Tabi'in (The Successors)
The generation of Muslims who met the Prophet's companions but did not themselves meet the Prophet.
Tabi'in (plural of tabi'i) is the generation of Muslims who met one or more of the Prophet's companions (sahabah) as believers but did not themselves meet the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They are the second most esteemed generation in Sunni Islam after the sahabah.
The Prophet said: "The best of people are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them" (Sahih al-Bukhari). The Tabi'in played a crucial role in the systematization of Islamic knowledge, including prayer legislation. Prominent Tabi'in include Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Sirin, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, and Ata' ibn Abi Rabah.
Many of the four schools of law's founders studied under the Tabi'in. Imam Abu Hanifah studied under Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman (a tabi'i), and Imam Malik studied under several Tabi'in in Medina. The Tabi'in's legal opinions and prayer practices are an important source for understanding how the sahabah understood and practiced the Prophet's sunnah.
Related terms
Salat al-Duha (Forenoon Prayer)
A voluntary prayer performed after sunrise and before noon, with great reward according to the narrations.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Eid al-Ghadir (The Ghadir Festival)
Shia festival commemorating the Prophet's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor.
Iqamah (Second Call to Prayer)
The second call to prayer, recited just before the prayer begins.
Akhirah (The Hereafter)
Life after death — the eternal life that prayer prepares the believer for.