Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum

ProfileAbdullah ibn Umm Maktum

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him) was blind, and is known by the name of his mother, Umm Maktum. According to the early biographies, his name was Abdullah, and some say Amr, his mother was Atikah of the clan of Makhzum, and he was a cousin of Khadijah. According to the early biographies, he accepted Islam in Makkah in the early years. Al-Bara told that the first of the Companions to come to Madinah were Mus'ab ibn Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum, who began teaching the people the Qur'an, and then came Ammar, Bilal and Sa'd, and then Umar with twenty riders, and after that the Prophet ﷺ himself (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Aishah told that the verses "He frowned and turned away" were revealed about Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind man. He came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, guide me." At that time a man of standing among the idolaters was with the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ turned away from Ibn Umm Maktum and faced the other man, and asked him whether he saw anything wrong in what he was saying. The man said no, and it was about that that the verses were revealed (Jami at-Tirmidhi, graded sahih). According to the early biographies, the Prophet ﷺ honoured him greatly after this, and when he came would greet him as the one on whose account his Lord had rebuked him.

Ibn Umar told that the Prophet ﷺ said that Bilal calls the adhan at night, so people should go on eating and drinking until Ibn Umm Maktum calls it. Salim added that Ibn Umm Maktum was a blind man who would not call the adhan until he was told that the day had dawned (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Zayd ibn Thabit told that the Prophet ﷺ was dictating to him the verse, "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah," when Ibn Umm Maktum came and said, "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I could fight, I would," and he was a blind man. Revelation then came to the Prophet ﷺ while his thigh was on Zayd's thigh, and it became so heavy that Zayd was afraid it would break his thigh. When that state passed, Allah had revealed the words, "except those who are disabled" (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Anas told that the Prophet ﷺ appointed Ibn Umm Maktum to take charge of Madinah twice while he was away (Sunan Abi Dawud, graded sahih). According to the early biographies, he led the prayers in Madinah on more occasions than that, when the Prophet ﷺ was away on campaign.

Fatimah bint Qays told that after her husband divorced her, the Prophet ﷺ first told her to spend her waiting period in the house of Umm Sharik, and then said that this was a woman whom his Companions visited, so she should spend it in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum, since he was a blind man and she could put off her garments there (Sahih Muslim).

According to the early biographies, he went out to al-Qadisiyyah in the time of Umar and carried the banner there. According to the early biographies, some say that he was killed in that battle, and others that he returned to Madinah and died soon after.

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