Companions & Great WomenA Companion

'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas

عبد الله بن عباس

The Prophet's ﷺ young cousin, for whom he prayed for understanding, and the great interpreter of the Quran.

SahihSee it in the Atlas
Known as
Scholar of the Ummah
Died
68 AH, most say

Life

He was the son of al-'Abbas, the Prophet's ﷺ uncle, and Umm al-Fadl Lubaba. He was born in the valley where Banu Hashim were besieged, about three years before the Hijra, so he was a boy when the Prophet ﷺ died; the reports of his age then differ, and al-Dhahabi prefers al-Waqidi's.

The Prophet ﷺ prayed for him to be given understanding of the religion and knowledge of the Book. He grew into the scholar of the Ummah and the leading interpreter of the Quran, learning from senior Companions; Mujahid, Sa'id ibn Jubayr and 'Ikrima were among his students. 'Umar brought him, still young, into his council with the elders of Badr.

He died in 68 AH, some say 67, aged about seventy-one.

Evidence

Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 143

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وَرْقَاءُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ الْخَلاَءَ، فَوَضَعْتُ لَهُ وَضُوءًا قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ وَضَعَ هَذَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأُخْبِرَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ فَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Once the Prophet (ﷺ) entered a lavatory and I placed water for his ablution. He asked, "Who placed it?" He was informed accordingly and so he said, "O Allah! Make him (Ibn `Abbas) a learned scholar in religion (Islam)

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Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 75

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ ضَمَّنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ عَلِّمْهُ الْكِتَابَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Once the Prophet (ﷺ) embraced me and said, "O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an)

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Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 4970

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ عُمَرُ يُدْخِلُنِي مَعَ أَشْيَاخِ بَدْرٍ، فَكَأَنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ وَجَدَ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ لِمَ تُدْخِلُ هَذَا مَعَنَا وَلَنَا أَبْنَاءٌ مِثْلُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ عَلِمْتُمْ‏.‏ فَدَعَا ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ ـ فَأَدْخَلَهُ مَعَهُمْ ـ فَمَا رُئِيتُ أَنَّهُ دَعَانِي يَوْمَئِذٍ إِلاَّ لِيُرِيَهُمْ‏.‏ قَالَ مَا تَقُولُونَ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ‏{‏إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ‏}‏ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ أُمِرْنَا نَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، إِذَا نُصِرْنَا وَفُتِحَ عَلَيْنَا‏.‏ وَسَكَتَ بَعْضُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ لِي أَكَذَاكَ تَقُولُ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُلْتُ لاَ‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَا تَقُولُ قُلْتُ هُوَ أَجَلُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْلَمَهُ لَهُ، قَالَ ‏{‏إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ‏}‏ وَذَلِكَ عَلاَمَةُ أَجَلِكَ ‏{‏فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا‏}‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْهَا إِلاَّ مَا تَقُولُ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:`Umar used to make me sit with the elderly men who had fought in the Battle of Badr. Some of them felt it (did not like that) and said to `Umar "Why do you bring in this boy to sit with us while we have sons like him?" `Umar replied, "Because of what you know of his position (i.e. his religious knowledge.)" One day `Umar called me and made me sit in the gathering of those people; and I think that he called me just to show them. (my religious knowledge). `Umar then asked them (in my presence). "What do you say about the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: 'When comes Help of Allah (to you O, Muhammad against your enemies) and the conquest (of Mecca).' (110.1) Some of them said, "We are ordered to praise Allah and ask for His forgiveness when Allah's Help and the conquest (of Mecca) comes to us." Some others kept quiet and did not say anything. On that, `Umar asked me, "Do you say the same, O Ibn `Abbas?" I replied, "No." He said, 'What do you say then?" I replied, "That is the sign of the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which Allah informed him of. Allah said:-- '(O Muhammad) When comes the Help of Allah (to you against your enemies) and the conquest (of Mecca) (which is the sign of your death). You should celebrate the praises of your Lord and ask for His Forgiveness, and He is the One Who accepts the repentance and forgives.' (110.3) On that `Umar said, "I do not know anything about it other than what you have said

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