Uways al-Qarani — The best of the Tabi‘in who stood with Imam Ali and was martyred at Siffin
Uways al-Qarani was not a random name.
He was the man praised by the Prophet ﷺ before people even knew him.
He was not a Sahabi, because he did not meet the Prophet ﷺ.
He was a Tabi‘i.
But what kind of Tabi‘i?
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet ﷺ called him from the best of the Tabi‘in, a man whose dua was accepted, and told Umar that if he found Uways, he should ask him to seek forgiveness for him.
And historical Sunni sources record that this same Uways al-Qarani later stood with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin and was martyred there.
Core narration 1: The Prophet ﷺ praised Uways al-Qarani in Sahih Muslim
Arabic:
يأتي عليكم أويس بن عامر مع أمداد أهل اليمن، من مراد ثم من قرن، كان به برص فبرأ منه إلا موضع درهم، له والدة هو بها بر، لو أقسم على الله لأبره، فإن استطعت أن يستغفر لك فافعل.
English:
“Uways bin ‘Amir will come to you with the reinforcements of the people of Yemen, from Murad, then from Qaran. He had leprosy, then he was cured of it except for a place the size of a dirham. He has a mother and he is dutiful to her. If he were to swear by Allah, Allah would fulfill it. So if you are able to ask him to seek forgiveness for you, then do so.”
Reference:
Sahih Muslim, Kitab Fada’il al-Sahabah, Bab min Fada’il Uways al-Qarani, Hadith 2542.
Status:
Sahih.
Comment:
This is not a Shia story.
This is Sahih Muslim.
The Prophet ﷺ praised Uways before people even recognized him.
Core narration 2: Sahih Muslim calls him the best of the Tabi‘in
Arabic:
إن خير التابعين رجل يقال له أويس، وله والدة، وكان به بياض، فمروه فليستغفر لكم.
English:
“Indeed, the best of the Tabi‘in is a man called Uways. He has a mother, and he had whiteness on his body. So ask him to seek forgiveness for you.”
Reference:
Sahih Muslim, Kitab Fada’il al-Sahabah, Hadith of Uways al-Qarani.
Status:
Sahih.
Comment:
The Prophet ﷺ did not call Uways an ordinary man.
He called him:
خير التابعين
“The best of the Tabi‘in.”
Core narration 3: Uways preferred to remain unknown
Arabic:
قال له عمر: أين تريد؟ قال: الكوفة. قال: ألا أكتب لك إلى عاملها؟ قال: أكون في غبراء الناس أحب إلي.
English:
“Umar said to him: Where do you intend to go? He said: Kufa. Umar said: Should I write to its governor for you? Uways said: I prefer to be among the unknown ordinary people.”
Reference:
Sahih Muslim, Hadith of Uways al-Qarani.
Status:
Sahih.
Comment:
This was the character of Uways.
No hunger for fame.
No political ambition.
No love of status.
He wanted to remain among the unknown servants of Allah.
Core narration 4: Al-Dhahabi identifies Uways
Arabic:
هو القدوة الزاهد، سيد التابعين في زمانه، أبو عمرو، أويس بن عامر بن جزء بن مالك القرني المرادي اليماني.
English:
“He is the model ascetic, the master of the Tabi‘in in his time: Abu ‘Amr, Uways bin ‘Amir bin Juz’ bin Malik al-Qarani, al-Muradi, al-Yamani.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Uways al-Qarani.
Status:
Sunni biographical report.
Comment:
Al-Dhahabi calls him:
سيد التابعين في زمانه
“The master of the Tabi‘in in his time.”
Now ask:
Where did this master of the Tabi‘in stand when the Ummah was tested at Siffin?
Core narration 5: A man from the people of Syria asked about Uways at Siffin
Arabic:
نادى رجل من أهل الشام يوم صفين: أفيكم أويس القرني؟ قلنا: نعم، وما تريد منه؟ قال: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: أويس القرني خير التابعين بإحسان. وعطف دابته فدخل مع أصحاب علي.
English:
“A man from the people of Syria called out on the day of Siffin: Is Uways al-Qarani among you? We said: Yes, and what do you want from him? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Uways al-Qarani is the best of the Tabi‘in in goodness. Then he turned his mount and entered with the companions of Ali.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Uways al-Qarani; reported through the route of Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Layla.
Status:
Supporting historical report. Al-Haythami cited a similar report in Majma‘ al-Zawa’id and said its chain is good, while some later scholars discussed weakness in parts of the route. The meaning is supported by the sahih virtue of Uways in Sahih Muslim.
Comment:
This report is powerful.
A man from the Syrian side heard the hadith about Uways.
When he realized Uways was with Imam Ali a.s, he turned and joined the companions of Ali.
Why?
Because the Prophet ﷺ had praised Uways.
And Uways was standing with Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 6: Uways was found among the killed at Siffin
Arabic:
وزاد بعض الثقات فيه عن يزيد، عن ابن أبي ليلى، قال: فوجد في قتلى صفين.
English:
“Some trustworthy narrators added in it from Yazid, from Ibn Abi Layla, who said: He was found among the killed of Siffin.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Uways al-Qarani.
Status:
Historical supporting report.
Comment:
The report says Uways was found among the killed at Siffin.
So the man praised in Sahih Muslim as the best of the Tabi‘in ended his life in the army of Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 7: Al-Dhahabi records that Uways returned in the days of Ali and was martyred with him at Siffin
Arabic:
ثم عاد في أيام علي رضي الله عنه، فاستشهد معه بصفين، فنظروا، فإذا عليه نيف وأربعون جراحة.
English:
“Then he returned in the days of Ali, and was martyred with him at Siffin. They looked and found more than forty wounds on him.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Uways al-Qarani.
Status:
Sunni biographical / historical report.
Comment:
Read this carefully:
فاستشهد معه بصفين
“He was martyred with him at Siffin.”
Meaning with Imam Ali a.s.
And his body had more than forty wounds.
This is not the death of someone sitting on the fence.
This is the death of someone who gave his body in the camp of Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 8: Another report says he pledged to Imam Ali on death and fought until he was killed
Arabic:
شهدت عليا يوم صفين يقول: من يبايعني على الموت؟ فبايعه تسعة وتسعون، فقال: أين التمام؟ جاء رجل على أطمار صوف، محلوق الرأس، فبايع، فقيل: هذا أويس القرني، فما زال يحارب بين يديه حتى قتل.
English:
“I witnessed Ali on the day of Siffin saying: Who will pledge allegiance to me upon death? Ninety-nine men pledged to him. He said: Where is the completion? Then a man came wearing worn woolen clothes, with his head shaved, and pledged. It was said: This is Uways al-Qarani. He continued fighting in front of him until he was killed.”
Reference:
Al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak; also quoted by al-Dhahabi in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’.
Status:
Weak chain according to al-Dhahabi, so use as supporting report only, not main proof.
Comment:
Even though this chain is weak, it supports the same historical picture:
Uways stood with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin and fought until death.
The stronger point remains that Sunni biographical sources repeatedly preserve his martyrdom with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin, and his virtue in Sahih Muslim is authentic.
Core narration 9: The hadith of Ammar explains the battlefield of Siffin
Arabic:
وَيْحَ عَمَّارٍ، تَقْتُلُهُ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، عَمَّارٌ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَيَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى النَّارِ.
English:
“Woe to Ammar! He will be killed by the rebellious group. Ammar will invite them to Allah, while they will invite him to the Fire.”
Reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2812.
Status:
Sahih.
Comment:
Ammar bin Yasir was also killed at Siffin.
Ammar was with Imam Ali a.s.
The Prophet ﷺ said Ammar would be killed by:
الفئة الباغية
“The rebellious group.”
So Siffin was not morally equal.
Core narration 10: Ibn Hajar says Ali was correct because Muawiya’s supporters killed Ammar
Arabic:
ودل حديث: تقتل عمارا الفئة الباغية على أن عليا كان المصيب في تلك الحرب لأن أصحاب معاوية قتلوه.
English:
“The hadith ‘The rebellious group will kill Ammar’ proves that Ali was correct in that war, because the supporters of Muawiya killed him.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari.
Status:
Sunni hadith commentary.
Comment:
This is not Shia emotion.
This is Ibn Hajar saying:
عليا كان المصيب
“Ali was correct.”
Why?
Because Muawiya’s supporters killed Ammar.
Core narration 11: Ibn Kathir says Ali was upon truth and Muawiya was rebellious
Arabic:
وبان بذلك أن عليا محق وأن معاوية باغ.
English:
“By that it became clear that Ali was upon truth and Muawiya was rebellious.”
Reference:
Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of Siffin.
Status:
Sunni historical commentary.
Comment:
Ibn Kathir’s wording is direct:
Ali was upon truth.
Muawiya was rebellious.
Now connect the facts.
Who was Uways al-Qarani?
The best of the Tabi‘in according to Sahih Muslim.
A man whose dua was accepted.
A man whom Umar was told to ask for forgiveness.
A man who avoided fame and chose to remain among ordinary people.
Where did he stand at Siffin?
With Imam Ali a.s.
Where was he killed?
At Siffin.
How was his body found?
With more than forty wounds.
Who else was killed in that same battle?
Ammar bin Yasir.
And what did the Prophet ﷺ say about Ammar’s killers?
تقتل عمارا الفئة الباغية
“The rebellious group will kill Ammar.”
So do not pretend that Imam Ali’s camp was empty of the righteous.
Ammar was with Imam Ali a.s.
Khuzayma was with Imam Ali a.s.
Hashim al-Mirqal was with Imam Ali a.s.
Abdullah bin Budayl was with Imam Ali a.s.
Abd al-Rahman bin Budayl was with Imam Ali a.s.
And Uways al-Qarani, the best of the Tabi‘in, was also with Imam Ali a.s.
Qur’an says:
Arabic:
وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ.
English:
“And if two groups of believers fight, then make peace between them. But if one of them rebels against the other, then fight the one that rebels until it returns to the command of Allah.”
Reference:
Qur’an 49:9
Uways al-Qarani’s martyrdom is not a small point.
The Prophet ﷺ praised him.
Sahih Muslim preserved his virtue.
Sunni historical sources place him with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin.
And the battlefield of Siffin was exposed by the blood of Ammar.
So do not use “ijtihad” to erase the righteous men who stood with Imam Ali a.s.
Do not use Imam Hasan a.s’s treaty to rewrite Siffin.
The treaty stopped future bloodshed.
It did not cancel the hadith of Ammar.
It did not turn the rebellious group into the rightful side.
And it did not erase the blood of Uways al-Qarani.
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