He was one of those whom ʿUmar ordered to renew the boundary markers of the Sacred Precinct of Allah (1), and he was also among those who buried ʿUthmān at night.
He sold a house he owned in Medina to Muʿāwiyah for forty thousand dinars—as the report has reached us (2).
His practice of Islam was commendable (3).
He lived for one hundred and twenty years.
He died in the year 54, and it was also said: in 52.
A biographical entry for him appears in Ibn ʿAsākir’s History (4).
He marched to Syria as a combatant, and he had attended Badr, saying, “I saw the angels killing and taking captives, so I said, ‘This man is under divine protection.’” (5)
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, borrowed forty thousand from me on the day of Ḥunayn, and granted me one hundred camels from the spoils of Ḥunayn (6).
This was related by al-Wāqidī.
(1) Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 278, notes that he was among the group whom Umar ordered to renew the boundary stones of the Haram (sacred precinct). Tahdhib Ibn Asakir, vol. 5, p. 18, quoting al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar, gives the same information. The sanctuary’s markers fix its limits: from the western road at Tanim—three miles; from the Iraqi road—nine miles; from the Yemeni road—seven miles; and from the Taif road—twenty miles.
(2) Al-Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 493; Al-Isaba, vol. 2, p. 305.
(3) Tahdhib Ibn Asakir, vol. 5, p. 20, citing a statement of Imam al-Shafi‘i.
(4) In vol. 5, p. 190.
(5) I.e. the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was watched over and protected; the report is in Al-Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 492, through the isnad of al-Waqidi.
(6) Al-Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 493, via al-Waqidi. Huwaytib was one of the muallafa qulubuhum—those whose hearts the Prophet softened on the day of Hunayn by giving them gifts, so as to win them and their people over.