Zayd al-Khayr (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...

: زيد الخير) was a noted, significant companion of

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...

, the prophet of

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

. Hailing from the tribe of

Tayy , location = 2nd century CE–10th century: Jabal Tayy and Syrian Desert 10th century–16th century: Jabal Tayy, Syrian Desert, Jibal al-Sharat, al-Balqa, Palmyrene Steppe, Upper Mesopotamia, Northern Hejaz, Najd , parent_tribe = Madh'h ...

in northern

Nejd Najd ( ar, نَجْدٌ, ), or the Nejd, forms the geographic center of Saudi Arabia, accounting for about a third of the country's modern population and, since the Emirate of Diriyah, acting as the base for all unification campaigns by the H ...

. He was originally known as Zayd al-Khayl ("Zayd of the Steeds", a reference to his chivalry), but after becoming

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...

, Muhammad renamed him Zayd al-Khayr ("Zayd of Goodness" or "of Bounty"). After learning information about Muhammad, Zayd made enquiries and decided to travel to

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...

and meet him, taking a delegation of his people including Zurr ibn Sudoos, Malik ibn Jubayr, Aamir ibn Duwayn and others. When they reached Medina, they entered

Masjid al-Nabawi Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (), known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, after Qub ...

while he was addressing his congregation. Zayd and his delegation were astonished by the attention of the Muslims and the effect of his words on them. Muhammad said: ''"I am better for you than al- Uzza'' (one of the main idols of the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era) ''and everything else that you worship. I am better for you than the black camel which you worship besides God."'' Some of Zayd's delegation responded positively and accepted Islam while others Such as Zurr ibn Sudoos did not. When Muhammad had finished speaking, Zayd stood up and said: ''"O Muhammad, I testify that there is no god but

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and that you are the messenger of God."'' Muhammad approached him and asked who he was, to which Zayd replied, ''"I am Zayd al-Khayl the son of Muhalhil." '' ''"From now on you are Zayd al-Khayr'' ("Zayd the good") ''instead, not Zayd al-Khayl,"'' said Muhammad. Muhammad said about him, "Of every Arab's virtues I heard, after meeting him, I found it overestimated - except Zaid whom I found more than I had heard about him (in virtues)"Page 294, Rahiq Al Mukhtoom, Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, Translated by Issam Diab Maktaba Dar- us- Salam Publishers During this visit in Medina all those who stayed with Zayd became Muslims. However, there was an epidemic of fever in Medina and Zayd al-Khayr succumbed to it. He attempted to return home despite his illness, hoping to get back to his people so they might become Muslims at his hands. He struggled to overcome the fever but he died before reaching Najd.

Sources

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History of the Prophets and Kings The ''History of the Prophets and Kings'' ( ar, تاريخ الرسل والملوك ''Tārīkh al-Rusul wa al-Mulūk''), more commonly known as ''Tarikh al-Tabari'' () or ''Tarikh-i Tabari'' or ''The History of al-Tabari '' ( fa, تاریخ طب� ...

'' Vol. 39 by

Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari ( ar, أبو جعفر محمد بن جرير بن يزيد الطبري), more commonly known as al-Ṭabarī (), was a Muslim historian and scholar from Amol, Tabaristan. Among the most prominent figures of the Islamic Golden Age, al-Tabari i ...

References

630 deaths Tayy Companions of the Prophet {{islam-bio-stub