زَيْدُ الْخَيْر
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Zayd al-Khayr
Chief of Tayy · Renamed by the Prophet ﷺ from al-Khayl to al-Khayr · Died on the road home
may Allah be pleased with him
Tayy · Madinah and the road to Tayy territory, around 9 AH
The chief of the Tayy tribe, known before Islam as Zayd al-Khayl. He came to Madinah with his tribe's delegation, and the Prophet ﷺ renamed him Zayd al-Khayr. He died on the journey home before he reached his people.
Known for
He was chief of the Tayy tribe, and known before Islam as Zayd al-Khayl, of the horses
He came to Madinah with a delegation of his tribe, in the year the delegations arrived
The Prophet ﷺ renamed him Zayd al-Khayr, of the good, in place of Zayd al-Khayl
He died on the journey home, before reaching his tribe
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
The delegation
Zayd was chief of the Tayy tribe and known, before Islam, as Zayd al-Khayl — of the horses — for his skill and reputation as a horseman.
In the year the delegations came to Madinah from across Arabia, Zayd travelled with a group representing his tribe to meet the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ renamed him at that meeting, calling him Zayd al-Khayr, of the good, in place of the name he had carried before.
The road home
Zayd set out to return to his tribe after the meeting in Madinah, and did not complete the journey. The biographical dictionaries agree that he died on the way, without settling further detail such as the exact place or circumstance.
Because the material here is thin next to most other entries in this dataset, the record states only what the classical sources agree on, and does not fill in colour that rests on the modern retelling alone.
How the sources describe him
He was described by the Prophet ﷺ as living up to his reputation, which was unusual
He is remembered by the name he was given rather than the one he arrived with
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
Received him with the Tayy delegation and renamed him Zayd al-Khayr in place of Zayd al-Khayl.
Full timeline
- Before the delegation to Madinah
Known as Zayd al-Khayl, chief and horseman of Tayy
- 9 AH approximate
Travels to Madinah with the Tayy delegation
- 9 AH approximate
Renamed Zayd al-Khayr by the Prophet ﷺ
- Soon after the delegation, exact date not fixed approximate, reports differThe classical dictionaries agree he died on the way home but do not fix a precise place or date.
Dies on the road home, before reaching his tribe
Part of
Sources & review
In reviewBased on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.
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
Companions of the Prophet
Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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