Al-Abbas Ibn Abdul-Muttalib (R.A.A) Uncle of the Prophet(Pbuh) Equality and brotherhood of man in the sight of God are two of the major principles of the Islamic faith. We read in the Qur’an what may be translated as: “O mankind, surely We created you from a male and a female and We made you into nations and tribes in order that you may know one another. Surely, the best of you in the sight of God is the most righteous or God-fearing.” (Q 49: 13).

Whenever we read the glorious history of Islam we are reminded again and again of these principles, especially the one of equality. An interesting illustration of this involved our hero Al-Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib who was not only a beloved uncle of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) but a playmate as well (since they were only a couple of years apart in age). In the battle of Badr, the first major battle in Islamic history, some leaders of the Makkan community were forced to join the army of the pagan enemies of Islam, through moral pressure mainly. These included our hero Al-Abbas and another prominent Quraishi who was known for his sympathetic attitude and conduct towards the followers of Muhammad (pbuh). Realizing this fact, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave orders to his followers not to kill such people, pointing out that they were not real enemies who deserve death. Later, when our hero Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib was taken captive to Medina, the Companions found the Prophet (pbuh) sleepless. So they asked him: “Why are you restless, O Messenger of God?” He answered, “I heard the moaning of Al-Abbas, due to the tightness of the ropes with which he is being tied.” A little while later the Prophet (pbuh) asked, “Why is Al-Abbas quiet now?” He was told someone loosened the fetters for him. The Prophet (pbuh) ordered that the same be done with the other prisoners. The second incident occurred when ransom was collected from the prisoners of war. When asked to pay ransom for himself and some followers of his, Al-Abbas said, “But I am a Muslim and I was forced to join the Makkan army.” The Prophet’s answer was, “God knows about your Islam. If it be true, then He will reward you and return to you whatever you pay. According to what we observe (on the surface) you have to pay the ransom.” Our hero Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib, despite his relationship to the Prophet (pbuh), was treated on equal footing like any other prisoner of the war, and freed only upon payment of his ransom. Some historians report that Al-Abbas had joined the fold of Islam along with his wife sometime ago (while Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] was still at Makkah), but for tactical reasons he was advised (or he preferred) to keep it a secret. Yet, regardless of his conversion to Islam or otherwise, our hero certainly was on the side of Prophet (pbuh) and his followers all the time. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised him to stay in Makkah to give support to weaker followers of Islam who could not leave the city. The supporting spirit of Al-Abbas to Islam and its Prophet explains his attendance of the secret meeting at Al-Aqabah where seventy-three Medinites gave their oath of allegiance to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to protect him whenever he migrate to Medina. It was Al-Abbas who tried to ascertain the sincerity of the Medinites for the Prophet (pbuh). After the victorious entry of Makkah by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the pagan tribes in the neighbourhood of Makkah joined forces to fight the Muslims. For the first time the Muslim army exceeded twelve thousand in number. So many of the fighters had a sense of self-assurance, an attitude that led many an army to defeat. Some Muslims said, “Never will we be defeated due to paucity.” However, it was God’s will that His soldiers be properly trained for the battles they were to enter at various places and times on this earth. The Muslim army was rounded by the enemy (being ambushed and taken by surprise). It was the Prophet’s faith in God and his courage as well as the heroic nature and behaviour of people like our hero Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib that saved the day in that battle, known as ‘the Battle of Hunain.’ At those critical moments, it was Al-Abbas who stayed all the time with the Prophet (pbuh) along with a handful of companions. At the orders of the Prophet (pbuh) Al-Abbas called out the scattering Muslim fighters, who rushed like a storm back to the Prophet )pbuh). The battle took a new turn, the enemy was defeated, and the Muslim army came out victorious. Al-Abbas, as pointed out earlier, was an uncle of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and a dear one for that. The Prophet used to say, “Al-Abbas is like a father to me. Whoever hurts him has hurt me.” Beside this, our hero is remembered for being the father of the well-known authority on matters of the Qur’an and the teachings of the faith, Abdullah ibn Al-Abbas. It was Al-Abbas whose blessings people used to seek after the death of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as history tells us. For he passed away at Medina during the reign of Othman ibn Affaan (R. A. A.)