Introduction
Anas was a boy of Madinah when his mother Umm Sulaym brought him to the Prophet as a helper. He served in the house and on journeys for about ten years.
His reports describe the Prophet's character from the inside: the patience, the absence of complaint, the habit of praying for those around him. He is one of the most prolific narrators.
He lived to a great age, moved to Basra, and taught many students there.
The story
c. 612 CE
Born in Yathrib (Madinah).
1 AH / 622 CE
Presented to the Prophet as his servant on his arrival in Madinah.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 2768Sahih Arabic text
… اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ، فَأَخَذَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ بِيَدِي، فَانْطَلَقَ بِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَنَسًا غُلاَمٌ كَيِّسٌ، فَلْيَخْدُمْكَ. قَالَ فَخَدَمْتُهُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ، مَا قَالَ لِي لِشَىْءٍ صَنَعْتُهُ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا وَلاَ لِشَىْءٍ لَمْ أَصْنَعْهُ لِمَ لَمْ تَصْنَعْ هَذَا …
“Anas is a wise boy, so let him serve”
11 AH / 632 CE
Served the Prophet until his death; later lived in Basra.
c. 93 AH / 712 CE
Died in Basra.
A day in their footsteps
5 small, repeatable practices from Anas ibn Malik's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Serving with patience and not expecting thanks
He served the Prophet for years, as a boy, and was never scolded for what he did or did not do. He kept doing his work and remembered the Prophet's gentleness.
Try this today
Serve without keeping score, and be gentle with those who serve you.
Sit with this
Can you serve today without keeping score?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 6038Sahih قَالَ خَدَمْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشْرَ سِنِينَ، فَمَا قَالَ لِي أُفٍّ. وَلاَ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ وَلاَ أَلاَّ صَنَعْتَ.
“I served the Prophet (ﷺ) for ten years, and he never said to me, "Uf" (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed”
Sunan Abi Dawud 4774Sahih قَالَ خَدَمْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشْرَ سِنِينَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَأَنَا غُلاَمٌ لَيْسَ كُلُّ أَمْرِي كَمَا يَشْتَهِي صَاحِبِي أَنْ أَكُونَ عَلَيْهِ مَا قَالَ لِي فِيهَا أُفٍّ قَطُّ وَمَا قَالَ لِي لِمَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا أَوْ أَلاَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا.
“I served the Prophet (ﷺ) at Medina for ten years.”
Noting and passing on the Prophet's character
He reported that the Prophet never used a harsh word with him and had the best character among people.
Try this today
Pay attention to good character in those around you and pass it on.
Sit with this
Whose good character could you describe to someone today?
Source
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2015Sahih … لِمَ صَنَعْتَهُ وَلاَ لِشَيْءٍ تَرَكْتُهُ لِمَ تَرَكْتَهُ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ خُلُقًا وَلاَ مَسِسْتُ خَزًّا قَطُّ وَلاَ حَرِيرًا وَلاَ شَيْئًا كَانَ أَلْيَنَ مِنْ كَفِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ شَمَمْتُ مِسْكًا قَطُّ وَلاَ عِطْرًا كَانَ أَطْيَبَ مِنْ عَرَقِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ …
“I served the Prophet for ten years. He never said Uff and never blamed me by saying: 'Why did you do so' or why did”
Taking a dua from the righteous
His mother asked the Prophet to pray for Anas, and he asked that his wealth and children increase and be blessed.
Try this today
Ask the righteous to pray for you and your family.
Sit with this
Whom could you ask to make du'a for you and your family?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 6334Sahih قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا، قَالَ قَالَتْ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَسٌ خَادِمُكَ. قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثِرْ مَالَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ، وَبَارِكْ لَهُ فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَهُ".
“O Allah! increase his wealth and offspring, and bless (for him) what”
Obeying a new ruling at once
When it was announced that alcohol had been forbidden, Anas, who was serving drink to a group in Abu Talha's house, poured it away immediately.
Try this today
When the ruling comes, act on it immediately.
Sit with this
What would you do differently today if you obeyed at once?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 5600Sahih قَالَ إِنِّي لأَسْقِي أَبَا طَلْحَةَ وَأَبَا دُجَانَةَ وَسُهَيْلَ ابْنَ الْبَيْضَاءِ خَلِيطَ بُسْرٍ وَتَمْرٍ إِذْ حُرِّمَتِ الْخَمْرُ، فَقَذَفْتُهَا وَأَنَا سَاقِيهِمْ وَأَصْغَرُهُمْ، وَإِنَّا نَعُدُّهَا يَوْمَئِذٍ الْخَمْرَ. وَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ سَمِعَ أَنَسًا.
“whereupon I threw it away,”
Sunan an-Nasa'i 5542Sahih قَالَ كُنْتُ أَسْقِي أَبَا طَلْحَةَ وَأُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ وَأَبَا دُجَانَةَ فِي رَهْطٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ حَدَثَ خَبَرٌ نَزَلَ تَحْرِيمُ الْخَمْرِ. فَكَفَأْنَا. قَالَ وَمَا هِيَ يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلاَّ الْفَضِيخُ خَلِيطُ الْبُسْرِ وَالتَّمْرِ. قَالَ وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ لَقَدْ حُرِّمَتِ الْخَمْرُ وَإِنَّ عَامَّةَ خُمُورِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْفَضِيخُ.
“So we poured it away."”
Serving at home and on journeys
His stepfather Abu Talha brought him to the Prophet to serve, and he stayed with him at home and on journeys.
Try this today
Take on service early in life.
Sit with this
Where could a young person in your life learn by serving alongside you?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2768Sahih … اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ، فَأَخَذَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ بِيَدِي، فَانْطَلَقَ بِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَنَسًا غُلاَمٌ كَيِّسٌ، فَلْيَخْدُمْكَ. قَالَ فَخَدَمْتُهُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ، مَا قَالَ لِي لِشَىْءٍ صَنَعْتُهُ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا وَلاَ لِشَىْءٍ لَمْ أَصْنَعْهُ لِمَ لَمْ تَصْنَعْ هَذَا …
“So, I served him at home and on journeys.”
Virtues
It was reported that the Prophet prayed for him, and he had a garden that bore fruit twice a year.
“the Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated for him,”
Arabic text
… النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ خَدَمَهُ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ وَدَعَا لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ لَهُ بُسْتَانٌ يَحْمِلُ فِي السَّنَةِ الْفَاكِهَةَ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَكَانَ فِيهَا رَيْحَانٌ يَجِدُ مِنْهُ رِيحَ الْمِسْكِ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ. وَأَبُو خَلْدَةَ اسْمُهُ خَالِدُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ وَهُوَ ثِقَةٌ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ وَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ وَرَوَى …
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3833Sahih
Sayings and moments
He said he served the Prophet for ten years and never heard an impatient word from him.
“I served the Prophet (ﷺ) for ten years, and he never said to me, "Uf" (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed”
Arabic text
قَالَ خَدَمْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشْرَ سِنِينَ، فَمَا قَالَ لِي أُفٍّ. وَلاَ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ وَلاَ أَلاَّ صَنَعْتَ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6038Sahih
Words on this page
- Ansarالأنصار
- "The Helpers": the Muslims of Madinah, from the Aws and Khazraj tribes, who welcomed and sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and the emigrants from Makkah.
- Du'aدعاء
- Supplication: calling on Allah and asking Him, in any language and at any time.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Related companions
- أبو دجانة الأنصاريAbu Dujanah al-AnsariThe Ansari who took the Prophet's sword at Uhud and promised to fulfil its right, and obeyed the wine prohibi…
- طلحة بن عبيد اللهTalha ibn UbaydullahA wealthy early Muslim who shielded the Prophet at Uhud with his own hand and was promised Paradise.
- أم أيمن (بركة)Umm Ayman (Barakah)The Prophet's nurse and freed servant, who loved him as a son and wept when revelation ceased.
- عائشة بنت أبي بكرAisha bint Abi BakrWife of the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, a leading scholar of the first generation who asked, learned an…
Sources and review
- Anas ibn Malik - Wikipedia (dates and life events) (opens in a new tab)
- hadith-api (mirror used to confirm hadith text, numbering and grades; mirrors sunnah.com) (opens in a new tab)
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.