]

Virtues:

Counted amongst the bravest of horse riders, he is also known as Fāris al-Rasūl (Knight of the Messenger).[3] On one occasion, the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Our best horse rider is Abū Qatādah, whilst our best infantryman is Salamah b. al-AkwaꜤ.”[4] He served as a guard for the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.[5] A difference of opinion persists regarding his participation in the Battle of Badr, yet he partook in all subsequent ghazawāt.[6]

His status in the Prophetic court

He once asked the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, “I have long hair. Should I comb it?” The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Yes, and honour it.” Due to this, Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would oil his hair sometimes twice a day.[7]

During a battle, the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم generously prayed for him as thus; “O Allah! Grant him blessings in his hair and skin! Make his face successful!” Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ exclaimed, “May this happen for you, O Messenger of Allah!”

At this time, Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ had a wound upon his face. “What is this upon your face?”, the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked. He responded, “An arrow that was fired at me.” The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم instructed him to draw closer, upon which he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم placed his sacred saliva upon the face of Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ. Through its blessings, the wound neither pained him nor developed pus.[8]

Love for his brothers

His heart overflowed with benevolence towards his Muslim brothers.

On one occasion, the funeral of a Companion was brought forth. The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم enquired, “Does the deceased owe any debt?” The people said he owed 18 dirhams. (The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would not lead funeral salah over someone who passed away owing debt)

He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Has he left something for its fulfilment?” They replied by saying he had not. He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then declared, “You are to offer his funeral salah.” Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ pleaded, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, will you pray over him if I cleared his debt on his behalf?” He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained, “If you fulfil his debt, I will pray over him.” Immediately, Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ went and paid the debt on behalf of the deceased Companion. The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself then offered the funeral salah.[9]

Lenience to a debtor

Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ had lent money to a man, yet whenever he would go to reclaim it, the man would hide from him. One day, when he went, the man’s son emerged from the home. When asking the boy about his father, he replied, “He is here eating a meal.” 

“O person!”, Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ shouted, “Come outside. I have been informed you are here.” Hearing this, the man did so. The Companion رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then asked why he was hiding. “I have nothing; I am poor”, the man sighed. Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ said, “By Allah Almighty! Tell me, are you truly poor?” The man said yes. Hearing this, the eyes of the Companion filled with tears. Pardoning his debt Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say, ‘Whoever grants respite to his debtor or pardons him, will be in the shade of the ꜤArsh on the Day of Judgement.’”[10]

Compassion to animals

He رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ once visited the home of his son. His daughter-in-law put down water for his ablution. A cat came, entered its mouth into the vessel, and began to drink the water. He رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ tilted the vessel towards it until it had drunk to its fill. As his daughter-in-law watched, he asked her, “Are you surprised by this?” She said yes. He رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then explained, “The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Cats are not impure.’”[11]

Passion for defending Islam

Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ narrates, “I was once washing my head and had completed half of it, when I heard my horse neighing and striking its hooves. I thus understood war had arrived. I got up without washing the other half of my head and sat atop my horse.”[12]

In the eighth year after hijra, he advanced to Najd as commander of 15 men. He acquired 200 camels, 2000 goats, and many captives as spoils of battle. [13]

His loyalty with Islam’s Caliphs رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم

The second Caliph of Islam, ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ sent him to Persia, upon which he personally killed the Persian king. A belt was on the latter’s body worth 15 thousand dirhams, which the Caliph then gifted to him.[14] During the caliphate of ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, he accompanied the Caliph in every battle. [15] The former also appointed him governor of Mecca. [16]

His passing away and narrations attributed to him

Abū Qatādah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ passed away in 54 AH, in the city of Medina. He was 70 years old. There was such luminosity upon his face that he appeared to be just 15 years old.[17] 170 Hadith are reported from him. Eleven of these are agreed upon between Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Independently, two are found in the former and eight in the latter.[18]