‘Abdullah ibn Salam radiya Llahu ‘anhu

‘Abdullah ibn Salam

He is Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn Salam al Isra’ili, Abu Yusuf radiya Llahu ‘anhu, the ally of the Banu al Khazraj. It is said that his name was Hussain, and subsequently Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam named him ‘Abdullah. He reports:

خرجت في جماعة من أهل المدينة لننظر إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم في حين دخوله المدينة فنظرت إليه و تأملت وجهه فعلمت أنه ليس بوجه كذاب و كان أول شيء سمعته منه أيها الناس أفشوا السلام و أطعموا الطعام و صلوا الأرحام و صلوا بالليل و الناس نيام تدخلوا الجنة بسلام

I came out with a group of the residents of Madinah to see Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as he entered Madinah. I looked at him and pondered over his face, and realised that it is not the face of a liar. The first thing I heard from him was, “O people, spread the salam, feed people, maintain family ties, and pray at night when people are asleep, you will enter Jannat peacefully.”[1]

Ibn ‘Abdul Barr says, “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam guaranteed Jannat for ‘Abdullah ibn Salam.”[2]

Ibn ‘Asakir documents with a reliable sanad from Abu Burdah ibn Abi Musa:

أتيت المدينة فإذا عبد الله بن سلام جالس في حلقة متخشعا عليه سيما الخير

I came to Madinah and saw ‘Abdullah ibn Salam sitting in a circle, the signs of integrity were apparent on him.[3]

Al Tirmidhi reports in his Sunan from ‘Abdul Malik ibn ‘Umair, the son of ‘Abdullah ibn Salam’s brother:

لما أريد عثمان جاء عبد الله بن سلام فقال له عثمان ما جاء بك قال جئت في نصرك قال اخرج إلى الناس فاطردهم عني فإنك خارج خير لي منك داخل فخرج عبد الله إلى الناس فقال أيها الناس إنه كان اسمي في الجاهلية فلان فسماني رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم عبد الله و نزلت في آيات من كتاب الله نزلت في وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ بَنِيْ إِسْرَائِيْلَ عَلىٰ مِثْلِهِ فَآمَنَ وَاسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ و نزلت في قُلْ كَفىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيْدًا بَيْنِيْ وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ ثم ذكر تتمة الخبر

When evil was intended with ‘Uthman, ‘Abdullah ibn Salam came. ‘Uthman asked him, “What brings you here?”

“I came to help you,” came the reply.

‘Uthman said, “Go out to the people and avert them from me, for you being outside is better for me than you being inside.”

Accordingly ‘Abdullah went out to the people and announced: “O people, my name during jahiliyyah was so and so and Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam named me ‘Abdullah. Many verses of the Book of Allah were revealed concerning me. It was revealed about me: While a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to something similar and believed while you were arrogant…? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.[4] And it was revealed about me: Say, [O Muhammad]: Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you, and [the witness of] whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.[5]”

He then mentioned the rest of the narration.[6]

He has narrated many ahadith and has much virtue. He passed away in Madinah during the khilafah of Sayyidina Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu in 43 A.H.

His assurance of Jannat is established in the hadith of Sayyidina Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas and Sayyidina Muaz ibn Jabal radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. The narration of the former is:

فعن عامر بن سعد بن أبي وقاص عن أبيه قال ما سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول لأحد يمشي على الأرض إنه من أهل الجنة إلا لعبد الله بن سلام قال و فيه نزلت هذه الآية وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ بَنِيْ إِسْرَائِيْلَ الآية قال لا أدري قال مالك الآية أو في الحديث و في رواية ما سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول لحي يمشي إنه في الجنة إلا لعبد الله بن سلام

‘Amir ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas reports from his father who said:

I did not hear the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying about anyone walking on the earth that he is from the people of Jannat except for ‘Abdullah ibn Salam.

He says: regarding him was this verse revealed: While a witness from the Children of Israel has testified … until the end of the verse.

The narrator says: “I do not know if Malik said: until the end of the verse or was it part of the hadith.”

Another narration reads:

I did not hear Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying about a living person that he is from the people of Jannat except for ‘Abdullah ibn Salam.[7]

NEXT⇒ ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haram radiya Llahu ‘anhu

[1] Musnad Ahmed, vol. 5 pg. 451; Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 7 pg. 257; al Muntakhab min Musnad ‘Abd ibn Huamid, Hadith: 496; Sunan al Darimi, Hadith: 1460; Sunan al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2485 declaring it sahih; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 1334; al Tabaqat, vol. 1 pg. 235; al Diya’: al Mukhtarah, vol. 9 pg. 433, Hadith: 404; al Mustadrak, vol. 3 pg. 14. Al Hakim comments, “Sahih according to the standards of al Bukhari and Muslim.”

[2] Al Isti’ab, vol. 1 pg. 280.

[3] Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 29 pg. 135. Hafiz says, “With a jayyid sanad.” (Al Isabah, vol. 4 pg. 119.)

[4] Surah al Ahqaf: 10.

[5] Surah al Ra’d: 43.

[6] Sunan al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3256.

[7] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3601; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2483; al Sunan al Kubra, Hadith: 8252, and others. Hafiz mentions, “Clarity appears in the narration of al Daraqutni that the statement in the hadith, ‘regarding him was this verse revealed,’ is the statement of Imam Malik.” (Fath al Bari, vol. 11 pg. 126.)

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents