Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

مصعب بن عمير

رضي الله عنه

Mus'ab ibn Umayr

Mus'ab ibn Umayr ibn Hashim al-Abdari al-Qurashi

Wealthy Meccan youth who gave up comfort for Islam, carried the Quran to Medina as its first teacher there, and died holding the banner at Uhud.

  • Mus'ab al-Khayr (Mus'ab the Good)
  • First ambassador of Islam
  • Standard-bearer of Uhud
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Abd Allah
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Abd al-Dar)
  • Bornc. 594-598 CE (approx.)
  • Died625 CE / 3 AH (Battle of Uhud)
  • Resting placeMartyrs' cemetery at Uhud, Medina
  • Counted amongMuhajirun, Scholars and narrators

Introduction

Mus'ab ibn Umayr grew up in Mecca as a wealthy, much-pampered young man of Quraysh, known for his fine clothes and perfume. He accepted Islam while very young, secretly at first, and gave up his comfortable life when his family turned against his faith.

After the first pledge at al-Aqabah the Prophet sent him to Medina as the first teacher and representative of the Muslims. He recited the Quran to the people there and invited them to Islam. Many of the leaders of the Ansar accepted Islam through him, so that Medina was ready by the time the Prophet migrated.

He fought at Badr and carried the banner at Uhud, where he was killed. The Companions then found that he had nothing left to be shrouded in except a single short sheet that did not cover both his head and his feet. His story is the one most often told by the Companions as an example of how the early Muslims gave up the world.

The story

  1. c. 614 CE, Mecca

    Accepted Islam as a young man and later left his family's wealth for the sake of his faith.

  2. 621-622 CE, Medina

    Sent by the Prophet after the first pledge of al-Aqabah to teach the Quran in Medina, with Ibn Umm Maktum following.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 3925Sahih
    Arabic text

    … الْبَرَاءَ بْنَ عَازِبٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ وَابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ، وَكَانَا يُقْرِئَانِ النَّاسَ، فَقَدِمَ بِلاَلٌ وَسَعْدٌ وَعَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ، ثُمَّ قَدِمَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فِي عِشْرِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَرِحُوا …

    “Mus`ab bin `Umair and Ibn Um Maktum who were teaching Qur'an to the people”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  3. 2 AH / 624 CE

    Fought at Badr.

  4. 3 AH / 625 CE, Uhud

    Carried the banner and was martyred; buried in a single sheet.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 4082Sahih
    Arabic text

    … كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ إِلاَّ نَمِرَةً كُنَّا إِذَا غَطَّيْنَا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ خَرَجَتْ رِجْلاَهُ، وَإِذَا غُطِّيَ بِهَا رِجْلاَهُ خَرَجَ رَأْسُهُ، فَقَالَ لَنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" غَطُّوا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ، وَاجْعَلُوا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ الإِذْخِرَ". أَوْ قَالَ" أَلْقُوا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ مِنَ الإِذْخِرِ". وَمِنَّا مَنْ أَيْنَعَتْ …

    “He did not leave behind except a sheet of striped woolen cloth”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

A day in their footsteps

3 small, repeatable practices from Mus'ab ibn Umayr's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Teaching the Quran where it was needed

    He was one of the first Companions to arrive in Medina and taught its people the Quran. He is remembered above all as a teacher who went to a new city and spread Islam by recitation and kindness.

    Try this today

    Teach what you know of the Quran to someone, even just a few verses.

    Sit with this

    Who could you teach a few verses to this month?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 3925Sahih

    … الْبَرَاءَ بْنَ عَازِبٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ وَابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ، وَكَانَا يُقْرِئَانِ النَّاسَ، فَقَدِمَ بِلاَلٌ وَسَعْدٌ وَعَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ، ثُمَّ قَدِمَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فِي عِشْرِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَرِحُوا …

    “Mus`ab bin `Umair and Ibn Um Maktum who were teaching Qur'an to the people”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  2. Choosing the hereafter over a comfortable life

    He left a wealthy home to migrate for Allah's sake. His fellow Companion Khabbab said that he did not take any of his reward in this world, and left behind only a short sheet of wool.

    Try this today

    Ask yourself what comfort you could trade for something that lasts.

    Sit with this

    What comfort could you trade for something that lasts?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4082Sahih

    … الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ نَبْتَغِي وَجْهَ اللَّهِ، فَوَجَبَ أَجْرُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ، فَمِنَّا مَنْ مَضَى أَوْ ذَهَبَ لَمْ يَأْكُلْ مِنْ أَجْرِهِ شَيْئًا، كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ إِلاَّ نَمِرَةً كُنَّا إِذَا غَطَّيْنَا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ خَرَجَتْ رِجْلاَهُ، وَإِذَا غُطِّيَ بِهَا رِجْلاَهُ خَرَجَ رَأْسُهُ، فَقَالَ لَنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه …

    “Some of us passed away (i.e. died) without enjoying anything from their reward, and one of them was Mus`ab bin `Umair”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1274Sahih

    … بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامِهِ فَقَالَ قُتِلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ ـ وَكَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي ـ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُجِّلَتْ لَنَا طَيِّبَاتُنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ …

    “he had nothing except his Burd”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

  3. Standing firm until the last moment

    Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf cried when he remembered him, saying that Mus'ab was better than himself and left only a single cloth for burial, and that he feared he had received his rewards early.

    Try this today

    Stay steady in your commitment, and let the story of those who gave everything keep you humble.

    Sit with this

    Whose story of sacrifice keeps you humble?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1274Sahih

    … بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامِهِ فَقَالَ قُتِلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ ـ وَكَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي ـ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُجِّلَتْ لَنَا طَيِّبَاتُنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ …

    “Mus`ab bin `Umair was martyred and he was better than I”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari)

Virtues

  • Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf, one of the ten promised Paradise, said of him that he was better than himself.

    “Mus`ab bin `Umair was martyred and he was better than I”

    Arabic text

    … بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامِهِ فَقَالَ قُتِلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ ـ وَكَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي ـ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُجِّلَتْ لَنَا طَيِّبَاتُنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1274Sahih

  • The Prophet ordered that his head be covered with the sheet and that idhkhir grass be placed over his feet.

    “Cover his head with it and put Idhkhir (i.e. a kind of grass) over his feet”

    Arabic text

    … عُمَيْرٍ قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ إِلاَّ نَمِرَةً كُنَّا إِذَا غَطَّيْنَا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ خَرَجَتْ رِجْلاَهُ، وَإِذَا غُطِّيَ بِهَا رِجْلاَهُ خَرَجَ رَأْسُهُ، فَقَالَ لَنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم" غَطُّوا بِهَا رَأْسَهُ، وَاجْعَلُوا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ الإِذْخِرَ". أَوْ قَالَ" أَلْقُوا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ مِنَ الإِذْخِرِ". وَمِنَّا مَنْ أَيْنَعَتْ لَهُ ثَمَرَتُهُ فَهْوَ …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4082Sahih

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.
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.
Qurayshقريش
The leading tribe of Makkah, to which the Prophet ﷺ belonged, and which opposed him for most of his mission.
Uhudأحد
The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.

The full glossary

Sources and review

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.

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