Fadl ibn Abbas

Fadl ibn Abbas (614-639) was a brother of Abdullah ibn Abbas and was a cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Fadl was the eldest son of Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, an uncle of Muhammad and a wealthy merchant of Mecca, and of Lubaba bint al-Harith, a sister of Muhammad's wife Maymuna. He was among those who "stood firm" at the Battle of Hunayn in 630, after which his family emigrated to Medina in 630.

According to his brother Abdullah, Fadl was an extremely handsome man. At the Farewell Pilgrimage in March 632, he rode pillion on Muhammad’s camel. On his own admission, he gazed at a pretty girl on another camel so intently that Muhammad had to take his chin and turn his face away from her three times. It was concerning this incident that Muhammad made his famous remark: “I saw a young man and a young woman, and I could not trust Satan with them.”

Fadl married his cousin, Safiya bint Mahmiya, and they had one daughter, Umm Kulthoom, who was born in Muhammad's lifetime. He also married Amra bint Yazid of the Kilab tribe, but this marriage ended in divorce after only a few months.

When Muhammad succumbed to his final illness, it was Fadl and his cousin Ali who supported him in his final walk to Aisha's house. After Muhammad's death, Fadl was one of those who entered his grave and helped to lay his corpse.

He took part in many battles of the Muslims against Europeans and Persians.

Fadl transmitted some hadiths about Muhammad, but he did not live long enough to be known as a great teacher. He died of the plague in Amwas, Syria, in 18 AH (639 CE), aged about 25.

He is well regarded by Shias since he refused to give his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr.