أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيّ
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
Ansari · Host of the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah
may Allah be pleased with him
Khazraj — Banu an-Najjar, of Madinah · Madinah, from before the Hijrah into the 50s AH
A man of Madinah in whose house the Prophet ﷺ stayed on first arriving there. He remained active for decades and died on a distant campaign as a very old man.
Known for
The Prophet ﷺ stayed in his house
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, his camel stopped by Abu Ayyub's house, and he stayed there while the mosque and his own quarters were built.
One of the Ansar of Madinah
From Banu an-Najjar, a clan of Khazraj.
Present at Badr and the campaigns that followed
He died on campaign near Constantinople as an old man
He asked to be buried as far forward as the army had reached.
Story
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Madinah
Abu Ayyub — his name was Khalid ibn Zayd — was of Banu an-Najjar in Madinah, and among those who accepted Islam before the Hijrah, when Mus'ab ibn Umayr was teaching in the town.
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived, every household wanted to host him. The sources describe him leaving the choice to his camel, which knelt near Abu Ayyub's house. He stayed there while the mosque and his own quarters were built — about seven months, on the usual reckoning, though a few reports give a much shorter stay.
Abu Ayyub was present at Badr and through the campaigns of the Madinan decade.
Later years
He lived a long time and stayed active far longer than most. He joined a campaign towards Constantinople as a very old man, fell ill there, and died. He is reported to have asked to be buried at the furthest point the army had reached, and his grave in that region has been known ever since.
The sources give somewhat different years for his death, in the 50s AH.
How the sources describe him
Hospitable in the way the Ansar are remembered for
He kept going long after he could have stopped
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He hosted the Prophet ﷺ in his house on his arrival in Madinah.
The teacher sent to Madinah before the Hijrah, during whose time many of the Ansar accepted Islam.
Full timeline
- 1 AH
Hosts the Prophet ﷺ on his arrival in Madinah
- 2 AH
Present at Badr
- In the 50s AH approximate, reports differThe sources give different years within the 50s AH.
Dies on campaign near Constantinople
Part of
Sources & review
Draft content — undergoing reviewThis content was written for SahabaMate and has not yet been checked by a reviewer against the works below. Treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
Companions of the Prophet
Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
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