الزبير بن العوّام
Al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam
Disciple of the Prophet ﷺ
Quick Facts
Birth
c. 594 CE, Makkah
Tribe
Quraysh — Banu Asad
Relationship
Nephew of Khadijah; married to Asma
Major Role
Warrior and disciple of the Prophet ﷺ
Death
656 CE (36 AH)
Nephew of Khadijah and one of the youngest to believe, al-Zubayr was a fearless horseman whom the Prophet ﷺ called his disciple. He married Asma bint Abi Bakr and fought in nearly every major campaign.
Biography Timeline
Youth & Early Faith
He accepted Islam very young, and endured his uncle's attempts to force him back — yet he only grew firmer. He migrated first to Abyssinia and then to Madinah.
The Disciple
The Prophet ﷺ said that every prophet had a disciple (hawari) and that his disciple was al-Zubayr. He was among the first to draw his sword in the path of God when a false alarm reached Makkah.
Campaigns
He stood at Badr, Uhud, the Trench, Khaybar and the Conquest, and later took part in the opening of Egypt. Courage and initiative marked his presence on the field.
The First Fitnah & Death
Like Talha he was drawn into the Battle of the Camel, and withdrew from it, only to be killed nearby in 656 CE. His life closed within the same trial that tested the whole community.
Authentic Narrations
إنّ لكلّ نبيٍّ حواريًّا وحواريّي الزبير بن العوّام.
“Every prophet has a disciple, and my disciple is al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam.”
Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
ورد أن النبي ﷺ سمّى عشرة من أصحابه من أهل الجنة: أبو بكر، وعمر، وعثمان، وعليّ، وطلحة، والزبير، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف، وسعد بن أبي وقاص، وسعيد بن زيد، وأبو عبيدة بن الجراح.
“It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ named ten of his companions as people of Paradise: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, al-Zubayr, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Sa'id ibn Zayd, and Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah.”
Jami' al-Tirmidhi (Sahih)
Historical Sources
- ✦Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
- ✦Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat