Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

صهيب الرومي

رضي الله عنه

Suhayb al-Rumi

Suhayb ibn Sinan al-Rumi

Early believer, kidnapped as a child and raised among the Romans, who gave up his fortune for faith and narrated the believer's way with ease and hardship.

  • al-Rumi (the Roman)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Yahya
  • Family and tribeArab of Namir ibn Qasit, raised in Byzantine lands; client of Quraysh
  • BornBefore the Prophetic mission (exact year unknown)
  • Died659 CE / 38 AH
  • Resting placeal-Baqi', Madinah
  • Counted amongMuhajirun

Introduction

Suhayb was born to an Arab family but was captured as a child and raised in Byzantine lands, which is why he spoke Arabic with a foreign accent and was called al-Rumi, 'the Roman'. He later reached Makkah, grew wealthy in trade, and was among the first to answer the Prophet's call.

He left for Madinah at a heavy cost to himself. According to the classical biographies, he handed over his wealth to those who stopped him so that he could emigrate. In hadith, Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf once told him to fear Allah and not to claim a father other than his own; Suhayb replied that he would not say anything false even for a large sum of money, but that he had been kidnapped in his childhood.

Suhayb was close to Umar, and when Umar was stabbed Suhayb wept for him openly. Umar named him as the leader of prayer in the days after his death. Suhayb died in 38 AH at the age of about seventy.

The story

  1. Childhood

    Captured and raised among the Romans, which gave him his name.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 2219Sahih
    Arabic text

    قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لِصُهَيْبٍ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تَدَّعِ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيكَ. فَقَالَ صُهَيْبٌ مَا يَسُرُّنِي أَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَأَنِّي قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنِّي سُرِقْتُ وَأَنَا صَبِيٌّ.

    “I was kidnapped in my childhood”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  2. Early Makkan period

    Accepted Islam among the first believers.

  3. Hijrah

    Emigrated to Madinah; classical biographies report that he gave up his wealth in order to leave.

  4. 23 AH / 644 CE

    Wept openly at the wounding of Umar.

    Read the wording
    Sahih Muslim 927Sahih
    Arabic text

    … دَخَلَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَامَ بِحِيَالِهِ يَبْكِي فَقَالَ عُمَرُ عَلاَمَ تَبْكِي أَعَلَىَّ تَبْكِي قَالَ إِي وَاللَّهِ لَعَلَيْكَ أَبْكِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ يُبْكَى عَلَيْهِ يُعَذَّبُ". قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِمُوسَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ فَقَالَ كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَقُولُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ أُولَئِكَ …

    “By Allah, it is for you that I weep, O Commander of the believers”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  5. 38 AH / 659 CE

    Died in Madinah.

A day in their footsteps

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

  1. Gratitude in ease, patience in hardship

    Suhayb narrated that the believer's affair is remarkable: when ease comes, he thanks Allah and that is good for him; when hardship comes, he is patient and that is good for him.

    Try this today

    Respond to every situation with shukr or sabr.

    Sit with this

    Is today a day for shukr, for sabr, or for both?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 2999Sahih

    قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ".

    “if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  2. Truthfulness about himself

    When told to stop claiming another lineage, Suhayb said he would not say it even for a large sum of money; the truth is that he had been kidnapped as a boy.

    Try this today

    Do not hide or change your story to win approval.

    Sit with this

    Have you ever reshaped your story to win approval?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2219Sahih

    قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لِصُهَيْبٍ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تَدَّعِ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيكَ. فَقَالَ صُهَيْبٌ مَا يَسُرُّنِي أَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَأَنِّي قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنِّي سُرِقْتُ وَأَنَا صَبِيٌّ.

    “I would not like to say it even if I were given large amounts of money”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  3. Greeting the praying person correctly

    Suhayb greeted the Prophet while he was praying; the Prophet answered with a sign instead of speaking.

    Try this today

    Know the adab of greeting around people who are praying.

    Sit with this

    Do you know how to greet someone who is in prayer?

    Sources

    Sunan Abi Dawud 925Sahih

    أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَرَرْتُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ إِشَارَةً. قَالَ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُهُ إِلاَّ قَالَ إِشَارَةً بِأُصْبُعِهِ وَهَذَا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ قُتَيْبَةَ.

    “I saluted him and he returned it by making a sign”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

    Sunan an-Nasa'i 1186Sahih

    أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ نَابِلٍ، صَاحِبِ الْعَبَاءِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ صُهَيْبٍ، صَاحِبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَرَرْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَىَّ إِشَارَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ.

    “He returned my greeting with a gesture”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  4. Teaching steadfastness through the story of the boy and the king

    Suhayb narrated the long story of a king, a magician, a monk and a boy who stayed firm on the truth to the point of sacrifice.

    Try this today

    Be firm on the truth when it costs you.

    Sit with this

    What truth would you hold to even if it cost you?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 3005Sahih

    أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " كَانَ مَلِكٌ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَكَانَ لَهُ سَاحِرٌ فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ قَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرْتُ فَابْعَثْ إِلَىَّ غُلاَمًا أُعَلِّمْهُ السِّحْرَ. فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ غُلاَمًا يُعَلِّمُهُ فَكَانَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ إِذَا سَلَكَ رَاهِبٌ فَقَعَدَ إِلَيْهِ وَسَمِعَ كَلاَمَهُ فَأَعْجَبَهُ فَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ مَرَّ بِالرَّاهِبِ …

    “There lived a king before you and he had a (court) magician”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  5. Yearning for the sight of Allah

    He narrated that the best gift for the people of Paradise is looking at their Lord, when He lifts the veil.

    Try this today

    Make seeing Allah the aim of your good deeds.

    Sit with this

    Is meeting Allah the aim behind your good deeds?

    Sources

    Sahih Muslim 181Sahih

    قَالَ " إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ - قَالَ - يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى تُرِيدُونَ شَيْئًا أَزِيدُكُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ أَلَمْ تُبَيِّضْ وُجُوهَنَا أَلَمْ تُدْخِلْنَا الْجَنَّةَ وَتُنَجِّنَا مِنَ النَّارِ - قَالَ - فَيَكْشِفُ الْحِجَابَ فَمَا أُعْطُوا شَيْئًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ".

    “nothing would he dearer to them than the sight of their Lord”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3105Sahih

    … قَالُوا أَلَمْ تُبَيِّضْ وُجُوهَنَا وَتُنَجِّنَا مِنَ النَّارِ وَتُدْخِلْنَا الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ فَيُكْشَفُ الْحِجَابُ. قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْطَاهُمُ اللَّهُ شَيْئًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهِ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ هَكَذَا رَوَى غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ مَرْفُوعًا. وَرَوَى سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ …

    “And for those who have done good is the best and even more”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  6. Relying on Allah, not on numbers

    He narrated that after Asr the Prophet was seen moving his lips and explained that an earlier prophet had been amazed by the size of his people and was then tested through them; the Prophet taught the lesson of relying on Allah and not on numbers or strength.

    Try this today

    Do not rely on your numbers or strength; rely on Allah.

    Sit with this

    What are you counting on that is not Allah?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3340Sahih

    … رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْعَصْرَ هَمَسْتَ قَالَ." إِنَّ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ كَانَ أُعْجِبَ بِأُمَّتِهِ فَقَالَ مَنْ يَقُولُ لِهَؤُلاَءِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ خَيِّرْهُمْ بَيْنَ أَنْ أَنْتَقِمَ مِنْهُمْ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ أُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوَّهُمْ فَاخْتَارَ النِّقْمَةَ فَسَلَّطَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَوْتَ فَمَاتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا". قَالَ وَكَانَ …

    “There was a Prophet among the Prophets, he was amazed with his people”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

Virtues

  • Suhayb reported that Allah's Messenger described the believer's affair as remarkable, meaning that all outcomes can be good for them.

    “there is a good for him in it”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ".

    Sahih Muslim 2999Sahih

  • Umar wept and Suhayb wept with him; their grief shows their bond.

    “By Allah, it is for you that I weep, O Commander of the believers”

    Arabic text

    … دَخَلَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَامَ بِحِيَالِهِ يَبْكِي فَقَالَ عُمَرُ عَلاَمَ تَبْكِي أَعَلَىَّ تَبْكِي قَالَ إِي وَاللَّهِ لَعَلَيْكَ أَبْكِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ يُبْكَى عَلَيْهِ يُعَذَّبُ". قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِمُوسَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ فَقَالَ كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَقُولُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ أُولَئِكَ …

    Sahih Muslim 927Sahih

Sayings and moments

  • He said he would not claim a false father even for large sums of money; he had been kidnapped in childhood.

    “I would not like to say it even if I were given large amounts of money”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لِصُهَيْبٍ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تَدَّعِ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيكَ. فَقَالَ صُهَيْبٌ مَا يَسُرُّنِي أَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَأَنِّي قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنِّي سُرِقْتُ وَأَنَا صَبِيٌّ.

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2219Sahih

Words on this page

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.

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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