A Great Virtue and Blessing Possessed By These Two People- One Anonymous and The Other Unacknowledged

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The First Person:- Oways, may Allah have mercy upon him.

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying: “Indeed, the best of the Tabi’in [i.e. followers of the companions] would be a person who would be a man called Oways. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy (on his skin). If you meet him, ask him to seek Allah’s forgiveness for you”.

Usair Bin Jabir reported that whenever the people from Yemen came to help (the Muslim army at the time of jihad), Umar would ask: “Is Oways ibn Aamir among you?” When he found Oways, he said: “Are you Oways ibn ‘Aamir?” He said: “Yes”. He said: “Are you from Murad then from Qaran?” He said: “Yes”. He said: “Did you have leprosy, then you recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham?” He said: “Yes”. He said: “Do you have a mother?” He said: “Yes”. He said: “I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:” There will come to you Oways ibn Aamir with the reinforcements from Yemen, from Murad then from Qaran. He had leprosy but he recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham. He has a mother and he honours her. If he were to swear in the name of Allah that something should happen, Allah would cause it to happen. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you then do so”. Seek forgiveness for me. So, he prayed for forgiveness for him. Umar said to him: “Where are you headed?”  He said: “Kufa”. He said: “Shall I write to the governor for you?” He said: “Being among the common folk is dearer to me”.

The following year, a man from among their nobles performed Hajj and he met Umar, who asked him about Oways. He said: “I left him in a shabby house with meagre provisions”. He said: “I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:” There will come to you Oways ibn Aamir with the reinforcements from Yemen, from Murad then from Qaran. He had leprosy but he recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham. He has a mother and he honours her. If he were to swear in the name of Allah that something should happen, Allah would cause it to happen. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you then do so”. So he went to Oways and said: “Pray for forgiveness for me”. He said: “You have just come from a sacred journey, so pray for forgiveness for me”. He said: “Pray for forgiveness for me”.  He said: “You have just come from a sacred journey, so pray for forgiveness for me”. He said: “Did you meet Umar?” He said: “Yes”. So he prayed for forgiveness for him, and the people came to know of his piety, so he left. Usayr said: “His garment (allocated annually by the state) was a cloak (burdah) and every time anyone saw him he would say: ‘From where did Oways get this cloak?'” [Sahih Muslim 2542]

Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: This story of Oways is a clear miracle of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Messenger’s statement “If you meet him, ask him to seek Allah’s forgiveness for you” is a manifest virtue of Oway’s, and this hadith shows that it is desired for one to ask for the supplication of the righteous people, even if the one who is asking is more virtuous than the one who is asked to supplicate.

The statement of the Messenger “The best of the Tabi’in is a man called Oways” is very clear regarding the fact that he is the best of the Tabi’in. But if it is said, “Indeed, Ahmad Bin Hanbal did say that the best of the Tabi’in is Sa’eed Ibn Al- Musayyib”, so the response to this is that what they intended is that Sa’eed Ibn Al- Musayyib is the best in the Shariah sciences, such Tafsir, hadith and other than it, but not the best with regards to being virtuous in the sight of Allah [The Exalted].

When Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Khattaab met Oways, he said to him, “Where are you headed?” Oways said, “Kufa”. Umar said, “Shall I write to the governor for you?” He said, “Being among the common folk is dearer to me”. This is preferring to be unknown and hiding one’s state of affairs. (1)

The Second Person is Anonymous

The Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said: “Many a person with disheveled hair and covered with dust is turned away from the doors (whereas) were he to swear by Allah (about something), Allah will fulfill it”. [Sahih Muslim Number 2622]

This type of person is one whom the people drive away from their doors in humiliation. He has no status in the sight of the people; but he is someone that if he were to swear by Allah about something, Allah would make it happen as an honour for him- by answering his request and safeguarding him from sin regarding his oath. This is due to his great station in the sight of Allah (The Exalted), even though he is someone despised in the sight of the people. (2)

Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, stated:

It is said that the meaning of this is that a person is a close friend among the close friends of Allah, and were he to swear by Allah (about something), Allah will make it happen due to his high status in the sight of Allah, even though he is driven away from the doors. If he intercedes (for someone), his intercession will not be accepted; if he is absent, he is not missed, but he is a great one in the sight of Allah. (3)

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Allah loves a slave who is pious, self-sufficient and unnoticed.” [Sahih Muslim 2965]

Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Taqiy- Pious: Fears Allah [The Mighty and Majestic], so he fulfils Allah’s commands and keeps away from what Allah has prohibited. Fulfils Allaah’s commands, such as performance of the prayer and performs it in congregation in the Masjid, pays the zakaat and gives it to the one entitled to it, fasts the month of Ramadhaan, treats orphans with kindness and other types of acts of piety, righteousness and means to doing good.

Ghaniy- self-sufficient: Has no need of the people and suffices himself with Allaah. He does not ask the people anything (I) and does not lower himself to the people (i.e due to being in need of them) (II); rather he is not in need of the people. He knows himself, suffices himself with his Lord and does not pay attention to other than his Lord.

Khafiy- hidden or unnoticed: He does not make himself manifest and does not give importance to manifesting himself amongst the people, to be pointed out or for people to speak about him. You find him between his house and his (local) Masjid vice versa; from his house to his relatives and his brothers, whilst being unnoticed, and makes himself unnoticed. However, this does not mean that if Allah grants a person knowledge, he confines himself in his house and does not teach the people. This is in opposition to piety (because) teaching the people is better for him than being confined in his house and does not benefit the people with his knowledge, (III) or he sits in his house and does not benefit the people with his wealth; rather if the affair is between being conspicuous- to manifest himself or make himself visible, and between hiding himself (i.e. without a need to make himself manifest), then he chooses to hide himself; but if it is the case that he must make himself apparent, then he has to make himself apparent. This is beloved to Allah [The Mighty and Majestic]. [4]

[1]An Excerpt from Sharh Saheeh Muslim by Imam An-Nawawi. Vol 15. Pages 76-78.

[2]An Excerpt from Sharh Saheeh Muslim’ Vol 15 page 144.

[3It’haaf At-Tullab Bi-Sharhi Mandhoomah al-Adaab’ page 102.

[4]Explanation of Riyaadus Saaliheen. Chapter 69. Vol 3. Page 509. Publisher: Al-Maktabah Al-Arabiyyah As-Su’oodiyyah Edition 1425AH]