(Friday Sermon - February 8, 2019 )

Background

Hazrat Ubayy bin Thabit^(ra) belonged to the Banu Adiyy clan of the Khazraj tribe of the Ansar. He was commonly known by his title of Abu Shaikh. According to another narration, this was his son’s title. His mother’s name was Sukhtah bint Haritha. Hazrat Ubayy bin Thabit^(ra) was the brother of Hazrat Hassaan bin Thabit^(ra) and Hazrat Aus bin Thabit^(ra). He participated in the Battles of Badr and Uhud. He passed away in the incident of Bir-e-Ma‘unah.

Participation in Battles

According to various books of history, there are varying opinions as to whether Hazrat Ubayy bin Thabit^(ra) participated in the Battle of Badr or not. Ibn Ishaq says that Hazrat Ubayy bin Thabit^(ra) passed away during the period of Jahiliyyah [prior to Islam] and that the individual who participated in the Battles of Uhud and Badr was in fact his son, Abu Shaikh Bin Ubayy bin Thabit. However, Allamah ibn Hisham has counted Hazrat Abu Shaikh Ubayy Bin Thabit^(ra) among those who participated in the Battle of Badr. Regarding the demise of Hazrat Ubayy bin Thabit^(ra), it is reported in some narrations that he passed away on the day of the incident of Bir-e-Ma‘unah. Other narrations, however, mention that he passed away on the day of the Battle of Uhud. In any case, we also learn from some narrations that the companion who was martyred on the day of the Battle of Uhud was not him, but rather his brother Hazrat Aus bin Thabit^(ra). (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 382, Abu Shaikh Abi bin Thabit^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 1, pp. 165-166, Abi bin Thabit^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 1, p. 179, Abi bin Thabit^(ra), Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1995) (Sirat ibn Hisham, p. 340, Man Hadara Badran, Dar ibn Hazm, Beirut, 2009)