Abdullah ibn Masud

Abdullah ibn Masud (Arabic: عبدالله بن مسعود, 'abdullāh ibn mas'ūd) (c.594-c.653) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was also known by the kunya Abu Abdulrahman.

Family

He was born in Mecca c.594, the son of Masud ibn Ghafil and Umm Abd bint Abdwadd, who were both from the Tamim tribe, apparently slaves, and certainly of low social status. However, Umm Abd’s mother, Hind bint Al-Harith, was from the Zuhra clan of the Quraysh, and Masud made an alliance with her brother.

Abdullah had a brother, Utba.

Later he married Zaynab bint Abdullah from the Thaqif tribe, and they had several daughters. He specified in his will that none of them should be married off without her own knowledge. He also had a son, Abdulrahman.

Abdullah is described as a thin, short man with very dark skin and smooth hair reaching to his shoulders. He wore white clothes and he could be recognised in the dark by his distinctive, high-quality perfume. In personality he was sociable and willing to speak out to put people at ease. In character and goals, he was said to be the person "most like Muhammad".