Fadl ibn Abbas

Fadl ibn Abbas (614-639) was a brother of Abdullah ibn Abbas and was a cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Biography

Fadl was the eldest son of Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, an uncle of Muhammad and a wealthy merchant of Mecca, and of Lubaba bint al-Harith, a sister of Muhammad's wife Maymuna.[1] His family emigrated to Medina in 630.[2]

According to his brother Abdullah, Fadl was an extremely handsome man. At the Farewell Pilgrimage in March 632, he rode pillion on Muhammad’s camel. On his own admission, he gazed at a pretty girl on another camel so intently that Muhammad had to take his chin and turn his face away from her three times.[3][4][5] It was concerning this incident that Muhammad made his famous remark: “I saw a young man and a young woman, and I could not trust Satan with them.”[6]

Fadl married his cousin, Safiya bint Mahmiya,[7][8][9] and they had one daughter, Umm Kulthoom, who was born in Muhammad's lifetime.[10] He also married Amra bint Yazid of the Kilab tribe, but this marriage ended in divorce after only a few months.[11]

When Muhammad succumbed to his final illness, it was Fadl and his cousin Ali who supported him in his final walk to Aisha's house.[12] After Muhammad's death, Fadl was one of those who entered his grave and helped to lay his corpse.[13]

He took part in many battles of the Muslims against Europeans and Persians.[14] He was among those who "stood firm" at the Battle of Hunayn.[15]

Fadl transmitted some hadiths about Muhammad, but he did not live long enough to be known as a great teacher. He died of the plague in Amwas, Syria, in 18 AH (639 CE), aged about 25.[16][17]

Status in Shia Islam

He is well regarded by Shias since he refused to give his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr, unless Ali did so.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk. Translated by Landau-Tasseron, E. (1998). Volume 39: Biographies of the Prophet's Companions and Their Successors, p. 201. Albany: State University of New York Press.
  2. ↑ Tabari (Landau-Tasseron) p. 202.
  3. ↑ Bukhari 8:74:247.
  4. ↑ Ibn Hanbal, Musnad. Translated by Al-Khattab, N., vol. 2 p. 218 #1805. Riyadh: Darussalem.
  5. ↑ Ibn Hanbal (Khattab) vol. 2 p. 222 #1818.
  6. ↑ Ibn Kathir (Le Gassick) vol. 4 p. 265.
  7. ↑ Muslim 5:2347.
  8. ↑ Abu Dawud 19:2979.
  9. ↑ Ibn Hajar, Isaba, vol. 7 #11412; vol. 8 #12064.
  10. ↑ Ibn Hajar, Isaba, vol. 8 #12234.
  11. ↑ Guillaume, A. (1960). New Life on the Light of Muhammad, p. 55. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
  12. ↑ Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, p. 679. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  13. ↑ Ibn Ishaq (Guillaume) pp. 688-689.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Peshawar Nights on Al-Islam.org
  15. ↑ Ibn Ishaq (Guillaume) p. 569.
  16. ↑ Tabari (Landau-Tasseron) p. 95.
  17. ↑ "Fadl bin 'Abbas". Retrieved 21 June 2014.

External links