Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu

 

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Introduction

Let us explore the life of a favoured Companion of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu, whom the Messenger nurtured to become his interpreter, the greatest scribe of revelation, a master of many sciences of knowledge, the laws of inheritance in particular, and an expert judge.

This article highlights the manner in which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam unearthed his strong potential and fostered him into a great scholar of Islam, to whom the entire Ummah is indebted and upon whom the Ummah relies. His accomplishments are testaments to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam being truly the Messenger of Allah. It highlights the value Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu gave to the Ummah as well as prominent personalities of the Ummah’s appreciation of his services, a Sunnah which ought to be revived.

 

Background

Zaid ibn Thabit ibn al Dahhak ibn Zaid was born sa’id (fortunate) and therefore adopted an agnomen reflecting this, i.e. Abu Sa’id (the fortunate one.)[1] He hails from the Banu al Najjar, the family of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam—the maternal uncles of ‘Abdul-Muttalib. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised them, “The best tribe of the Ansar are the Banu al Najjar.”[2] Zaid was orphaned at a young age. His father, Thabit, was killed during the Battle of Bu’ath[3], five years before the Hijrah, when he was only six years of age.[4]

 

Manifestation of Excellent Retention

After Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam arrival in Madinah Munawwarah, Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu was brought to him with the exciting news that he had committed seventeen Surahs of the Glorious Qur’an to memory. Joyful at the news, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam bade him to recite. Zaid recalls that memorable moment, “I recited [them] to him which pleased him.” He was eleven years of age at the time.

 

Challenging him after Discerning Mighty Potential

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam detected mighty potential in this blossoming youth and thus challenged him, “Learn how to write Hebrew, for I do not trust the Jews with my letters.”

This youngster’s mighty potential which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam determined was primarily owing to him mastering seventeen Surahs at that time. Furthermore, the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam realised that the lad’s mind and heart were developed, nurtured, and refined by the sublime words of the Almighty. He therefore saw him a perfect candidate for an amazing task, to be shouldered by none besides him.

Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu took up the challenge and in about half a month, or seventeen days to be precise, mastered the Hebrew language – its understanding, reading, and writing. He would then write for him to the Jews and when they would write, he would read it to the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.^[5]

 

The Prowess and Mastery of the Messenger

Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu became the official interpreter of the Muslim State at the age of eleven. Admire the maturity of this lad and the trust placed in him by Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the Messenger of Allah. Marvel at how Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam unearthed the lad’s hidden talent and developed it into something extraordinary. Look at how he channelled it to be of benefit to the lad as well as the entire Ummah. This only reaffirms our conviction that he was the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and those around him became lanterns of guidance and exemplary men owing to his nurturing and development. He turns an ordinary orphan into a distinctive interpreter and translator.

 

The Sahabah are Men of Integrity

We, the Ahl al Sunnah, determine the Sahabah as men of integrity. This report substantiates this determination. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not trust the Jews, yet trusted this young Sahabi to handle his correspondence. This very trust that he placed unrestrictedly on this Sahabi validates the Ahl al Sunnah’s belief. This action of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam served as a green signal to Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to select Sayyidina Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu to compile the Qur’an. More of that later.

 

Scribe of Revelation

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam appointed Sayyidina Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu a scribe of revelation.[6] Although, there were many other scribes, Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu was the main scribe. Ibn Hajar al ‘Asqalani rahimahu Llah confirms this in his Fath al Bari, while commenting on the chapter of Imam al Bukhari rahimahu Llah: ‘Chapter on the Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam scribe,’ under which the author cites two narrations, both affirming Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu as the scribe. Ibn Hajar rahimahu Llah upholds, “In Madinah, Zaid was the main scribe. Owing to his excess in receiving it [revelation], he was called al katib (the scribe) as in the hadith of Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, the second hadith of the chapter. Therefore, Abu Bakr told him: You would certainly write revelation for Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”^[7]

This determination is further corroborated by Zaid’s report on the authority of his grandson, Sulayman ibn Kharijah ibn Zaid, who reports from his father from his grandfather [Zaid], “Whenever revelation would descend upon Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, he would call for me and I would pen it down.”^[8]

 

Profiting from the Blessed Prophetic Company

Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu being selected as an interpreter and a scribe shaped the future of this ordinary youth to becoming a magnificent scholar. He now had the privileged opportunity to sit in the blessed company of the cream of creation and the most knowledgeable Messenger, the fountainhead of goodness, blessings, and knowledge. From this blessed company, he learnt and mastered the glorious Qur’an, the science of Qira’ah, the laws of inheritance, the art of issuing verdicts, and many ahadith. Furthermore, the qualities of a genuine, sincere believer were developed in his heart and further refined. He would soon grow to become the Imam of Madinah, as determined by Imam Malik ibn Anas rahimahu Llah.[9]

 

Proficiency in the Glorious Qur’an

Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu is among the handful who are recognised as having memorised the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[10] He recited the Qur’an, either a major portion or the entire Qur’an, to Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[11] He learnt the various Qira’at directly from Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and rose to become an authority in the field.

Added to this was his presence at the final revision of the Glorious Qur’an between Sayyidina Jibril ‘alayh al Salam and Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam during the last Ramadan of the latter’s stay in this transitory abode.[12] We are reminded of the sublime hadith of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam which applies aptly to him, “One proficient in the Qur’an will be with the scribes, noble and obedient.”[13]

Attachment to the Glorious Qur’an earns one a lofty rank in Islam. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stated, “The best of you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it,”[14] and “Allah exalts many owing to this Book.” Interestingly, this latter hadith was narrated by ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu when he was informed by Nafi’ ibn ‘Abdul-Harith—his governor over Makkah—that he appointed Ibn Abza—one of their freed slaves—over the forest due to him being a proficient reciter of the Glorious Qur’an and knowledgeable of the laws of inheritance.[15] We just learnt of Zaid’s proficiency in the Glorious Qur’an and we will soon come to learn about him being the greatest expert of this Ummah in the laws of inheritance.

 

Honour and Special Consideration by the Messenger

His attachment to the Glorious Qur’an earned him honour in the eyes of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This was quite natural, when Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam himself stated, “Certainly, part of showing honour to Allah is honouring an elderly Muslim, the bearer of the Qur’an who is not an extremist nor one aloof from it, and honouring a just sultan.”[16]

 

Superior Treatment by the Elite of the Ummah

One manifestation of this unique honour was during the Battle of Tabuk, when the flag of the Banu al Najjar was held aloft by Sayyidina ‘Umarah ibn Hazm radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took the flag from him and awarded it to Zaid. When ‘Umarah enquired whether something negative about him reached the Messenger, the latter replied, “No, but the Qur’an deserves precedence. Zaid memorised more Qur’an than you.”^[17]

Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu joyfully recalls another episode of this special treatment he received, “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam allowed me [to participate in battle] on the Day of the Trench and clothed me with a Qibtiyyah (a fine white Egyptian garment).”^[18] In yet another narration, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam verbally expressed his honour for him by describing him as an excellent lad.[19]

This preferential treatment extended beyond the life of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu consulted with Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu in important matters and awarded him a high rank. Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu appointed him as judge and allocated for him a remuneration.[20] Moreover, whenever he journeyed out of Madinah, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu would appoint Zaid as his deputy over Madinah. Nearly every time he returned, he apportioned for him an orchard of date-palms as a token of his appreciation.^[21] Sayyidina ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu would also appoint him as deputy over Madinah when he performed Hajj.^[22] And the pinnacle of this preferential treatment was assigning to him the compilation of the Glorious Qur’an.

This Sunnah, of awarding honour to individuals based on their attachment to the Qur’an and knowledge of its teachings and injunctions, must be revived in our circles. Awarding honour on the basis of superficial aspects like the possession of worldly amenities, secular knowledge, and futile talents should be shunned.

A final example presented is of Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma—the cousin of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the best commentator of Qur’an. It was on the occasion of Sayyidina Zaid’s mother’s—Nawwar bint Malik ibn Mu’awiyah radiya Llahu ‘anha—demise. After he performed the Salat al Janazah over his mother, his animal was brought. Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma held the stirrup of his conveyance, as an expression of respect for him. Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu entreated him, “Leave it, O nephew of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,” to which Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma submitted, “This is how we treat our scholars and elders.”^[23]

 

Erudite Scholar

The profound teachings of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam nurtured Sayyidina Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu into an erudite scholar. He mastered many sciences and rose to be an authority in four: Qira’ah, inheritance, issuing verdicts, and passing judgement.^[24]

Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam cousin, Ibn ‘Abbas, radiya Llahu ‘anhuma testifies, “The protected Sahabah of Muhammad know very well that Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu is from those firmly grounded in knowledge.”^[25] Tabi’in like ‘Amir al Sha’bi and Masruq reckon him as one of the ‘Ulama’ (expert scholars) of the Ummah and experts of knowledge.[26]

His rank in knowledge is so lofty that he is among the six distinct individuals to issue verdicts during the lifetime of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and is counted an authority in the field.^[27] Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu would consult men of insight and intelligence when faced with dilemmas and difficult situations, and one of these men were Zaid. Zaid was among the very few to pass verdicts during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu and ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He continued passing verdicts till the end of his life.[28]

He rose to the position of judge in Madinah Munawwarah. ‘Amir al Sha’bi reckons him as one of the four [greatest] judges of this Ummah.[29] ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu appointed him as judge and allocated for him a remuneration.^[30] He continued passing judgement during his entire stay in Madinah till his demise in 45 AH.[31]

 

Master in the Law of Inheritance

Coupled with his extensive knowledge in other fields, he gained a special competence when it came to the laws of inheritance, a science regarded as half of knowledge by the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[32] Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam testified to his expertise in this field declaring, “Zaid ibn Thabit is the expert of the laws of inheritance.”[33] Practicing upon this hadith, al Shafi’i has taken Zaid’s views in inheritance.[34] Moreover, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu instructed the people to consult with Zaid in issues regarding inheritance.[35]

Al Zuhri commented, “Had Zaid ibn Thabit not recorded inheritance, I feel that it would have left the people.”^[36] He also commented, “Had ‘Uthman and Zaid passed away at one point, the knowledge of inheritance would cease to exist. A time came upon the people when none besides them was knowledgeable of it.”^[37] Al Sha’bi states, “Zaid has surpassed all people in two sciences, inheritance and Qur’an.”^[38]

 

Service to the Glorious Qur’an

The demise of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was the most devastating event in the life of mankind. Yet, the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum remained fortified and steadfast on their religion, adhering to Allah’s command in this regard. In the storm of apostasy, the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum remained steadfast and fought the apostates and manifested the prophecy of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala in the Glorious Qur’an—Allah raising a nation whom He loves and who love Him, who are humble to the believers, stern against the disbelievers, who fight in the path of Allah, and do not fear the critic’s criticism in the way of Allah.[39]

The Battle of Yamamah was the most lethal of all these battles, claiming the lives of many sons of Islam, including a number of those dedicated to memorising the Qur’an, like Sayyidina Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Sayyidina Zaid participated in this decisive Battle and was struck by an arrow, however, it did not cause him any harm; and praise be to Allah.^[40]

Due to the large number of casualties among the Huffaz, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu implored Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to arrange for the compilation of the Glorious Qur’an. After much hesitation and debate, the Khalifah agreed. He summoned Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu to shoulder this mammoth task. The selection of Zaid by Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhuma was nothing but a reflection of Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam selection of this young lad a decade earlier. The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam tasked him with handling all his correspondence with the Jews and appointed him a scribe ten years earlier which guided Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to make this choice.

The report of Sahih al Bukhari records the exact words of Abu Bakr to Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, “You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you; and you would write the Revelation for Allah’s Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. You should thus search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Qur’an and collect it in one book.” The onerous task demanded meticulousness; hence he expresses, “By Allah, had they ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would have been easier for me than ordering me to collect the Qur’an.”

Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu exerted himself in collecting the Qur’an, ensuring that only that is recorded which was written in the presence of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam with the testimony of two witnesses to the same. He completed the collection of the Glorious Qur’an, each Surah in a separate manuscript, and thus accomplished one of the greatest milestones in the preservation of the Glorious Qur’an. He was in his early twenties at the time. And glory be to Allah![41]

Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu remarked about Abu Bakr, “The one to receive the most reward in the compilation will be Abu Bakr. May Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala have mercy on Abu Bakr, he was the first to gather the Book of Allah.”^[42] We affirm the same for Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu as he was the individual who shouldered the responsibility of the compilation of the Glorious Qur’an. Al Dhahabi affirms, “No Qur’an remains on the surface of the earth besides the one Zaid wrote and Zaid copied with the other three men of Quraysh.”^[43] He thus receives all the reward of every recitation of the Qur’an.

In 25 AH, Sayyidina ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu selected Zaid, along with three other scribes, to make copies of the master copy Zaid had prepared a decade earlier. The difference was that in this compilation, the entire Qur’an was recorded in one manuscript and the Surahs were given sequence as concluded by Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. A few copies were written and sent to the various cities with an expert Qari’ to teach the people.[44]

Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu was appointed to teach the people of Madinah Munawwarah from the manuscript kept in Madinah while his student, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al Sulami, was sent to Kufah to teach the people of that area.[45] ‘Umar and ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhuma did not give preference to anyone over Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu in the field of Qira’ah.^[46] If we look at the ten Imams of Qira’ah, we find that four of them, viz. Imam Nafi’, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam ‘Asim, and Imam Abu Ja’far studied Qira’ah from the students of Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu.[47] Ahmad al ‘Ijli asserts, “People adhere to the Qira’ah of Zaid and the inheritance of Zaid.”^[48]

 

Battles & Noteworthy Stances

His pursuit of knowledge did not prevent him from participating in Battles during the lifetime of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Due to his tender age, he was not allowed to participate in Badr and Uhud. He participated in Khandaq and all the battles thereafter, including Tabuk—which differentiated the genuine believers from the hypocrites. Not only did he participate in this Battle, he held the banner of the Banu al Najjar. He participated in the Battle of Yamamah, highlighted previously, as well as the epic Battle of Yarmuk, the spoils of which he distributed.[49]

One of his noteworthy stances was in Saqifah Bani Sa’idah shortly after Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam demise, when the Ansar met to discuss the issue of caliphate. Some of the Ansari orators were suggesting a two-khalifah solution to the dilemma—one khalifah from the Muhajirin and one from the Ansar. It was Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu who announced boldly and openly, “Certainly, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was from the Muhajirin and we were his helpers. The Imam will thus only be from the Muhajirin and we will be his helpers.” Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu appreciated and congratulated Zaid’s input and diffusion of the volatile situation.[50]

Another stance was his defence of the innocent Khalifah, Sayyidina ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu when the rebels entered Madinah to shed his blood. Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu entered the house of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu with the firm intention to defend him. ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu instructed him to go outside and ward the people off. He complied and announced, “O Ansar! Become helpers of Allah twice. Assist him [‘Uthman], by Allah, his blood is haram (sanctified).”^[51]

 

The Value he brought to the Ummah

A speciality of Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu was his total engrossment in knowledge until his demise. He settled in the peaceful, blessed city of Madinah, occupied in his service to the Muslim Ummah as Mufti and Judge.

Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu acknowledged, “The people of the city [Madinah] are in need of Zaid due to the knowledge he possesses which he conveys to them, such knowledge which they find by none besides him.” The Khalifah, thus, did not allow him to move away from Madinah Munawwarah, fully cognisant of the value he brings to the capital of the Muslim State and its blessed residents.^[52]

Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu left behind a legacy of knowledge with Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa’id al Khudri, Ibn ‘Umar, Anas, Ibn ‘Abbas, Sahl ibn Sa’d, Sahl ibn Hunayf, and ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al Khatmi radiya Llahu ‘anhum from the Sahabah together with Sa’id ibn al Musayyab, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al Sulami (the Qari’), ‘Ubayd ibn al Sabbaq, ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, Ta’us, ‘Urwah, Kharijah ibn Zaid ibn Thabit, Sulayman ibn Zaid ibn Thabit, Qasim ibn Muhammad, Sulayman ibn Yasar, Aban ibn ‘Uthman, and Bishr ibn Sa’id from the Tabi’in as his students.[53]

 

Official Posts

Here is a list of the official positions he held:

• Interpreter and scribe of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
• Scribe of Revelation.
• Mufti in Madinah during the Prophetic Era.
• Compiler of the Glorious Qur’an.
• Member of the Council of the First Khalifah, Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
• Mufti and Judge during the caliphate of Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
• Scribe for Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma.
• Deputy of ‘Umar during his journeys out of Madinah.
• Caretaker of the Bayt al Mal for ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
• Authority in Madinah in passing judgements, issuing verdicts, Qira’ah, and the laws of inheritance during the era of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, and Mu’awiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhum until his demise in 45 AH.^[54]

 

His Value in the Sight of the Ummah

‘Ali ibn al Madini states: There was no Sahabi such who had students who learnt from him and adhered to his verdicts in fiqh except three viz. Zaid, ‘Abdullah [ibn Mas’ud], and Ibn ‘Abbas.^[55] This means that his students valued his knowledge so intensely that they adhered strictly to his verdicts. Sa’id ibn al Musayyab rahimahu Llah, the greatest Tabi’i, is one such example. He acknowledges, “Zaid ibn Thabit is the most knowledgeable of all of the cases brought before him for judgement and possesses the deepest insight in those cases in which nothing has been heard.” He further states, and this is profound, “I do not know any view of Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu which is not practiced upon by the consensus of the East and West, or upon which the people of the city [Madinah] do not practice.”^[56]

Al Dhahabi introduces him as, “The grand Imam, the Shaykh of the reciters and masters of inheritance, the Mufti of Madinah, the scribe of revelation; may Allah be pleased with him.”^[57] He showers upon him these praises, “He wrote revelation. He memorised the Qur’an and became a master in the same. He also mastered the laws of inheritance. Al Siddiq selected him to gather the Qur’an and he searched for it and tired himself in compiling it. Thereafter, ‘Uthman chose him to write the Mushaf, having full reliance in his memory, din, trustworthiness, and beautiful writing. Ibn ‘Abbas and Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al Sulami are among those who recited Qur’an to him.”^[58]

Muhammad Salim Muhaysin introduces him as, “Zaid ibn Thabit ibn Dahhak al Ansari, of the Khazraj tribe. An intelligent youth who mastered the Syriac language in just nineteen days. He memorised the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and was one of the scribes of revelation. He was famed for his honesty, chastity, trustworthiness, knowledge, and understanding of Islam. He became an authority in legal rulings, recitation of the Qur’an, and laws of inheritance in Madinah Munawwarah.”^[59]

 

Family and Demeanour

Sayyidina Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhu had a total of 27 children, 18 sons and 9 daughters, from two of his wives and two of his concubines.[60] He was the most cheerful man at home and the most awestriking in his gatherings.^[61]

 

Demise

Sayyidina Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu passed away in 45 AH around the age of 56.^[62] His demise was a massive blow to the Ummah. Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma commented after his demise, “This is how knowledge leaves. Today, an abundance of knowledge has been buried.”^[63] Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma said, “He was the scholar of the people and the expert during the caliphate of ‘Umar. ‘Umar dispersed them in the cities and prevented them from issuing verdicts according to their opinions. Meanwhile, Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu sat in Madinah and issued verdicts to the people of Madinah.”[64] Abu Hurairah and Hassan ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhuma expressed similar sentiments.[65]

 

 

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[1] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 428.

[2] Sahih al Bukhari, 3790; Sahih Muslim, 2511.

[3] A major battle between the Aws and Khazraj—the two Arab tribes of Madinah—which claimed the lives of many of their leaders, thus facilitating Rasulullah’s Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam entry into Madinah and leadership of the city.

[4] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 490, 491; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 30; Usd al Ghabah, pg. 424

[5] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 491; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 31; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 428; Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 309.

[6] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 491.

[7] Fath al Bari, vol. 15 pg. 43.

[8] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 429; Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail: Tashil al Rusum, pg. 25.

[9] Al Isti’ab, pg. 539; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 436.

[10] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3810, 5003, 5004.

[11] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 427.

[12] Sharh al Sunnah, vol. 4 pg. 526; al Itqan, pg. 113.

[13] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 798.

[14] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 5027.

[15] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 817.

[16] Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4843. Hasan.

[17] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 490; Usd al Ghabah, pg. 424.

[18] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 432; al Mu’jam al Kabir, Hadith: 4743.

[19] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 424; al Isti’ab, pg. 537.

[20] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 32; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 435.

[21] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 492; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 434.

[22] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425; al Isti’ab, pg. 538.

[23] Al Mu’jam al Kabir, Hadith: 4746; Majma’ al Zawa’id, vol. 9 pg. 345; al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 491; al Mustadrak, Hadith: 5808.

[24] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, vol. 1 pg. 32.

[25] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 492; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 437.

[26] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 303.

[27] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 302-303; al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 492; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 32; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 433.

[28] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 302, 310.

[29] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 303; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 434.

[30] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 32; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 435.

[31] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310.

[32] Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 2719. Da’if.

[33] Musnad Abi Dawud al Tayalisi, Hadith: 2096; Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3790; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 154, 155. Albani declared it sahih in al Silsilah al Sahihah, Hadith: 1224.

[34] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425.

[35] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310.

[36] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 436.

[37] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 436; Sunan al Darimi, Hadith: 2894. Sahih.

[38] Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 31; Tahdhib al Tahdhib, vol. 3 pg. 399; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 432; al Isti’ab, pg. 539.

[39] Surah al Ma’idah: 54.

[40] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425.

[41] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 4986.

[42] Al Itqan, pg. 130; al Masahif, pg. 11, 12; Fath al Bari, vol. 15 pg. 23.

[43] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 441

[44] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 4986.

[45] Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail: Tashil al Rusum, pg. 30; Muhammad Mustafa al A’zami: The History of the Qur’anic Text, pg. 94; The History of the Noble Qur’an, pg. 149.

[46] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 309, 310; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 32; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 434.

[47] Mufti Nabeel Gulam Valli: A Glimpse into Qira’at, pg. 97 – 125.

[48] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 436; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 32.

[49] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 491.

[50] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 433; Musnad al Tayalisi. Isnad is sahih.

[51] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 435.

[52] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310.

[53] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 491; Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 427; Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 30, 31.

[54] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425; Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 310.

[55] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 438.

[56] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 311.

[57] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 426, 427.

[58] Tadhkirat al Huffaz, pg. 30.

[59] Muhammad Salim Muhaysin: The History of the Noble Qur’an, pg. 136.

[60] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 428.

[61] Al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 492; Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425; al Isti’ab, pg. 539; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 439.

[62] Usd al Ghabah, pg. 425; al Isti’ab, pg. 540.

[63] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 312; al Mustadrak, vol. 3 pg. 484, Hadith: 5810; al Mu’jam al Kabir, vol. 5 pg. 108 Hadith: 4749; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 439.

[64] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 311; Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 434.

[65] Al Tabaqat al Kubra, vol. 2 pg. 312; al Isabah, vol. 2 pg. 492.