Trader Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم
Part: 6
Abdul Rahman Attari Madani
Sayyiduna Habbaan Bin Munqiz رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
Sayyiduna Habbaan Bin Munqiz رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is also among the Sahabah who were businessmen. He was himself a Sahabi and his father had also attained the honour of becoming a Sahabi. He took part in the Battle of Uhud and the battles after it. He lived a long life and died at the age of 130 during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Usman Ghani رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Once he was with the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in a battle when a stone hit him on the head, which affected the inner part of his head and made a difference in the functioning of his tongue and intellect. He could make distinctions and differences between things but he would be deceived in buying and selling (i.e. trade). He complained about it to the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Utter لَا خِلَابَةَ twice (i.e. may there not be any deception). (‘Umda-tul-Qaari, vol. 8, p. 393)
Hakim-ul-Ummat Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه says: The disbelievers and the hypocrites would most likely have deceived and sold him things. It is not possible for the Noble Sahabah to cheat others. (Also, in the explanation of the word لَا خِلَابَةَ, meaning may there not be any deception, he says:) The meaning of this is that you should say, O Brother, I am naïve in business matters. Do not charge me more; I have self-authority to show it to someone else, and if the price is too high then I have the conditional option to return it. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 4, p. 247)
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
A very famous personality among the Ashab-us-Suffah is Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ who also later became included among the Sahabah who were businessmen, and this account is in evidence of this: It is narrated about Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen Sayyiduna Umar Farooq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ that he would divide the wealth of his governors into two parts and take half of it. He also divided the wealth of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ into two parts and asked him: ‘Where did this wealth come from?’ Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ replied: ‘دَوَابٌّ تَنَاتَجَتْ وَتِجَارَاتٌ تَدَاوَلَتْ meaning I have received it from animals giving birth and from trade.’ (Siraaj-ul-Malook, vol. 2, p. 570)
Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ
The name of Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ is Aslam. He used to be the slave of the uncle of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyiduna Abbas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Sayyiduna Abbas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ gifted him in the service of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Then when Sayyiduna Abbas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ accepted Islam, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم freed him in happiness of this. He says: ‘كُنْتُ اَعْمَلُ الْاَقْدَاحَ اَنْحِتُهَا فِی حُجْرَةِ زَمْزَم meaning I used to make (wooden) bowls and carve them in the pit of Zam Zam.’ (Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 4, p. 54)
Comments