Shaiba ibn Hashim
Encyclopedia
Shaiba ibn Hashim better known as or Abd al-Muttalib, since he was raised by his uncle Muttalib, was the grandfather of Islamic prophet
Muhammad
.
from the Banu Najjar
tribe in Yathrib (later called, Madinah). On his father's side he belonged to the distinguished Banu Hashim
clan
, a subgroup of the Quraish tribe of Makkah which traced their genealogy
to Isma'il and Ibrahim. His father died while doing business in Gaza
, before he was born.
He was given the name "Shaiba" meaning 'the ancient one' or 'white-haired' for the streak of white hair amidst his jet-black hair on his head. After his father's death he was raised in Yathrib with his mother and her family until about the age of eight, when his uncle Mutallib went to see him and asked his mother Salma bint `Amr to entrust Shaiba in his care. Salma was unwilling to let her son go and the Shaiba refused to leave his mother without her consent. Mutallib then pointed out that the possibilities Yathrib had to offer were incomparable to Makkah. Salma was impressed with his arguments, so she agreed to let him go. Upon first arriving in Makkah, the people assumed the unknown child was Muttalib's slave, giving him the name `Abdu'l-Muttalib (slave of Muttalib). When Muttalib died, Shaiba succeeded him as the chief of the Banu Hashim clan.
Before Islam, Arabs used to make their decisions by drawing arrows of divinity placed at the feet of their deities. `Abdul Muttalib took all of his sons to Ka'bah. He had to select one of his sons for sacrifice. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim decided to select one of his sons for sacrifice, by drawing arrows that were placed at the feet of Hubal
, a statue inside Ka'bah. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim asked each of his sons to bring an arrow each with his name written on it which were then drawn at the feet of Hubal inside Ka'bah. `Abdul Muttalib approached the arrows and picked one of them. The name of his youngest son `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib was picked up for the sacrifice. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim took `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib to the sacrificial spot near Ka'bah, for sacrificing him.
`Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib was loved by every one. His sisters, brothers and other residents of Makkah requested `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim to spare the life of `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib. They advised `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim to get another opinion. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim and his family went to Yathrib (Madinah) to seek advise from a priestess, Shiya, who lived there. She advised them to barter the life of `Abdullah with ten camels, the normal Diyya
(Blood Money) for murder. She further advised them to go on adding ten camels till `Abdullah's name was not picked.
`Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim and his family returned to Makkah and tried their luck again at the feet of Hubal. Another draw was made between `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib and ten (10) camels. Again, the `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib name was picked-up. Ten camels were added to the lot.
Another draw by made. This process was repeated many times. Finally, a draw was made between `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib and one hundred camels. This time the camels were picked up. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim got this result verified. One hundred camels were picked up three times in a row. One hundred camels were slaughtered in exchange of `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib.
tradition, the Ethiopian
governor of Yemen
, Abraha al-Ashram
, envied the Ka'bah's reverence among the Arabs and, being a Christian
, he built a cathedral in Sana'a
and ordered pilgrimage be made there. The order was ignored and someone desecrated (some saying in the form of defecation
) the cathedral. Abraha decided to avenge this act by demolishing the Ka'bah and he advanced with an army towards Makkah.
There were many elephants in Abraha's army and the year came to be known as Am al-Fil (Year of the Elephant
), beginning a trend for reckoning the years in Arabia which was used until Umar ibn al Khattab
replaced it with the Islamic Calendar
.
When news of the advance of Abraha's army came, the Arab tribes of Quraish, Banu Kinanah
, Banu Khuza'a
and Banu Hudhail
united in defense of the Ka'bah. A man from the Himyar
tribe was sent by Abraha to advise them that Abraha only wished to demolish the Ka'bah and if they resisted, they would be crushed. `Abdu'l-Muttalib told the Meccans to seek refuge in the nearest high hills while he with some leading members of Quraish, remained within the precincts of the Ka'bah. Abraha sent a dispatch inviting `Abdu'l-Muttalib to meet with Abraha and discuss matters. When `Abdu'l-Muttalib left the meeting he was heard saying, "The Owner of this House is its Defender, and I am sure He will save it from the attack of the adversaries and will not dishonor the servants of His House."
It is recorded that when Abraha's forces neared the Ka'bah, Allah commanded small birds which destroyed Abrah's army with raining pebbles from their beaks. Abraha was seriously wounded and he retreated towards Yemen but died on the way. This event is referred to in the following Qur'anic chapter:
This conflict occurred in 570, the same year Muhammad
was born.
, Halah bint Wahab, and Natila bint Khabab - Khizriji.
From Sumra bint Jandab:
From Lubna bint Hajira:
From Fatimah bint Amr
:
From Halah bint Wahib:
From Natila bint Khabab - Khizriji:
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib of Banu Hashim
and Aminah bint Wahab
of Banu Zuhra were the parents of the Muhammad
. ‘Abdullah died four months before Muhammad's birth, and Aminah bint Wahab was taken care of by Shaiba. Aminah also died six years later and Shaiba ibn Hashim died in 578 when Muhammad was eight. Shaiba ibn Hashim's grave can be found in Jannatul Mualla
cemetery in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
.
Following the death of his grandfather, Muhammad was then taken into the care of his uncle Abu Talib
(the father of Ali
), a prominent Quraysh chief and custodian of the Ka'bah
.
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
.
Early life
His father was Hashim ibn `Abd Manaf and his mother was Salma bint `AmrSalma bint Amr
Salma bint Amr was the wife of Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf, thus the great-grandmother of Islamic prophet Muhammad. She was one of the most influential women of the Banu Khazraj tribe and the daughter of 'Amr of Banu Najjar clan...
from the Banu Najjar
Banu Najjar
The Banu Najjar was one of the Jewish tribes of Arabia during Muhammad's era.They were included in point 31 of the Constitution of Medina as allies to the Muslims, being as "one nation", but retaining their Jewish religion .-People:*Rumaysa bint Milhan...
tribe in Yathrib (later called, Madinah). On his father's side he belonged to the distinguished Banu Hashim
Banu Hashim
Banū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraysh tribe. Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to by the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or Huseini or Hasani...
clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
, a subgroup of the Quraish tribe of Makkah which traced their genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
to Isma'il and Ibrahim. His father died while doing business in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, before he was born.
He was given the name "Shaiba" meaning 'the ancient one' or 'white-haired' for the streak of white hair amidst his jet-black hair on his head. After his father's death he was raised in Yathrib with his mother and her family until about the age of eight, when his uncle Mutallib went to see him and asked his mother Salma bint `Amr to entrust Shaiba in his care. Salma was unwilling to let her son go and the Shaiba refused to leave his mother without her consent. Mutallib then pointed out that the possibilities Yathrib had to offer were incomparable to Makkah. Salma was impressed with his arguments, so she agreed to let him go. Upon first arriving in Makkah, the people assumed the unknown child was Muttalib's slave, giving him the name `Abdu'l-Muttalib (slave of Muttalib). When Muttalib died, Shaiba succeeded him as the chief of the Banu Hashim clan.
Vow to Sacrifice `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib
For a long time, `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim had only one son Harith. He always prayed for more sons. He also made a vow to Allah, he would sacrifice one of them, if all of them grew up to young age. With time `Abdul Muttalib had nine more sons. When all his sons grew up into fine young men, `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim remembered that he had made a vow to sacrifice one of them to Allah.Before Islam, Arabs used to make their decisions by drawing arrows of divinity placed at the feet of their deities. `Abdul Muttalib took all of his sons to Ka'bah. He had to select one of his sons for sacrifice. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim decided to select one of his sons for sacrifice, by drawing arrows that were placed at the feet of Hubal
Hubal
Hubal was a god worshipped in pre-Islamic Arabia, notably at the Kaaba in Mecca.-Hubal in Mecca:Hubal most prominently appears at Mecca, where an image of his was worshipped at the Kaaba. According to Karen Armstrong, the sanctuary was dedicated to Hubal, who was worshipped as the greatest of the...
, a statue inside Ka'bah. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim asked each of his sons to bring an arrow each with his name written on it which were then drawn at the feet of Hubal inside Ka'bah. `Abdul Muttalib approached the arrows and picked one of them. The name of his youngest son `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib was picked up for the sacrifice. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim took `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib to the sacrificial spot near Ka'bah, for sacrificing him.
`Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib was loved by every one. His sisters, brothers and other residents of Makkah requested `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim to spare the life of `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib. They advised `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim to get another opinion. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim and his family went to Yathrib (Madinah) to seek advise from a priestess, Shiya, who lived there. She advised them to barter the life of `Abdullah with ten camels, the normal Diyya
Diyya
Diyya is compensation paid to the heirs of a victim. In Arabic, the word means both blood money and ransom.-Islamic and Arab tradition:The Qur'an specifies the principle of Qisas Diyya (plural: Diyyat; ) is compensation paid to the heirs of a victim. In Arabic, the word means both blood money and...
(Blood Money) for murder. She further advised them to go on adding ten camels till `Abdullah's name was not picked.
`Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim and his family returned to Makkah and tried their luck again at the feet of Hubal. Another draw was made between `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib and ten (10) camels. Again, the `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib name was picked-up. Ten camels were added to the lot.
Another draw by made. This process was repeated many times. Finally, a draw was made between `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib and one hundred camels. This time the camels were picked up. `Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim got this result verified. One hundred camels were picked up three times in a row. One hundred camels were slaughtered in exchange of `Abdullah ibn `Abdul Muttalib.
The Year of the Elephant
According to MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
tradition, the Ethiopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
governor of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, Abraha al-Ashram
Abraha
Abraha also known as Abraha al-Ashram or Abraha b...
, envied the Ka'bah's reverence among the Arabs and, being a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, he built a cathedral in Sana'a
Sana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
and ordered pilgrimage be made there. The order was ignored and someone desecrated (some saying in the form of defecation
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
) the cathedral. Abraha decided to avenge this act by demolishing the Ka'bah and he advanced with an army towards Makkah.
There were many elephants in Abraha's army and the year came to be known as Am al-Fil (Year of the Elephant
Year of the Elephant
The Year of the Elephant is the name in Islamic history for the year approximately equating to 570 AD. According to Islamic tradition, it was in this year that Muhammad was born...
), beginning a trend for reckoning the years in Arabia which was used until Umar ibn al Khattab
Umar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
replaced it with the Islamic Calendar
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
.
When news of the advance of Abraha's army came, the Arab tribes of Quraish, Banu Kinanah
Banu Kinanah
Banu Kinanah is the largest Adnanite tribe of western Saudi Arabia in Hejaz. Since Islamization they started to claim that they are descended from Kinanah, who was a grandson of Ilyas who was named after the prophet Elijah.- Ancestry :The tribe traces a genealogical history backwards from their...
, Banu Khuza'a
Banu Khuza'a
the Khuza'a or Banu Khuza'a form a branch of the South Arabian tribe of Azd-Origin:Most traditionalists trace the origins of the tribe to Amr ibn Lahi al-Khuza'i, and agree that with the other branches of the Azd they at some point left the Yemen and moved north. 'Amr ibn Luhay and his clan...
and Banu Hudhail
Banu Hothail
Banu Hothail are an Adnanite tribe of western Saudi Arabia in Hijjaz. They are descended from Hothail, who was a grandson of Ilyas who was named after the prophet Elijah.- Ancestry :...
united in defense of the Ka'bah. A man from the Himyar
Himyar
The Himyarite Kingdom or Himyar , historically referred to as the Homerite Kingdom by the Greeks and the Romans, was a kingdom in ancient Yemen. Established in 110 BC, it took as its capital the modern day city of Sana'a after the ancient city of Zafar...
tribe was sent by Abraha to advise them that Abraha only wished to demolish the Ka'bah and if they resisted, they would be crushed. `Abdu'l-Muttalib told the Meccans to seek refuge in the nearest high hills while he with some leading members of Quraish, remained within the precincts of the Ka'bah. Abraha sent a dispatch inviting `Abdu'l-Muttalib to meet with Abraha and discuss matters. When `Abdu'l-Muttalib left the meeting he was heard saying, "The Owner of this House is its Defender, and I am sure He will save it from the attack of the adversaries and will not dishonor the servants of His House."
It is recorded that when Abraha's forces neared the Ka'bah, Allah commanded small birds which destroyed Abrah's army with raining pebbles from their beaks. Abraha was seriously wounded and he retreated towards Yemen but died on the way. This event is referred to in the following Qur'anic chapter:
This conflict occurred in 570, the same year Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
was born.
Descendants of Shaiba ibn Hashim
Shaiba ibn Hashim married Sumra bint Jandab, Lubna bint Hajira, Fatimah bint AmrFatimah bint Amr
Fatimah bint Amr was the grandmother of Islamic prophet Muhammad, and one of the wives of Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim. She was from Quraysh of the Banu Makhzum clan, her co-wives were from outlaying tribes and had relatively little influence in Makkah.Her full name was: Fatimah bint `Amr ibn...
, Halah bint Wahab, and Natila bint Khabab - Khizriji.
From Sumra bint Jandab:
- Harith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
From Lubna bint Hajira:
- Abu Lahab ‘Abd al-Uzza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
From Fatimah bint Amr
Fatimah bint Amr
Fatimah bint Amr was the grandmother of Islamic prophet Muhammad, and one of the wives of Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim. She was from Quraysh of the Banu Makhzum clan, her co-wives were from outlaying tribes and had relatively little influence in Makkah.Her full name was: Fatimah bint `Amr ibn...
:
- Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-MuttalibAbu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-MuttalibAbi Tlib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib also known as Abu Talib ibn al-Muttalib.Talib was in reality the elder son of Abd Munāf and elder brother to Ali Ibn Abd Munāf. He was an head of Bani Hashim clan of Quraysh tribe of Mecca in Arabia. He was married to Fatima bint Asad and was an uncle of the...
- Father of AliAli' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
, the first Shia Imam & fourth CaliphCaliphThe Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"... - Az-Zubayr ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
- ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib - Father of Muhammad
From Halah bint Wahib:
- Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-MuttalibHamza ibn ‘Abd al-MuttalibHamza ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib [b.568-d.625] was the paternal uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and his foster-brother. He and Muhammad were raised together as they were almost the same age. With excellence in the arts of wrestling and swordsmanship...
- Muqum ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
- Hijl ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
- Safiyyah bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib
From Natila bint Khabab - Khizriji:
- ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
- ‘Zarrar ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib of Banu Hashim
Banu Hashim
Banū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraysh tribe. Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to by the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or Huseini or Hasani...
and Aminah bint Wahab
Aminah bint Wahb
Aminah bint Wahb was the mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.-Biography According to Islamic History:The daughter of Wahb ibn 'Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah ibn Kilab ibn Murrah, Aminah was born in Mecca. She was a member of the Banu Zuhrah clan in the tribe of Quraysh who were descendants of Ibrahim ...
of Banu Zuhra were the parents of the Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. ‘Abdullah died four months before Muhammad's birth, and Aminah bint Wahab was taken care of by Shaiba. Aminah also died six years later and Shaiba ibn Hashim died in 578 when Muhammad was eight. Shaiba ibn Hashim's grave can be found in Jannatul Mualla
Jannatul Mualla
Jannatul Mualla also known as Al-Hajun, is a famous cemetery located in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.-History:...
cemetery in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Following the death of his grandfather, Muhammad was then taken into the care of his uncle Abu Talib
Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
Abi Tlib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib also known as Abu Talib ibn al-Muttalib.Talib was in reality the elder son of Abd Munāf and elder brother to Ali Ibn Abd Munāf. He was an head of Bani Hashim clan of Quraysh tribe of Mecca in Arabia. He was married to Fatima bint Asad and was an uncle of the...
(the father of Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
), a prominent Quraysh chief and custodian of the Ka'bah
Kaaba
The Kaaba is a cuboid-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam. The Qur'an states that the Kaaba was constructed by Abraham, or Ibraheem, in Arabic, and his son Ishmael, or Ismaeel, as said in Arabic, after he had settled in Arabia. The building has a mosque...
.
See also
- Family tree of MuhammadFamily tree of Muhammad-Family tree:* Note that direct lineage is marked in bold.* * indicates that the marriage order is disputed-Genealogy:Wathilah ibn al-Asqa narrated the Prophet Muhammad said;-Muhammad to Adnan:...
- Family tree of Shaiba ibn HashimFamily tree of Shaiba ibn Hashim-Lineage of Shaiba ibn Hashim:Shaiba ibn Hashim was the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad, who was the cousin and father-in-law of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was the fourth and last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs according to Sunni Muslims and the first Imam according to Shia Muslims...
- SahabaSahabaIn Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
- MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...