Introduction
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri was a young Ansari of Madinah whose father, Malik ibn Sinan, died at Uhud. Too young to fight there, he later joined many of the Prophet's campaigns and spent much of his youth in the Prophet's company.
He is among the most frequent narrators of hadith in the first generation, with over a thousand reports credited to him, covering prayer, fasting, charity, manners, trade and the Hereafter. Many of the reports on this site are in his own words, so his portrait comes mostly through what he saw and passed on.
He lived in Madinah until old age, teaching the next generation, and died there in the decades after the Prophet.
The story
3 AH / 625 CE
His father Malik ibn Sinan dies at Uhud; Abu Sa'id is too young to fight.
after 5 AH
Joins the Prophet's expeditions, including a journey in Ramadan on which people fasted or broke the fast without blaming each other.
Read the wording
Sahih Muslim 1116Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ غَزَوْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِسِتَّ عَشْرَةَ مَضَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَمِنَّا مَنْ صَامَ وَمِنَّا مَنْ أَفْطَرَ فَلَمْ يَعِبِ الصَّائِمُ عَلَى الْمُفْطِرِ وَلاَ الْمُفْطِرُ عَلَى الصَّائِمِ.
“Some of us fasted and some of us broke the fast”
after 11 AH
Remains in Madinah as a leading teacher of hadith to the Successors.
c. 74 AH / 693 CE
Dies in Madinah (accounts differ between 63 and 74 AH).
A day in their footsteps
6 small, repeatable practices from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Not asking people; relying on Allah
Abu Sa'id narrated how the Prophet, after giving the Ansar all he had, taught that whoever refrains from asking people, Allah will make him content, and whoever strives for self-sufficiency Allah will make him self-sufficient, and that no gift is better than patience.
Try this today
Avoid asking for what you can do without, and practise patience.
Sit with this
What are you asking people for that you could ask Allah for instead?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1469Sahih أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَاهُمْ، ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ فَأَعْطَاهُمْ، حَتَّى نَفِدَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ " مَا يَكُونُ عِنْدِي مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ أَدَّخِرَهُ عَنْكُمْ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَتَصَبَّرْ يُصَبِّرْهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَا أُعْطِيَ أَحَدٌ عَطَاءً خَيْرًا وَأَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ".
“Whoever abstains from asking others, Allah will make him contented”
Voluntary fasting for Allah's sake
He heard the Prophet explain that a person who fasts a single day for Allah's pleasure has his face kept away from the Fire by seventy years' distance.
Try this today
Add one voluntary fast, such as Monday or Thursday.
Sit with this
Which single voluntary fast could you add this month for Allah alone?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2840Sahih قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بَعَّدَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا".
“anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire”
Ease and non-judgement while travelling in Ramadan
On a Ramadan expedition some of the companions fasted and some did not; neither group criticised the other.
Try this today
Do not judge others' valid choices in matters where the religion offers latitude.
Sit with this
Where do you judge others for a choice the religion allows?
Source
Sahih Muslim 1116Sahih قَالَ غَزَوْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِسِتَّ عَشْرَةَ مَضَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَمِنَّا مَنْ صَامَ وَمِنَّا مَنْ أَفْطَرَ فَلَمْ يَعِبِ الصَّائِمُ عَلَى الْمُفْطِرِ وَلاَ الْمُفْطِرُ عَلَى الصَّائِمِ.
“neither the observer of the fast found fault with one who broke it”
Giving zakat al-fitr as food
He described how, in the Prophet's lifetime, they gave zakat al-fitr as a sa' of food such as barley, raisins, cheese or dates.
Try this today
Pay zakat al-fitr early, in the measure and form of the sunnah.
Sit with this
Who will receive your zakat al-fitr this year, and when will you give it?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1510Sahih قَالَ كُنَّا نُخْرِجُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ صَاعًا مِنْ طَعَامٍ. وَقَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ وَكَانَ طَعَامَنَا الشَّعِيرُ وَالزَّبِيبُ وَالأَقِطُ وَالتَّمْرُ.
“we used to give one Sa' of food (edible things) as Sadaqat-ul-Fitr”
Friday ghusl
He transmitted the Prophet's instruction that taking a bath on Friday is expected of every adult male.
Try this today
Bathe and put on clean clothes before Jumu'ah.
Sit with this
How do you prepare yourself for Jumu'ah?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 879Sahih أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " غُسْلُ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُحْتَلِمٍ".
“The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male (Muslim) who has attained the age of puberty”
Healing with Surat al-Fatihah
Abu Sa'id narrated how a companion recited al-Fatihah over a tribal chief who had been bitten, and the Prophet approved, asking how he knew it was a ruqyah.
Try this today
Use al-Fatihah as a prayer of healing and protection, and put trust in Allah.
Sit with this
Do you turn to al-Fatihah when someone you love is unwell?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 5736Sahih … إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَقْرُونَا، وَلاَ نَفْعَلُ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لَنَا جُعْلاً. فَجَعَلُوا لَهُمْ قَطِيعًا مِنَ الشَّاءِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ، وَيَجْمَعُ بُزَاقَهُ، وَيَتْفِلُ، فَبَرَأَ، فَأَتَوْا بِالشَّاءِ، فَقَالُوا لاَ نَأْخُذُهُ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلُوهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ " وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ، خُذُوهَا، وَاضْرِبُوا لِي …
“How do you know that Surat-al-Fatiha is a Ruqya?”
Virtues
Among the most prolific companion narrators of the Prophet's sayings.
He described the Prophet as shier than a veiled virgin girl, a lasting portrait of the Prophet's modesty.
“The Prophet (ﷺ) was shier than a veiled virgin girl”
Arabic text
قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشَدَّ حَيَاءً مِنَ الْعَذْرَاءِ فِي خِدْرِهَا.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3562Sahih
Sayings and moments
He narrated that the Prophet said whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient, and no one is given a better blessing than patience.
“Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience”
Arabic text
أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَاهُمْ، ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ فَأَعْطَاهُمْ، حَتَّى نَفِدَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ " مَا يَكُونُ عِنْدِي مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ أَدَّخِرَهُ عَنْكُمْ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَتَصَبَّرْ يُصَبِّرْهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَا أُعْطِيَ أَحَدٌ عَطَاءً خَيْرًا وَأَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ".
Sahih al-Bukhari 1469Sahih
Words on this page
- Ansarالأنصار
- "The Helpers": the Muslims of Madinah, from the Aws and Khazraj tribes, who welcomed and sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and the emigrants from Makkah.
- Ghuslغسل
- A full ritual bath, washing the whole body, required in certain states and recommended before Friday prayer.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Jumu'ahالجمعة
- Friday, and the congregational midday prayer with its sermon held on that day.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Ramadanرمضان
- The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
- Ruqyahرقية
- Reciting the Quran or approved du'as over someone who is ill or afflicted, as a means of healing.
- Sunnahالسنة
- The way of the Prophet ﷺ: his words, actions and approvals. Also used for a recommended act.
- Surahسورة
- A chapter of the Quran. There are 114.
- Uhudأحد
- The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.
- Zakatالزكاة
- The obligatory annual alms on wealth above a threshold, one of the five pillars of Islam.
- Zakat al-Fitrزكاة الفطر
- A small obligatory charity of food given at the end of Ramadan, before the Eid prayer.
Related companions
- أنس بن مالكAnas ibn MalikThe Prophet's young attendant for ten years, who reported his conduct with remarkable patience and detail.
- أبو هريرةAbu HurayrahAbu Hurayrah of Daws, a poor man of the Suffah who stayed beside the Prophet and memorised more hadith than a…
- جابر بن عبد اللهJabir ibn AbdullahJabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari, a prolific narrator who fought nineteen battles: istikhara, hospitality and car…
- عبد الله بن عمرAbdullah ibn UmarSon of Umar and brother of Hafsa; renowned for following the Prophet's every action, his night prayer, his ge…
Sources and review
- Abu Sa'id al-Khudri - Wikipedia (dates and tribe) (opens in a new tab)
- Hadith texts via the open Hadith API mirroring sunnah.com numbering (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.