'Abdullah bin Abi 'Aufa

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud al-Hudhali (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the earliest converts to Islam, embracing the faith in Mecca as a young shepherd boy who worked for Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt. The Prophet ﷺ permitted him to enter his private quarters without prior permission and described him as one whose guidance should be followed, saying: 'Hold fast to the guidance of Ibn Umm Abd.' He was the Prophet's personal attendant in private matters and one of the first to recite the Quran openly in Mecca, enduring the beatings of the Quraysh with patience. He participated in the Battle of Badr and all major campaigns. He narrated approximately 848 hadiths and was appointed by Umar ibn al-Khattab as a teacher and judge in Kufa, where he spent decades shaping the Iraqi scholarly tradition that eventually gave rise to the Hanafi school. He is considered one of the four Companions most authoritative on the Quran and recitation. He passed away in Medina around 32–33 AH. This entry is a variant listing of the same Companion.