al-Fudayl ibn Iyad

Al-Fudayl ibn Iyad al-Tamimi al-Yamami (died 187 AH / 803 CE) was one of the great ascetics and hadith scholars of the late second century, a man whose transformation from a highway robber to one of the most revered worshippers of his era became one of the most famous conversion stories in Islamic history. He was born in Khurasan and reportedly led a group of bandits along the road between Abiward and Sarakhs before his repentance.

The account of his repentance holds that he was preparing to raid a caravan one night when he heard a Quran reciter reciting the verse "Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be humbled?" (57:16). The words struck him to the core, and he said: "Yes Lord, the time has come." He repented immediately and thereafter devoted himself entirely to knowledge and worship.

He moved to Kufa and then Mecca, where he settled near the Masjid al-Haram for the rest of his life. He narrated hadith from Mansur ibn al-Mu'tamir, al-A'mash, Sufyan al-Thawri, and others. He taught Sufyan ibn Uyayna, Yahya ibn Said al-Qattan, Waki ibn al-Jarrah, and many other scholars. His hadith appear in all the major collections.

He was known for his intense weeping during recitation and worship, his harsh words for those he considered too comfortable with worldly life, and his willingness to speak the truth to rulers. Caliph Harun al-Rashid reportedly wept when al-Fudayl admonished him. He died in Mecca in 187 AH and is buried there, remembered as one of the greatest of the early Sufi forebears.