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Zayd al-Khayr

Moment 1 of 1

The new name

Madinah, when Zayd al-Khayl came with the delegation of Tayy.

Madinah9 AH, the year of the delegations approximate1 min read

Zayd arrived in Madinah with the delegation of his tribe, already carrying a wide reputation as a horseman — his very name, Zayd al-Khayl, meant Zayd of the horses.

He met the Prophet ﷺ and spoke with him, and by report was received well.

The Prophet ﷺ then renamed him. Where he had been Zayd al-Khayl, he became Zayd al-Khayr — Zayd of the good — a change of a single word that has stayed attached to him ever since.

He set out afterwards to return to his people, and did not complete the journey.

In this moment: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Sources & review

Draft content — undergoing review

This 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

  • Companions of the Prophet

    Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid

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