ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْس
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Thabit ibn Qays
Orator of the Ansar · The verse on raised voices · Killed at Yamamah
may Allah be pleased with him
Khazraj, of Madinah · Madinah, into the Riddah campaigns, up to 12 AH
Known among the Ansar for his carrying voice and his gift for speech, he once feared his good deeds were undone by that very voice, until the Prophet ﷺ had him reassured. He was killed years later at the Battle of Yamamah.
Known for
He was known among the Ansar as their orator, called on to speak on their behalf
He had an unusually loud, carrying voice
He feared his good deeds were undone by his loud voice, after the verse on raised voices was revealed
When the Qur'an instructed believers, in Surah al-Hujurat, not to raise their voices above the voice of the Prophet ﷺ, Thabit shut himself away, certain he was already ruined by it, until the Prophet ﷺ had him reassured that he was not.
He was killed at the Battle of Yamamah, having resolved not to retreat
When part of the Muslim line wavered early in the battle, Thabit is reported to have rebuked the retreat and made ready to hold his ground, and he was killed in the fighting that followed.
Story
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
The voice of the Ansar
Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas was an Ansari known for two things that were really one thing: he spoke well, and he spoke loudly. Among the Ansar he had a standing as their orator, called on when a matter needed to be put into words on their behalf.
That same voice is also what the best-known report about him turns on.
Yamamah
After the Prophet ﷺ died, Thabit took part in the fighting against those who broke away from Islam — the Riddah campaigns, which this record names but does not narrate.
He was killed at the Battle of Yamamah, fighting Musaylimah's forces. Reports describe him refusing to retreat when part of the line wavered early in the battle, and preparing to hold his ground rather than fall back; the historians do not agree on every detail of what he said and did in that moment, and none of it is repeated here as settled.
How the sources describe him
Gifted with words, and trusted to use them for others
He took a Qur'anic instruction about manners seriously enough to fear he had already failed it
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
The Prophet ﷺ noticed his absence after the verse on raised voices, and had him reassured that he was not among the people of the Fire.
Full timeline
- The Madinan years
Fears his deeds are undone, and is reassured
- The Riddah campaigns
Takes part in the fighting against those who broke away after the Prophet's ﷺ death
- 12 AH approximate
Killed at the Battle of Yamamah
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.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
The Qur'anالقرآن الكريم
Qur'an
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
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
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