Draft:Amir b. Fuhayra
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | 'Amir b. Fuhayra |
| Teknonym | Abu 'Amr, Abu Ahmad |
| Lineage | Azd |
| Birth | 20 years before bi'tha |
| Muhajir/Ansar | Muhajirun |
| Place(s) of Residence | Mecca and Medina |
| Martyrdom | 4/625-26 in Sariyya of Bi'r Ma'una |
| Religious Information | |
| Conversion to Islam | Early Muslims during the secret invitation |
| Presence at ghazwas | Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud and other battles |
| Migration to | Medina |
| Known for | Freed slave of the Prophet (s) or Abu Bakr, tortured in Mecca |
ʿĀmir b. Fuhayra (Arabic: عامر بن فهیرة) was a prominent companion of the Prophet (s). Born into slavery, he was subjected to torture by the polytheists before being manumitted by either the Prophet of Islam (s) or Abu Bakr. He subsequently accompanied them during the migration of the Prophet (s) to Medina.
'Amir participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud. Historical accounts diverge regarding the circumstances and timing of his martyrdom. While some sources record his death during the Sariyya of Bi'r Ma'una, others contest this view, citing reports of his presence at the Battle of Tabuk.
Biography
Abu ʿAmr 'Amir b. Fuhayra al-Azdi was born into the Azd tribe approximately twenty years prior to the proclamation of the Prophet's mission.[1] He was enslaved during his childhood, becoming the property of Ṭufayl b. ʿAbd Allāh.[2]
'Amir converted to Islam at the house of Ibn Abī Arqam while still in bondage, prior to the Prophet's public call to Islam.[3] Following his conversion, he faced severe torture at the hands of the polytheists, who sought to force his apostasy. However, he remained steadfast in his faith until Abu Bakr purchased and manumitted him.[4] Following his emancipation, 'Amir was entrusted with shepherding Abu Bakr's flocks.[5] Alternative accounts suggest that the Prophet (s) himself purchased and freed him.[6] Sayyid Ja'far Murtada al-'Amili argues for this latter view; noting that Abu Bakr converted in the 5th year of the mission whereas 'Amir accepted Islam before the third year, al-ʿĀmilī posits that the Messenger of God (s) likely purchased 'Amir from Abu Bakr to grant him his freedom.[7]
Accompanying the Prophet (s) in Migration to Medina
During the migration of the Prophet (s) to Medina, 'Amir b. Fuhayra accompanied the Messenger of God (s) and Abu Bakr.[8] Historical reports indicate that after the Prophet (s) departed Mecca and sought refuge in the Cave of Thawr, Abu Bakr instructed 'Amir to graze his sheep near the cave. 'Amir would drive the flock there at night. The following day, after ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Bakr returned from meeting the Prophet (s) and his father, 'Amir would drive the sheep over ʿAbd Allāh's tracks to erase them, ensuring the polytheists could not trace their path.[9]
Presence in Medina
Upon arriving in Medina with the Prophet (s), 'Amir lodged at the home of Saʿd b. Khaythama. When the pact of brotherhood was established, he was paired in brotherhood with Ḥārith b. Aws b. Muʿādh. He subsequently participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud.[10]
Martyrdom
Certain historical sources record the martyrdom of 'Amir b. Fuhayra during the Sariyya of Bi'r Ma'una. This expedition, which took place in 4/625–26, involved a group of companions led by Mundhir b. 'Amr who traveled to the Najd region to propagate Islam among the Banu Sulaym. They were martyred by 'Amir b. Tufayl and a group from that tribe.[11] Conversely, other scholars reject the account of his death at Bi'r Maʿūna, citing reports that place 'Amir at the Battle of Tabuk (9/630–31).[12]
Several historical sources narrate that after being struck down by 'Amir b. Ṭufayl, 'Amir b. Fuhayra ascended to the sky and was buried by angels.[13] Sayyid Ja'far Murtada al-'Amili critically evaluates this narrative, characterizing it as a fabrication intended to extol the virtues of Abu Bakr.[14]
Notes
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-ghāba, 1409 AH, vol. 3, p. 32.
- ↑ Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, 1387 AH, vol. 2, p. 376.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-ghāba, 1409 AH, vol. 3, p. 32.
- ↑ Balādhurī, Ansāb al-ashrāf, 1417 AH, vol. 1, p. 194.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-ghāba, 1409 AH, vol. 3, p. 32.
- ↑ Shūshtarī, Qāmūs al-rijāl, 1410 AH, vol. 5, p. 621.
- ↑ ʿĀmilī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, 1427 AH, vol. 3, p. 210.
- ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, Al-Istīʿāb, 1412 AH, vol. 1, p. 41.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-ghāba, 1409 AH, vol. 3, p. 32; Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, 1387 AH, vol. 2, p. 376.
- ↑ Balādhurī, Ansāb al-ashrāf, 1417 AH, vol. 1, p. 194.
- ↑ Ibn Kathīr, Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya, 1407 AH, vol. 4, p. 72; Ibn Ḥajar, Al-Iṣāba, 1415 AH, vol. 3, p. 482; Ṭabarī, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, 1387 AH, vol. 2, p. 546.
- ↑ Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-ghāba, 1409 AH, vol. 3, p. 33.
- ↑ Bayhaqī, Dalāʾil al-nubuwwa, 1405 AH, vol. 3, p. 342; Ibn Hishām, Al-Sīra al-nabawiyya, Dar al-Ma'rifa, vol. 2, p. 187.
- ↑ ʿĀmilī, Sīra-yi ṣaḥīḥ-i Payāmbar-i Aʿẓam (s), 1391 Sh, vol. 3, pp. 334-337.
References
- ʿĀmilī, Sayyid Jaʿfar Murtaḍā, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-Nabī al-aʿẓam, Al-Markaz al-Islami li-l-Dirasat, 1427 AH.
- ʿĀmilī, Sayyid Jaʿfar Murtaḍā, Sīra-yi ṣaḥīḥ-i Payāmbar-i Aʿẓam (s), Trans: Muḥammad Sipahrī, Tehran, Pazhuheshgah-i Farhang wa Andisheh-yi Islami, 1391 Sh.
- Balādhurī, Aḥmad b. Yaḥyā, Ansāb al-ashrāf, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1417 AH.
- Bayhaqī, Aḥmad b. Ḥusayn, Dalāʾil al-nubuwwa, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1405 AH.
- Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, Yūsuf b. ʿAbd Allāh, Al-Istīʿāb, Beirut, Dar al-Jil, 1412 AH.
- Ibn al-Athīr, ʿAlī b. Muḥammad, Usd al-ghāba, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1409 AH.
- Ibn al-Athīr, Ismāʿīl b. ʿUmar, Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1407 AH.
- Ibn Ḥajar, Aḥmad b. ʿAlī, Al-Iṣāba, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1415 AH.
- Ibn Hishām, ʿAbd al-Malik, Al-Sīra al-nabawiyya, Beirut, Dar al-Ma'rifa, N.d.
- Shūshtarī, Muḥammad Taqī, Qāmūs al-rijāl, Qom, Nashr-i Islami, 1410 AH.
- Ṭabarī, Muḥammad b. Jarīr, Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk, Beirut, Dar al-Turath, 1387 AH.