Zayd ibn Thabit

Zaid ibn Thabit ibn Dhakwan ibn Zaid ibn Lu'than ibn Amr ibn Abd ibn Uwf ibn Ghunm ibn Malik ibn al-Najjar al-Ansari al-Khazraji, then al-Najjari. His mother was al-Nawwar bint Malik ibn Mu'awiya ibn Adi ibn Amir ibn Ghunm ibn Adi ibn al-Najjar. His kunya was Abu Sa'id, and it was said: Abu Abd al-Rahman, and it was said: Abu Kharijah.

He was eleven years old when the Prophet ﷺ came to Medina, and he was six years old when the Prophet ﷺ was in the Battle of Uhud, in which his father was killed.

The Prophet ﷺ considered him too young for the Battle of Badr, so he returned him, and he witnessed the Battle of Uhud, and it was said: he did not witness it. He first witnessed the Battle of the Trench. He used to carry the soil with the Muslims, and the Prophet ﷺ said: 'He is a very good boy.' On the day of the Battle of Tabuk, the banner of Banu Malik ibn al-Najjar was with Umarah ibn al-Hazm, and the Prophet ﷺ took it and gave it to Zaid ibn Thabit, and Umarah said: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you know something about me?' He said: 'No, but the Quran is preferred, and Zaid is more knowledgeable of the Quran than you.'

Zaid used to write down the revelation and other things for the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ would receive letters in Syriac, and he ordered Zaid to learn it, and he did. After the Prophet ﷺ, Zaid wrote for Abu Bakr and Umar, and he wrote for them along with Muqayqis al-Dusi.

Umar appointed Zaid as the governor of Medina three times, twice during Hajj and once during his campaign to Syria.

Uthman also used to appoint him as governor during Hajj, and he was shot with an arrow on the day of Yamama, but it did not harm him.

Zaid was the most knowledgeable of the companions about Zakat, and the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Zaid will teach you Zakat.'

Shafi'i followed his opinion in Zakat based on this hadith, and he was one of the most knowledgeable and firm scholars among the companions.

Zaid was known to be the most talkative among people when he was with his family, and the most serious when he was with the people.

He was in charge of the treasury during Uthman's reign, and one day Uthman entered, and he heard a slave of Zaid singing, so Uthman said: 'Who is this?' Zaid said: 'My slave Wahib,' so Uthman ordered him to be freed for a thousand dirhams.'