Shaybah ibn Uthman

ProfileShaybah ibn Uthman

Shaybah ibn Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was of the Banu Abd ad-Dar of Quraysh, the clan that kept the key of the Ka'bah, and a cousin of Uthman ibn Talhah. According to the early biographies, his father and his uncle were killed at Uhud with other men of the family, carrying the banner of Quraysh. According to the early biographies, he accepted Islam around the time of the Conquest, and kept hatred of the Prophet ﷺ in his heart.

According to the early biographies, when the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah and gave the key of the Ka'bah to Uthman ibn Talhah and his family, Shaybah went out with the army to Hunayn, saying to himself that perhaps in the confusion of the battle he would catch Muhammad ﷺ off guard and take his revenge. According to the early biographies, when the Muslims were thrown into disorder at Hunayn, he came up behind the Prophet ﷺ with his sword, and a blaze like fire, like lightning, came between them, so that he put his hand over his eyes and drew back. According to the early biographies, the Prophet ﷺ turned and called him near, laid his hand on his chest, and asked Allah to remove Satan from him. Shaybah said that he looked up and the Prophet ﷺ was dearer to him than his hearing, his sight and his heart. According to the early biographies, the Prophet ﷺ told him to fight, and he fought in front of him and stood firm when many fled, and afterwards the Prophet ﷺ told him that Allah had willed for him better than he had willed for himself.

Abu Wa'il told that he sat with Shaybah on the chair inside the Ka'bah, and Shaybah said that Umar had sat in that place and said that he wished not to leave any gold or silver inside the Ka'bah undistributed. Shaybah said to him that his two companions had not done so, and Umar said that they were the two he followed (Sahih al-Bukhari).

According to the early biographies, when the Prophet ﷺ gave the key back at the Conquest, he said that only an unjust man would take it from them, and Shaybah and Uthman ibn Talhah were the keepers of the Ka'bah after him, and when Uthman ibn Talhah died Shaybah kept it alone. According to the early biographies, the key has stayed in his family ever since.

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