Shayba ibn Uthman al-Hajabi
شيبة بن عثمان الحجبي
A hereditary custodian of the Kaaba from Banu Abd al-Dar who joined the march to Hunayn intending to assassinate the Prophet to avenge his father and uncle slain at Uhud; upon drawing close, he was overcome with awe, and the Prophet placed his hand on his chest and prayed for him, whereupon he embraced Islam and fought loyally.
At a glance
- Roles
- Companion
- Counted among
- Sunni
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Converts and those who leaveBattles
Place in the story
- Convert to IslamTradition
Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Summary
Custodian of the Ka'ba of Banu Abd al-Dar; he went out with the Muslim army to Hunayn fresh from the Jahiliyya, harbouring intent to kill the Prophet in revenge for his father and uncle slain at Uhud — then God preserved His prophet, called to him and wiped his chest, and he became Muslim and fought for him 1.
His Islam at Hunayn
Ibn Ishaq relates from Shayba ibn Uthman that he said: when I saw the people had scattered from the Messenger of God I said: today I take my revenge on Muhammad — I drew near him from behind to strike him with my sword, but a flame of fire like lightning enveloped me and I recoiled and turned away. The Prophet turned to me and said: "Shayba, come near me" — I came near and he laid his hand on my chest, and he did not lift it until no creature God created was dearer to me than he. Then he said: "fight" — and I went forward fighting before him 1.
After that he took up the custodianship of the Sacred House and carried its key in Mecca 1.
For young visitors
A man who thought of revenge on the day of Hunayn; but the Prophet met him with prayer and mercy and wiped his chest — his heart turned, he became one of his defenders, and custodian of God's Sacred House.
Connections
- Parent of
- Safiyya bint Shayba
- Member of
- Quraysh
- Participated in
- The Battle of Hunayn
People and things also explored
Khalid ibn al-WalidThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)Abu Sufyan ibn HarbAttab ibn UsaydHakim ibn HizamSafwan ibn UmayyaYazid ibn Zam'aAbu Sufyan ibn al-Harith
Sources
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/88
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Shayba ibn Uthman al-Hajabi”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/shayba-ibn-uthman/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.