Sa'id ibn al-As

Sa'id ibn al-As ibn Sa'id al-Umawi (died 58 AH / 677 CE) was a prominent Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, a member of the Umayyad nobility, and one of the few Companions who was both a major political figure and a primary contributor to the preservation of the Quran. He was born in approximately 3 BH and lost his father at the Battle of Badr — his father fought on the Qurayshi side and was killed.

He grew up in proximity to the Prophet ﷺ and is reported to have been one of the scribes in the compilation of the standard Quranic codex under Caliph Uthman ibn Affan. His knowledge of classical Arabic dialect was considered authoritative, and Uthman brought him into the committee alongside Zayd ibn Thabit, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham. When disputes arose over pronunciation of certain words, Uthman reportedly instructed the committee to follow the dialect of Quraysh, which Sa'id ibn al-As represented.

He served as governor of Kufa during Uthman's caliphate, a tenure that was turbulent due to the political tensions of the period. He was expelled by the anti-Uthmani faction and eventually returned. After the First Fitna and the establishment of Umayyad rule, he held various administrative positions and was considered one of the noble survivors of the Companion generation.

He died in Medina or at his estate near Medina around 58 AH. He was known for his generosity — reportedly one of the most generous men of Quraysh — and for the elegance of his Arabic speech, qualities that made him a natural choice for the Quranic committee's linguistic deliberations.