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Who was Bahira, the monk of Prophet Muhammad’s sira: a Jewish scholar or a Christian monk, his name Sergius according to al-Mas’oudi, and the jahiliya voice announcing Bahira, Ri’ab ash-Shanni and “the Awaited”, from as-Suhayli, al-Mas’oudi and Ibn Qutayba.
Who was Bahira? The page first reports the divergence: as-Suhayli, from the sira of az-Zuhri, makes him one of the scholars of the Jews, while Ibn Kathir notes that what appears from the account is that he was a Christian monk; according to al-Mas’oudi, he was from the tribe of Abd al-Qays and his name was Sergius. It then reports the voice heard shortly before Islam, in the time of jahiliya: « Know that the best of the people of the earth are three: Bahira, Ri’ab ash-Shanni, and the third: the Awaited », the third being the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Updated on 07 October 2026 at 9:23 AM
as-Suhayli related, from the sira of az-Zuhri, that Bahira was one of the scholars of the Jews. Ibn Kathir notes: what appears from the unfolding of the account is that he was a Christian monk; Allah is most knowing. According to al-Mas’oudi, he was from the tribe of Abd al-Qays and his name was Sergius.
Dans le Kitab al-Ma’arif d’Ibn Qutayba : shortly before Islam, in the time of jahiliya, a proclaiming voice was heard saying: “Know that the best of the people of the earth are three: Bahira, Ri’ab ash-Shanni, and the third: the Awaited.” The third, the Awaited, was the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Ibn Qutayba said: the grave of Ri’ab ash-Shanni, then that of his son after him, remain visible, and a fine, light drizzle is constantly found over it.