Ka'ab al-Ahbar
Encyclopedia
Ka‘b al-Aḥbār was a prominent rabbi
(turned Muslim
) from Yemen
of the clan of Dhu Ra'in or Dhu al-Kila. He is counted among the Tabi‘in
and narrated many Isra'iliyat
.
during the time of Umar
where he converted to Islam. He lived there until Uthman
's era. Ka‘b did not meet Muhammad (SAW).
According to tradition, Ka'ab predicted the death of Caliph Omar using the Jewish Torah.
exceeding 100 years of age.
in his voyage to Jerusalem (Al-Quds) He helped locate the foundations of the ancient Jewish temple where Umar built the Aqsa Mosque. He also helped later find the place of the Rock while he was looking for the Holy of Holies. Umar cleaned it from rubble and fenced it and an Umayyad Khalif later built the Dome of the Rock over it as an integral part of the Aqsa Mosque.
None of his reports are in al-Bukhari. He has one narration in Muslim from Abu Huraira from him on the authority of al-A`mash from Abu Salih.
Some of his hadith is included in the tafsir al-Qurtubi
on the chapter of Ghafir
.
".
writes after having quoted a hadith:
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
(turned Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
) from Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
of the clan of Dhu Ra'in or Dhu al-Kila. He is counted among the Tabi‘in
Tabi‘in
The Tābi‘ūn are the generation of Muslims who were born after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad but who were contemporaries of the Sahaba "Companions". As such, they played an important part in the development of Islamic thought and philosophy, and in the political development of the...
and narrated many Isra'iliyat
Isra'iliyat
In the hadith studies of Islamic theology, Isra'iliyat is the body of hadith originating from Judeo-Christian traditions, rather than from other well-accepted sources that quote the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
.
Umar's era
Ka‘b came to MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
during the time of Umar
Umar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
where he converted to Islam. He lived there until Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
's era. Ka‘b did not meet Muhammad (SAW).
According to tradition, Ka'ab predicted the death of Caliph Omar using the Jewish Torah.
Uthman's era
Ka‘b went to Syria and became one of Mu‘awiyah's advisers. He died in Hims. during the Caliphate of UthmanUthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
exceeding 100 years of age.
Sahaba view of Ka‘b
A Shi'ite site, al-Islam.org writes:Views
Building of Al-Aqsa Mosque
Kaab accompanied Khalif UmarUmar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
in his voyage to Jerusalem (Al-Quds) He helped locate the foundations of the ancient Jewish temple where Umar built the Aqsa Mosque. He also helped later find the place of the Rock while he was looking for the Holy of Holies. Umar cleaned it from rubble and fenced it and an Umayyad Khalif later built the Dome of the Rock over it as an integral part of the Aqsa Mosque.
Hadith
Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi have recorded his hadith.None of his reports are in al-Bukhari. He has one narration in Muslim from Abu Huraira from him on the authority of al-A`mash from Abu Salih.
Some of his hadith is included in the tafsir al-Qurtubi
Tafsir al-Qurtubi
Tafsir al-Qurtubi is a famous Qur'an exegesis by the famous classical scholar Al-Qurtubi d.671H....
on the chapter of Ghafir
Ghafir
Surat Ghafir , also known as Surat al-Mu'min is the 40th sura of the Qur'an with 85 ayat.-See also:...
.
Sunni view
For more on the Sunni view, see "Isra'iliyatIsra'iliyat
In the hadith studies of Islamic theology, Isra'iliyat is the body of hadith originating from Judeo-Christian traditions, rather than from other well-accepted sources that quote the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
".
Shi'a view
writes:writes after having quoted a hadith: