Abu al Dahdah al Ansari radiya Llahu ‘anhu

Abu al Dahdah al Ansari

He is Sayyidina Abu al Dahdah―it is said: Abu al Dahdahah―al Ansari radiya Llahu ‘anhu. (With a fathah on both dals, and two ha’s.)

Ibn ‘Abdul Barr says, “I have not come across his name, nor his lineage, besides that he is from the Ansar, an ally of theirs.”

Others say that his name is Thabit.

Ibn Hajar said, “Abu al Dahdah al Ansari: their ally.”

Al Baghawi sufficed on saying, “Abu al Dahdah al Ansari,” without any addition.

‘Aqil reports from Ibn Shihab:

أن يتيما خاصم أبا لبابة في نخلة فقضى بها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لأبي لبابة فبكى الغلام فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لأبي لبابة أعطه نخلتك فقال لا فقال أعطه إياها و لك بها عذق في الجنة فقال لا فسمع بذلك أبو الدحداح فقال لإبي لبابة أتبيع عذقك ذلك بحديقتي هذه قال نعم فجاء أبو الدحداحة رسول الله فقال يا رسول الله النخلة التي سألت لليتيم إن أعطيته إياها ألي بها عذق في الجنة قال نعم ثم قتل أبو الدحداحة شهيدا يوم أحد فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم رب عذق مذلل لأبي الدحداحة في الجنة

An orphan disputed with Abu Lubabah over a date palm. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed judgement in favour of Abu Lubabah. So the young lad began to cry. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told Abu Lubabah, “Give him your date palm.”

He refused.

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Give it to him, and you will have a date palm in Jannat,” yet he still refused.

Abu al Dahdah heard of this so he bargained with Abu Lubabah, “Will you sell me this date palm of yours, for this orchard of mines?”

“Yes,” he replied.

Subsequently, Abu al Dahdahah came to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and submitted, “O Messenger of Allah, regarding the date palm you requested for the orphan; if I gift it to him, will I have in lieu of it a date palm in Jannat?”

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam affirmed, “Yes.”

Abu al Dahdahah was subsequently killed as a martyr on the Day of Uhud. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remarked, “How many clusters of dates are hanging for Abu al Dahdahah in Jannat!”[1]

Ibn Mandah reports from the chain of ‘Abdullah ibn al Harith from Ibn Mas’ud radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

لما نزلت مَّنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا فقال أبو الدحداح يا رسول الله و الله يريد منا القرض قال نعم الحديث و فيه ذكر ما تصدق به

When the verse: Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over[2] was revealed, Abu al Dahdah submitted, “O Messenger of Allah, does Allah desire a loan from us?” Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam replied in the affirmative.

Till the end of the narration. What he gave in charity is mentioned therein.[3]

عن أنس رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال يا رسول الله إن لفلان نخلة و أنا أقيم حائطي بها فأمره أن يعطيني حتى أقيم حائطي بها فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أعطها إياه بنخلة في الجنة فأبى فأناه أبو الدحداح فقال بعني نخلتك بحائط ففعل فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال يا رسول الله إني قد بعت النخلة بحائطي قال فاجعلها له فقد أعطيتكها فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم كم من عذق رداح لأبي الدحداح في الجنة قالها مرارا قال فأتى أمرأته فقال يا أم الدحداح اخرجي من الحائط فإني قد بعته بنخلة في الجنة فقالت ربح البيع أو كلمة تشبهها

Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu reports:

A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, a certain man possesses a date palm and I want to start my orchard there. So tell him to give it to me, so that I may start my orchard.”

The Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told the man, “Hand it over to him for a date palm in Jannat.” But he refused.

Abu al Dahdah took him aside and suggested, “Sell me your date palm for an orchard.” He agreed.

Thereafter, Abu al Dahdah came to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and submitted, “O Messenger of Allah, I have certainly purchased the date palm in lieu of my orchard. Give it to him, for I have handed it over to you.”

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam exclaimed, “How many date palms laden with dates are there for Abu al Dahdah in Jannat!” He repeated this many times.

Abu al Dahdah approached his wife saying, “O Umm al Dahdah, exit from the orchard for I have sold it for a date palm in Jannat.”

She remarked, “What a profitable transaction.” Or something similar.[4]

و روى جابر بن سمرة أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ركب فرسا لأبي الدحداح

Jabir ibn Samurah reports that the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mounted Abu al Dahdah’s horse.[5][6]

Assurance of his Jannat is established in the hadith of Sayyidina Anas, Sayyidina Jabir ibn Samurah, Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, Sayyidina ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abza radiya Llahu ‘anhum, and the marasil of Sa’id ibn al Musayyab and al Sha’bi. I will only quote the hadith of Sayyidina Jabir radiya Llahu ‘anhu.

Muslim, Ahmed, Abu Dawood (briefly), al Tirmidhi, and others have reported it from various chains:

عن سماك بن حرب عن جابر بن سمرة قال صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم على ابن الدحداح ثم أتي بفرس عري فعقله رجل فركبه فجعل يتوقص به و نحن نتبعه نسعى خلفه قال فقال رجل من القوم إن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال كم من عذق معلق أو مدلى في الجنة لابن الدحداح أو قال شعبة لإبي الدحداح

From Simak ibn Harb from―Jabir ibn Samurah who relates:

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam performed Salat al Janazah upon Ibn al Dahdah. Thereafter, a saddleless horse was brought to him. A man hobbled it with a cord, and Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mounted it. The horse began to gallop and we trailed him in haste. One of the people said: “Indeed, the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, ‘How many suspended or dangling date palms are there in Jannat for Ibn al Dahdah―or Shu’bah said: Abu al Dahdah!”[7]

NEXT⇒ Khadijah bint Khuwaylid radiya Llahu ‘anha

[1] Al Bayhaqi: al Sunan al Kubra; vol. 6 pg. 64. He mentioned that al Bukhari reported it in his al Sahih without the incident of Abu Lubabah.

[2] Surah al Baqarah: 245.

[3] Al Tabarani, vol. 16 pg. 165.

[4] Musnad Ahmed, Hadith: 12842; Sahih Ibn Hibban, vol. 6 pg. 113; and others.

[5] Ibn Mandah: Fath al Bab fi al Kuna wa al Alqab, pg. 307. He mentioned the narration of the Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mounting Abu al Dahdah’s horse, but without a sanad.

[6] Al Isti’ab, vol. 2 pg. 25; Tahdhib al Asma’, vol. 3 pg. 112; al Isabah, vol. 7 pg. 119 (for the facts mentioned in his biography).

[7] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 965; Musnad Ahmed, Hadith: 2866; Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith: 3180; Sunan al Tirmidhi, vol. 3 pg. 343.

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