Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib

Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib was a paternal uncle of the Prophet Muhammad and, in the biographical tradition, also his foster-brother (the two are reported to have shared a wet-nurse). The biographical tradition (sira), drawing on Ibn Sa'd citing al-Waqidi, reports that he was about four years older than the Prophet; a birth around 568 CE is therefore a scholarly estimate (c.), not a firm date. Sources give his age at death only as roughly 57-59.

A Meccan of the Quraysh known for hunting and martial prowess, Hamza is reported to have shown little early interest in the new movement and to have embraced Islam comparatively late in the Meccan period, traditionally dated to around 616 CE. Sira accounts (Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Sa'd) tell that, after learning that Abu Jahl had abused Muhammad, he struck him at the Kaaba and then declared his allegiance, afterward entering the House of al-Arqam — an episode treated as a turning point for the early community, though these vivid details belong to sira narrative rather than to independently attested record.

He is reported to have emigrated to Medina (622 CE) and to have led the first small military detachment (sariyya) the Prophet sent out, at Sif al-Bahr near the Red Sea coast (Ramadan 1 AH / 623 CE); the roughly thirty Muhajirun confronted a Quraysh caravan, and the standoff ended without fighting through tribal mediation. Tradition associates this expedition with the first Islamic banner, though the sources differ on whether the first banner was entrusted to Hamza or to his cousin Ubayda ibn al-Harith. He fought at Badr (2 AH / 624 CE), where accounts differ over whether he or Ali killed Utba ibn Rabi'a.

Hamza was killed at the Battle of Uhud (7 Shawwal 3 AH / 625 CE), reportedly struck by a javelin thrown by Wahshi ibn Harb. Later tradition honours him as Asad Allah ("Lion of God") and Sayyid al-Shuhada ("leader of the martyrs"); both are devotional epithets from the tradition, not neutral historical labels.