He saw the Prophet ﷺ in the marketplace of Dhī l-Majāz (1) before accepting Islam; he later embraced the faith and fought at Yarmūk.
Al-Bukhārī and others state that he is counted among the Companions.
As for the vocalization of the name ʿIbad, al-Hāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Miṣrī reads it with a kasrah and a light (single) consonant, whereas Abū ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mandah reads it with a fatḥah and lightening; the latter view, however, is debatable.
There is no doubt that Rabiʿah heard the Prophet ﷺ directly, though this occurred before his conversion.
Among those who transmitted from him are Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, Hishām ibn ʿUrwah, Abū l-Zinād, and Zayd ibn Aslam.
Khalīfah said: He was present at Yarmūk and died during the caliphate of al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik.
I add: He lived on until roughly the year 90 AH.
125 – Abū Umāmah ibn Sahl ibn Ḥunayf al-Anṣārī* (ʿ)
From the Aws clan, a Medinan, jurist, long-lived, and a reliable authority.
His personal name was Asʿad, after his maternal grandfather—the leader and notable Asʿad ibn Zurārah.
= 3/472; Mashahir ‘Ulama al-Amsar, no. 552; al-Isti‘ab, p. 492; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 6/107 b; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, Zaytuna MS, 27 b; Usd al-Ghabah, 2/213; al-Isabah, 1/509.
(1) Recorded by Ahmad, Musnad, 3/492, through the isnad of ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad—from his father—from Rabi‘a b. ‘Abad al-Dili, who had lived in the Jahiliyyah and later embraced Islam. He said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with my own eyes in the market of Dhu l-Majaz proclaiming, ‘O people, say la ilaha illa Allah and you will succeed…’ ” The chain is strong.
(*) Ibn Sa‘d, Tabaqat, 5/82; Khalifa, Tabaqat, nos. 654 and 2176; al-Ma‘rifa wa-l-Tarikh, 1/375; al-Kuna, 1/14; Mashahir ‘Ulama al-Amsar, no. 139; al-Isti‘ab, p. 82; Tarikh Ibn ‘Asakir, 2/403 a; Usd al-Ghabah, 3/470 and 6/18; Tahdhib al-Kamal, p. 94; Tarikh al-Islam, 4/71; al-‘Ibar, 1/118; Tadhhib al-Tahdhib, 1/59 b; Mir’at al-Zaman, 1/207; al-Bidayah wa-l-Nihayah, 9/190; al-Isabah, 4/9; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 1/263; Khulasat Tadhhib al-Kamal, p. 38; Shadharāt al-Dhahab, 1/118; Tahdhib Ibn ‘Asakir, 3/7.