Ubayd-Allah ibn Jahsh

Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh ibn Ri'ab (; ) was a contemporary and first cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad following his migration to Abyssinia in around 615 AD. He is one of the four hanifs mentioned by Ibn Ishaq, the others being Waraka ibn Nawfal, Uthman ibn Huwairith and Zayd ibn Amr.

Biography

He was the son of Jahsh ibn Riyab and Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib, hence a brother of Abd Allah ibn Jahsh, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh, Habiba bint Jahsh and Hammanah bint Jahsh, a first cousin of both the Islamic prophet Muhammad and Ali, and a nephew of Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib. He married Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (who was also known as Umm Habiba), and they had one daughter, Habibah bint Ubayd Allah.

He and his wife became Muslims and, in order to escape from the Meccan persecution, they emigrated to Abyssinia. In present–day Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Christian King Armah (also known as Najashi) gave sanctuary to the Muslims. There, Ubayd Allah converted to Christianity and testified his new faith to the other Muslim refugees.

The story of his conversion to Christianity is, however, spurious, as all traditional narrations are either Mursal or go back to Al Waqidi who is traditionally not considered trustworthy, even called one of the biggest "liars" of his time. The mention of ibn Ishaq of such event does not make it authentic, and such event would contradict a traditionally authentic narration of Abu Sufyan where he says that no one was an Apostate before of Islam, knowing Abu Sufyan is the Father of Ubayd Allah's Wife, it is unlikely for Abu Sufyan, who was a polytheist at the time, to gloss over this fact.