Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

أبي بن كعب

رضي الله عنه

Ubayy ibn Ka'b

Ubayy ibn Ka'b ibn Qays al-Ansari al-Khazraji

Chief reciter of the Ansar, taught by the Prophet to recite the Quran, and the imam Umar chose to lead the people in Ramadan prayers.

  • Sayyid al-Qurra' (Master of the Reciters)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu al-Mundhir
  • Family and tribeKhazraj (Banu al-Najjar), Ansar
  • BornBefore the Hijrah (exact year unknown)
  • Diedc. 640-654 CE / between 19 and 30 AH (reports differ)
  • Resting placeMadinah
  • Counted amongAnsar, Scholars and narrators

Introduction

Ubayy ibn Ka'b was one of the Ansar of Madinah and one of the scribes who wrote down the Quran for the Prophet. He was known as the best reciter of the community and as one of the four from whom the Prophet told the people to learn the Quran.

His love for the Book is captured in a moving episode. The Prophet told him that Allah had commanded him to recite the Quran to Ubayy; Ubayy asked whether Allah had mentioned him by name, and when he heard yes, he burst into tears. Umar later praised him as the best of the community in recitation.

In the time of Umar, Ubayy was chosen to lead the people in the night prayer of Ramadan when Umar gathered them behind a single reciter. He stayed in Madinah until his death, the date of which is recorded variously in the reigns of Umar and Uthman.

The story

  1. Madinah period

    Became one of the Prophet's scribes and a leading reciter among the Ansar.

  2. Madinah period

    Told by the Prophet that Allah ordered him to recite the Quran to Ubayy.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 4961Sahih
    Arabic text

    أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لأُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ" إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُقْرِئَكَ الْقُرْآنَ". قَالَ آللَّهُ سَمَّانِي لَكَ قَالَ" نَعَمْ". قَالَ وَقَدْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ" نَعَمْ". فَذَرَفَتْ عَيْنَاهُ.

    “Allah has ordered me to recite Qur'an to you”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  3. Caliphate of Umar

    Umar gathered the people for the night prayer in Ramadan behind Ubayy.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 2010Sahih
    Arabic text

    … لِنَفْسِهِ، وَيُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ فَيُصَلِّي بِصَلاَتِهِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أَرَى لَوْ جَمَعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ. ثُمَّ عَزَمَ فَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ قَارِئِهِمْ، قَالَ عُمَرُ نِعْمَ الْبِدْعَةُ هَذِهِ، وَالَّتِي يَنَامُونَ عَنْهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي …

    “he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka'b”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  4. Between 19 and 30 AH

    Died in Madinah (the narrations differ on the year).

A day in their footsteps

7 small, repeatable practices from Ubayy ibn Ka'b's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Leading Qiyam in Ramadan

    When Umar gathered the people for the night prayer of Ramadan under one reciter, he chose Ubayy. This became the model for congregational night prayer in Ramadan.

    Try this today

    Join the congregation for night prayers in Ramadan and benefit from the recitation.

    Sit with this

    Will you stand with the congregation for the night prayer this Ramadan?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 2010Sahih

    … لِنَفْسِهِ، وَيُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ فَيُصَلِّي بِصَلاَتِهِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أَرَى لَوْ جَمَعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ. ثُمَّ عَزَمَ فَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ قَارِئِهِمْ، قَالَ عُمَرُ نِعْمَ الْبِدْعَةُ هَذِهِ، وَالَّتِي يَنَامُونَ عَنْهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي …

    “he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka'b”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  2. Crying with gratitude at the Quran

    When the Prophet told him that Allah had ordered him to recite the Quran to Ubayy, Ubayy asked if he had been mentioned by name and wept when told yes.

    Try this today

    Let the Quran move you, and thank Allah for the gift of being among its students.

    Sit with this

    Does it move you that Allah gave you the Quran to learn?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4961Sahih

    أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لأُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ" إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُقْرِئَكَ الْقُرْآنَ". قَالَ آللَّهُ سَمَّانِي لَكَ قَالَ" نَعَمْ". قَالَ وَقَدْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ" نَعَمْ". فَذَرَفَتْ عَيْنَاهُ.

    “Ubai burst into tears”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  3. Holding fast to what he learned from the Prophet

    Umar said Ubayy was the best of them in recitation, yet they left some of what he recited. Ubayy replied that he had taken it from the mouth of the Prophet and would not abandon it for anything.

    Try this today

    Be confident in knowledge you have received from reliable teachers, while staying open to correction.

    Sit with this

    Can you be confident in what you learned and still open to correction?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5005Sahih

    قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ أُبَىٌّ أَقْرَؤُنَا وَإِنَّا لَنَدَعُ مِنْ لَحَنِ أُبَىٍّ، وَأُبَىٌّ يَقُولُ أَخَذْتُهُ مِنْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلاَ أَتْرُكُهُ لِشَىْءٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى{مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نَنْسَأْهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا}

    “have taken it from the mouth of Allah's Messenger”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari)

  4. Praying witr with Sabbih, Kafirun, Ikhlas

    Ubayy narrated that the Prophet used to pray witr reciting Surahs al-A'la, al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas, and said 'Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus' after the salam, a pattern he preserved.

    Try this today

    Make your witr prayer a short routine with the same three surahs.

    Sit with this

    Could al-A'la, al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas become your witr routine?

    Sources

    Sunan Abi Dawud 1423Sahih

    قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُوتِرُ بِـ{ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى} وَ{ قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا} وَاللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الصَّمَدُ.

    “Glorify the name of thy Lord, the most High”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

    Sunan Abi Dawud 1430Sahih

    قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا سَلَّمَ فِي الْوِتْرِ قَالَ " سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ".

    “Glorify be to the king most holy”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  5. Honest in handling zakat

    When the Prophet sent him to collect zakat, a man offered a better animal than was due. Ubayy refused to take what he had not been commanded to take, and took the matter to the Prophet instead.

    Try this today

    Take only what is due, and refer to your authority when in doubt.

    Sit with this

    When you handle what is owed, do you take only what is due?

    Source

    Sunan Abi Dawud 1583Hasan

    … لَهُ مَا أَنَا بِآخِذٍ مَا لَمْ أُومَرْ بِهِ وَهَذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْكَ قَرِيبٌ فَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُ فَتَعْرِضَ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَرَضْتَ عَلَىَّ فَافْعَلْ فَإِنْ قَبِلَهُ مِنْكَ قَبِلْتُهُ وَإِنْ رَدَّهُ عَلَيْكَ رَدَدْتُهُ. قَالَ فَإِنِّي فَاعِلٌ فَخَرَجَ مَعِي وَخَرَجَ بِالنَّاقَةِ الَّتِي عَرَضَ عَلَىَّ حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه …

    “I shall not take an animal for which I have not been commanded”

    Grade: Hasan (al-Albani)

  6. Seeking Laylat al-Qadr and praying through the night

    Ubayy swore that Laylat al-Qadr is in Ramadan and that, to him, it was the twenty-seventh night, the night the Prophet commanded them to pray.

    Try this today

    Seek the last nights of Ramadan actively.

    Sit with this

    How will you seek Laylat al-Qadr this Ramadan?

    Source

    Sahih Muslim 762Sahih

    … الْقَدْرِ - فَقَالَ أُبَىٌّ وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِنَّهَا لَفِي رَمَضَانَ - يَحْلِفُ مَا يَسْتَثْنِي - وَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ أَىُّ لَيْلَةٍ هِيَ. هِيَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي أَمَرَنَا بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِقِيَامِهَا هِيَ لَيْلَةُ صَبِيحَةِ سَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَأَمَارَتُهَا أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ فِي صَبِيحَةِ يَوْمِهَا بَيْضَاءَ لاَ شُعَاعَ …

    “By Allah, I know the night; it is the night on which the Messenger of Allah commanded us to pray”

    Grade: Sahih (Sahih Muslim)

  7. Teaching the value of congregation

    Ubayy narrated that the Prophet said the dawn and night prayers are the heaviest on hypocrites, that the first row is like that of the angels, and that prayer with others is purer than prayer alone.

    Try this today

    Make an effort to pray Fajr and Isha with others.

    Sit with this

    Which of Fajr and Isha could you pray with others this week?

    Source

    Sunan Abi Dawud 554Hasan

    … وَلَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لأَتَيْتُمُوهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ وَإِنَّ الصَّفَّ الأَوَّلَ عَلَى مِثْلِ صَفِّ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَلَوْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا فَضِيلَتُهُ لاَبْتَدَرْتُمُوهُ وَإِنَّ صَلاَةَ الرَّجُلِ مَعَ الرَّجُلِ أَزْكَى مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ وَحْدَهُ وَصَلاَتُهُ مَعَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ أَزْكَى مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ مَعَ الرَّجُلِ وَمَا كَثُرَ فَهُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ …

    “A man's prayer said along with another is purer than his prayer said alone”

    Grade: Hasan (al-Albani)

Virtues

  • The Prophet named him the best reciter of the Quran in the community.

    “the best reciter (of the Qur'an) among them is Ubayy bin Ka'b”

    Arabic text

    … 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 from four, naming Ubayy ibn Ka'b among them.

    “Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ ذُكِرَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فَقَالَ ذَاكَ رَجُلٌ لاَ أَزَالُ أُحِبُّهُ، سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " خُذُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ـ فَبَدَأَ بِهِ ـ وَسَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، وَمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، وَأُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ".

    Sahih al-Bukhari 3808Sahih

  • The Prophet told him that the greatest verse in the Book of Allah is Ayat al-Kursi and prayed that knowledge be pleasant for him.

    “May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu'l-Mundhir”

    Arabic text

    … اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَتَدْرِي أَىُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ". قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ" يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَتَدْرِي أَىُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ". قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ. قَالَ فَضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي وَقَالَ" وَاللَّهِ لِيَهْنِكَ الْعِلْمُ أَبَا …

    Sahih Muslim 810Sahih

Sayings and moments

  • He said that he had taken his recitation from the mouth of the Prophet and would not leave it for anything.

    “have taken it from the mouth of Allah's Messenger”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ أُبَىٌّ أَقْرَؤُنَا وَإِنَّا لَنَدَعُ مِنْ لَحَنِ أُبَىٍّ، وَأُبَىٌّ يَقُولُ أَخَذْتُهُ مِنْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلاَ أَتْرُكُهُ لِشَىْءٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى{مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نَنْسَأْهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا}

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5005Sahih

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.
Fajrالفجر
The dawn prayer, prayed between first light and sunrise. It is preceded by two short voluntary rak'ahs.
Ishaالعشاء
The night prayer, the last of the five daily prayers, prayed after twilight has gone.
Laylat al-Qadrليلة القدر
The Night of Decree, in the last ten nights of Ramadan, described in the Quran as better than a thousand months.
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.
Salamسلام
The greeting of peace, "as-salamu alaykum", and its reply.
Tahajjudتهجد
Voluntary prayer at night after waking from sleep, especially in the last third of the night.
Witrالوتر
The odd-numbered prayer that closes the night's prayers, prayed after Isha and before dawn.
Zakatالزكاة
The obligatory annual alms on wealth above a threshold, one of the five pillars of Islam.

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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