Hazrat Owais Al Qarni (Ra)

Uwais al-Qarni or "Oveys Gharani" (Arabic: أويس القرني) (died 657 A.D.) was a Muslim resident of Qaran in Yemen who lived during the lifetime of Muhammad. His grave is in Baykan, Siirt Turkey. Although his life was insignificant from a worldly point of view, he is renowned and honored among both Shia and Sunni Muslims, Sufis in particular, for his piety, practice of zuhd (asceticism), and love for Muhammad(PBUH).

Life of Uwais Al-Qarni

Uwais embraced Islam during Muhammad's lifetime but he could not present himself before Muhammad(PBUH) because he looked after his elderly, blind mother and thus remained deprived of the honour of companionship. It is said that he spent his hours in solitude, fasting, night vigil and salat (prayers). In honour of Muhammad(PBUH), who at the Battle of Uhud in 625, had lost two of his teeth, Uwais al-Qarni drew out his own teeth. Muhammad(PBUH) called him the best of the Tabieen (successors) and he advised his companions to, “Get him to pray for your forgiveness.”

Abu Amar Owais Bin Harb Bin al Muradi bin al Qarn [d.37H/657CE] 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan

 

His name was Owais, he was known as Owais al-Qarni because he lived in a town called "Qarn" in Yemen. Hadrat Owais Qarni (Allah be pleased with him) was a very pious and noble person. Although his life was insignificant from a worldly point of view, he is renowned and honoured amongst all Muslims, Sufis in particular, for his piety, practice of zuhd (asceticism), as well as a deep love and affection for the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings upon him). It is said that he spent all his hours in solitude, fasting, night vigil and salat (prayers).

He had embraced Islam while the Beloved Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) was still alive. He naturally had a very strong desire to see the Prophet but since his mother was very old and she needed his constant care and attention, he could not visit the Beloved of Allah. As a reward of his service to his mother, he was treated as a Sahabi (Companion of Prophet) by the Prophet (Peace & Blessings upon him) even though he could not see him personally. His name entered the list of Sahaba only because of his strong intention to see the Allahs Beloved Messenger (Peace & Blessings upon him). 

Qadi Abu Yusuf 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan (d.182H/798CE)

Qadi Abu Yusuf was a descendent of the Ansar and Sahaba Hadrat Sa'd b. Sibat. Born in Kufa in 113 or 117 H and passed away on the 5th of Rabi' al-Awwal 182 H. Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Shaibani was born in 135 H and passed away in 189 H. He attended for about 2 yrs the lectures of Imam Abu Hanifah Radi Allahu anhu, and upon the latter's death, he completed his education under Abu Yusuf. He also studied for 3 yrs the Muwatta of Imam Malik Radi Allahu anhu under the great Imam himself, in Medina.

Al-Qasim ibn 'Uthman al-Ju'i 'alayhi al-rahmah wal-ridwan (d.248H / 862CE)

One of the great saints of Damascus who took hadith from Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna. Ibn al-Jawzi relates in 'Sifat al-safwa' that al-Ju'i explained that he got the name al-Ju'i ('of the hunger') because Allah had strengthened him against physical hunger by means of spiritual hunger. He said:

Even if I were left one month without food I would not care. O' Allah, you have done this with me: Therefore complete it for me!

SHAMS AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI writes about him in 'Siyar a'lam al-nubala':

Imam Muhammad Ibn al Hasan al Shaibani, 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l ridwan (d.189H/805CE)

An eminent Hanafi scholar of his time, who also served as the Chief Justice in Baghdad. Imam al-Muhammad b. al-Hasan Shaibani was born in 135 Hijri and passed away in 189 Hijri. He attended for about 2 years the lectures of Imam Abu Hanifah alayhir rahman, and upon the latter's death, he completed his education under Abu Yusuf alayhir rahman. He also studied for 3 yrs the Muwatta of Imam Malik alayhir rahman under the great Imam himself, in Madina. The great Imam, Imam Shafi'i alayhir rahman said:

"Whenever Imam Muhammad expounded a point of law, it seemed as if the revealing Angel had descended upon him."

"I acquired from Imam Muhammad a camel-load of learning"

Ibn Hajar alayhir rahman quotes Imam Shafi'i as having said:

Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shayba 'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan (d.235 H - 849 CE)

'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Shayba Ibrahim ibn 'Uthman ibn Khuwasta, Abu Bakr al-'Abasi (d. 235), described by SHAMS' AL-DIN AL-DHAHABI as the brother, father, and uncle of hadith masters and their most prestigious representative, "the master of hadith masters," "one of those who have reached the sky, an apex of trustworthiness," "one of the oceans of knowledge," the author of al-Musnad, al-Ahkam, al-Musannaf, and al-Tafsir, "one of the peers of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahuyah, and 'Ali ibn al-Madini in age, place of birth, and hadith memorization." Abu Zur'a al-Razi said:

"I never saw anyone with more mastery of the hadith than Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shayba."

His scholarly relatives are: his brothers 'Uthman ibn Abi Shayba and al-Qasim ibn Abi Shayba; his son Ibrahim ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abi Shayba; and his nephew Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Uthman ibn Abi Shayba. All are hadith masters except al-Qasim, who is weak.'Abd Allah ibn Abi Shayba took hadith from Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi at age fourteen, Ibn al-Mubarak, Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna, Hushaym ibn Bashir, Waki' ibn al-Jarrah, Yahya al-Qattan, Isma'il ibn 'Iyash, Isma'il ibn 'Ulayya, and other major authorities. From him took Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Zur'a, Ibn Abi 'Asim, Buqayy ibn Makhlad, al-Baghandi, Abu Ya'la al-Musili, Salih Jazara, 'Abdan, Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi, and others.

Seven centuries had passed since afore said Zubaydah canal was created and now it was in its worst with the passage of time despite being looked after by the subsequent rulers. Almost all the wells and springs had gone dried and dead and Zubaydah canal was filled with shifting sand and stones and its concrete wall was broken here and there and water was no more once again. It was the year 965H (1557 A.D) when all those days had returned which had urged Zubaydah to come to the rescue.

Fortunately another Zubaydah had come in to the world in the shape of the Turk princess Fatimah Khanum, daughter of the great ‘Uthman ruler Sultan Salim. When the things came to her knowledge, she under took to solve the problem once for all. She assigned the task to her trusted aide Ibrahim ibn Takrim to restore the canal and extend it to Makkah to bring it in to the easy reach of every Makkan and the pilgrims.