Abdul-Muttalib | |
---|---|
Native name | شيبة ابن هاشم عبد المطّلب |
Born |
Shaybah ibn Hāshim c. 480 Yathrib (now Medinah) |
Died | 578 |
Burial place | Jannat al-Mu'alla |
Other names | Shaybat al-Ḥamd ("The white streak of praise") |
Known for |
|
Home town | Makkah |
Spouse(s) | |
Children |
Shaybah ibn Hāshim c. 497 – 578), better known as ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, since he was raised by his uncle Muṭṭalib, was the grandfather of Islamic prophet Muḥammad.
His father was Hāshim ibn `Abd Manāf, the progenitor of the distinguished Hāshim clan, a subgroup of the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. They claimed descent from Ismā'īl and Ibrāhīm. His mother was Salmah bint `Amr from the Banū Najjār, a clan of the Khazraj tribe in Yathrib (later called Madinah). Hashim died while doing business in Gaza, before ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib was born.
He was given the name "Shaybah" meaning 'the ancient one' or 'white-haired' because of the streak of white through his jet-black hair, and is sometimes also called Shaybat al-Ḥamd ("The white streak of praise"). After his father's death he was raised in Yathrib with his mother and her family until about the age of eight, when his uncle Muṭṭalib went to see him and asked his mother Salmah to entrust Shaybah to his care. Salmah was unwilling to let her son go and Shaybah refused to leave his mother without her consent. Muṭṭalib then pointed out that the possibilities Yathrib had to offer were incomparable to Mecca. Salmah was impressed with his arguments, so she agreed to let him go. Upon first arriving in Mecca, the people assumed the unknown child was Muttalib's slave, giving him the name ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib (slave of Muṭṭalib).
When Muṭṭalib died, Shaybah succeeded him as the chief of the Hāshim clan. Following his uncle Al-Muṭṭalib, he took over the duties of watering and feeding the pilgrims and carried on the practices of his forefathers with his people. He attained such eminence as none of his forefathers enjoyed; his people loved him and his reputation was great among them.