Amongst the Outstanding Companions
He was counted among the outstanding companions. Hazrat Aisha (ra) has narrated that there were three individuals from among the Ansar, above whom no other Ansari Companion could be given precedence. All of them belonged to the tribe of Banu Abd-ul-Ash‘al; and they are, Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, Hazrat Usaid bin Uzair and Hazrat Abbad bin Bishr.
Hazrat Abbad Bin Bishr narrates that whilst addressing the Ansar, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “O Ansar, you are my Shiaar, (i.e. the inner garment that is in contact with the body), whilst the other people are Disaar (i.e. the garment that is draped around the outer part).” The Holy Prophet(sa) also stated, “I am satisfied that I will not incur any hardship from you.” Hazrat Abbad Bin Bishr was martyred during the Battle of Yamama at the age of 45.
Hazrat Aisha (ra) narrates, “The Holy Prophet (sa) performed the Tahajjud prayer in my house, and then he heard the voice of Abbad who was praying in the Mosque. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked, ‘O Aisha! Is this the voice of Abbad?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘O Allah! Have mercy upon Abbad!’”
Similarly, Hazrat Anas (ra) narrates, “Two companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) left the house of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the extreme darkness of the night. One of them was Hazrat Abbad bin Bishr whilst I believe that the other companion was Ussaid Bin Uzair. They both had something which resembled a lantern and illuminated the path before them. When they separated, each of them had one lantern with them (which was illuminating their vision in the darkness). At last they arrived to their families.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Salat, Hadith no. 465), (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Shahadat, Hadith no. 2655), (Usdul Ghaaba, Vol. 3, pp. 149-150, Abbad bin Bishr, Dar-ul-Kutub-ul-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)