Uways al-Qarani: Difference between revisions

Abu 'Amr Uways b. 'Amir al-Qarani al-Muradi al-Yamani,<ref>Mufid, ''al-Jamal'', p.457</ref> was from Qaran, one of the clans of the Banu Murad tribe.<ref>Kalbi, ''Nasab'', vol.1 p.334; Ibn Sa'd, ''al-Tabaqat al-kubra'', vol.6 p.161; Khalifa, ''al-Tabaqat'', p.146</ref>

Uways was living in [[Yemen]] in the lifetime of [[the Prophet (s)]] but he never could meet the Prophet (s).

He was a camel herder and was taking care of his old, blind mother. Once, he wanted to go to [[Medina]] to visit the Prophet (s). His mother let him with the condition that he will not remain there for more than half of a day. He went to Medina, but when he reached Medina the Prophet (s) had left Medina for a period, so Uways left Medina for Yemen, because of his promise to his mother.

When the Prophet (s) came back to Medina asked: "whose light I am seeing in this house?", he was answered: "a camel herder named Uways, came and left soon". The Prophet (s) said: "he left this light in our house as a present and left."<ref>Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar'', vol.42 p.155; Qummi, ''Muntaha al-amal'', p.239</ref>

According to not-so-reliable narrations, Uways came to Medina with a group from Yemen or [[Kufa]] and [['Umar b. al-Khattab]] recognized him with the signs the Prophet (s) had given him.<ref>Ibn Sa'd, ''al-Tabaqat al-kubra'', vol.6 p.162-163; Dhahabi, ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala' '', vol.4 p.20</ref>

After all, it is said that he had narrated from [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] and 'Umar b. al-Khattab, and some of the [[hadith]] scholars of the 1st century -mostly from Kufa- had narrated from him.<ref>Ibn Abi Hatam, ''al-Jarh wa al-ta'dil'', vol.1 p.326; Ibn Hajar, ''al-Isaba'', vol.1 p.115</ref>

About his worship it is said: "some nights he said: 'tonight is for [[Ruku']]', and spent the night in Ruku'. The other night he said: 'tonight is for [[Sujud]]', and spent the night in Sujud. Once he was asked: 'why you bother yourself this much?' He answered: 'I wish that there was only one night from the beginning of the time to the eternity, and I spent all of it in one Sajda.'"<ref>Qummi, ''Muntaha al-amal'', p.239</ref>

The importance of the reports about Uways is that he is one of the first examples of asceticism and piety among Muslims. Later, [[Sufi]]s gave him a great position in their books, as his name is among the eight ascetics of [[Tabi'un]].<ref>Abu Nu'am al-Isfahani, ''Hilya al-awlia' '', vol.2 p.87; Kashshi, ''Ma'rifa al-rijal'', p.97-98</ref>

All of who had seen Uways, described him in poverty and anonymity, and it is said that he did not have appropriate clothes, and this was one of the reasons of his seclusion.<ref>Ibn Mubarak, ''al-Zuhd wa al-raqa'iq'', p.293; Ibn Sa'd, ''al-Tabaqat al-kubra'', vol.6 p.161-165; Ibn Hanbal, ''al-Zuhd'', p.475-477, 480-481</ref> In another report it is said that he wore a rough woolen cloth.<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', p.306; Kashshi, ''Ma'rifa al-rijal'', p.98</ref>

There are some extended mentions of Uways in the literature of Sufis.<ref>Abu Nu'am al-Isfahani, ''Hilya al-awlia' '', vol.2 p.79-87; 'Attar, ''Tadhkira al-awliya' '', p.19</ref>

[[The Prophet (s)]] says: "I smell the scent of the paradise from Yemen (because of the presence of Uways there)."

[[Imam 'Ali (a)]] narrated from the Prophet (s) that he said about Uways: "he is one of the Hizb (party) of [[Allah]]. His death will be the martyrdom in the way of the religion, and a lot of people will be freed from the Hell with his intersession."<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.1 p.316; </ref>

According to [['Attar Nishaburi]] in ''[[Tazkirat al-awliya']]'': the Prophet (s) said to his [[companion]]s: 'say my hello to Uways and give him my dress and ask him to pray for the Umma', after the demise of the Prophet (s), 'Umar saw him in [['Arafat]] and fulfilled the wish of the Prophet (s).<ref>'Attar, ''Tadhkira al-awliya' '', p.20-21</ref>

There's much possibility that this story and other stories reported in the books of Sufis is forged for making virtues for him, because they do not have proper sources and Sufis consider him as one of their Shaykhs and there is weird stories about him in these books.

===In the Shi'a Opinion===

In the opinion of [[Shi'a]], Uways has a special status as one of the companions of Imam 'Ali (a),<ref>Mufid, ''al-Ikhtisas'', p.6-7,61,81-82; Kashshi, ''Ma'rifa al-rijal'', p.9</ref> [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] has named him as one of the Shi'as who pledged allegiance to Imam 'Ali (a).<ref>Mufid, ''al-Jamal'', p.109</ref>

Uways is considered as one of the insane wises.<ref>Niyshaburi, '' 'Uqala' al-majanin'', vol.1 p.47; 'Ayn al-Qudat, ''Tamhidat'', p.349</ref> He is noted very much by Sufis because of His seclusion and his intuitions ([[Mukashafa]]) although he did not do very much mystical practices and was not old when he reached this rank.

There is a cult in Sufism named Uwaysi.

[[Sayyid Haydar Amuli]] one of the mysticism scholars, considers Uways among the noble [[companion]]s of the Prophet (s) like [[Salman]], [[Abu Dhar]], [['Ammar]], and the people of Suffa ([[Ashab al-Suffa]]). He differentiates them from other Sufi Shaykhs, and considers them as the students of the Imams.<ref>Amuli, ''Jami' al-asrar'', p.503, 614-615</ref>

It is reported that people treated Uways like an insane and sometimes children stoned him, his only compliant was: "my feet are thin, throw smaller stones so my feet do not bleed and I could pray, as I care the prayer not the feet."<ref>'Attar, ''Tadhkira al-awliya' '', p.28</ref>

Uways was living in [[Kufa]] in his last years of life. He became martyred in the [[Battle of Siffin]] in 37/657, while he was 67.

There are some places claimed to be his grave.

 

As most of the reports show, he was one of [[martyr]]s in the Battle of Siffin, so the grave in al-Raqqah, [[Syria]]; to the left of the grave of [['Ammar b. Yasir]] (also one of the martyrs of the Battle of Siffin) is more reliable as being his grave. There is also a shrine for these two companions of [[the Prophet (s)]] and [[Imam 'Ali (a)]].

In 21 of Ramadan 1434/2013, Salafi groups active in Syria who had gained the control of al-Raqqah province, attacked the shrine of 'Ammar b. Yasir and Uways al-Qarani with mortar and rocket and destructed most of it.