Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur

ProfileAl-Bara' ibn Ma'rur

Al-Bara' (may Allah be pleased with him) was the son of Ma'rur, of the Banu Salimah of the Khazraj, and one of the elders and chiefs of his people. According to the early biographies, he was a man of great piety, and was among those who gave the pledge at Aqabah. According to the early biographies, when the Ansar went to the second pledge, it was he whom they put forward, being the oldest and most respected among them, and he was the first to put his hand in the hand of the Prophet ﷺ at the pledge. According to the early biographies, he was one of the twelve leaders chosen that night.

According to the early biographies, when he accepted Islam, he began to pray towards the Ka'bah, though the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims were then praying towards Jerusalem. According to the early biographies, on the way to Makkah for the pledge he said that he thought he should face the Ka'bah, the house built for the worship of one God, and that he could not turn his back on it. His companions told him that they had heard from the Prophet ﷺ only that he prayed towards Jerusalem, and they would not oppose him. According to the early biographies, he prayed towards the Ka'bah on the road, and they towards Jerusalem, and they found fault with him, and when they reached Makkah, he said that he had done something and did not know whether it was right, and asked to put it before the Prophet ﷺ. According to the early biographies, they went to the Prophet ﷺ not knowing what he looked like, and asked for him, and were directed to al-Abbas, who was a merchant they knew, and found the Prophet ﷺ sitting with him. He asked al-Abbas who they were, and was told that one was Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur, the chief of his people, and the other Ka'b ibn Malik, who was the poet. Al-Bara' asked him about his praying towards the Ka'bah, and the Prophet ﷺ told him that he had had a direction, and he would do well to be patient with it. According to the early biographies, he went back to praying towards Jerusalem, until the command to turn towards the Ka'bah came.

According to the early biographies, he went home to Madinah and died in Safar, a month before the Prophet ﷺ arrived. According to the early biographies, he left a third of his property to the Prophet ﷺ in his will, and when the Prophet ﷺ came, he gave it back to his heirs. According to the early biographies, when the Prophet ﷺ reached Madinah, he asked about him, and was told that he had died, and went to his grave and prayed for him, asking Allah to forgive him, have mercy on him and admit him into Paradise, and adding that He had done so.

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