Abu al-Darda' (Uwaymir)

أبو الدرداء عويمر

Uwaymir al-Ansari al-Khazraji, known by his kunya; it is said he embraced Islam the day of Badr, he fought well at Uhud, where the Prophet ﷺ said 'what a fine horseman Uwaymir is' and called him the wise man of his community; he had been a merchant before the mission; he died in 32 AH on the account of al-Waqidi and others, and hadith scholars hold it was in Uthman's caliphate.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
Companion
Counted among
Sunni
Era
The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Arabia
Identifiers
Wikidata
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

Scripture and its sciences

Place in the story

  • CompanionTradition

Sunni (transmitted)

Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.

Summary

Abu al-Darda — "famed by his kunya and his name alike", as Ibn Hajar says; his name is Uwaymir ibn Qays al-Ansari al-Khazraji 1. His name is disputed — some say it is Amir and Uwaymir a nickname, as al-Asma'i asserted — and his father's name is disputed: Amir, Malik, Tha'laba, Abdullah or Zayd 1.

His conversion and Uhud

Abu Shahr said from Sa'id ibn Abd al-Aziz: he became Muslim on the day of Badr, witnessed Uhud and fought gallantly there 2. Ibn Hajar relates from Shurayh ibn Ubayd that the Prophet said on the day of Uhud: "what a fine horseman Uwaymir is", and said "he is the sage of my community" 3.

Trade and Islam

Al-A'mash said from Khaythama from him: I was a merchant before the mission, then tried trade after Islam and the two could not be joined 3. Ibn Hibban said Mu'awiya appointed him judge of Damascus in Umar's caliphate 3.

Transmission from him

He related from the Prophet and from Zayd ibn Thabit (may God be pleased with him), A'isha, Abu Umama and Fadala ibn Ubayd (may God be pleased with him); from him relate his son Bilal, his wife Umm al-Darda', Abu Idris al-Khawlani, Suwayd ibn Ghafla, Jubayr ibn Nufayr, Zayd ibn Wahb, Alqama ibn Qays and others 3.

His death: the differing views

Abu Shahr said from Sa'id ibn Abd al-Aziz: Abu al-Darda' and Ka'b al-Ahbar died in the last two years of Uthman's caliphate; al-Waqidi and a group said he died in year thirty-two; Ibn Abd al-Barr said he died after Siffin — and the soundest view among the hadith scholars is that he died in Uthman's caliphate 3.

Connections

Explore the connections

Member of
The Ansar
Participated in
The Battle of Uhud· The Conquest of Damascus· Umar's Monthly Rations
Mentioned in
Muwatta 564· Muwatta 583· Muwatta 1848· Muwatta 2232

People and things also explored

Umar ibn al-Khattab· Malik ibn Anas· Ubayy ibn Ka'b· Muwatta, Book of Prayer· Abd Allah ibn Jubayr ibn al-Numan al-Ansari· Abu Dujana· Abu Talha al-Ansari· Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah

Sources

  1. al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba — Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , p. 1161
  2. al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba — Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , pp. 1161-1162
  3. al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba — Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , p. 1162
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Abu al-Darda' (Uwaymir)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/abu-al-darda/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-19.

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Wing

People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story.
Related

Umar ibn al-Khattab

Second caliph (634–644); under his rule the early community conquered Syria, Egypt and much of the Sasanian Empire. Remembered in Sunni tradition as al-Faruq, the model of just rule. ومن مناقبه في الصحيح القصر الذي رآه له النبي في الجنة فأخلى النظر إليه حياءً لغيرته ، ولبن الرؤيا الذي أوله النبي بالعلم فناوله إياه. ويروي هو صعوده إلى مشربة النبي حين اعتزل أزواجه فرأى أثر الحصير في جنبه فبكى فقال له «أما ترضى أن تكون لهم الدنيا ولنا الآخرة». ورأى حلة سيراء عند باب المسجد فعرضها على النبي ليلبسها يوم الجمعة وللوفد فقال «إنما يلبسها من لا خلاق له في الآخرة» ثم أهداها إليه بعد فكساها أخاً له مشركاً بمكة.