Abbas ibn Abd-al-Muttalib (c. 566 – c. 653) (Arabic: العباس بن عبد المطلب) was a paternal uncle and Sahaba of Muhammad.

Biography

His father was Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim.

He married Umm al-Fadl Lubaba and is the father of Abdullah ibn Abbas and Fadl ibn Abbas.

He was only born a few years before his nephew, and was one of Muhammad's father's youngest brothers. As a wealthy merchant he initially did not accept Islam, but converted in 629 and later got along well with his nephew. He became the chief financial support of Islam. Through his son Abdullah ibn Abbas, the later Abbasid dynasty would claim the title of caliph (literally "successor to the prophet").

According to Sunni sources he did not give alleigance to Abu Bakr until Ali did so.

His descendants founded the Abbasid Dynasty.

He is buried at the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery in Medina.

Some sources say he could have been the father of Muawiya I Shi'a claim several Sunni sources state that Muˤāwiyya was conceived in a form of polyandry called Nikah Ijtimah^*.

The sources list four people thought of being his father:

1. Abu-ibn-Umar ibn Musaafir (or Musaafir Abu Umar)
2. Umar ibn Walid
3. Abbas ibn Abd-al-Muttalib or Abu Sufyan.
4. Sabah the Ethiopian or a unknown fourth.

Some list Abu Sufyan as one of the four, other do not. In any case, he accepted him as his father. For this reason, Shi'a name him "Muˤāwiyya ibn Hind", after his mother whom they regard as the prostitute that killed her black children, became married to Muhammads arch enemy and chewed Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalibs liver.

Sources quoted:

• Ibn Abu al-Hadid in Sharh Nahjul Balagha Volume 10 page 130
• Rabi'ul Abrar by Allamah Zamakhshari Volume 3 page 551 ^*
• Tadkhirath al Khawwas page 114 Chapter 7
• Thanzeeya al Nasab fi Kubul al Arab
• Sharh Ibn al Hadeed Volume 4 page 94 under the Chapter "Mun Kitab Ziyad Ubayya"
• Muasalib ibne Sa'man munkool uz thun'zeey al Nasab page 97
• al-Nasa'ih al-Kaafiyah page 85

Umm Fadl claimed to be the second woman to revert to Islam, the same day as her close friend Khadijah. Officially, Abbas accepted Islam just before the fall of Makkah 20 years later ^*.

See also

• Family tree of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib
• Sahaba
• Abd-al-Muttalib (name)
• Abbas (name)

References