| Abdel Rahman bin Awf | |
|---|---|
| Disciple of Muhammad | |
| Born | c. 580 C.E. Mecca |
| Died | c. 652 C.E. (aged 72) |
| Honored in | Islam |
| Influences | Muhammad |
Abdel Rahman bin Awf, (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عوف) (Born: 10the year after the Year of the Elephant [1]) (died: 31 AH / 652 Being 72 Years Old) was one of the Sahaba.
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His name has also by as Abdel Rahman Ibn Awf, Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Awf, Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf and Abdel-Rahman ibn Awf.
Ibrahim bin 'Abdur-Rahman, Yahya and Abu Salamah were from among the sons of Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf. He was married to Umm Kulthum bint Uqbah and Tamadur
He was one of the first eight people to accept Islam. He was one of the ten people (al-asharatu-l mubashshirin) who were assured of entering Paradise. During the difficult times in Mecca, when the pagans started abusing and treating the Muslims unjustly, Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf along with others migrated to Abyssina.
He was one of the six people chosen by Umar to form the council of shura to choose the Khalifah after his death. His name in Jahiliyyah days was Abdu-Amr - the servant of Amr. But when he accepted Islam Mohammed called him Abdur-Rahman - the servant of the Most Merciful.
Abd al-Rahman was friends with Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a stern opponent of Islam. When Abd al-Rahman emigrated to Medina, the two formed a written agreement, according to which Abd-al-Rahman was to protect Umayah's property and family in Medina, while Umayyah would protect Abd-al-Rahman's in Mecca. When Abd al-Rahman wanted to sign the document, Umayyah protested, saying "I do not know Ar-Rahman" and requested that the pre-Islamic name "Abdu Amr" should be used, to which Ad al-Rahman yielded.[2]
The two met again in the Battle of Badr:
During the lifetime of Muhammad, Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Awf was directed to participate in the battle of Daumatul-Jandal. When victory was secured by the Muslims, Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Awf took the oppositions General's daughter Tamadur in marriage under the instructions of Muhammad.
One day, a loud rumbling sound was heard coming from beyond the boundaries of Madinah normally a calm and peaceful city. The rumbling sound gradually increased in volume. In addition, clouds of dust and sand were stirred up and blown in the wind. The people of Madinah soon realized that a mighty caravan was entering the city. They stood in amazement as seven hundred camels laden with goods moved into the city and crowded the streets. There was much seven hundred camels." Sayadah Aishah shook her head and gazed in the distance as if she was trying to recall some scene or utterance of the past and then she said: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: I have seen Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf entering Paradise leaping and of the Prophet? Some friends of his related to Abdur-Rahman the hadith which Aishah had mentioned. He remembered that he had heard the hadith more than have never forgotten," he is also reported to have said. He was so over-joyed and added: "If I could I would certainly like to enter Paradise standing. I swear to you, yaa Ammah, that this entire caravan with all its merchandise, I will giver sabilillah." And so he did. In a great festival of charity and righteousness, he distributed all that the massive caravan had brought to the people of Madinah and surrounding areas. This is just one incident which showed what type of man Abdur-Rahman was. He earned much wealth but he never remained attached to it for its own sake and he did not allow it to corrupt him. Abdur-setting out in the path of Allah and one thousand five hundred camels to another group of mujahidin, four hundred dinars of gold to the survivors of Badr and a large legacy to the Ummahaat al Muminin and the catalogue goes on
In 634 CE, the dying Caliph Abu Bakr called in Abd al-Rahman (along with Uthman) and informed him of his designation of Umar ibn al-Khattab as successor. (See Hadith of the succession to Abu Bakr.
In 644, the dying Umar nominated a board of six members who were required to elect one of themselves as the next caliph. The group consisted of Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Ali ibn Abi Talib and Uthman ibn Affan. Uthman was chosen as the third caliph [4].
Sunnis regard him as one of The Ten Promised Paradise.
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