‘Abd Al-Rahman Ibn ‘Auf (3/3)

The Joyous News for ‘Abd ar-Rahman

The Prophet's (Peace be upon him) du'a of blessings for 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) accompanied him his whole life. He became the wealthiest of the Sahabah. His business kept growing. His caravans rivaled the old summer and winter caravans of the Quraish. Hundreds of camels, under his name and direction, continued coming to al­Madinah, bringing to its people wheat, flour, oils, clothes, pottery, brass, perfumes and everything they ever needed. Then, they would leave again, transporting the excess of the city's production, primarily dates.

One day, a huge caravan of seven hundred camels belonging to 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived in Madinah. As it entered the city, it was accompanied by the bustle and commotion that was always present at the arrival of a caravan. This time, however, the noise was so loud that the earth began to shake.

When 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked what was causing the shaking, she was told that it was coming from the caravan of 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) seven hundred camels carrying wheat, flour and food! She then announced, "May Allah bless what He gave him in this world and the reward in the world to come will be greater, for I heard Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) say, “ ‘Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf will enter the Jannah crawling.” "

Before the camels had knelt down, someone delivered the news of what 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had proclaimed to 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) about his entering the Jannah. He dropped everything and rushed to the house of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). When he was admitted he asked, "O Mother, did you hear Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) saying that?"

"Yes," she replied.

He was so happy that he said, "If I could, I would like to enter it walking. Be my witness, Mother - all these camels with their loads and their saddles shall be donated for the sake of Allah!"

From that great day on, when he learned that he was one of those Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) had seen in the Jannah, 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) spent even more money for the Muslims. Some of these deeds included giving two hundred ounces of gold as sadaqah, carrying Mujahidin in the way of Allah on five hundred horses, and then carrying other Mujahidin on one thousand, five hundred camels or horses. Alhamdu-li-Allah, all this money did not change or deceive 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him). When he was seen among his slaves, people could not distinguish him from them. He did not dress in a gaudy manner, nor did he dress his slaves poorly. Rather, he and his slaves dressed the same, as is ordered in the Qur'an.

His Last Will

When he was dying, 'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) liberated a great number of slaves. He also donated substantial money to many people around him-four hundred dinars of gold for each remaining one of those who fought at Badr, about one hundred servants, as well as a lot of money for the 'Ummahat al-Mu'minin. 'Umm al­Mu'minin 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) often made du'a for him, saying, "May Allah water him from the water of Al-Salsabil (a spring in Jannah)."

After all his donations, there was still a huge amount of money for his children. He left one thousand camels, one hundred horses, three hundred sheep. He had four wives and each one's share (which is the quarter of the eighth) was eighty thousand dinars. He left gold and silver that was divided between his inheritors with hoes. All of this because of Rasulullah's (Peace be upon him) du'a that he be blessed with money.

'Abd-ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) died at an old age. He was among the wisest and most respected of the great remaining members of the Sahabah. He had been among the six that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had said should select his successor. Many were present at his funeral; he was carried by Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), and 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, the man of the two lights, prayed over him. The beloved of Rasulullah (Peace be upon him), 'Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), bade him the final farewell from this world, saying: "You attained the serenity of this world and overcome its fraud. May Allah bless you."

May Allah bless his generosity in this world with all the blessings of the next.