Personalities

Hassan bin Thabit defended the Prophet through poetry against the Quraysh poets. He is titled the poet of the Prophet.

Jalaluddin Rumi’s Mathnawi is a major work of Sufi poetry. He is associated with Konya in Anatolia.

Tafhim-ul-Quran is Maududi’s Urdu commentary on the Quran. It has been translated into several languages.

Maria was sent by Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, in response to the Prophet’s letter. Her son Ibrahim died in infancy.

Hamza accepted Islam during the Makkan period, strengthening the Muslims. He was martyred at Uhud.

Ibn al-Haytham’s work on optics established experimental method in the field. He is known in Europe as Alhazen.

Zaid bin Thabit learned these languages at the Prophet’s instruction for correspondence. He also served as a scribe of revelation.

The codex compiled under Abu Bakr passed to Hafsa. It later served as the basis for the Uthmani standardisation.

Jabir bin Hayyan is regarded as a founder of chemistry as an experimental discipline. He is known in Europe as Geber.

Khadija was the first believer and the mother of most of the Prophet’s children. Her support was decisive in the early years.

Those present at Badr are known as Ahl-ul-Badr. Reports indicate a special status for them.

Abdullah bin Rawahah was the third commander appointed at Mutah and was martyred there. He was also known as a poet.

Salman travelled through Persia, Syria and other lands seeking the awaited prophet. He eventually reached Madinah.

At-Tabari authored a monumental commentary on the Quran and a universal history. Both remain principal reference works.

Zainab bint Khuzaymah was called the mother of the poor for her charity. She died shortly after her marriage to the Prophet.

Rumi settled and taught in Konya in Anatolia. The Mevlevi order developed from his teaching.

Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi was among the founders of Darul Uloom Deoband. The seminary emphasised traditional religious learning.

The marriage took place around the compensatory Umrah in the seventh year. She was the last wife the Prophet married.

Usmani supported the Muslim League’s demand and founded Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam. He hoisted the Pakistani flag at Karachi in 1947.

Hasan al-Basri was a leading scholar and preacher among the successors. He is associated with early ascetic teaching in Basra.

Khalid accepted Islam in the period between Hudaybiyyah and the conquest of Makkah. He had earlier fought against the Muslims at Uhud.

Aisha narrated a large body of hadith and was consulted on legal questions. Senior companions sought her opinion.

Fatimah died a few months after her father. She was the first of his household to follow him.

Amr bin al-As led the conquest of Egypt and founded Fustat. He had accepted Islam shortly before the conquest of Makkah.

Ibn Kathir’s tafsir is among the most widely used commentaries. He also wrote a well-known historical work.

Shah Abdul Aziz continued the scholarly and reformist work of his father. His teaching influenced later movements.

Hafsa was the daughter of Umar bin al-Khattab. She was known for memorising the Quran.

Anas bin Malik served the Prophet throughout the Madinan period. His long service produced extensive narrations.

The Prophet appointed Usama to command the Syrian expedition despite his youth. Abu Bakr dispatched the force after the Prophet’s passing.

The Prophet supplicated that Ibn Abbas be granted understanding of the religion. He became the foremost early exegete.

The Qadiriyyah order traces its origin to Abdul Qadir Jilani of Baghdad. It became widespread across the Muslim world.

Khalid died at Homs rather than on the battlefield. He is reported to have remarked on this with regret.

Aisha was the daughter of Abu Bakr. The marriage strengthened the bond between the two families.

Syed Ahmad Barelvi led a movement in the frontier region in the early nineteenth century. He was killed at Balakot in 1831.

The people of Suffah lived on a platform in the mosque and devoted themselves to study. Abu Hurairah was among them.

Surah Al-Mujadilah opens with reference to the woman who pleaded regarding her husband. The surah takes its name from this.

A well-known report describes Hasan and Husayn in these terms. They were the Prophet’s grandsons through Fatimah.

Ammar was the son of Yasir and Sumayyah, the first martyr of Islam. The family endured severe persecution in Makkah.

Ibrahim was born to Maria the Copt in Madinah and died in infancy. The Prophet’s sons did not survive to adulthood.

Umm Salamah advised the Prophet at Hudaybiyyah when the companions hesitated to end their ihram. Her counsel resolved the situation.

When asked about the Prophet’s character, Aisha replied that it was the Quran. The statement is widely cited.

The Faraizi Movement emphasised the performance of obligatory duties. It gained support among Bengali peasants.

Reports describe Bilal being overcome by grief when calling the adhan afterwards. He settled in Syria.

Ahmad Sirhindi opposed the syncretic religious policies associated with Akbar’s court. He emphasised adherence to the Shariah.

Al-Kindi is titled the philosopher of the Arabs. He worked on philosophy, mathematics and music.

Bahauddin Zakariya established the Suhrawardi order at Multan. Multan became a major Sufi centre.

Asma carried provisions to the Prophet and her father in the cave of Thawr. She is titled Dhat an-Nitaqayn.

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti settled at Ajmer and established the Chishti order in India. His shrine remains a major centre of pilgrimage.

Talha shielded the Prophet at Uhud and sustained severe wounds to his hand. He is counted among the Ashara Mubashara.

Safiyyah was the daughter of a chief of Banu Nadir. She accepted Islam and was married to the Prophet.

The marriage lasted about twenty-five years until her death. The Prophet took no other wife during her lifetime.

Al-Idrisi produced a celebrated world map and geographical work. He served at the court of Sicily.

Fatimah is described in hadith as the foremost of the women of the worlds. She is also titled az-Zahra.

Abdur Rahman bin Awf rebuilt his fortune in Madinah and gave extensively in charity. He was among the Ashara Mubashara.

Umm Ayman cared for the Prophet from childhood and remained close to the family. She migrated to Madinah.

Umm Habibah was the daughter of Abu Sufyan, then a leading opponent of Islam. She had migrated to Abyssinia.

Hasan abdicated in favour of Muawiyah, ending years of internal strife. The year is called Aam-ul-Jamaah.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah was Ibn Taymiyyah’s foremost student. He authored works on spirituality, law and ethics.

Shah Waliullah revived hadith studies in the subcontinent and translated the Quran into Persian. His son later translated it into Urdu.

Hujjatullah al-Balighah examines the wisdom underlying Islamic rulings. It is his most celebrated work.

Bahishti Zewar is a widely read work on religious instruction. Thanvi was a leading Deobandi scholar.

Abu Dharr was known for austerity and criticism of luxury. He was among the earliest converts to Islam.

Sawdah was married after Khadija’s death during the Makkan period. She had earlier migrated to Abyssinia.

Ibn Umar was known for precise adherence to the Prophet’s example. His narrations are numerous.

Nizamuddin Auliya was a principal Chishti master in Delhi. His shrine remains a major centre.

Syed Ahmad Barelvi and his companions were killed at Balakot in 1831. The site is in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Saad bin Muadh was a chief of the Aws. His acceptance of Islam brought much of his tribe with him.

Attab bin Asid was appointed over Makkah after its conquest. He was notably young at the time of appointment.

Al-Farabi is called the Second Teacher after Aristotle. He wrote on logic, politics and metaphysics.

Abu Musa was praised for his recitation and served as a judge and governor. Umar’s celebrated letter on adjudication was addressed to him.

Following the marriage the companions freed captives of Banu Mustaliq out of respect. The episode illustrates the social effect of the marriage.

Umar Khayyam contributed to algebra and calendar reform alongside his poetry. His quatrains are widely known.

Nawawi compiled Riyad as-Salihin and the Forty Hadith and wrote on Shafi law. He also authored the standard commentary on Sahih Muslim.

Halima Sadia of Banu Sa’d nursed the Prophet in infancy. It was customary to send Makkan children to the desert.

Ibn Taymiyyah was a Hanbali jurist and theologian. His writings have influenced several later movements.

Jafar led the migrants in Abyssinia and addressed the Negus. He was martyred at Mutah.

Ahmad Sirhindi is titled the Reviver of the Second Millennium. He is associated with the Naqshbandi order.

Husayn and his companions were killed at Karbala in 61 AH. The events are commemorated in Muharram.

Nusaybah bint Kaab fought in defence of the Prophet at Uhud and was wounded. She is among the notable women of the period.

Surah Al-Ahzab addresses the Ahl-ul-Bayt, the people of the household. Scholars have discussed the scope of the term.

Ali Hujwiri, known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, wrote Kashf al-Mahjub in Persian. It is among the earliest Persian treatises on Sufism.

Mus’ab bin Umair was sent to teach Islam in Yathrib after the first pledge of Aqabah. He was martyred at Uhud.

Khabbab was among the early converts subjected to torture. He was a blacksmith by trade.

Ubayy bin Kaab was among the foremost reciters of the Quran. The Prophet praised his recitation.

The Abbasid dynasty traced its descent from al-Abbas. This claim underpinned its legitimacy.

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq is the eponym of the Jafari school. He also taught scholars associated with the Sunni tradition.

The well-known hadith of Jibril is narrated on the authority of Umar. It sets out the framework of faith and practice.

Saad is described as the first to shoot an arrow in defence of Islam. He later commanded at Qadisiyyah.

Maulana Abul Ala Maududi founded Jamaat-e-Islami in 1941. He wrote extensively on Islamic political thought.

Said bin Zayd was married to Fatimah, the sister of Umar. Their household was connected to Umar’s acceptance of Islam.

The shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is at Ajmer in India. He is known as Gharib Nawaz.

Rufaydah tended the wounded and is regarded as an early figure in Muslim nursing. She had a tent for treating the injured.

Zainab bint Jahsh worked with her hands and gave the proceeds in charity. Hazrat Aisha praised her generosity.

Fatimah was the youngest daughter and the one through whom the Prophet’s lineage continued. She married Ali bin Abi Talib.

Ibn Masud recited the Quran openly before the Quraysh and was beaten for it. He became a leading authority on recitation.

Abu Ubaidah died in the plague that struck Syria during Umar’s caliphate. He was the commander in Syria at the time.

The title means possessor of two waistbands, referring to her tearing her belt to secure provisions. It was given by the Prophet.

Sumayyah bint Khayyat was killed under torture in Makkah. She was the first person martyred for the faith.

Zubair was the son of the Prophet’s aunt Safiyyah. He was among the earliest converts and one of the Ashara Mubashara.

Abu Sufyan accepted Islam on the eve of the conquest of Makkah. His house was declared a place of safety.