Suhaib Al-Rumi: The Man Who Sold Everything for Paradise

“Profitable is the transaction, O Abu Yahya!”

A Governor’s Son Stolen into Slavery

About twenty years before the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was commissioned as a messenger, the governor of Al-Ubullah—an ancient city near what is now Basra in Iraq—was a man named Sinan ibn Malik Al-Numairi, who held this position under the Persian king Khosrow. Sinan had a young son, approximately five years old, who was the dearest of all his children to his heart. He called him Suhaib.

Young Suhaib had a radiant face and reddish hair, brimming with vitality and energy. His eyes sparkled with intelligence and astuteness. He was cheerful and good-natured, bringing extraordinary joy to his father’s heart and relieving him of the burdens of governance and authority as if plucking them away entirely. His father was from the tribe of Banu Numayr (a branch of Rabi’ah), and his mother from Banu Tamim—making him purely Arab from both sides.

One day, Suhaib’s mother took her young son along with a group of servants and attendants to a village called Al-Mathanni in Iraq for rest and recreation. While they were there, a Byzantine Roman military unit suddenly raided the village, killing the guards, plundering wealth, and capturing women and children. Young Suhaib was among those taken captive.

Growing Up in Roman Captivity

Suhaib was sold in the slave markets of Roman territory. He moved from master to master, from house to house, as happened to thousands of slaves who filled the palaces and great houses of Rome. But this movement allowed him to know Roman society from within, deeply and intimately. He saw with his own eyes the corruption, vices, and immoralities that nested in their palaces. He heard with his own ears the injustice and sins committed everywhere. He came to hate that society intensely and despise it from the depths of his heart, saying to himself: “Nothing will purify a society like this except a great flood.”

Although he grew up entirely in Roman lands, raised on its soil and among its people—to the point that he forgot the Arabic language or nearly forgot it, and developed a noticeable Roman accent—he never forgot that he was an Arab, a son of the desert. Longing stormed his heart constantly to break free from slavery and rejoin his people.

The Prophecy That Changed Everything

His yearning intensified due to something remarkable: One day, he heard a senior Christian cleric—a learned priest—tell one of his masters: “The time is drawing near when a prophet will emerge from Makkah in the Arabian Peninsula, the prophet of the end times. He will confirm the message of Jesus son of Mary and will bring people out of darkness into light.”

Suhaib preserved these words in his heart and began to await that day with extraordinary eagerness. Finally, the opportunity came. Suhaib escaped from his masters and headed toward Makkah, the mother of cities, the homeland of the Arabs and the birthplace of the awaited prophet. When he arrived and settled there, people began calling him “Suhaib Al-Rumi” (Suhaib the Roman) because of his accent and the redness of his hair.

Wealth and the Waiting

In Makkah, Suhaib allied himself with a great chief named Abdullah ibn Jud’an and engaged in trade. Allah blessed him with such provision that he accumulated abundant wealth and great fortune beyond his dreams. Yet all this wealth did not make him forget the Christian priest’s words. Whenever those words passed through his heart, he would say to himself with longing: “When will that time come?”

It was only a few days before the answer arrived. He returned one day from a trading journey to hear people talking that Muhammad ibn Abdullah had been commissioned as a prophet, calling people to worship Allah alone, commanding them to justice and goodness, and forbidding them from indecency and evil.

Suhaib asked: “Isn’t this the one they call Al-Sadiq Al-Amin (The Truthful, The Trustworthy)?”

They said: “Yes.”

He said: “Where can I find him?”

They said: “In the house of Al-Arqam ibn Abi Al-Arqam near Mount Safa… But beware! If any of the Quraysh see you follow him, they will pursue you and harm you, and you are a stranger with no tribe or protection.”

The Meeting That Changed His Life

Suhaib proceeded cautiously, looking right and left until he reached the door. There he found Ammar ibn Yasir—whom he knew from before—and said to him: “What do you want, Ammar?”

Ammar replied: “Rather, what do you want?”

Suhaib said: “I want to enter to this man and hear from him.”

Ammar said: “I want that too.”

Suhaib said: “Then let us enter together, with Allah’s blessing.”

They entered to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), heard from him the Qur’an and guidance, and the light of faith illuminated both their hearts at once. They embraced Islam in a single moment and remained with him throughout the day, drinking from his knowledge and enjoying his company. Then they left at night in darkness so no one would see them, each carrying in his chest enough light of faith to illuminate the entire world.

Enduring Persecution

After that, Suhaib endured—along with Bilal, Ammar, Sumayyah, Khabbab, and others among the oppressed—severe forms of torture at the hands of Quraysh, torture that if it descended upon a mountain would have crushed it. He bore it with remarkable patience and calm soul, for he knew that the path to Paradise is lined with hardships.

The Price of Freedom

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave his companions permission to migrate to Madinah, Suhaib resolved to migrate with the Prophet and Abu Bakr. But Quraysh learned of his intention and prevented him, besieging his house and guarding it so he could not leave with his abundant wealth.

Suhaib remained after the Prophet’s migration, watching for an opportunity to follow him, finding only stratagem as his option. On a cold night, he went out repeatedly to relieve himself as if his stomach troubled him, until the guards thought his stomach had been affected. Some said to others: “Be at ease, by al-Lat and al-Uzza, his stomach has occupied him!” Then they slept.

Suhaib slipped away from them and set off toward Madinah. Soon the guards awoke and pursued him with their fastest horses until they caught up with him at an elevated place. Suhaib stood, drew his arrows from his quiver, strung his bow, then called to them in a powerful voice:

“O people of Quraysh! By Allah, you know I am one of the best archers among people. By Allah, you will not reach me until I shoot every arrow I have at one of you, then I will strike you with my sword until it breaks!”

One of them said: “By Allah, we will not let you escape with yourself and your wealth! You came to us as a poor nobody, and Allah enriched you among us, then you want to leave with yourself and your wealth?”

Suhaib said: “What if I leave you all my wealth—will you let me go?”

They said: “Yes.”

He showed them where his wealth was in his house in Makkah. They took it all and let him proceed.

“Profitable is the Transaction!”

Suhaib journeyed toward Madinah joyful and content, not regretting the wealth he had accumulated in the prime of his life, for with it he had purchased the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger. Whenever he felt fatigue and exhaustion, longing for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stirred him and renewed his energy.

When he reached Quba near Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw him approaching from afar. He smiled, beamed with joy, and said in a voice filled with happiness:

“Profitable is the transaction, O Abu Yahya!
Profitable is the transaction!
Profitable is the transaction!”

Three times.

Suhaib’s face shone with joy and he said: “By Allah, no one reached you before me, O Messenger of Allah, and none informed you except Gabriel, peace be upon him!”

And truly, the transaction was profitable. For about him was revealed the word of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic:

“And among people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is Kind to His servants.”
(Qur’an 2:207)

May blessings be upon Suhaib ibn Sinan Al-Rumi, and may he have a beautiful return. May Allah be pleased with him and grant him His pleasure, and may He gather us with him in the Gardens of Bliss.

Source: Images from the Lives of the Companions