Sayyiduna Abu Sayf Baraa Bin Aws

The companions who were traders

Issue 6

Abdul Rahman Attari Madani

Sayyiduna Abu Sayf Baraa Bin Aws رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Sayyiduna Abu Sayf Baraa Bin Aws رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was a blacksmith by profession. He was the milk father of the Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم son Sayyiduna Ibrahim رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ as the wife of Sayyiduna Baraa رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ had nursed him. It is stated in Muslim from Sayyiduna Anas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘A boy was born in my house tonight who I named after my father, Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام.’ He then entrusted his child (for the purpose of being nursed) to the wife of Abu Sayf Sayyiduna Baraa Bin Aws رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ; Umm-e-Sayf. Sayyiduna Anas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states: ‘Once, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was going to visit Abu Sayf, and so I went along with him. When we arrived, he was stoking the fire using bellows, and his house was full of smoke. I hurried to him and said: ‘Abu Sayf, stop! The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has arrived’, and so he stopped.’ (Muslim, p. 974, Hadees 6025)

Sayyiduna Haatib Bin Abi Balta’ah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Amongst the trader companions was also Sayyiduna Haatib Bin Abi Balta’ah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. He was an experienced archer and from the skilled horse-riders of Quraysh. Furthermore, he participated in all the Ghazawat^[1] alongside the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Aged 65, he passed away in Madinah. Sayyiduna Usman Ghani رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ led his funeral prayer. It is narrated that he traded grain on a large scale. At the time of his passing away, he left behind four thousand gold coins, dirhams, a house, as well as other things. (Tabqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 3, pp. 84-85; A’lam-lil-Zurqali, vol. 2, p. 159)

Sayyiduna Umar Farooq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was passing through the market where Sayyiduna Haatib Bin Abi Balta’ah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was selling goods. There were two sacks of raisins placed before the latter, which Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ saw and paused to ask: ‘How much are you selling the raisins for?’ He received the reply, ‘Two muds^[2] for one dirham.’ Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said: ‘A convoy of businessman set off from Taif to sell raisins. I had asked them the price of the raisins, and they informed me of the same price that you have. Now, if you want, either increase the price or return home with your raisins and sell them however you want.’ When Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ reached his home, he thought about what he had said, and subsequently went to the house of Sayyiduna Haatib and said: ‘Whatever I said to you was neither a command nor a decision; it was something that I suggested for the benefit of the city’s dwellers. Sell however you wish. Sell however you wish.’ (Sunan Kubra-lil-Bayhaqi, vol. 6, p. 48, Hadees 11146)