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`ABD ALLAH IBN `ABBAAS
The Scholar of This Nation!
Ibn `Abbaas was similar to Ibn Az-Zubair in that both experienced the Prophetic era while still
children. The Prophet (PBUH) died before Ibn `Abbaas had reached manhood. He had also been granted,
while still very young, all the basic materials of manliness and the principles of life by the Prophet
(PBUH), who liked him most, praised him, and taught him pure wisdom.
Due to his firm belief, gentleness, good character, and the richness of his knowledge, he was able to
occupy a very high rank among the men around the Prophet (PBUH).
He was the son of Al-'Abbaas Ibn `Abd Al-Muttalib Ibn Haashim, the Prophet's uncle. His epithet
was "The Nation's Scholar". He deserved the title and position due to his vast knowledge, the
enlightenment of his mind, and his versatility.
Ibn `Abbaas came to knowledge at a very early age, a knowledge which increased as days went by.
That is because the Prophet (PBUH) was always drawing `Abd Allah close to him, patting his shoulders
and asking Allah, "O Allah, bless him with the full knowledge of the religion and interpretation of the
Holy Qur'aan." The Prophet (PBUH) repeated the same prayer for his cousin `Abd Allah in various
situations. In this way `Abd Allah Ibn `Abbaas realized that he had been created to acquire knowledge,
and his intellectual capabilities inclined strongly in that direction. Although his age did not exceed 13
when the Prophet (PBUH) died, he had not spent his childhood in vain. He had attended the Prophet's
assemblies and learned his words by heart.
When the Prophet (PBUH) died, he was eager to learn from the Companions what he had failed to
hear or learn from the Prophet (PBUH) himself.
He turned into a continuous question mark. Whenever he heard that someone had acquired wisdom
or learned a hadiith by heart, he hurried to learn it from him. His bright ambitious mind forced him to
examine all that came to his ears.
He was not just concerned with gathering information, but with examining it and its sources. He
once said about himself, "If I wanted to know something about an issue I would ask 30 Companions."
He drew a picture demonstrating his concern to reach truth and knowledge: When the Prophet
(PBUH) died, I said to one of the Ansaar youth, "Let's go to the Prophet's Companions to ask them, as
they are still numerous." He said, "O Ibn `Abbaas, how strange you really are! Do you think that people
are in need of you while the great Companions are still among them?" The young man dropped the
matter, whereas I turned to ask the Prophet's Companions. Whenever I was informed that someone had
related a hadiith, would go to him in the afternoon while he was napping. I put my gown as a pillow
under my head in front of his door. The wind scattered the dust over me. When he finished his nap and
came out and saw me, he said, "O Prophet's cousin, what is it that brought you here? Why didn't you
send for me ?" Then I would say, "No, it's you who deserves to be visited." Then I would ask him about
the hadiith and learn from him.
In this way our young man went on asking and asking and asking, then examining the answers and
discussing them with a curious mind.
Every day his wisdom and knowledge developed until he achieved, while still a youth, the wisdom,
patience, and eloquency of the elderly, so much so that the Commander of the Faithful `Umar (May
Allah be pleased with him) was eager to consult with him in every great issue. He called him, "The
young leader of the elderly". Ibn `Abbaas was once asked, "How could you acquire all that knowledge?"