Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص

رضي الله عنه

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As ibn Wa'il al-Qurashi al-Sahmi

Devoted worshipper who wrote down the Prophet's sayings, fasted and prayed to excess, and was taught the middle path of David's fasting.

  • The writer of hadith
  • Worshipper (Abid)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Muhammad
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Sahm)
  • Bornc. 616 CE (approx., about 7 years before the Hijrah)
  • Diedc. 65 AH / c. 685 CE (reports differ on year and place)
  • Resting placeDisputed (Makkah, Taif or Egypt are all reported)
  • Counted amongScholars and narrators

Introduction

Abdullah ibn Amr was the son of the conqueror of Egypt, Amr ibn al-As, though he accepted Islam before his father. He was one of the earliest companions to write down hadith. Abu Hurayrah acknowledged that no one narrated more than he did except Abdullah ibn Amr, who wrote them down while Abu Hurayrah did not.

As a young man he vowed to fast every day and pray every night. The Prophet gently told him that his body, his family and his guest all had rights over him, and gave him a middle path: fasting like David, one day on and one day off, and completing the Quran in a week or a month. He kept the practice, and when he was old said that it would have been better to accept the easier allowance.

He was also known for his sayings on mercy and compassion. He narrated that the merciful are shown mercy by Ar-Rahman, and that kinship ties are named after one of Allah's names.

The story

  1. Before the Hijrah

    Born in Makkah (about seven years before the Hijrah, by most reports).

  2. Madinah period

    Asked the Prophet's permission to write everything he heard from him and was told to write.

    Read the wording
    Sunan Abi Dawud 3646Sahih
    Arabic text

    … اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُرِيدُ حِفْظَهُ فَنَهَتْنِي قُرَيْشٌ وَقَالُوا أَتَكْتُبُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ تَسْمَعُهُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَشَرٌ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي الْغَضَبِ وَالرِّضَا فَأَمْسَكْتُ عَنِ الْكِتَابِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَوْمَأَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ إِلَى فِيهِ فَقَالَ " اكْتُبْ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ …

    “Write, by Him in Whose hand my soul lies, only right comes out from it”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  3. Madinah period

    The Prophet advised him on moderation after hearing of his all-night prayers and daily fasting.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 1975Sahih
    Arabic text

    … فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ". فَشَدَّدْتُ، فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً. قَالَ" …

    “your body has a right on you, and your wife has a right on you, and your guest has a right on you”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  4. c. 65 AH

    Died at around 70 years old; the narrations differ on the place.

A day in their footsteps

6 small, repeatable practices from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Fasting like David: alternate days

    The Prophet told Abdullah ibn Amr that the best fasting is that of David, who fasted one day and skipped the next. Abdullah kept to it for life and sometimes made up missed days.

    Try this today

    If you want a strong voluntary fasting routine, build it on a rhythm you can keep.

    Sit with this

    What voluntary fast could you actually keep for a year, not just a week?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1975Sahih

    … كُلِّهِ". فَشَدَّدْتُ، فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً. قَالَ" فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَلاَ تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ". قُلْتُ وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ قَالَ" نِصْفَ الدَّهْرِ". فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه …

    “Fast like the fasting of the Prophet David”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

    Sahih Muslim 1159Sahih

    … صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ". قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ" صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا وَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ - وَهُوَ أَعْدَلُ الصِّيَامِ". قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" لاَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ". قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو رضى الله عنهما …

    “Fast one day and break on the other day”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  2. Balanced night prayer and sleep

    The Prophet told him not to pray all night: his body, his family and his guest all have rights over him, so he should pray and also sleep.

    Try this today

    Do not burn yourself out on worship; keep time for rest and family.

    Sit with this

    Does your worship leave room for the rights of your body and the people at home?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1153Sahih

    قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ" قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ" فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتْ عَيْنُكَ وَنَفِهَتْ نَفْسُكَ، وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ حَقٌّ، وَلأَهْلِكَ حَقٌّ، فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ".

    “No doubt, your body has right on you, and your family has right on you”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  3. Finishing the Quran in a week

    Abdullah wanted to finish the Quran in a night. The Prophet reduced it over time, to a month and then a week, and said not less than three days. Abdullah kept to the weekly recitation for the rest of his life.

    Try this today

    Set a manageable Quran schedule and keep it.

    Sit with this

    What pace of recitation would let you finish the Quran and still understand it?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5052Sahih

    … صِيَامَ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارَ يَوْمٍ وَاقْرَأْ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعِ لَيَالٍ مَرَّةً". فَلَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَذَاكَ أَنِّي كَبِرْتُ وَضَعُفْتُ فَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى بَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ السُّبْعَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ بِالنَّهَارِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ يَعْرِضُهُ مِنَ النَّهَارِ لِيَكُونَ أَخَفَّ عَلَيْهِ بِاللَّيْلِ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَقَوَّى أَفْطَرَ أَيَّامًا …

    “finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an In seven days”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

    Sunan Abi Dawud 1391Hasan Sahih

    قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" اقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي شَهْرٍ". قَالَ إِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً. قَالَ" اقْرَأْهُ فِي ثَلاَثٍ". قَالَ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا دَاوُدَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَحْمَدَ - يَعْنِي ابْنَ حَنْبَلٍ - يَقُولُ عِيسَى بْنُ شَاذَانَ كَيِّسٌ.

    “Recite it in three days”

    Grade: Hasan Sahih (al-Albani)

  4. Writing down knowledge

    Abdullah wrote everything he heard from the Prophet. When Quraysh discouraged him, the Prophet told him to keep writing, saying only truth comes from him.

    Try this today

    Take notes on what you learn, and keep your knowledge in writing.

    Sit with this

    Where do the good things you learn end up, and how many have you already forgotten?

    Sources

    Sunan Abi Dawud 3646Sahih

    … اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُرِيدُ حِفْظَهُ فَنَهَتْنِي قُرَيْشٌ وَقَالُوا أَتَكْتُبُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ تَسْمَعُهُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَشَرٌ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي الْغَضَبِ وَالرِّضَا فَأَمْسَكْتُ عَنِ الْكِتَابِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَوْمَأَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ إِلَى فِيهِ فَقَالَ " اكْتُبْ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ …

    “Write, by Him in Whose hand my soul lies, only right comes out from it”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

    Sahih al-Bukhari 113Sahih

    قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ حَدِيثًا عَنْهُ مِنِّي، إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ وَلاَ أَكْتُبُ. تَابَعَهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ.

    “who used to write them and I never did the same”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  5. Fasting three days a month

    The Prophet told him that fasting three days of each month is like fasting the whole year. Abdullah used it as a minimum and then later regretted not accepting that easier option when he was old.

    Try this today

    Even a small, consistent fast is a strong practice.

    Sit with this

    Could three days a month be your floor rather than your ceiling?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1975Sahih

    … لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ". فَشَدَّدْتُ، فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً. قَالَ" فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَلاَ تَزِدْ …

    “it is sufficient for you to fast three days in a month”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  6. Showing mercy to people

    Abdullah narrated that the Prophet said the merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful, and that those on earth who show mercy will be shown mercy from above.

    Try this today

    Be merciful to people and animals today.

    Sit with this

    To whom could you show mercy today who does not expect it?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 1924Sahih

    قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ ارْحَمُوا مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ الرَّحِمُ شُجْنَةٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ فَمَنْ وَصَلَهَا وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ قَطَعَهَا قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.

    “The merciful are shown mercy by Ar-Rahman. Be merciful on the earth”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

Virtues

  • Abu Hurayrah said no companion narrated more hadith than he did except Abdullah ibn Amr, who wrote them down.

    “There is none among the companions of the Prophet who has narrated more Hadiths than I except `Abdullah bin `Amr”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ حَدِيثًا عَنْهُ مِنِّي، إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ وَلاَ أَكْتُبُ. تَابَعَهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ.

    Sahih al-Bukhari 113Sahih

  • The Prophet corrected his over-zealous worship with care for his body and family, and Abdullah accepted the correction.

    “Don't do that; fast for few days and then give it up for few days”

    Arabic text

    … بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ" فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ، صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ". …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1975Sahih

Sayings and moments

  • When he grew old he wished he had accepted the Prophet's permission to fast three days a month and to recite the Quran less often.

    “It would have been better for me if I had accepted the permission of the Prophet”

    Arabic text

    … كُلِّهِ". فَشَدَّدْتُ، فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً. قَالَ" فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَلاَ تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ". قُلْتُ وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ قَالَ" نِصْفَ الدَّهْرِ". فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1975Sahih

Words on this page

Hadithحديث
A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
Hijrahالهجرة
The migration of the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, the starting point of the Islamic calendar.
Makkahمكة
The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
Qurayshقريش
The leading tribe of Makkah, to which the Prophet ﷺ belonged, and which opposed him for most of his mission.
Tahajjudتهجد
Voluntary prayer at night after waking from sleep, especially in the last third of the night.

The full glossary

Sources and review

Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.

This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.

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