He is Sayyidina Abu al Dahdah رضياللهعنه it is said: Abu al Dahdah―al Ansari رضياللهعنه (With a fathah on both dals, and two ha’s.)
Ibn ‘Abdul Barrرضياللهعنه says, “I have not come across his name, nor his lineage, besides that he is from the Ansar, an ally of theirs.”
Others say that his name is Thabit.
Ibn Hajar said, “Abu al Dahdah al Ansari: their ally.”
Al Baghawi sufficed by saying, “Abu al Dahdah al Ansari,” without any addition.
‘Aqil reports from Ibn Shihab:
أن يتيما خاصم أبا لبابة في نخلة فقضى بها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لأبي لبابة فبكى الغلام فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لأبي لبابة أعطه نخلتك فقال لا فقال أعطه إياها و لك بها عذق في الجنة فقال لا فسمع بذلك أبو الدحداح فقال لإبي لبابة أتبيع عذقك ذلك بحديقتي هذه قال نعم فجاء أبو الدحداحة رسول الله فقال يا رسول الله النخلة التي سألت لليتيم إن أعطيته إياها ألي بها عذق في الجنة قال نعم ثم قتل أبو الدحداحة شهيدا يوم أحد فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم رب عذق مذلل لأبي الدحداحة في الجنة
An orphan disputed with Abu Lubabah over a date palm. Rasulullahﷺ passed judgment in favor of Abu Lubabah. So the young lad began to cry.
Rasulullahﷺ told Abu Lubabah, “Give him your date palm.”
He refused.
Rasulullahﷺ said, “Give it to him, and you will have a date palm in Jannat,” yet he still refused. Abu al Dahdah heard of this so he bargained with Abu Lubabah, “Will you sell me this date palm of yours, for this orchard of mine?”
“Yes,” he replied.
Subsequently, Abu al Dahdahah رضياللهعنه came to Rasulullahﷺ and submitted:
“O Messenger of Allah, regarding the date palm you requested for the orphan; if I gift it to him, will I have in lieu of it a date palm in Jannat?”
Rasulullahﷺ affirmed, “Yes.”
Abu al Dahdahahرضياللهعنه was subsequently killed as a martyr on the Day of Uhud. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remarked, “How many clusters of dates are hanging for Abu al Dahdahah in Jannat!"
Ibn Mandah reports from the chain of ‘Abdullah ibn al Harith رضياللهعنه from Ibn Mas’ud رضياللهعنه :
لما نزلت مَّنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا فقال أبو الدحداح يا رسول الله و الله يريد منا القرض قال نعم الحديث و فيه ذكر ما تصدق به
When the verse: "Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over was revealed, Abu al Dahdah رضياللهعنه submitted:
“O Messenger of Allah, does Allah desire a loan from us?” Rasulullahﷺ replied in the affirmative.
Till the end of the narration, what he gave in charity is mentioned therein.
عن أنس رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال يا رسول الله إن لفلان نخلة و أنا أقيم حائطي بها فأمره أن يعطيني حتى أقيم حائطي بها فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أعطها إياه بنخلة في الجنة فأبى فأناه أبو الدحداح فقال بعني نخلتك بحائط ففعل فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال يا رسول الله إني قد بعت النخلة بحائطي قال فاجعلها له فقد أعطيتكها فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم كم من عذق رداح لأبي الدحداح في الجنة قالها مرارا قال فأتى أمرأته فقال يا أم الدحداح اخرجي من الحائط فإني قد بعته بنخلة في الجنة فقالت ربح البيع أو كلمة تشبهها
Anas رضياللهعنه reports:
A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, a certain man possesses a date palm and I want to start my orchard there. So tell him to give it to me so I may start my orchard.”
Rasulullahﷺ told the man, “Hand it over to him for a date palm in Jannat.” But he refused.
Abu al Dahdahرضياللهعنه took him aside and suggested, “Sell me your date palm for an orchard.” He agreed.
After that, Abu al Dahdahرضياللهعنه came to Rasulullahﷺ and submitted:
“O Messenger of Allah, I have certainly purchased the date palm in lieu of my orchard. Give it to him, for I have handed it over to you.”
Rasulullahﷺ exclaimed, “How many date palms laden with dates are there for Abu al Dahdah رضياللهعنه in Jannat!” Rasulullahﷺ repeated this many times.
Abu al Dahdah approached his wife saying, “O Umm al Dahdah, exit from the orchard for I have sold it for a date palm in Jannat.”
She remarked, “What a profitable transaction.” Or something similar.
و روى جابر بن سمرة أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ركب فرسا لأبي الدحداح
Jabir ibn Samurah رضياللهعنه reports that the Rasulullahﷺ mounted Abu al Dahdah’s horse.
Assurance of his Jannat is established in the hadith of Sayyidina Anas, Sayyidina Jabir ibn Samurahرضياللهعنه, Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab رضياللهعنه, Sayyidina ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abza رضياللهعنه and the marasil of Sa’id ibn al Musayyab and al Sha’bi. I will only quote the hadith of Sayyidina Jabir رضياللهعنه.
Muslim, Ahmed, Abu Dawood (briefly), al Tirmidhi, and others have reported it from various chains:
عن سماك بن حرب عن جابر بن سمرة قال صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم على ابن الدحداح ثم أتي بفرس عري فعقله رجل فركبه فجعل يتوقص به و نحن نتبعه نسعى خلفه قال فقال رجل من القوم إن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال كم من عذق معلق أو مدلى في الجنة لابن الدحداح أو قال شعبة لإبي الدحداح
From Simak ibn Harb from―Jabir ibn Samurah who relates:
Rasulullahﷺ performed Salat al Janazah upon Ibn al Dahdah. Thereafter, a saddleless horse was brought to him. A man hobbled it with a cord, and Rasulullahﷺ mounted it. The horse began to gallop and we trailed him in haste. One of the people said: “Indeed, Rasulullahﷺ said, ‘How many suspended or dangling date palms are there in Jannat for Ibn al Dahdah―or Shu’bah said: Abu al Dahdah!”
The Encouragement to make a Handsome Loan in the Cause of Allah
Allahﷻ said,
مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا
(Who is he that will lend Allah a handsome loan:) `Umar bin Al-Khattab رضياللهعنه said that this Ayah refers to spending in Allah's cause. It was also said that it pertains to spending on children. What is correct is that it is more general than that. So all those who spend in the cause of Allah with good intentions and a sincere heart, then they fall under the generality of this Ayah. This is why Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah:
مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ
(Who is he that will lend Allah handsome loan: then (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit (in repaying),) and in another Ayah,
أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً
(many times) (2:245), meaning, being a handsome reward and tremendous provisions: Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "When this Ayah,
مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ
(Who is he that will lend Allah handsome loan: then (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit (in repaying),) was revealed, Abu Ad-Dahdah Al-Ansari said, `O Allah's Messenger! Does Allah ask us for a loan' Rasulullahﷺ said,
«نَعَمْ، يَاأَبَا الدَّحْدَاح»
(Yes, O Abu Ad-Dahdah.) He said, `Give me your hand, O Allah's Messenger,' and Rasulullahﷺ placed his hand in his hand. Abu Ad-Dahdah said, `Verily, I have given my garden as a loan to my Lord.' He had a garden that contained six hundred date trees; his wife and children were living in that garden too. Abu Ad-Dahdah went to his wife and called her, `Umm Ad-Dahdah!' She said, `Here I am.' He said, `Leave the garden because I have given it as a loan to my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored.' She said, `That is a successful trade, O Abu Ad-Dahdah!' She then transferred her goods and children. Rasulullahﷺ said,
«كَمْ مِنْ عَذْقٍ رَدَاحٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لِأَبِي الدَّحْدَاح»
(How plentiful are the sweet date clusters that Abu Ad-Dahdah has in Paradise!)" In another narration,Rasulullahﷺ said,
«رُبَّ نَخْلَةٍ مُدَلَّاةٍ، عُرُوقُهَا دُرٌّ وَيَاقُوتٌ، لِأَبِي الدَّحْدَاحِ فِي الْجَنَّة»
(How many a date tree that has lowered down its clusters, which are full of pearls and gems in Paradise for Abu Ad-Dahdah!)
