Knowledge & Devotion · Seerah in Depth

Companions and Early Islamic Events

Explore key figures and pivotal events in early Islam's history.

5 questions · Hard · about 2 minutes

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1. What was ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما known for?

  • His abundant knowledge, deep understanding of Islam, and interpretation of the Qur’an. (correct answer)
  • His wealth and political rule over Arabia.
  • His poetry and entertainment.
  • His refusal to learn from the Companions.

Why

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما was known as al-habr, “the scholar,” and al-bahr, “the ocean,” because of his abundant knowledge and deep understanding. The Prophet ﷺ prayed for him to have deep understanding of the religion and knowledge of tafsir. He became known as the interpreter of the Qur’an and the scholar of the ummah.

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2. How did ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما acquire knowledge?

  • He stayed close to the Prophet ﷺ and later sought knowledge from senior Companions. (correct answer)
  • He relied only on dreams and visions.
  • He avoided asking questions.
  • He learned only from books in distant lands.

Why

Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما stayed close to the Prophet ﷺ from a young age until the Prophet ﷺ died. After that, he devoted himself to seeking knowledge from the senior Companions, going to them humbly and waiting at their doors to hear hadith from them. When asked how he gained knowledge, he said it was by asking questions and understanding the answers.

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3. Which ruler became Muslim, after whom the Prophet ﷺ wrote to a non-Muslim successor?

  • The first Negus. (correct answer)
  • Chosroes.
  • Caesar.
  • Ibn Abi Shamir al-Ghassaani.

Why

The Prophet ﷺ sent letters and envoys to kings and rulers after Islam became established in Arabia. The source explains that the Prophet ﷺ wrote to the Negus who became Muslim and for whom he offered the funeral prayer when he died. Then he wrote to the Negus who succeeded him, and that successor was a disbeliever. Among the rulers mentioned, those who believed included the first Negus and the two rulers of ‘Ammaan.

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4. Who were among the first Companions to migrate to Madinah?

  • Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum رضي الله عنهما. (correct answer)
  • The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه first.
  • Chosroes and Caesar.
  • Banu Qurayzah and Banu an-Nadeer.

Why

Al-Bara’ رضي الله عنه said that the first Companions of the Prophet ﷺ to come to Madinah were Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum رضي الله عنهما. They began teaching the Qur’an there. After them came others, including ‘Ammar, Bilal, Sa‘d, and then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنهم with twenty others. The Prophet ﷺ came later, and the people of Madinah rejoiced greatly at his arrival.

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5. Where did Abrahah’s army encounter the event of the elephant halting and the birds being sent?

  • Wadi Muhassir. (correct answer)
  • Inside the Ka‘bah.
  • Syria.
  • Madinah.

Why

Abrahah prepared to enter Makkah with his army and elephant, but when he reached Wadi Muhassir, between Muzdalifah and Mina, the elephant knelt down and refused to advance toward the Ka‘bah. When they turned it away from Makkah, it moved, but when they turned it toward Makkah, it knelt again. While they were in that state, Allah sent birds in flocks carrying stones. Wadi Muhassir is between Mina and Muzdalifah and does not belong to either of them.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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