Abu Raja' al-Utaridi

Abu Raja' al-Utaridi, whose full name was Imran ibn Millhan (or Imran ibn Tufayl), was one of the oldest members of the Tabi'un generation and among the longest-lived people in the early Islamic world. He was born during the pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyya) and converted to Islam in the time of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, though most scholars consider him a Tabi'i rather than a Companion because he did not see the Prophet.

Abu Raja' lived to an extraordinarily advanced age — some accounts place his lifespan at over one hundred and twenty years, making him one of the centenarians of the early Islamic era. He witnessed the transition from paganism to Islam in Arabia and lived through the entire formative period of Islamic civilization.

He was from the tribe of 'Utarid (a branch of Tamim) and settled in Basra, where he became a respected elder and transmitter of knowledge. He narrated hadith from Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Abbas, Samura ibn Jundub, and other Companions. His narrations carry special historical value because of the long span of his life and his memory of early Islamic times.

Abu Raja' was known for his deep piety and his vivid memories of the pre-Islamic period, which made his accounts particularly valuable for understanding the transformation wrought by Islam. He continued to teach and narrate until very late in his life. Scholars of hadith regarded him as a reliable narrator. He died around 105 AH in Basra. Abu Raja' al-Utaridi represents the remarkable continuity of Islamic scholarship across generations. His extraordinary lifespan allowed him to serve as a living bridge between the pagan era before Islam and the flourishing civilization that the Prophet's message had built. His narrations carry a unique historical weight because he personally witnessed the transformation that Islam brought to Arabia. He continued to teach and transmit knowledge until very late in his long life, and the scholars of Basra honored him as one of their most venerable elders. His death around 105 AH marked the passing of one of the last living links to the very earliest days of Islam.