Muhammad, the founder of
Islam, was an
Arab from the
Banu Hashim of the
Quraysh. During his time as a religious prophet in
Arabia, the people who were physically in his presence as his closest friends and disciples are known as the
Sahabah (
lit.'Companions'), many of whom were not from the
Arabian tribes. The inclusion of non-Arab ethnicities among the Sahabah, and among the
early Muslims as a whole, contributed to the definition of Islam's nature as a
universal religion instead of an
ethnic religion. The following is a list of non-Arab Sahabah during the 7th century.
Classical sources
Abyssinian
Bilal ibn Rabah, First Muezzin (Reciter of the Adhan) in history. He was born into slavery but was emancipated by the Muslims.
Umm Ayman (Barakah), was around Muhammad from his birth until his death and was the closest example of a mother to him (after his own mother’s death when he was a child). She was the mother of
Usama ibn Zayd and
Ayman ibn Ubayd.
Sumayyah bint Khabbat, one of the first to embrace Islam and later on get killed by the polytheistic
Banu Makhzum because of her faith. She is described in the sources as being black-skinned. The sources assume she was of
Ethiopian origin.[1][2]
Persian
Salman al-Farsi – He was born as a Zoroastrian in Persia but embarked on a long and continuous journey (away from his homeland) in search of the truth. He ultimately reached his destination in Arabia, when he met Muhammad and converted to Islam. It was his suggestion to build a trench in the
Battle of the Trench that ultimately resulted in a defeat for the forces of the enemies of the Muslims.
Munabbih ibn Kamil – He was a Persian knight. He had two sons, who were both Islamic scholars.
Salim Mawla Abu-Hudhayfah – He was a highly respected and valued Muslim (among his fellow Muslims), who died while fighting against the forces of Musaylimah during the Wars of Apostasy. Umar ibn al-Khattāb suggested he would have designated Salim as his successor to the Caliphate had he still been alive.
Al-Nahdiah, converted to Islam while she was a slave, but refused to abandon her new faith even after being tortured and persecuted by her slave-master. She was later freed from slavery.
Lubaynah, converted to Islam while she was a slave, but refused to abandon her new faith even after being persecuted by her then pagan slave-master. She was later freed from slavery.
Umm Ubays, converted to Islam while she was a slave, but refused to abandon her new faith even after being tortured and persecuted by her pagan slave-master. She was later freed from slavery. She was the daughter of Al-Nahdiah.
Harithah bint al-Muammil (Zunayra) – Converted to Islam while she was a slave, but refused to abandon her new faith even after being persecuted to such a severe extent that she lost her eyesight. She was later freed from slavery. Umm Ubays was her sister.
Suhayb the Roman – Former slave in the Byzantine Empire who went on to become a companion of Muhammad and member of the early Muslim community. He served as the caretaker of the caliphate and the imam of the Muslims in prayer while
Umar I was on his deathbed until the nomination of his successor,
Uthman ibn Affan. Although his name had the title, "the Roman," he was only culturally Roman due to growing up there, but ethnically he was born Arab.
Abdullah ibn Salam – Was a rabbi before his conversion to Islam. He was the first Muslim that was explicitly promised
Jannah (paradise) by Muhammad, while he was still alive. He is credited as the man who participated in most battles during the Prophet's time. He was an expert in reading Hebrew bible, his mother tongue, and he was assigned by the Prophet to document Quran.
Addas – He was a young Christian slave boy (originally from
Nineveh) who was the first person from Taif to convert to Islam.
See also
Najashi, a Christian king of Aksum who granted asylum to Muslim emigrants from Mecca
References
^The Champions' of the True Faith, by Farid Adel, Section: Sumayyah bint Khayyat.
^Jamal M. Ahmed, " Islam in the context of contemporary socio-religious thought of Africa ", Al-Abhath Quarterly Journal, vol. 20, no 2,juin 1967, p. 13-15.
^ İbn Hâcer el-Askalanî, El İsabe fi Temyizi's Sahabe