Al-Bara ibn Azib

Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib ibn al-Ḥārith al-Anṣārī was a companion from the Khazraj tribe of Madinah. He was a young man, perhaps twelve to fifteen years old, at the time of the Hijrah. Because of his young age, the Prophet ﷺ initially refused to permit him to participate in the Battle of Badr, along with ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar and some other young companions. He was permitted to fight at Uḥud (3 AH) and participated in all subsequent major battles.

He became one of the most prolific narrators of hadith among the Companions, narrating over 300 hadith preserved in the major collections. His narrations cover both the early Makkī period (which he heard second-hand from those present) and the Madanī period which he witnessed himself.

He is particularly famous for his narration in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim describing the scene of the Prophet ﷺ's arrival in Madinah: "I saw the Ansar all dressed up coming out [to welcome him]." He also narrates in Bukhārī and Muslim the events of the change of the Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah, the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Uḥud, and many other major events.

He lived in Madinah and died in Kufa during the Umayyad period, having outlived many of the early companions.