Last Sahabi
Allah(Subhanahu wa ta ala)’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) had great companions who carried the mission of Prophet Muhammad and spread the true message of God all over the world. The number of Sahaba is more than 124,0000 because this is the number of Sahaba present in the Khutbah Hujjatul Widah ( The Farewell Sermon ). Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Saad have recorded 2770 biographies of male and 381 biographies of female Sahaba.
Sahabi is a person who :
- Has seen Allah’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم).
- Accepted Islam in the time of our dearest Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم).
- Remained steadfast on Islam till death.
Lists of prominent companions usually run to 50 or 60 names, the people most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with Muhammad and their names and biographies were recorded in religious reference texts such as ibn Sa’d‘s early Book of the Major Classes. Al-Qurtubi‘s Istīʻāb fī maʻrifat al-Aṣhāb, who died in 1071, consists of 2770 biographies of male and 381 biographies of female ṣaḥābah.
According to an observation in al-Qastallani‘s Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyyah, an untold number of persons had already converted to Islam by the time Muhammad died. There were 10,000 by the time of the Conquest of Mecca and 70,000 during the Expedition of Tabuk in 630. Some Muslims assert that they were more than 200,000 in number: it is believed that 124,000 witnessed the Farewell Sermon Muhammad delivered after making Farewell Pilgrimage to Mecca.
The last of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) to pass away was Abu al-Tufayl, ‘Aamir ibn Waathilah al-Laythee (أبو الطفيل عامر بن واثلة الليثي).
- He died in the year 106 Hijri (H) according to Imam Muslim, who mentioned this in his Saheeh, and it was also narrated by al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, based on the report of Khaleefah ibn Khayyat (خليفة بن خياط).
- Khaleefah stated in another report (not by al-Hakim) that Abu al-Tufayl lived past 100 H, while Mus‘ab ibn ‘Abdullah az-Zubayree (مصعب بن عبد الله الزبيري) mentioned that he died in 102 H.
- Ibn Hibban, Ibn Qani‘, and Abu Zakariyya ibn Mandah (أبو زكريا بن منده) recorded that he died in 107 H.
Eyewitness Account
Wahb ibn Jareer ibn Hazim (وهب بن جرير بن حازم) narrated on the authority of his father:
“I was in Makkah in the year 110 H. I saw a funeral (janaazah) and asked about it. They told me it was Abu al-Tufayl.”
The Companion Before Him to Die
The last Companion to pass away before Abu al-Tufayl was Anas ibn Malik (أنس بن مالك).
Confirmation of Being the Last Companion
The statement that Abu al-Tufayl was the last of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) to die is affirmed by:
- Imam Muslim
- Mus‘ab az-Zubayree
- Ibn Mandah
- Al-Mizzi (المزي)
- Others
Early Life and Background
Birth: Abu al-Tufayl was born in 3 AH (624/625 CE), the year of the Battle of Uhud.
Tribe: He belonged to the Banu Layth tribe, a branch of the larger Kinana tribe.
Companionship: He had the honor of meeting the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) during his early years, spending approximately eight years in his company.
Association with Imam Ali (عليه السلام)
Migration to Al-Mada’in: Abu al-Tufayl moved to Al-Mada’in during the governance of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman over Kufa.
Allegiance: He developed a strong bond with Imam Ali (عليه السلام), accompanying him in all his battles and gaining profound knowledge from him.
Involvement in Al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi’s Uprising
Imprisonment: In 65 AH (684/685 CE), during the reign of Ibn al-Zubayr, Abu al-Tufayl, along with Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and others, was imprisoned in Shi’b Banu Hashim for refusing to pledge allegiance.
Release and Participation: He was freed following Al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi’s uprising and subsequently joined his movement, serving as the standard-bearer of his army.
Role as a Hadith Narrator
Narrations from the Prophet (ﷺ): Abu al-Tufayl transmitted a limited number of hadiths directly from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Narrations from Companions: He also narrated hadiths from prominent companions, including Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, and Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud.
Narrations from Imams: Among the Imams, he narrated from Imam Ali (عليه السلام), Hasan ibn Ali (عليه السلام), and Zayn al-Abidin (عليه السلام).
Notable Hadith Narrated by Abu al-Tufayl
One significant hadith narrated by Abu al-Tufayl is:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and there is no one left on the face of the earth who saw him other than me.”
This narration underscores his status as the last surviving companion of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Demise
Year of Death: There are varying reports regarding the exact year of his death:
106 AH: As stated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih and Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, based on the authority of Khaleefah ibn Khayyat.
102 AH: As mentioned by Mus’ab ibn ‘Abdullah az-Zubayree.
107 AH: As recorded by Ibn Hibban, Ibn Qani’, and Abu Zakariyya ibn Mandah.
110 AH: An eyewitness account by Wahb ibn Jareer ibn Hazim, who reported seeing Abu al-Tufayl’s funeral in Makkah during this year.
Legacy
Abu al-Tufayl is remembered for his unwavering loyalty to Imam Ali (عليه السلام), his participation in significant Islamic movements, and his role in preserving and transmitting the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions.
Jazak Allahay Khair for reading. Please also read “Dua for studying and knowledge“.
