Chief of the Reciters
Ubayy ibn Ka’b was an Ansari of Banu Najjar, one of the few Arabs literate before Islam, who became a scribe of the revelation and one of the small number who had memorised the whole Qur’an in the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 3 · pp. 239 — Kandhlawi — Ubayy among the few who memorised the entire Qur'an in the Prophet's lifetime. The Prophet ﷺ honoured him as no other reciter: he told Ubayy that Allah had commanded him to recite the Qur’an to him, and when Ubayy asked, wondering, whether Allah had named him, the Prophet ﷺ said yes — and Ubayy wept for joy. 2 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 166 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — the Prophet tells Ubayy that Allah commanded him to recite the Qur'an to him, naming him; Ubayy weeps for joy.
Virtues in the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ named him the best reciter of the Ummah:
وَأَقْرَؤُهُمْ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ
”…and the best reciter among them is Ubayy ibn Ka’b.”
Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3790 · Book 49, Hadith 189 · narrated by Anas ibn Malik · graded Sahih (Darussalam)
He lived an ascetic life, called by the people the leader of the Muslims, and his death in Madinah drew the whole city to mourn him. 3 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 3 · pp. 248–249 — Kandhlawi — Ubayy's asceticism, his being called the leader of the Muslims, and the mourning at his death.
Life Timeline
Born in Madinah
Of Banu Najjar; literate before Islam — rare among the Arabs.
Scribe of revelation and chief reciter
The Prophet ﷺ recites Surah al-Bayyinah to him by Allah's command
Dies in Madinah
References
- Stories of the Sahabah — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Ubayy the chief reciter; the Prophet recites to him by Allah's command; his memorisation and his work as scribe pp. 165–167
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — Ubayy among the few who memorised the whole Qur'an; his asceticism and death Vol 3 · pp. 239, 248–249
- Jami' at-Tirmidhi — 'The best reciter among them is Ubayy ibn Ka'b' — Sahih (Darussalam) pp. 3790 (Book 49, Hadith 189)