Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه

His name was Abdullah, commonly called Abul Abbaas. His father's name was Abbaas and his mother's name was Ummul Fadhl Lubabah رضي الله عنها. His lineage is as follows,
Abdullah the son of Abbaas, who was the son of Abdul Muttalib, who was the son of Haashim, who was the son of Abdul Manaaf Al-Quraishi al-Haashimi.

He was the paternal cousin of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم and the nephew of Ummul Mu'mineen Hadhrat Maymoonah رضي الله عنها, who was the true sister of Ummul Fadhl رضي الله عنها.

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه was born three years prior to Hijrat, in the very valley wherein the entire Banu Haashim had been confined during the boycott. After He was born, Hadhrat Abbaas رضي الله عنه brought him to Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, who placed his saliva in his mouth and supplicated for him.

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه apparently embraced Islam on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah but his mother, Ummul Fadhl رضي الله عنها was amongst the first to embrace Islam.

Hadhrat Abbaas رضي الله عنه migrated to Madinah with his entire family in the eighth year after Hijrat. Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه  was no older than eleven years at the time but in compliance with the instruction of his father spent most of his time in the company of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم.

On one occasion he returned home and informed his father that he had seen a person with Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم who he had never seen before and he wished to know who it was. Hadhrat Abbaas رضي الله عنه mentioned this to Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, who called for him and seated him alongside him. He passed his hand affectionately over his head and supplicated, 'Oh Allah! Let your blessings descend upon him and spread knowledge through him.'

Even though Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه was naturally gifted with intelligence, humility and piety, he was also still a young lad during the time that he shared the company of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم and this is usually a time in which a child is inclined towards amusement and playing.

He narrates that he used to play with the other children in the street and one day Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم happened to pass by while he was playing. He hid away as soon as he saw Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم but Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم found him and rubbed his forehead affectionately .
Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم then instructed him to call Hadhrat Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, who was the scribe of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, which he promptly did informing Hadhrat Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, “Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم has called you, there is an urgent need for your presence.”

Ummul Mu'mineen Hadhrat Maymoonah رضي الله عنها was the maternal aunt of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas, who loved him dearly. He would often come visit her and at times even sleep the night at her house. In this manner he was awarded the best opportunity to benefit from Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم. He narrates, “I was once sleeping at my aunt, Hadhrat Maymoonahs رضي الله عنها house when Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم arrived and after performing four Rakats of Salaah took rest. A portion of the night was still left when he awoke performed Wudhu, and began performing Salaah. I too arose and stood on his left in Salaah. He held my head and pulled me on his right.

In this manner he also attained the opportunity to be in the service of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم. Once when Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم awoke to perform Salaah, Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه had already prepared the water for Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم to perform Wudhu , he enquired who had brought the water. Hadhrat Maymoonah رضي الله عنها informed him that it was Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه on which Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم supplicated
“Oh Allah! Grant him understanding of Deen and teach him the method of interpretation(of the Quraan).”

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه is considered to be among those select Sahaabah regarded as the pillars of Hadeeth. If his narrations were removed from the books of Hadeeth then many of its pages remain blank. The total number of his narrations amount 2660, seventy five of which have been reported in  both Bukhari and Muslim. Besides these eighteen have been reported by Bukhari alone and forty nine by Muslim alone.

The large number of narrations reported by him are all on account of his own efforts and desire to seek knowledge, even though a great number of these narrations were heard directly from Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, he was only fourteen or fifteen years old at the time of the demise of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, and it is obvious that only so much can be learned at this tender age.

Generally doubt is cast on those individuals who narrated abundant Hadeeth that they were not cautious in reporting Hadeeth and were unable to differentiate between authentic and weak narrations. However Hadhrat ibn Abbaas رضي الله عنه is exempt from such doubts and is above such accusations. He was extremely cautious when narrating Hadeeth and took extreme care not to attribute to Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم what he did not say. If there was even the slightest doubt regarding any Hadeeth, he would not narrate it. Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه himself stated, “I narrated Hadeeth as long as there was no possibility of falsehood but once people began narrating everything they heard (without verification), I stopped narrating. He would say to people, “it seems that you people have no fear when saying 'Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم said' that a punishment might descend upon you or that you will be swallowed by the earth.”

It is for this reason that whenever he issued a verdict he would not take the name of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم so that he might not attribute something erroneous to Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم.
Whenever a verdict was sought from Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه, he would first search for an answer in the Quran, if he found and answer in it then he would rule in accordance with it and if he did not find it, he would examine the Sunnah of Rasoolullah, if he did not find a solution therein then he would examine the verdicts of  Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنه. If he was unable to arrive at a solution then only would he resort to Ijtihaad (Shar'ee deliberation). At the same time he detested “Qiyaas bir Raai"(decision based on personal opinion) and would say denigration of it, “if any person gives an opinion that is not in the Quran or Sunnah of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم, I do not know what will happen to him when he meets his Rabb.”

In the sixty-eight year after Hijrah, after Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbaas رضي الله عنه had reached a considerable age, he fell ill. His students and friends surrounded his bed and he said to them, “I will pass away in the presence of those people who are the most beloved to Allah on the face of the earth, so if I pass away in your presence then you are most certainly that virtuous group.” He passed away on Sunday from the same illness. Muhammed bin Hanafiyah رحمه لله performed his Salaatul Janazah and after his burial said “I take an oath by Allah! Today “Hibrul Ummat" has passed away.”
A voice was heard from the unseen,

“O content soul! (That has attained peace) return happily (well pleased) to your Rabb while he is (well) pleased with you.” (Surah Fajr)