Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh explained

Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh ibn Ri'ab (ar|عُبَيْد اللَّه ٱبْن جَحْش ٱبْن رِئَاب|translit=ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Jaḥsh ibn Riʾāb;) was a contemporary of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who apostated from Islam by converting to Christianity following his migration to Abyssinia in around 615 CE. He is one of the four hanifs (a type of monotheists) mentioned by Ibn Ishaqthe others being Waraka ibn NawfalUthman ibn Huwairith and Zayd ibn Amr.^[1]

Biography

He was the son of Jahsh ibn Riyab^[2] and Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib,^[3] hence a brother of Abd Allah ibn JahshZaynab bint JahshAbu Ahmad ibn JahshHabiba bint Jahsh and Hammanah bint Jahsha first cousin of Islamic prophet Muhammad and Aliand a nephew of Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib. He married Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (who was also known as Umm Habiba)and they had one daughterHabibah bint Ubayd Allah.^[4]

He and his wife became Muslims andin order to escape from the Meccan persecutionthey emigrated to Abyssinia.^[5] in Ethiopia the Christian king Armah (also known as Najashi) gave sanctuary to the Muslims. There Ubayd Allah eventually converted to Christianity and testified his new faith to the other Muslim refugees. Ibn Ishaq relates:

Notes and References

1. Muhammad ibn IshaqSirat Rasul Allah. Translated by GuillaumeA. (1955). The Life of Muhammadpp. 98-99. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2. Guillaume/Ishaq pp. 99146.
3. Muhammad ibn SaadTabaqat vol. 8. Translated by BewleyA. (1995). The Women of Madinap. 33. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
4. Bewley/Saad p. 68.
5. Guillaume/Ishaqp. 146.