Uways al-Qarani: Difference between revisions

'''ʾAbu ʿAmr ʾUways al-Qarani''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|أبو عمرو أويس القرني}}) (b. [[30 BH]]/592 - d. [[37 AH]]/657), was one of the noblemen of [[Tabi'un]] and is known as the example of asceticism and piety. After the demise of the [[Prophet (s)]] he was one of the close [[companion]]s of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. He was [[martyred]] in the [[Battle of Siffin]] against [[Mu'awiya]]. His shrine in [[Syria]] became mostly destructed by [[Salafi]] groups in [[1434]]/2013.

==Meeting with the Prophet (s)==

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

He was a camel herder, taking care of his old, blind mother. Once, he wanted to go to [[Medina]] to visit the Prophet (s). His mother allowed him to do so on the condition that he will return home before the day is over. He went to Medina, but when he reached Medina, the Prophet (s) had left the city for a period, so Uways wasn't able to meet him, and left Medina for Yemen, because of his promise to his mother.

When the Prophet (s) came back to Medina  heasked, "Whose light am I 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>[[al-Majlisi]], ''[[Bihar al-anwar]]'', vol.42 p.155; [[Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi|al-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; al-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>

===In the Opinion of the Prophet (s)===

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

According to a report, Uways was aware of the mood of the Prophet (s), although he was far from him.

[[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 [[martyrdom]] in the way of religion, and a lot of people will be freed from the [[Hell]] with his [[intercession]]."<ref>Mufid, ''al-Irshad'', vol.1 p.316; </ref>

According to [['Attar Nishaburi]] in ''[[Tadhkirat al-awliya']]'', the Prophet (s) said to his [[companion]]s: 'Say my [[Salam]] 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, ''Tadhkirat al-awliya' '', p.20-21</ref>

[[Sayyid Haydar Amuli]] one of the mysticism scholars, considers Uways among the noble [[companion]]s of the Prophet (s) like [[Salman]], [[Abu Dhar]], [['Ammar b. Yasir|'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>

There are some places claimed to be his grave. As most of the reports indicate, he was one of [[martyr]]s in the Battle of Siffin, so the grave in [[al-Raqqa]], [[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)]].