Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh ibn Ri'ab (Arabic: عُبَيْد اللَّه ٱبْن جَحْش ٱبْن رِئَاب, romanized: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Jaḥsh ibn Riʾāb; c. 588–627) was a contemporary of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He died following his migration to Abyssinia in around 615 CE. He is one of the four hanifs (a type of monotheists) mentioned by Ibn Ishaq, the others being Waraqa ibn Nawfal, Uthman ibn al-Huwayrith and Zayd ibn Amr.[1]
He was the son of Jahsh ibn Riyab[2] and Umayma bint Abd al-Muttalib,[3] hence a brother of Abd Allah ibn Jahsh, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh, Habiba bint Jahsh and Hammanah bint Jahsh, a first cousin of Islamic prophet Muhammad and Ali, and a nephew of Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib. He married Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (who was also known as Umm Habiba), and they had one daughter, Habibah bint Ubayd Allah.[4]
He and his wife became Muslims and, in order to escape from the Meccan persecution, they emigrated to Abyssinia.[5]
According to Ibn Ishaq, in the year 615, Ubayd-Allah, with his Muslim wife and daughter, accompanied by a group of Muslim refugees, migrated to Ethiopia to escape Meccan persecution.
There are claims that he adopted Christianity after migration to Abyssinia however these claims are refuted on the bases of Hadith, and other reliable historical documents and evidence. [6][7][8][9]
In Abyssinia, he contracted a disease that would cause his death later, but before his death, he recommended to Muhammad that he marry his wife if he died.[10]