Abu al-Darda

Abu al-Darda Uwaymir ibn Malik ibn Qays al-Ansari was from the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. He was among the last of the Ansar to accept Islam, reportedly converting around the time of the Battle of Badr or shortly after. Once he embraced the faith, however, he did so with an intensity of devotion that became legendary among the Companions. He devoted himself to worship, fasting frequently and spending long portions of the night in prayer. The Prophet paired Abu al-Darda with Salman al-Farisi in the brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar. This pairing proved significant, for when Salman visited Abu al-Darda and found his wife in a state of neglect — Abu al-Darda having given himself over entirely to worship — Salman advised him: 'Your Lord has a right over you, your soul has a right over you, and your family has a right over you, so give each their due right.' Abu al-Darda went to the Prophet and mentioned this, and the Prophet confirmed: 'Salman has spoken the truth.' This hadith is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari. Abu al-Darda participated in the battles after his conversion and was known for his courage. He was deeply learned in the Qur'an and was among those who collected and memorised it during the Prophet's lifetime. His sayings on asceticism and wisdom became widely quoted. He would say: 'The best of my worship is contemplation, and the best of my devotion is restraint.' He was also known to say: 'I seek refuge in Allah from the distraction of the heart,' meaning wealth that distracts from remembrance of Allah. Umar ibn al-Khattab appointed Abu al-Darda as the judge (qadi) of Damascus, where he also established circles for teaching the Qur'an. He built one of the most significant early centres of Qur'anic education in Syria, where over a thousand students would recite under his supervision, divided into groups of ten. He died in Damascus in 32 AH and was buried there, where his grave remains a known site to this day.