At a glance
- Roles
- Companion
- Counted among
- Sunni
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Identifiers
- Wikidata
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
Life in time
Refugees, migrants and diaspora
Place in the story
- CompanionTradition
- Host · September 622 CE · Rabi' I 1 AH†Tradition
Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Brief
Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb al-Najjari, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may God be pleased with him), the Prophet's host in Medina 2.
Taking up the saddle-bag
When the Prophet's she-camel knelt at the spot where the Prophet's Mosque stands today — among the Banu al-Najjar, his maternal kin — Abu Ayyub hurried to the saddle-bag and took it into his house. The Prophet used to say: "A man is with his baggage" 3.
In Anas's narration in al-Bukhari, the Prophet asked: "Which of our people's houses is nearest?" Abu Ayyub said: "I, O Messenger of God; this is my house and this is my door." He said: "Go and prepare a resting place for us" 2.
Afterwards
The Prophet stayed with him until the mosque and its apartments were built. Abu Ayyub was killed at the walls of Constantinople and, according to the best-known account, was buried there 4.
The Prophet's lodging in his house (The Sealed Nectar p.173)
When the Prophet entered Medina, his she-camel passed by the houses. He would tell whoever took hold of her rein, "Let her go, for she is commanded," until she knelt at the spot of the Prophet's Mosque. Abu Ayyub said his house was the nearest of the houses and invited the Prophet to enter it. The Prophet said: "Go and prepare a resting place for us" (The Hijra journey and entry into Medina) 3 5.
Encyclopaedia of Islam account
The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.) entry on Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a Companion of the Prophet, says that the Prophet stayed in his house on the emigration to Medina before his own mosque and house were built. He took part in all the Prophet's expeditions and served under 'Amr b. al-'As in the conquest of Egypt. 'Ali appointed him governor of Medina, but he had to rejoin 'Ali in Iraq when Busr b. Abi Artat approached the city with 3,000 men, and he fought in 'Ali's battles there. Under Mu'awiya he joined the invasion of Cyprus and the expedition against Constantinople, where he died of dysentery in 52/672 (the article also gives 50, 51 and 55), and was buried under the city walls at his request. Of the 150 hadiths attributed to him, the article says al-Bukhari admitted thirteen. 6
Connections
- Member of
- The Ansar
- Participated in
- The Hijra· the conquest of Ascalon (24 AH)· The First Raid on Cyprus· The journey from the cave of Thawr to Medina and the entry into the city· The building of the Prophet's Mosque
- Mentioned in
- Muslim 1164 — Ramadan plus six of Shawwal· Muslim 2560 — A Muslim may not forsake his brother beyond three nights· Muslim 2693 — Ten tahlilas weigh as freeing four souls· Muwatta 352· Muwatta 519· Muwatta 1742· Muwatta 2601· Muwatta 2638· Muwatta 1049· Muwatta 1133· Muwatta 1193· Muwatta 901· Muwatta 1396
People and things also explored
Muhammad· Muwatta, Book of Pilgrimage (hajj)· Malik ibn Anas· Medina· Kulthum ibn al-Hidm· The Hijra· The Prophetic Era· As'ad ibn Zurara
Sources
- Wafa al-Wafa bi-akhbar dar al-Mustafa — al-Samhudi (older print) , p. 200-201
- Sahih al-Bukhari
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.173
- al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa'd
- Sahih al-Bukhari , 1/556
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 127
- Zad al-Ma'ad — Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya
- Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi
- Asma al-Matalib fi Sirat Ali ibn Abi Talib, vol. 1 — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Abu Ayyub al-Ansari”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/abu-ayyub-al-ansari/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.