Muadh ibn Jabal

Muadh ibn Jabal (603-639 CE) was one of the most distinguished companions of the Prophet Muhammad, praised as the most knowledgeable of the ummah in matters of halal and haram. He was from the Khazraj tribe of Medina and accepted Islam at the age of eighteen, pledging allegiance at the Second Pledge of Aqabah. He quickly became one of the foremost scholars among the companions due to his exceptional intelligence and deep understanding of Islamic law.

The Prophet sent Muadh to Yemen as a judge and teacher, instructing him in a famous hadith: 'How will you judge?' Muadh replied, 'By the Book of Allah, then by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, and then by my own reasoning (ijtihad).' The Prophet approved of this method, which became a foundational principle in Islamic jurisprudence. Muadh was also among those whom the Prophet specifically recommended for learning the Quran, and he was counted among the six companions who compiled the Quran during the Prophet's lifetime.

Muadh died during the plague of Amwas in the Jordan Valley in 18 AH (639 CE) at the young age of thirty-six. Despite his relatively short life, his impact on Islamic scholarship was immense. The Prophet said of him, 'The most knowledgeable of my ummah regarding what is permissible and what is prohibited is Muadh ibn Jabal.' He is also reported to have said that Muadh would be at the forefront of the scholars on the Day of Resurrection.