Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
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- ''For the son of Harith, see Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith.
Biography
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was the leader of the Banu Umayyah (Umayyad) clan of the Quraish tribe and was the chieftain of the entire Quraish tribe, making him one of the most powerful men in Mecca during the lifetime of Muhammad.Ancestry
His father was Harb ibn Umayya. Abu Sufiyan's grand-father was Umayya ibn Abd Shams for whom the Umayyad dynasty is named, and his great-grand father was Abd Shams ibn Abd al-Manaf. His great-grandfather's brother was Hashim the great-grandfather of Muhammad.Family
Please see the relevant discussion on the [
He was rumored to have a relation with Layla binte Harmalah, the mother of Amr ibn al-A'as [www.holynajaf.net] ()
Abu Sufyan got a daughter in c. 595[[Citing sources citation needed]] together with Saffya binte abi al-A'as: Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan. She converted to Islam against her fathers wishes and migrated to Abyssinia with her husband. Since her husband abandoned Islam for Christianity, after her husband's death the Prophet sent to the Negus asking him to act as counsel and marry him to Umm Habiba. The Negus asked her for her hand and she accepted; he gave her 400 dinars as a dowry. When Abu Sufyan heard about the marriage he commented, “this stallion will not be hit on the nose...” a phrase meaning that the husband is suitable for the bride (an unsuitable stallion trying to mate with a mare would be hit on the nose, hence the phrase). [Page 317] , Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ()
Abu Sufyan was married to Hind bint Utbah, and from that marriage was Muawiyah I born in 602 [[Citing sources citation needed]]. Muawiyah established the Umayyad dynasty of caliphs.
However, certain controversial Shia Muslim sources state that the marriage to Muawiyah's mother was arranged since Hind bint Utbah was engaged in a Nikah Ijtimah; thus, the genetic bond between Abu Sufyan and Muawiyah is disputed.
The sources list four people thought of being Muawiyahs father:
Some list Abu Sufyan as one of the four, other do not. In any case, Abu Sufyan accepted Muaiyahs as his child. For this reason, Shi'a name Muaiyahs "Muˤāwiyya ibn Hind", after his mother whom they regard as the prostitute that killed her black children, became married to Muhammads arch enemy and chewed Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalibs liver.
Sources quoted:
Above and more references online: [link]
In 664, Abu Sufyan's son, Mu'awiyah recognised Ziyad ibn Abihi as a brother — Ziyad ibn Abu Sufyan — although he had no biological relation to Abu Sufyan according to Shias. See Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan for references..
Muahmmad's era — ? – 632
Opposition to Islam — 610
Abu Sufyan's position of power made him an enemy of Muhammad, whom he viewed as a threat and a blasphemer of the Quraish gods. The Quraish persecuted people who accepted Islam. Even Abu Sufyan's own daughter was not spared from punishment when she accepted Islam; she was one of the first Muslims sent to Abyssinia for refuge. The enmity between the Quraish and early Muslims reached such a high pitch that many battles were fought between the two parties. Abu Sufyan led the army of Quraish in the Battle of Uhud, he and the masters took their wives and their herds with them (to prevent desertion). [Page 293] , Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ().Eventually the two parties would make peace with the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. The treaty was eventually broken when Banu Bakr, allies of the Quraish, attacked Banu Khuza'a, allies of the Muslims. This led to the conquest of Mecca by the Muslim armies, who took the city peacefully and spared those within.
When Heraclius heard that there is a man claiming to be a prophet he ordered a search for anyone from this man’s people. Abu Sufyan, who was in Syria to trade, was summoned meet Hericules and tell him about this man, not being able to lie in front of his companions he tried to belittle the position of the Prophet, but his answers had the opposite effect and Hericules declared: “If you had told me the truth then he will conquer what’s under my feet, and I would if were by him and wash his feet, go to your business”. [Page 317] , Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ().
The story is told with more detail on pages [527] and [528] of Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk ()
Conquest of Mecca — 630
He became a Muslim on the eve of the Conquest of Mecca with the help of the Prophet’s uncle Al-Abbas and as a mark of honour his house was declared a sanctuary (“those who enter it are safe”). [Page 329], Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ().
Hind also accepted Islam. The Prophet had ordered her killed for her mutilation of his uncle’s body at Uhud but converts were freed from any sin of their previous lives. The Prophet blessed her herd after she apologised for only giving two goats, afterwards her herd grew enormously and she would give from it and say: “This is from the blessing of the Messenger, peace be upon him, thank God for guiding us to Islam.” [Page 331], Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ().
The conversation between the Prophet and women of Makkah, lead by Hind, is on [page 332] ()
He fought in the Islamic wars, losing both his eyes; the first in Siege of Taif, he asked Mohammed to put it back, but he was given the choice of having his eye in heaven or having it put back in life, at which point he threw it away.
Abu Bakr's era — 632–634
When Muhammed died Abu Sufyan was in charge of Najran[[Citing sources citation needed]].During the Succession to Muhammad, he offered help to Ali, but Ali refused.#redirect
Umar's era — 634-644
He lost his second eye in the Battle of Yarmouk (636). [Page 393], Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir ().[www.sahaba.net] ()
Uthman's era — 644-656
Abu Sufyan died aged ninty-five in Medina, Uthman led the prayer on him.Legacy
Muawiyah, his son, started the Banu Umayyah dynasty of Caliphs, something that Maududi describes as a "Kingship's foundation began with this change" Khilafat wa Mulukiyyat, [chapter 5, pages 158-159] (citing Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir, vol 8, page 132) ().Sunni view
Sunni view him as an upright Sahabi, since they view all Sahaba as upright. The fact that the third Caliph Uthman led the prayer on Abu Sufyan after he had died and the fact that Abu Sufyan fought for the Muslims and sacrificed one of his eyes in a battle is held as further evidence for his uprightousness. Sunnis hold that since Uthman led Abu Sufyan's funeral prayer, he could not have been a hypocrite (or a kafir).(see Sahih Bukhari 2:23:359) And Muhammad himself didn't call Abu Sufyan as an infidel when Abu Sufyan became a companion and accepted Islam.Another reason for which he is respected by Sunnis was his willingness to give up both his eyes, only a few weeks after his conversion to Islam before which he used to vehemently oppose Muslims. Furthermore, Muhammad guaranteed that he would be entering heaven, according to Sunni sources, when Muhammad said "Which would you prefer: An eye in heaven or shall I pray to Allah that he brings it back?" Rather than questioning Muhammad and Islam, asking for an eye on Earth, he said he would accept his eye in heaven.[www.sahaba.net] ()
Shi'a view
Shi'a have a very dim view of both his personality and life. Shi'a view him as a hypocrit (Arabic: munafiq) that did not belived in Islam in the first place, but managed to infiltrate the Islamic ranks and be included among the Muslims [www.al-islam.org] ().References
External links
- [Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan bio]
- [Muawiyah I bio]
- [Abu Sufyan ibn Harb approaches Muhammad's uncle]
- http://theology101.org/isl/bukhari/bh4/bh4_223.htm
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