Introduction
al-Miqdad was born in Hadramawt in Yemen and ended up in Makkah after a feud, where he was taken in as an ally by the Zuhrah clan and adopted by al-Aswad ibn Abd Yaghuth, hence the name 'Ibn al-Aswad'. He is counted among the first people to accept Islam and he migrated to Madinah.
At Badr he was one of the very few mounted fighters on the Muslim side. Before the battle, as the Prophet consulted the believers, he gave a short speech of loyalty that delighted the Prophet: they would not say as the Children of Israel said to Moses, but would fight on his right, left, front and rear.
He fought in all the Prophet's campaigns, took part in later campaigns of the caliphs, and his narrations show a man of firm principle: he refused flattery of rulers, was careful about the life of anyone who professed faith, and carried a strong awareness of the Day of Judgement.
The story
c. 610-615 CE
Accepts Islam in Makkah among the early believers.
2 AH / 624 CE
At Badr, pledges loyalty to the Prophet in words the Prophet found delightful.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 3952Sahih Arabic text
… مَشْهَدًا، لأَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا عُدِلَ بِهِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ لاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى{اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ} وَلَكِنَّا نُقَاتِلُ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَعَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَخَلْفَكَ. فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشْرَقَ وَجْهُهُ وَسَرَّهُ. يَعْنِي …
“But we shall fight on your right and on your left and in front of you and behind you”
8 AH / 630 CE
Sent with Ali and az-Zubayr to Rawdat Khakh to intercept a letter bound for Makkah.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 3007Sahih Arabic text
… وَالْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ قَالَ" انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً وَمَعَهَا كِتَابٌ، فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا". فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى الرَّوْضَةِ، فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ. فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ. فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ. …
“Proceed till you reach Rawdat Khakh”
33 AH / c. 653 CE
Dies during the caliphate of Uthman.
A day in their footsteps
5 small, repeatable practices from al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Greeting quietly at night so the sleeper isn't woken
Al-Miqdad narrated how the Prophet used to come back at night and give the salam in a voice that the wakeful could hear but would not disturb a sleeper, and then pray in the mosque. The hadith is a model of considerate home manners.
Try this today
Lower your voice and be careful when entering a shared space at night.
Sit with this
Do you move through shared spaces at night with care for the sleepers?
Sources
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2719Sahih … بَيْنَنَا". فَكُنَّا نَحْتَلِبُهُ فَيَشْرَبُ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ نَصِيبَهُ وَنَرْفَعُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَصِيبَهُ فَيَجِيءُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْنَا تَسْلِيمًا لاَ يُوقِظُ النَّائِمَ وَيُسْمِعُ الْيَقْظَانَ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي الْمَسْجِدَ فَيُصَلِّي ثُمَّ يَأْتِي شَرَابَهُ فَيَشْرَبُهُ. قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ …
“gave the Salam such that it would not wake the sleeping person”
Sahih Muslim 2055Sahih قَالَ أَقْبَلْتُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبَانِ، لِي وَقَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أَسْمَاعُنَا وَأَبْصَارُنَا مِنَ الْجَهْدِ فَجَعَلْنَا نَعْرِضُ أَنْفُسَنَا عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقْبَلُنَا فَأَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَانْطَلَقَ بِنَا إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَإِذَا ثَلاَثَةُ أَعْنُزٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" احْتَلِبُوا هَذَا اللَّبَنَ …
“I and two of my companions were so much afflicted by hunger”
Standing with the Prophet whatever the odds
Facing a stronger Quraysh force, al-Miqdad told the Prophet that they would not say like the Israelites 'go you and your Lord and fight', but would fight beside him from every side.
Try this today
Be reliably present for your principles and the people you serve.
Sit with this
Whom have you promised to stand with, whatever the odds?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 3952Sahih … مَشْهَدًا، لأَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا عُدِلَ بِهِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ لاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى{اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ} وَلَكِنَّا نُقَاتِلُ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَعَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَخَلْفَكَ. فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشْرَقَ وَجْهُهُ وَسَرَّهُ. يَعْنِي …
“We will not say as the People of Moses said”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4609Sahih … الْمِقْدَادُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لاَ نَقُولُ لَكَ كَمَا قَالَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ لِمُوسَى{فَاذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ إِنَّا هَا هُنَا قَاعِدُونَ} وَلَكِنِ امْضِ وَنَحْنُ مَعَكَ. فَكَأَنَّهُ سُرِّيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَرَوَاهُ وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ مُخَارِقٍ عَنْ طَارِقٍ أَنَّ الْمِقْدَادَ قَالَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه …
“Proceed, and we are with you”
Refusing flattery
When someone praised a ruler excessively, al-Miqdad threw dust in the praiser's face, quoting the Prophet's command to throw dust at the faces of those who praise too much.
Try this today
Praise sparingly and sincerely; do not let flattery inflate you or others.
Sit with this
Do you praise sparingly and sincerely, and resist being flattered?
Sources
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2393Sahih … وَقَدْ رَوَى زَائِدَةُ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَحَدِيثُ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ أَصَحُّ. وَأَبُو مَعْمَرٍ اسْمُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَخْبَرَةَ وَالْمِقْدَادُ بْنُ الأَسْوَدِ هُوَ الْمِقْدَادُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْكِنْدِيُّ وَيُكْنَى أَبَا مَعْبَدٍ وَإِنَّمَا نُسِبَ إِلَى الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ يَغُوثَ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَدْ تَبَنَّاهُ وَهُوَ …
“ordered us to throw dust in the faces of those who praise others”
Sahih Muslim 3002Sahih قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ يُثْنِي عَلَى أَمِيرٍ مِنَ الأُمَرَاءِ فَجَعَلَ الْمِقْدَادُ يَحْثِي عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ وَقَالَ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ نَحْثِيَ فِي وُجُوهِ الْمَدَّاحِينَ التُّرَابَ.
“those who shower too much praise”
Protecting life even in the heat of battle
Al-Miqdad asked the Prophet what to do if an enemy who had wounded him said the shahadah as he was about to be struck. The Prophet told him not to kill him.
Try this today
Be slow to violence and quick to give the benefit of the doubt in matters of faith.
Sit with this
Do you give people the benefit of the doubt about their faith?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 6865Sahih … لِلَّهِ. آقْتُلُهُ بَعْدَ أَنْ قَالَهَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" لاَ تَقْتُلْهُ". قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُ طَرَحَ إِحْدَى يَدَىَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ بَعْدَ مَا قَطَعَهَا، آقْتُلُهُ قَالَ" لاَ تَقْتُلْهُ، فَإِنْ قَتَلْتَهُ فَإِنَّهُ بِمَنْزِلَتِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقْتُلَهُ، وَأَنْتَ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ كَلِمَتَهُ الَّتِي قَالَ". وَقَالَ حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي …
“Do not kill him”
Awareness of the Day of Judgement
He narrated the Prophet's description of the Day when the sun will come close and people will sweat according to their deeds.
Try this today
Keep the Day of Judgement in mind when choosing deeds.
Sit with this
Which deed today would you want to see on the Day of Judgement?
Sources
Sahih Muslim 2864Sahih … بِالْمِيلِ أَمَسَافَةَ الأَرْضِ أَمِ الْمِيلَ الَّذِي تُكْتَحَلُ بِهِ الْعَيْنُ. قَالَ" فَيَكُونُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فِي الْعَرَقِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى كَعْبَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى حَقْوَيْهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُلْجِمُهُ الْعَرَقُ إِلْجَامًا". قَالَ وَأَشَارَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدِهِ إِلَى …
“The people would be submerged in perspiration according to their deeds”
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2421Sahih … بْنِ جَابِرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمِقْدَادُ، صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ" إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ أُدْنِيَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ حَتَّى تَكُونَ قِيدَ مِيلٍ أَوِ اثْنَيْنِ". قَالَ سُلَيْمٌ لاَ أَدْرِي أَىَّ الْمِيلَيْنِ عَنَى أَمَسَافَةَ الأَرْضِ أَمِ الْمِيلَ الَّذِي …
“On the Day of Judgement, the sun will be drawn near the servants”
Virtues
The Prophet's face lit up with joy at al-Miqdad's words before Badr.
“I saw the face of the Prophet (ﷺ) getting bright with happiness”
Arabic text
… مَشْهَدًا، لأَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا عُدِلَ بِهِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ لاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى{اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ} وَلَكِنَّا نُقَاتِلُ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَعَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَخَلْفَكَ. فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشْرَقَ وَجْهُهُ وَسَرَّهُ. يَعْنِي …
Sahih al-Bukhari 3952Sahih
Ibn Mas'ud said witnessing al-Miqdad's stand at Badr would have been dearer to him than anything.
“would have been dearer to me than anything had I been the hero of that scene”
Arabic text
… سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، يَقُولُ شَهِدْتُ مِنَ الْمِقْدَادِ بْنِ الأَسْوَدِ مَشْهَدًا، لأَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا عُدِلَ بِهِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ لاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى{اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ} وَلَكِنَّا نُقَاتِلُ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَعَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَخَلْفَكَ. …
Sahih al-Bukhari 3952Sahih
Words on this page
- Badrبدر
- The first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh, in 2 AH. Those who fought there hold a special rank among the Companions.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- 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.
- Salamسلام
- The greeting of peace, "as-salamu alaykum", and its reply.
- Shahadahالشهادة
- The declaration of faith: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Related companions
- عبد الله بن مسعودAbdullah ibn Mas'udEarly Muslim and shepherd boy of Mecca whom the Prophet named first among those to learn the Quran from; a ju…
- علي بن أبي طالبAli ibn Abi TalibCousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, among the first to believe, and fourth caliph; remembered for knowledge…
- الزبير بن العوامal-Zubayr ibn al-Awwamal-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, the Prophet's disciple (hawari): his courage, trustworthiness with money and reliance…
- أبو ذر الغفاريAbu Dharr al-GhifariOne of the earliest believers, praised by the Prophet as exceptionally truthful, and known for simple living…
Sources and review
- Miqdad ibn Aswad - Wikipedia (dates and life events) (opens in a new tab)
- Hadith texts via the open Hadith API mirroring sunnah.com numbering (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.