| Al-Khattab ibn Nufayl Arabic: الخطاب بن نفيل | |
| Death Place: | Mecca, Hejaz, Arabia |
| Relations: | Sa'id ibn Zayd (son-in-law) |
| Allegiance: | Quraysh, Mecca |
| Spouse: |
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| Parents: | Nufayl ibn Abd al-Uzza |
| Children: | |
| Birth Place: | Mecca, Hejaz, Arabia |
| Predecessor1: | Nufayl ibn Abd al-Uzza |
| Office1: | Chief of the Banu Adi |
| Birth Name: | al-Khattab |
Al-Khaṭṭāb ibn Nufayl was an Arab chief from the Meccan branch of Quraysh. He lived during the sixth century and was a contemporary of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. His son Umar would later become Muslim, and would come to be the second Rashidun Caliph. He was the ancestor of a good number of the companions of the Prophet.[1]
Al-Khattab was the son of Nufayl ibn Abd al-Uzza. His father was the chief of Banu Adi clan of Quraysh. After the death of his father, he succeeded him as the chief of Banu Adi.
Al-Khattab had a brother who died young. The name of this bother was Amr ibn Nufayl. Amr had a son named Zayd. He had good relations with his tribesmen and kin. However, his relationship with his nephew Zayd ibn Amr started gradually deteriorating because his nephew had denied the subordinate gods to Allāh and he embraced strict monotheism. This angered many members of Nufayl family and Banu Adi clan.
Zayd's wife Safiya disliked his travels to Syria. Whenever she saw him preparing for a journey, she reported it to al-Khattab, who would reproach Zayd for abandoning their religion. Zayd did not bother to explain himself to al-Khattab, but he rebuked Safiya for trying to humiliate him. Al-Khattab harassed Zayd so severely that Zayd was forced to leave the city. He spent the last few years of his life in the mountain caves surrounding Mecca. Al-Khattab then instructed the "young irresponsible men of the Quraysh" to ensure that Zayd could never enter the city again. Whenever Zayd tried to enter in secret, al-Khattab's men drove him out again.[2]
One time, his nephew Zayd ibn Amr taunted him for worshiping idols.
He had a son, Umar. His other children included a daughter, Fatimah bint al-Khattab, and a son Zayd ibn al-Khattab. The daughter married the hanif Said ibn Zayd, and later would both become Muslims. However, they hid their new faith from al-Khattab and Umar. Al-Khattab died between 614 and 616.[3]
In accounts preserved by al-Yahsubi (d. 1149), al-Khattab converted to Islam.[4]
Al-Khattab was the relative of many Companions of Muhammad.