The Companion Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As

Noble Lineage of Abdullah ibn Amr

He is Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As ibn Wa'il ibn Hashim ibn Sa'id ibn Sahm ibn Amr ibn Husays ibn Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy al-Qurashi al-Sahmi. His kunya (nickname) was Abu Abdur-Rahman, and his mother was Rayta bint Munabbih ibn al-Hajjaj al-Sahmi. It is said that his name was originally al-As, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) changed it.

His Age at the Time of Embracing Islam

He accepted Islam before his father, and there were only twelve years between their births. He asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) for permission to write what he heard from him, and the Prophet allowed him. Abdullah said: "I memorized one thousand hadiths from the Messenger of Allah".

Key Traits of Abdullah ibn Amr

His Love for Jihad in the Cause of Allah

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: "We were present at Ajnadayn, and we were 20,000 at the time under the command of Amr ibn al-As. Allah defeated the enemy, and a group fled to Fihl during the caliphate of Umar. So Amr marched with the army and expelled them from Fihl".

In the year 27 AH, Caliph Uthman removed Amr ibn al-As from Egypt and appointed Abdullah ibn Sa'd. Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr joined him in the campaign in Africa. They encountered Jerjir near Sbeitla, two days from Kairouan. Jerjir commanded 200,000 (some say 120,000), while the Muslims were only 20,000.

Weeping from the Fear of Allah

Abdullah ibn Amr said: "If a man from the people of Hell were brought to this world, the people would die from the horror of his appearance and the stench of his odor". Then he wept intensely.

Some of His Interactions with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

• On one journey, the Prophet ﷺ caught up with them as they were performing ablution. They were wiping only their feet lightly, so the Prophet exclaimed loudly: "Woe to the heels from the Fire!" — he said it two or three times.
• During the Farewell Pilgrimage, a man said: "I shaved before sacrificing". The Prophet said: "Sacrifice, and there is no harm". Another said: "I sacrificed before throwing the pebbles". He said: "Throw, and there is no harm".
• The Prophet said to him: "O Abdullah, do not be like so-and-so who used to stand at night in prayer and then stopped doing so".
• The Prophet said: "Have I not been informed that you fast all day and pray all night?" Abdullah replied: "Yes". The Prophet said: "Do not do so. Fast and break your fast. Pray and sleep. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right, your wife has a right, your guest has a right. It is sufficient to fast three days a month. That equals fasting all year". Abdullah said: "I have strength to do more". The Prophet said: "Then fast the fast of Prophet Dawud — half the days — and do not exceed it".
• Later in life, Abdullah said: "I wish I had accepted the Prophet’s allowance".

Abdullah ibn Amr Interactions with the Companions

With Mu'adh ibn Jabal

Mu’adh would narrate things others hadn’t heard and stay silent on what they had. When Abdullah ibn Amr heard this, he said: "By Allah, I never heard the Prophet say this. Mu’adh is close to misleading you". When this reached Mu’adh, he responded: "O Abdullah! Denying a hadith from the Prophet is hypocrisy. The sin is on the one who fabricated it. I heard the Prophet say: 'Beware of the three cursed things: defecating at water sources, in the shade, or in the middle of a path.'"

On the Killing of Ammar ibn Yasir

Abdullah said to his father: "Didn’t you hear the Prophet say to Ammar: ‘Woe to you, son of Sumayyah! The transgressing group will kill you’?" Amr turned to Mu’awiyah and said: "Do you hear what he says?" Mu’awiyah said: "You always bring us trouble. Did we kill him? Those who brought him are responsible".

With His Father at Death

When Amr ibn al-As was dying, he wept deeply. Abdullah said: "Why this fear, father, when the Prophet used to honor you?" Amr replied: "My son, I don't know whether that was love or just strategy. But I testify that the Prophet died loving two men: Ammar ibn Yasir and Abdullah ibn Mas’ud". Then he placed his hand under his beard and said: "O Allah, You commanded and we disobeyed, You forbade and we transgressed — Your forgiveness is all we hope for". He kept repeating this until he passed away.

Abdullah ibn Amr's Influence on Others

• Atiyyah ibn Yasar asked Abdullah about the Prophet's description in the Torah. Abdullah said: "Yes, by Allah, he is described there as: 'O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, and a warner... You are My servant and messenger. I called you the Reliant One. You are not harsh or loud in the markets. You do not repay evil with evil but forgive and pardon...'"
• Masruq said: When we visited Abdullah ibn Amr in Kufa, he said: "The Prophet was not foul-mouthed. The best of you are those with the best manners".
• Khaythamah reported: A servant came and said the food wasn’t given to the workers. Abdullah said: "Go give them their food. The Prophet said: 'It is enough sin for a man to withhold the sustenance of those he owns.'"

Abdullah ibn Amr: Knowledge of the Qur’an and Its Interpretation

• Al-Thawri said that Abdullah interpreted the verse [7:175] as referring to Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt.
• Abdullah said: "Whoever repents a year, a month, a day, even an hour before death — his repentance is accepted". Someone asked about [4:18], and Abdullah replied: "I tell you what I heard from the Prophet".
• Regarding [7:172], Abdullah said: "Allah took the descendants from Adam like a comb removes hair from the head".

Hadiths Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

• "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe, and the emigrant is the one who leaves what Allah has forbidden".
• When asked: "Which Islam is best?" he replied: "Feeding others and greeting those you know and those you don’t".
• "Four traits — whoever has them is a pure hypocrite: when entrusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it; and when he argues, he transgresses".
• "Whoever lies about me intentionally, let him take his seat in the Fire".

Sayings of Abdullah ibn Amr

He said the carrier of the Qur’an should not engage in foolishness or ignorance, but instead be forgiving for the sake of Allah’s words within him. He should avoid suspicion, excessive laughter, and idle talk. He should be humble, stay away from arrogance and worldly matters if they risk corrupting him, avoid arguments, and be gentle and well-mannered.

He should keep good company that supports righteousness, stay away from slanderers, and reflect the dignity of the Qur’an he carries. He should act on what he recites, understand what he reads, and not be like a donkey carrying books, reading but not understanding.

He should distinguish Meccan from Medinan verses to recognize what was abrogated and what abrogated it, understand Arabic grammar and rare expressions to avoid confusion in interpretation.

Death of Abdullah ibn Amr

He died in the year 65 AH. He was younger than his father by 12 years. He was known for his piety, knowledge, and high status. He criticized his father for participating in the civil war, but still obeyed him out of respect for their familial bond.