أَبُو الدَّرْدَاء
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Abu ad-Darda'
Ansari · Came to Islam later than his clan · Judge of Damascus
may Allah be pleased with him
Khazraj, of Madinah · Madinah and Damascus, up to about 32 AH
An Ansari merchant who accepted Islam later than the rest of his people, then set trade aside once worship and commerce could not both have his full attention. He was later sent to teach the Qur'an in Syria and became judge of Damascus.
Known for
He accepted Islam later than the rest of his clan, and missed Badr but not the battles after it
He set trade aside because worship and commerce could not both have his full attention
He had been a merchant before Islam and kept it up for a time afterwards, then gave it up for worship and teaching. Salman al-Farisi later found him neglecting other duties for the sake of that worship, in the episode told below.
Umar sent him to Syria to teach the Qur'an
He was appointed judge of Damascus
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
A late convert
Abu ad-Darda' was of Khazraj in Madinah, a merchant by trade, and one of the last of his people to accept Islam. He missed the battle of Badr, but not the ones that followed it.
For a time afterwards he kept up his trade alongside his new faith, until he judged that the two could not both have the attention each deserved, and gave the trade up.
Teacher and judge in Damascus
Under Umar, he was sent to Syria along with others to teach the Qur'an, and he went on to settle in Damascus, where he gathered a wide circle of students.
He was later appointed judge of Damascus, a position he held into Uthman's caliphate.
He died in Damascus. The sources broadly agree on the caliphate in which it fell, though the precise year given for it varies.
How the sources describe him
He accepted correction about balancing worship against the other rights owed of him
He built one of the largest study circles for teaching the Qur'an in Damascus
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He confirmed Salman's advice to him as the truth, once Abu ad-Darda' reported it to him.
Paired with him as a brother by the Prophet ﷺ. Salman visited him in Madinah and told him to give each of the rights owed of him its due.
Sent together to Syria to teach the Qur'an there in Umar's caliphate.
Full timeline
- The early Madinan years
Accepts Islam later than the rest of his clan, after Badr
- The Madinan years
Salman visits him in Madinah, and the Prophet ﷺ confirms his advice
- During Umar's and Uthman's caliphates approximate
Sent to Syria to teach the Qur'an, and later becomes judge of Damascus
- The sources differ on the exact year approximate, reports differReports place his death in Uthman's caliphate but do not agree on the precise year.
Dies in Damascus
Part of
Sources & review
In reviewBased on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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