His real name is ‘Amir bin Wathilah bin Abdullah Amru al-Laithi al-Kinani al-Hijaziرضي الله عنه and also known as Abu Al Thufail رضي الله عنه,.He is among the supporters and followers of Saidina Ali رضي الله عنه. Due to this, Imam al-Zahabi named him al-Syi’I, a supporter of Saidina Aliرضي الله عنه. He met Rasulullahﷺ during Hujjatul Wada’ (The Farewell Hajj, the last hajj of Rasulullahﷺ).
He narrated hadiths from several companions of Rasulullahﷺ. Among them are SaidinaAbu Bakar Al-Siddiqرضي الله عنه , Umar Bin Al-Khattabرضي الله عنه, Muaz Bin Jabalرضي الله عنه, Aliرضي الله عنه and others. Furthermore, he is also referred to by the tabi’in such as Habib Bin Abi Thabitرضي الله عنه,, Al-Zuhri رضي الله عنه,, Abu Zubair Al-Makkiرضي الله عنه,, Ali Bin Zaid Bin Jad’anرضي الله عنه, and others.
Imam al-Zahabi stated that he is a thiqah (trustworthy) person whose speech and actions are true, a knowledgeable person, and a great poet. He is blessed with longevity and is together with Saidina Ali رضي الله عنه, in numerous battles.
The companions of Rasulullahﷺ are the best of generation who ever lived in the history of Islam. They are the first to embrace Islam and help in the spread of Islam to the whole world. The honour of the companions of Rasulullahﷺ is stated by Rasulullahﷺ himself. Rasulullahﷺ said:
خَيْرُ أُمَّتِى الْقَرْنُ الَّذِينَ يَلُونِى ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَجِىءُ قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِينَهُ وَيَمِينُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ
“The best of my Umma would be those of the generation nearest to mine. Then those nearest to them, those nearest to them, people would come whose witness would precede the oath and the oath will precede the witness.”[1]
Moreover, Allahﷻ blesses them and this is stated clearly in the Quran. Allahﷻ states:
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allahﷻ is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.”
[Surah al-Taubah (100)]
Thus, one is prohibited from insulting, mocking, or degrading the companions of Rasulullahﷺ. Rasulullahﷺ once warns us from insulting the companions of Rasulullahﷺ. Rasulullahﷺ said:
لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ أَنْفَقَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلَا نَصِيفَهُ
"Do not abuse my companions for if any one of you spent gold equal to Uhud (in Allah's Cause) it would not be equal to a Mud or even a half Mud spent by one of them." [3]
Imam al-Nawawi cited the opinion of al-Qadhi Iyadh where the Companions are more honored than the people who come after them. The reason is they donated during hardship and adversity. All of them are basically helping, supporting, and protecting Rasulullahﷺ.
[4]
Rasulullahﷺ once indicated the duration of the time of the Companion. In a hadith narrated by Ibnu Umar, Rasulullahﷺ said:
صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ صَلَاةَ الْعِشَاءِ فِي آخِرِ حَيَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَامَ فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ لَيْلَتَكُمْ هَذِهِ فَإِنَّ عَلَى رَأْسِ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مِنْهَا لَا يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ فَوَهَلَ النَّاسُ فِي مَقَالَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تِلْكَ فِيمَا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ عَنْ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ وَإِنَّمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ أَنْ يَنْخَرِمَ ذَلِكَ الْقَرْنُ
“Have you seen this night of yours? At the end of one hundred years after this none would survive on the earth's surface (from amount my Companions). Ibn Umar said: People were (not understanding) these words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) which had been uttered pertaining to one hundred years. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in fact meant (by these words) that on that day none from amongst those who had been living upon the earth (from amongst his Companions) would survive (after one hundred years) and that would be the end of this generation.”
Sahih Muslim (4650)
Ibnu Umar understood that no Companion will live for over a hundred years. He also understood from Rasulullahﷺ's words that the Companions' generation would end.
In another narration, Rasulullahﷺ said:
ما من نفس منفوسة اليوم، تأتي عليها مائة سنة، وهي حية يومئذٍ
“There would be none amongst the created beings living on the earth (who would survive this century).”
Sahih Muslim (2538)
Imam al-Nawawi said that what is meant by Rasulullahﷺ is whoever is present on that night who are among the Companions will not live for more than a hundred years. [5].
Coming back to the question asked, the last companion of the Prophet PBUH who died was ‘Amir bin Wathilah al-Laithi. His nickname or moniker is Abu al-Tufail. He passed away in Makkah in the year 110 H. He was born during the war of Uhud. He had the opportunity to be with Rasulullahﷺ for 8 years.[6]
Imam al-Zahabi stated that he is the last of the generation who has ever seen Rasulullahﷺ. None after him claimed to be a companion of Rasulullahﷺ and this continued throughout the time of the tabi’in, tabi’ tabi’in, and up to 500 years before a person confessed that he saw Rasulullahﷺ and became a Companion in India.[7]
Ibn Abdul Barr stated that he is the last of the companions of Rasulullahﷺ. Abu Tufail once said:
ما بقي على وجه الأرض عين تطوف ممن رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم غيري
“There is none on this earth who has seen the Prophet PBUH except me.”
[1][Sahih Muslim (6632)]
[2](Refer Fath Al-Qadir Al-Jami Baina Fannai Al-Riwayah Wa Al-Dirayah Fi Ilm Al-Tafsir, 2/386)
[3][Sahih al-Bukhari (3673) and Sahih Muslim (6651)]
[4][Refer Al-Minhaj Syarh Sohih Muslim, 8/92]
[5](Refer Al-Minhaj Syarh Sohih Muslim, 16/89).
[6](Refer Ma’rifah Al-Sahabat Li Abi Nu’aim Al-Asbahani, 6/3534).
[7](Refer Siyar ‘Alam Al-Nubala, 3/468)
[8](Refer Al-Isti’ab Fi Ma’rifah Al-Ashab, 4/1967)
[9](Refer Siyar ‘Alam Al-Nubala, 5/466-467).
