Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas - The Devout Worshiper
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This is the story of a man whose strong and intense worship led the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to mention the beauty of Islam’s principles multiple times: moderation. In his life, we see Abdullah (RA)’s strong belief, steady worship, and love for the Prophet ﷺ and the Holy Quran.
Background
Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas was an intelligent man, just like his father, Amr Ibn Al’Aas. Abdullah (RA) became a Muslim before his father, and remained honest and truthful in his Deen throughout his entire life. It was said that Noor (light) would emanate from his face. This is a figurative way to say that his Iman was so strong, he was blessed with a Holy Light (Noor). Abdullah (RA) would dedicate all of his time to his worship and would spend many consecutive days fasting and spend the whole standing in prayer. This was because as soon as he heard these commands from Allah SWT and the Messenger ﷺ, he wanted to follow through with what was asked of him.
It was said that Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas also treasured the Quran very much. Remember, at this time, the Quran was sent down in small parts and phrases, and it was not a whole complete book as it is now. Abdullah (RA) would learn each new part of the Quran and hold it near his heart. He would not only try his best to understand the verses, but implement them as well. If Abdullah (RA) was not in a state of Jihad (fighting for the sake of Allah SWT), then he would be fasting, praying, reciting Quran, and repeating Thikr.
Moderation of Faith
The regularity and amount of worship that Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas engaged in was so much that the Prophet ﷺ himself had to interfere. He told Abdullah that he had heard of his consistent fasting and night prayers without sleep. When Abdullah confirmed this, the Prophet ﷺ said it was enough to fast 3 days in one month. Abdullah responded that he was capable of doing more, which is why he did. So the Prophet ﷺ said that it was enough to fast twice a week. Again, Abdullah (RA) said that he was capable of more. So the Prophet ﷺ said that he can do what was considered the best form of fasting: the fasting of Prophet Dawud (AS). This was to fast on alternate days, meaning fast for one day, then not fasting the next.
The Prophet ﷺ then also brought up Abdullah (RA)’s recitation of the Quran. It was said that he would recite the entire Quran in one night. The Prophet ﷺ said that he worried when Abdullah (RA) would grow older that he would become tired from this habit. He encouraged him by saying it was enough to complete a full recitation of the Quran every 10 days, in one week, or every 3 days.
Once more, the Prophet ﷺ encouraged him to be moderate in his worship. He said that he, himself [the Prophet], would fast for some days, then leave fasting on other days. He would pray for portions of the night and sleep for portions of the night. He also reminded Abdullah (RA) that his family and his wife have rights (to be taken care of) and that whoever does not follow his Sunnah, is not one of his followers.
In this same setting, the Prophet ﷺ told Abdullah to obey and take care of his father, Amr Ibn Al’Aas. A true believer, Abdullah (RA) took every single word the Prophet ﷺ said very seriously and followed through with his advice.
Allegiance to Mo’awiyah
Abdullah (RA) lived a long life and continued to follow through with the advice of the Prophet ﷺ. During the Caliphate of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (RA), there was a division amongst the Muslims. There was a man by the name of Mo’awiyah who did not take the pledge of allegiance to Ali. This division had some Muslims pledging their allegiance to Ali (RA) as the leader of the Muslims, while others pledged their allegiance to Mo’awiyah. Amr Ibn Al’Aas, the father of Abdullah, pledged his allegiance to Mo’awiyah.
Because his father pledged his allegiance to Mo’awiyah and asked his son to join him, Abdullah felt he had no choice but to agree.
This was one of the ways that we see him take the advice of the Prophet ﷺ very seriously. Although he did not want to follow Mo’awiyah, he did so for his father’s sake.
The Battle of Siffin
When fighting broke out between the two groups of Muslims, Amr Ibn Al’Aas told Abdullah to prepare himself for battle. A group of Mo’awiyah’s followers were going to Siffin to fight and he wanted Abdullah to join the group. At first, Abdullah (RA) was hesitant and said how could he raise his sword against another Muslim when the Prophet ﷺ said that one should not fight another Muslim. Amr Ibn Al’Aas convinced his son by reminding him that the Prophet ﷺ also told him to obey his father, and that they will only go against the ones who killed Uthman Ibn Affan (RA). Abdullah set out with the group in obedience to his father, but still did not want to join in battle. He was thinking of ways to stay with the group to please his father without joining in the fighting.
Some narrations of hadith say that Abdullah did not join the fight at all, while others say that he joined for a short period of time before publicly standing up against Mo’awiyah. So what changed? Why did Abdullah change his stance on this fight?
The Killing of Ammar Ibn Yasir
Ammar Ibn Yasir (RA) was fighting with the Muslims following Ali (RA). He is a very important person in the history of Islam, and his parents, Yasir (RA) and Sumayya (RA), were the first martyrs in Islam. In this fight against the followers of Mo’awiyah, Ammar was killed. Word of his death spread amongst the Muslims and reached Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas. He was very upset!
When the Prophet ﷺ was alive and the Muslims were building the masjid in Medina, he was pleased and impressed with Ammar (RA)’s strength and intention to do good. He made a prophecy at this time and said, “May Allah SWT have Mercy on Ammar ibn Sumayya. He will be killed by the transgressing [wrongful] rebellious group. He will invite them to the words of Allah and they will invite him to the Hellfire.” SubhanAllah! A large group of Muslims witnessed this prophecy and here was Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas living the very moment!
When he heard of Ammar’s death, he was furious. The prophecy had come true and Ammar was killed by Mo’awiyah’s followers. This meant that Mo’awiyah and his followers were the wrongful rebels. Abdullah (RA) felt extreme guilt for having followed Mo’awiyah and publicly announced that his allegiance was no longer to Mo’awiyah and he saw them all fighting in the wrong way. He would go among the groups of Mo’awiyah’s followers and warn them that they were on the wrong side of this fight. When word of this reached Mo’awiyah, he called for Amr Ibn Al’Aas and Abdullah (RA). Abdullah stood his ground and said that the prophecy of the Prophet ﷺ had come true and he was no longer on the side of Mo’awiyah. They were fighting in the wrong and their destiny was going to be the Hellfire. Mo’awiyah and Abdullah’s father became very angry with these words. Abdullah continued to tell his father that if the Prophet ﷺ had not ordered him to obey his father, that he would never have followed him in allegiance to Mo’awiyah.
With this strong argument now standing against Amr Ibn Al’Aas and Mo’awiyah, they felt that everyone would not turn against them. They agreed with the words of the Prophet ﷺ and said that Mo’awiyah’s followers were not the ones who killed Ammar, but the one who convinced Ammar to fight against them would technically be the one who killed him. The people believed this and the fighting resumed. Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al’Aas returned to Medina and continued his worship.
Clearing the Air with Hussein Ibn Ali (RA)
One day, Abdullah (RA) was sitting in the masjid when Hussein Ibn Ali (RA) passed by him. They exchanged Salams and that was it. Abdullah (RA) said that this was one the dearest people to him on Earth but that Hussein has not spoken to him since the incident at Siffin. He wanted to make things right with this honorable man and went to visit him.
They sat together and the incident at Siffin was brought up. Hussein was hurt and offended that Abdullah (RA) would join Mo’awiyah and asked him what convinced him to do that. So, Abdullah told him the story of when the Prophet ﷺ said he must obey his father and that he felt he had no choice. He swore that he would never have joined had his father not convinced him, and confirmed that he never struck anyone with a sword, pierced anyone with a spear, or even shot an arrow while on Mo’awiyah’s side.
After this conversation, the relationship between Abdullah (RA) and Hussein (RA) was restored.
Abdullah (RA) continued to live a simple life filled with worship and died in the same way he lived. At the age of 72, he died while in prayer.