Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla

Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla al-Ansari (died 83 AH / 702 CE) was a leading scholar of the generation of Tabiun who served as a judge in Kufa and was one of the most important transmitters of Ali ibn Abi Talib's legal opinions and practices. He was the son of Abu Layla al-Ansari, a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, which gave him access to the senior Companions in his youth.

He is reported to have seen 120 of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, a remarkable claim that reflects both his longevity and his position in the Medinan and Kufan scholarly communities. He transmitted from Ali ibn Abi Talib, Umar ibn al-Khattab, and numerous other Companions directly. His narrations bridge the Companion generation and the fully developed Tabiun tradition.

He served as a judge in Kufa for many years and was one of the formative figures in the development of Kufan jurisprudence. His rulings on matters of prayer, family law, and transactions were transmitted by a large number of students including Shu'ba ibn al-Hajjaj, Abu Hanifa's early teachers, and other major scholars of the next generation.

He was killed at the Battle of the Zab in 83 AH, fighting on the side of Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath in the major rebellion against Umayyad governor al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. His decision to participate in that uprising was one of the defining political choices of the late Companion/Tabiun period. He died in battle, ending a life devoted to scholarship and justice.