Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan

Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan (died 37 AH / 657 CE) was one of the twelve Naqibs — tribal representatives — chosen at the Second Pledge of Aqabah, the covenant by which the Ansar of Medina committed to protect the Prophet ﷺ and welcome the early Muslim community. He represented the tribe of Aws, one of the two major Medinan tribes, and was among the very first Muslims of Medina.

He participated in the Battle of Badr, the first major engagement between the Muslims and Quraysh, as well as all subsequent campaigns alongside the Prophet ﷺ. His early embrace of Islam and his selection as a Naqib placed him in the highest tier of Ansari companions. The Naqibs occupied a position analogous to the disciples of Isa (Jesus), as the Prophet ﷺ himself noted in a famous hadith.

Abu al-Haytham was known for his deep attachment to the Prophet ﷺ and his family. After the Prophet's death, he remained in Medina and lived through the reigns of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. When the First Fitna erupted, he aligned with Ali ibn Abi Talib and fought in the Battle of Siffin in 37 AH, where he was martyred.

His death in battle at an advanced age, defending what he believed to be the rightful cause, closed the life of one of the founding generation of the Medinan community. He is consistently mentioned among the Ansar who accepted Islam before the Hijra and are counted in the highest rank of companions.