05-28-2003, 11:48 PM
Muhammad bin Sirin
His Birth and Early Life:
- Muhammad bin Sirin was born during the caliphate of `Uthman bin `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him).
- His father “Sirin” was a servant who belonged to the Companion Anas bin Malik, as a share that he got from the spoils following the Battle of `Ain Al-Tamr. `Ain Al-Tamr was a town located western Kufa, which was conquered by Khalid bin Al-Walid during the caliphate of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq. Anas bin Malik eventually set “Sirin” free.
- His mother’s name was Safiyah, who was a female-slave of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and was later freed by him.
- Both his father and mother were known for their piety and blameless life.
His Pursuit of Knowledge:
- Muhammad bin Sirin was brought up in a respected family, and had relations with many Companions, such as
· Zaid bin Thabit
· `Imarn bin Al-Husain
· Anas bin Malik
· Abu Hurairah
· `Abdullah bin Al-Zubair
· `Abdullah bin `Abbas
· `Abdullah bin `Umar
- Muhammad bin Sirin received knowledge from the above Companions, including jurisprudence and Hadith narrations.
His Fame:
- Muhammad bin Sirin’s fame spread throughout the Islamic territories, and was especially known for his knowledge and piety.
- He had notable stands towards the Umayyad rulers, in which he stuck to truth and gave advice sincerely for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. For example, he was once asked by `Umar bin Hubairah, the Umayyad ruler, “What are the conditions of the people in your town?” he replied, “I left them soaked in injustice, while you are not paying attention to them.” When his nephew patted him on his shoulder to alleviate his tone of speech, Muhammad bin Sirin said to him, “You are not the one who is asked about my people, but it is me. The answer on what I have been asked about is a testimony; whoever conceals it, his heart is tainted with sin.” Ibn Hubairah, however, offered him a magnificent gratuity, but he did not accept it. His nephew blamed him saying, “What’s wrong if you accept the gratuity of the emir?” He replied, “If this gratuity is in return for something good he expects in me, I should not accept it if this good is really in me. If it is not in me, again I will not be worthy to accept it.”
His Piety:
- Muhammad bin Sirin once heard a man reviling Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf Al-Thaqafi after his death. He said to him, “Stop it! Al-Hajjaj is now in the audience of his Lord. When you will be in his place, you will find the most insignificant sin you have committed in your life, more disturbing to you than the greatest sin committed by Al-Hajjaj. That day each one of us will have enough concern of his own to make him indifferent to the others. Know that just as Allah will avenge those who were wronged by Al-Hajjaj by punishing him, He will also avenge Al-Hajjaj by punishing those who wronged him. Thus, you should not busy yourself with reviling others.”
- Muhammad bin Sirin had a good appearance and was much loved by people. If he was seen in a marketplace, people would attend from their advertence and would remember Allah and pronounce tahlil and takbir (saying: “la ilaha illa Allah” and “Allahu Akbar”.
- When he returned home after a long busy day of selling and buying in the marketplace, he used to perform tahajjud and recite Qur’an while weeping.
- He was very meticulous concerning his transactions. Once he bought oil for a delayed price of 40,000 dirhams. When he opened one of the receptacles of oil, he found a decayed mouse in it. As all the oil in the press was contained in one and the same place, he thought, and that filth was not limited to such receptacle only, the seller may sell it to people, if Ibn Sirin returned it to him on account of such filth. He, thus, spilt all the oil.
- Acknowledgement of His Merits:
- It was said about him: “No one has ever been seen more understanding when he observes piety, or more scrutinizing in religious matters than Muhammad bin Sirin.”
His Death:
- Muhammad bin Sirin died when he was 77 years old. May Allah shower him with His Mercy![/color:7bc075f9f4]