An Account of the relatives and servants of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

Hayat Al-Qulub Vol. 1,
By: Allamah Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi
Shaykh Tabarsi and Ibn Shahr Ashob have narrated that The Messenger of Allah (S) had nine uncles, all sons of Abdul Muttalib. They were Harith, Zubair, Abu Talib, Hamza, Ghaydaq, Zirar, Muqawwam, Abu Lahab, whose name was Abdul Uzza, and Abbas.
Only four of the Prophet’s uncles left offspring: Harith, Abu Talib, Abbas and Abu Lahab. As for Harith, he was the eldest of Abdul Muttalib’s children, and Abdul Muttalib’s agnomen was Abul Harith. Harith assisted his father, Abdul Muttalib in digging the well of Zamzam. Harith had five male children: Abu Sufyan, Mughairah, Naufal, Rabiah and Abde Shams. Abu Sufyan became a Muslim during the year of the conquest of Mecca.
He left no offspring. Naufal, who was older than Hamza and Abbas, accepted Islam during the siege of Khandaq. He left offspring after him. As for Abde Shams, the Messenger of Allah (S) changed his name to Abdullah. His children lived after him in Syria.
As for Abu Talib and Abdullah, the Prophet’s father, they were children of the same mother. Their mother was Fatima daughter of Amr bin Aidh bin Imran bin Makhzum. Abu Talib’s name was Abde Manaf, and he had four male children. These were: Talib, Aqil, Ja’far and Ali. His female children were Umm Hani, whose names were Fakhta and Jumana. The mother of all these children was Fatima daughter of Asad, Aqil was ten years older than Ja’far. Talib had no children, and he died three years before the Prophet migrated to Medina.
The Messenger of Allah (S) was protected from all harm in Mecca with his status secure, until Abu Talib died. Then Mecca rejected him, nor could he carry out his mission, until Jibraeel finally came to him and said: “Allah sends you salutations of peace and says to you, “Depart to Mecca, for your supporter is dead.’” When Abu Talib died, Ali went to the Messenger of Allah (S) and informed him of this.
The Prophet said to him: “Go O Ali, and take charge of washing shrouding and anointing him, but when you have laid him out on his bier, come and inform me!” Ali did so, and the Prophet stood before the corpse and exclaimed: “You have indeed acted kindly towards your next of kin; may you therefore be well rewarded, O uncle, for you were a good guardian of the one whom you brought up as a youth. You also assisted him and offered support to him as a grown up man!” The Prophet then turned to those present and said: “By Allah, I shall intercede on my uncle’s behalf with an intercession at which both men and Jinn shall marvel!”
As for Abbas, his agnomen was Abul Fazl, and to him belonged the rite of offering water to the pilgrims, as well as the guardianship of the well of Zamzam. He accepted Islam at the time of the Battle of Badr. He also received the Prophet at al-Abwa at the time of the conquest of Mecca, and accompanied him when he entered it.
With him the Hijrat (migration of Muslims) was completed. Abbas died in Medina during the Caliphate of Uthman, after losing sight due to old age. He had twelve children, nine males and three females. They were: Abdullah, Ubaidullah, Fazl, Qutham, Mabad, Abdur Rahman and Umm Habib. The mother of all these was Lubabah daughter of Fazl bin Harith al-Hilaliya, the sister of Maimoona daughter of Harith, the wife of the Prophet. The other children of Abbas were born of different mothers; they were: Tammam, Kathir, Harith, Amina and Safiya.
As for Abu Lahab, his children were Utaibah, Utbah, Uqbah and Muattab. Their mother was Umm Jamil daughter of Harb and sister of Abu Sufyan, ‘the carrier of wood’ (Qur’an, chapter 111).
The Prophet’s paternal aunts were six, the children of different mothers. They were: Umaymah, Umm Hakim, Barrah, Atika, Safiya and Arwa. Umaymah was the wife of Jahash bin Riab al-Asadi, Umm Hakim – known as al-Bayda (the fair one) – was the wife of Karir bin Rabiah Ibn Habib Ibn Abde Shams.
Barrah was the wife of Abdul Asad Ibn Hilal al-Makhzumi, for whom she bore Abu Salamah, who was the husband of Umm Salma (before the Prophet married her). Atika was the wife of Abu Umayyah Ibn Mughairah Makhzumi. Safiya was the wife of Harith Ibn Harb bin Umayyah. She then married Awwam Ibn Khuwailid, for whom she bore Zubair. Arwa was the wife of Umair bin Abdul Uzza Ibn Qusayy. The only one among the Prophet’s aunt who accepted Islam was Safiya. It is also reported that three became Muslims: Safiya, Arwa and Atikah.
The Messenger of Allah (S) had no maternal relatives except the foster siblings. This is because his mother, Amina daughter of Wahab had no brothers or sisters, who would have been the Prophet’s uncles or aunts. Yet the men of the tribe of Banu Zuhra claimed to be his uncles because Amina was a member of that tribe. Nor did his parents, Abdullah and Amina have any other children, who would have then been his blood brothers and sisters.
The Prophet had a maternal aunt in nursing called, Salma, who was the sister of Halima (as-Sadiya, his foster mother), daughter of Abu Dhuwayb. He also had two foster brothers, Abdullah bin Harith and Anisah bin Harith, whose father was Harith bin Uzza bin Saad bin Bakr bin Hawazin.
Among the Prophet’s male clients was Zaid bin Harith, who was bought as a youth for Khadija by Hakim Ibn Hizam at the market of Ukaz for 400 dirhams. But after the Messenger of Allah (S) married Khadija, she gave him Zaid as a gift. The Prophet, however set him free and adopted him. He also married him to Umm Ayman, who bore him Usamah. Zaid was known as ‘the son of the Messenger of Allah (S)’ until Allah sent down the verse of: “Let sons be called only after their fathers” (Holy Qur’an 33:5).
Another of the Prophet’s clients was Abu Rafe, whose name was Aslam. He belonged to Abbas (the Prophet’s uncle), who gave Abu Rafe to the Prophet as gift. When Abbas accepted Islam, Abu Rafe hastened with the news to the Prophet, who was so pleased that he set him free. The Prophet also had Abu Rafe married to Salma, his maidservant, who bore him Ubaidullah Ibn Abi Rafe, who was Ali’s scribe during the latter’s Caliphate.
Another client was a man called Safinah, whose name was Rabah. The Messenger of Allah (S) bought him and set him free. Nawban, a man of the tribe of Himyar, whose agnomen was Abu Abdullah, was taken captive, and the Messenger of Allah (S) also bought him and set him free.
Yassar, a Nubian slave, was also bought by the Messenger of Allah (S) and set free.
Yassar was killed by the man from the tribe of Urainah who raided the orchard of the Messenger of Allah (S). Other clients were Shuqran, whose name was Salih, and Abu Kabshah, whose name was Sulaiman. Another client was Abu Damirah, whom the Prophet set free and for whom he wrote a deed of surety which remained with his descendants after him. Mudim, who was also a client of the Prophet, was shot with an arrow at Wadiul Qura (near Mecca), where he died.
Other clients were Abu Muwayhibah, Ansah, Fudalah, Tahmna, Abu Ayman, Abu Hind and Anjashah. Anjashah was the man to whom the Prophet said: “Be not in haste O Anjashah, be gentle with the crystals (that is, women, as being fragile)!”
Tenth was Abu Muwayhibah, who was from the tribe of Mazinah. The Holy Prophet (S) had freed him. Eleventh is Abniya Ibn Kurdi, who was an Iranian, and he was martyred in the Battle of Badr. Some say that he died during the time of Abu Bakr. Twelfth is Fazalah, who was gifted to the Prophet by Rafa bin Zaid, and he was martyred in Wadiul Qura.
Thirteenth was Tahman, fourteenth was Abu Ayman; he was named Abu Rabah. Fifteenth was Abu Hind. Sixteenth was Anjasha. Seventeenth was Salih. Eighteenth was Abu Salma. Nineteenth was Abu Usaib. Twentieth was Abu Ubaid. Twenty-first was Aflah. Twenty-second, Ruwaifih, twenty-third Abu Laqit, twenty-fourth Abu Rafi (the younger), twenty-fifth, Yasaar (the elder), twenty-sixth, Karkarah, whom Hauda bin Ali had gifted to the Prophet and he freed him.
Some say that he remained a slave till his death. Twenty-seventh, Rabah, twenty-eighth Abu Lubabah whom the Prophet had emancipated after buying him. Twenty-ninth is Abul Yusr. Thirtieth was Salman Farsi. Thirty-first was Bilal Habashi. Thirty-second, Suhaib Rumi. Thirty-third, Abu Bakra, who was named Baqi. He had come to the Prophet from the fort of Taif and was freed by the Prophet. Thirty-fourth Aslam Rumi. Thirty-fifth was Habsha Habshi. Thirty-sixth was Mahir, whom Maqooqas had sent for the Prophet. Thirty-seventh was Abu Thabit. Thirty-eighth was Abu Niraz. Thirty-ninth was Mehran.
As for the Prophet’s maidservants, first al-Muqawis, the ruler of Alexandria (Egypt), presented to him two maidservants, one of whom was Mariya the Copt, who bore him Ibrahim, dying five years after the Prophet in 16 A.H. The other maidservant (who was given to him along with Mariya), he gave to Hassan bin Thabit.
Umm Ayman was the Prophet’s special maid, whom he inherited from his mother. She was a black woman, and her name was Barakah. The Prophet set her free and gave her in marriage to Ubaid al-Khazraji in Mecca. She bore Ubaid a son called Ayman. Then he died, and the Prophet married her to Zaid, for whom she bore Usamah, who was also black resembling her. Thus Usamah and Ayman were two brothers of the same mother.
Another was Ruqaiyyah, daughter of Shamun, whom the Prophet captured with the booty from the tribe of Bani Quraiza.
The Prophet’s freemen and women servants were: Anas bin Malik, and Hind and Asma, daughters of Kharijah of the tribe of Bani Aslam.
Some say that the Prophet had a eunuch called Mayora in his service. And among the freemen of the Prophet were Anas bin Malik and Hind and Asma, daughters of Kharijah. Of the scribes of the Prophet, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) was the scribe of revelation and other than revelation.
Ubayy bin Kaab and Zaid bin Thabit also sometimes noted down the revealed verses of Qur’an. Zaid and Abdullah bin Arqam wrote letters addressed to different rulers. And Alaa bin Uqbah and Abdullah bin Arqam used to write real estate deeds. Zubair bin Awam and Jaham bin Sult were scribes of taxes and Zakat. Huzaifa was the scribe of taxes on dates. The following persons are also mentioned among the scribes: Uthman bin Affan, Khalid bin Saeed, Aban bin Saeed, Mughairah bin Shoba, Husain bin Numair, Alaa bin Hadhrami, Sharjeel bin Hasna, Hanzal bin Rabi, Abdullah bin Saad bin Abi Sara who had been dishonest in writing the verses of Qur’an.
The Holy Prophet (S) cursed him and he became an apostate. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that one day the Holy Prophet (S) called for Muawiyah to write down a letter. People said that he was eating his dinner. When the Holy Prophet (S) called for him the second time, he was still reported to be eating. The Holy Prophet (S) said, “May Allah never fill up his stomach.” Therefore due to the curse of the Prophet he was always involved in hunger, till his death.
Anas bin Malik was the gate keeper of the Holy Prophet (S) and there were some Muezzins of the Prophet: the first of whom was Bilal who recited the Azan for the Prophet. Another Muezzin was Umar bin Umm Maktum, whose father’s name was Qays.
Third, Ziyad bin Harith, fourth Aws bin Mughairah, fifth Abdullah bin Zaid Ansari. Abu Talha was the caller of the Prophet. And those who killed the infidels before the Prophet were Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), Zubair, Muhammad bin Muslima, Asim bin Aflah and Miqdad. And those who used to support the Prophet on various occasions was Saad bin Maaz, who roamed in guarding the Prophet on the day of the Battle of Badr and Zakwan bin Abdullah was also guarding the Prophet.
And in the Battle of Uhad, Muhammad bin Muslima acted as his bodyguard. In the Battle of Khandaq, Zubair bin Harith was the bodyguard. On the night the Prophet consummated his marriage to Safiya, Saad bin Abi Waqqas and Abu Ayyub Ansari were his guards. And in Wadiul Qura, it was Bilal. On the eve of the conquest of Mecca, it was Ziyad Ibn Asad. Some other persons were appointed to guard the Prophet but when the Almighty Allah revealed the verse of: “And Allah will protect you from the people,” the Holy Prophet (S) relieved his guards of their duty.
Among the governors of the Holy Prophet (S) were Amr bin Khuddam, whom the Prophet had appointed as the governor of Najran. Ziyad bin Usaid was appointed as the governor of Hadhramaut. Khalid bin Saeed was appointed to govern Sana. Abu Umayyah Ghazwi governed Kinda and Sadaqah. Abu Musa Ashari was appointed as the governor of Zuwaid, Zamaa Adan and Sahil. Maaz bin Jabal was appointed on some provinces of Yemen. Amr bin Aas was appointed to govern Oman along with Abu Zaid Ansari. Yazid bin Abu Sufyan was appointed to collect taxes from Najran. Huzaifa and Bilal were ordered to collect taxes on fruits. Ibad bin Bashir Ansari was charged with the collection of taxes of Bani Mustaliq.
Afra bin Habis was put in charge of collecting taxes from Bani Yarbu. Adi bin Hatim was in charge of the taxes of Bani Daram. Zirqaan bin Badr was collecting taxes from Bani Awf. Malik bin Nuwairah was collecting taxes from Bani Yarbu. Adi bin Hatim was the collector of taxes from Bani Asad. Uyyana bin Haseen was in charge of the taxes of Qararah. Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah was in charge of taxes of Maziniya and was the governor of Budhail and Kanana.
The Messenger of Allah (S) had six messengers: Hatib bin Abi Balta was sent to Maqooqas; Shuja bin Wahab was sent to Harith bin Shimr; Wahiya Kalbi to the King of Rum; Suleet bin Amr to Zah bin Ali Hanafi; Abdullah bin Hazafah to the King of Iran; Amr bin Umayyah to King of Abyssinia.
The following were the poets who eulogized the Prophet: Kaab bin Malik, Abdullah bin Rawaha, Hisaan bin Thabit, Nabigha Judi, Kaab bin Zuhair, Qays bin Sarma, Lubaid bin al-Zabari, Umayyah bin Sult, Abbas bin Mardas, Tufail Ghanawi, Kaab bin Namat, Malik bin Awf, Qays bin Nahr Ashjai, Abdullah bin Harb As-hami, Nahr bin Abi Salma, Abu Wahbal Hamji.
Kulaini has narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the wife of Uthman bin Mazun came to the Prophet and said: “O Messenger of Allah (S), Uthman, mostly fasts during the days and spends the nights in worship, and he does not come near me.” The Holy Prophet (S) came out of his house in fury, in such way that he was carrying his slippers in his hands. And he reached the residence of Uthman in this condition.
He found Uthman praying, and when Uthman saw the Prophet he concluded his prayer and came to the Messenger of Allah (S). The Prophet said: “O Uthman, the Almighty Allah has not sent me to propagate monkery and abstinence from the world. He has sent me with an easy set of commandments. I also fast, pray and have relations with my wives. Thus one who wishes to follow my religion should following my practice. And it is my practice to associate with women.”
It is narrated from the same Imam that when Uthman bin Mazun died, His Eminence kissed him after his death. It is narrated from the same Imam that when the Holy Prophet (S) was walking besides the bier of Uthman bin Mazun, he heard the voice of a woman who was saying: “O Saib, congratulations for gaining Paradise.” The Holy Prophet (S) asked: “How do you know that he will go to Paradise?” You should only say that he was devoted to Allah and His Prophet.” And when Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet died, the Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Join your excellent elder, Uthman bin Mazun.”[547]
Kulaini has narrated through correct chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (S) gave Ziyaa binte Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib, his cousin (sister) to Miqdad bin Aswad and said: I have married Ziyaa to Miqdad so that people may stop giving importance to lineage and ancestry. And that they start following the practice of the Messenger of Allah (S) because the most pious is one most honored in the view of the Almighty Allah. And Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) has said that Zubair, Abdullah and Abu Talib were full siblings.
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) through correct chains of narrator that when Quraish plotted to assassinate the Prophet, they said: “What should we do with Abu Lahab, so that he does not act as a hurdle in this plot?”
Umm Jamil, wife of Abu Lahab said: “I will keep you safe from his mischief. I will tell him to remain at home so that we can have a morning drink.” Thus when the others moved out to kill the Prophet, Umm Jamil detained Abu Lahab at home and kept him busy in taking drinks. His Eminence, Abu Talib called for Ali (a.s.) and said: “Go to the house of your uncle, Abu Lahab and ask them to open the door. If they don’t open the door, break it open yourself and enter the house and say: “My father says that if the uncle of the community is a leader it is not possible for that community to be degraded.”
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) came to the house of Abu Lahab and found the door closed. In spite of knocking the door no one opened it. So Ali (a.s.) broke open the door and entered the house. Abu Lahab asked: “O nephew, what is the purpose of your visit?” Imam Ali (a.s.) conveyed the message of His Eminence, Abu Talib. Abu Lahab said: “Your father is right, but what has happened?” He replied: “Your nephew is being killed and you are busy in drinking wine?” Abu Lahab jumped up and picked his sword and tried to leave the house. Umm Jamil, the hypocrite woman, put her arms around him.
Abu Lahab slapped her so hard that she lost the sight of one of her eyes. And he came out of the house with a naked sword. When the Quraish saw him so infuriated, they asked: “What has happened to you O Abu Lahab?” Abu Lahab replied: “I opposed my nephew in your support, so you decided to eliminate him? By Laat and Uzza, I have decided to become a Muslim and then I will show you what I can do.” The Quraish began to plead with him and at last persuaded him to return home.
It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) through authentic chains of narrators that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: “I testify that Umm Ayman was destined to Paradise.”
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) through authentic chains of narrators that a foster sister of the Messenger of Allah (S) came to him and when he saw her, he was elated and he laid down his chador for her and asked to her to sit on it. And he spoke with her cheerfully. When she returned, his foster brother arrived, but the Prophet did not act in the same cordial manner. The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah (S), why did you pay more respects to his sister?” He replied: “It is so because she is nicer to her parents than he is.”
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) through authentic chains of narrators that the Messenger of Allah (S) had two Muezzins: Bilal and Ibn Umm Maktum. Since Ibn Umm Maktum was visually handicapped, he used to recite the Azan at night and Bilal recited it after morning had risen. That is why the Prophet used to say that when you hear the Azan of Bilal in Ramadhan you must leave eating and drinking and know that it is morning.
Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) was appointed to the office of prophethood on Monday. And on Tuesday, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) embraced Faith.[548] After that Lady Khadija, the Prophet’s wife, brought faith. His Eminence, Abu Talib came to the house of the Prophet and saw him praying and Imam Ali (a.s.) was following him, standing to his right. Abu Talib said to His Eminence, Ja’far at-Tayyar: “Correct the arms of your cousin and stand to his left.” Ja’far stood to the right. The Prophet moved forward. Thus for a long time except for Ali, Ja’far, Zaid bin Haritha and Khadija, no one prayed with the Prophet till the 94th verse of Surah Hijr was revealed:

فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا

أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ

مَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ

وَمَنْ جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ