Abdullah ibn Umar

Abdullah ibn Umar (Arabic: عبدالله بن عمر بن الخطاب‎) (c.610–693 CE) was brother-in-law and companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and son of the second Caliph Umar. He was a prominent authority in hadith and law, and was known for his neutrality toward factions engaged in the first civil war within the Muslim community (656–661).

Abdullah ibn Umar
Personal
Born	c.610 CE Mecca, Hejaz, Arabia
Died	693 (aged 82–83) Mecca, Umayyad Empire
Religion	Islam
Parents	Umar ibn Al-Khattab Zaynab bint Madhun
Era	Islamic golden age
Region	Islam scholar
Main interest(s)	Hadith and Fiqh

Muhammad's era — 610 to 632

Abdullah ibn Umar was born c.610 in Mecca,[1]^:207 the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Madhun.[1]^:203–204 His full siblings were Hafsa and Abdulrahman. His paternal brothers, born to his stepmother Umm Kulthum bint Jarwal, were Zayd and Ubaydullah. He had another stepmother, Qurayba bint Abi Umayya, but she had no children of her own.[1]^:204

The young Abdullah had vivid memories of his father's conversion to Islam. He remembered following him around the town as Umar declared his conversion to the neighbours and on the steps of the Kaaba. Ibn Umar asserted, "Although I was very young at the time, I understood everything I saw."[2]^:138 His mother Zaynab also became a Muslim, but his two stepmothers did not.[2]^:510[3]

The family emigrated to Medina in 622.[2]^:218 A few months later, when Muhammad sentenced a pair of adulterers to lapidation (being stoned to death), Ibn Umar was one of the people who threw the stones.[2]^:267 Just before the Battle of Uhud in March 625, Muhammad called Ibn Umar, who was then fourteen years old, to present himself. But when Ibn Umar appeared, Muhammad would not allow him to fight in the battle. Two years later, as the Battle of the Trench approached, Muhammad again called Ibn Umar, and this time he decreed that the youth was old enough because he was mature and reached puberty. He was also present at the Battle of Al-Muraysi in 628.[4]

Ibn Umar's sister Hafsa married Muhammad in 625.[5]^:152 Muhammad once told her: "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed the night prayers." After that, every night Abdullah would pray much and sleep but a little.[6]

Family

As a young man, Ibn Umar married a woman whom he loved, but his father disliked her and demanded that they divorce. When Ibn Umar refused, his father complained to Muhammad. Ibn Umar also mentioned the matter to Muhammad, who said: "O Abdullah ibn Umar! Divorce your wife!" So Ibn Umar complied.[7][8][9]

Umar once complained about a concubine of Ibn Umar's, whom he had seen "walking around town dressed in silk and causing trouble."[10]

After his father became Caliph in 634, Ibn Umar married Safiya bint Abu Ubayd, and they had six children: Abu Bakr, Abu Ubayda, Waqid, Umar, Hafsa and Sawda.[5]^:305 He had a number of other sons by Ummul Walad, including Abdulrahman, Salim and Hamza.

Political interests

Ibn Umar participated in battles in Iraq, Persia and Egypt, but he remained neutral throughout the first civil war.[11]^:30 In 656, he prevented his sister Hafsa from following Aisha to the Battle of the Camel.[12] Following the peace-treaty that ensued between Hasan ibn Ali and Mu'awiyah, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, along with the rest of the Muslims agreed to pledge his allegiance to Muawiyah I so that he may accede to the Caliphate in 661/41 AH.

While in Medina during the Second Fitna of the 680s, Ibn Umar, together with Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and Ibn Abbas, advised Husayn ibn Ali to make Mecca his base and fight against Yazid I from Mecca. Husayn did not take this advice but chose Kufa.[13]

Death

Abdullah ibn Umar died in Mecca in 693 (74 AH).[11]^:30

Legacy

Abdullah ibn Umar was the second most prolific narrator of ahadith, with a total of 2,630 narrations.[11]^:27 It was said that he was extremely careful about what he narrated, and that he narrated with his eyes full of tears.[11]^:30–31

He has a positive reputation among Sunni Muslims. "In spite of the great esteem and honour in which he was held by all the Muslims and notwithstanding the suggestion repeatedly made to him to stand up for the caliphate (which he obstinately refused), he kept himself entirely aloof from party strife, and throughout these years led an unselfish, pious life. He set an example of an ideal citizen."[11]^:30

See also

• Sunni view of the Sahaba

References

1. Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr. London: Ta-Ha Publishers. "Abdullah ibn Umar said , 'Umar became muslim when i was six years old.'" "He [Umar] became Muslim in the sixth year of prophethood." The "sixth year" began on 3 October 615.
2. Muhammad ibn Ishaq. Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3. Bukhari 3:50:891.
4. Muslim 19:4292.
5. Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
6. Bukhari 2:21:222.
7. Abu Dawud 42:5119.
8. Tirmidhi 2:8:1189.
9. Ibn Majah 3:10:2088.
10. Malik ibn Anas. Al-Muwatta 54:17:44.
11. Siddiqi, M. Z. (1961, 2006). Hadith Literature: Its Origin, Development, Special Features and Criticism. Kuala Lumpar: Islamic Book Trust.
12. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk. Translated by Brockett, A. (1997). Volume 16: The Community Divided, pp. 41-42. Albany: State University of New York Press.
13. Balyuzi, H. M. (1976). Muhammad and the course of Islam, p. 193. Oxford: George Ronald.

Early Islamic scholars

Muhammad (570–632) prepared the Constitution of Medina, taught the Quran, and advised his companions `Abd Allah bin Masud (died 650) taught Ali (607–661) fourth caliph taught Aisha, Muhammad's wife and Abu Bakr's daughter taught Abd Allah ibn Abbas (618–687) taught Zayd ibn Thabit (610–660) taught Umar (579–644) second caliph taught Abu Hurairah (603–681) taught Alqama ibn Qays (died 681) taught Husayn ibn Ali (626–680) taught Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (657–725) taught and raised by Aisha Urwah ibn Zubayr (died 713) taught by Aisha, he then taught Said ibn al-Musayyib (637–715) taught Abdullah ibn Umar (614–693) taught Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (624–692) taught by Aisha, he then taught Ibrahim al-Nakha’i taught Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (659–712) taught Hisham ibn Urwah (667–772) taught Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (died 741) taught Salim ibn Abd-Allah ibn Umar taught Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (682–720) raised and taught by Abdullah ibn Umar Hammad bin ibi Sulman taught Muhammad al-Baqir (676–733) taught Farwah bint al-Qasim Abu Bakr's great grand daughter Jafar's mother Abu Hanifa (699–767) wrote Al Fiqh Al Akbar and Kitab Al-Athar, jurisprudence followed by Sunni, Sunni Sufi, Barelvi, Deobandi, Zaidiyyah Shia and originally by the Fatimid and taught Zayd ibn Ali (695–740) Ja'far bin Muhammad Al-Baqir (702–765) Ali's and Abu Bakr's great great grand son taught Malik ibn Anas (711–795) wrote Muwatta, jurisprudence from early Medina period now mostly followed by Sunni in Africa and taught Al-Waqidi (748–822) wrote history books like Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi, student of Malik ibn Anas Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abdul Hakam (died 829) wrote biographies and history books, student of Malik ibn Anas Abu Yusuf (729–798) wrote Usul al-fiqh Muhammad al-Shaybani (749–805) Al-Shafi‘i (767–820) wrote Al-Risala, jurisprudence followed by Sunni and taught Ismail ibn Ibrahim Ali ibn al-Madini (778–849) wrote The Book of Knowledge of the Companions Ibn Hisham (died 833) wrote early history and As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, Muhammad's biography Isma'il ibn Ja'far (719–775) Musa al-Kadhim (745–799) Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780–855) wrote Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal jurisprudence followed by Sunni and hadith books Muhammad al-Bukhari (810–870) wrote Sahih al-Bukhari hadith books Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (815–875) wrote Sahih Muslim hadith books Muhammad ibn Isa at-Tirmidhi (824–892) wrote Jami` at-Tirmidhi hadith books Al-Baladhuri (died 892) wrote early history Futuh al-Buldan, Genealogies of the Nobles Ibn Majah (824–887) wrote Sunan ibn Majah hadith book Abu Dawood (817–889) wrote Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith Book Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (864- 941) wrote Kitab al-Kafi hadith book followed by Twelver Shia Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923) wrote History of the Prophets and Kings, Tafsir al-Tabari Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (874–936) wrote Maqālāt al-islāmīyīn, Kitāb al-luma, Kitāb al-ibāna 'an usūl al-diyāna Ibn Babawayh (923–991) wrote Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih jurisprudence followed by Twelver Shia Sharif Razi (930–977) wrote Nahj al-Balagha followed by Twelver Shia Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201–1274) wrote jurisprudence books followed by Ismaili and Twelver Shia Al-Ghazali (1058–1111) wrote The Niche for Lights, The Incoherence of the Philosophers, The Alchemy of Happiness on Sufism Rumi (1207–1273) wrote Masnavi, Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi on Sufism Key: Some of Muhammad's Companions Key: Taught in Medina Key: Taught in Iraq Key: Worked in Syria Key: Travelled extensively collecting the sayings of Muhammad and compiled books of hadith Key: Worked in Iran