Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه is an embodied example of the boon of freedom and equality introduced by Islam. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was an Egyptian slave. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was enslaved in a war and was brought to Makkah. Sayidina Abbasرضي الله عنه, the paternal uncle of Rasulullahﷺ, bought him.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه started to serve Saiyidina Abbas رضي الله عنه and do what he ordered him to do. He was sometimes sent for important duties since he was in the tribe of Quraysh because he was a clever person. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه fulfilled the duties given to him in the best way. His real name was “Salim” but he became famous by his nickname Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه .
Quraishis sent Abu Rafi to Rasulullahﷺ regarding an issue. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was an ordinary slave but he underwent an experience that caused a revolution in his spiritual realm. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه narrates it as follows:
“As soon as I saw Rasulullahﷺ, the light of Islam dropped into my heart. I said to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I do not want to return to those polytheists again.’ The Messenger of Allah did not show consent. Rasulullahﷺ said, ‘I cannot break my promise. I always keep my promise. You may have become a Muslim now but return to the people who sent you here.’”
Rasulullahﷺ regarded him as an envoy. Therefore, he did not want him to stay with him. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه became a Muslim but he concealed his belief. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه acted like that for a long time because he was a slave and he could not do whatever he wanted.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was among the Muslims that remained in Makkah after the Migration. When the battle of Badr took place, he was in Makkah. Abu Lahab, who was one of the ferocious polytheists, did not take part in the Battle of Badr. He sent somebody else to fight on his behalf of him. When the battle ended, the Muslims became victorious. Makkans who had gathered around the Kaaba was waiting for the news impatiently. When Abu Lahab saw that Abu Sufyan returned, he approached him and asked what the battle was like. Abu Sufyan started to narrate:
“They captured and killed many of our men; they also enslaved of our men. During the battle, a regimen of cavaliers with white faces on grey horses appeared. It was impossible to resist them. They knocked all of us down.”
Meanwhile, Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was sitting near Zamzam Well. When he heard what was told, he became happy and excited. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنهcould not help to say, “By Allah, they are angels.” When Abu Lahab heard it, he became wild. He slapped Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه and knocked him down. He started to beat him. Umm Fadl, the wife of Saiyidina Abbas رضي الله عنه was also there. When she saw that their slave was being beaten, he picked a tent pole and hit Abu Lahab on the head with it. Abu Lahab, whose head was broken, left that place in a terrible state. He died of grief before a week passed.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه migrated to Madinah after the Battle of Badr. Saiyidina Abbas رضي الله عنه, who became a Muslim but concealed his belief, gave Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه to the Prophet to serve him. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه whom he had missed for years. It was great happiness for him.
Rasulullahﷺ became very glad that his uncle had become a Muslim. He freed Abu Rafi. However, Abu Rafi started to weep when he was freed. They asked him why he was weeping. He said,
“Once, Rasulullahﷺ said, ‘When a slave obeys his Lord and his master, there are two thawabs for him.’ However, since I am free now, I will not be able to gain one of those thawabs.”
When he was freed, he did not want to leave Rasulullahﷺ. Rasulullahﷺ accepted his wish. Abu Rafi served Rasulullahﷺ throughout his life. He attained the honor of being close to Rasulullahﷺ though he was an ordinary slave. This happiness could be attained by very few people.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was a clever, prudent, and insightful person. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه was one of those who knew the habits of Rasulullahﷺ very well. He would correctly guess what he would do when. Due to this loyalty of his, Rasulullahﷺ complimented him:
Rasulullahﷺ appointed a person from the tribe of Mahzum to collect zakah. This person went to Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه and asked him to accompany him.
He told Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه that he could also get his share from zakah. For, those who collected zakah could get zakah. Thereupon, Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه asked Rasulullahﷺ about it. Rasulullahﷺ addressed him as follows, which was a great complement for him:
“To receive sadaqah is not permissible for my Ahl al-Bayt; a freed slave of a tribe is regarded as one of them.”
With this statement, Rasulullahﷺ included Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه among his Ahl al-Bayt.
As a matter of fact, Rasulullahﷺ gave Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه some special duties. Rasulullahﷺ appointed Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه and Zayd bin Haritha رضي الله عنه to bring his daughters and Hz. Aisha, who were in Makkah, to Madinah. When Rasulullahﷺ married, Saiyidah Maimunah رضي الله عنه, he sent Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه as his deputy to ask her hand in marriage.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه married Salma, one of the freed female slaves, off to Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه, enabling him to establish a family. Salma, Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه’s wife, was the midwife during the birth of Ibrahim, the son of Rasulullahﷺt, from Sayidah Maria رضي الله عنه,, the wife of Rasulullahﷺ. When Ibrahim was born, Salma called Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه and told him that Ibrahim was born. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه rushed to Rasulullahﷺ to give him the good news. Rasulullahﷺ became very happy and gave him some gifts.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه narrated that Rasulullahﷺ took Hasan, his grandson, on his lap when he was born, called adhan and iqamah to his ear, and named him.
It is understood from the following incident that Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه knew about some private states of Rasulullahﷺ:
One night, Rasulullahﷺ went to the Cemetery of Baqi with Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه. Rasulullahﷺ asked for forgiveness for the people in the cemetery. Then, he said to Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه :
“O Abu Rafi! God Almighty asked me to prefer between staying in the world with the treasures of the world and rejoining Him and Paradise. I preferred Allah’s consent and rejoining Him.”
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه, who served Rasulullahﷺ until he died, took part in all battles except the Battle of Badr. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه fought heroically in Khaybar with Saiyidina Ali رضي الله عنه,
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه narrated 68 hadiths about Rasulullahﷺ. One of them is in Bukhari, three of them are in Muslim, and 19 of them are in Musnad. Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه trained many students in hadith.
This person, who was a Coptic slave and raised to the level of being a private servant of Rasulullahﷺ, is one of the symbols of equality recorded in the history of Islam.
Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه, who served Islam during the caliphate of Hz. Abu Bakr, Saiyidina Umar Al Khattab رضي الله عنه, and Saiyidina Uthman Al Affan رضي الله عنه died in the first days of the caliphate of Saiyidina Ali Ibn Abu Talib رضي الله عنه.
Selected Hadiths Narrated by Abu Rafi Al Qaithi رضي الله عنه
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[1]Musnad, 6: 8.
[2]Sirah, 2: 301-302.
[3]Musnad, 2: 344.
[4]ibid., 6: 10.
[5]ibid., 6: 9.
[6]Tabaqat, 8: 134.
[7]ibid., 1: 135.
[8]Musnad, 6: 9.
[9]Tabaqat, 2: 204.
[10]Sirah, 3: 349.
[11]Usdul-Ghaba, 1: 77.
