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Ubayy ibn Ka'b

أبي بن كعب

A man of the Ansar, named the best reciter of the Quran, to whom the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to recite.

SahihSee it in the Atlas
Known as
Master of the reciters
Died
22 AH, al-Dhahabi inclines

Life

He was Abu al-Mundhir Ubayy ibn Ka'b of Banu an-Najjar of al-Khazraj, called the master of the reciters. He was at the second pledge of al-'Aqaba and at Badr, and was one of the Ansar who gathered the Quran in the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime. The Prophet ﷺ named him among the four from whom to learn it, and told him that Allah had commanded him to recite Surat al-Bayyina to him; Ubayy asked whether he had been named, and wept when told yes.

'Umar called him the best reciter among them, and gathered the people behind him for the night prayer of Ramadan. He died in Madinah; al-Waqidi gives 22 AH, under 'Umar, which al-Dhahabi inclines to, while others say 30 AH under 'Uthman or 19 AH.

Evidence

Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 3809

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ شُعْبَةَ، سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأُبَىٍّ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ ‏{‏لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا‏}‏ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ وَسَمَّانِي قَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏ فَبَكَى‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik:The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ubai, "Allah has ordered me to recite to you: 'Those who disbelieve (Surat-al- Bayina 98).' " Ubai said, "Has He mentioned my name?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes." On hearing this, Ubai started weeping

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Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 3758

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ ذُكِرَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، فَقَالَ ذَاكَ رَجُلٌ لاَ أَزَالُ أُحِبُّهُ بَعْدَ مَا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ اسْتَقْرِئُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، فَبَدَأَ بِهِ، وَسَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، وَأُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي بَدَأَ بِأُبَىٍّ أَوْ بِمُعَاذٍ‏.‏

Narrated Masruq:`Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) was mentioned before `Abdullah bin `Amr. The latter said, "That is a man I continue to love because I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, ' Learn the recitation of the Qur'an from (any of these) four persons: `Abdullah bin Masud, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai bin Ka`b, and Mu`adh bin Jabal." I do not remember whether he mentioned Ubai first or Mu`adh

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