Ka'b al-Ahbar

Abū Isḥāq Kaʿb ibn Maniʿ al-Ḥimyarī
Died	32-5AH/652-6AD Hims
Era	Caliphate era
Region	Rashidun Caliphate
Main interests	Israʼiliyyat

Kaʿb al-Aḥbār(Arabic:كعب الأحبار,full nameAbū Isḥāq Kaʿb ibn Maniʿ al-Ḥimyarī(Arabic:ابو اسحاق كعب بن مانع الحميري) was a 7th-centuryYemenite Jewfrom the Arab tribe of "Dhī Raʿīn" (Arabic:ذي رعين)who converted to Islam. He was considered to be the earliest authority onIsraʼiliyyatandSouth Arabianlore.According to Islamic tradition, he accompaniedUmarin his trip from Medina to Jerusalem, and afterwards, became a supporter ofUthman.He died inHimsaround 652-6AD.

Name

Aḥbār is the plural ofḥibr/ḥabr,from the Hebrewḥāver,a scholarly title referring to a rank immediately belowrabbias used byBabylonian Jews.

Biography

Little is known about Ka'b, but according to tradition, he came to Medina during the reign ofUmar.He then accompanied Umar in his voyage toJerusalem.It is reported that when Umar marched into Jerusalem with an army, he asked Ka‘b: "Where do you advise me to build a place of worship?" Ka‘b indicated the Temple Rock, now a gigantic heap of ruins from the temple of Jupiter.The Jews, Ka‘b explained, had briefly won back their old capital a quarter of a century before (when Persians overran Syria), but they had not had time to clear the site of the Temple, for the Byzantines (Rūm) had recaptured the city. It was then that Umar ordered the rubbish on the Temple Rock to be removed by the Nabataeans, and after three showers of heavy rain had cleansed the Rock, he instituted prayers there. Umar is said to have fenced it and, some years later, theUmayyadCaliphAbd al-Malikbuilt theDome of the Rockover the site as an integral part of the Aqsa compound. Until this day, the place is known asQubbat al-Ṣakhra(the Dome of the Rock).

According to tradition, Ka‘b believed that "Every event that has taken place or will take place on any foot of the earth, is written in the Tourat (Torah), which God revealed to his ProphetMoses".He is said to have predicted the death of Umar using the Torah. According to one narration, Ka‘b told Umar "you ought to write your will because you will die in three days." Umar responded "I do not feel any pain or sickness".Abu Luluassassinated Umar two days later.

After Umar's death, Ka‘b vigorously supportedUthman.Subsequently, governorMu'awiyaasked Ka'b to become his counsel in Damascus, but he most likely chose to withdraw toHims,where he died in 652-6 AD, according to various accounts. His burial place is disputed.

According to Shia sources Ka‘ab was a Jewish rabbi, who moved fromYementoBilad al-Sham(Syria).He was of the clan of Dhu Ra'in or Dhu al-Kila. Ka‘b came toMedinaduring the time ofUmarwhere he converted to Islam. He lived there untilUthman's era.

Sunni view

Ibn Hajar Asqalani,a 14th-century SunniShafi'ischolar, wrote,

Ka`b Ibn Mati` al-Himyari, Abu Ishaq, known as Ka`b al-Ahbar, is trustworthy (thiqah). He belongs to the 2nd [tabaqah]. He lived during bothJahiliyyahandIslam.He lived in Yemen before he moved to Sham [~Syria]. He died during the Caliphate of `Uthman exceeding 100 years of age. None of his reports are in al-Bukhari. He has one narration in Muslim from Abu Huraira from him on the authority ofal-A`mashfromAbu Salih.

Al-Tabariquoted intensively about Ka'b in hisHistory of the Prophets and Kings.Other Sunni authors also mention Ka'b and his stories with Caliphs Umar, Uthman and Muawiyah.

On a website operated and owned by theMinistry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Qatar)of the State of Qatar, one may find afatwaon Ka’b al-Ahbar.

Mention in hadith canons

Ka'b al-Ahbar is mentioned in some hadith canons such asSahih MuslimandMuwatta Malik,etc. A hadith reports that the CaliphUmar ibn al-Khattabappointed him personally anamirover Muslims.

Twelver Shi'a view

Within the Shia tradition Ka'b is seen as an unreliable figure.Muhammad al-Tijania 20th-century Shi'a scholar writes that "He was a Jew from Yemen who pretended to have embraced Islam then went to Medina during the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab."Muhammad Jawad Chirriwrites, after having quoted a hadith, "This dialogue should alert us to the deceptive and successful attempt on the part of Ka'b to influence future events by satanic suggestions. It contains a great deal of deception which produced many harmful results to Islam and the Muslims."Ka'b's influence is deprecated within the Shia tradition of Islam.

His sayings

In bookAsceticism and Tenderness:Ka'b al-Ahbar said ''While theChildren of Israelwere praying in the Temple ofJerusalem,two men came. One of them entered and the other did not. He stood outside at the gates of the mosque and said: I am entering the House of God. No one like me enters the House of God. I have done such and such and such. And he began to weep but did not enter. Ka’b said: So it was written the next day that he was a truthful man''

In book the (Comprehensive remembrance of the doctrines of the jurists of the countries); It was reported to him that Omar bin Al-Khattab wanted to go toIraq,so Kaab Al-Ahbar said to him: Do not go there, O Commander of the Faithful, for there is nine-tenths of magic, and there are wicked jinn, and there is a fatal disease.

See also

• Abdullah ibn Saba'