Jabir bin Abdullah
Why he matters
A prominent companion from Medina who narrated many details of the Prophet's life and certain Quranic revelations.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1162
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الاِسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara, in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Quran.
Sahih Muslim 1218a
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ فِي حَجَّةِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا وَعَلَيْهِ يَنْزِلُ الْقُرْآنُ وَهُوَ يَعْرِفُ تَأْوِيلَهُ وَمَا عَمِلَ بِهِ مِنْ شَىْءٍ عَمِلْنَا بِهِ
Jabir bin Abdullah said regarding the Farewell Pilgrimage: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was among us, and the Qur'an was being revealed to him, and he knew its interpretation, and whatever he did, we did.'
24. An-Nur
Standard Uthmanic Text
وَلۡيَسۡتَعۡفِفِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ يُغۡنِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡتَغُونَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡ فَكَاتِبُوهُمۡ إِنۡ عَلِمۡتُمۡ فِيهِمۡ خَيۡرٗاۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۚ وَلَا تُكۡرِهُواْ فَتَيَٰتِكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡبِغَآءِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَ تَحَصُّنٗا لِّتَبۡتَغُواْ عَرَضَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَمَن يُكۡرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ إِكۡرَٰهِهِنَّ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
Let those who do not find (the means for) marriage abstain, until God enriches them from His favor. Those who seek the writ, among what your right (hands) own, write (it) for them, if you know any good in them, and give them some of the wealth of God which He has given you. And do not force your young women into prostitution, if they wish (to live in) chastity, so that you may seek (the fleeting) goods of this present life. Whoever forces them – surely God is forgiving (and) compassionate (to them) after their being forced.
Jabir bin Abdullah Variant
وَلاَ تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَاءِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّنًا لِتَبْتَغُوا عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَنْ يُكْرِهْهُنَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِكْرَاهِهِنَّ لَهُنَّ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
And compel not your slave-girls to prostitution when they desire to keep chaste in order to seek the frail goods of this world's life, and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي كُرَيْبٍ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَىٍّ ابْنِ سَلُولَ يَقُولُ لِجَارِيَةٍ لَهُ اذْهَبِي فَابْغِينَا شَيْئًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَلاَ تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَاءِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّنًا لِتَبْتَغُوا عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَنْ يُكْرِهْهُنَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِكْرَاهِهِنَّ} لَهُنَّ { غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ}
Jabir reported that 'Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul used to say to his slave-girl:Go and fetch something for us by committing prostitution. It was in this connection that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:" And compel not your slave-girls to prostitution when they desire to keep chaste in order to seek the frail goods of this world's life, and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" (xxiv)[omitted from the english translation: {lahunna} (for them)]