Khubayb b. Adi

Khubayb b. Adi

Personal Information
Full Name	Khubayb b. ʿAdī b. Mālik b. ʿĀmir al-Awsī al-Anṣārī
Lineage	Aws tribe
Muhajir/Ansar	Ansar
Place(s) of Residence	Medina
Death/Martyrdom	4/626
Religious Information
Presence at ghazwas	Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud

Khubayb b. ʿAdī b. Mālik b. ʿĀmir al-Awsī al-Anṣārī (Arabic:خُبَيب بن عَدي بن مالِک عامِر الاَوسي الانصاري) was among the companions of the Prophet (s) and the first martyrs of the early Islam. Following the request of the clans of 'Adal and Qara, he went to them to preach Islam, but they betrayed, captured and martyred him.

The Story of Capturing Him

'Khubayb was from Aws tribe and one of the Helpers and the companions of the Battle of Badr. He also accompanied the Prophet (s) in the Battle of Uhud.

Khubayb b. 'Adi was among the preachers who was sent by the Prophet (s) in Safar 4/625 to preach Islam to the clans of 'Adal and Qara following their own request; but, their representatives betrayed and by the help of Banu Lahyan clan martyred some of the companions of the Prophet (s). In this incident, they captured Khubayb b. 'Adi and Zayd b. Dathana and took them to Mecca and sold them to Quraysh in return for two captives of Hudhayl who were in Mecca. Since the captivity of Khubayb happened in a Haram [forbidden] month (in Dhu l-Qa'da), Banu Harith decided not to kill him and keep him in captivity.

Khubayb b. 'Adi was held captive in the house of a woman called Mawiya or in the house of the daughter of Harith b. 'Amir or the daughter of 'Uqba b. Harith. It is said that the woman, in whose house Khubayb was held captive, saw some wonders from Khubayb. For example, once she saw Khubayb eating a bunch of grapes while there was no grape garden in Mecca at that time. When Khubayb was captive, he found some chances to take revenge, but he did not betray. When that woman saw the noble behavior of Khubayb, she said that she had never seen a captive better than Khubayb.

His Martyrdom

When Quraysh decided to kill Khubayb, they took him to Tan'im. Some of the people of Mecca went to Tan'im with him. Khubayb asked them to give him enough time to perform two rak'a of prayer. Banu Harith accepted and he performed prayer before death and this was left after him as a tradition for those who are forced to death. After performing prayer, he told those who wanted to kill him, "if I was not afraid to say that I fear death, I would perform another prayer as well." Then, he raised up his hands to sky and after praying and cursing his murderers, recited a poem including the following couplet,

"Now that I am to kill as Muslim I don't fear on which side I die If God wills He will bless pieces of meat"

Khubayb was the first Muslim who was hung. They tied him to a pole and forty of the children of the killed ones of disbelievers in the Battle of Badr killed him by spears. It is said that when Khubayb b. 'Adi was killed, his face was toward Qibla and although they tried a lot to turn his face from Qibla, they were not successful and finally left him alone. When they were tying him to the pole, he said, "O God! We delivered the mission of Your prophet (s). Give him the news of what is happening to us."

Although 'Uqba b. Harith b. 'Amir is mentioned as the murderer of Khubayb b. 'Adi, it has been said that 'Uqba swore that he did not kill Khubayb and at that time was too small to do so. It has been quoted from him that, "Aba Maysarah gave me the spear and took my hand with it and hit Khubayb as many times as he was killed."

Khubayb was so steadfast upon his faith that upon death, when they asked him to leave Islam and the Prophet (s) to free him, he answered that, "if everything on earth will be mine, I would not like to turn away from Islam." Upon killing Khubayb, polytheists told Khubayb, "did you like if now Muhammad were now in your place and you were with your family?" Khubayb answered, "By God I swear that I do not like a thorn pierces Muhammad's foot where he is now."

The face of Khubayb b. 'Adi has found a godly look as a martyr who was martyred under oppression and torture in captivity. From the mission, Khubayb and his companions went on, it can be understood that Khubayb was a man of knowledge, virtue and knowledgeable in Islamic rulings. Hassan b. Thabit has composed some poems for the loss of Khubayb b. 'Adi.