ʿUtbah ibn Abī Lahab () was a first cousin of the Islamic prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

Biography

Born in

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

, Utbah was the eldest son of Abu Lahab ibn Abdul-Muttalib and Umm Jamil bint Harb. For several years, his family lived next door to

and

Khadija Khadija, Khadeeja or Khadijah () is an Arabic feminine given name, the name of Khadija bint Khuwaylid, first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In 1995, it was one of the three most popular Arabic feminine names in the Muslim world, along wi ...

. Utbah was engaged to his eight year old cousin

Ruqayyah Ruqayyah () is an Arabic female given name meaning "to rise”,”she who rises high”. It is not to be confused with a separate Arabic term "Ruqia" from Arabic رقى (ruqia) meaning “to rise” or “ascend.” However, it is also suggested it ...

, the fourth child and second daughter of Muhammad, sometime prior to August 610. After Muhammad recited ''sura'' 111, "''Perish the hands of Abu Lahab''," Abu Lahab wanted to cut ties with him. When Muhammad "openly preached to the Quraysh and showed them hostility," other Quraysh sympathised with Abu Lahab's desire not to keep Muhammad's daughters at his own expense. They told Utbah that if he broke the engagement off with Ruqayyah, they would give him any woman he liked; and his father also told him that if he did not, he would never speak to him again. Utbah replied that he would like either the daughter or the granddaughter of Sa'id ibn Al-As ibn Umayya. The Quraysh agreed, and so he cut off the engagement with Ruqayyah. She was by then about twelve. Upon the

Conquest of Mecca The conquest of Mecca ( , alternatively, "liberation of Mecca") was a military campaign undertaken by Muhammad and Companions of the Prophet, his companions during the Muslim–Quraysh War. They led the early Muslims in an advance on the Quray ...

in January 630, Utbah and his brother Muattib withdrew to the edge of Mecca with the other polytheists. Muhammad asked his uncle al-Abbas to bring them to him. They were brought, and at Muhammad's invitation, they converted to

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

and took the oath of allegiance. Al-Abbas remarked that Muhammad's face was "reflecting joy" at their conversion. Utbah joined the Islamic army and fought at Hunayn. He was among those who did not abandon Muhammad in the battle. However, when the rest of the

Hashim Hashim () is a common male Arabic given name. Notable people with the name include: *Hashim ibn Abd Manaf * Hashim Amir Ali * Hashim Shah * Hashim Amla * Hashim Thaçi * Hashim Khan * Hashim Qureshi * Mir Hashim Ali Khan *Hashim al-Atassi * Hashi ...

clan emigrated to

Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

, Utbah and his brother Muattib remained in Mecca. Utbah had a son named Rafiah. He had a slave named Abd al-Wahid ibn Ayman, whom his sons sold after his death.Bukhari 3:46:739.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Utbah Ibn Abu Lahab 6th-century Arab people Banu Hashim Companions of the Prophet

Biography

See also

References