Miqdad b. Amr: Difference between revisions

'''Miqdād b. ʿAmr''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|مقداد بن عمرو}}), known as '''Miqdad b. al-Aswad''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|مقداد بن الأسود}}), is one of the noble [[:category:Sahabas|companions of the Prophet (s)]], and one of the first Shi'as of [[Imam Ali (a)]]. Miqdad converted to Islam early after [[Bi'that]] and was one of the first people who revealed his conversion to Islam. He attended all battles in the early years of Islam. Miqdad, [[Salman al-Farsi]], [['Ammar b. Yasir]], and [[Abu Dhar]] are referred to as the first Shi'as (followers) of [[Imam Ali (a)]]; they were known as Shi'as even in the period of the [[Prophet (s)]]. After the demise of the Prophet (s), Miqdad supported Imam Ali's (a) immediate succession of the Prophet (s), and did not pledge his allegiance to [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]]. He was one of the few people who were present at the funeral of [[Fatima al-Zahra (a)]]. Miqdad is considered as a serious opponent of [['Uthman b. 'Affan]]. According to some sources, he was a member of [[Shurtat al-Khamis]]. Miqdad is praised in [[hadiths]] from [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] in which he is said to return in [[Raj'a]] after the [[Reappearance]] of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]]. He transmitted hadiths from the Prophet (s).

Miqdad b. 'Amr b. Tha'laba, known as Miqdad b. al-Aswad, there is no information about his birth time but as the historian reported his death time in 33/653-54 when he was 70,<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 6, p. 161.</ref> probably he was born on 16 years after [['Am al-fil]] (b. 24 BH/586-7 - d. [[33]]/653-54). Biographers and historians have mentioned up to 20 of his ancestors.<ref>Ibn Ḥazm al-Andulusī, ''Jamhart ansāb al-ʿarab'', p. 441.</ref>  

Several titles like al-Bahra'i, al-Bahrawi,<ref>Ibn Ḥazm al-Andulusī, ''Jamhart ansāb al-ʿarab'', p. 441.</ref> al-Kindi, and al-Hadhrami and [[kunay]]s such as Abu Ma'bad, Abu Sa'id, and Abu l-Aswad are reported for him.<ref>Māmaqānī, ''Tanqīh al-maqāl'', vol. 3, p. 245.</ref>

'''Wife''': Miqdad's wife was [[Duba'a bt. Zubayr b. 'Abd al-Muttalib|Duba'a]], the [[Prophet (s)|Prophet]]'s (s) cousin and [[Zubayr b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]]'s daughter.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 205.</ref> The Prophet (s) married Duba'a to Miqdad although he considered her as having a great prestige and lineage, saying: "I married my cousin, Duba'a, to Miqdad, so that people can take marriage easy, be encouraged to marry their daughters to every believer, regardless of what lineage and prestige they have."<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 265.</ref>

'''Children''': Miqdad had two children called 'Abd Allah and Karima. 'Abd Allah was a supporter of [[Aisha]] in the [[Battle of Jamal]], fought against [[Imam Ali (a)]], and was killed in that battle. At the end of the battle when Imam Ali (a) looked at 'Abd Allah's corpse, he told him: "how bad a nephew you have been!"<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 5, p. 22.</ref> On some accounts, the name of Miqdad's son was "Ma'bad", not "'Abd Allah."<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 2, p. 264-265.</ref>

Miqdad converted to Islam early after [[Bi'that]] (the first revelation of the Prophet (s)) and went under the tortures of [[Quraysh]] [[polytheists]]. Historians have mentioned him among early Muslims, but there is no discussion of how he converted to Islam. [['Abd Allah b. Mas'ud]] reported that there were seven people who revealed their conversion to Islam before anybody else. One of these people was Miqdad.<ref>Ibn al-Athīr, ''Usd al-ghāba'', vol. 5, p. 242.</ref>

Miqdad emigrated two times: once to [[Abyssinia]] among the third group of Muslim immigrants, and once again to Medina. It is not exactly known when he moved to Medina, but as shown by some evidence, he joined Muslims in [[1]] AH/623 in [[Shawwal]] in the [[Sariyya]] of Abu 'Ubayda, and then they all moved to Medina.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 205; Māmaqānī, ''Qāmūs al-Rijāl'', vol. 9, p. 114.</ref>

Miqdad attended all the battles of the Prophet (s) and was a champion among the [[Sahaba]].<ref>Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 7, p. 282.</ref> In the [[Battle of Badr]], Miqdad was a member of the cavalry and his horse was known as "Sabha" (floating), perhaps because Miqdad fought with courage and valor.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 3, p. 120.</ref>

There are numerous [[hadiths]] from the [[Infallibles (a)]] concerning the virtues, the moral character, and the faith of Miqdad. Here are some of these hadiths:

#'''Miqdad in the Heaven:''' according to a hadith from [[Anas b. Malik]], one day the Prophet (s) said: "the [[Heaven]] aspires to four of my people. When Ali (a) asked him about those people, the Prophet said: "I swear to God that you are the first of those people. The rest are Miqdad, Salman, and Abu Dhar." Also in an exegesis of the Quranic verse, "Surely (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, their place of entertainment shall be the gardens of paradise" ([[Sura al-Kahf]]: 107), [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] said: "this verse was revealed about Abu Dhar, Miqdad, Salman, and 'Ammar".<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 4, p. 151.</ref>

#'''Miqdad's faith:''' according to a hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (a): "the faith (iman) has 10 degrees: Miqdad is at the 8th degree, Abu Dhar is at the 9th, and Salman is at the 10th".<ref>Qummī, ''Muntahī l-āmāl'', vol. 1, p. 228.</ref>

#'''Acting upon al-Mawadda Verse:''' Imam al-Sadiq said about [[al-Mawadda Verse]] ("I ask of you no wage except the love of near relatives"): "I swear to God that nobody acted upon the verse except seven people, including Miqdad."<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 237.</ref>

Late in his life, Miqdad resided in "Jurf" (an area one parasang away from [[Medina]] towards [[Syira]]), and died in [[33]]/654 at the age of 70. The Muslims took his corpse to Medina, 'Uthman b. 'Affan said the [[Funeral Prayer]] for him, and he was buried in [[al-Baqi']] cemetery.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 3, p. 121; Amīn, ''Aʿyān al-Shīʿa'', vol. 10, p. 134; Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 204; Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 7, p. 282.</ref> There is a grave attributed to Miqdad in Van in Turkey.<ref>Qummī, ''Muntahī l-āmāl'', vol. 1, p. 228.</ref> On one account, Miqdad was rich and willed that 36000 dirhams of his possessions be given to [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] and [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]].<ref>Mazzī, ''Tahdhīb al-kamāl'', vol. 28, p. 452.</ref>

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