Um Al-Fadl

Umm al-Fadl Lubabah bint al-Harith (RA) was a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, wife of al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (RA), the Prophet's paternal uncle, and one of the earliest women to embrace Islam in Mecca. Scholars consider her among the first four or five women to accept Islam, making her among the vanguard of the early Muslim community. She was known for her closeness to the Prophet ﷺ through her husband, and her household was a center of prophetic companionship and knowledge. Umm al-Fadl narrated a number of hadith from the Prophet ﷺ, covering topics including prayer, fasting, and matters related to women and the family. A particularly well-known narration attributed to her concerns the prohibition of fasting on the Day of Arafah for those performing Hajj — she reportedly sent milk to the Prophet ﷺ while he was on Arafah, and he drank it publicly, demonstrating that he was not fasting. Her sons included Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) — the great Quranic scholar — as well as al-Fadl, Ubaidullah, and Qusum ibn al-Abbas, making her the mother of a family of significant companions. Her narrations were transmitted by her son Ibn Abbas (RA) and others among the Tabi'in. She is remembered as a woman of courage and religious devotion who played a meaningful role in the early Meccan community of believers.