أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْد
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Usamah ibn Zayd
Given command of an army while very young · Son of Zayd ibn Harithah and Umm Ayman · Called the beloved, son of the beloved
may Allah be pleased with him
Of Kalb, through his father Zayd ibn Harithah · Makkah and Madinah, into the later decades of the 1st century AH
He grew up close to the Prophet ﷺ, who called him the beloved, son of the beloved. While still very young he was placed in command of an army bound for Syria, over men much older than him. The Prophet ﷺ died before it marched, and Abu Bakr sent it out regardless once he became caliph.
Known for
He was given command of an army bound for Syria while very young
Men considerably senior to him, in age and standing, were placed under him, and some people questioned the choice. The Prophet ﷺ did not withdraw it.
The Prophet ﷺ called him the beloved, son of the beloved
He was the son of Zayd ibn Harithah and Umm Ayman, both freed by the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ died before his army marched, and Abu Bakr sent it out regardless
Some around Abu Bakr urged him to hold it back given the unrest that followed the Prophet's ﷺ death. He refused to leave undone what the Prophet ﷺ had ordered.
Story
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
The beloved son
Usamah was the son of Zayd ibn Harithah and Umm Ayman, both of them freed and both of them close to the Prophet ﷺ before he was born. He grew up inside that household rather than at its edge.
Aishah reported that the Prophet ﷺ called him the beloved, son of the beloved — a description that stayed attached to him. He was also reported to have been held on the Prophet's ﷺ lap alongside Hasan ibn Ali as a small child, with the Prophet ﷺ asking Allah's mercy on both of them together.
Command, and after
Toward the end of the Prophet's ﷺ life, Usamah was placed in command of an army being prepared for Syria, directed toward the same region where his father Zayd had been killed at Mu'tah. Men considerably senior to him were placed under him, and some people questioned the choice. The Prophet ﷺ did not withdraw it.
He died before the army marched. Abu Bakr, on becoming caliph, sent it out regardless, even while unrest elsewhere in Arabia argued for keeping every man close to Madinah.
Usamah went on to narrate from the Prophet ﷺ throughout the rest of his life. He died in the second half of the 1st century AH; the sources do not agree on the year.
How the sources describe him
He kept the command though some questioned his age
He was treated by the Prophet ﷺ as part of his own family, from infancy
Connect
People around him
Family
His father, freed by the Prophet ﷺ and killed commanding at Mu'tah. Usamah's own army was later directed toward the same region.
His mother, who had cared for the Prophet ﷺ since his own childhood.
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He was raised close to him from infancy, called him beloved, son of the beloved, and was later given command of an army by him.
Full timeline
- 11 AH approximate
Given command of the army bound for Syria
- 11 AH approximate
Marches into Syria under Abu Bakr, after the Prophet ﷺ dies
- The Madinan years
Intercedes for a woman facing punishment, and is corrected
- The sources differ approximate, reports differReports place his death in the second half of the 1st century AH and do not agree on the year.
Dies
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
Sahih Muslimصحيح مسلم
Hadith collection · Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj
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
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
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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