‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib

This article is part of the series:
Islam

‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (Arabic: العباس بن عبد المطلب‎) (c. 566 – c. 653 CE) was a paternal uncle and Sahabi (companion) of Muhammad, just a few years older than his nephew. A wealthy merchant, during the early years of Islam he protected Muhammad while he was in Mecca, but only became a convert after the Battle of Badr in 624 CE (2 AH). His descendants founded the Abbassid caliphate in 750 CE[1]

Contents

Early years

Abbas was one of the youngest brothers of Muhammad's father Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib, born only a few years before his nephew Muhammad (570 - 632 CE). He became a wealthy merchant in Makka. During the early years while the Muslim religion was gaining adherents, Abbas provided protection to his kinsman but did not adopt the faith. However, shortly before the fall of Makka he turned away from the Quraysh rulers and gave his support to Mohammad.[2]

He married Lubaba bint al-Harith (Arabic: لبابة بنت الحارث‎) also known as Umm al-Fadl. Umm al-Fadl claimed to be the second woman to convert to Islam, the same day as her close friend Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first wife of Muhammad. Umm al-Fadl 's traditions of the Prophet appear in all canonical collections of hadiths. She showed her piety by supernumerary fasting, and by attacking Abu Lahab, the enemy of the Muslims, with a tent pole.[3]

He was the father of Abdullah ibn Abbas and Fadl ibn Abbas.[4]

Acceptance of Islam

Abbas was captured during the Battle of Badr and accepted Islam just before the fall of Mecca 20 years after his wife. Abbas was a big man and his captor Abu'l-Yasar was a slightly built man. The Prophet asked Abu'l Yasar how he managed the capture, and he said he was assisted by a person whom he described and whom Muhammad identified as a noble angel. Muhammad allowed al-Abbas to ransom himself and his nephew.[5] The Prophet then named him "last of the refugees" (Muhajirun), which entitled him to the proceeds of the spoils of the war. He was given the right to provide Zamzam water to pilgrims, which right was passed down to his descendants.[1]Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib is buried at the Jannatul Baqee' cemetery in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.[6]

Descendants

The Abbasid dynasty founded in 750 CE by Abu al-`Abbās `Abdu'llāh as-Saffāh claimed the title of caliph (literally "successor to the prophet") through their descent from Abbas's son Abdullah.[7]

Many other families claim direct descent from Abbas, including the Kalhora's of Sindh,[8] the Berber Banu Abbas,[9] and the modern-day Bawazir of Yemen[10] and Shaigiya and Ja'Alin of Sudan.[11] and Dhund Abbasi who are found in these areas of Pakistan: Murree, Circle Bakote of Hazara region and Azad Kashmir.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Huston Smith, Cyril Glasse (2002), The new encyclopedia of Islam, Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, ISBN 0759101906 
  2. ^ Annotated (1998), The history of al-Ṭabarī = (Taʼrīkh al-rusul waʼl mulūk), Albany: State University of New York Press, ISBN 0791428206 
  3. ^ Roded, Ruth (1994), Women in islamic biographical collections : from Ibn Saʻd to Who's who. P37-38, Boulder u.a.: Rienner, ISBN 1555874428 
  4. ^ Rogerson, Barnaby (1994), The heirs of Muhammad : Islam's first century and the origins of the Sunni-Shia split, Woodstock: Overlook Press, ISBN 1585678961 
  5. ^ Wahba, al-Mawardi Translated by Wafaa H (2000), The ordinances of government = Al-Aḥkām al-sulṭāniyya w'al-wilāyāt al-Dīniyya, Reading: Garnet, ISBN 1859641407 
  6. ^ Faruk Aksoy, Omer Faruk Aksoy (2007), The blessed cities of Islam, Makka-Madina, Somerset, NJ: Light Pub., ISBN 1597840610 
  7. ^ Ira Lapidus. A History of Islamic Societies. Cambridge University Press. 2002 ISBN 0-521-77056-4 p.54
  8. ^ History of Daudpota's, Altaf Daudpota, http://daudpota.weebly.com/index.html, retrieved 2009-04-12 
  9. ^ Brett, Michael Fentress (1997), The Berbers, Oxford: Blackwell, ISBN 0631207678 
  10. ^ Web Site of the Bawazir Abbasid Hashimite Family
  11. ^ Nicholls, W (1913), The Shaikiya: an Account of the Shaikiya Tribes and of the History of Dongola Province from the XIVth to the XIXth Century