Abu Hurayrah
R was a Sahabi (Companion of Muhammad
S). He belonged to Daus tribe of Yaman (Yemen) and
his given name was ‘Abd Shams.
He got his nickname Abu
Hurayrah R because of his fondness to kittens which
he always carried with him when he used to graze his cattle.
He convertd to Islam
because of the preaching of Ibn ‘Umar R of his tribe.
He came to Madinah in 7th year
of Hijrah (629AD) with his tribesmen.
The Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad S had gone on the mission to Khaybar.
The entire caravan of Abu Hurayrah R went to Khaybar
to meet him. Abu Hurayrah R was about thirty (30)
years of age at that time.
After meeting the Messenger
of Allah, Muhammad S, Abu Hurayrah
R spent all his time in his company. He stayed permanently
in the Masjid Nabi (Mosque of the Messenger S) and
was among the As-hab Suffah (People
of the Platform). There was a platform in Masjid Nabi and
it was known as Suffah. Many Muslims used to live
on that platform. It had a migratory population and the
number of As-hab Suffah (People of
the Platform) continued to fluctuate at different times.
Abu Hurayrah
R because a Muslim barely four years before the death
of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S; but he is a narrator of the largest number of Ahadith
(Sayings of Muhammad S). He used to spend all his
time with the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S whenever he used to be out of his private quarters. Many
other Sahabah (Companions of Muhammad S) may have spent
much longer period of time with the Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad S, but Abu Hurayrah R narrated many
more Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad
S) then them because he spent all his time with the Messenger
of Allah, Muhammad S while others wee
busy with their daily. He used to written down everything
that he heard from the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad
S. Abu Hurayrah R also loved his mother very
much. She had also embraced Islam.
He was appointed ‘Amil
(Governor) of Bahrain by ‘Umar bin
Khattab R, the second Khalifah
(Caliph) of Muslims.
He died in year 59H (678 AD).
Abu Hurayrah
R was buried in Baqi’ al Gharqad of Madinah.