الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ مَالِك
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Al-Bara' ibn Malik
Ansari of Khazraj · Brother of Anas ibn Malik · The garden of death at Yamamah
may Allah be pleased with him
Khazraj — Banu an-Najjar, of Madinah · Madinah, into the Riddah campaigns and the years beyond, up to about the early 20s AH
The full brother of Anas ibn Malik, remembered for a courage so pronounced that even his own commanders were wary of it. At Yamamah he had himself thrown over the wall of a fortified garden to open its gate from inside, at heavy cost to himself.
Known for
His personal courage was pronounced enough that Umar is reported to have been wary of giving him command
Umar is reported to have written to his commanders that Al-Bara' should not be placed in charge of a unit, from concern that his own daring would draw the men following him into unnecessary danger.
Later generations connected him with the saying about a dishevelled man whose oath, sworn by Allah, Allah fulfils
The saying itself, reported from the Prophet ﷺ, does not name him. The biographical works identify Al-Bara' as the man his brother Anas had in mind in applying it.
At Yamamah he had himself thrown over the wall of a fortified garden, and opened its gate from inside
Musaylimah's forces had barricaded themselves inside a walled garden. Al-Bara' asked to be lifted over the wall alone, fought his way to the gate, and opened it, letting the rest of the army in. He was very badly wounded doing it.
He survived Yamamah despite his wounds, and was killed years later in the campaigns beyond Arabia
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
Brother of Anas
Al-Bara' ibn Malik was the full brother of Anas ibn Malik, both sons of Malik ibn an-Nadr, of Banu an-Najjar in Madinah.
Where Anas became known for the length and closeness of his service to the Prophet ﷺ, Al-Bara' became known for something almost opposite in temperament: a courage so pronounced that it worried the people who had to manage it.
The Riddah campaigns, and after
After the Prophet ﷺ died, Al-Bara' fought in the campaigns against those who broke away from Islam — the Riddah campaigns, which this record names but does not narrate.
The best-attested single episode from that period is the garden of death at Yamamah, set out in the moment below. He survived it, badly wounded, and continued serving afterward. He was killed years later in the fighting beyond Arabia; the sources do not agree on exactly where or when.
How the sources describe him
Fearless enough that his own commanders were wary of it
He kept going at the garden of death despite wounds that would have stopped most men
Connect
People around him
Family
His full brother, both sons of Malik ibn an-Nadr, of Banu an-Najjar in Madinah.
Alongside
Fought under his command at Yamamah, including at the garden of death.
Full timeline
- The Riddah campaigns
Fights in the campaigns against those who broke away after the Prophet's ﷺ death
- 12 AH
Opens the gate at the garden of death, Yamamah
- The years after Yamamah
Continues serving after Yamamah, despite his wounds
- Reported variously in the later 10s to early 20s AH approximate, reports differReports differ on the year, the place — commonly given as the campaigns in Khuzistan — and the specific engagement.
Killed in the campaigns beyond Arabia
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
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
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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