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Published in Cyprus - Warfare analysis - 08 Feb 2026 23:03 - 1
Why Was He Called “Abu Huraira”? His real name was Abd ar-Rahman, but people rarely called him that. Instead, he was known as Abu Huraira, which literally means:
As a young man, he would often carry a small kitten in his sleeve or in his hands. He cared for cats, played with them, and protected them. People noticed this constant companion — the little kitten always near him — and the nickname stayed with him for life.
This tells us something powerful:
Islam is not just about rituals.
It is also about mercy, kindness, and softness of heart.
Rasulullah aleyhisselam himself loved cats and showed kindness to animals. So when we learn that Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه loved cats deeply, it also shows how much he absorbed the character and gentleness of Rasulullah aleyhisselam.
For someone new to Islam, this is important to understand:
The greatest people in Islam were not cold or distant.
They were deeply compionate.
His Life Before Islam: Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه was born into the Daws tribe, living in the Tihama region along the Red Sea coast of southern Arabia.
Life there was simple and harsh. There was poverty, tribal life, and limited education. He was not born into power or wealth. He did not grow up thinking he would become one of the most important figures in Islamic knowledge.
Like many people around him, he grew up in a society that worshipped idols.
But Allah subhanehu ve teala had written something else for him.
How He Became Muslim: A man from his tribe named at-Tufayl ibn ‘Amr رضي الله عنه accepted Islam after meeting Rasulullah aleyhisselam. When he returned to his tribe and called people to Islam, most rejected the message.
But Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه listened.
His heart was open. And Allah azze ve celle guided him.
When he later met Rasulullah aleyhisselam, the Prophet asked him his name. He said:
“Abd ash-Shams” — Servant of the Sun.
Rasulullah aleyhisselam changed it to:
Abd ar-Rahman — Servant of the Most Merciful.
This moment symbolized his complete transformation — from serving creation to serving the Creator.
Coming to Medina With Nothing: Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه came to Medina several years after Islam had already spread there.
He had:
- No wealth
No land
No strong family support
No social status
A burning desire to learn.
He joined the Ahl as-Suffa, poor companions who lived in or near the mosque and dedicated their lives to learning Islam.
Imagine this for a moment if you are new to Islam:
He chose knowledge over comfort.
Faith over money.
Closeness to Rasulullah aleyhisselam over worldly success.
His Love for Rasulullah aleyhisselam: Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه loved Rasulullah aleyhisselam deeply.
He said looking at the Prophet felt like looking at the sun — full of light and beauty.
He followed Rasulullah aleyhisselam everywhere:
- Journeys
Gatherings
Teachings
Expeditions
The Companion With the Greatest Memory: Allah subhanehu ve teala gave Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه an extraordinary gift: memory.
He memorized thousands of hadith in only about four years of close companionship.
Other companions were shocked. Some even tested him.
Once, hadith were secretly written down while he spoke. One year later, he repeated them perfectly — word for word.
This is why today, when Muslims read hadith, they often see his name.
If you are learning Islam today, chances are you are benefiting from knowledge he preserved.
His Life of Poverty and Hunger: He suffered a lot physically.
Sometimes he was so hungry he placed stones on his stomach to reduce pain.
Sometimes he asked companions about Qur’an verses hoping they would invite him to eat.
One day, Rasulullah aleyhisselam noticed his hunger and fed him — and through barakah, a small bowl of milk fed many people.
He learned something deeply important:
Provision is from Allah azze ve celle.
The Story of His Mother: Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه loved his mother deeply.
But she was not Muslim at first.
He invited her to Islam again and again. She refused. One day she said things that hurt him deeply about Rasulullah aleyhisselam.
He cried and went to Rasulullah aleyhisselam and asked him to make du’a for her.
The Prophet made du’a.
Soon after, she accepted Islam.
This story teaches new Muslims something powerful:
Guidance comes from Allah subhanehu ve teala.
Never give up making du’a for people you love.
Why Muslims Owe Him So Much: Many hadith you read today come through Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه.
He once told people:
“The inheritance of Muhammad ﷺ is being distributed in the mosque.”
When they went, they only saw people praying and learning.
He said:
“That is the inheritance.”
Meaning:
Knowledge is the real treasure of Islam.
His Later Life, he became governor of Bahrain under Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه.
He gained wealth — but never became proud.
He stayed humble. He stayed devoted.
His house was full of worship. His family prayed night prayers in shifts so their home was always alive with worship of Allah subhanehu ve teala.
What New Muslims Can Learn From Him: You don’t need to be:
- Rich
Powerful
Famous
Perfect
- Poor
Unknown
Alone
Final Message, Remember this:
The man who loved kittens…
Became the man who preserved the words of Rasulullah aleyhisselam for the entire Muslim world.
Mercy to animals.
Love for knowledge.
Love for Rasulullah aleyhisselam.
Trust in Allah azze ve celle.
This is the path that raised Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه to greatness.
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Comments (1)
We all love cats, but kittens? Ahhh.. ❤️🥰🐱🐈🐾