خَبَّابُ بْنُ الْأَرَتّ
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Khabbab ibn al-Aratt
Early Muslim · Enslaved in Makkah · Blacksmith
may Allah be pleased with him
Enslaved in Makkah before Islam; a client of Banu Zuhrah · Makkah, Madinah and Kufa, up to about 37 AH
A blacksmith, enslaved in Makkah, tortured for years for accepting Islam. He is the man who went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, in as many words, when this was going to stop.
Known for
He accepted Islam when the Muslims were still only a handful
He was tortured in Makkah over a long period
He was enslaved and had no clan to protect him. The reports describe him being burned, and carrying the marks of it for the rest of his life.
He asked the Prophet ﷺ to pray for relief, and was answered with patience
The exchange is in Sahih al-Bukhari. He was told about those before them who had held out under worse, and that this matter would be completed.
He was a blacksmith, and made swords
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
Makkah
Khabbab was enslaved in Makkah and worked as a blacksmith. He accepted Islam very early, when the Muslims were still countable on a few hands.
He had no clan behind him, which in Makkah meant there was nothing to stop what happened next. He was tortured over a long period, and the sources describe burns that marked him permanently.
He is the source of one of the most direct exchanges recorded from that period, which is set out in the moment below.
Madinah and Kufa
He emigrated to Madinah and was present at Badr and the campaigns after it.
He lived to see the Muslim state become wealthy, and the reports describe him weeping at what came to him — on the grounds that those who died earlier had received nothing of it, while he was being given his reward in this world.
He settled in Kufa and died there, in the 30s AH.
How the sources describe him
He held out for years with nobody to protect him
He said out loud that it was hard
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He came to him during the persecution and asked him to pray for relief.
Enslaved in Makkah and tortured in the same period, for the same reason. The sources name them together among those who had no protection.
Full timeline
- The early Makkan years
Accepts Islam in Makkah among the first
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Asks the Prophet ﷺ to pray for relief
- 2 AH
Present at Badr
- Around 37 AH approximate, reports differ37 AH is the commonest report; others differ.
Dies at Kufa
Part of
Sources & review
In reviewBased on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
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
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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