Muʿādh ibn Jabal RA : Scholar of the Ummah

Muʿādh ibn Jabal ibn ʿAmr al-Khazrajī al-Anṣārī (رضي الله عنه) was among the most distinguished Companions of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, known for his vast knowledge, piety, and wisdom. He was from the tribe of Banū Salamah in Madīnah and embraced Islam at a young age, even before the Prophet’s migration (Hijrah) to Madīnah.

The Prophet ﷺ held Muʿādh (RA) in the highest esteem for his knowledge of the Qur’an and jurisprudence.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The most knowledgeable of my Ummah concerning what is lawful and unlawful is Muʿādh ibn Jabal.”
— (Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 3791; Ibn Mājah, 154)

He was also among those who memorized the entire Qur’an during the Prophet’s lifetime and was considered one of the foremost jurists. The Prophet ﷺ included him among the few Companions entrusted to teach and issue legal rulings (fatwā).

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr:
that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Take the Qur’an from four: From Ibn Mas’ud, Ubayy bin Ka’b, Mu’adh bin Jabal, and Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah.” -Sahih Bukhari

Early Life and Acceptance of Islam

Muʿādh (RA) accepted Islam through the teachings of Musʿab ibn ʿUmair (RA), who, as we have already learnt, was sent by the Prophet ﷺ to Madīnah before Hijrah to call the people to Islam. He was among those who pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ in the Second Pledge of ʿAqabah. His early conversion and dedication made him one of the foremost helpers (Anṣār) of Islam in Madīnah.

He was determined to fight the practice of idol worshipping among the people of medina. He , along with the sons of Amr ibn al-Jamuh RA are known to have moved the idol of Manat at Amr ibn al-Jamuh’s RA house multiple times which resulted in Amr ibn al-Jamuh accepting islam at the age of 60 years, realising the futility of worshipping idols.

A man of remarkably enlightened, he was resolute, and decisive mind. People looked at him with reverence. `Umar Ibn Al-khattaab RA, the Commander of the Faithful, often consulted him.

He took part in every battle alongside the Prophet ﷺ. He was among the six people who collected Quran in the lifetime of Prophet ﷺ .

The Prophet ﷺ said to Muʿādh:
“O Muʿādh! No one bears witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah sincerely from his heart except that Allah will forbid him from the Fire.”
Muʿādh asked, “O Messenger of Allah, shall I not inform the people of this good news?”
He said, “Do not tell them, for they might rely on it.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 128; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 32

His Mission to Yemen

After the conquest of Mecca, poeple accepted Islam in large numbers. Prophet ﷺ saw the need for educating new muslims in fundamentals of Islam and guide them towards the right practices with the understerstanding of the spirit behind the islamic rulings.

Soon after the conquest, the king of Yemen accepted islam along with his people.

The Prophet ﷺ sent Muʿādh (RA) to Yemen as a governor and judge to teach Islam. Before sending him, the Prophet ﷺ asked:

“By what will you judge?”
Muʿādh replied, “By the Book of Allah.”
The Prophet ﷺ asked, “And if you do not find it there?”
He said, “Then by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.”
The Prophet ﷺ asked, “And if you do not find it there?”
Muʿādh replied, “Then I will strive to form an opinion (ijtihād).”
The Prophet ﷺ struck his chest and said: “All praise is due to Allah Who has guided the messenger of the Messenger of Allah to that which pleases Allah and His Messenger.”
— (Abū Dāwūd, 3592; al-Tirmidhī, 1327)

This famous incident demonstrates the early principles of Islamic jurisprudence and Muʿādh’s intellectual depth.

On his departure to Yemen,the Prophet ﷺ personally bade farewell to him and walked for some distance alongside Muadh as he rode out of the city. Finally he said to him:

“O Muadh, perhaps you shall not meet me again after this year. Perhaps when you return you shall see only my mosque and my grave.” Muadh heart sanked hearing this from prophet ﷺ. He knew then that it was his last time seeing the blessed face of Prophet ﷺ. He wept and those with him wept too. A feeling of sadness and desolation overtook him as he parted from his beloved Prophet ﷺ. He is said to have cried the whole way till Yemen so when he arrived in Yemen, there were signs of his crying on his face.

Later Life and Death

After the Prophet’s passing, Muʿādh (RA) participated in various missions under the caliphate of Abū Bakr and ʿUmar (RA). During the caliphate of ʿUmar, he was sent to Syria to teach Islam and serve as a judge. However, during the plague of ʿAmwās (18 AH / 639 CE), Muʿādh (RA) contracted the disease and passed away near Jordan at the age of 33.

Before his death, he reportedly said:

“Welcome to death, a beloved visitor who has come when I am poor and in need of you. O Allah, You know that I feared You and hoped for Your forgiveness.O Allah, You know that I loved You.”

Legacy

Muʿādh ibn Jabal (RA) remains one of the most revered figures in Islamic scholarship. His legacy as a jurist, teacher, and missionary continues to influence Islamic legal thought. The Prophet ﷺ said of him:

“Muʿādh will be raised on the Day of Judgment one step ahead of all the scholars.”
— (Ibn Mājah, 155)

He exemplified the union of knowledge, humility, and sincerity — qualities that made him a guiding light for generations of scholars after him.

Famous Hadith from him

Muʿādh ibn Jabal (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my hand and said,
“O Muʿādh, by Allah, I love you.”
I replied, “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! I love you too.”
He said:
“O Muʿādh, I advise you: never leave saying after every prayer,
‘Allāhumma aʿinnī ʿalā dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḥusni ʿibādatik —
(O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You well).’”
— Sunan Abī Dāwūd,

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah sent Mu’adh [bin Jabal] to Yemen, and said: ‘Beware of the supplication of the oppressed; for indeed there is no barrier between it and Allah.’“