Al-Rabi ibn Khuthaym

Who is Al-Rabi ibn Khuthaym?

Al-Rabi ibn Khuthaym al-Thawri was a pupil of Abdullah ibn Abbas and a famous tabi'i ascetic of Kufa. Constantly ill with a form of palsy, in later generations he became a symbol of endurance in the face of suffering. He emphasized the importance of silence, scrupulousness in religious observance, and the fear of Hell. Many traditions in the collection of Sahih Bukhari are given on his authority.

Abu Hayan related that his father said, Al-Rabi ibn Khuthaym was crippled and used to be carried to the congregational salat. So people told him, 'You have an excuse', he said, 'I hear hayee alas-salat, the call to prayer; so if you can come to it even by crawling, do so," paraphrasing a hadith.