Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

عبادة بن الصامت

رضي الله عنه

Ubadah ibn al-Samit

Ubadah ibn al-Samit ibn Qays al-Ansari al-Khazraji

A leader of the Ansar at Aqabah and Badr who taught Quran and fiqh, and later served as a judge in the Levant.

  • al-Aqabi
  • al-Badri
  • Naqib (representative) at Aqabah
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu al-Walid
  • Family and tribeAnsar (Khazraj, Banu Awf)
  • Bornc. 583 CE (approx.), Yathrib
  • Died34 AH / c. 655 CE (approx.), Palestine
  • Resting placePalestine (Ramla or Jerusalem; reports differ)
  • Counted amongAnsar

Introduction

Ubadah ibn al-Samit was a Khazraji leader who attended the Pledge of Aqabah and was appointed naqib, a representative of his people.

He fought at Badr and the later battles, and was known for his firmness in speaking the truth, as recorded in the pledge he narrated.

After the Prophet he went to the Levant, where according to biographers he served as a governor and judge in Palestine. He died there around the middle of the first Islamic century.

The story

  1. 621-622 CE

    Present at Aqabah and named a naqib.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 18Sahih
    Arabic text

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ، عَائِذُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَهُوَ أَحَدُ النُّقَبَاءِ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ " بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا …

    “who took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person”

    Grade: Sahih

  2. 2 AH / 624 CE

    Fought at Badr.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 3892Sahih
    Arabic text

    أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ـ مِنَ الَّذِينَ شَهِدُوا بَدْرًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَمِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ " تَعَالَوْا بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَلاَ تَسْرِقُوا، وَلاَ تَزْنُوا، وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ، وَلاَ تَأْتُونَ …

    “Who had taken part in the battle of Badr with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and had”

    Grade: Sahih

  3. After 13 AH

    Went to the Levant, served as teacher and judge (per Wikipedia).

A day in their footsteps

4 small, repeatable practices from Ubadah ibn al-Samit's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Remembering Allah when waking at night

    He narrated the Prophet's promise that whoever wakes at night and says the words of tawhid, praise and glorification, asks forgiveness or makes dua, will be answered, and his prayer accepted if he makes wudu and prays.

    Try this today

    Keep these words by your bed and use them on waking in the night.

    Sit with this

    Do you know the words to say when you wake in the night?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1154Sahih

    قَالَ " مَنْ تَعَارَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي. أَوْ دَعَا اسْتُجِيبَ، فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى قُبِلَتْ …

    “Whoever gets up at night and says: -- 'La ilaha il-lallah Wahdahu la Sharika lahu Lahu-lmulk, waLahu-l-hamd wahuwa 'ala kullishai'in Qadir. Al hamdu lil-lahi wa subhanal-lahi wa la-ilaha il-lal-lah wa-l-lahu”

    Grade: Sahih

  2. Reciting al-Fatihah in every prayer

    He narrated the Prophet's statement that a prayer without al-Fatihah is not valid, and taught it.

    Try this today

    Recite al-Fatihah with understanding in every rak'ah.

    Sit with this

    Do you understand the al-Fatihah you recite in every rak'ah?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 756Sahih

    أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ صَلاَةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ".

    “Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid”

    Grade: Sahih

  3. Speaking the truth wherever you are

    The Ansar pledged to listen and obey in ease and hardship and to say the truth wherever they were, without fear of those who blame.

    Try this today

    Say what is true, kindly, even when it is hard.

    Sit with this

    Where are you holding back the truth for fear of blame?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 7199Sahih

    قَالَ "بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ.وَأَنْ لاَ نُنَازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ، وَأَنْ نَقُومَ ـ أَوْ نَقُولَ ـ بِالْحَقِّ حَيْثُمَا كُنَّا لاَ نَخَافُ فِي اللَّهِ لَوْمَةَ لاَئِمٍ".

    “would stand firm for the truth or say the truth wherever we might be, and in the Way of Allah we would”

    Grade: Sahih

  4. Keeping the pledge

    In another gathering the Prophet asked for a pledge against shirk, theft, adultery, killing children and slander, and told them whoever fulfils it will be rewarded by Allah.

    Try this today

    Renew your commitment to the basics, and keep it.

    Sit with this

    Which basic commitment to Allah do you need to renew?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 7213Sahih

    … سَمِعَ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ، يَقُولُ قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ فِي مَجْلِسٍ " تُبَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَلاَ تَسْرِقُوا، وَلاَ تَزْنُوا، وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ، وَلاَ تَأْتُوا بِبُهْتَانٍ تَفْتَرُونَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَرْجُلِكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْصُوا فِي مَعْرُوفٍ، فَمَنْ وَفَى مِنْكُمْ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، …

    “Give me the oath (Pledge of allegiance for:”

    Grade: Sahih

Virtues

  • He is described as one of those who attended both Aqabah and Badr, and was chosen as a naqib.

    “who took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person”

    Arabic text

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ، عَائِذُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَهُوَ أَحَدُ النُّقَبَاءِ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ " بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 18Sahih

Sayings and moments

  • He reported that the pledge included standing firm for truth and speaking it wherever they were.

    “would stand firm for the truth or say the truth wherever we might be, and in the Way of Allah we would”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ "بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ.وَأَنْ لاَ نُنَازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ، وَأَنْ نَقُومَ ـ أَوْ نَقُولَ ـ بِالْحَقِّ حَيْثُمَا كُنَّا لاَ نَخَافُ فِي اللَّهِ لَوْمَةَ لاَئِمٍ".

    Sahih al-Bukhari 7199Sahih

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.
Rak'ahركعة
One unit of the prayer: standing and reciting, bowing, and two prostrations.
Tawhidالتوحيد
The oneness of Allah: worshipping Him alone, with no partner.
Wuduالوضوء
The ritual washing of the face, arms, head and feet before prayer.

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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