Rabi'a ibn Ka'b al-Aslami

Servant by Day, Watchman by Night

Rabi’a ibn Ka’b, a young Companion of Banu Aslam, served the Prophet ﷺ all day, then slept at his door at night to hear him say “Subhan Allahi wa bi-hamdihi” over and over, lest he be needed. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 616 — Kandhlawi — Rabi'a serves the Prophet by day and sleeps at his door by night, hearing his dhikr.

Virtues in the Hadith

One night the Prophet ﷺ said to him: “O Rabi’a, ask of me — and I shall give you.” Rabi’a pondered through the night, then asked only that he be the Prophet’s ﷺ companion in Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Is there nothing else?” Rabi’a said that was all he wished. Then the Prophet ﷺ said:

فَأَعِنِّي عَلَى نَفْسِكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُودِ

”Then help me with yourself by abundance of prostration.”

Sahih Muslim 489 · Book 4 (Prayer), Hadith 256 · narrated by Rabi’a ibn Ka’b al-Aslami

A Refusal to Retaliate

The Prophet ﷺ later arranged his marriage, with Aisha lending the barley for his walima. When Abu Bakr once spoke a harsh word to Rabi’a over a date-palm and offered him in justice the very same word back, Rabi’a refused; and when Abu Bakr complained to the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ said Rabi’a was right not to return the word — Rabi’a could only have answered, “May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr” — at which Abu Bakr left him in tears. 2 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 681 — Kandhlawi — Rabi'a refuses to return Abu Bakr's harsh word; the Prophet says he should have answered only 'May Allah forgive you'.