Umayah ibn Khalaf
Encyclopedia
Umayyah ibn Khalaf ibn Safwan was a Mecca
n Arab
, a leading member of the Quraish and head of the of Bani Jumah. He was an opponent of the Muslim
s led by Muhammad
and is best known as the master of Bilal ibn Ribah
, a slave he tortured for converting to Islam
.
Other transliterations of the name in include Umayya, Umaiiya and Umaiya.
Nisbah: ‘Umaiyah ibn Khalaf ibn Habib ibn Wahb ibn Hudhafah ibn Jumah
His son, Safwan ibn Umayah, became a Muslim after the conquest of Mecca
, another one, named 'Ali, was killed at Badr.
Brothers: Wahb and Ubayy
Grandson: Abdullah ibn Safwan.
After Muhammad began to preach against idolatry, Umayyah became a staunch opponent of the new teaching.
His most notable action in this regard was that he subjected his slave Bilal ibn Ribah
to torture for having adopted Islam. Bilal was made to lie down on hot burning desert sand and had a heavy stone put on his chest which made breathing difficult for him. Since he still refused to denounce Islam, a heavy person was to jump on the stone. Bilal used to repeat "Ahad! Ahad! (One God! One God!) .
, but their friendship was strained when Abdu Amr converted to Islam . Abdu Amr changed his name to Abd al-Rahman and later emigrated to Medina.
Because of their friendship, the two formed a written agreement, according to which Abdul Rahman was to protect Umayah's property and/or family in Medina, while Umayyah would protect Abd-al-Rahman's in Mecca. When Abd al-Rahman's name was mentioned in the document, Umayyah protested, saying "I do not know Ar-Rahman
" and requested that the pre-Islamic name "Abdu Amr" should be used, to which Abd al-Rahman yielded .
, the leader of the Banu Aus
. When Umayyah was in Medina on his way to Syria
, he used to stay with Sa'd and when Sa'd was in Mecca, he used to stay with Umayah .
Prior to the Battle of Badr
, Sa'd visited Mecca once to perform his Umrah
with Umayyah, when they came across Abu Jahl. They had an argument, and as it became heated, Sa'd threatened Abu Jahl with stopping the Meccan trade route to Syria and informed Umayyah that his life was threatened by Muhammad .
CE, the Meccans decided to confront the Muslim forces that threatened a caravan from Syria led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
. Abu Jahl was rallying the people for war, saying "Go and protect your caravan
."
Umayyah however, anxious about Sa'd's warning, disliked to leave Mecca, but Abu Jahl told him "O Abu Safwan! If the people see you staying behind though you are the chief of the people of the Valley, then they will remain behind with you." .
Abu Jahl urged until Umayyah said "As you have forced me to change my mind, by Allah
, I will buy the best camel in Mecca". Umayyah told his wife "O Um Safwan, prepare what I need (for the journey)." She said to him, "O Abu Safwan! Have you forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?" He said, "No, but I do not want to go with them but for a short distance." So when Umaiya went out, he used to tie his camel wherever he camped.
In the battle, Umayyah was captured by his old friend Abdul Rahman ibn Awf. He was killed by a group of Muslims led by his former slave Bilal (who was a victim of his earlier torture), in spite of Abdul Rahman's protestations and his attempt to shield Umayyah with his own body. One of Umayyah's sons was also killed at Badr, defending his father.
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
n Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, a leading member of the Quraish and head of the of Bani Jumah. He was an opponent of the Muslim
Muslim
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...
s led by 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...
and is best known as the master of Bilal ibn Ribah
Bilal ibn Ribah
Bilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habashi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582.The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose a former African slave Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first muezzin of the Islamic faith...
, a slave he tortured for converting to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Other transliterations of the name in include Umayya, Umaiiya and Umaiya.
Family
Kuniyat: Abu SafwanNisbah: ‘Umaiyah ibn Khalaf ibn Habib ibn Wahb ibn Hudhafah ibn Jumah
His son, Safwan ibn Umayah, became a Muslim after the conquest of Mecca
Conquest of Mecca
Mecca was conquered by the Muslims in January 630 AD .-Background:In 628 the Meccan tribe of Quraysh and the Muslim community in Medina signed a 10 year truce called the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah....
, another one, named 'Ali, was killed at Badr.
Brothers: Wahb and Ubayy
Grandson: Abdullah ibn Safwan.
Opposition to Islam
Umayyah was involved in the pagan religious ceremonies of Mecca, where he distributed perfume in the square of the Kaaba.After Muhammad began to preach against idolatry, Umayyah became a staunch opponent of the new teaching.
His most notable action in this regard was that he subjected his slave Bilal ibn Ribah
Bilal ibn Ribah
Bilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habashi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582.The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose a former African slave Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first muezzin of the Islamic faith...
to torture for having adopted Islam. Bilal was made to lie down on hot burning desert sand and had a heavy stone put on his chest which made breathing difficult for him. Since he still refused to denounce Islam, a heavy person was to jump on the stone. Bilal used to repeat "Ahad! Ahad! (One God! One God!) .
Friendship with Abd al-Rahman
Ummayah had a close friend named Abdul Rahman ibn AwfAbd-al-Rahman ibn Awf
Abdel Rahman bin Awf, was one of the Sahaba.-Name:His name has also by as Abdel Rahman Ibn Awf, Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Awf, Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf and Abdel-Rahman ibn Awf....
, but their friendship was strained when Abdu Amr converted to Islam . Abdu Amr changed his name to Abd al-Rahman and later emigrated to Medina.
Because of their friendship, the two formed a written agreement, according to which Abdul Rahman was to protect Umayah's property and/or family in Medina, while Umayyah would protect Abd-al-Rahman's in Mecca. When Abd al-Rahman's name was mentioned in the document, Umayyah protested, saying "I do not know Ar-Rahman
Rahman (name)
Rahman is an Arabic male name. It is the elative of Raḥim, based on the triconsonantal root . In Islam, the name ar-Raḥmān, meaning "The Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious" is considered most special of the Names of God in Islam. Rahman can be short...
" and requested that the pre-Islamic name "Abdu Amr" should be used, to which Abd al-Rahman yielded .
Pilgrimage of Sa'd
Umayyah was also an intimate friend with Sa'd ibn Mua'dhSa'd ibn Mua'dh
Sa’d ibn Mu'adh was a chief of the Banu Aus tribe in Medina and later converted to Islam. Sa'd was one of the chief of the Banu Aus, one of the two clans settled in Medina.-Biography:...
, the leader of the Banu Aus
Banu Aus
The Banū Aws or simply Aws was one of the main Arab tribes of Medina. The other was Khazraj, and the two, constituted the Ansar after the Hijra.Aws and Khazraj were known as Banū Qayla in pre-Islamic era.-Etymology:...
. When Umayyah was in Medina on his way to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, he used to stay with Sa'd and when Sa'd was in Mecca, he used to stay with Umayah .
Prior to the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
, Sa'd visited Mecca once to perform his Umrah
Umrah
The Umrah or is a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. In Arabic, Umrah means "to visit a populated place"...
with Umayyah, when they came across Abu Jahl. They had an argument, and as it became heated, Sa'd threatened Abu Jahl with stopping the Meccan trade route to Syria and informed Umayyah that his life was threatened by Muhammad .
Battle of Badr
In 624624
Year 624 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 624 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* After 70 years of Byzantine rule,...
CE, the Meccans decided to confront the Muslim forces that threatened a caravan from Syria led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
Sakhr ibn Harb , more commonly known as Abu Sufyan was a leading man of the Quraish of Mecca. He was a staunch opponent of the Islamic prophet Muhammad before accepting Islam later in his life.-Opposition to Islam:...
. Abu Jahl was rallying the people for war, saying "Go and protect your caravan
Caravan
-Specific automobile models:*Dodge Caravan*Nissan Caravan*Opel Omega Caravan*Opel Astra Caravan*Chevrolet Caravan -Airplane models:*Cessna Caravan, a utility airplane*C-76 Caravan, an American 1940s medium military transport aircraft-Other:...
."
Umayyah however, anxious about Sa'd's warning, disliked to leave Mecca, but Abu Jahl told him "O Abu Safwan! If the people see you staying behind though you are the chief of the people of the Valley, then they will remain behind with you." .
Abu Jahl urged until Umayyah said "As you have forced me to change my mind, by Allah
By Allah
By Allah is Arabic expression meaning "[I promise] by God" used to make a promise or express great credibility on an expression. It is considered a sin among Muslim to use this phrase and follow it up with a lie...
, I will buy the best camel in Mecca". Umayyah told his wife "O Um Safwan, prepare what I need (for the journey)." She said to him, "O Abu Safwan! Have you forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?" He said, "No, but I do not want to go with them but for a short distance." So when Umaiya went out, he used to tie his camel wherever he camped.
In the battle, Umayyah was captured by his old friend Abdul Rahman ibn Awf. He was killed by a group of Muslims led by his former slave Bilal (who was a victim of his earlier torture), in spite of Abdul Rahman's protestations and his attempt to shield Umayyah with his own body. One of Umayyah's sons was also killed at Badr, defending his father.