Safina, freedman of the Prophet

Safina, the freedman of the Messenger of God, whose kunya was Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, has his own chapter in the Book of Knowing the Companions of al-Hakim's [[work/al-mustadrak-ala-al-sahihayn|Mustadrak]]. ¹

Hashraj ibn Nubata relates that he asked Safina his name, and Safina said that his name had been Qays and the Prophet had called him Safina. The Prophet set out with his companions and their baggage weighed on them, so he told Qays to spread out his cloak; they put their baggage in it and loaded it on him, and the Prophet said: "Carry it, you are nothing but a ship (safina)." Safina used to say that had he carried that day the load of one camel, or two, or five, or six, it would not have weighed on him. Al-Hakim declared it sound, and al-Dhahabi agreed. ²

Through another chain, Safina Abu 'Abd al-Rahman says that Umm Salama freed him on condition that he serve the Prophet for as long as he lived. Al-Dhahabi passes over it without comment in the Talkhis. ³

Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir relates that Safina said: "I went to sea and the ship I was on broke up. I rode one of its planks, and it cast me into a thicket where there was a lion. It came at me, and I said: 'Abu al-Harith, I am the freedman of the Messenger of God.' It lowered its head, pushed me along with its shoulder until it had brought me out of the thicket and set me on the road, and then growled, as if bidding me farewell." Al-Hakim says it is sound on Muslim's condition, and al-Dhahabi in the Talkhis says the same. ³