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Who he is:
His father is Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib Al-Qurashi Ah-Hashimi, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. His mother was Umm El-Fadl Lubabah bint Al-Harith. She was the second woman to embrace Islam after mother of the believers Khadija, may Allah be pleased with them. His maternal aunt was mother of the believers and wife of prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, Mimunah bint Al-Harith Al-Hilaliyyah.

His birth:
Early Muslims were subjected to all sorts of torments by the pagans of Quraish in the hope that they would abandon their religion but the torture only increased the early muslins adherence to their religion. The leaders of the various clans of Quraysh signed a document which stipulated that unless the clan of Banu Hashim surrendered Muhammad to them, it would be subjected to an economic and social boycott. They pledged themselves not to buy anything from, nor to sell anything to, the members of the Banu Hashim, and they placed intermarriage with them under proscription. The two clans of Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib including Al-Abbas and his pregnant wife moved out of Makkah and took abode in a ravine. The clans were in a state of siege.

When Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, knew that umm Al-Fadl was pregnant he said "Allah will brighten our countenances here with a boy"

When that boy was born Prophet Mohammad, peace and blessings be upon him, smeared his palate with a date he himself chew so the prophet's saliva was the first thing the boy tasted even before being breast fed by his mum. That boy was Abdullah Ibn Abbas.

In the house of Prophethood:
When Abdullah reached the age of discretion, he attached himself to the service of the Prophet. He would run to fetch water for him when he wanted to make ablution (wudu). During prayer he would stand behind the Prophet in prayer and when the Prophet went on journeys or expeditions, he would follow next in line to him. Abdullah thus became like the shadow of the Prophet, constantly in his company.

In all these situations he was attentive and alert to whatever the Prophet did and said. His heart was enthusiastic and his young mind was pure and uncluttered, committing the Prophet's words to memory with the capacity and accuracy of a recording instrument. In this way and through his constant researches later, as we shall see, Abdullah became one of the most learned companions of the Prophet, preserving on behalf of later generations of Muslims, the priceless words of the Messenger of God. It is said that he committed to memory about one thousand, six hundred and sixty sayings of the Prophet which are recorded and authenticated in the collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The Prophet would often draw Abdullah as a child close to him, pat him on the shoulder and pray, "O Lord, make him acquire a deep understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him in the meaning and interpretation of things."

It is reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas that he said "One day, I was riding behind the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he said, "O boy! I will instruct you in some matters. Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up". [At- Tirmidhi].

His Knowledge
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, was an incomparable scholar. He was called Al-Bahr (the sea) and Habr Al-Ummah (the learned man of the nation) due to his immense knowledge especially in Quranic interpretation.

During the lifetime of the Prophet, Abdullah would not miss any of his assemblies and he would commit to memory whatever he said. After the Prophet passed away, he would take care to go to as many companions as possible especially those who knew the Prophet longer and learn from them what the Prophet had taught them. Whenever he heard that someone knew a hadith of the Prophet which he did not know he would go quickly to him and record it. He would subject whatever he heard to close scrutiny and check it against other reports. He would go to as many as thirty companions to verify a single matter.

Abdullah described what he once did on hearing that a companion of the Prophet knew a hadith unknown to him:
"I went to him during the time of the afternoon siesta and spread my cloak in front of his door. The wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I wished I could have sought his permission to enter and he would certainly have given me permission. But I preferred to wait on him so that he could be completely refreshed. Coming out of his house and seeing me in that condition he said: 'O cousin of the Prophet! What's the matter with you? If you had sent for me I would have come to you.' 'I am the one who should come to you, for knowledge is sought, it does not just come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith and learnt from him."

In this way, the dedicated Abdullah would ask, and ask, and go on asking. And he would sift and scrutinize the information he had collected with his keen and meticulous mind. It was not only in the collection of hadith that Abdullah specialized. He devoted himself to acquiring knowledge in a wide variety of fields. He had a special admiration for persons like Zayd ibn Thabit, the recorder of the revelation; the leading judge and jurist consult in Madinah, an expert in the laws of inheritance and in reading the Quran.

When Zayd intended to go on a trip, the young Abdullah would stand humbly at his side and taking hold of the reins of his mount would adopt the attitude of a humble servant in the presence of his master. Zayd would say to him: "Don't, O cousin of the Prophet."
"Thus we were commanded to treat the learned ones among us," Abdullah would say.
And Zayd would say to him in turn, "Let me see your hand."
Abdullah would stretch out his hand. Zayd, taking it, would kiss it and say, "Thus we were commanded to treat the Ahlul-Bayt (members of the household of the Prophet)."

As Abdullah's knowledge grew, he grew in stature. Masruq ibn al-Ajdah said of him, "Whenever I saw Ibn Abbas, I would say: He is the most handsome of men. When he spoke, I would say: He is the most eloquent of men. And when he held a conversation, I would say: He is the most knowledgeable of men."

The Khalifah 'Umar ibn al-Khattab often sought his advice on important matters of state and described him as "the young man of maturity".

Saad ibn Abi Waqqas described him with these words: "I have never seen someone who was quicker in understanding, who had more knowledge and greater wisdom than Ibn Abbas. I have seen 'Umar summon him to discuss difficult problems in the presence of veterans of Badr from among the Muhajirin and Ansar. Ibn Abbas would speak and 'Umar would not disregard what he had to say." It is these qualities which resulted in Abdullah ibn Abbas being known as "the learned man of this 'Ummah".

Abdullah ibn Abbas was not content to accumulate knowledge. He felt he had a duty to the 'Ummah to educate those in search of knowledge and the general masses of the Muslim community.

He turned to teaching and his house became a university in the full sense of the word, a university with specialized teaching. There was an enthusiastic response to Abdullah's classes. One of his companions described a typical scene in front of his house: "I saw people converging on the roads leading to his house until there was hardly any room in front of his house. I went in and told him about the crowds of people at his door and he said: 'Get me water for wudhu (ablution).'
He performed wudhu and, seating himself, said: 'Go out and say to them: Whoever wants to ask about the Quran and its letters (pronunciation) let him enter.'
This I did and people entered until the house was filled. Whatever he was asked, Abdullah was able to elucidate and even provide additional information to what was asked.
Then (to his students) he said: 'Make way for your brothers.'
Then to me he said: 'Go out and say: Who wants to ask about the Quran and its interpretation, let him enter.'
Again the house was filled and Abdullah elucidated and provided more information than what was requested."
And so it continued with groups of people coming in to discuss fiqh (jurisprudence), halal and haram (the lawful and the prohibited in Islam), inheritance laws, Arabic language, poetry and etymology.

To avoid congestion with many groups of people coming to discuss various subjects on a single day, Abdullah decided to devote one day exclusively for a particular discipline. On one day, only the exegesis of the Quran would be taught while on another day only fiqh(jurisprudence). The maghazi or campaigns of the Prophet, poetry, Arab history before Islam were each allocated a special day.

Abdullah ibn Abbas brought to his teaching a powerful memory and a formidable intellect. His explanations were precise, clear and logical. His arguments were persuasive and supported by pertinent textual evidence and historical facts.

Saad ibn abi waqqas said: "I have not seen anyone possessing greater understanding, nor a keener intellect, nor having greater knowledge, nor possessing more gentleness than Ibn Abbas" (from Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, vol.8)

Abu wail said: "Ibn Abbas addressed us when he was in charge of the Hajj (pilgrimage) and he began reciting the verse of Al-Nur and he recited and interpreted the verses I said I haven't heard the speech of a man such as this; if the Persians, the Romans and the Turks would have heard it, they would have embraced Islam" (from Ansab-Ashraf, vol.3)

It is reported on the authority of Masruq that he said: "whenever I saw Ibn Abbas, I would say he is the handsomest of men; when he spoke I would say he is the most eloquent of men and when he gave a sermon I would say he is the most knowledgeable of men"

Ibn Abbas and the king of Rome
The King of Rome (Caeser) wrote to Amir Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, May Allah SWT be pleased with him, asking about:

1. The Most Beloved speech to Allah, The All-Mighty, The All-Powerful?
2. The most honorable slave before Allah, The All-Mighty, The All-Powerful?
3. The most honorable female slave before Allah, The All-Mighty, The All-Powerful?
4. The four who possessed souls, but who had not come out of a womb?
5. A grave which had moved with its inhabitant?
6. A place on earth where the sun has not risen except once?
7. The Qaws Quzah and what it is?
8. Al-Majarrah?

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