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{{Infobox person|full_name=Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim|tribe=Quraysh|birth_city=Medina|birth_date=34 years before the Year of the Elephant|children=10 sons, including Abdullah the father of the Prophet, and six daughters|positions=Providing water and hospitality to pilgrims|religion=Monotheist and follower of the religion of Abraham (PBUH)|residence=|burial_place=Al-Hajun cemetery near Al-Masjid al-Haram|death_date=48 years after the Year of the Elephant|prominent_roles=Custodian of Hajj and Kaaba|migration_to=Mecca|other_activities=Revival and re-digging of the Zamzam well}}
'''Abd al-Muttalib''' was the grandfather of the Prophet (PBUH) and the chief of the [[Quraysh]] tribe in his era. He also held positions in Mecca such as [[Siqaya|Siqaya]] (providing water) and [[Rifada|Rifada]] (providing hospitality) to pilgrims. His name is intertwined with the [[Zamzam Well]] because he was its reviver. The story of the [[People of the Elephant]], who were afflicted by the punishment of [[Ababil]], also occurred during his leadership of [[Mecca]]. He held a special status among the Quraysh tribe, followed the religion of [[Abraham (PBUH)]], and never worshipped idols until his death at the age of 82.

== Introduction to Abd al-Muttalib ==
Abd al-Muttalib was the son of [[Hashim ibn Abd Manaf]] and the grandfather of the [[Islamic Prophet|Islamic Prophet (PBUH)]] and [[Imam Ali (PBUH)]]. He was born in [[Medina]] to a mother named Salma. His father, Hashim, died during a trade journey to Syria and never saw his son.<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 64; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 64.</ref> His original name was Shaybah<ref>Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 1, p. 1; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 65.</ref>, but when his uncle Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf brought him from Medina to Mecca, people thought he was Muttalib's slave, and from then on, he became known as Abd al-Muttalib (Muttalib's slave).<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 67; Al-Ma'arif, pp. 71-72.</ref> Some narrations attribute this name to the radiance of the "light of prophethood" on his face, which led his uncle to introduce him as his "slave" to protect him from being killed by the Jews.<ref>Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 15, pp. 58-64.</ref> Six wives are mentioned for Abd al-Muttalib, among whom "Fatima bint Amr" was the mother of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib.<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 52; Tarikh al-Ya'qubi, vol. 1, p. 251.</ref>

== Children and the Story of the Sacrifice ==
Abd al-Muttalib had 10 sons and six daughters.<ref>Al-Ma'arif, p. 72.</ref> When Abd al-Muttalib decided to dig the [[Zamzam]] well with his only son, Harith, he faced opposition from the [[Quraysh]]. It is narrated that Abd al-Muttalib vowed that if God granted him ten sons, he would sacrifice one of them in the way of God. After his sons reached ten, and he informed them of his vow, they all showed obedience. The matter was decided by drawing lots; the lot fell on [[Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib|Abdullah]], his youngest and most beloved son. The efforts of the Quraysh and Abd al-Muttalib's children led to the replacement of Abdullah's sacrifice with a ransom between him and camels. Finally, after repeated draws, Abdullah's sacrifice was replaced by the slaughter of one hundred camels; an event that later led to the determination of human blood money as "one hundred camels" and highlighted the status of Abdullah and Abd al-Muttalib's other children in historical narratives.<ref>Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 1, pp. 151-155; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, pp. 71-72 and pp. 68-69.</ref>

== Status and Virtues ==

=== Among the Quraysh ===
After the death of his uncle Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf, Abd al-Muttalib obtained the important positions of [[Siqaya]] and [[Rifada]] (providing water and hospitality to pilgrims) despite some difficulties<ref>Al-Munammaq, pp. 83-85; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, pp. 69-70.</ref> and became the Sayyid and chief of the Quraysh.<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 67.</ref> He held such a high status among the [[Quraysh]]<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 69.</ref> that only his grandson, [[Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)|Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]], could sit beside him on the special carpet next to the [[Kaaba]].<ref>Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 448, hadith 26; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 15, p. 144; Kamal al-Din, vol. 1, pp. 171-173.</ref> The Quraysh called him "Abraham the Second" due to his nobility and wisdom<ref>Tarikh al-Ya'qubi, vol. 2, p. 11.</ref> and honored him even after his death.<ref>Tarikh al-Ya'qubi, vol. 2, p. 13.</ref>

It is said that his greatness was such that he never entered before any emir or ruler without being honored and respected.<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 69.</ref> Even [[Abraha]], who came to destroy the [[Kaaba]], was influenced by him.<ref>Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 447; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 15, pp. 140, 158.</ref> It is said that Abraha expected Abd al-Muttalib to ask him not to attack the Kaaba, but Abd al-Muttalib said: This House has a Lord who will defend it Himself.<ref>Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 1, p. 50; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 2, p. 134.</ref> In some narrative books, it is stated that Abd al-Muttalib will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment in the form of prophets and with the characteristics of kings.<ref>Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, pp. 446-447.</ref>

== Abd al-Muttalib and Islam ==
Abd al-Muttalib was a monotheist and a follower of the religion of [[Abraham (PBUH)]], and he never worshipped idols<ref>Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, pp. 103, 108; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 15, p. 144.</ref> and gave glad tidings of the [[Prophet's mission (PBUH)]] to the people.<ref>Al-Isabah, vol. 5, p. 191.</ref> Abd al-Muttalib established some rulings such as the blood money of one hundred camels, the prohibition of wine and adultery, and the [[Tawaf of the Kaaba|seven-fold circumambulation of the Kaaba]], which were later confirmed in [[Islam]].<ref>Tarikh Ya'qubi, vol. 2, pp. 10-11; Al-Khisal, Bab al-Khamsah, vol. 1, p. 472.</ref>[[File:Hajoun Abd al-Muttalib.jpg|thumb|Old image of Al-Hajun cemetery]]

== Services to Hajj ==
Abd al-Muttalib, by re-digging the [[Zamzam|Zamzam well]], quenched the thirst of pilgrims with its water<ref>Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, p. 103.</ref> and provided extensive services to the visitors of the [[House of God]].<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 67; Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, p. 103.</ref> Abd al-Muttalib was the first to gild the door of the Kaaba<ref>Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, pp. 103-104.</ref> and made a golden lock and key for it.<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 69.</ref>
== Death of Abd al-Muttalib ==
Abd al-Muttalib, according to one narration, died at the age of 82, when the [[Messenger of God]] was eight years old, in [[Mecca]] and was buried in [[Al-Hajun Cemetery|Al-Hajun cemetery]] near [[Al-Masjid al-Haram]].<ref>Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 95; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 84.</ref> It is said that when Abd al-Muttalib's time of death approached, [[Abu Talib]] and Zubayr, who were from the same mother as Abdullah, the father of the Messenger of God (PBUH), gathered everyone and entrusted the care of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to them, and according to one narration, he entrusted his guardianship to Abu Talib.<ref>Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 85; Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 95.</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Ziyarat-nameh of Abd al-Muttalib]]

== Footnotes ==
{{Footnotes}}

== References ==
{{References}}
*'''Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah''', Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Hajar, edited by Adel Ahmad Abd al-Mawjud and Ali Muhammad Muawwad, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah, 1415 AH.
*'''Usul al-Kafi''', Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni, Tehran, Islamiyyah, 1362 SH.
*'''Al-Amali''', Muhammad ibn Nu'man Shaykh Mufid, edited by Hussein Wali and Ali Akbar Ghaffari, Qom, Jami'at al-Mudarrisin, 1403 AH.
*'''Ansab al-Ashraf''', Ahmad ibn Yahya Baladhuri, edited by Suhayl Zakkar and Riyad Zarkali, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1417 AH.
*'''Bihar al-Anwar''', Muhammad Baqir Majlisi, Tehran, Islamiyyah, undated.
*'''Tarikh al-Tabari''', Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, edited by Muhammad Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim, Beirut, Dar al-Turath, 1967 CE.
*'''Tarikh al-Ya'qubi''', Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Ya'qubi, Beirut, Dar Sadir, undated.
*'''Al-Khisal''', Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh Shaykh Saduq, translated by Hadi Khalili, Qom, Intisharat Tahdhib, 1392 SH.
*'''Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah''', Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham, edited by Mustafa al-Saqqa and others, Beirut, Dar al-Ma'rifah, undated.
*'''Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra''', Muhammad ibn Sa'd, edited by Muhammad Abd al-Qadir Ata, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah, 1410 AH.
*'''Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah''', Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh Shaykh Saduq, Tehran, Islamiyyah, 1395 SH.
*'''Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma'adin al-Jawhar''', Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Mas'udi, edited by As'ad Daghir, Qom, Dar al-Hijrah, 1409 AH.
*'''Al-Ma'arif''', Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Qutaybah, edited by Tharwat Ukashah, Cairo, Al-Hay'ah al-Misriyah al-Ammah lil-Kitab, 1992 CE.
*'''Ma'ani al-Akhbar''', Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh Shaykh Saduq, edited by Ali Akbar Ghaffari, Qom, Mu'assasat Nashr Islami, 1416 AH.
*'''Al-Munammaq fi Akhbar Quraysh''', Muhammad ibn Habib al-Baghdadi, edited by Khurshid Ahmad Faruq, Beirut, Alam al-Kutub, 1415 AH.{{End}}
[[Category:Custodians of the Kaaba]]
[[Category:Banu Hashim]]
[[Category:Articles ready for translation]]
[[Category:Completed articles]]

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