Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib "Uncle of the Prophet"
, the generous uncle of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, known for his noble lineage and legacy before the rise of Islam.){kind=small}
-
Lineage and Family of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Birth and Upbringing of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Nicknames and Naming Traditions of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Descendants of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Traits and Anecdotes of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Death of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
-
Confusion with “Al-Ghaydaq”
Abu Qurrah Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (born 59 years before the Hijrah / 565 CE, died 18 years before the Hijrah / 605 CE) was one of paternal uncles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His real name was al-Mughira, while "Hajl" was a nickname he became known by.
Some sources mention it as "Jahl", with the letters ḥāʼ and jīm interchanged. He passed away before the advent of Islam and thus did not witness the prophetic mission.
Lineage and Family of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
- Father: Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim, the leader of Quraysh.
- Mother: Halah bint Wahib ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah, also the mother of Hamza and Safiyyah, making Hajl their full sibling.
Notable Brothers (full or half-siblings): Al-Harith, Al-Zubayr, Abu Talib, Abdullah, Hamza, Al-Abbas, Abu Lahab, Al-Muqawwim, Dirar, Al-Ghaydaq… among others, with some differences in sources.
Birth and Upbringing of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
Hajl was born in Mecca around 565 CE (approximately 59 years before the Hijrah), into a household known for leadership and generosity. His father, Abd al-Muttalib, was a symbol of generosity and the protector of pilgrims.
Growing up in this environment, Hajl adopted these values of generosity and was at times nicknamed "Al-Ghaydaq" – meaning "torrential rain" – as a metaphor for his abundant generosity.
Nicknames and Naming Traditions of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
| Name/Nickname | Origin/Reason | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Mughira | His original name in most genealogical sources | |
| Hajl | A common nickname, interpreted as "shackle" or "anklet", also possibly describing a large physique | Spelling varies between ḥāʼ and jīm |
| Al-Ghaydaq | Mentioned by Ibn Hisham and Al-Jawzi as referring to his abundant generosity and wealth | Some historians confused him with another uncle bearing the same nickname |
| Mus'ab / Nawfal | Minority view identifying Al-Ghaydaq as another person entirely, named Mus'ab or Nawfal | Less widely accepted among scholars |
Descendants of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
Only one son of Hajl is known: Qurra ibn Hajl, after whom he was nicknamed Abu Qurrah. Qurrah was known as a Hashemite poet and is credited with the "Siniyyah" poem, which praises his uncles.
Traits and Anecdotes of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
- Generosity and Charitableness: Ibn Hisham reports that Hajl was famed for his generosity and was called Al-Ghaydaq for his immense wealth and giving nature.
- Status in Quraysh: Despite being younger than some of his brothers, his shared maternal lineage with Hamza and Safiyyah elevated his standing within Banu Hashim.
- Scarcity of Records: Seerah (biographical) sources lack political or military stories about Hajl, likely because he died before the prophetic mission, so early Islamic narratives focused on those who embraced Islam.
Death of Hajl ibn Abd al-Muttalib
Most sources agree that Hajl died in Mecca around 605 CE (18 years before the Hijrah), roughly five years before the prophetic mission began, and thus did not witness the early call to Islam.
Confusion with “Al-Ghaydaq”
Genealogists differed:
- Unified View: Ibn Qutaybah, Ibn Hisham, and others considered Al-Ghaydaq a nickname for Hajl.
- Separate Individuals: Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar and Al-Baladhuri identified Al-Ghaydaq as another uncle, named Mus'ab or Nawfal, who also died five years before the Prophet’s mission.
Comparison of the accounts suggests the nickname “Al-Ghaydaq” was often associated with generosity and was used for multiple sons of Abd al-Muttalib. However, later dictionaries and genealogies tend to treat Hajl as a distinct individual from Al-Ghaydaq.
