Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl

ʿIkrimah ibn Abī Jahl (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) was the son of Abū Jahl (ʿAmr ibn Hishām) and one of the most remarkable conversion stories in the Seerah, a man who went from being one of the bitterest enemies of Islām to one of its celebrated shuhudāʾ.

At the Battle of Badr (17 Ramaḍān 2 AH), ʿIkrimah fought on the Qurashī side as a young man, defending his father. When Muʿādh ibn ʿAmr al-Jumūḥ darted through the Muslim lines and severed Abū Jahl's left leg, ʿIkrimah retaliated instantly, swinging his sword and cutting off Muʿādh's entire right arm at the shoulder. Despite this, both Muslim fighters continued fighting.

After Badr, ʿIkrimah fought against the Muslims at Uḥud and other battles. After the Conquest of Makkah (8 AH), he was among a very small group, the Prophet ﷺ specified around six individuals, who were not to receive amnesty; they were to be killed dead or alive regardless of where they were found. ʿIkrimah fled from Makkah to Jeddah and boarded a ship heading for Abyssinia, planning to escape permanently.

At sea, a violent storm struck the ship. The captain said: 'There is nothing I can do. Only a miracle from Allāh will save us. Pray to Allāh, because al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā can do nothing for you now.' This jolted ʿIkrimah: if his gods cannot help him in his most desperate moment, why should he worship them? He made a vow to Allāh: 'If You save me, I will go to Muḥammad and put my hand in his hand, and I know I will find him forgiving and merciful.' Allāh saved him.

ʿIkrimah returned to shore and made his way to the Prophet ﷺ who was at Tabūk. He covered his face so he would not be recognized, worked his way to the Prophet ﷺ, and then unveiled himself and recited the shahādah. His Islam, as the narrations say, became very good, 'ḥasuna islāmuhu.' He died as a shahīd in the wars against the Byzantines (Romans), fulfilling in death what he had opposed in life. Dr. Qadhi notes he is considered one of the elite of the ṣaḥābah.