Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib

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Islam

Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (Arabic: ابو طالب بن عبدالمطلب‎) (549 – 619)]. He was the leader of the Bani Hashim (Arabic: بنو هاشم) clan of the Quraysh tribe of Mecca in Arabia. He was married to Fatima bint Asad and was an uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Abu Talib was an important supporter of Muhammad until his death, after which Muhammad and his followers left Mecca.

Contents

Biography

Pre-Islamic era

Abu Talib was a brother of Muhammad's father, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdul Muttalib, who had died before Muhammad's birth. After the death of his elder brother Az-Zubayr ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Abu Talib became the head of Bani Hashem. He was physically disabled, missing one leg,[1] and both made and sold perfume from his home.[2]

After the death of Muhammad's mother Aminah bint Wahab, Muhammad as a child was taken into the care of his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib. When Muhammad reached 8 years of age, Abdul Muttalib died, and Muhammad was transferred to the care of his uncle Abu Talib, the clan leader.[3] When Muhammad grew older, he began to work for his uncle, and took responsibility for Abu Talib's son Ali ibn Abu Talib.[4]

When an economic crisis struck Mecca, Abu Talib was heavily affected, and so Muhammad asked his uncles Hamza and Al-Abbas to help his uncle Abu Talib by adopting some of his children, either Ja'far, Aqeel, or Ali. They discussed this matter with Abu Talib, who asked that his favorite child Aqeel could be left with him. Al-Abbas chose Talib, Hamza chose Jafar, and Muhammad chose Ali.[5]

Protecting Muhammad

After Muhammad began preaching the message of Islam, members of the other Quraishite clans increasingly came to feel threatened by Muhammad. In attempts to quiet him, they would lean on Abu Talib to silence his nephew or control him. Despite these pressures, Abu Talib maintained his support of Muhammad, defending him from the other leaders of the Quraysh until Abu Talib's death, around 619,[6][7] roughly the same time as Muhammad's wife Khadijah, perhaps because of the persecution of the Quraysh. This year, according to Islamic tradition the saddest of Muhammad's life, is known as the Year of Sorrow. With the death of his uncle and wife, Muhammad had lost his protector and confidant, and shortly thereafter, left Mecca with his followers, on the first Hijra to migrate to Yathrib (Medina).[8]

Family

Abu Talib had three sons

and two daughters:

See also

References

  1. ^ Al-Ma'arif, Ibn Qutai'ba, p.252
  2. ^ Al-Ma-arif, p.252
  3. ^ Armstrong, Karen (2006). Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time. New York: HarperOne. pp. 24. ISBN 9780061155772. 
  4. ^ Sahih al-Tirmidhi (vol 2 p.301), At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra - ibn Sa'd (vol 3 kklkp.12), Usd Al-Ghabah (vol 4 p.17), Kanzol Ummal (vol 6 p.400), Tareekh Al-Tabari (vol 2 p.55), Tareekh Baghdad (vol 2 p.18), to name a few...
  5. ^ Tareekh Al-Tabari (vol 2 p.63), Tareekh ibn Al-Atheer (vol 2 p.24), Musnad of Ahmed ibn Hanbal (vol 1 p.159), As-Seera An-Nabawiyyah by ibn Katheer (vol 1 p.457-459).
  6. ^ Armstrong, Karen (2002). Islam: A Short History. New York: Modern Library. pp. 13. ISBN 081296618-X. 
  7. ^ Wife of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWAS)
  8. ^ "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet" (documentary). PBS. 2002. 
Preceded by
Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib		 head of Banu Hashim
?–619		 Succeeded by
Abu Lahab