Abd Allah ibn Abbas

Abd Allah ibn Abbas (c. 3 BH – 68 AH / 619–687 CE) was a Companion and paternal cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, renowned as a foundational authority in Quranic exegesis (tafsir), jurisprudence, and Arabic philology Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1.

Lineage and Early Life

He was Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim al-Qurashi al-Hashimi, with the kunya Abu al-Abbas Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. His mother was Umm al-Fadl Lubaba bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyya, the sister of the Prophet’s wife Maymuna bint al-Harith Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. He was born in Mecca at Shi'b Abi Talib during the boycott of Banu Hashim, three years before the Hijra—though another report mentions five years Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. His family migrated around the time of the conquest of Mecca, and he remained close to the Prophet ﷺ during his early youth Minhaj al-Muhaddithin fi …+1. The Prophet ﷺ offered supplications for his knowledge, praying: اللهم فقهه في الدين وعلمه التأويل ("O Allah, grant him understanding in religion and teach him interpretation") al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami a…+1. At the time of the Prophet's death, he was approximately thirteen years old, with alternate reports placing his age at ten or fifteen al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami a…+1.

Public and Political Roles

During the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan, Ibn Abbas was appointed to lead the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 35 AH Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. He supported Ali ibn Abi Talib during the civil strife, participating in the Battle of the Camel and commanding the left wing at the Battle of Siffin Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. Ali subsequently appointed him governor of Basra Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1.

When the dissident Kharijites seceded and gathered at Harura following the arbitration of Siffin, Ali sent Ibn Abbas to debate them Wad al-Fitna: Dirasa Naqd…+1. Using arguments from the Quran and the Sunnah, he addressed their grievances concerning human arbitration, wartime spoils, and the caliphal title, convincing two thousand of them to renounce their rebellion and return to Ali's allegiance Wad al-Fitna: Dirasa Naqd…+1. Following the rise of Mu'awiya I, Ibn Abbas largely withdrew from political conflict, and during the second civil war, he refused to pledge allegiance to Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, who ultimately relocated him from Mecca to al-Ta'if Mujam al-Mufassirin "min …+1.

Scholarly Standing and Teaching

After the Prophet's death, Ibn Abbas actively sought out senior Companions to acquire hadith and legal rulings, studying under figures such as Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf Minhaj al-Muhaddithin fi …+1. Umar held him in high esteem despite his youth, inviting him to consultative councils with older veterans of Badr and relying on his exegetical insights al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami a…+1. Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud praised him as the "foremost interpreter of the Quran" (ni'ma turjuman al-Qur'an), and he was widely known by the epithets Habr al-Umma ("the scholar of the community") and al-Bahr ("the sea" of knowledge) al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami a…+1.

Ibn Abbas established an influential teaching circle in Mecca, designating specific days for jurisprudence, Quranic interpretation, military history (maghazi), Arabic poetry, and pre-Islamic historical lore (ayyam al-Arab) al-Mawsua al-Fiqhiyya al-…+1. His prominent disciples included Said ibn Jubayr, Mujahid ibn Jabr, Ikrimah, Tawus ibn Kaysan, and Ata ibn Abi Rabah Tabaqat al-Fuqaha+1. He was also consulted by early sectarian figures on linguistic obscurities of the Quran, most notably in the lexicographical questions posed to him by the Kharijite leader Nafi' ibn al-Azraq Faharis Ulum al-Quran al-….

Death

Ibn Abbas lost his sight toward the end of his life al-Mawsua al-Fiqhiyya al-…+1. He died in al-Ta'if in 68 AH (with alternate reports giving 65, 67, or 70 AH) at the age of seventy-one (reports also mention seventy, seventy-two, or seventy-four) Mabahith fi Ulum al-Quran…+1. His funeral prayer was led by Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, who marked his passing by declaring, "Today died the devout scholar (rabbani) of this community" Minhat al-Allam fi Sharh …+1.