A Witty Companion at Badr
an-Nu’ayman ibn Amr was an Ansari Companion famed among the Sahaba for his lightness of heart and humour, and was one of the people of Badr.
Virtues in the Hadith
A man among them — called by the nickname Himar — was brought to the Prophet ﷺ several times for drinking and was lashed each time; one of those present cursed him:
فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ مَا أَكْثَرَ مَا يُؤْتَى بِهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لاَ تَلْعَنُوهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِنَّهُ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
A man said, “May Allah curse him! How often he is brought!” — and the Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not curse him. By Allah, what I know of him is that he loves Allah and His Messenger.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6780 · Book 86 (Limits and Punishments), Hadith 13 · USC-MSA: Vol. 8, Book 81, Hadith 771 · narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab
This narration is famously cited in the classical corpus as the dignity afforded the Companions who erred yet truly loved Allah and His Messenger. 1 Sahih al-Bukhari · pp. 6780 — The Prophet ﷺ forbids cursing a Companion known to love Allah and His Messenger.
Life Timeline
Present at Badr
Lashed for drink — the Prophet ﷺ forbids cursing him
References
- Sahih al-Bukhari — Umar reports a man named Abdullah called Himar lashed for drink; the Prophet ﷺ said 'Do not curse him — he loves Allah and His Messenger.' pp. 6780 (Book 86, Hadith 13)