Abu Mahdhura
Aws b. Miʿyar b. Lawdhān al-Jumaḥī (Arabic: اوس بن مِعیَر بن لَوذان الجُمَحی) (b. ? - d. 59/678-9) known as Abū Mahdhūra (ابومحذوره) was a companion of the Prophet (s) and mu'adhdhin of Mecca. Abu Mahdhura's narrations in regard with adhan and iqama is an important basis for their rulings.
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aws b. Mi'yar b. Lawdhan al-Jumahi |
| Teknonym | Abu Mahdhura |
| Place(s) of Residence | Mecca |
| Death/Martyrdom | 59/678-9, Mecca |
| Religious Information | |
| Known for | Mu'adhdhin of Mecca |
Name and Lineage
There is a disagreement on the issue of his exact name and the name of his father. Different records of historians and biographers make the ultimate conclusion over their exact names difficult. Some accounts present him as "Samura" or with some other names; Even in some sources, "Aws" or "Anis" has been reported as the brother of Abu Mahdhura, and that he was one of pagans killed in the Battle of Badr; according to Ibn 'Abbas, this person was among those who were referred to as al-muqtasimin (those who make division) in Qur'an 15:90 [1]. However, regarding the name of his father, it is mainly a matter of scribal error.
Mu'adhdhin of Mecca
Abu Mahdhura had a nice voice and in a poem, Abu Dahbal praised his loud and nice voice. It's been reported that Abu Mahdhura converted to Islam on the day of Conquest of Mecca, according to some accounts he converted to Islam after the Battle of Hunayn and then he was appointed by the Prophet (s) as the mu'adhdhin (reciter of adhan) of Mecca. Also it's been reported that he, along others, repeated the adhan which was recited by the mu'adhdhin of the Prophet (s), upon hearing his voice, the Prophet (s) appointed him as the mu'adhdhin of Mecca.
In a narration by Ibn Sa'd, three individuals are counted as the mu'adhdhins of the Prophet (s): Bilal, Abu Mahdhura, and Ibn Umm Maktum, and whenever Bilal was absent, Abu Mahdhura would recite the adhan; however, as Ibn Sa'd himself mentions Abu Mahdhura's residence in Mecca, the Issue of him being a replacement for Bilal, remains a matter of doubt.
After the demise of the Prophet (s)
Abu Mahdhura continued reciting adhan in Mecca after the demise of the Prophet (s) and even when Mu'awiya appointed an adhan reciter in his stead, Abu Mahdhura pushed the appointed person into the Well of Zamzam. The recitation of adhan in al-Masjid al-Haram remained in his descendants, generation after generation, for the next three centuries.
In later stages of life, he had a short trip to Kufa. He remained the Adhan Reciter of al-Masjid al-Haram and passed away in Mecca.
Narrating Adhan
The narrations of Abu Mahdhura about adhan and iqama are notable in terms of their jurisprudential value and have been taken as bases for deducing the rulings of adhan and iqama. Abu Mahdhura said that the Prophet (s) had taught him adhan word for word and had said that adhan includes nineteen words (lines) and iqama seventeen.[2]
Some people have narrated the sayings of Abu Mahdhura regarding adhan: his son 'Abd al-Malik, 'Abd Allah b. Muhayriz, Safiyya bt. Bahra, Aswad b. Yazid, 'Abd al-'Aziz b. Rafi', and Ibn Abi Mulayka.
Some narrators have reported from him an adhan with two takbirs; on the contrary, more well-known reports present adhan with four takbirs.
In an account by 'Abd Allah b. Muhayriz, Abu Mahdhura recited fajr (dawn) adhan with "tathwib" i.e. addition of al-salat khayr min al-nawm (prayer is better than sleep), however, al-Shafi'i does not recognize this particular line from the Prophet (s) and expresses his dislike in this regard.
Also in a Zaydi narration by 'Abd al-'Aziz b. Rafi', the phrase: hayy 'ala khayr al-'amal is documented among the lines of adhan.
See Also
Notes
References
- The material for this article is mainly taken from اوس بن معیر بن لوذان جمحی in Farsi Wikishia.
- Abu Dawud, Sulayman b. al-Ash'ath. Sunan Abi Dawud. Ed. Muhammad Muhy al-Din 'Abd al-Hamid. Cairo, Dar Ihya' al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya;
- Tirmidhi, Muhammad b. 'Isa al-. Sunan Tirmidhi. Ed. Ahmad Muhammad Shakir. Cairo, 1356 AH/1937;