Abu Rafi al-Qibti

Abu Rafi' the Coptic (died ca. 40 AH) was a freed slave of the Prophet ﷺ of Egyptian or Coptic origin who became a trusted member of the Prophet's household and a Companion in his own right. He served the Prophet ﷺ from the years before the Hijra and was among those freed by him, thereafter attaching himself to the Prophet's service by choice.

He performed significant missions for the Prophet ﷺ and the early Muslim community. He was sent to Khaybar to convey a message, and he participated in the early conquests after the Prophet's death. One of the missions he is known to have participated in, or was connected to, involves intelligence and security operations in the early community.

He narrated hadith from the Prophet ﷺ that are preserved in the major collections. His wife Salma was also a companion of the Prophet's household who is recorded as a narrator. Their family became part of the fabric of the Medinan community, and their descendants continued in Islamic scholarship.

He is distinguished from another Abu Rafi' — the Jewish merchant of Khaybar who was assassinated by a group of Companions for breaking the treaty and stirring up hostility — with whom he should not be confused. Abu Rafi' the Coptic companion lived a long and faithful life of service, dying in Medina around the time of the early caliphate of Ali. His story is one of many that illustrate the diverse ethnic and social backgrounds that were united in the early Muslim community.