زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِت
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Zayd ibn Thabit
Scribe of the revelation · Ansari · Gathered the Qur'an
may Allah be pleased with him
Khazraj — Banu an-Najjar, of Madinah · Madinah, up to about 45 AH
Too young to be allowed into the army, he was put to work writing the revelation down instead. Years later Abu Bakr gave him the task of gathering the whole of it into one collection, and Uthman gave him the task of copying it.
Known for
He wrote the revelation down for the Prophet ﷺ
Abu Bakr gave him the task of gathering the Qur'an
After many of those who had memorised it were killed at Yamamah, the work of collecting it into one written whole was given to him. The episode is told on Abu Bakr's record.
He led the writing of the copies sent out under Uthman
The episode is told on Uthman's record.
He was turned back from the army for being too young
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
Madinah
Zayd was of Banu an-Najjar in Madinah, and a boy when the Prophet ﷺ arrived there. He had already memorised a number of surahs.
He was among those presented to the army and turned back as too young to fight. What he did instead was write: he became one of those who recorded the revelation as it came, which is the work he is remembered for.
The two collections
Twice he was given the task that the written Qur'an rests on. Under Abu Bakr he gathered it into a single collection after many of the reciters were killed at Yamamah. Under Uthman he led the preparation of the copies that were sent out to the main centres.
Both episodes are narrated elsewhere in SahabaMate — the first on Abu Bakr's record, the second on Uthman's — and are not retold here.
He remained in Madinah, was consulted on questions of inheritance, and taught. He died there; the sources give different years.
How the sources describe him
Trusted with work where a mistake could not be allowed
He kept being given things to learn, and learned them
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
He was one of those who wrote the revelation down for him.
Gave him the task of gathering the Qur'an into a single collection.
Gave him the task of preparing the copies sent out to the main centres.
Full timeline
- The early Madinan years
Turned back from the army as too young, and set to writing instead
- During Abu Bakr's caliphate, 11–13 AH approximate
Gathers the Qur'an into a single collection for Abu Bakr
- During Uthman's caliphate, 23–35 AH approximate
Leads the writing of the copies sent out under Uthman
- Around 45 AH approximate, reports differReports give 45, 51 and 55 AH.
Dies in Madinah
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
Jami' at-Tirmidhiجامع الترمذي
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn 'Isa at-Tirmidhi
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
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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