Introduction
Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُمَا is the illustrious father of our Dear and Beloved Merciful Mustafa صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. His honourable name is Abdullah, his kunyahs (patronymic names) are Abu Qasam (gatherer of goodness and blessings), Abu Muhammad and Abu Ahmad, and his title (laqab) is Zabeeh. (Seerat-e-Walidayn-e-Mustafa, pp. 49 - 42 abridged) His honourable father Abdul Muttalib was a leader of the Makkan Quraysh and a Chief of Banu Hashim. His real name is Shaybah and people commonly referred to him as ‘Shaybat-ul-Hamd’ due to his good deeds. (Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, pp. 12, abridged, Seerat-e-Walidayn-e-Mustafa, pp. 42 abridged) His honourable mother’s name is Fatimah Bint-e-Amr. (Tareekh-e-Tabari, vol. 2,, pp. 239)
Siblings (brothers and sisters)
Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ married six times on six various occasions hence Sayyiduna Abdullah has 20 siblings (brothers and sisters). Of these, he shared the same mother and father with 3 brothers and 5 sisters. With 11 of his brothers, he only shared a father and the same with one sister (she was from his father’s side only, they did not share the same mother). (Seerat-e-Walidayn-e-Mustafa, pp. 40 - 41)
Made a vow
Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ vowed that if he had ten sons and they grew up as protectors of the Quraysh he would sacrifice one of them next to the Holy Ka’bah in order to please Allah Almighty.
On the completion of this vow, he gathered his sons and informed them about his vow whilst asking them to fulfil it. They all submitted to their father’s wish. Via drawing-lots using the names of the ten sons the name of Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was selected. Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib proceeded to the Holy Ka’bah with his son in order to sacrifice him, however the people of Quraysh suggested not to sacrifice his son unless he had absolutely no other option, because if he went through with his intention to sacrifice his son then others would follow suit and everyone would sacrifice his son here.
Drawing lots
Thereafter the Quraysh proposed a suggestion: ‘You should take your son to visit a certain woman who is a fortune teller in Hijaaz. Tell her this issue, if she too endorses the idea of sacrificing your son then you will have total authority to sacrifice him. On the other hand, if she offers another solution which complies with the fulfilment of your vow and also prevents the sacrifice of Abdullah then you should accept that suggestion.’ Subsequently, they all embarked on the journey to visit the woman and disclosed the dilemma to her. She suggested: ‘You should draw lots between your son and the amount of blood money that is stipulated among your people (in exchange for murder), which is ten camels; if your son’s name is drawn then increase the number of camels, repeat this until your Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ gets pleased and a lot of the camels is drawn. Thereafter slaughter the camels in place of your son. By following my suggestion you will (both) please your Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ as well as save your son.’ Following this conversation, they all returned to Makkah-tul-Mukarramah and drew lots between Sayyiduna Abdullah and ten camels. The name of Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was drawn. So they added another ten camels. The number of camels gradually multiplied until it reached one hundred and only then a lot of the camels was drawn. Following this episode the people of the Quraysh and other people present there congratulated Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib. Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ proclaimed: ‘I swear by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Unless a lot of the camels is not drawn three times I refuse to accept the result of this draw.’ Subsequently, this action was repeated thrice and each time it resulted in a lot of the camels being drawn. (As-Seerat-e-Nabawiyyah Li-ibn Hishaam, p.64 abridged)
Thereupon Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ proclaimed the Takbeer and sacrificed the camels between Safaa and Marwah. Sayyiduna Ikrimah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ reports on the authority of Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abbas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا: “The law in those days was that ten camels would be offered in exchange for one (human) life. Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was the first ever individual to make an offering of one hundred camels in exchange for one life. Subsequently, this became a custom among the Quraysh as well as the rest of Arabia, and this law was maintained by Allah’s Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.’ (Tabaqaat-e-Ibn Sa’d, vol. 1, pp. 72)
Women who desired to marry him
Following the sacrifice event Sayyiduna Abdullah’s رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ popularity grew further. Many young and beautiful women of Makkah-tul-Mukarramah were attracted to his handsome and captivating looks and consequently made strong endeavours to marry him. Some even made large financial proposals (for this purpose). A few notable ones stand out more than others. A Jewish woman named Fatimah Bint-e-Murr Khath’amiyyah made a financial proposal in order to attain the Noor of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم glowing from his forehead. (Tareekh-e-Tabari, vol. 2, pp. 224 abridged) Fatimah Shaamiyyah was the daughter of Syria’s king. She was second to none in beauty and appearance, she too travelled to Makkah-tul-Mukarramah in order to attain the Noor of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, but like others, she too returned without achieving her goal. (Seerat-e-Walidayn-e-Mustafa, pp. 57, 58, abridged, Shawahid-ul-Nubuwwah, pp. 28 abridged)
Conspiracy to murder Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
Through certain signs, the people of the book realized that the existence of the Final Glorious Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had been entrusted in the loin (back) of Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. (Seerat-e- Walidayn-e-Mustafa, pp. 60, abridged, Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, pp. 12 abridged)
(Translators note I think you should remove this whole story about Jews and Ahl-e-Kitab because it could be seen in this country as ‘inciting hatred against Jews’
Therefore a group of Jews resolved not to return to their homes until they had assassinated Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. One day he had gone outside Makkah for the purpose of hunting. These wretched individuals made an attempt to take advantage of the opportunity and withdrew their swords from their sheaths in order to launch their attack. However, in order to protect Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, some riders appeared from the sky who assassinated those accursed Jews. By coincidence, Sayyidatuna Amina’s رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا noble father Sayyiduna Wahb Bin Abd-e-Munaaf witnessed this incident with his own eyes. (Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 1, pp. 182 abridged)
He gained a deep appreciation and admiration in his heart for Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and subsequently he met Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and expressed his desire to see his dear and beloved daughter Sayyidatuna ‘Aminah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا married to Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. The proposal was accepted. Following which Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and Sayyidatuna ‘Aminah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا got married. (Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 1, pp. 182 abridged)
Blessed demise
Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ accompanied caravan of the Quraysh to Syria on a business trip. During this business trip, he became ill. On its return, the caravan approached Madina-tul-Munawwarah and since Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was ill he decided to reside in Madinah with the Banoo-Adee-Bin-Najjaar who were related to Sayyiduna Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ through his father Abdul Muttalib’s رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ maternal grandparents. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed away at this very place at the age of 25. (Al-Muntazam, vol. 2, pp. 224 abridged)
Body intact even after 1400 years
According to the Nawaa-e-Waqt (a Pakistani newspaper) of 21 January 1978 during an excavation procedure in Madina-tul-Munawwarah for the expansion of Masjid Nabawi the blessed body of Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا, the honourable father of our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, was discovered in an absolutely intact and splendid condition despite being laid to rest more than fourteen centuries ago.
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