he would have had to hear directly from the Prophet ﷺ and would therefore have been counted among the Companions. The mursal version, however, is the one that is better known.

Suhayl ibn Bayḍāʾ was among the earliest believers; he fought at Badr and in other engagements. His brother Sahl enjoyed the same distinction, and he too died during the Prophet’s lifetime.

ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAṭāʾ reported: Ḥumayd narrated to us, from Anas, who said, “Abū ʿUbaydah, Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, and Suhayl ibn Bayḍāʾ were with Abū Ṭalḥah while I was serving them drink, until the wine was just about to overcome them.” He then related at length the story of how wine was later declared unlawful.

Ibn Abī Fudayk narrated, from al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn ʿUthmān, from Abū al-Naḍr, from Abū Salamah, from ʿĀʾishah, who said: “When Saʿd died I said, ‘Bring him into the mosque so that I may perform the funeral prayer over him.’ They objected, whereupon I swore, ‘By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed in the mosque over the two sons of Bayḍāʾ—Suhayl and Sahl.’ ”

Another transmitter, other than al-Ḍaḥḥāk, added: “How quickly they forget! The Prophet ﷺ certainly prayed over Suhayl ibn Bayḍāʾ in the mosque.”

During the same year Zayd ibn Saʿya—spelled with a yāʾ, though the form with a nūn, Saʿna, is more common—also passed away. He was one of the Jewish rabbis who embraced Islam.

Endowed with ample learning and wealth, he became Muslim in the incident narrated by al-Walīd ibn Muslim, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥamzah ibn Yūsuf ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Salām, from his father, from his grandfather ʿAbd Allah. The latter said: “When Allah intended to guide Zayd ibn Saʿya, he declared, ‘There remained no prophetic sign that I did not recognize in Muhammad’s face the first time I looked at him, except for two matters I had yet to verify: that his forbearance outstrips his anger, and that an excess of ignorance shown toward him only increases him in forbearance.’ ” He then narrated the story in detail. It is recorded in al-Ṭabarānī’s al-Ṭawālāt, ending with Zayd’s words: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” He believed, pledged allegiance, joined the Prophet in several campaigns, and passed away during the expedition of