Ibn 'Abbas (RAA)

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him — Abdullah ibn Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib al-Hashimi al-Qurashi — was the cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, born three years before the Hijrah, and is known throughout the Islamic tradition as Habr al-Umma (the Scholar of the Community) and Tarjuman al-Quran (the Interpreter of the Quran). The Prophet ﷺ made a special supplication for him: 'O Allah, grant him understanding of the religion and teach him the interpretation.' This du'a was fulfilled in the most magnificent way. He memorized the Quran and hadiths directly from the Prophet ﷺ while also learning from the greatest companions. After the Prophet's ﷺ passing, he became the supreme authority on Quranic tafsir, hadith, and Islamic law in Mecca, where he held teaching circles attended by scholars from across the Islamic world. He narrated thousands of hadiths preserved in all major collections. His exegetical reports, transmitted by students like Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, and Ata' ibn Abi Rabah, form the foundation of the tafsir tradition. He passed away around 68 AH in al-Ta'if. There is hardly a book of tafsir, fiqh, or hadith that does not draw upon his knowledge.