أَبُو ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيّ
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari
Early Muslim · He went looking · Of Ghifar
may Allah be pleased with him
Ghifar · Makkah, Madinah and ar-Rabadha, up to about 32 AH
He came to Makkah from a raiding tribe, looking for a man he had only heard rumours of. Having found him, he announced it in front of the Ka'bah and was beaten for it — then went home and brought his tribe.
Known for
He came looking for the Prophet ﷺ before most people had heard of him
He sent his brother to Makkah for news, was not satisfied with the answer, and went himself.
He announced his Islam at the Ka'bah and was beaten for it
He had been advised to keep it quiet. He went to the gathering and said it aloud, and was set upon.
He went back and brought much of his tribe with him
He kept almost nothing, and said so about others
Story
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Makkah
Abu Dharr was of Ghifar, a tribe with a reputation for raiding the caravan roads. Word reached him that a man in Makkah was claiming to be a prophet, and he sent his brother to find out. His brother came back with a report; Abu Dharr judged it insufficient and went himself.
Finding him took several days, and the reports have Ali helping him without either of them saying openly what was going on — which is a good indication of how dangerous the situation was.
Having accepted Islam, he was advised to keep it to himself. He did not, and what followed is set out in the moment below.
He then went back to his tribe, and much of Ghifar accepted Islam through him.
Later years
He came to Madinah later than most and remained associated with a severe personal austerity, which he did not confine to himself: he was outspoken about the accumulation of wealth by others.
He spent his last years at ar-Rabadha, outside Madinah, and died there. The circumstances in which he came to be living there involved a disagreement during Uthman's caliphate, which the classical sources report differently and which this record does not narrate.
The sources give his death as around 32 AH.
How the sources describe him
He was not diplomatic and did not try to be
He arrived on his own and left on his own
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He travelled to Makkah on a rumour to find him, and accepted Islam there.
Took him in during the days he spent in Makkah looking, and brought him to the Prophet ﷺ.
Full timeline
- The early Makkan years
Travels to Makkah to find the Prophet ﷺ, and accepts Islam
- The early Makkan years
Announces his Islam at the Ka'bah and is beaten
- Before the Hijrah
Returns to Ghifar, and much of the tribe accepts Islam
- Around 32 AH approximate
Dies at ar-Rabadha
Part of
Sources & review
Draft content — undergoing reviewThis content was written for SahabaMate and has not yet been checked by a reviewer against the works below. Treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
Sahih Muslimصحيح مسلم
Hadith collection · Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj
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
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