Abu Dharr al-Ghifari: Difference between revisions

'''Jundab b. Junāda b. Sufyān al-Ghifārī''' (Arabic: {{ia|جُندَب بن جُنادة بن سفيان الغِفاري}}) (b. 33 [[BH]]/590 - d. [[32]]/653) known as '''Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī''' ({{iarabic|أبوذر الغفاري}}) was one of the greatest [[sahaba|companions]] of [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and [[Imam Ali (a)]]; as well as one of the [[four pillars of the Shiite]]. He was a sincere companion of Prophet Muhammad (s) and [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]. Numerous narrations by both the [[Sunni]] and [[Shi'a]] have sung his praises. Scholars of [[rijal]] have considered him as one of the four pillars [of the Shiite]. Abu Dhar criticized the actions of [[Uthman]], the third Caliph. As a result, he was exiled to [[Syria]] and then to [[al-Rabatha]], where he passed away.

Abu Dhar was born twenty years before the emergence of [[Islam]], in Banu Ghifar, a famous and noble tribe amongst the Arabs.<ref>Amīn,'' Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol. 4, p. 225.</ref> His father, Junada, was the son of Ghifar and his mother, Ramla bt. al-Waqi'a, was from Banu Ghifar b. Malil.<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 1, p. 252.</ref> Historians disagree about his father’s name; they mentioned Yazid, Jundab, Ishraqa, 'Abd Allah and Sakan.<ref> Ibn Hibbān, ''Mashāhīr ʿulamāʾ al-amṣār'', p. 30; Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''Taqrīb al-tahdhīb'',vol. 2, p. 395.</ref>

As [[Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani]] has stated: Abu Dhar was a tall, thin man with tanned skin<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''Taqrīb al-tahdhīb'', vol. 7, p. 107.</ref>. Ibn Sa'd described him as a tall man with white hair and beard<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 4, p. 23.</ref>. [[Al-Dhahabi]] also described him as a bulky man with a full beard.<ref>Dhahabī, ''Siyar aʿlām al-nubalāʾ'', vol. 2, p. 47.</ref>

His title was Abu Dhar because of his child's name, Dhar. However there is a disagreement about his given name. Various books have mentioned different names. Some of the names mentioned are: Badr b. Jundab, Burayr b. 'Abd Allah, Burayr b. Junada, Burayr b. Ishraqa, Jundab b. 'Abd Allah, Jundab b. Sakan and Yazid b. Junada<ref>Dhahabī, ''Siyar aʿlām al-nubalāʾ'', vol. 2, p. 47; Ibn Athīr, ''Usd al-ghāba'', vol. 5, p. 186; Mizzī, ''Tahdhīb al-kamāl'', vol. 33, p. 294.</ref>. It seems Jundub b. Yazid is his real and famous name<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 4, p. 1652.</ref>.

Abu Dhar was among the first people to convert to [[Islam]].<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 1, p. 252; Dhahabī, ''Tārīkh al-islām'', vol. 3, p. 4-6.

</ref> According to some narrations, he was a [[monotheism|monotheist]] before the emergence of Islam, he worshiped [[God]] three years before [[Bi'tha]]<ref>Shūshtarī, ''Qāmūs al-rijāl'', vol. 11, p. 322.</ref>. Ibn Habib al-Baghdadi maintains that Abu Dhar considered drinking alcohol and [[gambling]] (azlam) unlawful in [[time of ignorance]]<ref>Baghdādī, ''al-Muḥabbar'', p. 237.</ref>. After the emergence of Islam, he was among the first people who came to [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and converted to [[Islam]]. According to a narration, Abu Dhar said: "I was the fourth one who went to the Prophet (s) and told him: peace be upon you O Messenger of Allah! I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (s) is His messenger; it delighted him<ref>Ibn Ḥibbān, ''al-Ṣaḥīḥ'', vol. 16, p. 83.</ref>."

As narrated by [[Ibn al-'Abbas]]:  "When Abu Dhar became aware of Prophet Muhammad's prophethood in [[Mecca]], he told his brother, Anis, "Inform me about the knowledge of the man who thinks he receives messages from the sky; listen to him and bring me the news." After visiting Prophet Muhammad (s), Anis returned to his brother. Then Abu Dhar himself went to Mecca to find Muhammad (s). Abu Dhar alongside [[Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] visited Muhammad (s) in his house.<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 4, p. 1654.</ref> Abu Dhar was the first one who said to Prophet: "[[Salam]] upon you, O Messenger of Allah". Then Abu Dhar converted to Islam after articulating [[Shahadatayn]] (Islamic creed declaring belief in the [[oneness of God]] and acceptance of Muhammad (s) as God's messenger)<ref>Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, ''al-Isti'ab'', vol. 4, p. 1654.</ref>.

[[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] said to Abu Dhar: "Oh Abu Dhar! You are from the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]"<ref>Ṭūsī, ''al-Amālī'', p. 525; Ṭabrisī, ''Makārim al-akhlāq'', p. 256.</ref>. Elsewhere he said to the effect that Abu Dhar is the most honest from among the people<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 404.</ref>. On another occasion, Prophet (s) compared the [[piety]] and [[humbleness]] of Abu Dhar to that of Prophet [[Jesus (a)]]<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 420.</ref>.

[[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] said about Abu Dhar's worship, the main part of his worship was contemplation. He cried in fear of Allah so much that he hurt his eyes<ref>Ṣadūq, ''al-Khiṣāl'', p. 40, 42.</ref>. Abu Dhar also said: I like three things that people hate: death, poverty and affliction. Imam al-Sadiq (a) explained, Abu Dhar meant death by order of [[Allah]] is better than living a sinful life; affliction in obeying Allah is better than health in [[disobeying Allah]]; and poverty in obeying Allah is better than committing sins in a prosperous life<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 8, p. 22.</ref>.

In [[Shi'a]] sources, Abu Dhar is considered one of Islam's four pillars, alongside Salman al-Farsi, Miqdad and Ammar b. Yasir<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Ikhtiṣāṣ'', p. 6-7; Ṭūsī, ''al-Rijāl'', p. 598.</ref>. [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] has narrated a hadith from [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]]: On the [[Day of Judgment]], a caller will call: Where are the disciples of Prophet Muhammad (s) who did not break their promise; and then Salman, Abu Dhar and Miqdad would stand up<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Ikhtiṣāṣ'', p. 61.</ref>.

[[Bahr al-Ulum]] considered Abu Dhar as one of the disciples of the Prophet Muhammad (s); He always tried to inform people about the virtues of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and criticized their enemies<ref>Baḥr al-ʿUlūm, ''al-Fawāʾid al-rijālīyya'', vol. 2, p. 49.</ref>.

[[Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani]] also said: Abu Dhar served Prophet Muhammad (s) and learned the [[principles of Islam]]. He was against [[riba]] (usury) even before the emergence of Islam. Walking on the right path, he was never influenced by those who blamed him and the power of rulers never overwhelmed him<ref>Iṣfahānī, ''Ḥilyat al-awlīyāʾ'', vol. 1, p. 156-157.</ref>.

As [[Ali b. Isa al-Irbili|al-Irbili]] narrated, Abu Dhar chose [[Ali b. Abi Talib]] as the executor of his will and said: By Allah, Ali b. Abi Talib (a) is my executor. By Allah, although his right was usurped in [[caliphate]], you will find [[peace]] and blessing with him<ref>Irbilī, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', vol. 1, p. 353.</ref>. [[Ibn Abi l-Hadid]] said: Abu Dhar told Ibn Rafi' in al-Rabatha, fear only Allah, soon a conspiracy will happen, you should support Imam Ali (a)<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 13, p. 228.</ref>. Abu Dhar also attended the [[funeral]] of [[Lady Fatima (a)]] which took place at midnight<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 115.</ref>.

At the beginning of [[Abu Bakr]]'s Caliphate, Abu Dhar refused to pay [[allegiance]] to him to support Ali b. Abi Talib (a).<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', 1378 Sh, vol. 1, p. 524.</ref>

In the time of the second caliph, [['Umar b. al-Khattab|'Umar]], he refused to accept a total ban on narrating/writing [[hadith]]. In response, Abu Dhar said: By Allah, if they threaten me by a sword to stop me from narrating hadiths from [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]], I would rather die than stop narrating Prophet's hadith<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 2, p. 354.</ref>. That is why Abu Dhar and other narrators of hadith were imprisoned<ref>Ibn Ḥibbān, ''al-Majrūḥīn'', vol. 1, p. 35.</ref>.

As Ibn Abi l-Hadid said, Abu Dhar was exiled to [[Syria]] because he criticized [[Uthman]], the [[third caliph]], for giving the treasury money to [[Marwan b. Hakam]], [[Zayd b. Thabit]] and others as a gift. He said: "Abu Dhar was shouting in streets and criticized Uthman. As a result, Uthman exiled him to Syria<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 8, p. 256-258.</ref>."

However, Abu Dhar made some social groups and informed people about the characteristics and virtues of Prophet Muhammad (s) and [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]. On the other hand, [[Mu'awiya]] prohibited people from meeting Abu Dhar and reported his activities to Uthman. Therefore, he was returned to [[Medina]]<ref>Amīn,''Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol.4, p. 237.</ref>.

Abu Dhar passed away in [[Dhu l-Hijja]] [[32]]/653, in [[al-Rabatha]], in the time of Uthman's caliphate<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 336; vol. 3, p. 354.</ref>. As [[Ibn Kathir]] has said, "No one was with him except his wife and his child when he passed away."<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 7, p. 185.</ref> Al-Zirikli said, "When he passed away his family did not have anything to enshroud his body".<ref>Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 2, p. 140.</ref>. Mihran b. Maymun said: "All the property of Abu Dhar was valued  at only two dirhams [an old currency in Arab countries less valuable than dinar]"<ref>Amīn,'' Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol. 4, p. 229.</ref>.

According to all sources, Abu Dhar is buried in [[al-Rabatha]]<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 3, p. 24; Ṭurayḥī, ''Majmaʿ al-baḥrayn'', vol. 2, p. 131.</ref>.

Al-Harbi, in ''al-Manasik'', mentions that there is a mosque in al-Rabatha by the name of Abu Dhar; and it is said that the grave of Abu Dhar is in that mosque.<ref>Ḥarbī, ''al-Manāsik'', p. 327</ref>