Khunais ibn Hudhaifa


Khunais ibn Hudhaifa was a companion of Muhammad.

Biography

Khunais was the son of Hudhafa ibn Qays from the Sahm clan of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. His mother, Da'ida bint Hidhyam, was also from the Sahm clan. He had two brothers, Abdullah and Qays.
He was converted to Islam under the influence of Abu Bakr at an early date "before Allah's Messenger entered the house of Al-Arqam".
He joined the emigration to Abyssinia in 616, along with his two brothers, seven cousins and four other members of the Sahm clan. Khunais was among those who returned to Mecca in 619 "under the protection of a citizen or by stealth." Soon afterwards he married Hafsa bint Umar, who would then have been about fourteen years old.
When Umar emigrated to Medina in 622, Khunais and Hafsa accompanied his party. At first they lodged with Rifa'a ibn Abdalmundhir. When Muhammad instructed each Muslim to take a brother in Islam, he paired Khunais with Abu Abs ibn Jabr, a brother-in-law of Muhammad ibn Maslama.
Khunais was the only member of the Sahm clan who fought at the Battle of Badr in March 624.
He died "at the beginning of twenty-five months after the Prophet emigrated to Madina," i.e., in late August 624. He was buried at Al-Baqi', where Muhammad personally officiated at his funeral.
He had no descendants. His widow, Hafsa, later married Muhammad.