Abd al-Muttalib

Grandfather of the Prophet ﷺ. Born in Yathrib to Hāshim ibn ʿAbd Manāf and Salmā bint ʿAmr of the Banū ʿAdī ibn al-Najjār. His birth name was Shayba (shaybah = grey/white), because he was born with a white streak on his head.

He grew up in Yathrib without the Quraysh knowing of his existence. When he was approximately twelve or thirteen years old, his uncle al-Muṭṭalib discovered him, found that his features were unmistakably Qurashī, and convinced the young man to come to Makkah with him, promising him greatness as the son of Hāshim, the most distinguished trader of Quraysh. Al-Muṭṭalib took him quickly, without telling his mother Salmā, and brought him to Makkah on his camel. When the Makkans saw al-Muṭṭalib arrive with this boy, they assumed it was a slave al-Muṭṭalib had purchased, and called the boy ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ("slave of al-Muṭṭalib"). The name stuck even after the truth was known.

He became the supreme leader of Makkah and the Quraysh, serving as the custodian of the Kaʿbah and the provider of water to pilgrims (Siqāyah). He was the one who received the famous dream instructing him to dig the Well of Zamzam. He was present during the Year of the Elephant. He took custody of the Prophet ﷺ after the death of Āminah and served as his guardian until his own death, when the Prophet ﷺ was about eight years old.

Because he was raised in Yathrib, ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib knew the streets, the date palms, and the people of Yathrib as a child, the same city that his grandson would one day call home.