Hadhrat Abu Darda رضي الله عنه

Sahaba e kiram رضي الله عنه

Narrated over 100 hadith from the beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

Abud-Darda رضي الله عنه was an extraordinarily efficient, modest, knowledgeable man, with an ability of administration; he also did his best to serve Muslims but led a very simple life. Because of these qualities, Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه wanted to give him an important duty in the state. However, Abud-Darda rejected Hz. Umar’s رضي الله عنه offer each time.
After a while, Abu'd-Darda رضي الله عنه asked for permission from Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه to go to Damascus. Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه did not allow him by saying, "Unless you accept a duty in the government, I will not let you go to Damascus." However, Abud-Darda’s رضي الله عنه wish was to go to Damascus and tell the Muslims there about the truths of Islam. He went to Hz. Umar again and said, "Please let me go there and teach people the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم , lead prayers and tell them the truths that I know!" Then, Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه allowed him to go to Damascus.

Although Abud-Darda رضي الله عنه had a deep knowledge in hadith, tafsir and fiqh, he specialized in the Quran. He was one of the rare Companions who memorized the entire Quran when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was alive. He became very happy when he went to Damascus.

He led a plain life and lived in a plain house there. Whenever, he went to the mosque, people would surround him immediately and ask him questions about the Quran, hadith and fiqh; he would answer them with enthusiasm. His knowledge was really great.

Muadh bin Jabal, رضي الله عنه , one of the notables of the Companions, said the following when Abud-Darda was about to die:   
"O Abud-Darda! The sky has not shadowed anyone more knowledgeable than you, and the earth did not carry anyone more knowledgeable than you."

When the students that Abud-Darda raised became knowledgeable enough, he would immediately form a new circle around them, and he would be busy inspecting all of them. The circles of knowledge (ilm) formed by the students of Abud-Darda after the morning prayer in the Mosque of Damascus had such a lofty view that many people who did not take part in these circles would watch them with pleasure from a corner. Abud-Darda would stand in a corner and answer the questions coming from various circles. There were many distinguished Companions in these circles too. It is reported that Abud-Darda raised approximately 2000 students who knew the Quranic sciences very well in this way.

While Abud-Darda continued his sacred scholarly service, both the governor of Damascus and Yazid Ibn Abi Sufyan led a luxurious life away without heeding the problems of Muslims. Hz Umar رضي الله عنه heard about it and decided to go to Damascus in order to see the sacred services of Abud-Darda there and to punish the governor. His servant Yarfa was also with him. Hz. Umar sent Yarfa inside in order to try them. After Yarfa entered the mansion of Yazid, Hz. Umar followed him. He ordered all of the velvet cushions, silk goods and other things that were extra to be collected and taken to the Treasury.
The situation of the governor was no different. After doing the same thing to the governor, Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه said, "Come on! Now let us go to our brother." They went to Abud-Darda 's house. When they entered from the unlocked door that could open when it was pushed, they saw that there was not even a lamp to illuminate the house. Abud-Darda رضي الله عنه was sitting on a piece of felt in the dark without noticing who the people who entered his house were. Finally, they found each other in darkness and embraced each other.
Abud-Darda رضي الله عنه could guess the reason for Umar’s unexpected arrival. He said,
"O Umar! You know what the Messenger of Allah said. 'Your share from the world should be as much as the lunch box of a traveler.'"
They chatted until the morning that night.   
Hz. Umar رضي الله عنه put all of the Companions on salary during his caliphate. The salary of those who took part in the Battle of Badr was different. However, Hz. Umar, who was a just caliph, gave Abud-Darda the same salary as them though he had not taken part in the Battle of Badr.

Abud-Darda narrated about 100 hadiths from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Some of them are as follows:
"On the Day of Resurrection, the heaviest thing in man’s Mizan (Scales) will be high ethics.” [4]
“Whoever protects his brother's honor, Allah protects his face from Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”[5]
“Whoever was given his share of gentleness, then he has been given a share of good. And whoever has been prevented from his share of gentleness, then he has been prevented from his share of good.”[6]
“Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. The angels lower their wings in approval of the seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth prays for forgiveness for the seeker of knowledge, even the fish in the sea. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like the superiority of the moon above all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind a Dinar or Dirham, rather they left behind knowledge, so whoever takes it has taken a great share.” [7]
Abud-Darda passed away in Damascus in the 32 H. Let us mention some of his nice and significant statements:
“I love three things that are hateful to people: I love poverty, sickness, and death. I love them because poverty is humility, sickness is expiation for sins and death results in a meeting with Allah.”
"Man should not complain about the misfortunes that hit him; he should not tell others about his pains and sorrows; he should not try to acquit himself through his tongue."
"What I am most afraid of is to be asked, "O Uwaymir! Did you learn your religion or not?" on the Day of Resurrection. If I say I learned, I fear that the verses of the Quran that advise what is good and forbid what is evil will witness against me by saying, 'You did not do anything we told you to do and you did not give up the things we told you not to do."