ABDULLAH IBN ABBAAS
Abdullah was the son of Abbaas , an uncle of the
noble Prophet . He was born just three years before
the Hijrah. When the Prophet died, Abdullah was thus
only thirteen years old.
When he was born, his mother took him to the blessed
Prophet who put some of his saliva on the babe's
tongue even before he began to suckle. This was the
beginning of the close and intimate tie between Abbaas
and the Prophet that was to be part of a life-long
love and devotion.
When Abdullah reached the age of discretion, he
attached himself to the service of the Prophet . He
would run to fetch water for him when he wanted to
make Wudoo. During Salaah, he would stand behind the
Prophet in prayer and when the Prophet went on
journeys or expeditions, he would follow next in line
to him. Abdullah thus became like the shadow of the
Prophet , constantly in his company.
In all these situations he was attentive and alert to
whatever the Prophet did and said. His heart was
enthusiastic and his young mind was pure and
uncluttered, committing the Prophet 's words to memory
with the capacity and accuracy of a recording
instrument. In this way and through his constant
researches later, as we shall see, Abdullah became
one of the most learned companions of the Prophet ,
preserving on behalf of later generations of Muslims,
the priceless words of the Messenger of God. It is
said that he committed to memory about one thousand,
six hundred and sixty sayings of the Prophet which
are recorded and authenticated in the collections of
al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet would often draw Abdullah as a child
close to him, pat him on the shoulder and pray: "O
Lord, make him acquire a deep understanding of the
religion of Islam and instruct him in the meaning and
interpretation of things."
There were many occasions thereafter when the blessed
Prophet would repeat this dua or prayer for his
cousin and before long Abdullah ibn Abbas realized
that his life was to be devoted to the pursuit of
learning and knowledge.
The Prophet moreover prayed that he be granted not
just knowledge and understanding but wisdom. Abdullah
related the following incident about himself: "Once
the Prophet, , was on the point of performing wudu. I
hurried to get water ready for him. He was pleased
with what I was doing. As he was about to begin
Salat, he indicated that I should stand at his side.
However, I stood behind him. When the Salat was
finished, he turned to me and said: 'What prevented
you from being at my side, O Abdullah?' 'You are too
illustrious and too great in my eyes for me to stand
side by side with you,' I replied.
Raising his hands to the heavens, the Prophet then
prayed: 'O Lord, grant him wisdom." The Prayer of the
Prophet undoubtedly was granted for the young
Abdullah was to prove time and again that he
possessed a wisdom beyond his years. But it was a
wisdom that came only with devotion and the dogged
pursuit of knowledge both during the Prophet's
lifetime and after his death.
During the lifetime of the Prophet, Abdullah would
not miss any of his assemblies and he would commit to
memory whatever he said. After the Prophet passed
away, he would take care to go to as many companions
as possible especially those who knew the Prophet
longer and learn from them what the Prophet had taught
them. Whenever he heard that someone knew a hadith of
the Prophet which he did not know he would go quickly
to him and record it. He would subject whatever he
heard to close scrutiny and check it against other
reports. He would go to as many as thirty companions
to verify a single matter.
Abdullah described what he once did on hearing that a
companion of the Prophet knew a hadith unknown to
him: "I went to him during the time of the afternoon
siesta and spread my cloak in front of his door. The
wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I
wished I could have sought his permission to enter and
he would certainly have given me permission. But I
preferred to wait on him so that he could be
completely refreshed. Coming out of his house and
seeing me in that condition he said: 'O cousin of the
Prophet! What's the matter with you? If you had sent
for me I would have come to you.' 'I am the one who
should come to you, for knowledge is sought, it does
not just come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith
and learnt from him."
In this way, the dedicated Abdullah would ask, and
ask, and go on asking. And he would sift and
scrutinize the information he had collected with his
keen and meticulous mind.
It was not only in the collection of hadith that
Abdullah specialized. He devoted himself to
acquiring knowledge in a wide variety of fields. He
had a special admiration for persons like Zayd ibn
Thabit , the recorder of the revelation, the leading
judge and jurist consult in Madinah, an expert in the
laws of inheritance and in reading the Quran. When
Zayd intended to go on a trip, the young Abdullah
would stand humbly at his side and taking hold of the
reins of his mount would adopt the attitude of a
humble servant in the presence of his master. Zayd
would say to him: "Don't, O cousin of the Prophet."
"Thus we were commanded to treat the learned ones
among us," Abdullah would say. "And Zayd would say
to him in turn: "Let me see your hand." Abdullah
would stretch out his hand. Zayd, taking it, would
kiss it and say: "Thus we were commanded to treat the
ahl al-bayt members of the household of the Prophet "
As Abdullah 's knowledge grew, he grew in stature.
Masruq ibn al Ajda said of him: "Whenever I saw Ibn
Abbaas , I would say: He is the most handsome of men.
When he spoke, I would say: He is the most eloquent of
men. And when he held a conversation, I would say: He
is the most knowledgeable of men."
The Khalifah Umar ibn al-Khattab often sought his
advice on important matters of state and described him
as "the young man of maturity".
Sad ibn abi Waqqas described him with these words: "I
have never seen someone who was quicker in
understanding, who had more knowledge and greater
wisdom than Ibn Abbaas I have seen Umar summon him
to discuss difficult problems in the presence of
veterans of Badr from among the Muhajirin and Ansar.
Ibn Abbaas would speak and Umar would not disregard
what he had to say."
It is these qualities which resulted in Abdullah ibn
Abbaas being known as "the learned man of this
Ummah".
Abdullah ibn Abbaas was not content to accumulate
knowledge. He felt he had a duty to the ummah to
educate those in search of knowledge and the general
masses of the Muslim community. He turned to teaching
and his house became a university - yes, a university
in the full sense of the word, a university with
specialized teaching but with the difference that
there was only one teacher Abdullah ibn Abbaas .
There was an enthusiastic response to Abdullah 's
classes. One of his companions described a typical
scene in front of his house: "I saw people converging
on the roads leading to his house until there was
hardly any room in front of his house. I went in and
told him about the crowds of people at his door and he
said: 'Get me water for wudu.'
He performed wudu and, seating himself, said: 'Go out
and say to them: Whoever wants to ask about the Qur'ân
and its letters (pronunciation) let him enter.'
This I did and people entered until the house was
filled. Whatever he was asked, Abdullah was able to
elucidate and even provide additional information to
what was asked. Then (to his students) he said: 'Make
way for your brothers.'
Then to me he said: 'Go out and say: Who wants to ask
about the Qur'ân and its interpretation, let him
enter'.
Again the house was filled and Abdullah elucidated
and provided more information than what was
requested."
And so it continued with groups of people coming in to
discuss fiqh (jurisprudence), halal and haram (the
lawful and the prohibited in Islam), inheritance laws,
Arabic language, poetry and etymology.
To avoid congestion with many groups of people coming
to discuss various subjects on a single day, Abdullah
decided to devote one day exclusively for a particular
discipline. On one day, only the exegesis of the
Qur'ân would be taught while on another day only fiqh
(jurisprudence). The maghazi or campaigns of the
Prophet , poetry, Arab history before Islam were each
allocated a special day.
Abdullah ibn Abbaas brought to his teaching a
powerful memory and a formidable intellect. His
explanations were precise, clear and logical. His
arguments were persuasive and supported by pertinent
textual evidence and historical facts.
One occasion when his formidable powers of persuasion
was used was during the caliphate of Ali. A large
number of supporters of Ali in his stand against
Muawiyah had just deserted him. Abdullah ibn Abbas
went to Ali and requested permission to speak to them.
Ali hesitated fearing that Abdullah would be in
danger at their hands but eventually gave way on
Abdullah 's optimism that nothing untoward would
happen.
Abdullah went over to the group. They were absorbed
in worship. Some were not willing to let him speak but
others were prepared to give him a hearing.
"Tell me" asked Abdullah , "what grievances have you
against the cousin of the Prophet , the husband of his
daughter and the first of those who believed in him?"
"The men proceeded to relate three main complaints
against Ali. First, that he appointed men to pass
judgment in matters pertaining to the religion of God
- meaning that Ali had agreed to accept the
arbitration of Abu Musa al-Asbari and Amr ibn al-As
in the dispute with Muawiyah Secondly, that he fought
and did not take booty nor prisoners of war. Thirdly,
that he did not insist on the title of Amir al-Muminin
during the arbitration process although the Muslims
had pledged allegiance to him and he was their
legitimate amir. To them this was obviously a sign of
weakness and a sign that Ali was prepared to bring his
legitimate position as Amir al-Muminin into disrepute.
In reply, Abdullah asked them that should he cite
verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet to
which they had no objection and which related to their
criticisms, would they be prepared to change their
position. They replied that they would and Abdullah
proceeded: "Regarding your statement that Ali has
appointed men to pass judgment in matters pertaining
to Allah's religion, Allah Glorified and Exalted is
He, says: 'O you who believe! Kill not game while in
the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. If any of you
do so intentionally, the compensation is an offering,
of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed
and adjudged by two just men among." "I adjure you, by
God! Is the adjudication by men in matters pertaining
to the preservation of their blood and their lives and
making peace between them more deserving of attention
than adjudication over a rabbit whose value is only a
quarter of a dirham?"
Their reply was of course that arbitration was more
important in the case of preserving Muslim lives and
making peace among them than over the killing of game
in the sacred precincts for which Allah sanctioned
arbitration by men.
"Have we then finished with this point?" asked
Abdullah and their reply was: "Allahumma, naam - O
Lord, yes!" Abdullah went on: "As for your statement
that Ali fought and did not take prisoners of war as
the Prophet did, do you really desire to take your
"mother" Aaishah as a captive and treat her as fair
game in the way that captives are treated? If your
answer is "Yes", then you have fallen into kufr
(disbelief). And if you say that she is not your
"mother", you would also have fallen into a state of
kufr for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has said:
'The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own
selves and his wives are their mothers (entitled to
respect and consideration).' (The Quran, Surah
al-Ahzab, 34:6).
"Choose for yourself what you want," said Abdullah
and then he asked: "Have we then finished with this
point?" and this time too their reply was: "Allahumma,
naam - O Lord, yes!" Abdullah went on: "As for your
statement that Ali has surrendered the title of Amir
al-Muminin, (remember) that the Prophet himself, peace
and blessings of God be on him, at the time of
Hudaybiyyah, demanded that the mushrikin write in the
truce which he concluded with them: 'This is what the
Messenger of God has agreed...' and they retorted: 'If
we believed that you were the Messenger of God we
would not have blocked your way to the Kabah nor would
we have fought you. Write instead: 'Muhammad the son
of Abdullah.' The Prophet conceded their demand while
saying: 'By God, I am the Messenger of God even if
they reject me." At this point Abdullah ibn Abbas
asked the dissidents: "Have we then finished with this
point? and their reply was once again:
"Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!"
One of the fruits of this verbal challenge in which
Abdullah displayed his intimate knowledge of the
Quran and the sirah of the Prophet as well as his
remarkable powers of argument and persuasion, was that
the majority, about twenty thousand men, returned to
the ranks of Ali. About four thousand however remained
obdurate. These latter came to be known as Kharijites.
On this and other occasions, the courageous Abdullah
showed that he preferred peace above war, and logic
against force and violence. However, he was not only
known for his courage, his perceptive thought and his
vast knowledge. He was also known for his great
generosity and hospitality. Some of his contemporaries
said of his household: "We have not seen a house which
has more food or drink or fruit or knowledge than the
house of Ibn Abbaas ."
He had a genuine and abiding concern for people. He
was thoughtful and caring. He once said: "When I
realize the importance of a verse of God's Book, I
would wish that all people should know what I know.
"When I hear of a Muslim ruler who deals equitably and
rules justly, I am happy on his account and I pray for
him...
"When I hear of rains which fail on the land of
Muslims, that fills me with happiness..."
Abdullah ibn Abbaas was constant in his devotions. He
kept voluntary fasts regularly and often stayed up at
night in Prayer. He would weep while praying and
reading the Qur'ân. And when reciting verses dealing
with death, resurrection and the life hereafter his
voice would be heavy from deep sobbing.
He passed away at the age of seventy one in the
mountainous city of Taif.
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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