Abu Qilabah al-Jarmi

Abu Qilaba Abd Allah ibn Zayd al-Jarmi al-Basri (died ca. 104–107 AH / 722–725 CE) was a leading Tabiun scholar of Basra known for his hadith knowledge and his strong dislike of positions of authority and public prominence. He was from the tribe of Jarmi and studied under Anas ibn Malik, Ibn Abbas, Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Ansari, and other Companions.

He is particularly famous in the Islamic tradition for a remarkable hadith he transmitted from Anas ibn Malik describing a detailed vision that the Prophet ﷺ gave of what would happen to different categories of people after death. The hadith, known as "the hadith of Abu Qilaba," is one of the longest narrations attributed to Anas and contains descriptions of the states of believers and disbelievers in the barzakh (intermediate state) and beyond. It is preserved in collections including those of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

He was known for his absolute avoidance of positions of judgment and authority — he reportedly fled from Basra to Syria to avoid being appointed as a judge, believing he was not qualified or that the judiciary of his time was corrupt. His flight from judicial appointment made him a symbol of the scrupulous scholar who preferred personal piety over public power.

He died in Syria around 104–107 AH, having spent his later years there after fleeing Basra. His narrations are found across the major collections and he is consistently rated as a reliable transmitter. His characteristic retreat from public office became a frequently cited example in the later Islamic tradition of scholars who prioritized integrity over influence.