His full name is AbduIIah bin Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib bin Hishim bin Abd Manaf Qurashi Hashimi. He was the paternal cousin of the Prophet (S.A.W.) and maternal cousin of Khalid Bin Waleed (R.A.). He was born just three years before the Hijrah (approx. 619 CE). When the Prophet (S.A.W.) died, Abdullah (R.A.) was only thirteen years old. Abdullah ibn Abbas (R.A.) was nephew of the Maymoonah bint Al-Harith (R.A.), who later became Ummul-Muminin [Mohammad's (S.A.W.) wife]. He was known as “Sea of Knowledge” and one of the early Quran scholars.
It is said that Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A.) committed to memory about 1,666 sayings (Hadiths) of Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W.) which are recorded and authenticated in the collections of Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
When Abdullah (R.A.) was born, his mother took him to the Prophet (S.A.W.) who put some of his saliva on the baby's tongue even before he began to suckle. This was the beginning of the close and intimate tie between Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A.) and the Prophet (S.A.W.) that was to be part of a life-long love and devotion.
When Abdullah (R.A.) reached the age of discretion, he attached himself to the service of the Prophet (S.A.W.). He would run to fetch water for him when he wanted to make wudu. During Salat, he would stand behind the Prophet (S.A.W.) in prayer and when the Prophet (S.A.W.) went on journeys or expeditions, he would follow next in line to him. Abdullah (R.A.) thus became like the shadow of the Prophet (S.A.W.), constantly in his company.
The word 'wisdom' used in the context of this Hadith means the knowledge of Hadith. Allah, The Glorified, accepted the prayer of His Messenger (S.A.W.) and bestowed upon Ibn Abbas (R.A.) that high position in the exegesis (interpretation) of the Holy Quran such that he has come to be known as the Prince of Exegetes.
During the lifetime of the Prophet (S.A.W.), Abdullah (R.A.) would not miss any of his assemblies and he would commit to memory whatever he said. After the Prophet (S.A.W.) passed away, he would take care to go to as many companions as possible especially those who knew the Prophet (S.A.W.) longer and learn from them what the Prophet (S.A.W.) had taught them. Whenever he heard that someone knew a hadith of the Prophet (S.A.W.) which he did not know, he would go quickly to him and record it. He would subject whatever he heard to close scrutiny and check it against other reports. He would go to as many as thirty companions to verify a single matter.
Abdullah (R.A.) described what he once did on hearing that a companion of the Prophet (S.A.W.) knew a hadith unknown to him: "I went to him during the time of the afternoon siesta and spread my cloak in front of his door. The wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I wished I could have sought his permission to enter and he would certainly have given me permission. But I preferred to wait on him so that he could be completely refreshed. Coming out of his house and seeing me in that condition he said: 'O cousin of the Prophet! What's the matter with you? If you had sent for me I would have come to you.' 'I am the one who should come to you, for knowledge is sought, it does not just come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith and learnt from him."
In this way, the dedicated Abdullah (R.A.) would ask, and ask, and go on asking. And he would sift and scrutinize the information he had collected with his keen and meticulous mind.
It was not only in the collection of hadith that Abdullah (R.A.) specialized. He devoted himself to acquiring knowledge in a wide variety of fields. He had a special admiration for persons like Zayd ibn Thabit (R.A.), the recorder of the revelation, the leading judge and jurist consult in Madinah, an expert in the laws of inheritance and in reading the Quran. When Zayd (R.A.) intended to go on a trip, the young Abdullah (R.A.) would stand humbly at his side and taking hold of the reins of his mount would adopt the attitude of a humble servant in the presence of his master. Zayd would say to him: "Don't, O cousin of the Prophet."
"Thus we were commanded to treat the learned ones among us," Abdullah would say. "And Zayd would say to him in turn: "Let me see your hand." Abdullah would stretch out his hand. Zayd, taking it, would kiss it and say: "Thus we were commanded to treat the Ahl Al-Bayt members of the household of the Prophet."
Abdullah ibn Abbas was constant in his devotions. He kept voluntary fasts regularly and often stayed up at night in Prayer. He would weep while praying and reading the Quran. And when reciting verses dealing with death, resurrection and the life hereafter his voice would be heavy from deep sobbing.
Reference:
[ Ссылка ]
Book: Zindigyan Sahabah ki
Author: Abdul Rehman Pasha
Translator: Abu Javed Iqbal Ahmad Qasmi
#AbduIIahbinAbbas #LifeofAbduIIah bin Abbas #Qureshi
