Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

أسيد بن حضير

رضي الله عنه

Usayd ibn Hudayr

Usayd ibn Hudayr ibn Simak al-Ansari al-Awsi

A noble of the Aws, accepted Islam after hearing the Quran, and known for his beautiful night recitation that angels drew near to hear.

  • al-Kamil (the Perfect One)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Yahya
  • Family and tribeAnsar (Aws)
  • BornUnknown, Yathrib
  • Died20 AH / c. 641 CE, Madinah
  • Resting placeAl-Baqi cemetery, Madinah
  • Counted amongAnsar, Scholars and narrators

Introduction

Usayd was a noble of the Aws in Madinah. He accepted Islam after hearing Musab ibn Umayr recite, and he became a leader among the Ansar.

He was known for his Quran recitation. A famous report describes the angels coming close to listen to him reciting Surah al-Baqarah at night.

He was also praised for gratitude, as when he thanked Aisha's family for the blessing of tayammum, and for patience with unfair treatment.

The story

  1. Before 622 CE

    Accepted Islam in Madinah at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr (per biographical works).

  2. 5-6 AH

    Sent with others to search for Aisha's necklace; the verse of tayammum was revealed.

    Read the wording
    Sunan Abi Dawud 317Sahih
    Arabic text

    قَالَتْ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُسَيْدَ بْنَ حُضَيْرٍ وَأُنَاسًا مَعَهُ فِي طَلَبِ قِلاَدَةٍ أَضَلَّتْهَا عَائِشَةُ فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلَّوْا بِغَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَأُنْزِلَتْ آيَةُ التَّيَمُّمِ زَادَ ابْنُ نُفَيْلٍ فَقَالَ لَهَا أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ يَرْحَمُكِ اللَّهُ مَا نَزَلَ بِكِ أَمْرٌ تَكْرَهِينَهُ …

    “sent Usayd ibn Hudayr and some people with him to search the necklace lost”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

  3. 20 AH / c. 641 CE

    Died in Madinah; Umar carried his bier (per Wikipedia).

A day in their footsteps

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

  1. Reciting Surah al-Baqarah at night

    He recited al-Baqarah at night with his horse beside him; the horse grew restless each time he recited. The Prophet told him he should have kept reciting, since the angels had come to listen.

    Try this today

    Recite aloud at night, even when it is just a few verses.

    Sit with this

    Could you recite a few verses of al-Baqarah aloud tonight?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5018Sahih

    … فَإِذَا مِثْلُ الظُّلَّةِ فِيهَا أَمْثَالُ الْمَصَابِيحِ فَخَرَجَتْ حَتَّى لاَ أَرَاهَا. قَالَ" وَتَدْرِي مَا ذَاكَ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ" تِلْكَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ دَنَتْ لِصَوْتِكَ وَلَوْ قَرَأْتَ لأَصْبَحَتْ يَنْظُرُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهَا لاَ تَتَوَارَى مِنْهُمْ". قَالَ ابْنُ الْهَادِ وَحَدَّثَنِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ خَبَّابٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ عَنْ أُسَيْدِ بْنِ …

    “Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice”

    Grade: Sahih

  2. Being thankful for others' blessings

    When tayammum was revealed through the incident of Aisha's necklace, Usayd said to Aisha's family that they were a blessing to the people, and thanked them.

    Try this today

    Say thank you out loud for the good people bring.

    Sit with this

    Whose good could you thank out loud today?

    Sources

    Sunan Abi Dawud 317Sahih

    … بْنَ حُضَيْرٍ وَأُنَاسًا مَعَهُ فِي طَلَبِ قِلاَدَةٍ أَضَلَّتْهَا عَائِشَةُ فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلَّوْا بِغَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَأُنْزِلَتْ آيَةُ التَّيَمُّمِ زَادَ ابْنُ نُفَيْلٍ فَقَالَ لَهَا أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ يَرْحَمُكِ اللَّهُ مَا نَزَلَ بِكِ أَمْرٌ تَكْرَهِينَهُ إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَلَكِ فِيهِ …

    “Usayd said to her: May Allah have mercy upon you!”

    Grade: Sahih (al-Albani)

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4608Sahih

    … لِمَكَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ أَوْجَعَنِي، ثُمَّ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَيْقَظَ وَحَضَرَتِ الصُّبْحُ فَالْتُمِسَ الْمَاءُ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ فَنَزَلَتْ{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ} الآيَةَ. فَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ لَقَدْ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِيكُمْ يَا آلَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، مَا أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ بَرَكَةٌ …

    “Usaid bin Hudair said, "Allah has blessed the people for”

    Grade: Sahih

  3. Patience when others are preferred

    A man asked the Prophet why he had not been given a post. The Prophet told the Ansar that others would be preferred over them after him, and to be patient until they meet at the Pond. Usayd reported this.

    Try this today

    Be patient when others get what you wanted.

    Sit with this

    How do you respond when someone else is preferred over you?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 3792Sahih

    أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَلاَ تَسْتَعْمِلُنِي كَمَا اسْتَعْمَلْتَ فُلاَنًا قَالَ " سَتَلْقَوْنَ بَعْدِي أَثَرَةً فَاصْبِرُوا حَتَّى تَلْقَوْنِي عَلَى الْحَوْضِ".

    “After me you will see others given preference to you;”

    Grade: Sahih

  4. Seeking closeness even in a fair claim

    While Usayd was joking with people, the Prophet poked him with a stick. He asked to retaliate and the Prophet allowed it. When the Prophet lifted his shirt, Usayd embraced him and kissed his side, saying that was what he had wanted.

    Try this today

    Justice and affection can sit together; do not hold back love.

    Sit with this

    Can justice and affection sit together in how you treat people?

    Source

    Sunan Abi Dawud 5224Sahih Isnaad

    قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَرَدْتُ هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ.

    “You are wearing a shirt but I am”

    Grade: Sahih Isnaad (al-Albani)

Virtues

  • Angels drew near to listen to his recitation.

    “Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice”

    Arabic text

    … فَإِذَا مِثْلُ الظُّلَّةِ فِيهَا أَمْثَالُ الْمَصَابِيحِ فَخَرَجَتْ حَتَّى لاَ أَرَاهَا. قَالَ" وَتَدْرِي مَا ذَاكَ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ" تِلْكَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ دَنَتْ لِصَوْتِكَ وَلَوْ قَرَأْتَ لأَصْبَحَتْ يَنْظُرُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهَا لاَ تَتَوَارَى مِنْهُمْ". قَالَ ابْنُ الْهَادِ وَحَدَّثَنِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ خَبَّابٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ عَنْ أُسَيْدِ بْنِ …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 5018Sahih

Sayings and moments

  • He said to Aisha's family that Allah had blessed the people for their sake.

    “Usaid bin Hudair said, "Allah has blessed the people for”

    Arabic text

    … لِمَكَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ أَوْجَعَنِي، ثُمَّ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَيْقَظَ وَحَضَرَتِ الصُّبْحُ فَالْتُمِسَ الْمَاءُ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ فَنَزَلَتْ{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ} الآيَةَ. فَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ لَقَدْ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِيكُمْ يَا آلَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، مَا أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ بَرَكَةٌ …

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4608Sahih

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.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Surahسورة
A chapter of the Quran. There are 114.
Tayammumتيمم
Purification with clean earth or dust when water is unavailable or harmful to use.

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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