جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِب
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Ja'far ibn Abi Talib
Spoke before the Negus · Cousin of the Prophet ﷺ · Fell at Mu'tah
may Allah be pleased with him
Quraysh — Banu Hashim · Makkah, Abyssinia and Madinah, up to 8 AH
He led the emigrants in Abyssinia and answered for them in front of a king who had been asked to hand them over. Years later he was one of the three commanders killed at Mu'tah.
Known for
He answered for the Muslims before the Negus
Quraysh sent a delegation to Abyssinia to have the emigrants returned. Ja'far spoke for them, and the king refused to give them up.
He led the emigrants in Abyssinia
He was one of the three commanders killed at Mu'tah
In 8 AH the three appointed commanders were killed one after another. Ja'far was the second.
Cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, and brother of Ali
Story
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
In full
Life & legacy
Abyssinia
Ja'far was of Banu Hashim, a cousin of the Prophet ﷺ and an older brother of Ali. He was among those who left Makkah for Abyssinia during the persecution, and he led the group there.
Quraysh did not let it rest. They sent a delegation with gifts to persuade the Negus to hand the emigrants back. What happened in that audience is set out in the moment below.
He stayed in Abyssinia for years, and came to Madinah later — the reports place his arrival around the time of Khaybar.
Mu'tah
In 8 AH an expedition was sent north to Mu'tah, with three commanders named in advance and in order: Zayd ibn Harithah, then Ja'far if Zayd fell, then Abdullah ibn Rawahah if Ja'far fell.
All three were killed, in that order. Khalid ibn al-Walid then took the banner and brought the army out.
The Prophet ﷺ announced the deaths in Madinah. The report of that announcement is in Sahih al-Bukhari.
How the sources describe him
He could put a case to someone who had power over him
He was remembered for looking after the poor
Connect
People around him
Family
His younger brother.
Alongside
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺCompanion
His cousin, who sent the expedition he was killed commanding.
Took the banner at Mu'tah after Ja'far and the other two appointed commanders were killed.
Full timeline
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Emigrates to Abyssinia and leads the group there
- The Makkan years, before the Hijrah
Answers for the Muslims before the Negus
- Around 7 AH approximate
Comes to Madinah from Abyssinia
- 8 AH
Killed at Mu'tah
Part of
Sources & review
Draft content — undergoing reviewThis content was written for SahabaMate and has not yet been checked by a reviewer against the works below. Treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
Sahih al-Bukhariصحيح البخاري
Hadith collection · Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari
As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyahالسيرة النبوية
Classical biography · Ibn Hisham, from the recension of Ibn Ishaq
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
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Editorial summary
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