'Aishah, wife of Prophet (ﷺ)

Abu Rafi' (may Allah be pleased with him) was a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who served as his freed slave and personal attendant. His birth name is given variously as Aslam or Ibrahim, and he accepted Islam in Mecca. He was initially a slave of the Prophet's uncle al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who gave him to the Prophet ﷺ as a gift; the Prophet then freed him. Abu Rafi' lived in the Prophet's household and was entrusted with various tasks and missions, including acting as an emissary. His narrations reflect intimate knowledge of the Prophet's daily habits and household conduct. He is sometimes confused with other narrators sharing the kunya Abu Rafi'. His reports appear in the Sunan of Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah, and deal with topics including prayer, marital conduct, and the etiquette of serving food. He settled in Medina after the Prophet's death and transmitted traditions to the Tabi'i scholars who visited him. He is regarded as a reliable narrator whose proximity to the Prophet gave his narrations direct authority.