أبي بن كعب

Ubayy ibn Ka'b (RA)

Also known as: Ubai bin Ka'ab, Ubayy, Sayyid al-Qurra'

c. 32 BH – 30 AH · c. 590–650 CE

Companions

Ansari scribe of the revelation and master of Quran recitation, whom 'Umar appointed to lead the tarawih prayer.

Ubayy ibn Ka'b was of the Khazraj of Madinah, one of the few there who could read and write before Islam. He accepted Islam before the Hijrah, was present at the Second Pledge of 'Aqabah, and became one of the scribes who wrote down the revelation. He was among those who had gathered the whole Quran in the Prophet's lifetime. The Prophet ﷺ named him the best reciter of the community and told him that Allah had commanded him to recite Surah al-Bayyinah to Ubayy by name, at which Ubayy wept.

After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Ubayy taught the Quran in Madinah, and many of the reading traditions pass through him. 'Umar gathered the people for the night prayer of Ramadan behind him as a single congregation. According to some reports he took part in the work on the 'Uthmanic codex. His death is variously dated, most often to the caliphate of 'Uthman around 650.

Open on the map →

Places in their life