View source for Abd Allah ibn Ja'far

{{Short description|One of the youngest Companions (Sahabi) of Muhammad}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name               = Abd Allah ibn Ja'far al-Hashmi <br> عبد الله بن جعفر
| image              = 
| imagesize          = 
| caption            = 
| title              = 
| birth_date         = {{circa|622}} or 626
| birth_place        = [[Ethiopian Empire|Abyssinia]]
| death_date         = {{circa|699}} or 702/704
| death_place        = [[Medina]], [[Umayyad Caliphate]] {{small|(present-day [[KSA]])}}
| religion           = [[Islam]]
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
*[[Zaynab bint Ali]]
*[[Umm Kulthum bint Ali]]
*Layla bint Mas'ud
}}
| father             = [[Ja'far ibn Abi Talib]]
| mother             = [[Asma bint Umais]]
| relatives          = {{ubl|[[Ali]] <small>(uncle)</small>|[[Fatimah]] <small>(Aunt)</small>|{{ubl|{{Collapsible list|state=collapsed|'''Cousin'''(s)''':''' |[[Hasan ibn Ali|Hasan]]|[[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn]]|[[Zaynab bint Ali|Zaynab]]|[[Umm Kulthum bint Ali|Umm Kulthum]]|[[Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya|Muhammad]]|[[Abbas ibn Ali|Abbas]]|[[Ruqayya bint Ali|Ruqayya]]|[[Abdullah ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib|Abdullah]]|[[Ja'far ibn Ali|Ja'far]]|[[Hilal ibn Ali|Hilal]]|[[Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan|Abd al-Malik]] <small>(son-in-law)</small>}}}}}}
| known_for          = [[Companions of the Prophet|companion of Muhammad]]
| children           = {{plainlist|
*[[Awn ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Awn]]
*[[Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Muhammad]]
}}
| resting_place      = [[Al-Baqi Cemetery]], Medina
| relations          = [[Banu Hashim]] (clan)
}}
'''Abd Allah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib al-Hashimi''' ({{langx|ar|عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱبْن أَبِي طَالِب الْهَاشِمِي|translit=ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jaʿfar ibn ʾAbī Ṭālib al-Hāshimī}}; {{Circa|624}}{{snd}}699 or 702/704) was a [[Companions of the Prophet|companion]] and relative of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]], a nephew of [[Ali]], a half-brother of [[Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr]] and grandfather of [[Abd Allah ibn Mu'awiya]].

He was loyal to [[Ahl al-Bayt]] in spite of his absence at the [[Battle of Karbala]]. He is reported to have said: "Allah gave a chance to my two sons ([[Awn ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Awn]] and [[Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Muhammad]]). I should have also been there. If I had been there I also would have sacrificed myself for Hussain Ibn e Ali."<ref name="Badr Shahin">{{cite book|last1=Shahin|first1= Badr|title=Lady Zaynab| date=2002|publisher= Ansariyan Publications |location=Qum, Iran|page= 82|language=en|isbn=964-438-399-0}}</ref>  According to [[Richard Francis Burton]] he is widely recognized as the most sympathetic amongst Arabs. His grave is situated near [[Aqil ibn Abi Talib]] and [[Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith]] (the grandson of [[Abd al-Muttalib]]) in [[al-Baqi Cemetery]].<ref name="Richard Francis Burton">{{cite book|last1=  Burton |first1= Sir Richard Francis|title= Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah, Volume 2| date=1893 |publisher= The Meccan Press, 3 Soho Square, London, W |location=UK|page= 44|language=en}}</ref> 
[[File:Grave abdullah bin Jafar(left)and Akil bin abi Talib.jpg|thumb|The Grave of Abd Allah ibn Ja'far in Al-Baqi]]

==Early life==

He was the son of [[Ja'far ibn Abi Talib]] and [[Asma bint Umays]]. They had emigrated to [[Second migration to Abyssinia|Abyssinia]] in 616, and Abd Allah and his two brothers were born there.<ref name=Saad8>Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). ''The Women of Madina''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.</ref>{{rp|196}} Abd Allah was the first Muslim to be born in Abyssinia.<ref name= "Al Refai">{{cite book|last1= Dr. Ayman Odaibat |first1= Dr. Mona Borhan Ghazal (Al Refai) |title= Virtuous Women In Mythology and Holy Books (English translation from Arabic)| date= 3 March 2013 |publisher= Author House |location=Bloomington, Indiana |page= 189|language=en }}</ref> After the birth of Abd Allah in Abyssinia (Habesha, now Ethiopia), the king of the Kingdom of Aksum ([[Najashi]]) also had a son. He immediately asked the parents of Abd Allah ibn Ja'far about the name of their child. Upon knowing the name, the king of Abyssinia also chose the name “Abd Allah” for his first son. It is also stated that Asma bint Umays was the nursing mother of the son of the Abyssinian King.<ref name= "Excerpt">{{cite book|last1= Khan |first1= Ashfaq Ahmed |title= Sakhawat Ka Darya the 5th series of books "Daur-e-Nabuwat kay bacchay (Children during Prophethood)|publisher= Darus Salam (International publisher)|location=Pakistan, UK, USA & Saudi Arab |page= 12|language=ur }}</ref> The younger brother of Abd Allah appears to be the first child in Muslim history who was named Muhammad after the Islamic prophet.<ref>{{cite web |author=A. Hamid |url=http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/Jafar-Ibn-Abi-Talib |title=Jafar Ibn Abi Talib |publisher=The Fountain Magazine |date=June 1995 |access-date=11 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215053225/http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/Jafar-Ibn-Abi-Talib |archive-date=15 December 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The family returned to Arabia in 628 and settled in [[Medina]].<ref name=Saad8/>{{rp|196}}

===Muhammad's supplication and instruction===

In addition to [[Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani|Ibn Hajar]]'s reference, it is said that 3 days after Ja'far's death, Muhammad went to the house of Asma and called for the children of Ja'far. He then said about each of them: "As for Muhammad, he resembles our uncle Abi Talib.  As for Abd Allah, he resembles me in terms of both my appearance and character."  Afterward, Muhammad took the right hand of Abd Allah and said "O Allah, provide a successor for Ja'far in his family, and bless Abd Allah in his business, and repeated this appeal to the Almighty thrice.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Faisal Shafeeq |first1= Dr.Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee |title= The Noble Life of the Prophet| date= 2001 |publisher= Kalamullah.com |location=UK|pages= 1661–1662|language=en}}</ref><ref name= "Al Refai"/>  Muhammad instructed the sons of Abi Talib, namely Ja'far, Aqil and Ali that they should arrange marriages of their children with their cousins.<ref>{{Citation
 | last = Shaikh Abbas Borhany
 | first = Qazi Dr.
 | title = Syedah Zainab, Protector of the Renaissance of Karbala
 | pages = 5–6
 | newspaper = The Weekly Mag
 | location = Pakistan
 | date = 30 June – 6 July 1994
 | url = http://www.durrenajaf.com/upload/5241055e809ae.pdf
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170225184521/http://durrenajaf.com/upload/5241055e809ae.pdf
 | archive-date = 25 February 2017
 | access-date = 18 December 2017
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref>

==Marriage and family life==

Ali had particularly wished that his daughters should marry Ja'far's sons.<ref name=Saad8/>{{rp|299}} When Abd Allah asked for [[Zaynab bint Ali|Zaynab]]'s hand, Ali accepted it.<ref name="Akbar Rizvi">{{cite book|last1=Akbar Rizvi|first1= Syed Ali|title=Bibi Zainab (s.a) - Granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) | date=2007|publisher=Idara Tarveej-e-Uloom-e-Islamia|location=Karachi, Pakistan|pages= 30|language=en}}</ref>  Abd Allah and Zaynab had two children.

According to [[Abbas Qomi|Shaykh Muhammad Abbas Qummi]], Abd Allah had 20 sons from different wives, including five children from Zaynab bint Ali. The Daira-e-Maarif Islamia (Circle of Islamic Knowledge) of [[University of the Punjab]] (pages 568-70, Vol.X) describes Zaynabi as a progeny of Abd Allah’s son Ali through Zaynab bint Ali.<ref name="Akbar Rizvi"/>{{rp|31}}

Abd Allah ibn Ja'far was one of the richest people in Medina and a [[Philanthropy|philanthropist]] who was called as  “Bahr al-Joud” which means an ocean of charity.<ref name="Akbar Rizvi"/>{{rp|35}}

When Ali became the Caliph in 656 and moved from Medina to [[Kufa]], Zaynab and Abd Allah joined him.<ref>{{cite web|author= Aalulbayt Global Information Center| url=http://www.holykarbala.net/english/zainab/ |title= Al-Sayeda Zainab (p.b.u.h.), the Greatest Women Messenger of Imam al-Hussain (p.b.u.h.) Revolution |publisher=Holy Karbala Net | date= 2003{{ndash}}2007 |access-date=1 December 2017}}</ref>

===His wife’s journey with Husayn ibn Ali===

It is related that Zaynab forecast the journey to [[Karbala]] before her marriage to Abd Allah. So permission for going there with her brother was obtained from Abd Allah  during the marriage negotiations.<ref name="Zainab">{{cite book|last1= Nisar Ahmed Zainpuri |first1= Akbar Asadi, Mehdi Raza’í |title=Namoona-e-Sabr (Zainab) translation from Persian to Urdu | date=1951|publisher= Ansarian Publications |location=Qum, Iran|page= 60|language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1= Fatima Naqvi |first1= Dr. Umme |title= The Ultimate Sacrifice for Allah: Karbala| date=December 2011 |publisher= Nashriyat-e-Walayat-e-Elahia |page= 13|language=en}}</ref>  With regard to the absence of Abd Allah at the [[Battle of Karbala]], it is said it was due to his poor eyesight. Consequently, he was unable to bear the demands of the journey and the battle.<ref name="Akbar Rizvi"/>{{rp|37}} Knowing about Husayn's journey to Kufa, Zaynab, the wife of Abd Allah ibn Ja'far begged her husband's permission to accompany her brother.<ref>{{cite web |author= Shaikh Musa Muhammad |url= http://www.alhassanain.com/english/book/book/history_library/islamic_personalities/lady_zaynab_peace_be_upon_her/011.html |title= Lady Zaynab (Peace be Upon Her) - Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad in Kufa |publisher= Al-Hassanain Com |date= 8 August 2009 |access-date= 27 November 2017 |archive-date= 1 December 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030818/http://www.alhassanain.com/english/book/book/history_library/islamic_personalities/lady_zaynab_peace_be_upon_her/011.html |url-status= dead }}</ref> Recognising the anxiousness of her husband she stated that:

{{Cquote|You know that for 55 years my brother and I have never been separated.  Now is the time of our old age and the closing period of our lives.  If I leave him now, how shall I be able to face my mother, who at the time of her death had willed, “Zaynab” after me you are both mother and sister for Husayn?  It is obligatory for me to stay with you, but if I do not go with him at this time, I shall not be able to bear the separation.
}}
Abd Allah then granted his permission and sent their two sons for the destined journey.<ref name="The Victory of Truth">{{cite book|last1=Bilgrami|first1= M.H|title=The Victory of Truth – The Life of Zaynab Binte Ali| date=1986 |publisher= Zahra Publications |location=Karachi, Pakistan|page= 82|language=en |isbn=088059-151-X}}</ref>

Abd Allah was concurrently married to Layla bint Mas'ud.<ref name=Saad8/>{{rp|300}} With reference to books ‘Nasab e Quraish Page-83’ and ‘Jameerath ul Nasab by Ibn Hazm page 62’ it is described that Layla bint Mas'ud ibn Khalid was “al-Zawja al-Thaniya (second wife)”. Through this marriage he had two daughters (Umm Muhammad and Umm Abiha) and four sons (Yahya, Harun, Salih and Musa).<ref name="Mehmood Abbasi">{{cite book|last1=Abbasi|first1= Mehmood Ahmed|title=Khilafat-e-Muawiya O Yazid| date=1962|publisher=Maktab-e-Mehmoodia|location=Liaquatabad, Karachi, Pakistan|pages=276–77|language=ur}}</ref>

==Career==

===Battles===

With regard to his presence in the [[Battle of the Camel]], it is said that at the end of the battle, while entrusting the return of [[Aisha]] to Medina under the protection of her brother [[Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr]], [[Ali]] ordered for payment of  12,000 dirhams to Aisha. Abd Allah thinking that the amount was too little, provided a larger sum for Aisha.<ref name="The History of al-Tabari"/>{{rp|127}}  According to [[Ibn A'tham al-Kufi]], in the [[Battle of Siffin]] Abd Allah commanded the infantry in the army of Ali ibn Abi Talib together with his half-brother, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr and his cousins, [[Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya]] and [[Muslim ibn Aqil]].<ref name="Aasam Kufi">{{cite book|last1= Asam Kufi|author-link= Ahmad ibn A'tham|first1= Ahmed bin Abu Muhammad bin Ali |title=Tareekh-e-Asam Kufi| date=2002|publisher= Ali publication |location=Janazga, Mazang, Lahore, Pakistan|page= 278|language=ur}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Sallabi |first=Ali |title=al-Hasan ibn Ali, His Life and Times |page=269}}</ref>

===Politics===

Abd Allah was a staunch supporter of his uncle Ali in the [[First Fitna|civil war]]. He maintained a reputation for liberality and patronage in Medina, earning him the nickname “the Ocean of Generosity”.<ref name="Mamar">{{cite book |last1=Ibn Rashid |first1=Mamar |title=The Expeditions: An Early Biography of Muhammad |date=May 2014 |publisher=New York University Press |location=NY, USA |page=316 |language=en}} online ref:[https://books.google.com/books?id=t099BAAAQBAJ&q=who+was+jafar+ibn+abi+talib]</ref> After the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abd Allah ibn Ja'far together with his cousins [[Hasan ibn Ali|Hasan]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn]] participated in washing the body and dressed him for burial in three robes without a kurta (a long shirt).<ref name="Tabqat Ibn Sad (Akhbar un Nabi)" >{{cite book|last1= Ibn Sad |first1= Allama Abdullah al-Imadi |title=Tabqat Ibn Sad Vol-2 (Parts-3 & 4) |publisher= Darul Ishaat | location=Karachi [[Pakistan]]|page= 192 |language=ur |edition=2003}}</ref>

{{Expert needed|Islam|ex2=History
| date = September 2024
| reason = To rewrite in clear English an accurate account of the events that took place during the time Ali was Caliph. Current wording does not make sense.
}}

In addition to some spy reporting  to Ali ibn Abi Talib that [[Qays ibn Sa'd]], his governor at Egypt had given allegiance to [[Mu'awiya I]],  he received his letter which was written in perspective of affairs emerged on account of a conspiracy  caused by opponent of Ali. Ali called his sons and Abd Allah ibn Ja'far and consulted the matter. Upon advice of Abd Allah, Ali wrote a letter ordering Qays ibn Sa'd to seek the people to give their allegiance as the Muslims have done (after the 3rd Caliph).  But, if they do not, then fight them. The governor of Egypt against this communication wrote a letter to Ali ibn Abi Talib. Then Abd Allah ibn Ja'far requested his father in law to replace Qays ibn Sa'd with Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as governor of Egypt and pleaded that if he really has gone over to Mu'awiya, he will refuse to give up Egypt. However, according to Tabari it was a poor advice consequent to meeting of Qays ibn Sa'd with Ali during the period of killing of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.<ref name="The History of al-Tabari" />{{rp|185–189 (VOL.XVI) }}

Once a Chief of Iraqi village asked Abd Allah ibn Ja'far to recommend his case before Caliph Ali for accomplishment. He did so and matter of that chief was satisfied by Ali ibn Abi Talib. As a gratification the chief sent 40,000 Dirhams through some people to Abd Allah, who refused the money saying that we do not sell our good deeds<ref>{{cite book|last1= Mufti Afzal Hoosen Elias |first1= Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Kandhelvi |title= Hayat Us Sahaba - (English translation from Urdu) Volume 2 | date=March 2006 |publisher= Zem Zem, Publisher, Urdu Bazar |location= Karachi, Pakistan|page= 282|language=en}}.</ref>

==His vision for Husayn==

Knowing the death of his two sons in the [[Battle of Karbala]], people were offering condolences to Abd Allah, one of his Mawili  (Abu al-Lislas [a companion]) said that “this is what we have met and what has come upon us through Husayn ibn Ali” on this statement he struck him with his sandal and told that I am pleased that my two sons killed with my brother and cousin.  By God! If I had been present with him, I would have preferred not to leave him in order that I would be killed with him. He then seeking attention of people consoling him, said that “Praise be to God, Who has made life hard, console Husayn ibn Ali with my own hands, my two sons consoled him.<ref name="The History of al-Tabari"/> {{rp|177}}

===Letter to Husayn===

[[Ibn Khaldun]] in chapter 2 volume II title “Yazid-I” from 60 to 64 AH, it is described that Abd Allah sent a letter through his sons [[Awn ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Awn]] and [[Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Ja'far|Muhammad]], to Husayn, requesting that “for God sake come back. It is my advice to you in anxiety that you would be killed and Ahl al-Bayt destroyed. As a result, earth’s light will come to an end, there would be no leader for Muslims.  Please do not hurry in journey, I would be reaching there after this letter.<ref>{{cite book|last1= Illabadi |first1= Hakeem Ahmed Hussain |title=Tareekh-e-Ibn Khaldun by Nafees Academy | location=Karachi [[Pakistan]]|page= 522 |language=ur |edition=2003}}</ref>" Later he went to [[Al-Ashdaq|Amr ibn Sa'id]] who was Yazid's governor of Mecca and asked him to write a letter to Husayn offering him a guarantee of harmless behavior assuring him kindness and open-handedness. "Show trust to him in your letter and request him to return." This letter was replied by Husayn too.<ref name="The History of al-Tabari">{{cite book|last1=I.K.A. Howard |first1=Al-Tabari |title= The Caliphate of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah|publisher= State University of New York Press | location=New York|pages=73–74 (Volume XIX) |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Yahya ibn Umar]]- Descendant of Abd Allah ibn Ja'far who led a rebellion

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*https://web.archive.org/web/20070319112108/http://www.jafariyanews.com/articles/2k5/13june_syedaZaynab.htm biography
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110716082212/http://www.dartabligh.org/months/jamadilawwal/janabe_zainab%28a.s%29.html
*https://web.archive.org/web/20091230032022/http://home.earthlink.net/~downloadquran/Maqtal_al-Husain.pdf (See Maqtal al-Husayn page 213).

{{Ali's companions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdullah Ibn Jafar}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:680 deaths]]
[[Category:Banu Hashim]]
[[Category:Sahabah hadith narrators]]
[[Category:Burials at Jannat al-Baqī]]