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Abu Jahl
nameAbu al-Hakam Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi
Personal details

Abu al-Hakam Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi, widely known as Abu Jahl, was among the nobility of the Quraysh and one of the renowned polytheists of Mecca. Like other Qurayshi nobles, he was engaged in trade. In his youth, he attained a distinguished status among the Meccan elite; before reaching the age of thirty, he was admitted to membership in Dar al-Nadwa due to his competence, although customary practice at the time required members (except those from Banu Qusay) to be over forty years of age.

With the advent of Islam, Abu Jahl undertook numerous measures to prevent its spread. His most significant actions against the Prophet of Islam included efforts to sever ties between the Quraysh and Banu Hashim, preventing Abu Lahab from supporting the Prophet, and orchestrating an unsuccessful plot to assassinate the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) in collaboration with various tribes.

The Muslims were not spared from his malice and hostility. The Prophet himself bestowed upon him the name Abu Jahl and instructed the Muslims to address him by this name. Following the Prophet's Hijra to Medina, Abu Jahl continued his antagonism until he was ultimately killed alongside several other leaders of polytheism at the Battle of Badr.


Biography of Abu Jahl

Abu Jahl: Abu al-Hakam, Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughira[1], was one of the prominent figures of Mecca and a staunch enemy of the Prophet[2]. He belonged to the tribe of Banu Makhzum and was famously known as Abu Jahl. Through maternal lineage, he was also referred to as Ibn al-Hanzaliyya[3]. Information regarding his birth and life prior to the emergence of Islam is scarce. Some sources consider him to be of the same age as the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny)[4], while others state that he was thirty years old upon entering Dar al-Nadwa (in 584 CE)[5], which would make him older than the Prophet. His father, Hisham, was a distinguished and hospitable figure in Mecca, so much so that the Quraysh adopted the year of his death as a chronological reference point[6].

His cunning, knowledge, and acumen in that era led to his admission into Dar al-Nadwa during his youth, contrary to the pre-Islamic Arab tradition that restricted membership to those over forty years of age (except for Banu Qusay)[7]. He joined the council while still beardless[8], or nearing thirty[9], and became a consulted advisor in the decisions of the tribal leaders[10].

Abu Jahl was a wealthy merchant and one of the nobles of Mecca[11]. Like his peers, he contested with Banu Hashim for leadership of the Kaaba and, consequently, supremacy over Mecca, interpreting prophethood through this lens. He stated: "We and the descendants of Abd Manaf competed in honor and greatness; they fed others, so did we; they gave gifts, so did we, until we became equals. Then they claimed that a prophet had emerged from among them to whom revelation is sent! This we could not comprehend. By God, we shall never believe in him nor acknowledge his truthfulness"[12].

Abu Jahl was a relentless adversary of the Prophet and the Muslims. His angry and malicious conduct toward them is evident in the torture of recent converts such as Yasir and Sumayya[13], which resulted in their martyrdom; in slandering[14] and falsely accusing them[15]; in preventing others from listening to the Quran[16]; in obstructing people from establishing contact with the Prophet[17]; in striving to establish the Pact of Sahifa to withhold support from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and ensuring its non-violation[18]; in plotting the assassination of the Prophet[19]; and in instigating the Battle of Badr[20], among other actions.

When Abu Jahl learned that his maternal half-brother, Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi'a, had embraced Islam, he employed every possible means to bring him back[21]. Upon perceiving even slight leniency from al-Walid ibn al-Mughira toward the Prophet, he cunningly induced him to describe the words of God as magic[22]. The Quranic verse Template:Quran text reflects this incident[23].

He utilized every available method to undermine the Prophet and Islam. Upon hearing the verses Template:Quran text, he remarked to the Quraysh: "Are ten of you unable to overcome one of the guards of the Fire, while your numbers are greater? Your companion [the Prophet] informs you that Hell has nineteen guards"[24].

His excessive and ignorant insistence on opposing the Prophet and Islam even provoked the anger of other Meccan leaders[25], and he was consequently titled "Abu Jahl" by the Prophet[26]. He was killed in the second year after the Hijra during the Battle of Badr, where he commanded the polytheist army, and was buried along with other casualties in the well of Qalib Badr[27]. He had a son and a daughter, but his lineage did not continue[28] and became extinct. His son, Ikrima, embraced Islam after the Conquest of Mecca, and the Prophet forbade Muslims from cursing Abu Jahl so as not to distress the new Muslim[29].

Abu Jahl's Relationship with the Prophet

Quraysh was one of the most famous and significant Arab tribes in Hejaz. Al-Masudi, the renowned Islamic historian, listed 25 clans of the great Quraysh tribe at the time of the emergence of Islam as follows:

Header Text Header Text
Banu Hashim Banu Muttalib
Banu Harith Banu Umayya
Banu Nawfal Banu Harith ibn Fihr
Banu Asad Banu Abd al-Dar
Banu Zuhra Banu Taym ibn Murra
Banu Makhzum Banu Yaqaza
Banu Murra Banu Adi ibn Ka'b
Banu Sahm Banu Jumah
Banu Malik Banu Mait
Banu Nizar Banu Sama
Banu Adram Banu Muharib
Banu Harith ibn Abdullah Banu Khuzayma
Banu Banana

[30].

Abu al-Hakam Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi, known as "Abu Jahl," was a noble of Quraysh and a prominent polytheist of Mecca who engaged in trade. Although he belonged to Quraysh, he was not the uncle of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny); for the honorable father of the Noble Messenger of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny) was Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim. Therefore, the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny) was from the clan of Banu Hashim, while Abu Jahl was from the clan of Banu Makhzum[31]. These are two distinct clans with different lineages; hence, Abu Jahl could not have been the uncle of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny).


Bestowal of the Kunya Abu Jahl

His cunning and intelligence in that era led to his membership in the Dar al-Nadwa council during his youth[32][33] or around the age of 30[34], contrary to the pre-Islamic Arab tradition which conditioned membership for non-Banu Qusayy individuals upon reaching the age of 40[35][36]. Perhaps for this reason, Quraysh addressed him as Abu al-Hakam. Later, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) referred to him by the kunya Abu Jahl[37].


Inciting Polytheists to Hostility Against Islam

Abu Jahl incited the polytheists against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), saying: "Muhammad has settled in Yathrib; he has sent his vanguard and intends to seize your wealth. Beware of following him or drawing near to him. By God, he is accompanied by sorcerers such as I have never seen, and I have not observed any of his Companions except that they were accompanied by devils"[38]!

With these words, he ignited the fire of the Battle of Badr and bore part of its expenses. In this regard, God Almighty says: Template:Quran text "The disbelievers spend their wealth to hinder [others] from the path of God. Soon they will spend it, and it will become a source of regret for them; then they will be defeated, and the disbelievers will be gathered into Hell." Al-Wahidi, narrating from Kalbi, states that this verse was revealed concerning twelve individuals who provided provisions on the day of Badr, one of whom was Abu Jahl[39]; the same man who slaughtered ten of his camels during that event[40].

Abu Jahl was killed in this very battle, and regarding him and the other casualties of Badr, the following verse was revealed: Template:Quran text "If you could see when the angels take the souls of the disbelievers, striking their faces and their backs, and saying: 'Taste the punishment of the Fire'"[41].


Death

This battle resulted in the defeat of the Meccans[42]. During it, Abu Jahl, who commanded the polytheist army, was struck down by two young Ansari men named Mu'adh ibn Amr and Mu'adh ibn Afra (or Awf), and Mu'awwidh ibn Afra. While he still had some life left in him, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud severed his head from his body[43].

He was buried in the well of Badr along with the other slain[44]. Exegetes have interpreted verse 50 of Surah Al-Anfal as pertaining to Abu Jahl and the other martyrs of Badr: Template:Quran text "If you could see when the angels take the souls of the disbelievers, striking their faces and backs, and saying: 'Taste the scorching punishment'"[45]!

The Prophet, who had been awaiting news of Abu Jahl's demise and considered him the ringleader of the leaders of disbelief and the Pharaoh of his nation[46], upon hearing this news, thanked God for the fulfillment of His promise[47]. Abu Jahl was 70 years old at the time of his death[48]. Exegetes have also discussed him in relation to verse 55 of Surah Al-Furqan and verse 15 of Surah Al-Layl, considering him among the examples of disbelievers[49] and the wretched[50].


See Also


Notes

  1. ↑ Al-Muhabbar, p. 139.
  2. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 2, p. 491.
  3. ↑ Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 623.
  4. ↑ Dā'irat al-Ma'ārif al-Islāmiyya, Vol. 1, p. 322, entry "Abu Jahl".
  5. ↑ Great Islamic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 305, entry "Abu Jahl".
  6. ↑ Al-Muhabbar, p. 139.
  7. ↑ Akhbar Mecca, Vol. 2, p. 253.
  8. ↑ Uyun al-Akhbar, Vol. 1, p. 230.
  9. ↑ Al-Ishtiqāq, p. 155.
  10. ↑ Al-Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, p. 37; Al-Ishtiqāq, p. 155.
  11. ↑ Jāmi' al-Bayān, Part 11, Vol. 20, p. 119
  12. ↑ Al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi, p. 210.
  13. ↑ Al-Ta'rīf, p. 172.
  14. ↑ Al-Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, p. 28.
  15. ↑ Al-Ta'rīf, p. 172.
  16. ↑ Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 15, p. 236.
  17. ↑ Asbāb al-Nuzūl, p. 381; Majma' al-Bayān, Vol. 10, p. 584.
  18. ↑ Al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi, pp. 161 and 166.
  19. ↑ Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 480; Majma' al-Bayān, Vol. 4, p. 826.
  20. ↑ Al-Tabaqat, Vol. 2, p. 9; Al-Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, p. 45.
  21. ↑ Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 474.
  22. ↑ Majma' al-Bayān, Vol. 10, p. 584.
  23. ↑ Asbāb al-Nuzūl, pp. 381 and 382.
  24. ↑ Jāmi' al-Bayān, Part 14, Vol. 29, p. 199; Majma' al-Bayān, Vol. 10, p. 586.
  25. ↑ Al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi, p. 166.
  26. ↑ Al-Ishtiqāq, p. 147; Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol. 1, p. 141.
  27. ↑ Jāmi' al-Bayān, Part 5, Vol. 7, p. 240.
  28. ↑ Jamharat Ansāb al-'Arab, p. 145.
  29. ↑ Al-'Iqd al-Farīd, Vol. 2, p. 386.
  30. ↑ Al-Masudi, Muruj al-Dhahab, Vol. 1, p. 277, Clans of Quraysh.
  31. ↑ Ibn Sa'd, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, translation, Vol. 7, p. 413.
  32. ↑ Akhbar Mecca, Vol. 2, p. 253.
  33. ↑ Uyun al-Akhbar, Vol. 1, p. 333.
  34. ↑ Al-Ishtiqqoq, p. 155.
  35. ↑ Akhbar Mecca, Vol. 2, p. 253.
  36. ↑ Uyun al-Akhbar, Vol. 1, p. 333; Al-Ishtiqqoq, p. 155.
  37. ↑ Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, p. 141.
  38. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Vol. 3, p. 211.
  39. ↑ Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 195.
  40. ↑ Al-Ya'qubi, Vol. 2, p. 45.
  41. ↑ Jami' al-Bayan, Vol. 6, Vol. 10, p. 30; Majma' al-Bayan, Vol. 4, p. 846.
  42. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 53; Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, Vol. 1, p. 617.
  43. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 91; Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, pp. 147, 281.
  44. ↑ Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Vol. 3, pp. 292–293.
  45. ↑ Jami' al-Bayan, Vol. 10, p. 31; Majma' al-Bayan, Vol. 4, p. 846.
  46. ↑ Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, p. 141.
  47. ↑ Al-Maghazi, Vol. 1, p. 91.
  48. ↑ Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 1, p. 130.
  49. ↑ Jami' al-Bayan, Vol. 19, p. 18; Al-Durr al-Manthur, Vol. 5, p. 74.
  50. ↑ Al-Kashshaf, Vol. 4, p. 764.
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