Umayyad Muslims since the beginning of the Islamic call
Selections from the Book Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (02)
If we follow the approach of historians in speaking about the Umayyads and family of Abd Shams together, we will find that a group among them were among the early converts to Islam. From the secret phase of the prophetic mission—before the public proclamation—several of them embraced Islam. Among them was Uthman ibn Affan ibn Abi al-Aas ibn Umayyah, who embraced Islam at the hands of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq in the earliest days of Islam. Also among the early converts was Khalid ibn Sa‘id ibn al-‘Aas ibn Umayyah, who became Muslim during that secret phase which lasted approximately three years. Likewise, Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah ibn Abd Shams embraced Islam during that early period.
Two allies of the Umayyads also embraced Islam early on: Abdullah ibn Jahsh ibn Ri’ab and his brother Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh. They were maternal cousins of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as their mother was Umaymah bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib.
In the first migration to Abyssinia, several Muslim members of the Umayyads participated—such as ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan along with his wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah with his wife Sahla bint Suhayl ibn ‘Amr. The Umayyads also took part in the second migration, accompanied by some of their allies. Dr. Hamdi Shahin recorded a long list of names, which affirms that some members of the Umayyads responded to Islam from its very beginnings.
The women of the Umayyads and Abd Shams's clan also contributed to the path of Islam and set examples of noble sacrifice and generous giving. Among them was Ramlah bint Shaybah ibn Rabi‘ah, the wife of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, who migrated with him to Medina and remained steadfast in her faith despite the killing of her father, uncle, and son at the Battle of Badr, which provoked the wrath of Hind bint Utbah against her.
Another example is Umm Kulthum bint ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayṭ, who migrated to Medina during the truce between the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the polytheists at al-Hudaybiyyah. However, the most distinguished and refined example in this regard is the Islam of the Mother of the Believers, Umm Habibah—Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan—who embraced Islam early, migrated with her husband to Abyssinia, and her story will be discussed later, by the will of Allah Almighty.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State, pp. 33-34.
- The Biography of the Prophet, by Ibn Hisham (1/260).
- Al-Tabari’s History (2/318).
- The slandered Umayyad state, p. 131.
- Explanation On the Genealogies of the Quraysh, p. 209.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of “Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State” on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
