Who Was Abu Jahl?
Abu Jahl, known as Abu al-Hakam Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi, was a prominent figure from the Quraysh tribe. Notably, he was not part of the family of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His notorious nickname, Abu Jahl, was conferred upon him by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abu Jahl had multiple wives and assumed leadership of the Banu Makhzum tribe following the death of Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah. His substantial influence stemmed from his significant commercial and financial standing.
Together with Al-‘Akaba ibn Abu Mu’ayt, Abu Jahl managed to prevent Abu Lahab from protecting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) after the passing of Abu Talib. Notably, in the second year of the Hijra, he led a contingent of one thousand men to intercept a caravan of Abu Sufyan returning from the Levant, aiming to rescue it from Muslim hands. Although he was aware that the caravan had successfully escaped, he was still eager for confrontation.
Abu Jahl’s Stance on the Prophet’s Message
Persecution of the Prophet and His Companions
Abu Jahl was one of the fiercest adversaries of Islam. A telling incident occurred when he brought a camel’s entrails, which had been slaughtered earlier, to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) while he was in prostration. He dared his peers to place this filth on the Prophet’s back, which they did, eliciting raucous laughter at the scene. Nevertheless, the Prophet remained steadfast in his prayer until Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came to his aid, removing the filth and rebuking those responsible.
Moreover, Abu Jahl infamously murdered Sumayyah, the mother of Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them), solely because he was provoked by her words that irked him greatly.
Attempts on the Prophet’s Life
Abu Jahl made several attempts to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was the one who suggested that each tribe select one of their young warriors to partake in the plot to kill the Prophet, intending to disperse responsibility for his blood among various tribes. Furthermore, he attempted to take matters into his own hands by declaring to the Quraysh that he would wait for the Prophet at the Kaaba to strike him with a stone as he prostrated.
However, when he approached the Prophet while grasping the stone, his courage faltered, and he retreated in fear. When questioned by other Quraysh members about his unusual behavior, he fabricated a story about encountering a magnificent beast he wished to consume.
The Death of Abu Jahl
Abu Jahl met his end during the Battle of Badr in the second year of Hijra, falling victim to two young men from the Ansar, known as the sons of Al-‘Afra. They had sought out Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) to inquire about Abu Jahl for the purpose of killing him due to his incessant mockery of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) guided them by saying, “I then looked and saw Abu Jahl among the people; I said, ‘This your man. Go after him.'” They promptly engaged him with their swords, defeating him.
After the battle concluded, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed his companions to search for Abu Jahl, who was neither among the slain nor the captives. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) eventually found him wounded. Without hesitation, he struck Abu Jahl’s neck, securing his demise.