Suhaib Ibn Sinân

O people of Quraish… You know that I am one of the most skilful of archers amongst you… By Allah, you will never get to me until I throw you with every arrow I have, then I will hit you with my sword, or with whatever I have left in my hand… If you are after my money, I shall lead you to its place… They said: Then lead us to your money, and we shall set you free… They agreed to that, and he showed them where his money was…

That was what Suhaib Ibn Sinân -known as Suhaib Ar-Rûmî (Suhaib the Greek)- told the people of Quraish who had gone after him while he was going out of Makkah, trying to catch up with Allah’s Prophet in Al-Madînah, immigrating to him… Suhaib told them the truth about where his money was and they believed him… For Suhaib would not lie, as he was one of the earliest men to become a Muslim -while Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was still at Al ’Arqam’s house inviting the people to Islam secretly-… Indeed, a believer would not lie, nor would he keep back his money in return for sacrificing his religion, or enforcing the immigration to Allah and His Prophet… He was a man who had endured suffering beyond what any human can endure… He was one of the seven men who had declared themselves as Muslims in Makkah and was dressed in iron armours and left to burn in the sun… Suhaib and ‘Ammâr Ibn Yâsir had become Muslims on the same day, after over only thirty men had become Muslims…

As the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said about him, being the first of Ar-Rûm (Greeks) in Islam: “The Preceding men are four… I am the preceding Arab, Suhaib is the preceding Ar-Rûm (Greek), Salmân is the preceding Persian and Bilâl is the preceding Ethiopian”[1].

Suhaib Ibn Sinân joined Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, in Qubâ’, before entering Al-Madînah … At the same time, Jibrîl had come down to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, with Allah’s words, concerning Suhaib and what he had done: (And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allâh. And Allâh is full of Kindness to (His) slaves). (Al-Baqarah “The Cow”,207).

When Suhaib went to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, he was very pleased to see him, and smiled to him and said: “A good deal has been won ’Abâ Yahya… A good deal has been won ’Abâ Yahya”[2]…

Ever since, Suhaib became from As-Suffah[3] people who had dedicated themselves to learning the Qur’ân, worshipping Allah, and staying close to Allah’s Prophet wherever he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, went… Suhaib joined in all the conquests including Badr, ’Uhud, and Al Khandaq… Whenever Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, went out to war, he was with him… In every Bai‘ah (pledge), he was also present… Even in every squadron, he was with him… In any conquest, he was on his right or on his left… Whenever the Muslims feared the enemy attacking from the front, he would go in front… And whenever they feared the enemy attacking them from the back, he would protect them from the back… Until Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, died, he always came between him, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and the enemy…

During the Khilafat (Caliphate) -Ruling time- of ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq and ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb, may Allah be pleased with them, Suhaib remained as a worshipper, fighting in the Cause of Allah, carrying the Qur’ân in his heart and applying its rules… He relates Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, words: “Whoever permits the prohibited in the Qur’ân, is not a believer in the Qur’ân”[4]… And so he was very careful in staying away from all that is prohibited in the Qur’ân… He was a generous, open-handed person with his money…

‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb, may Allah be pleased with him, loved Suhaib dearly and was close to him… One day he goes to Suhaib saying: I can’t find in you Suhaib any defects, except three things, without which, no one else would rank higher to me than you… I know you are an Arab, and yet you speak as a foreigner… You are nick-named ’Abâ Yahya and that is a Prophet’s name… And you are extravagant with your money… Suhaib said: As for my extravagance, I have never spent it except in the right place… And as for my being nick-named ’Abâ Yahya, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, named me by ’Abâ Yahya, therefore I would not change it… And finally for my being an Arab, Ar-Rûm (Greeks) had taken me as a slave in my youth, so I am influenced by their accent… I am proud to be a man from An-Namr Ibn Qâssit (An Arab tribe) with every part of me, and I would not be ashamed to be a part of them in all their conditions…

‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb’s special appreciation to Suhaib is apparent when ‘Umar is stabbed by ’Abû Lu’lu’ah Al Magûsî and he appoints Suhaib to lead the people in prayer for three days, until the six men of As-Shûrah (consultation) choose a new Khalifah (Caliph)… And although Suhaib’s accent was rather foreign, he was still chosen as Imâm in prayer, and ‘Umar asked that when he died, Suhaib would also be Imâm in the funeral prayer… For he was one of the first men to become a Muslim, and one of the four preceding men in Islam who related from Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, words: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, and the people of Hell enter Hell a caller calls: O people of Paradise… You have a time to meet with Allah which He wishes to grant you… They say: And what is that?!… For haven’t Allah rewarded us, enriched our status, enlightened our faces, sent us to Paradise and brought us out of Hell?… Then the veil between Allah and them is set aside, so they look at Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, nothing from all what they have been given is more loveable to them than just looking at Him… for that is the true abundance”[5]…

(For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allâh, Glory and Majesty,…..). (Yûnus “Jonah”,26).

Death is near… Suhaib Ibn Sinân dies in the year 38 (thirty eight)of Hijrah… He is buried in Baqî‘ near Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, companions who have been well rewarded by Allah… When he died, he was 73 (seventy three) years old…

[1] As Imâm Ibn Al-Atheer narrated that Anas Ibn Mâlik (may Allah be pleased with him) said.

[2] Narrated by Tabarâni and Al-Byhaqî.

[3] As-Suffah: A shaded place in the Mosque of the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, at Al-Madînah in which poor people (emigrants) used to take shelter.

[4] Narrated by At Tirmidhi.

[5] Narrated by Imâm Ahmad.

	A Good Deal Has Been Won ’Abâ Yahya Suhaib Ibn Sinân May Allah be pleased with him
	Back To Main Page Back To Amongst The Prophet’s Companions
	O people of Quraish… You know that I am one of the most skilful of archers amongst you… By Allah, you will never get to me until I throw you with every arrow I have, then I will hit you with my sword, or with whatever I have left in my hand… If you are after my money, I shall lead you to its place… They said: Then lead us to your money, and we shall set you free… They agreed to that, and he showed them where his money was… That was what Suhaib Ibn Sinân -known as Suhaib Ar-Rûmî (Suhaib the Greek)- told the people of Quraish who had gone after him while he was going out of Makkah, trying to catch up with Allah’s Prophet in Al-Madînah, immigrating to him… Suhaib told them the truth about where his money was and they believed him… For Suhaib would not lie, as he was one of the earliest men to become a Muslim -while Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was still at Al ’Arqam’s house inviting the people to Islam secretly-… Indeed, a believer would not lie, nor would he keep back his money in return for sacrificing his religion, or enforcing the immigration to Allah and His Prophet… He was a man who had endured suffering beyond what any human can endure… He was one of the seven men who had declared themselves as Muslims in Makkah and was dressed in iron armours and left to burn in the sun… Suhaib and ‘Ammâr Ibn Yâsir had become Muslims on the same day, after over only thirty men had become Muslims… As the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said about him, being the first of Ar-Rûm (Greeks) in Islam: “The Preceding men are four… I am the preceding Arab, Suhaib is the preceding Ar-Rûm (Greek), Salmân is the preceding Persian and Bilâl is the preceding Ethiopian”[1]. Suhaib Ibn Sinân joined Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, in Qubâ’, before entering Al-Madînah … At the same time, Jibrîl had come down to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, with Allah’s words, concerning Suhaib and what he had done: *(And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allâh. And Allâh is full of Kindness to (His) slaves). (Al-Baqarah* “The Cow”,207). When Suhaib went to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, he was very pleased to see him, and smiled to him and said: “A good deal has been won ’Abâ Yahya… A good deal has been won ’Abâ Yahya”[2]… Ever since, Suhaib became from As-Suffah[3] people who had dedicated themselves to learning the Qur’ân, worshipping Allah, and staying close to Allah’s Prophet wherever he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, went… Suhaib joined in all the conquests including Badr, ’Uhud, and Al Khandaq… Whenever Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, went out to war, he was with him… In every Bai‘ah (pledge), he was also present… Even in every squadron, he was with him… In any conquest, he was on his right or on his left… Whenever the Muslims feared the enemy attacking from the front, he would go in front… And whenever they feared the enemy attacking them from the back, he would protect them from the back… Until Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, died, he always came between him, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and the enemy… During the Khilafat (Caliphate) -Ruling time- of ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq and ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb, may Allah be pleased with them, Suhaib remained as a worshipper, fighting in the Cause of Allah, carrying the Qur’ân in his heart and applying its rules… He relates Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, words: “Whoever permits the prohibited in the Qur’ân, is not a believer in the Qur’ân”[4]… And so he was very careful in staying away from all that is prohibited in the Qur’ân… He was a generous, open-handed person with his money… ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb, may Allah be pleased with him, loved Suhaib dearly and was close to him… One day he goes to Suhaib saying: I can’t find in you Suhaib any defects, except three things, without which, no one else would rank higher to me than you… I know you are an Arab, and yet you speak as a foreigner… You are nick-named ’Abâ Yahya and that is a Prophet’s name… And you are extravagant with your money… Suhaib said: As for my extravagance, I have never spent it except in the right place… And as for my being nick-named ’Abâ Yahya, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, named me by ’Abâ Yahya, therefore I would not change it… And finally for my being an Arab, Ar-Rûm (Greeks) had taken me as a slave in my youth, so I am influenced by their accent… I am proud to be a man from An-Namr Ibn Qâssit (An Arab tribe) with every part of me, and I would not be ashamed to be a part of them in all their conditions… ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb’s special appreciation to Suhaib is apparent when ‘Umar is stabbed by ’Abû Lu’lu’ah Al Magûsî and he appoints Suhaib to lead the people in prayer for three days, until the six men of As-Shûrah (consultation) choose a new Khalifah (Caliph)… And although Suhaib’s accent was rather foreign, he was still chosen as Imâm in prayer, and ‘Umar asked that when he died, Suhaib would also be Imâm in the funeral prayer… For he was one of the first men to become a Muslim, and one of the four preceding men in Islam who related from Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, words: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, and the people of Hell enter Hell a caller calls: O people of Paradise… You have a time to meet with Allah which He wishes to grant you… They say: And what is that?!… For haven’t Allah rewarded us, enriched our status, enlightened our faces, sent us to Paradise and brought us out of Hell?… Then the veil between Allah and them is set aside, so they look at Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, nothing from all what they have been given is more loveable to them than just looking at Him… for that is the true abundance”[5]… Meaning what is mentioned in Allah’s words: *(For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allâh, Glory and Majesty,…..). (Yûnus* “Jonah”,26). Death is near… Suhaib Ibn Sinân dies in the year 38 (thirty eight)of Hijrah… He is buried in Baqî‘ near Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, companions who have been well rewarded by Allah… When he died, he was 73 (seventy three) years old… Back To Main Page Back To Amongst The Prophet’s Companions [1] As Imâm Ibn Al-Atheer narrated that Anas Ibn Mâlik (may Allah be pleased with him) said. [2] Narrated by Tabarâni and Al-Byhaqî. [3] As-Suffah: A shaded place in the Mosque of the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, at Al-Madînah in which poor people (emigrants) used to take shelter. [4] Narrated by At Tirmidhi. [5] Narrated by Imâm Ahmad.

May Allah be pleased with him