Q- Some people quote the story of Hadrat Uwais al-Qarni (r) from Seerah al-Halabiyyah. They say he broke his teeth when he heard that the Prophet’s (s) tooth had broken in the battle of Uhud. The Prophet when he heard about this said: “Indeed Uwais is our devoted friend”. Is this story true and did the prophet say that?
The story in question about Uwais breaking all his teeth because he had heard that the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) blessed molar tooth was broken at the Battle of Uhud is mentioned in Seerah al-Halabiyyah.
Seerah al-Halabiyyah quotes Imam al-Sha’rani’s Tabaqat al-Kubra, where Imam al-Sha’rani says:
“And it has been narrated… that [Uwais al-Qarni] said, ‘By Allah, the Prophet’s molar tooth (peace and blessings be upon him) was not broken except that I broke my own molar tooth,’… this is how I have seen this quote written in some books, and Allah knows best as to its condition [whether it is authentic or not].” [al-Halabi, Insan al-‘Uyoon aka. Al-Seerah al-Halabiyya].
Hence, it is clear from the quote that the book was not trying to report this tale as a fact, and had a clear doubt as to its authenticity. I have not been able to find a source from the hadith or seerah books to support this account. I only found that a similar story was reported in Fariduddin ‘Attar’s Tadhikra al-Awliya under Uwais al-Qarni’s biography, without the mention of any source.
Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari settled the question in his short treatise on the virtues of Uwais al-Qarni. He says about this story: “And know well that that which has become widespread on the tongues of the laity that Uwais [al-Qarni] extracted all his teeth out of extreme grief when he heard that the tooth of the Prophet [Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him] had been struck, [because] he didn’t reliably know which tooth it was exactly – then there is no basis for this [story] according to the scholars…
… along with the fact that it violates the noble Sacred Law, and because of this reason, not one of the Senior Companions did that [act of self-inflicted harm], because this type of act is vain and futile, and not proceeding from anyone except fools.” [‘Ali al-Qari, al-Ma’din al-Adni fi Fadl Uwais al-Qarni]
All these facts quotes show that the story of Uwais al-Qarni breaking his teeth is totally unverified. It has no real basis as it is not duly reported with a complete chain of narrators.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/the-story-of-uwais-al-qarni-breaking-his-own-teeth/
https://www.icraa.org/unverified-story-of-uwais-al-qarni-breaking-his-teeth/
https://twitter.com/mannamth/status/1376907622897491968