Ashab
/ʔaṣˈħaːb/noun
An Arabic plural term meaning companions, especially the companions of the Prophet Muhammad or members of a particular religious group.
Did you know?In Islamic terminology, aṣḥāb most famously refers to the companions of Muhammad, while aṣḥāb al-kahf means “the companions of the cave,” the sleepers from the Qur’anic story.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ṣ-ḥ-b
“A reconstructed root associated with accompanying or keeping company.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣāḥib
“Companion, associate, or person who accompanies another.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
aṣḥāb
“Plural of ṣāḥib: companions, associates, or followers.”
7th Century
Arabic
Aṣḥāb al-Nabī
“The companions of the Prophet Muhammad, an important early Islamic community.”
Medieval to Modern English
English
Ashab
“A transliteration used in English-language Islamic, Arabic, and historical writing for aṣḥāb.”