A Decade of Service Without Rebuke
Anas ibn Malik narrated his own biography: he was brought to the Prophet at age ten by his mother Umm Sulaym, who also gave him a name meaning “warmth” or “intimacy” — uns. He remained in the Prophet’s household from the Hijra to the Prophet’s death: ten years.
His testimony: “The Messenger of Allah never struck a servant, never struck a woman, never struck anyone with his hand except in the path of Allah. He never took revenge on his own behalf for anything done to him unless a boundary of Allah had been violated.”
The hadith are a character portrait of the Prophet preserved from the closest proximity.
The Prophet’s Prayer for Him
The Prophet prayed for Anas specifically: “O Allah, give him abundant wealth and children, and bless him therein.”
Anas narrated that this prayer was answered: he had many children and grandchildren; his gardens and orchards bore fruit twice a year; and he lived to approximately 100 years old — one of the last surviving companions of the Prophet, dying around 93 AH / 712 CE. The longevity of his life meant that his hadith became a primary channel connecting later generations to the Prophet’s time.
Two Thousand Hadiths and the Basran School
After the Prophet’s death, Anas settled in Basra. The Basran hadith tradition was founded largely on his transmission. He is the primary source for:
- The Prophet’s description and physical character
- Daily life in the Prophet’s household (eating, prayer, dress)
- The characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer
- Many key ethical and spiritual narrations
His hadith run through virtually all six canonical collections (kutub al-sitta) and through Bohra Ismaili narration chains as well.
See also: Ilm Al Hadith, Masjid Al Nabawi, Seerah Abu Hurayra, Seerah Ubayy Ibn Kab, Prophet Muhammad, Seerah Khadijah