Identification
Kaʻb al-Aḥbār, Abū Isḥāq b. Mātiʻ b. Haysūʻ/Haynūʻ al-Ḥimyarī
كعب الأخبار، أبو إسحاق بن ماتع بن هيسوع\هينوع الحميري
Dates
-
Death
Expressed
Not sure.
Biographic comments
He was a Yemenite Jew who converted to Islam probably in 17/638. He is considered the oldest authority on Judeo-Islamic traditions. and South Arabian lore. According to the Islamic tradition he accompanied ʻUmar b.al-Ḫaṭṭāb in his trip from Medīna to Jerusalem in 15/636, and afterwards he became a supporter of ʻUṯmān. Subsequently, Muʻāwiya tried to attract him to Damascus to become his counsellor, but it seems most likely that he withdrew to Homs (Ḥimṣ), where he died in 32/652-3 (or in 35H).
Additional information
References
- Place Place of activity Medina / al-Madīna al-Munawwara, Hijaz, Medina, SA
- Place Place of death Homs / Ḥimṣ
Bibliographical references
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, II Edition: IV, 316b-317a on page IV, 316b-317a
- Muʻǧam al-ta'rīḫ al-turāṯ al-islāmiyya fī makta... on page 2400, n. 6530