In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abdullaah Ibn Deenaar [may Allaah have mercy upon him] reported that a desert Arab met Abdullah Ibn Umar [may Allah be pleased with him and his father] on way to Makkah. Abdullah greeted him, mounted him on the donkey on which that he was riding and gave him a turban that he had been wearing on his head. Ibn Dinar said, “We said to him, ‘May Allah do good to you, these are desert Arabs and they would be content with little’. Abdullah said, ‘The father of this man was a friend of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (i.e my father) and I heard the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] say, ‘The best act of kindness is for the son to uphold ties (of friendship) with those who were his father’s friends'”. (1)

Ameerul Mumineen Umar Ibnul Khattaab [may Allaah be pleased with him] said, “I heard Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم (saying, ‘Indeed, the best of the Taabi’een [i.e. followers of the Sahaabah] would be a person who would be a man called Uways. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy [on his skin]. If you meet him, ask him to seek Allaah’s forgiveness for you'”.

Usair Bin Jabir reported that whenever the people from Yemen came to help (the Muslim army at the time of jihad), Umar [may Allaah be pleased with him] would ask: Is Uways ibn ‘Aamir among you? When he found Uways he said: Are you Uways ibn ‘Aamir? He said: Yes. He said: Are you from Muraad then from Qaran? He said: Yes. He said: Did you have leprosy, then you recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham? He said: Yes. He said: Do you have a mother? He said: Yes. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “There will come to you Uways ibn ‘Aamir with the reinforcements from Yemen, from Muraad then from Qaran. He had leprosy but he recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham. He has a mother and he honours her. If he were to swear in the name of Allah that something should happen, Allah would cause it to happen. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you then do so.” Pray for forgiveness for me. And he prayed for forgiveness for him. ‘Umar said to him: Where are you headed? He said: Kufa. He said: Shall I write to the governor for you? He said: Being among the common folk is dearer to me. The following year, a man from among their nobles performed Hajj and he met ‘Umar, who asked him about Uways. He said: I left him in a shabby house with meagre provisions. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “There will come to you Uways ibn ‘Aamir with the reinforcements from Yemen, from Muraad then from Qaran. He had leprosy but he recovered from it except for a spot the size of a dirham. He has a mother and he honours her. If he were to swear in the name of Allah that something should happen, Allah would cause it to happen. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you then do so.” So he went to Uways and said: Pray for forgiveness for me. He said: You have just come from a sacred journey, so pray for forgiveness for me. He said: Pray for forgiveness for me. He said: You have just come from a sacred journey, so pray for forgiveness for me. He said: Did you meet ‘Umar? He said: Yes. So he prayed for forgiveness for him, and the people came to know of his piety, so he left. Usayr said: His garment (allocated annually by the state) was a cloak (burdah) and every time anyone saw him he would say: From where did Uways get this cloak? (2)

Imaam An-Nawawi [may Allaah have mercy upon him]: This story of Oways is a clear miracle of Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]. The Messenger’s statement “If you meet him, ask him to seek Allaah’s forgiveness for you” is a manifest virtue of Oways, and this hadeeth shows that it is desired for one to ask for the supplication of the righteous people, even if the one who is asking is more virtuous than the one who is asked to supplicate. The statement of the Messenger “The best of the Taabi’een [i.e. followers of the Sahaabah] is a man called Oways” is very clear regarding the fact that he is the best of the Taabi’een. But if it is said, “Indeed, Ahmad Bin Hanbal did say that the best of the Taabi’een is Sa’eed Ibnul Musayyib”, so the response to this is that what they intended is that Sa’eed Ibnul Musayyib is the best in the Sharee’ah sciences, such Tafseer, hadeeth and other than it, but not the best with regards to being virtuous in the sight of Allaah [The Exalted].

When Umar Ibnul Khattaab [may Allaah be pleased with] met Oways [may Allaah have mercy upon him], he said him, “Where are you headed?” Oways said, “Kufa”. Umar said, “Shall I write to the governor for you?” He said, “Being among the common folk is dearer to me”. This is preferring to be unknown and hiding one’s state of affairs. (3)

Muhammad Ibn Munkadir [may Allaah have mercy upon him] used to put his cheek on the ground and then say to his mother [may Allah have mercy on her], “Get up and put your foot on my cheek”. (4)

Abu Bakr Ibn Iyyaash [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “I was sitting with Mansur Ibn Al-Mutamir [may Allaah have mercy upon him] in his house, so his mother shouted at him and was harsh towards him, saying, ‘O Mansur! Ibn Hubayrah wants you to take up the position of judge, but you refuse?’ Mansur’s beard was touching his chest due to lowering his head and he did not even take a little peep at her (i.e. due to being humble in the presence of his mother)”. (5)

[Ref 1: Saheeh Muslim 2552]
[Ref 2: Saheeh Muslim 2542]
[Ref 3: An Excerpt from Sharh Saheeh Muslim by Imaam An-Nawawi. Vol 15. Pages 76-78]
[Ref 4: Siyar A’laam An-Nubulaa 5/354]
[Ref 5: Siyar A’laam An-Nubulaa 5/402]