Abu Qatadah

Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (RA) (d. approximately 54 AH) was a companion of the Prophet ﷺ from the Ansar of Medina, distinguished in battle and celebrated as one of the finest horsemen among the companions. He earned the epithet 'the horseman of the Prophet ﷺ' (faris rasul Allah) through his exceptional bravery and skill in numerous military campaigns. He participated in virtually all the major battles of Islam — though the scholars differed on whether he was present at Badr — and was entrusted with leading cavalry units on multiple occasions. He narrated hadith from the Prophet ﷺ covering prayer, fasting, the proper treatment of guests, and various matters of worship and conduct. Among his most well-known narrations is the hadith about the manner of the Prophet's ﷺ prayer — including the description of how the Prophet ﷺ would carry his granddaughter Umama during prayer, placing her down when prostrating and picking her up when rising. This narration is found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and illustrates both the Prophet's ﷺ love for children and the permissibility of carrying them during the prayer. Abu Qatadah also narrated hadiths about fasting on the Day of Ashura and on Mondays. He settled in Kufa in his later years and died during the caliphate of Ali (RA). His narrations appear throughout the canonical hadith collections.