Lessons from the Prophet's Wealthiest Companion, Wealth Continues to Flow

Mecca has long been known as the birthplace of many merchants and major entrepreneurs. Its position on a crucial trade route between China and Europe fostered a thriving commercial activity, making Mecca a place where many wealthy figures emerged. Among them was Khadijah binti Khuwailid, wife of the Prophet Muhammad, who ran business networks as far as Egypt. The Prophet himself is also known to have engaged in trading in Mecca. However, among these merchants, Abdurrahman bin Auf is often cited as perhaps unrivaled in wealth. The Prophet’s companion was even known as one of the wealthiest people in the city. Abdurrahman bin Auf belonged to the early generation who embraced Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. He accepted Islam alongside other figures such as Uthman ibn Affan, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Talhah ibn Ubayy, and Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas. After embracing Islam, he remained steadfast by the Prophet’s side in every venture. In his spare time he would trade; this profession suited him as it was more flexible than farming in Mecca. When visiting other cities he could conduct trading activities and earn profits. In a 2022 study titled “The Business Concept of Abdurrahman bin Auf radiyallahu ’anhu as Viewed from Muamalah Jurisprudence and History,” the secret to his trading was always to stay away from haram (forbidden) matters. He never borrowed and always traded in accordance with his skills and knowledge. Moreover, he was not greedy. If money came his way he would reinvest to benefit others, such as giving to family and those in need. He also never sold goods on credit because he considered that riba (usury). Most importantly, he did not undervalue small profits. For him, big or small, it was still profit, and it must be understood that the goods had to be sold or sold out. Thanks to all these efforts he possessed abundant wealth. The exact amount of Abdurrahman’s wealth is not known, but looking at his charity shows how large his wealth was. It is recorded that he once sold land for 1,000 dinars, and he also gave 500 horses and 1,500 camels to Muslims who would go to war. In fact, on his deathbed he bequeathed 500,000 dinars and 400,000 dinars to every person who fought in the Battle of Badr. So, what was the nominal value of his wealth? If converted to present-day values, one dinar is equivalent to Rp 54,699. If Abdurrahman had given 500,000 dinars + 400,000 dinars + 1,000 dinars, that means he had 901,000 dinars. Multiplied by Rp 48,000 yields total contributions of Rp 49,283,799,000. Meanwhile, the prices of horses and camels can be assumed as Rp 25 million per horse and Rp 20 million per camel. If calculated: 500 horses × Rp 25 million = Rp 12,500,000,000; 1,500 camels × Rp 20 million = Rp 30,000,000,000. Thus, the total of his donations would amount to Rp 85,748,000,000. Of course, these calculations are not precise given current exchange rates, but they do not negate the fact that Abdurrahman bin Auf was the Prophet Muhammad’s wealthiest companion.