His Name, His Lineage and His Title:
He is Huzaifah ibn al-Yamaan. Al-Yamaan is a title. The name of the father of Hadhrat Huzaifah
رضي الله عنه is Hisl (some narrations say Husayl) ibn Jaabir ibn `Amr ibn Rabee`ah ibn Jarwah ibn al-Haarith ibn Maazin ibn Qatee`ah ibn `Abs ibn Bagheedh ibn Rayth ibn Ghatafaan ibn Sa`d ibn Qays ibn `Aylaan ibn Mudhar ibn Nazaar ibn Ma`d ibn `Adnaan al-`Absi, the ally of Bani `Abd al Ash-hal from the Ansaar. [See: Tahdheeb al-Asmaa wal-Lughaat, Taareekh Baghdaad and al-Istee`aab.]
Hadhrat Huzaifah ibn al-Yamaan
رضي الله عنه was given the title of "Abu `Abdillaah" (the Father of `Abdullaah). It is mentioned in "Taareekh Baghdaad": "Huzaifah was titled "Abu `Abdillaah". His mother was from Bani `Abd al Ash-hal, and she was named ar-Rubaab." [See: Siyar A`laam An-Nubalaa, and Taareekh Baghdaad.]
The reason for his father being named "al-Yamaan" (the Yemeni) is because he had allied himself with the Ansaar, and they are from Yemen, so he was given that title. Al-Yamaan was the title of Hisl. Al-Kalbee and ibn Sa`d said it was the title of Jarwah. It is also said that he (the father of Hadhrat Huzaifah
رضي الله عنه) was named "al-Yamaan" because he had killed a person from his nation, then fled to Madeenah. There, he made an alliance with Bani `Abd al Ash-hal from the Ansaar. Thus, his nation named him "al-Yamaan" (the Yemeni), because he had made an alliance with the Ansaar, and the Ansaar are (originally) from Yemen. [See: Tahdheeb al-Asmaa' wal-Lughaat, al-Isaabah, Siyar A`laam An-Nubalaa, al-Mustadrak lil-Haakim and al-Istee`aab.]
The father of Hadhrat Huzaifah
رضي الله عنه did not witness the Battle of Badr with Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم, on account of a very unique incident. What happened has been explained by Huzaifah ibn al-Yamaan
رضي الله عنه himself. He says:
"Nothing prevented me from taking part in Badr except that I and my father - Husayl - had gone out (to Madeenah, to join the Muslim army) but we were seized by the Kuffaar of Quraysh. They asked us, "Are you intending to go to Muhammad?" We said, "We are not intending to go to him. We have no intention of going anywhere except Madeenah." They took from us a covenant that by Allaah we will only go to Madeenah and we will not fight alongside him (i.e. Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم). (Upon arriving in Madeenah,) We went to Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم and informed him of what had transpired. He said, "Go. Fulfil the covenant you had taken with them. We will seek the Help of Allaah against them." [See: Saheeh Muslim (Chapter of Fulfilling the Oath), Musnad of Imaam Ahmad, al-Mustadrak lil-Haakim and al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer of Imaam at-Tabraani.]
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Translator's Note: What had happened here is that on the way to Madeenah in order to join the Mujaahideen, Hadhrat Huzaifah ibn al-Yamaan
رضي الله عنه and his father were captured by the Kuffaar. They knew that if they admitted to wanting to join Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم, they would have been kept as prisoners and thus miss out on joining the fight. They thought that if they were to deny that allegation, they could instead head to Madeenah and join the fight. However, because they had taken an oath in the Name of Allaah, Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered them to fill that oath and to not join the battle.]
However, he and his son, Huzaifah, took part in the Battle of Uhud alongside Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he (Hadhrat Husayl
رضي الله عنه) became a Shaheed that day. Some of the Sahaabah killed him mistakenly, without recognising him, on account of the fact that the garments were similar and the faces were covered.
Imaam adh-Dhahabi
رحمة الله عليه said:
"He and his son, Huzaifah, took part in Uhud, and he became a Shaheed that day. Some of the Sahaabah killed him mistakenly, without recognising him, on account of the fact that they were dressed in the garbs of war and covered their faces. Thus, if they did not have a clear sign, a brother would mistakenly kill his brother without realising it." [See: Siyar A`laam An-Nubalaa.]
The story of how he (Hadhrat Husayl
رضي الله عنه) attained Shahaadah is narrated by Hadhrat `Aa'ishah
رضي الله عنها. She says:
"On the day of Uhud, the Mushrikoon (polytheists) were defeated. Iblees
لعنة الله عليه shouted, "O slaves of Allaah, behind you!" Hearing that, the front lines of the (Muslim army) turned back and started fighting with the back lines. Huzaifah looked, and upon seeing his father, al-Yamaan (being targeted mistakenly by the Muslims), he shouted, "O Slaves of Allaah! It's my father! It's my father!" She said, "Wallaahi (By Allaah), they did not stop until they had killed him. So Huzaifah said, "May Allaah forgive you.""
`Urwah said: So by Allaah, there never ceased to be goodness in Huzaifah until he met Allaah." [See: Saheeh al-Bukhaari, ibn Sa`d in at-Tabaqaat, Imaam al-Haakim, and Imaam al-Bayhaqi in ad-Dalaa'il]
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Translator's Note: How amazing were Sahaabah-e-Kiraam...His father is killed, and the very first words out of his mouth is, "May Allaah forgive you."
...الله أكبر
That is what made the Sahaabah so unique.]