Inspiring Life of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا

Young Companions

Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās

 رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا

Owais Yamin Attari

Being a Companion of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is a very lofty status. The books of sirah and history are filled with anecdotes about the noble Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ, highlighting their sacrifices for Islam, their unique status, and esteemed qualities. In this series, I will mention those Companions that were born during the worldly life of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, were honoured with his companionship and were blessed by him.

Brief introduction:

Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا was the son of the uncle of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyidunā ꜤAbbās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and the nephew of the mother of the believers Sayyidah Maymūna رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا. He was born three years prior to the Hijrah, in the Valley of Abū Ṭālib, where the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was being boycotted alongside his family and other Muslims by the people of al-Makkah al-Mukarramah due to propagating the call to Islam.^[1]

Blessings upon birth:

Describing his birth, Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates, “I was wrapped in a cloth and taken to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم who performed taḥnīk upon me with his blessed saliva.”^[2]

Supplication for knowledge and wisdom:

Once, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم held him tight to his chest and supplicated: اَللّٰهُمَّ عَلِّمْهُ الحِكْمَةَ “O Allah! Teach him wisdom.”^[3]

In one narration, he supplicated:

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَلِّمْهُ الكِتَابَ

“O Allah! Teach him the Book.”^[4]

Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once entered the privy, so I placed water for his ablution. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم enquired as to who had placed the water, and he was informed that it was I. So, he supplicated for me: اَللّٰهُمَّ فَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ “O Allah! Grant him understanding of the religion.”^[5]

Once, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم placed his blessed hand on his head and supplicated:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اَعْطِهِ الْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلِّمْهُ التَّاْوِيلَ

“O Allah! Grant him wisdom and teach him interpretation.”

Then he placed his blessed hand on his chest, such that he felt its coolness in his back and supplicated:

اَللّٰهُمَّ احْشِ جَوْفَه حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا

“O Allah! Fill his chest with wisdom and knowledge.”

The blessing of this manifested in such a way that he did not feel uneasiness in answering any question from people and was granted the title of “Erudite Scholar of this Ummah” (ḥibr hādhihi’l ummah).^[6]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated for a lot of good for him and said: “How good an interpreter of the Quran you are.”^[7]

In the home of his maternal aunt:

He narrates:

I once stayed at the home of my maternal aunt, Sayyidunā Maymūna رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا, intending to observe the Prophet’s night prayer. A sleeping mat was laid for the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, so I lay down horizontally at the cushion whilst the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his blessed wife lay lengthwise. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to sleep and awoke in the middle of the night or somewhat before or after it. He sat up rubbing his face with his hand. Then he recited the last 10 verses of Surah Āle-ꜤImrān. Following this, he went towards a hanging water skin, performed ablution perfectly, and stood for prayer.

Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا states:

I also arose and did as the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had done and stood to his left. Placing his right hand on my head and taking hold of my right ear, he ushered me to his right side. After prayer, he rested until the muezzin came to him and the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم offered two rakꜤats of prayer, after which he set off for the Fajr salah.^[8]

There is a further account of his like this one. Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا narrates, “Once, I came to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the last part of the night and began to pray standing behind the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم held me by the hand and stood me next to him. When he was deep in his prayer, I returned back. After the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم completed his prayer, he said, ‘Why is it that you returned back after I stood you next to me?’ I said, ‘Dear Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Is it allowed for someone to stand next to you and offer prayer whereas you are the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and Allah has granted you a remarkable rank?’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was pleased with this and supplicated for increased knowledge and understanding for me.”^[9]

He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates, “The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once seated me behind him on a conveyance. When I sat correctly, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم recited اَللہُ اَکبر three times, اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه three times, سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه  three times and لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللہ once.”^[10]

He has narrated 1660 Aḥādīth from the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.^[11]

He is the narrator of the famous hadith of placing two twigs of a green date palm-tree branch on two graves. He relates that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed two graves that punishment was descending upon and said, “These two inhabitants of these graves are being punished, and they are not being punished for anything big. One of them did not protect against urine drops, and the other used to tell tales.” Then, he called for a fresh date palm-tree branch and split it into two. He planted one on each of the two graves. The people asked: “Dear Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Why did you do this?” He replied, “As long as these do not become dry, the punishment of these two will be lightened.”^[12]

Passing

He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was approximately 13 years old at the time of the passing of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.^[13] He passed away in 71 AH in Taif, aged 68.^[14]

May Allah be pleased with him and grant us forgiveness without account for his sake.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم