Abd al-Muttalib

{{Infobox royalty | name = Abd al-Muttalib | native_lang1_name1 = | native_lang1 = Arabic | birth_name = Shayba ibn Hāshim | birth_date = | birth_place = Yathrib, Hejaz, Arabia | death_date = | death_place = Mecca, Hejaz | burial_place = Jannat al-Mu'allā, Mecca | title = 4th Major Chief of Quraysh | reign = 497–578 CE | reign-type = Chiefship | predecessor = Hashim ibn Abd Manaf | successor = Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib | spouse = | issue-type = Children | issue = Sons:Daughters:| father = Hashim (Son of Abdul Manaf) | mother = Salma bint Amr | house = Banu Hashim | house-type = Clan }}Shayba ibn Hāshim, better known as ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, was the fourth chief of the Quraysh tribal confederation. He was the grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Early life His father was Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf, the progenitor of the distinguished Banu Hashim, a clan of the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. They claimed descent from Ismā'īl and Ibrāhīm. His mother was Salma bint Amr, from the Banu Najjar, a clan of the Khazraj tribe in Yathrib (later called Madinah). Hashim died while doing business in Gaza, before Abd al-Muttalib was born. His real name was "Shaiba" meaning 'the ancient one' or 'white-haired' because of the streak of white through his jet-black hair, and is sometimes also called Shaybah al-Ḥamd ("The white streak of praise"). After his father's death he was raised in Yathrib with his mother and her family until about the age of eight, when his uncle Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf went to see him and asked his mother Salmah to entrust Shaybah to his care. Salmah was unwilling to let her son go and Shaiba refused to leave his mother without her consent. Muṭṭalib then pointed out that the possibilities Yathrib had to offer were incomparable to Mecca. Salmah was impressed with his arguments, so she agreed to let him go. Upon first arriving in Mecca, the people assumed the unknown child was Muttalib's servant and started calling him Abd al-Muttalib ("servant of Muttalib").