Abu Sufyaan "Sakhr" bin Harb

Abu Saffiyan ibn Harb leader of the Quraish tribe of Mecca 560-650 and founder of the Ummayad caliphate

Abū Sufyān, Ṣakhr b. Ḥarb b. Umayya b. ʿAbd al-Shams b. ʿAbd Manāf, was one of the famous Arab leaders of the early years of Islam. His kunya is sometimes also given as Abū Ḥanẓala (al-Wāqidī, 2/817; Ibn al-Athīr, 3/12). His exact date of birth is not known: according to one report, he was born ten years before the ‘Year of the Elephant’ (ʿām al-fīl) (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/13). His mother Ṣafiyya was the daughter of Ḥazn b. Bujayr b. Huzam, and his father Ḥarb was the leader of the Banū Umayya and their commander in the Fijār wars (ca. 580 CE) (Abū al-Faraj, 6/341; Ibn Qudāma, 202).

Despite his being a well-known figure in the event surrounding the advent of Islam, there is no complete and accurate information on Abū Sufyān's life, particularly prior to Islam. Some historical reports seem to indicate that before the advent of Islam he was a prominent member of Quraysh and a merchant (see al-Balādhurī, Futūḥ, 129). Ibn Ḥabīb (p. 368) referred to him as one of the leaders of Quraysh. He was among the staunchest enemies of the Prophet from the very inception of his call. However, his opposition to Islam was less severe, it has been suggested, compared to other Quraysh leaders such as Abū Jahl (q.v.) and Abū Lahab (q.v.) (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/124).

Abū Sufyān was the leader of a trade caravan returning from Greater Syria (al-Shām) in the second year after the Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina (Yathrib). When the Prophet decided to attack it, Abū Sufyān sought assistance from the Quraysh of Mecca, and then shrewdly altered his course and led the caravan to Mecca. Although the caravan escaped danger, Abū Jahl was so outraged by the Prophet's threat that he decided not to return to Mecca but to launch an attack against Medina instead (ʿUrwa b. Zubayr, 131–137; Lings, 138–142). The Quraysh were soundly defeated at the battle of Badr, Abū Sufyān's son Ḥanẓala being one of those who were killed. His other son, ʿAmr, was captured and later released (Ibn Hishām, 2/305–306; Ibn Qutayba, 344–345; Lings, 153–154). The Quraysh were so embittered by this defeat that they decided to launch a further attack against the Prophet and the Muslims in Medina. Abū Sufyān set out for Medina with 200 horsemen, and after negotiating with Sallām b. Mishkam, the leader of the Banū Naḍīr, he despatched some of his troops to Medina, who set fire to a few palm-groves in ʿUrayḍ and then fled. The Prophet pursued Abū Sufyān, but failed to capture him and so returned (Ibn Isḥāq, 310–312; al-Wāqidī, 1/181; al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/310).

In 3/624, Abū Sufyān marched with a large army to Medina (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/312; Lings, 172–173). The Muslims suffered a setback in a place near ¶ Medina called Uḥud. At the battle of Uḥud some prominent Muslims, including the Prophet's uncle Ḥamza, lost their lives. Abū Sufyān's wife, Hind, acquired notoriety at this battle for eating the liver of Ḥamza, in fulfilment of a vow taken after the defeat at Badr, where Ḥamza had killed her father ʿUtba, her brother Walīd, and her uncle Shayba (Lings, 154). After the battle Abū Sufyān called out to the Prophet, promising him another battle at Badr, and gave praise to his gods (Ibn Isḥāq, 333–334; Ibn Hishām, 3/99–100; al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/327; Lings, 190). The following year, the Prophet went to Badr but before he got there Abū Sufyān persuaded the Quraysh to return to Mecca (Ibn Hishām, 3/220–221). The year after that, Abū Sufyān, aided by the Jews of Medina, raised a large army for another attack on the Muslims, which became known as the battle of Khandaq (‘the Trench’) (Ibn Hishām, 3/225–226; Lings, 215 ff.). Abū Sufyān and his followers returned empty-handed from that encounter, and Medina was saved thanks to the Prophet's shrewd and wise decisions (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/343–345).

After the Ḥudaybiyya peace treaty, although he did not play a major role in it, Abū Sufyān was sent by the Meccans to Medina to negotiate an extension of the treaty with the Prophet. This was after the treaty had been broken by the Banū Bakr, allies of the Quraysh (Lings, 291 ff.). However, he met with no success and returned empty-handed to Mecca (Ibn Hishām, 4/37–39; Lings, 291–292). Finally, after so many years of opposition and hostility, Abū Sufyān, through the intercession of al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, went to the Prophet shortly before the conquest of Mecca and converted to Islam (al-Wāqidī, 2/817–818). In return, the Prophet declared that his house in Mecca would be a safe haven during the conquest of the city which was now imminent (al-Wāqidī, 2/817–818; ¶ Ibn Hishām, 4/46; Lings, 295–296). Abū Sufyān and his family became Muslims and the Prophet appointed him governor of Najrān (al-Kalbī, 49). In the same year, Abū Sufyān led a contingent of Muslim soldiers at the battle of Ḥunayn. After the battle, the Prophet offered him and his sons a greater share of the spoils of war (al-Wāqidī, 2/944–945; al-Ṭabarī, 1/1679; Lings, 308). It is reported that Abū Sufyān lost one of his eyes at the battle of Ṭāʾif (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/8). After that battle, the Prophet despatched Abū Sufyān to Ṭāʾif to collect zakāt (Ibn Qutayba, 344; cf. al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/530).

According to some reports, Abū Sufyān was the governor of Najrān at the time of the Prophet's death (al-Kalbī, 49; al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/7, 12). Afterwards, he went to Mecca and stayed there for a while before leaving for Medina and taking up residence there. However, according to al-Wāqidī (see Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, 2/714), Abū Sufyān had already returned to Mecca when the Prophet died, and the then governor of Najrān was ʿAmr b. Ḥazm (see also al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/589). In any case, Abū Sufyān probably went to Medina after the Prophet's death (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/529).

When Abū Bakr became caliph, Abū Sufyān appeared perturbed and disenchanted with the fact that a man from one of the least reputed families should have been chosen as caliph, and was probably thinking of inciting trouble (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 1/529, 588; al-Ṭabarī, 1/1827; Madelung, 40–41). Nevertheless, he fought at the battle of Yarmūk in 15/636, and encouraged the Muslim forces that were being led by his son Yazīd to keep on fighting and stand firm (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/11; Ibn al-Athīr, 3/13). He is reported to have lost his other eye in this battle (al-Ṭabarī, 1/2101).

According to some reports, he warned his son Muʿāwiya against opposing the second caliph ʿUmar, and instead advised him to offer him his support (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/11; see also Madelung, 61). Although it is reported that ʿUmar respected Abū Sufyān (al-Dhahabī, 2/107), it is also said that he was reprimanded by ʿUmar for committing certain offences (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/9). When ʿUthmān became caliph, Abū Sufyān said to the new caliph and the other Umayyads, ‘Now that the caliphate has fallen into your hands, pass it only among yourselves and never let it be taken away from you’ (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/12, cf. 4(1)/13; Abū al-Faraj, 6/356).

The exact date of his death is unclear. According to al-Wāqidī (see al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/13), he died five years before ʿUthmān, in 30/650–651. Each of the three years 31 to 33/651 to 653 are also variously given as the dates of his death (see al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/13; al-Ṭabarī, 1/2871).

As regards his socio-political status, Abū Sufyān was a prominent member of the Quraysh and one of the four most influential people in Mecca before the advent of Islam (Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, 2/715). Despite his conversion to Islam, which occured just before the conquest of Mecca, the comments attributed to him during the ridda wars illustrate his continuing attachment to pre-Islamic beliefs (al-Balādhurī, Ansāb, 4(1)/13). Ibn Ḥabīb (p. 388) called him one of the ‘heretics’ (zanādiqa, sing. zindīq) of the Quraysh. However, Abū Sufyān is also reported to have narrated some ḥadīths from the Prophet (see al-Bukhārī, 1/91, 2/108; al-Mizzī, 4/158–159).

Abū Sufyān left several offspring. The most famous of them was Muʿāwiya, who played an important political role in the 1st/7th century and established the Umayyad dynasty. Another of his sons, Yazīd, was chosen by Abū Bakr to be the commander of the army and then was made a governor by ʿUmar. Yet another son, ʿUtba, fought on the side of ʿĀʾisha at the battle of the Camel, and was made governor of Egypt by Muʿāwiya (Ibn Qutayba, 344–345; on the possible paternity of ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ, see Madelung, 185). One of his daughters, Umm Ḥabība, was an early convert and emigrated to Ethiopia. She then went to Medina and the Prophet married her (Ibn Saʿd, 8/96; Lings, 259 et passim; see also Madelung, 135).

Department of HistoryTr. Farhoud Bernjian Farzin Negahban Bibliography

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idem, Futūḥ al-buldān, ed. M. J. de Goeje (Leiden, 1866)

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Citation Bernjian, Farhoud; Negahban, Farzin. " Abū Sufyān." Encyclopaedia Islamica. Editors-in-Chief: Wilferd Madelung and, Farhad Daftary. Brill Online , 2013. Reference. Jim Harlow. 15 January 2013 <http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-islamic...>

Abu Sufyan was the chief of the Banu Abd-Shams clan of the Quraish tribe, which made him one of the most powerful in Mecca. At first Abu Sufyan opposed Islam and the Prophet Muhammad's message. However, he later accepted Islam and became a warrior and soldier in the Muslim army.

Abu Sufyan's brother Musab was among several Muslims who migrated to Abyssinia to escape persecution in Mecca.

The Umayyad family had first come to power under the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan (r. 644–656), but the Umayyad regime was founded by Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, long-time governor of Syria, after the end of the First Muslim Civil War in 661 CE/41 AH.

ابوسفیان (نام کامل:ابوحنظله صخر ابن حرب ابن امیه) (مرگ: ۳۱ ه. ق در سن ۸۸ سالگی) از بازرگانان معروف و بزرگان قریش در زمان محمد بن عبدالله بود. وی پدر معاویه و جد عده‌ای از خلفای معروف به بوسفیانی بود.[%DB%B1]

از دیگر کارهای او فرماندهی نیرویی برای کنترل برده‌ها در مکه بود. در جنگ بدر حضور داشت و در جنگ احد در برابر محمد جنگید. او در فتح مکه شهادتین گفت و در چند جنگ برای اسلام شرکت کرد. ابوسفیان در سال ۳۲ هجری در مدینه درگذشت.

پدرش حرب پسر أمیه الأکبر پسر عبد شمس پسر عبد مناف پسر قصی پسر کلاب پسر مرّه پسر کعب پسر لؤی پسر غالب پسر فهر پسر مالک پسر النضر پسر کنانه پسر خزیمه پسر مدرکه پسر إلیاس پسر مضر پسر نزار پسر معد پسر عدنان بود.

مادرش صفیه دختر حزن پسر بجیر پسر الهزم پسر رویبه پسر عبد الله پسر هلال پسرعامر پسر صعصعه پسر معاویه پسر بکر پسر هوازن پسر منصور پسر عکرمه پسر خصفه پسر قیس عیلان پسر مضر پسر نزار پسر معد پسر عدنان بود.

ابوسفیان در مدینه، در سال ۳۲ هجری، درگذشت. عثمان بن عفان بر او نماز خواند و در بقیع دفن شد.