Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy

A Son Faithful Against His Own Father

When Abdullah heard that some Companions had spoken of executing his father — Ibn Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites — he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah! By the Being who has given you honour, if you wish, I shall bring my father’s head to you.” The Prophet ﷺ refused: “You should rather continue treating your father well and being good to him.” 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 331–332 — Kandhlawi — the son of Abdullah ibn Ubayy offers his own father's head; the Prophet ﷺ commands continued kindness.

In a longer version, the son explained: “I fear that if you give the instruction to another person and he kills my father, my carnal self will not allow me to see my father’s executioner walk freely among the people; I may then kill him, and so enter Jahannam for killing a Believer for the sake of a disbeliever.” 2 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 331–332 — Kandhlawi — Aasim ibn Umar's longer version of the same incident.

The Sword at Banu Mustaliq

After the Banu Mustaliq expedition, when his father uttered the words “the honourable will drive out the humiliated,” the son drew his sword on him and refused to sheath it until his father admitted aloud: “Muhammad is honourable, and we are low.” 3 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 331–332 — Kandhlawi — Usama ibn Zayd report: the son draws his sword on his father after Banu Mustaliq.

At His Father’s Grave

When his father died, the son came to the Prophet ﷺ and begged that the Prophet ﷺ give him his shirt to shroud his father in, and pray over him. The Prophet ﷺ took the body out, blew on it from head to foot, and shrouded it with his own garment — “primarily because Abdullah ibn Ubayy gave his garment to the Prophet’s ﷺ uncle al-Abbas after the Battle of Badr.” 4 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 2 · pp. 559 — Kandhlawi — the Prophet ﷺ shrouds Ibn Ubayy in his own garment in return for his earlier kindness to al-Abbas after Badr.