Among the men whom the Quran elevated after they carried it and devoted themselves to it was the exemplary imam, the judge of Damascus. As Imam al-Dhahabi said about him: “The companion of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, Abu al-Dardaa', Uwaimir ibn Zaid ibn Qais,” and it is also said: Uwaimir ibn Aamir, or Ibn Abdullah, or Ibn Thaalaba ibn Abdullah, al-Ansari al-Khazraji, the wise man of this Ummah and the master of the Quran reciters in Damascus. Ibn Abi Hatim said, “He is Uwaimir ibn Qais ibn Zaid ibn Qais ibn Umayyah ibn Aamir ibn Adiy ibn Ka’b ibn al-Khazraj.” It is also said that his name is Aamir ibn Malik, and al-Bukhari mentioned that he asked a man from the descendants of Abu al-Dardaa', who said: “His name is Aamir ibn Malik, and his nickname is Uwaimir.”
He narrated several hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ and is counted among those who recited to the Prophet ﷺ. It has never reached us that he read to anyone else. He is also counted among those who gathered the Quran during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. He became a prominent teacher of Quran recitation in Damascus during the caliphate of Uthman and before that, (1) and he has numerous virtues:
- His Embrace of Islam and His Jihad:
Said ibn Abdul-Aziz said: Abu al-Dardaa' embraced Islam on the day of Badr, then witnessed Uhud. On that day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed him to drive away the enemies from the mountain, and he did so alone. His acceptance of Islam was somewhat delayed.
Shuraih ibn Ubaid al-Himsi said: When the companions of the Messenger of Allah were defeated on the day of Uhud, Abu al-Dardaa' was among those who returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When the polytheists overshadowed them from above the mountain, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O Allah, they do not have the right to overpower us.” Then, some people returned to him, including Uwaimir Abu al-Dardaa', and they repelled them from their place. On that day, Abu al-Dardaa' fought admirably. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “What a fine horseman Uwaimir is.”
Abu al-Zahriyah said: Abu al-Dardaa' was one of the last of the Ansar to embrace Islam. He used to worship an idol, and one day Ibn Rawahah and Muhammad ibn Maslamah entered his house and broke his idol. When he returned, he started to gather the pieces of the idol, saying: Woe to you! Why didn’t you defend yourself? Why didn’t you protect yourself?' His wife, Umm al-Dardaa', said: If it could benefit or protect anyone, it would have protected and benefitted itself!
Abu al-Dardaa' then said: Prepare water for me in the bathing place. He bathed, dressed in his finest clothes, and went to the Prophet ﷺ. When Ibn Rawahah saw him coming, he said: O Messenger of Allah, here comes Abu al-Dardaa', and I don't think he has come except to seek us. The Prophet ﷺ said: “He has come to embrace Islam. My Lord has promised me that Abu al-Dardaa' will accept Islam.”
- Abu al-Dardaa' and the Quran:
Abu al-Dardaa' memorized the Quran and recited it to the Prophet ﷺ. He is counted among those who gathered the Quran during the Prophet's lifetime. Anas ibn Malik said: “The Prophet ﷺ passed away, and none had gathered the Quran except four: Abu al-Dardaa', Muadh, Zaid ibn Thabit, and Abu Zaid.” Aamir al-Shaabi added: “Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Saad ibn Ubayd.”
After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Abu al-Dardaa' moved to Sham (Greater Syria). Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi narrated that five people gathered the Quran: Muadh, Ubadah ibn al-Samit, Abu al-Dardaa', Ubayy, and Abu Ayyub. During the time of Umar, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan wrote to him: “The people of the Levants have increased, filled the cities, and need someone to teach them the Quran and educate them in the religion. Help me with men to teach them.” Umar called the five and said: “Your brothers have sought my help to teach them the Quran and educate them in the religion. Assist me with three of you, if you wish. If three of you volunteer, may they go.” They said: “We will not draw lots. This is an elderly man (Abu Ayyub), and this one is ill (Ubayy).” So, Muadh, Ubadah, and Abu al-Dardaa' volunteered.
Umar said: “Start with Homs. You will find the people there with different inclinations. Teach them until you are satisfied with them. Then, one of you stays there, another goes to Damascus, and the third to Palestine.”
They went to Homs and stayed there until they were satisfied with the people's learning. Ubadah stayed in Homs, Abu al-Dardaa' went to Damascus, and Muadh went to Palestine, where he died in the plague of Amwas. Ubadah later moved to Palestine and died there, while Abu al-Dardaa' remained in Damascus until his death.
Since then, Abu al-Dardaa' became a prominent teacher of Quran recitation in Damascus, becoming the master of reciters there. It is said that the circle of recitation under Abu al-Dardaa' had more than a thousand men. Each group of ten had a tutor, and Abu al-Dardaa' would walk among them, checking their recitation. When a man mastered it, he would come to Abu al-Dardaa' to read the Quran to him.
Among those who recited to him were Atiyyah ibn Qais al-Kalabi, Umm al-Dardaa', Khaleed ibn Sa’d, Rashid ibn Sa’d, Khalid ibn Ma’dan, and Abdullah ibn Aamir al-Yahsubi.
Saalim ibn Abi al-Ja’d said that he heard Abu al-Dardaa' say: Ask me, for by Allah, if you lose me, you will lose a great man from the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. (2)
- His Narrators:
Anas ibn Malik, Fudalah ibn Ubaid, Ibn Abbas, Abu Umamah, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas, and other prominent companions narrated from him. Also, Jubair ibn Nufair, Zaid ibn Wahb, Abu Idris al-Khaulani, Alqamah ibn Qais, Qabisah ibn Dhu’aib, his wife Umm al-Dardaa', his son Bilal ibn Abu al-Dardaa', Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, Ataa' ibn Yasar, Ma’dan ibn Abu Talhah, Abu Abdurrahman al-Sulami, Khalid ibn Ma’dan, and Abdullah ibn Aamir al-Yahsubi narrated to him. Atiyyah ibn Qais and Umm al-Dardaa'.
Abu Amr al-Dani said: Those who recited the Quran to him include Khaleed ibn Sa’d, Rashid ibn Sa’d, Khalid ibn Ma’dan, and Ibn Aamir. He also served as a judge in Damascus during the caliphate of Uthman, making him the first judge we know of in Damascus. His house was at Bab al-Barid, later known during the reign of Sultan Salahuddin as Dar al-Ghazi. (3) He narrated 179 hadiths, two of which were agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim. Bukhari uniquely narrated three, and Muslim eight.
- His Status:
The Prophet ﷺ said about Abu al-Dardaa': “He is the wise man of my Ummah.” (4) The companions respected his status. Makhul al-Shami narrated that the companions used to say: “The most merciful of us is Abu Bakr, the most eloquent in truth is Umar, the most trustworthy is Abu Ubaidah, the most knowledgeable in halal and haram is Muadh, the best reciter is Ubayy, and a man with knowledge is Ibn Mas’ood.” Then Uwaimir Abu al-Dardaa' was mentioned for his wisdom.
When Muadh ibn Jabal was on his deathbed, they asked him to advise them. He said: “Knowledge and faith are in their places. Whoever seeks them will find them.” He said it three times. “Seek knowledge from four: Uwaimir Abu al-Dardaa', Salman, Ibn Mas’ood, and Abdullah ibn Salam, who was a Jew and embraced Islam.”
Abu Dharr said to Abu al-Dardaa': “The earth hasn’t carried anyone more knowledgeable than you, Abu al-Dardaa'.”
Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab used to say: “Tell us about the two wise men.” When asked who they were, he would say: “Muadh and Abu al-Dardaa'.”
Umar ibn al-Khattab highly valued Abu al-Dardaa', assigning him a monthly stipend of 400 dirhams, like those who fought in Badr. The tabi’i Masrooq ibn al-Ajda’ said: “I found the knowledge of the companions had reached six: Umar, Ali, Ubayy, Zaid, Abu al-Dardaa', and Ibn Mas’ood.” Then their knowledge reached Ali and Abdullah. (5)
His Death
When death approached him, he wept. Umm al-Dardaa' asked him: “You’re the one crying, O companion of Allah's Messenger?” He replied: “Yes, why shouldn’t I weep when I don't know what I will face regarding my sins?” He called his son Bilal and said: “Woe to you, Bilal! Work for the Hereafter, work for a situation like your father's, and remember your death as if it is near.” Then he passed away. It is mentioned that this was in the year 31 AH. (6)
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(1) “Siyar A'lam al-Nubala,” Imam Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi, vol. 2, p. 336.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid, p. 337.
(4) “Al-Isabah Fi Tamyiz Al-Sahabah,” Uwaimir Abu al-Dardaa'.
(5) Ibid.
(6) “Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh,” Ibn al-Athir, vol. 3, p. 24.
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