Abū al-ʿĀṣ ibn al-Rabīʿ
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| أبو العاص بن الربيع | |
| Born |
Mecca
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| Died | February 634 |
| Occupation | Merchant |
| Known for | Being a son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad |
| Spouses |
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| Children |
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| Parents |
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| Relatives | List
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Abū al-ʿĀṣ ibn al-Rabīʿ (Arabic: أبو العاص بن الربيع, died in February, AD 634), was a son-in-law and Companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. His original name was said to have been HushaymorYasser.[1]
He was the son of Hala bint Khuwaylid.[2] His legal father was Al-Rabi ibn Abd al-Uzza of the Abdshams clan of the Quraysh tribe.[3] He became a successful merchant and was considered an important person in Mecca.[4]
His aunt Khadija regarded him as her son,[4]: 313 and he frequently visited her home.[3] In due course Khadija asked her husband Muhammad to find him a wife. Muhammad gave Abu al-As their eldest daughter, Zaynab, apparently with some reluctance.[4]: 313 Later, however, he spoke "warmly" of Abu al-As,[4]: 314 "who told the truth and kept his promises"[5] and in whom he "found no fault as an in-law."[2]: 22 Abu al-As and Zaynab had two children: Ali, who died in childhood, and Umama, who was later married to the fourth Caliph Ali.[2]: 21
When Muhammad, after declaring himself to be a prophet, lost popularity in Mecca, the Quraysh pressured Abu al-As to divorce Zaynab, saying they would give him any woman he liked in exchange. But Abu Al-As replied that he did not want any other woman and he remained with Zaynab.[4]: 314 However, he refused to become a Muslim.[2]: 21 Since Muhammad had no power of jurisdiction over Mecca, he too was unable to force his daughter to separate from her unbelieving husband. When the Muslims emigratedtoMedina, Zaynab, although a convert, remained in Mecca with Abu al-As.[4]: 314
In 624 Abu al-As fought in the Battle of Badr on the side of the Quraysh and was captured by Abdullah ibn Jubayr al-Ansari.[2]: 21 Zaynab sent a ransom for him via his brother Amr, including an onyx necklace that had been a wedding present from Khadija. At the sight of the necklace, Muhammad remembered Khadija and was moved. He sent Abu al-As back to Mecca without taking any of the ransom, on condition that Zaynab be sent to Medina. Hence Abu al-As was separated from Zaynab for the next four years.[2]: 21–22 [4]: 313–314 [6] In her absence, he wrote poetry for her:
I remember Zaynab when she leaned on the waymark.
I said to a person who lived in the Haram,『Water!
For the daughter of the Trustworthy.』May Allah reward her!
Virtuous she is, and every husband praises what he knows.[2]: 22
In October 627 Abu al-As was returning from Syria with a caravan of merchandise when he was attacked by Muslim raiders. He escaped capture, but the raiders took the merchandise, much of which belonged to other people in Mecca. Abu al-As crept into Medina by night and asked Zaynab to grant him protection, which she immediately provided.[4]: 316
The next morning he asked about the stolen property. Muhammad gave the raiders a choice: he asked them as a favour to restore his relative’s property. The raiders agreed to return everything, including "old skins and little leather bottles and even a little piece of wood."[4]: 317 Abu al-As was then asked if he would like to become a Muslim and keep the Meccans' property. He replied, "It would be a bad beginning to my Islam if I were to betray my trust."[7]
Abu al-As continued his journey to Mecca and returned all his neighbours' investments to them. He then announced that he was a Muslim, "and I would have become a Muslim when I was with [Muhammad], but that I feared that you would think that I only wanted to rob you of your property." He emigrated to Medina in May or June 628.[4]: 317
Muhammad allowed Abu al-As to live with Zaynab again without requiring a new contract or dower.[2]: 23 [4]: 317 Alternative traditions, however, assert that Abu Al-As did make a new contract and pay a new dower.[2]: 23 Their reconciliation only lasted about a year, for Zaynab died in mid-629.[2]: 24
As a widower, Abu al-As returned to Mecca.[3] He married again to Fakhita bint Sa'id ibn Al-As ibn Abi Umayya, and they had a daughter, Maryam.[8] He never fought in any of the Islamic wars.[3] He died in Mecca in February 634.[9]
