|
Abdullah was the son of Abbas, an
uncle of the noble Prophet. He was born just three years before the Hijrah. When
the Prophet died, Abdullah was thus only thirteen years old.
When he was born, his mother took
him to the blessed Prophet who put some of his saliva on the babe's tongue even
before he began to suckle. This was the beginning of the close and intimate tie
between Abbas and the Prophet that was to be part of a life-long love and
devotion.
When Abdullah reached the age of
discretion, he attached himself to the service of the Prophet. He would run to
fetch water for him when he wanted to make wudu. During Salat, he would stand
behind the Prophet in prayer and when the Prophet went on journeys or
expeditions, he would follow next in line to him. Abdullah thus became like the
shadow of the Prophet, constantly in his company.
In all these situations he was
attentive and alert to whatever the Prophet did and said. His heart was
enthusiastic and his young mind was pure and uncluttered, committing the
Prophet's words to memory with the capacity and accuracy of a recording
instrument. In this way and through his constant researches later, as we shall
see, Abdullah became one of the most learned companions of the Prophet,
preserving on behalf of later generations of Muslims, the priceless words of the
Messenger of God. It is said that he committed to memory about one thousand, six
hundred and sixty sayings of the Prophet which are recorded and authenticated in
the collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet would often draw
Abdullah as a child close to him, pat him on the shoulder and pray: "O Lord,
make him acquire a deep understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him
in the meaning and interpretation of things."
There were many occasions thereafter
when the blessed Prophet would repeat this dua or prayer for his cousin and
before long Abdullah ibn Abbas realized that his life was to be devoted to the
pursuit of learning and knowledge.
The Prophet moreover prayed that he
be granted not just knowledge and understanding but wisdom. Abdullah related the
following incident about himself: "Once the Prophet, peace be upon him, was on
the point of performing wudu. I hurried to get water ready for him. He was
pleased with what I was doing. As he was about to begin Salat, he indicated that
I should stand at his side. However, I stood behind him. When the Salat was
finished, he turned to me and said: 'What prevented you from being at my side, O
Abdullah?' 'You are too illustrious and too great in my eyes for me to stand
side by side with you,' I replied.
Raising his hands to the heavens,
the Prophet then prayed: 'O Lord, grant him wisdom." The Prophet's prayer
undoubtedly was granted for the young Abdullah was to prove time and again that
he possessed a wisdom beyond his years. But it was a wisdom that came only with
devotion and the dogged pursuit of knowledge both during the Prophet's lifetime
and after his death.
During the lifetime of the Prophet,
Abdullah would not miss any of his assemblies and he would commit to memory
whatever he said. After the Prophet passed away, he would take care to go to as
many companions as possible especially those who knew the Prophet longer and
learn from them what the Prophet had taught them. Whenever he heard that someone
knew a hadith of the Prophet which he did not know he would go quickly to him
and record it. He would subject whatever he heard to close scrutiny and check it
against other reports. He would go to as many as thirty companions to verify a
single matter.
Abdullah described what he once did
on hearing that a companion of the Prophet knew a hadith unknown to him: "I went
to him during the time of the afternoon siesta and spread my cloak in front of
his door. The wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I wished I
could have sought his permission to enter and he would certainly have given me
permission. But I preferred to wait on him so that he could be completely
refreshed. Coming out of his house and seeing me in that condition he said: 'O
cousin of the Prophet! What's the matter with you? If you had sent for me I
would have come to you.' 'I am the one who should come to you, for knowledge is
sought, it does not just come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith and learnt
from him."
In this way, the dedicated Abdullah
would ask, and ask, and go on asking. And he would sift and scrutinize the
information he had collected with his keen and meticulous mind.
It was not only in the collection of
hadith that Abdullah specialized. He devoted himself to acquiring knowledge in a
wide variety of fields. He had a special admiration for persons like Zayd ibn
Thabit, the recorder of the revelation, the leading judge and jurist consult in
Madinah, an expert in the laws of inheritance and in reading the Quran. When
Zayd intended to go on a trip, the young Abdullah would stand humbly at his side
and taking hold of the reins of his mount would adopt the attitude of a humble
servant in the presence of his master. Zayd would say to him: "Don't, O cousin
of the Prophet."
"Thus we were commanded to treat the
learned ones among us," Abdullah would say. "And Zayd would say to him in turn:
"Let me see your hand." Abdullah would stretch out his hand. Zayd, taking it,
would kiss it and say: "Thus we were commanded to treat the ahl al-bayt members
of the household of the Prophet."
As Abdullah's knowledge grew, he
grew in stature. Masruq ibn al Ajda said of him: "Whenever I saw Ibn Abbas, I
would say: He is the most handsome of men. When he spoke, I would say: He is the
most eloquent of men. And when he held a conversation, I would say: He is the
most knowledgeable of
men."
The Khalifah Umar ibn al-Khattab
often sought his advice on important matters of state and described him as "the
young man of maturity".
Sad ibn abi Waqqas described him
with these words: "I have never seen someone who was quicker in understanding,
who had more knowledge and greater wisdom than Ibn Abbas. I have seen Umar
summon him to discuss difficult problems in the presence of veterans of Badr
from among the Muhajirin and Ansar. Ibn Abbas would speak and Umar would not
disregard what he had to say."
It is these qualities which resulted
in Abdullah ibn Abbas being known as "the learned man of this Ummah".
Abdullah ibn Abbas was not content
to accumulate knowledge. He felt he had a duty to the ummah to educate those in
search of knowledge and the general masses of the Muslim community. He turned to
teaching and his house became a university - yes, a university in the full sense
of the word, a university with specialized teaching but with the difference that
there was only one teacher Abdullah ibn Abbas.
There was an enthusiastic response
to Abdullah's classes. One of his companions described a typical scene in front
of his house: "I saw people converging on the roads leading to his house until
there was hardly any room in front of his house. I went in and told him about
the crowds of people at his door and he said: 'Get me water for wudu.'
He performed wudu and, seating
himself, said: 'Go out and say to them: Whoever wants to ask about the Quran and
its letters (pronunciation) let him enter.'
This I did and people entered until
the house was filled. Whatever he was asked, Abdullah was able to elucidate and
even provide additional information to what was asked. Then (to his students) he
said: 'Make way for your brothers.'
Then to me he said: 'Go out and say:
Who wants to ask about the Quran and its interpretation, let him enter'.
Again the house was filled and
Abdullah elucidated and provided more information than what was requested."
And so it continued with groups of
people coming in to discuss fiqh (jurisprudence), halal and haram (the lawful
and the prohibited in Islam), inheritance laws, Arabic language, poetry and
etymology.
To avoid congestion with many groups
of people coming to discuss various subjects on a single day, Abdullah decided
to devote one day exclusively for a particular discipline. On one day, only the
exegesis of the Quran would be taught while on another day only fiqh
(jurisprudence). The maghazi or campaigns of the Prophet, poetry, Arab history
before Islam were each allocated a special day.
Abdullah ibn Abbas brought to his
teaching a powerful memory and a formidable intellect. His explanations were
precise, clear and logical. His arguments were persuasive and supported by
pertinent textual evidence and historical facts.
One occasion when his formidable
powers of persuasion was used was during the caliphate of Ali. A large number of
supporters of Ali in his stand against Muawiyah had just deserted him. Abdullah
ibn Abbas went to Ali and requested permission to speak to them. Ali hesitated
fearing that Abdullah would be in danger at their hands but eventually gave way
on Abdullah's optimism that nothing untoward would happen.
Abdullah went over to the group.
They were absorbed in worship. Some were not willing to let him speak but others
were prepared to give him a hearing.
"Tell me" asked Abdullah, "what
grievances have you against the cousin of the Prophet, the husband of his
daughter and the first of those who believed in him?"
"The men proceeded to relate three
main complaints against Ali. First, that he appointed men to pass judgment in
matters pertaining to the religion of God - meaning that Ali had agreed to
accept the arbitration of Abu Musa al-Asbari and Amr ibn al-As in the dispute
with Muawiyah. Secondly, that he fought and did not take booty nor prisoners of
war. Thirdly, that he did not insist on the title of Amir al-Muminin during the
arbitration process although the Muslims had pledged allegiance to him and he
was their legitimate amir. To them this was obviously a sign of weakness and a
sign that Ali was prepared to bring his legitimate position as Amir al-Muminin
into disrepute.
In reply, Abdullah asked them that
should he cite verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet to which they
had no objection and which related to their criticisms, would they be prepared
to change their position. They replied that they would and Abdullah proceeded:
"Regarding your statement that Ali has appointed men to pass judgment in matters
pertaining to Allah's religion, Allah Glorified and Exalted is He, says: 'O you
who believe! Kill not game while in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. If
any of you do so intentionally, the compensation is an offering, of a domestic
animal equivalent to the one he killed and adjudged by two just men among." "I
adjure you, by God! Is the adjudication by men in matters pertaining to the
preservation of their blood and their lives and making peace between them more
deserving of attention than adjudication over a rabbit whose value is only a
quarter of a dirham?"
Their reply was of course that
arbitration was more important in the case of preserving Muslim lives and making
peace among them than over the killing of game in the sacred precincts for which
Allah sanctioned arbitration by men.
"Have we then finished with this
point?" asked Abdullah and their reply was: "Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!"
Abdullah went on: "As for your statement that Ali fought and did not take
prisoners of war as the Prophet did, do you really desire to take your "mother"
Aishah as a captive and treat her as fair game in the way that captives are
treated? If your answer is "Yes", then you have fallen into kufr (disbelief).
And if you say that she is not your "mother", you would also have fallen into a
state of kufr for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has said: 'The Prophet is
closer to the believers than their own selves and his wives are their mothers
(entitled to respect and consideration).' (The Quran, Surah al-Ahzab, 34:6).
"Choose for yourself what you want,"
said Abdullah and then he asked: "Have we then finished with this point?" and
this time too their reply was: "Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!" Abdullah went
on: "As for your statement that Ali has surrendered the title of Amir al-Muminin,
(remember) that the Prophet himself, peace and blessings of God be on him, at
the time of Hudaybiyyah, demanded that the mushrikin write in the truce which he
concluded with them: 'This is what the Messenger of God has agreed...' and they
retorted: 'If we believed that you were the Messenger of God we would not have
blocked your way to the Kabah nor would we have fought you. Write instead:
'Muhammad the son of Abdullah.' The Prophet conceded their demand while saying:
'By God, I am the Messenger of God even if they reject me." At this point
Abdullah ibn Abbas asked the dissidents: "Have we then finished with this point?
and their reply was once again:
"Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!"
One of the fruits of this verbal
challenge in which Abdullah displayed his intimate knowledge of the Quran and
the sirah of the Prophet as well as his remarkable powers of argument and
persuasion, was that the majority, about twenty thousand men, returned to the
ranks of Ali. About four thousand however remained obdurate. These latter came
to be known as Kharijites.
On this and other occasions, the
courageous Abdullah showed that he preferred peace above war, and logic against
force and violence. However, he was not only known for his courage, his
perceptive thought and his vast knowledge. He was also known for his great
generosity and hospitality. Some of his contemporaries said of his household:
"We have not seen a house which has more food or drink or fruit or knowledge
than the house of Ibn Abbas."
He had a genuine and abiding concern
for people. He was thoughtful and caring. He once said: "When I realize the
importance of a verse of God's Book, I would wish that all people should know
what I know.
"When I hear of a Muslim ruler who
deals equitably and rules justly, I am happy on his account and I pray for
him...
"When I hear of rains which fail on
the land of Muslims, that fills me with happiness..."
Abdullah ibn Abbas was constant in
his devotions. He kept voluntary fasts regularly and often stayed up at night in
Prayer. He would weep while praying and reading the Quran. And when reciting
verses dealing with death, resurrection and the life hereafter his voice would
be heavy from deep sobbing.
He passed away at the age of seventy
one in the mountainous city of Taif.
|
Print
this page
 |
Top |
|
