بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اَلْحَمْدُ للّٰهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِيْنَ وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلىَ اَشْرَفِ اْللأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِيْنَ سَيِّدِناَ وَمَوْلٰنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى اٰلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِيْنَ، اَمَّا بَعْدُ.
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Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) was a companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) was a prominent companion (Sahabi) of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, hailing from nomadic Arab tribes and later playing a significant role in the early Islamic expansions.
Here is a comprehensive overview of his biography, lineage, contributions, and character:
Lineage and Tribe
Full Name & Lineage: Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) bin al-Akhram. Some historical transmissions alternatively record his name as Samura bin Fatik. He belonged to the Banu Asad tribe, a powerful and large Arab tribe closely related to the Quraysh through common ancestry. Family Ties: He was the brother of another well-known companion, Khuraim bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) .
Contribution to Islam & Sacrifices
Ashabul Badar [Badriyyun/Ahli Badr]: Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) (The Battle of Badr: According to narrations by his nephew, Aiman bin Khuraim, both Sabrah and his brother Khuraim participated in the monumental Battle of Badr, which was the first major defensive battle in Islamic history. Veterans of this battle (Badriyyun) hold the highest status among the companions. Conquest and Migration: Following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) participated in the early Islamic expansions into the Levant. He eventually migrated to Syria.
• Administrative Role: Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) is historically recognized as the person tasked with distributing the lands of Damascus among the Muslims after its conquest, highlighting the trust placed in his fairness and administrative ability.
Character, Piousness, and Good Deeds
• Spiritual Radiance: Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) was highly respected by his peers for his spiritual state. It is recorded that when he walked past the esteemed companion Abu Darda, Abu Darda remarked that the spiritual radiance (Noor) of the Holy Prophet accompanied Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه).
• Narrator of Hadith: He preserved the teachings of Islam by transmitting the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. One prominent Hadith he narrated states that the Prophet said: "The scale is in the hands of God Almighty; He raises certain nations in rank and causes the decline of others" (referring to how nations rise or fall based on their deeds).
• Commitment to Peace: The family maintained a deep aversion to internal strife. Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) and his brother Khuraim bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) extracted a solemn oath from their children never to lift weapons or fight against a fellow Muslim during times of civil fitnah (tribulation).
Family: He was the brother of another companion, Khuraim bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه). His father's name was Fatik bin al-Akhram.
Ancestry: His tribal affiliation was with the Banu Asad. While the query uses "as-saadi," the search results indicate his affiliation was with the Banu Asad, which is also a common tribal name.
Military service: Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) fought alongside the Prophet Muhammad in the pivotal Battle of Badr.
Administrative role: Later in his life, he was involved in the administration of Damascus, where he helped distribute land among the Muslims.
Virtuous character: He was recognized for his righteous character and self-restraint. According to one account, after someone insulted him, he suppressed his anger, remaining silent with tears in his eyes.
Spiritual standing: Another account describes the companion Abu Darda remarking on Sabrah's spiritual radiance, saying that the "spiritual radiance of the Holy Prophet" accompanied him.
While Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) was not among the Mukthirun (the handful of companions who narrated thousands of Hadiths), his transmissions are preserved in foundational Islamic texts, including Musnad Ahmad, Sunan an-Nasa'i, and Sunan Ibn Majah.
Because Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) and his brother Khuraim bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) lived closely together and shared a similar lineage, several narrations in the books of Hadith are transmitted interchangeably through their family chain (often from Sabrah or Khuraim, down to Khuraim's son, Aiman).
The specific and notable Hadiths narrated by or regarding Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) include:
The Hadith on the Divine Scale (Al-Mizan)
This is the most famous individual narration explicitly attributed to Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه). He reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"The Scale is in the Hand of the All-Merciful (God Almighty); He raises certain nations in rank and causes the decline of others."
Meaning: This Hadith highlights the Islamic concept of divine justice and the rise and fall of civilizations. It emphasizes that God elevates or humbles groups of people based on their righteousness, justice, and adherence to moral codes, rather than their material strength.
The Multiplied Reward for Good Deeds;
In Musnad Ahmad, a well-known tradition regarding the multiplication of good deeds is traced through Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه). He narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) outlined how actions are recorded:
"A person who intends to do a good deed but cannot fulfill it is recorded one good deed."
"A person who intends to do a good deed and executes it is rewarded anywhere from tenfold up to seven hundred times its worth."
"A person who intends a bad deed but restrains themselves for the sake of Allah has a good deed recorded for them."
Shared Family Narrations on Avoiding Civil Strife (Defamation).
Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) is central to the narrations regarding the preservation of peace during internal Muslim conflicts (Fitnah). He transmitted the Prophet's warnings about upcoming trials, which heavily influenced his family's pacifist stance.
He related that the Prophet (ﷺ) strictly forbade turning weapons against fellow Muslims.
Based on what Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه) and Khuraim narrated from the Prophet, they made their children take a strict covenant: "Never to lift a sword against anyone who testifies to the oneness of God."
Condemnation of Perjury (False Witness)
Although frequently recorded under his brother Khuraim's name, this Hadith is heavily tied to the family chain involving Sabrah bin Fatik (رضي الله عنه). The Prophet (ﷺ) stood up after the morning prayer and repeated three times:
"Bearing false witness is equivalent to associating partners (Shirk) with Allah."
He then recited the Qur'an:
"And shun lying speech, turning away from all that is false as monotheists, not associating partners with Him"
(Surah Al-Hajj: 30-31)
