Sayyiduna Zayd Bin Thabit

Shining Stars

Sayyidunā Zayd b. Thābit

Mawlana ‘Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم entered Madina, his arrival illuminated every part of the city. The people brought a young boy to him, of about 11 years of age, and said, “Dear Messenger of Allah! This boy hails from Banū Najjār. He has memorized 17 chapters of the Quran.” According to one narration, he had read 16 chapters. The boy then recited them, much to the Prophet’s delight.

As letters from world powers came to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , he appointed that young boy as the official reader, instructing him to learn Hebrew. Within 15 days, the boy perfected the language. Later, he was advised to learn Syriac, which he did in 17 days.^[1]

This intelligent and trusted child is the famous Companion, Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ .

Childhood: He grew up as an orphan and was considered incredibly ingenious.^[2]

Memories with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم : On one occasion, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم began to receive divine revelation whilst sat next to Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ . During this time, the blessed thigh of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came upon the thigh of this great Companion, who explains: “By Allah, I have never found anything to be weightier than the thigh of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .” After that particular revelation had been received, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: “O Zayd! Write ˹the Qurʾān˺.”

Some people asked Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ about the immaculate character of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . He explained: “How do I begin explaining this to you? I was his neighbour; upon receiving divine revelation, he would summon me, and I would write it down. Whenever we mentioned our worldly affairs, he would support us. When we spoke about food, he would engage in conversation with us.”

First gift: When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم arrived and blessed Madinah with his presence, he stayed in the home of Sayyiduna Abū Ayyūb Ansāri رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ . Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was the very first to bring gifts for him: a vessel containing bread, clarified butter and milk. “My mother sent these vessels”, the Companion explained. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم prayed for him by saying, “May Allah bless you”, assembled other Companions, and they all then ate together.^[3]

His rank in the court of the Prophet: The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once said to Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ : “Whenever you write  بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم, make the سین clearly apparent.”^[4]  In another hadith, he said: ”Call Zayd to me, and tell him to bring a shoulder bone, an inkpot, and a tablet ˹to write on˺.”

With Sayyidunā Abū Bakr: Verses of the Quran were initially gathered by Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ upon the command and during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abū Bakr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ . The latter also said to him, “You are the scribe of revelation, and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم trusted you. We also consider you trustworthy.”^[5]  He describes this: “When compiling the Quran, I wrote it on pieces of leather, ˹animal˺ shoulder bones, and the branches/leaves of date trees.”^[6]

With Sayyidunā ʿUmar: Whenever the second Caliph, Sayyiduna ʿUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ , travelled out of Madina, Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would act as his deputy. The former would also send appointed individuals to deal with pressing and significant matters outside Madina in various other localities. When asked to send Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit, he responded, “The natives of Madina need him. The solutions provided by Zayd in regard to their issues, they do not find anywhere else.”

With Sayyidunā Uthmān: During hajj season, the third Caliph, Sayyiduna ʿUthmān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ , would also appoint Zayd رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ as his deputy in Madina.^[7] During Sayyiduna ʿUthmān’s caliphate, he served as head public treasury manager.^[8]

His wide range of skills and abilities: Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ worked as a judge for many years and began issuing religious edicts (fatwa) during the lifetime of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . In terms of Quranic recitation and matters of inheritance, he was unparalleled. This led to Caliphs ʿUmar and ʿUthmān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُمَا giving him priority in regard to matters relating to these subjects. He further continued to diligently fulfil his responsibilities in these fields during the reign of Sayyiduna Mu’āwiya رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ .^[9]

After concluding the siege of Ṭāif, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to Jirāna, where gains of war had been collected. This amounted to 6,000 slaves, 24,000 camels, over 40,000 goats and 160,000 dirhams worth of silver. Upon the command of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit counted the number of people and calculated everyone’s share. When this process was complete, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then distributed these gains amongst the people.^[10]

His participation in military expeditions: The Expedition of the Trench in 5 AH was the first expedition in which Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ had a role. He was 15 years of age at the time.^[11] He also dug the trench along with other Companions.^[12] 

During the Expedition of Tabūk, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took the flag of the Banī Mālik b. Najjār tribe from a Companion and gave it to Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ . “Did I do something wrong?” the Companion humbly inquired, to which the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: “The Quran is given priority, and Zayd is more learned of it than you.”^[13]

Adhering to the sunna: Sayyiduna Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ explains:

Sayyiduna Anas bin Mālik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would walk by taking small steps. “Will you not ask me why I am doing this?” he asked me. When I inquired as such, he responded, “Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit would also walk like this, and he asked the very same of me. When I then asked why he walked with small steps, he replied: ‘The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did this, and he also stated, “Dear Zayd! Do you know why I am doing this?” When I asked, he responded: “I desire to take an abundance of steps until I reach the masjid.”’”^[14]

His acts of worship: During Ramadān, Sayyiduna Zayd b. Thābit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would engage in acts of worship most profusely on its 17^th night. He said, “As this night ended (i.e during the Expedition of Badr), Allah made clear distinction between truth and falsehood. The leaders of the disbelievers were humiliated and disgraced.”^[15]

Death: According to one account, he passed away in 45 AH in Madinah at the age of 56.^[16]  He narrated 92 hadith, 5 of which are mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.^[17]