Ikrima b. Abi Jahl: Difference between revisions

'''ʿIkrima b. Abi Jahl''' (Arabic:{{ia|عِکْرِمَة بن ابی‌جَهْل}}) (b.- - d. 13-15/ ) was a senior figure of the Quraysh tribe who was hostile toward the Prophet (s), but soon after the Conquest of Mecca, he converted to Islam and became one of the companions of the Prophet (s). Early after the Prophet’s biʿtha (beginning of the prophetical mission), he was an enemy of the Prophet and participated in the battles of Badr, Uhud, and Khandaq against the Islamic army. His father, Abu Jahl, was also a senior figure in Mecca and an enemy of the Prophet.

After the Conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (s) issued an amnesty for all inhabitants of Mecca, except a few, including ʿIkrima b. Abi Jahl. ʿIkrima fled to Yemen, but his wife went to the Prophet (s) and received a safety conduct for her husband. After the safety conduct, he returned to Mecca and converted to Islam. After the Prophet’s demise, Abu Bakr appointed ʿIkrima as a commander of Ridda wars. Finally, ʿIkrima was killed in the Battle of the Yarmuk.

ʿIkrima, Abu Jahl’s son, was from the Quraysh tribe, Banu Makhzum clan. ʿIkrima did not have a posterity because his son ʿUmar was killed in the Battle of Yarmuk.

ʿIkrima was known as a nobleman in Mecca and a senior figure of the period of Jahiliyya. He is also described as a well-known brave warrior. His wife was Umm Halim or Umm Hakim, the daughter of Harith b. Hisham, who received a safety conduct for him from the Prophet (s).

==Hostility toward the Prophet==

Just like his father, ʿIkrima was hostile toward the Prophet. He participated in the Battle of Badr against the polytheists and killed a person from Ansar. Moreover, he amputated the hand of a person who had a role in killing his father.

In the Battle of Uhud, ʿIkrima was the commander of a part of the polytheist army. When Muslim archers left the mountain pass, he and Khalid b. al-Walid attacked Muslims from behind, which caused the defeat of the Islamic army.

After the Battle of Uhud, ʿIkrima, Abu Sufyan, and Abu l-Aʿwar al-Sulami received a safety conduct from the Prophet, and then went to Medina to negotiate with him. They asked the Prophet not to slander al-Lat, al-ʿUzza, and Manat and to state that they are beneficial, so that they would say nothing about the God of Muslims. These words upset the Prophet, who ordered them to leave Medina. At that time, the first verse of Sura al-Ahzab was revealed:

 

ʿIkrima participated in the Battle of the Trench as well. Together with ʿAmr b. ʿAbd al-Wudd, he passed the trench and went inside the Muslim army. However, when ʿAmr was killed, he returned.

After the Conquest of Mecca, the Prophet gave a public amnesty to all inhabitants of Mecca, except a few, including ʿIkrima b. Abi Jahl. For this reason, ʿIkrima fled to Yemen, but his wife went to the Prophet and received a safety conduct for him. She then brought ʿIkrima from Yemen to Mecca. ʿIkrima converted to Islam in the presence of the Prophet (s). He swore that he would spend for Islam the double of what he had spent against it.

After the Battle of Hunayn, the Prophet (s) divided the booties of the war only among the Quraysh to “reconcile their hearts,” including ʿIkrima b. Abi Jahl. During his Farewell Hajj, the Prophet appointed ʿIkrima in charge of collecting the zakat of the Hawazin tribe.  

After the Prophet’s demise, Abu Bakr sent ʿIkrima to Ridda wars to right people like Ashʿath b. al-Qays, Musaylima, and some other apostates in Oman. He then appointed him as the ruler of some areas in the Levant.

ʿIkrima was killed in the Battle of Yarmuk in 15 AH during the second caliph. His son ʿUmar was killed in the same battle. According to some sources, ʿIkrima was killed in the Battle of Ajnadayn and according to others in the Battle of Marj al-Suffar in 13 AH.