Download PDF: [S] Who was Imam Awzaa’i

The title of Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Awzaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – is “Abu ‘Umar” and his full name is Abdur Rahman bin Amar. He is the teacher of most of the Syrian Muhaditheen. The reason he is referred to as “Awzaa’i” is because he is related to a certain tribe in Hamdaan or Yemen called “Awzaa’i.” Some have said that “Awzaa’I” is the name of a small village near Damascus.

 

He was born in the city of Ba’labak in 88 A.H. and spent his entire life in seeking knowledge and in Jihad. Besides his immense knowledge, he was also known for his immense piety.

 

Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Awzaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – was well known for his Taqwah and his immense piety which was accepted by all of the eminent ‘Ulama and Awliyah of his era. He answered nearly seventy thousand Fatawah through memory and he started to write Fatawah at the age of thirteen. He is among the Tab’a Taaba’een.

 

He has also recorded Ahadith from eminent Taaba’een. His teachers include Imam Qatadah, Imam Zuhir, Imam Yahya bin Katheer – may Allah be pleased with them –  etc. Prior to Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – becoming famous, the whole of Syria and other parts of the Muslim world accepted his Fatwah.

 

At first, Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Awzaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – was stationed in Damascus and he then moved to Beirut. He joined the Mujahideen and spent the last few years of his life in Jihad.

 

Khalifah Abu Jafer Mansur had immense respect for him and used to attend to him in great respect. Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Awzaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – used to also give advice to the Khalifah without fear and was sometimes very severe in his advice.

 

He was also someone who displayed immense Karamah. His passing away is also very strange. It is mentioned that he once attended a public bath and while he was bathing, the keeper of the public bath closed the doors without realizing that the great Imam was inside. However, after a few days when they opened the bath, they found that he was sitting facing the Qiblah but he had already passed away. This happened in 157 A.H. (Tabqaat Imam She’rani)