Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا

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Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا

Mawlānā ꜤAdnān Aḥmad Attari Madani

Someone once asked the renowned Companion Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا the following question, “If a man gives his wife three divorces in one sitting, will his wife become forbidden upon him?”

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “The one who issues three divorces in a single sitting is a sinner, and his wife has become forbidden upon him.”

The man then posed the same question to the prominent Companion Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-AshꜤarī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, intending to find fault with Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا, but not only did Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-AshꜤarī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ reaffirm his answer, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ also supplicated for him , “O Allah Almighty, place many men like Abū Nujayd (Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا) among us.”^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers, Sayyidunā Abū Nujayd ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا became a Muslim in the year 7AH.^[2] According to the correct view, his father also accepted Islam. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ participated in many battles.^[3] During the Conquest of Makkah, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ entered Makkah with the banner of the KhuzāꜤah tribe in his hand.^[4]  He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ also accompanied the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during the expeditions of Ḥunayn and Ṭāˈif.^[5]

Although he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ lived among his tribe, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would visit al-Madinah al-Munawwarah often,^[6]  and ask the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم questions. Once, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ asked about the person who offers prayer while seated, so the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “The one who offers prayer standing is superior, and the one who offers prayer while seated, his reward is half of the one who offers it while standing, and the one who offers prayer while lying down, his reward is half of the one who offers it while sitting.”^[7]

His knowledge

In terms of knowledge and erudition, Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا is included among the jurist Companions.^[8] The second Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ selected him to teach jurisprudential matters to the people of Basra and sent him there.^[9] The renowned TābiꜤī, Sayyidunā Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رَحِمَهُ الـلّٰـهُ states, “The most knowledgeable person who came to us in Basra was Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا.”^[10]

His passion for Islamic knowledge

Despite the hair and beard of Sayyidunā ꜤImrān رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا becoming white, his passion for teaching Islamic knowledge remained as strong as ever, which is why he رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا would teach the blessed sayings of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم even in this state whilst leaning against a pillar and surrounded by seekers of knowledge.^[11]

Importance of Hadith

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ once began narrating a Hadith when a man interrupted him and said, “Tell us something from the Book of Allah Almighty.”

This upset him and he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ responded, “You are foolish; Allah Almighty has mentioned zakat in His Book, but where did He say give 5 from every 200 (dirhams)? Allah Almighty has mentioned prayer in His Book, but where did He specify that there are 4 obligatory units in Ẓuhr, ꜤAṣr and ꜤIshāˈ, 3 in Maghrib and 2 in Fajr? Allah Almighty mentioned ṭawāf in His Book, but where did He mention that there are 7 rounds of ṭawāf and 7 circuits of Ṣafā and Marwah? Here, we speak about these rulings in these Aḥādīth, for the Aḥādīth are the exegesis of the Holy Quran.” ^[12]

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ once related a Hadith that The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Modesty only brings goodness.” Someone remarked, “It is mentioned in a book that modesty sometimes brings honour and contentment, and sometimes it brings weakness.” He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ retorted, “I am telling you a Hadith of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and you are telling me about a book. I will not relate a Hadith to you now.”^[13]

Blessed statement

Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا states, “The ones who fed others have departed, and the ones who seek food remain. Those who admonish have left, and the heedless have stayed behind.”^[14]

Leaving his post as a judge

The governor of Basra appointed him as the judge of Basra, during which time two individuals came to him over a dispute they had. When he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ judged in favour of one, the other said, “You have ruled against me, by Allah Almighty, this is the wrong judgement.”

Hearing this, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ went to the governor and announced his resignation. The governor said, “Remain in your position for at least a short while.”

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “No. As long as I worship Allah Almighty and obey Him, I will never judge between two people.”^[15]

Once, a person recited Surah Yūsuf in front of him, which he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ listened to attentively. Then, the man asked him for something, to which he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said, “اِنَّا ِللہ ِوَاِنَّا اِ لَیْہٖ رٰجِعُوْن. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated, ‘Recite the Quran and then ask from Allah Almighty. Soon a nation will come that will recite the Quran but ask from the people.’”^[16]

His illness and passing away

Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا was a very patient and grateful individual. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ remained afflicted with a stomach ailment for 30 years, which would not allow him to stand or to sit, forcing him to remain lying on his back. Bedding of date-palm branches was made for him and a hole was cut in the middle of it to make it easy for him to relieve himself.^[17]

The people advised him to cauterise his body, but he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ refused. However, upon the persistence of the people and the insistence of the ruler, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ had his body cauterised. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would say, “I used to see light, and the angels would greet me with salām, but ever since I have had myself cauterised, all of it has left me.”

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would also say, “I had myself cauterised many times, but by Allah Almighty, it neither benefitted me nor rid me of this ailment.”^[18]

Someone asked him, “Would the sound of salām come from the side of your head or your feet?”

He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “From the side of the head, but I do not know whether I will hear the sound of salām again before death arrives.”

After some time passed, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said, “I hear the sound of (the angels’) salām again.”^[19]

Sayyidunā ꜤImrān b. Ḥuṣayn رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا passed away in 52 AH, and the books of Aḥādīth contain 130 of his narrations.^[20]