Rafi' bin Khadij (RA)

Rafi' ibn Khadij (RA) (d. 73 AH) was a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who, despite being turned away from the Battle of Badr for being too young, went on to participate in subsequent battles including Uhud, where he was wounded by an arrow that remained lodged in his body for the rest of his life. He was from the Ansar of Medina and lived to an advanced age, becoming one of the last surviving companions in his city. Rafi' is especially known for transmitting hadith relating to agricultural contracts — particularly the narration concerning muzara'ah (sharecropping) arrangements which generated significant discussion among early jurists. He narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had prohibited certain forms of land leasing, which some scholars understood as prohibiting all sharecropping, while others (including Tabi'i scholars) interpreted the prohibition more narrowly. This narration and the juristic debate around it are studied in every classical work of Islamic fiqh. Beyond agricultural law, Rafi' narrated hadith on prayer, purification, and the conduct of warfare. He was regarded as a reliable companion narrator by the hadith scholars, and his narrations are found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and all the major Sunan collections. His long life and proximity to the Prophet ﷺ made him a valued transmitter of prophetic knowledge in Medina.