I got an agreement written between me and Umaiya bin Khalaf that Umaiya would look after my
property (or family) in Mecca and I would look after his in Medina. When I mentioned the word 'Ar64
Rahman' in the documents, Umaiya said, "I do not know 'Ar-Rahman.' Write down to me your name,
(with which you called yourself) in the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance." So, I wrote my name '
`Abdu `Amr'. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, when all the people went to sleep, I went up the hill
to protect him. Bilal(1) saw him (i.e. Umaiya) and went to a gathering of Ansar and said, "(Here is)
Umaiya bin Khalaf! Woe to me if he escapes!" So, a group of Ansar went out with Bilal to follow us
(`Abdur-Rahman and Umaiya). Being afraid that they would catch us, I left Umaiya's son for them to
keep them busy but the Ansar killed the son and insisted on following us. Umaiya was a fat man, and
when they approached us, I told him to kneel down, and he knelt, and I laid myself on him to protect
him, but the Ansar killed him by passing their swords underneath me, and one of them injured my foot
with his sword. (The sub narrator said, " `Abdur-Rahman used to show us the trace of the wound on
the back of his foot.")
Narrated by Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf:
Context
This hadith recounts an agreement made between `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Umaiya bin Khalaf regarding the safekeeping of each other's property. When Umaiya rejected the mention of 'Ar-Rahman' in their contract, it illustrated the cultural tensions of the time. The narrative also reflects the importance of trust and clarity in business dealings.
Modern Application
In modern business practices, clear contracts and mutual understanding are essential for successful partnerships. This hadith serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and transparency in all agreements, ensuring that all parties are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Contracts & Agreements because it discusses the establishment of a formal agreement between two parties, highlighting the need for clarity and trust in business transactions.
[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind. So Allah repaid you with distress upon distress so you would not grieve for that which had escaped you [of victory and spoils of war] or [for] that which had befallen you [of injury and death]. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.
This hadith is #2215 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Representation, Authorization, Business by Proxy. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf:.