As'ad ibn Zurara

Islamic miniature depicting Abu Hudhayfa ibn Utba (right) telling As'ad ibn Zurara he has become a Muslim, his house is depicted as clean (ritually and practically) and inhabited by a cat a visual shorthand for Islam. Asʿad ibn Zurāra (Arabic: أسعد بن زرارة) (died 623), often known by his kunya Abū Umāma, was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the first chief in Medina to become a Muslim.

Family As'ad was the son of Zurara ibn Udas and Suwad (al-Furaya) bint Rafi, both of the Malik branch of the Najjar clan of the Khazraj tribe in Medina. He had a brother, Saad, and two sisters, al-Faria and Ruwayba. Saad ibn Muadh, an important chief of the Aws tribe, was their maternal first cousin.

Conversion to Islam Medina was a divided city. The Khazraj and Aws tribes fought each other and also raided the Jews. Muhammad later arranged marriages for As'ad's daughters.

Since As'ad had not left any sons, the Najjar asked Muhammad to appoint a new leader for their clan. Muhammad replied, "You are my maternal uncles, and we belong together, so I will be your leader." The Najjar were pleased to have Muhammad as their new chief.