A Light for the Caller
at-Tufayl ibn Amr was a noble poet and chief of the tribe of Daws. In Makkah the Quraysh warned him so against the Prophet ﷺ that he stuffed his ears with cotton — yet he could not help hearing the Qur’an, found it beautiful, and embraced Islam. When he asked for a sign to help him call his people, the Prophet ﷺ prayed, and a light shone between his eyes like a lamp; at his request it moved to the tip of his whip, lighting his way. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 221–222 — Kandhlawi — at-Tufayl hears the Qur'an despite his plugged ears, embraces Islam, and is granted a light as a sign. 2 Seerat-e-Mustafa · Vol 1 · pp. 122–124 — Idris Kandhlawi — at-Tufayl's conversion and the Prophet's du'a granting him a light.
Guiding Daws
When Daws were slow to respond, at-Tufayl asked the Prophet ﷺ to curse them, but the Prophet ﷺ instead prayed, “O Allah, guide Daws,” and bade him be gentle. He persevered, and brought some seventy or eighty households of Daws to Islam, reaching Madinah in 7 AH. He was later martyred at Yamamah in the war against Musaylama. 3 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 222–223 — Kandhlawi — the Prophet prays to guide Daws; at-Tufayl brings 70–80 households to Islam; his martyrdom at Yamamah.
Life Timeline
Born; chief and poet of Daws
Embraces Islam; given a light as a sign
Brings his tribe Daws to Madinah
Martyred at Yamamah
References
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — at-Tufayl hears the Qur'an despite plugged ears; embraces Islam; the light; he brings Daws to Islam; his martyrdom at Yamamah Vol 1 · pp. 221–223
- Seerat-e-Mustafa — Idris Kandhlawi — at-Tufayl's conversion, the Prophet's du'a for a sign, and the guidance of Daws Vol 1 · pp. 122–124