`Uwaymar (or `Amir) ibn Zayd, known by his kunya Abu Al-Darda’, a companion of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) from the ansar.
A great scholar, imam, ascetic and hadith narrator.
 

He was originally trader in Madinah who converted from Judaism to Islam after hearing the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (s). He became a great scholar and hadith narrator, known for his ascetism. He was declared the brother of Salman the Persian. After the conquest of Damascus,`Umar b. al-Khattab appointed him as a judge over the city, and he remaind in that office during the rule of `Uthman b. Affan – may Alllah be pleased with them all.

He is buried, in the qibla wall of the Umawy mosque. A mosque is erected over his home in the citadel wall east of the Umawi mosque.

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See also http://www.sunnah.org/history/Sahaba/darda.html (From Alim® Online)

أبو الدرداء رضي الله عنه

صاحب المقالة: د. إبراهيم بن محمد الحقيل
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…أبو الدَّرْداء عُوَيْمرُ بنُ عامرٍ الأنصاريُّ الخزرجيُّ[6]، حكيم هذه الأمَّة كما في بعض المراسيل وأقوال السَّلف[7]. ثم كانت له أقوالٌ أكَّدت أن كلامَه كلامُ حكيم، قال رضيَ الله عنه: “كنتُ تاجرًا قبل أن يُبْعَث النبيُّ صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم فلما بُعِثَ محمَّدٌ؛ زاولتُ التجارة والعبادة؛ فلم تجتمعا؛ فأخذتُ العبادة وتركتُ التجارة”[8]. فهو رضيَ الله عنه لما رأى أن التجارة تزاحم العبادة، ورأى من نفسه عدم القدرة على جمعهما؛ أقبل على الأفضل…

Hz. Ebu’d Derda (r.a.)

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…
Ebüdderdâ ( radıyallahü anh ), Peygamberimizin ( aleyhisselâm ) vefâtından sonra Medine’de kalmaya tahammül edememiştir. Dolaştığı her yerde Resûlullahın ( aleyhisselâm ) hatırasını görüp, dayanamadığından Şam’a gidip, orada yerleşti. Hazreti Ömer’in isteği üzere Şam’da ders vermeye başladı. Çok sayıda âlim yetiştirdi. Tefsîr, hadîs, fıkıh ilimlerini öğretmesinin yanında, verdiği Kur’ân-ı kerîm dersleri meşhûrdur.
…

Hadith on the virtue of seeking knowledge
Hadith on the zuhd of Abu Darda

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Hadith on the virtue of seeking knowledge
Kathir ibn Qays said: “I was sitting with Abu al-Darda’ in the mosque of Damascus. A man came to him and said: Abu al-Darda’, I have come to you from the city of Allah’s Messenger for a narration I have heard that you relate from the Prophet (s). I have come for no other purpose.” He said: I heard Allah’s Messenger (s) say:
“If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise, the angels will lower their wings from good pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and the fish in the depth of the water will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the ordinary believer is like that of the moon on the night when it is full over the rest of the stars. The learned are the inheritors of the Prophets, and the Prophets have neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion.”

Abu Dawud narrated it in his Sunan as the first hadith of the book of `Ilm, also Ibn Majah and Darimi in the muqaddima of their Sunan, all of them with a weak chain which, however, is strengthened by the fact that Bukhari in his Sahih, Tirmidhi in his Sunan, Ahmad in his Musnad, Bayhaqi in his Sunan all narrate various parts of this hadith.

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Hadith on the zuhd of Abu Darda
Narrated Abu Juhaifa:

The Prophet made a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Ad-Darda.’ Salman paid a visit to Abu Ad-Darda’ and found Um Ad-Darda’ dressed in shabby clothes and asked her why she was in that state. She replied, “Your brother Abu Ad-Darda’ is not interested in (the luxuries of) this world.” In the meantime Abu Ad-Darda’ came and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman requested Abu Ad-Darda’ to eat (with him), but Abu Ad-Darda’ said, “I am fasting.” Salman said, “I am not going to eat unless you eat.” So, Abu Ad-Darda’ ate(with Salman). When it was night and (a part of the night passed), Abu Ad-Darda’ got up (to offer the night prayer), but Salman told him to sleep and Abu Ad-Darda’ slept. After sometime Abu Ad-Darda’ again got up but Salman told him to sleep. When it was the last hours of the night, Salman told him to get up then, and both of them offered the prayer. Salman told Abu Ad-Darda’, “Your Lord has a right on you, your soul has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who has a right on you.” Abu Ad-Darda’ came to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. The Prophet said, “Salman has spoken the truth.”

(Sahih Bukhari)

Abu Darda – the sahabi – is buried, with his wife Umm Darda’ al-Sughra (a tabi`i), in the qibla wall of the Umawy mosque. A mosque is erected over his home in the citadel wall east of the Umawi mosque.

His wife, Umm Darda’ al-Sughra, is buried with him. She was a tabi`i (of the generation next to the Prophet (sallAllahu `aleihi wa sallam).

1. Maqam of Abu Darda in the citadel wall in old Damascus

2. Outside the maqam

3. Maqam entrance

4. Inside the mosque

5. Tomb

Text references:
Ziarat al-Sham, bmk ziyarat 2001– 2008

Pictures:
1 and 4: www.al-musafir.com
2: Orooj ziiyarat 2006
3: http://ibnbattutah.blogspot.com/2005/04/

Damas Cultural Society © 2007
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