Abu Khalid al-Kabuli () was a Shia Muslim and companion of Zayn al-ÿAbidën () and Muhammad al-Baqir (). He was known by the nicknames of Vardan and Kankar, which was commonly used by Zayn al-Abidin to address him, this nickname remained and his hadiths became famous with this nickname. He was one of the most notable followers of Zain al-Abidin, and was eminent in the 1st/7th century.
He was born in Kabul in present-day Afghanistan, though the date of his birth is not known. Initially, he was one of the companions of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, whose followers were known as Kaysanites, but like many Kaysanites later became a follower and companion of Ali al-Sajjad. The Ismailis believe that Ibn Hanafiyah was appointed by Husayn as a "temporary imam" as a cover to protect the real imam, Zayn al-Abidin. While accompanying and serving Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya, he met Zayn al-Abidin due to the guidance and insistence of Yahya ibn Umm Dawal, whose references he made about the high status of Zayn al-Abidin and the great respect that Muhammad ibn al-Hanifiyya had for him. According to tradition, when Zain al-Abidin called him by his childhood name, Kankar, he became sure of his Imamate. His mother gave him the nickname Kankar, but was not known by this nickname among the people of that time.
According to the prominent 10th century Shia theologian Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, during the lifetime of Zayn al-Abidin, few people knew his Imamate and followed him, except for five: Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Said ibn al-Musayyib, Muhammad ibn Jubayr ibn Muá¹Âýim, Yahya ibn Umm al-Tawil and Abu Khaled al-Kabuli. Abu Khaled Kabuli spent most of his life in Medina from 61 to 114.