77 – ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us; Shujāʿ ibn Makhlad narrated to us; ʿAbbād ibn al-ʿAwwām narrated to us; from Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq; from Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm ibn al-Ḥārith al-Taymī, who said:

A man from the tribe of Muzaynah, who lived on the outskirts of Madinah, was under the guardianship of his paternal uncle, who supported him and kept him in his charge. The man wished to embrace Islam, whereupon his uncle said, “If you become Muslim, I will take back everything I have ever given you.” The man nevertheless accepted Islam, so his uncle stripped him of everything he had provided, even the izār (lower wrap) and the ridāʾ (upper cloak) he was wearing. The man went off to his mother unclothed. She took a bijād of hers—a coarse cloak made of hair or wool—cut it in two, he tied one half around his waist and threw the other over his shoulders, and then he came to the Prophet ﷺ and performed the dawn prayer with him.

Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ completed the fajr prayer, he would survey the congregation ⦗33⦘ and look at their faces. Seeing the man, he asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā”—that was the name by which he had been known. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Rather, you are ʿAbd Allāh Dhū al-Bijādayn. Stay close to us and remain in our company.” From that time he remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and under his care.

When he rose at night to pray, he would raise his voice in supplication, seeking forgiveness and glorifying Allah. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said, “O Messenger of Allah, is he showing off?” He replied, “Leave him; he is one of the awāhīn (those who are fervently devoted in supplication).”

During the expedition of Tabūk he went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there he died. Ibn Masʿūd said: “One night I noticed a fire on the edge of the camp and asked, ‘What is that?’ I approached and found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, and no fourth person with them. Dhū al-Bijādayn had passed away, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was down in the grave saying, ‘Hand me your brother.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ laid him on his side and then said three times, ‘O Allah, I have ended this day pleased with him, so be pleased with him.’ Ibn Masʿūd added, ‘How I wish I had been in his place in that grave.’”