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Ubayy ibn Ka'b
nameAbu al-Tufayl (Abu al-Mundhir) Ubayy ibn Ka'b al-Ansari, known as Ubayy ibn Ka'b
Personal details
religionIslam

Abu al-Tufayl (Abu al-Mundhir) Ubayy ibn Ka'b al-Ansari, known as Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Sayyid al-Qurra, was one of the Companions and the Ansar who participated in the Second Pledge of al-Aqabah, embraced Islam, and pledged allegiance to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny). He was among the jurists of the Companions who engaged in the recitation, writing, and compilation of the Quran, and he participated in the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Uhud, and other battles. Ubayy ibn Ka'b ultimately passed away in the year 21 AH.


Introduction

His full name is Ubayy ibn Ka'b ibn Qays ibn Ubayd ibn Zayd ibn Mu'awiyah[1]. The lineage of Mu'awiyah ibn Amr traces back to al-Najjar. Ubayy belonged to the Banu al-Najjar clan of the Khazraj tribe, which descends from Tha'labah ibn Amr ibn Khazn[2].

He was among the Companions, the Scribes of Revelation, and the leading reciters, and he possessed his own codex of the Quran.

His mother was Suhaylah bint Aswad ibn Haram from Banu al-Najjar[3]. Several kunyas (teknonyms) are recorded for him in historical sources: one is Abu al-Mundhir, by which the Noble Prophet addressed him[4]. The sources do not specify the reason for this appellation. Another is Abu al-Tufayl, given to him by the Second Caliph because he had a son named Tufayl[5]. It is also narrated that the Noble Prophet bestowed upon him the title Sayyid al-Ansar[6]. Furthermore, Umar addressed him as Sayyid al-Muslimin[7]. The title Sayyid al-Muslimin was conferred upon him by the Companions, not by the Prophet, and it gained prominence among the Companions, particularly the Ansar. The claim that the Prophet also called him Sayyid al-Muslimin requires explicit evidence or contextual indicators, which are unavailable. One can only be considered the master of the Muslims if the Prophet explicitly designates him as the Imam and leader of the Muslims after himself.

Historical sources do not mention the birth date of Ubayy ibn Ka'b. He grew up in Medina, within the settlement of the Khazrajites[8]. The assertion that he was among the rabbis and scholars of the Jewish faith prior to Islam is not substantiated by biographical sources. Likewise, no reliable source confirms his mastery of the Torah, the Old Testament, and other religious books of the Jews, nor his knowledge of the Torah's prophecies concerning the Noble Prophet.


During the Era of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny)

Ubayy was present at the Second Pledge of al-Aqabah in the thirteenth year of the Prophethood, wherein more than 70 individuals from Medina pledged allegiance to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny)[9]. Moreover, all members of his tribe participated alongside the Aws in welcoming the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) upon his entry into Medina[10]. Historical sources regard Ubayy's conversion to Islam as having occurred at the Second Pledge of al-Aqabah; however, Ibn Hisham does not list his name among the participants of either the First or Second Pledge, suggesting instead that he may have embraced Islam through Mus'ab ibn Umayr after the First Pledge but before the Second[11].

During the event of the Pact of Brotherhood, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) established a bond of brotherhood between him and Talhah ibn Ubayd Allah[12]. Some sources, however, state that his brotherhood pact was with Sa'd ibn Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl[13]. He participated in most military expeditions and battles, ranking among the earliest Muslim fighters. In the first expedition led by Hamzah, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), comprising 30 warriors and known as the Expedition of Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, he was one of the combatants[14]. He fought in the Battle of Badr[15], the Battle of Uhud[16], and also in the Expedition against Banu al-Mustaliq (al-Muraysi') in the fifth year AH[17]. Historians consider him among the Companions who attended the majority of the battles[18].

Responsibilities During the Time of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny)

Ubayy was one of the companions who issued fatwas among the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). It is said that he was one of the six individuals to whom the knowledge of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was transmitted[19]. At times, he was entrusted by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) with the collection of charities, exercising great diligence in their gathering[20]. Occasionally, he was commissioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) to teach Islamic rulings to new Muslims, including the delegations of Banu 'Amir and Banu Hanifah who arrived in Medina[21].

In addition to accompanying the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) in battles, Ubayy served as a scribe of revelation and a reciter of the Qur'an. Although writing was not widespread among the Arabs during the Age of Ignorance, Ubayy ibn Ka'b was among those who had learned writing during that period[22]. Some historians regard him as the first scribe of revelation in Medina[23] and state that whenever Ubayy was absent, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) would send for other scribes of revelation such as Zayd ibn Thabit[24]. However, sources indicate that the writing of revelation by Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and Zayd ibn Thabit was far more extensive than that by Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Therefore, it is more accurate to state that Ubayy was among the first scribes of revelation, not the very first. Al-Tabari attributes his scribal activities to periods when Ali and Uthman were absent[25].

Besides transcribing revelation, he served as a scribe for the letters of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), read incoming correspondence addressed to him, and concealed letters that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) requested to remain secret, such as the letter from Abbas to him prior to the Battle of Uhud[26]. He was the first person to sign his own name as the scribe at the end of letters[27]. According to Al-Nawawi's count, the number of Ubayy's hadiths recorded in authoritative books reaches 164[28], of which more than 60 appear in the Six Books and three are jointly found in the Sahihayn[29].


Moral Characteristics

Among Ubayy's moral characteristics were his asceticism and piety. Jabir reports: When the topic of the reality of asceticism and detachment from the world arose, we went to the second Caliph to ask him. He referred us to Ubayy ibn Ka'b, the master of the Muslims[30].

Another of his moral traits was his strictness in transactions and conduct. Zirr ibn Hubaysh reports: I came to Medina and visited Ubayy, complaining to him about his lack of kindness toward us[31]. Reference can also be made to his constant companionship with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and his frequent questioning of him. According to reports from the Companions, he continually asked the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) about various matters[32].


The Event of Saqifah

Following the demise of the noble Prophet and the Event of Saqifah, Ubayy ibn Ka'b was among the few who opposed Abu Bakr and maintained that the caliphate rightfully belonged to Ali. He was among the twelve individuals who opposed Abu Bakr's caliphate and denied his succession[33]. He testified that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) had designated Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as his successor and Imam after him, and as the sincere advisor to his nation[34]. He was a devoted supporter of the Prophet's household (peace be upon him and his progeny) and stated: "While the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was alive, everyone shared a single viewpoint; but after his death, faces turned in different directions"[35]. He did not pledge allegiance (bay'ah) to Abu Bakr and deemed the council of Saqifah worthless[36]. Some researchers consider tribal partisanship, his Khazraji lineage, and his association with Sa'd ibn Ubadah as influential factors in this stance. The following narration from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) is attributed to him: "O Ubayy! Hold fast to Ali, for he is the guided guide and the sincere advisor to my nation"[37].

Historical sources regard him as one of the jurists during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, particularly during the times of Umar and Uthman[38]. When Tarawih prayers were instituted as congregational prayers upon the suggestion of the second Caliph, Ubayy led the congregation in the year 14 AH; however, after some time, apparently due to his opposition to this innovation, he ceased leading them, and people would continually say: "Where is Ubayy?" or "Keep Ubayy"[39].

The Mushaf of Ubayy

Ubayy possessed a codex (mushaf) that differed in certain respects from the Quran commonly recited among Muslims. His mushaf contained 115 surahs, and the order of its surahs corresponded with that of the mushaf of Ibn Masud, except that he placed Surah Al-Anfal before Surah At-Tawbah[40]. His codex included two surahs named "Hafd" and "Khala'"[41], which are actually supplications of qunut and appear to have been erroneously recorded among the Quranic surahs. Furthermore, the phrase "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" did not appear between Surah Al-Fil and Surah Quraysh, suggesting that these two were considered a single surah[42]. Nevertheless, narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt also allude to this fact[43], although the mushaf ought to include the Basmalah. The beginning of Surah Az-Zumar in this mushaf started with "Ha Mim"; thus, there were eight Hawamim surahs[44]. Additionally, some words were replaced with their synonyms; for example, the verse Template:Quran text appeared as "man habbana min marqadina," or the verse Template:Quran text was rendered as "maraw fihi" or "sa'aw fihi"[45].

Ibn al-Nadim, reporting from Fadl ibn Shadhan, states that the circulation of Ubayy's mushaf originated in a village near Basra called Qaryat al-Ansar, where Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik al-Ansari presented it, having narrated it from his ancestors[46]. According to some reports, during the standardization of the codices under Uthman, Ubayy ibn Ka'b's mushaf served as the primary source for the work of Zayd ibn Thabit[47]. Subsequently, like other codices except that of Ibn Masud, Ubayy's mushaf was burned after the standardization process, or its writings were erased by washing with water and vinegar[48].


The Teaching Assembly and the School of Exegesis in Medina

Ubayy held a teaching assembly in the Mosque of the Prophet and recounted hadiths to the people. He also reported hadith to the large gatherings that convened in his home[49]. He is regarded as the founder of the School of Exegesis in Medina, and his interpretations were transmitted through his marginal notes in his mushaf or via his students and narrators[50]. One method for identifying Medinan surahs and Meccan surahs in the Quran is attributed to Ubayy's designation of the Medinan surahs, since he was constantly present in Medina alongside the Prophet and was fully acquainted with the Medinan revelations[51].


Ubayy's Connection to Certain Medinan Verses

The occasion of revelation (shan nuzul) of several Quranic verses is linked to Ubayy. According to reports from Ikrimah and Muqatil, two Jewish individuals told Ubayy and a group of Muslims that their own religion was superior to Islam. Consequently, the verse Template:Quran text was revealed, affirming the superiority of Islam. A historical report concerning the Event of Ifk (the slander against Aisha) states that when Umm Tufayl reported this rumor to her husband Ubayy, he vehemently denied it, calling it a lie, and said: "The wives of the Prophet are far better than our wives; if our wives do not engage in such acts, it is even more fitting that the wives of the Prophet should not do so." Then verse 12 of Surah Al-Nur (24) was revealed: Template:Quran text. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) told him: "God has commanded me to recite the Quran to you." Deeply moved by being deemed worthy of such divine favor, Ubayy listened as the Prophet recited the verse: Template:Quran text[52]. During the era of Uthman, in the effort to standardize the codices, after the first group proved unable to complete the task, Ubayy assumed leadership of the second group; he dictated while others wrote[53]. The second Caliph considered Ali (peace be upon him) superior in judicial matters and Ubayy superior in Quranic recitation above all others; although he himself stated: "Sometimes I do not act according to Ubayy's recitation"[54]. It appears he did not truly believe in Ubayy's superiority in recitation, or perhaps Ubayy's recitation occasionally conflicted with the Caliph's beliefs and practices, leading him not to follow it.


Death

The exact date of Ubayy's death is not known with certainty. His year of death is cited as 19 AH[55], 20 AH[56], and 22 AH during the caliphate of Umar[57]. Others have placed his death in the year 30 AH during the caliphate of Uthman; however, most historians record his passing during Umar's caliphate[58]. Al-Mada'ini considers the time of Ubayy's death, along with that of Abbas and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, to be close together in the early days of Uthman's caliphate[59]. Considering Ubayy's presence in the collection and standardization of the Quran, as well as Zirr ibn Hubaysh's meeting with him during Uthman's caliphate and people's inquiries to him regarding the tribulations of Uthman's era, it seems his death occurred toward the end of Uthman's caliphate[60]. He died in Medina and was buried in Al-Baqi'. Some sources mention a tomb attributed to Ubayy in the cemeteries of Damascus[61].


See Also


Footnotes

Template:Footnotes


Sources

Template:Islamic Scholars

  1. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 498; Al-Tabaqat, Khalifah, p. 157; Al-Isabah, Vol. 1, p. 180.
  2. ↑ Tahdhib al-Asma', Vol. 1, pp. 108-109; Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 262.
  3. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 65.
  4. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 61.
  5. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 61.
  6. ↑ Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', Vol. 1, p. 396.
  7. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 61; Al-Isabah, Vol. 1, p. 181.
  8. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 61.
  9. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 61; Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 498; Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 66.
  10. ↑ Tahdhib al-Asma', Vol. 1, p. 109; see also Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 262.
  11. ↑ Tafsir al-Sahabi, p. 13.
  12. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 216; Al-Muhabbar, p. 73; Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, p. 271.
  13. ↑ Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Vol. 1, pp. 505-506; Al-Mustadrak, Vol. 3, p. 303; Rijal al-Tusi, p. 22.
  14. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 9.
  15. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 163; Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 88; Rijal al-Tusi, p. 22.
  16. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 204; Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 498.
  17. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 405.
  18. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 498; Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 264.
  19. ↑ Al-Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh, Vol. 1, p. 445.
  20. ↑ Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 5, p. 142; Al-Mustadrak, Vol. 1, p. 399; Al-Sunan al-Kubra, Vol. 4, p. 96.
  21. ↑ Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, Vol. 2, pp. 475–476.
  22. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 498.
  23. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 68; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 62; Al-Isabah, Vol. 1, p. 181.
  24. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 68; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 62.
  25. ↑ Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 6, p. 179.
  26. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 204; Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, p. 383.
  27. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 62.
  28. ↑ Tahdhib al-Asma', p. 109.
  29. ↑ Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', Vol. 1, p. 401.
  30. ↑ Mirat al-Haramayn, p. 420.
  31. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 499; Tarikh Dimashq, Vol. 7, p. 339; Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 269.
  32. ↑ Jami' al-Bayan, Vol. 2, p. 8; Tafsir al-Tha'labi, Vol. 4, p. 209; Al-Durr al-Manthur, Vol. 1, p. 145.
  33. ↑ Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays, pp. 138–140; Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 199–200.
  34. ↑ See: Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 428; Al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 1, p. 102.
  35. ↑ Hilyat al-Awliya', Vol. 1, p. 254.
  36. ↑ See: Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays, pp. 138–140; Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Vol. 2, pp. 51–52.
  37. ↑ Al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 1, p. 157; Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 29, pp. 87–88.
  38. ↑ Tarikh al-Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, pp. 161, 173.
  39. ↑ Sunan Abi Dawud, Vol. 1, p. 322; Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', Vol. 1, p. 400.
  40. ↑ Al-Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 175.
  41. ↑ Al-Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 178.
  42. ↑ Al-Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 179.
  43. ↑ Wasail al-Shia, Vol. 6, p. 56.
  44. ↑ Al-Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 175.
  45. ↑ Majma' al-Bayan, Vol. 8, p. 280; Al-Muharrar al-Wajiz, Vol. 4, p. 458.
  46. ↑ Al-Fihrist, p. 29.
  47. ↑ Al-Masahif, pp. 30-31, 63-64.
  48. ↑ Tarikh Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, p. 170.
  49. ↑ Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Issawi, p. 71.
  50. ↑ Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Zaghlul, pp. 86-88.
  51. ↑ Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Issawi, p. 76.
  52. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 2, p. 341; Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 67; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 62.
  53. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 3, p. 502.
  54. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 68.
  55. ↑ Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 271; Taqrib al-Tahdhib, Vol. 1, p. 71.
  56. ↑ Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, p. 271.
  57. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 69; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 63; Al-Isabah, Vol. 1, p. 181.
  58. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 63; Al-Isabah, Vol. 1, p. 181.
  59. ↑ Al-Isti'ab, Vol. 1, p. 69.
  60. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 63; Tahdhib al-Kamal, Vol. 2, pp. 271-272.
  61. ↑ Tarikh Dimashq, Vol. 7, p. 347; Minhaj al-Sunnah, Vol. 7, p. 43.
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