Introduction
Mu'adh ibn Jabal was a young man of the Khazraj in Madinah who accepted Islam through the first teachers sent from Makkah and took part in the pledge at al-Aqabah. He fought at Badr and the battles after it and was among the companions who learned the Quran directly from the Prophet.
His reputation was for knowledge. The Prophet named him the most knowledgeable of his community in the lawful and the unlawful and listed him among those from whom people should learn the Quran. The Prophet sent him to Yemen as teacher and administrator, with the instruction to make things easy and give good news.
After the Prophet's death he continued teaching, and the caliphs relied on his judgement. He died young, around the age of thirty-five, in the plague that struck the Levant.
The story
c. 621-622 CE
Accepts Islam and pledges allegiance to the Prophet at al-Aqabah.
2 AH / 624 CE
Takes part in Badr.
c. 9-10 AH
Sent by the Prophet to Yemen to teach and administer a province, alongside Abu Musa al-Ash'ari.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 4341Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَبَا مُوسَى وَمُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ، قَالَ وَبَعَثَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى مِخْلاَفٍ قَالَ وَالْيَمَنُ مِخْلاَفَانِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَسِّرَا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرَا، وَبَشِّرَا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرَا". فَانْطَلَقَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى عَمَلِهِ، وَكَانَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِذَا سَارَ فِي أَرْضِهِ كَانَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ …
“sent Abu Musa and Mu`adh bin Jabal to Yemen”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1496Sahih Arabic text
… " إِنَّكَ سَتَأْتِي قَوْمًا أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ، فَإِذَا جِئْتَهُمْ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً …
“invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah”
c. 18 AH / 639 CE
Dies in the plague of Amwas in the Levant.
A day in their footsteps
7 small, repeatable practices from Mu'adh ibn Jabal's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
A du'a after every prayer
The Prophet took Mu'adh by the hand, told him he loved him, and urged him never to leave a short supplication after each obligatory prayer: asking Allah to help him remember Him, thank Him and worship Him well.
Try this today
End each prayer with: Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatika.
Sit with this
Will you end your next prayer asking Allah's help to remember, thank and worship Him well?
Source
Sunan Abi Dawud 1522Sahih أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ وَقَالَ" يَا مُعَاذُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ". فَقَالَ" أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ لاَ تَدَعَنَّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ". وَأَوْصَى بِذَلِكَ مُعَاذٌ الصُّنَابِحِيَّ وَأَوْصَى بِهِ الصُّنَابِحِيُّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ.
“By Allah, I love you, Mu'adh”
Sleep, then rise to pray, and intend reward for both
Asked by Abu Musa how he recited the Quran in Yemen, Mu'adh said he slept in the first part of the night, woke to pray and recited what Allah decreed for him, and hoped for reward in his sleep just as for his prayer.
Try this today
Plan rest so it serves worship; intend reward even in sleeping.
Sit with this
Could you intend your sleep tonight as rest for worship?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 4341Sahih … جِيءَ بِهِ لِذَلِكَ فَانْزِلْ. قَالَ مَا أَنْزِلُ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَقُتِلَ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ أَتَفَوَّقُهُ تَفَوُّقًا. قَالَ فَكَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ قَالَ أَنَامُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَقُومُ وَقَدْ قَضَيْتُ جُزْئِي مِنَ النَّوْمِ، فَأَقْرَأُ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لِي، فَأَحْتَسِبُ نَوْمَتِي كَمَا أَحْتَسِبُ …
“I sleep in the first part of the night”
Guarding the tongue
Mu'adh asked the Prophet for a deed that enters Paradise. After the pillars, the Prophet pointed to voluntary fasting, charity and night prayer, then held his tongue and said to restrain it.
Try this today
Before speaking, ask if it helps; the tongue is where many are undone.
Sit with this
Before you speak today, will you ask whether it helps?
Source
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2616Sahih … وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ". ثُمَّ قَالَ" أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِمَلاَكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ". قُلْتُ بَلَى يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ قَالَ" كُفَّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا". فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ فَقَالَ" ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ أَوْ عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ إِلاَّ …
“Shall I not inform you about what governs all of that?”
Night prayer and voluntary fasting
In the same conversation, the Prophet told him fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire, and a man's prayer in the depth of night does the same, reciting 'their sides forsake their beds'.
Try this today
Add one small voluntary deed to the obligatory: a fast day, a charity, or two rak'ahs at night.
Sit with this
Which voluntary deed could you add to your obligatory ones this week?
Source
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2616Sahih … ثُمَّ قَالَ" أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ وَصَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ". قَالَ ثُمَّ تَلاََ:( تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ) حَتَّى بَلَغَ:(يَعْمَلُونَ) ثُمَّ قَالَ" أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذِرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ". قُلْتُ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ …
“Fasting is a shield, and charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire”
Teaching with ease and good news
When the Prophet sent Mu'adh to Yemen he told him to make things easy, to give good news and not to repel people, and to begin with the basics of faith and prayer before everything else.
Try this today
Teach gently, starting with the essentials.
Sit with this
When you teach, do you make things easy and begin with the essentials?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 4341Sahih … إِلَى الْيَمَنِ، قَالَ وَبَعَثَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى مِخْلاَفٍ قَالَ وَالْيَمَنُ مِخْلاَفَانِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَسِّرَا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرَا، وَبَشِّرَا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرَا". فَانْطَلَقَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى عَمَلِهِ، وَكَانَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِذَا سَارَ فِي أَرْضِهِ كَانَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ أَحْدَثَ بِهِ عَهْدًا، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَسَارَ مُعَاذٌ فِي أَرْضِهِ قَرِيبًا …
“Facilitate things for the people and do not make things difficult for them”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1496Sahih … أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَإِيَّاكَ وَكَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ …
“be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person”
Keeping prayer light for others
Mu'adh led his people in a long Isha prayer after praying behind the Prophet, and the Prophet corrected him, telling him to recite shorter surahs so the people would not be put to trial.
Try this today
If you lead, remember the weakest person behind you.
Sit with this
If you lead, do you remember the weakest person behind you?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 701Sahih … يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فَيَؤُمُّ قَوْمَهُ، فَصَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ فَقَرَأَ بِالْبَقَرَةِ، فَانْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ، فَكَأَنَّ مُعَاذًا تَنَاوَلَ مِنْهُ، فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ" فَتَّانٌ فَتَّانٌ فَتَّانٌ" ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ أَوْ قَالَ" فَاتِنًا فَاتِنًا فَاتِنٌ" وَأَمَرَهُ بِسُورَتَيْنِ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ الْمُفَصَّلِ. قَالَ عَمْرٌو لاَ …
“You are putting the people to trial”
Reflecting on Allah's right over His servants
Riding behind the Prophet on a donkey, Mu'adh was taught that Allah's right over His servants is that they worship Him alone, and that He will not punish those who worship Him alone.
Try this today
Anchor every day in tawhid.
Sit with this
How would your day change if it began from Allah's right over you?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2856Sahih … تَدْرِي حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ وَمَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ". قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ" فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَحَقَّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَ مَنْ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا". فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَفَلاَ أُبَشِّرُ بِهِ النَّاسَ قَالَ" لاَ تُبَشِّرْهُمْ …
“Allah's right on His slaves is that they should worship Him (Alone)”
Virtues
The Prophet said Mu'adh is the most knowledgeable of the community about the lawful and unlawful.
“The most knowledgeable of them concerning the lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh Bin Jabal”
Arabic text
… مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ وَأَفْرَضُهُمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَأَقْرَؤُهُمْ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَمِينٌ وَأَمِينُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ". هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ قَتَادَةَ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ. وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ وَالْمَشْهُورُ حَدِيثُ أَبِي …
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3790Sahih
The Prophet told people to learn the recitation of the Quran from four, including Mu'adh.
“Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four persons”
Arabic text
سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " اسْتَقْرِئُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ مِنَ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَسَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، وَأُبَىٍّ، وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ".
Sahih al-Bukhari 3806Sahih
The Prophet told Mu'adh he loved him.
“By Allah, I love you, Mu'adh”
Arabic text
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ وَقَالَ" يَا مُعَاذُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ". فَقَالَ" أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ لاَ تَدَعَنَّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ". وَأَوْصَى بِذَلِكَ مُعَاذٌ الصُّنَابِحِيَّ وَأَوْصَى بِهِ الصُّنَابِحِيُّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1522Sahih
Sayings and moments
Mu'adh said he slept in the first part of the night, then stood to pray, and hoped for reward in his sleep as in his prayer.
“I sleep in the first part of the night”
Arabic text
… جِيءَ بِهِ لِذَلِكَ فَانْزِلْ. قَالَ مَا أَنْزِلُ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَقُتِلَ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ أَتَفَوَّقُهُ تَفَوُّقًا. قَالَ فَكَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ قَالَ أَنَامُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَقُومُ وَقَدْ قَضَيْتُ جُزْئِي مِنَ النَّوْمِ، فَأَقْرَأُ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لِي، فَأَحْتَسِبُ نَوْمَتِي كَمَا أَحْتَسِبُ …
Sahih al-Bukhari 4341Sahih
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.
- Aqabahالعقبة
- A pass near Mina where people of Madinah pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ before the Hijrah, in two pledges a year apart.
- Badrبدر
- The first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh, in 2 AH. Those who fought there hold a special rank among the Companions.
- Du'aدعاء
- Supplication: calling on Allah and asking Him, in any language and at any time.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Ishaالعشاء
- The night prayer, the last of the five daily prayers, prayed after twilight has gone.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Makkahمكة
- The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
- Rak'ahركعة
- One unit of the prayer: standing and reciting, bowing, and two prostrations.
- Tahajjudتهجد
- Voluntary prayer at night after waking from sleep, especially in the last third of the night.
- Tawhidالتوحيد
- The oneness of Allah: worshipping Him alone, with no partner.
Related companions
- أبو موسى الأشعريAbu Musa al-Ash'ariAbu Musa al-Ash'ari of Yemen, whose sweet recitation the Prophet praised, later a judge and governor of Basra…
- زيد بن ثابتZayd ibn ThabitYoung Ansari scribe of the Prophet who wrote down revelation, later compiled the Quran under Abu Bakr and cop…
- أبي بن كعبUbayy ibn Ka'bChief reciter of the Ansar, taught by the Prophet to recite the Quran, and the imam Umar chose to lead the pe…
- عبد الله بن مسعودAbdullah ibn Mas'udEarly Muslim and shepherd boy of Mecca whom the Prophet named first among those to learn the Quran from; a ju…
Sources and review
- Mu'adh ibn Jabal - Wikipedia (dates and life events) (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.