Lineage:
Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zaid bin Kulayb Al-Ansari belongs to the Ansar, a group of early Muslim supporters in Medina. He was from Bani Ghanem bin Malik bin Al-Najjar, from the Khazraj tribe. His mother was either Hind bint Saeed bin Amr bin Imru’ al-Qais, or Zahra bint Saad bin Qais bin Imru’ al-Qais.
Immigration
Abu Ayyub participated in the Pledge of Aqaba and witnessed many important events alongside the Prophet Muhammad. When the Prophet migrated to Medina, Abu Ayyub hosted him in his home with honor until the Prophet built his residence and mosque. Abu Ayyub had a close relationship with the Prophet, and was considered one of his distinguished companions.
With the Prophet Muhammad in Medina:
Abu Ayyub and his wife Umm Ayyub witnessed and actively participated in crucial moments of early Islamic history. The Prophet stayed in Abu Ayyub’s house in Quba before moving to Medina. Abu Ayyub’s hospitality and support for the Prophet continued, as the Prophet’s House and the first mosque in Medina were built.
With Ali bin Abi Talib:
Abu Ayyub remained loyal to Ali bin Abi Talib and supported him in Medina. However, when Ali assumed command in Medina, Abu Ayyub followed Muawiyah to Iraq. He joined the Muslim army led by Muawiyah and participated in the Battle of the Camel (The Camel) and the Battle of Siffin.
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad:
Abu Ayoub continued his participation in various military campaigns, stressing the importance of jihad. He often said: “God said: ‘Go forth, light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the path of God. That is better for you, if you only knew.’” (At-Tawbah: 41). He believed that he had no choice but to actively participate in jihad, considering himself either qualified to fight. Or support fighters financially.
He rarely missed any military campaigns except for one year when a young man was appointed in his place and he chose to stay. In that year, he was impatiently waiting for the opportunity to join the battle, and he expressed his desire by saying: “I am not exempt from work.”
After the assassination of Caliph Othman, Ali bin Abi Talib assumed leadership, and internal conflicts erupted. Ali appointed Abu Ayyub as governor of Medina when he intended to march towards Iraq. However, Abu Ayoub abstained from fighting for a year during which he was not mobilized, but he expressed his eagerness to participate, saying: “I have no excuse if I am not an employee.”
After the death of Othman, Muawiyah assumed leadership, and disagreement prevailed. Ali was appointed caliph, and Abu Ayyub served as governor of Medina during Ali's departure to Iraq. According to some accounts, Abu Ayyub refrained from participating in the Battle of the Camel and Siffin, then he supported Ali in the Battle of Harura against the Kharijites.
Death and burial:
Abu Ayyub continued to serve in military campaigns even as the political situation developed. He joined the invasion of Constantinople under the leadership of Yazid bin Muawiyah. But he fell ill during the siege, and when he sensed his imminent death, he ordered his companions to bury him under their feet. This decision reflects his humility and commitment to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Abu Ayyub died in the campaign, and was buried in the vicinity of Constantinople. The exact date of his death remains controversial, as different sources indicate different years, including 50 AH, 51 AH, 52 AH, or 55 AH. He left behind a son, Abdul Rahman, from his wife Umm Hassan bint Zaid bin Thabit.
His relationship with the Prophet Muhammad:
Abu Ayyub was closely associated with the Prophet Muhammad, and closely followed in his footsteps. It was narrated that during the Prophet’s stay in Abu Ayyub’s house, Abu Ayyub and his wife were blessed by eating from the place where the Prophet had placed his hand. On one occasion, the Prophet sent them dinner containing onions or garlic, but they refrained from eating it. Abu Ayyub asked about this, and the Prophet explained that he found a smell in food, and as a speaking man he avoided such smells. The Prophet ordered them to eat from it, and they did, recording a unique event in their lives.
Abu Ayyub's commitment to carrying out the Prophet's orders was evident in his actions. When some hypocrites mocked Muslims in the mosque, the Prophet ordered their expulsion. Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari quickly moved against Omar bin Qais, a man who was a polytheist in pre-Islamic times. He forcefully dragged him out of the mosque in compliance with the Prophet’s order to remove these people from the Prophet’s Mosque.
After the conquest of Khaybar, the Prophet Muhammad married Safiyya bint Huyya, a recent convert to Islam. Abu Ayyub stood guard outside the Prophet's tent during the night, carrying his sword. When the Prophet asked about this in the morning, Abu Ayyub explained that he was worried about the woman who had killed her father, her husband, and her people, and who had recently converted to Islam. The Prophet prayed for Abu Ayyub, saying: “O God, protect Abu Ayyub just as he protected me.”
Abu Ayyub's exceptional loyalty is also reflected in the incident of the accusation of the Prophet's wife Aisha, known as the Ifk incident. Some people were spreading false rumors, and Abu Ayyub and his wife were among those who believed in Aisha's innocence. When Umm Aisha asked him if he had heard what people were saying about Aisha, he replied: “Yes, and that is a lie. Damn you, Umm Ayoub! My suspicion of evil in Aisha is unimaginable.” To think badly of my mother.”
His status among the Companions:
The Companions venerated Abu Ayyub. When he visited Abdullah bin Abbas in Basra, Ibn Abbas emptied his house for him, expressing his intention to treat Abu Ayyub as he saw the Prophet Muhammad treating him. Abu Ayyub, when he assumed leadership after Uthman's death, asked for grants and gifts, and received generous gifts from Ali bin Abi Talib five times the original amount. His influence and respect extended until Ali gave him twenty thousand dirhams and forty slaves.