الرحلةThe Journey

أبو موسى الأشعري

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (RA)

Also known as: Abu Musa, Abdullah ibn Qays, Abu Musa al-Asy'ari

c. 20 BH – 42 AH · c. 602–662 CE

Companions

Yemeni Companion famed for his beautiful recitation, governor of Basra and Kufa, and ancestor of the theologian al-Ash'ari.

Abu Musa, 'Abd Allah ibn Qays, came from the Ash'ar, a tribe of the Yemeni coast. He accepted Islam and later reached Madinah with a group of his people at the time of Khaybar. He was known for his beautiful voice in reciting the Quran; the Prophet ﷺ said he had been given one of the flutes of the family of David. The Prophet ﷺ sent him with Mu'adh ibn Jabal to teach and govern in Yemen.

'Umar made him governor of Basra, where he taught the Quran and fiqh and led the campaigns in Khuzistan, and 'Uthman later made him governor of Kufa. After Siffin he was chosen to represent 'Ali's side in the arbitration with 'Amr ibn al-'As; the arbitration did not end the dispute, and he withdrew from public life. He died around 662. The theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari was his descendant.

Open on the map →

Life journey

  1. c. 602 CE Zabid زبيد
    From the Ash'ar tribe of the Yemeni coast around Zabid; the map point is approximate.
  2. 628 CE Madinah المدينة
    Arrived with his people at the time of Khaybar.
  3. 638 CE Basra البصرة
    Governor of Basra under 'Umar, and led campaigns in Khuzistan.
  4. 651 CE Kufa الكوفة
    Died 662 CE · 42 AH
    Governor of Kufa under 'Uthman; died in Kufa, or by some accounts in Makkah.

Places in their life

al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque, Madinah
al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque, Madinah
Photo: TheHadiRahim, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Great Mosque of Kufa
The Great Mosque of Kufa
Photo: ن.عامری, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of the Virtues of the Quran, on his voice; Book of Military Expeditions, on his sending to Yemen)
  • Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Isti'ab fi Ma'rifat al-Ashab
  • Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, al-Isaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
His death is given as 42, 44, 50 or 52 AH, in Kufa or Makkah. Birth year approximate. The arbitration is mentioned neutrally; please check.