Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Jafar

Trader Companions

Part 5

Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Ja’far رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما

Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Ja’far رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما is from amongst the blessed companions that were businessmen. When his honourable father, Sayyiduna Ja’far Tayyar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, was martyred in the Battle of Mu’tah, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took him under his own protection and he grew up under the care of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ began trading from childhood and even said about himself: كُنَّا غِلْمَانًا نَعْمَلُ فِی السُّوقِ i.e. ‘We were a few young boys who would work in the marketplace.’ The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once passed by him whilst he was busy in selling some items to the other children and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made Du’a for him, saying, ‘O Allah! Place blessings in his trading’, or he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Place blessings in his goods.’

*   Once, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was playing with some soil when the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed by him and made Du’a for him: O Allah! Place blessings in his trade.

*   On another occasion, a trader brought some sugar to Madinah Munawwarah but he did not find a customer. Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Ja’far رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما heard about this and told his assistant to purchase the sugar from the tradesman and distribute it amongst the people. (Al-Isabah, vol. 4, pp. 37-38; Siyar A’lam-un-Nubala, vol. 4, pp. 526-527; Mawsu’ah Ibn-e-Abi-il-Dunya, vol. 3, p. 412, Raqm 131)

Sayyiduna Talq Bin Ali Hanafi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Sayyiduna Talq Bin Ali Hanafi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ worked in construction and he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was an expert in it. He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ says about himself: I presented myself before the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was building his Masjid at that time. The Muslims were also engaged in this construction with him. I was an expert in preparing clay. Thus, I took a shovel and began to prepare the clay. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم continued to observe me and said: اِنَّ هٰذَا الْحَنَفِیَّ لَصَاحِبُ طِيْن i.e. ‘Indeed, this Hanafi is truly a man of clay.’ (Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 6, p. 77) In another narration, it is stated that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Take the soil close to him because he knows more about preparing clay.’ (Al-Isabah, vol. 3, p. 437)