Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf

Abdur-Rahman was originally named Abd Amr, and the Prophet renamed him Abdur-Rahman. He was one of the eight people who accepted Islam before the Prophet entered Dar al-Arqam, brought to Islam by Abu Bakr. When the brotherhood (mu'akhah) was established in Madinah, he was paired with Sa'd ibn ar-Rabi' of the Ansar. Sa'd offered to split his wealth and even divorce one of his wives so that Abdur-Rahman could marry her. Abdur-Rahman's response became legendary: 'May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. Just show me where the marketplace is.' He went to the market and began trading, and within a short time he had accumulated significant wealth through honest commerce. He fought at Badr, Uhud, and all the major battles. At Uhud, he sustained over twenty wounds, one of which left him with a permanent limp. He was known for his extraordinary generosity — he once donated an entire trade caravan of 700 camels laden with goods for the cause of Allah. Aisha reported that the Prophet said: 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf is among the truthful, and he will enter Paradise crawling' — a reference to how his wealth would slow his accounting, though he would ultimately enter Paradise. Umar appointed him to the consultative council (shura) that would choose the third Caliph, and it was Abdur-Rahman who conducted the consultation and pledged allegiance to Uthman.