Muhammad's Lineage

The Holy Prophet’s ancestors up to the twentieth before his father included: Abd al-Muttalib, `Abd Manaf, Qusay, Kilab, Murrah, Ka`b, Lu’ay, Ghalib, Fihr, Malik, al-Nazr, Kinanah, Khuzaymah, Mudrikah, Ilyas, Muzar, Nizar, Ma`ad, and `Andan. [1] However, there is no agreement concerning his other ancestors up to Prophet Ishmael, Prophet Abraham’s son. [2] It is narrated that when the Holy Prophet enumerated his ancestors, he refused to call any other ancestor prior to `Adnan,[3] and recommended others to do so. [4] Regarding the work of genealogists concerning his lineage and the names of his other ancestors between `Adnan and Isma`il, the Holy Prophet used to say, “Genealogists lied.”[5]

The Arab tribes are divided into Qahtani and `Adnani groups. Quraysh, due to its relation with `Adnan (the Holy Prophet's twentieth ancestor) belongs to `Adnan. All clans whose lineage leads to al-Nazr ibn Kinanah are called qurayshi, since Quraysh was their nickname.[6] The tribe of Quraysh is of different branches,[7] such as Banu-Makhzum, Banu-Zuhrah, Banu-Umayyah, Banu-Sahm, Banu-Asad and Banu-Hashim[8] to which the Holy Prophet belongs.

`Abd al-Muttalib’s Personality

Among the Holy Prophet’s ancestors, we have a lot of information about `Abd al-Muttalib, the first ancestor, since he lived at a time close to the Islamic era. `Abd al-Muttalib was a beloved, generous, wise and unique personality. [9] He, like all great divine personalities, was the chief of his time. Despite his long life, he never took on the corrupt traits prevalent in the society of Mecca. In those days, nobody in Mecca believed in the Resurrection; and even if this belief existed, it was not strong. Not only did `Abd al-Muttalib believe in the Resurrection but also emphasized the chastisement of that Day; he used to remark:

“There is a world after this one in which good-wishers will get their rewards and evildoers their punishment.”[10]

Although a tribal dogmatism prevailed in the Arabian Peninsula in those dark days and everybody defended the rights of his relatives without considering justice, `Abd al-Muttalib was not such a person. He put a lot of pressure on one of his relatives, called Harb ibn Umayyah, to pay the blood money of a Jew who had been killed under instigation and persuasion. [11] He used to encourage his children to stay away from the nasty deeds of this world and engage themselves in good deeds. [12]

`Abd al-Muttalib believed in a number of traditions which were approved of in Islam; among them we may refer to the prohibition of drinking wine, the prohibition of adultery, the punishment of adulterers; the cutting of the thief's hand, the banishment of ill-named Meccan women, the prohibition of burying daughters alive, the prohibition of marriage with intimates, the prohibition of being naked in circumambulating the Kaaba, carrying out one's vows and obligations, the observance of the sacred months, and finally engaging in mutual cursing (mubahalah). [13] It is narrated that `Abd al-Muttalib was the evidence of God and Abu-talib God's Representative. [14]

The Household of Monotheism

Prophet Muhammad's household was a household of monotheism. According to the beliefs of researchers who believed in Imamate, Prophet Muhammad's father and his ancestors from Adam to `Abdullah were all monotheists. There was no atheist among them—a fact asserted by many Qur'anic verses and narrations. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said,

“God led me from the clean men's loin into the clean women's wombs and put me into your world and never let me be mingled with the corruptions of the Ignorance Era.”[15]

We know that no dirt is worse than atheism or disbelief. If ever there were an atheist or disbeliever among the progeny or progenitors of anybody, he would not be considered clean. The Twelver Imamiyyah scholars believe that Abu-talib and aminah bint (daughter of) Wahab—the Holy Prophet’s mother—were monotheists. [16] In this regard, Imam `Ali (a.s) has stated:

“I swear to God that my father and ancestors, `Abd al-Muttalib, Hashim and `Abd Manaf, did not believe in any form of idolatory. They were true followers of Prophet Abraham’s religion and used to perform prayers to God at the Kaaba.” [17]