Introduction
Hamzah was a paternal uncle of the Prophet, close to him in age and also his foster-brother through the same wet nurse. He belonged to the leading clan of Quraysh, the Banu Hashim, and was respected for his strength and as a hunter.
He accepted Islam in about the sixth year of the mission, when he was angered at hearing that Abu Jahl had insulted the Prophet, and his conversion gave the Muslims much-needed protection in Mecca. He migrated to Medina and was among those who stepped forward at Badr.
He was killed at Uhud in 3 AH by Wahshi, a slave who had been promised his freedom. The Prophet mourned him. The sources available to me give very few reports of his daily routine, so this page focuses on what the authentic hadith do say about his courage, loyalty and the care he left behind.
The story
c. 616 CE
Accepted Islam after confronting Abu Jahl for insulting the Prophet.
622 CE
Migrated to Medina.
624 CE / 2 AH
Stepped out in the opening duels at Badr; the verse about 'two opponents' was reported to be about him and his companions.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 3966Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ نَزَلَتْ{هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ} فِي سِتَّةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ عَلِيٍّ وَحَمْزَةَ وَعُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ وَشَيْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ وَعُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ وَالْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ.
“concerning six men from Quraish, namely, `Ali, Hamza”
625 CE / 3 AH
Killed at Uhud by Wahshi.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 4072Sahih Arabic text
… عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَالَ يَا سِبَاعُ يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ أَنْمَارٍ مُقَطِّعَةِ الْبُظُورِ، أَتُحَادُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ثُمَّ شَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَكَانَ كَأَمْسِ الذَّاهِبِ ـ قَالَ ـ وَكَمَنْتُ لِحَمْزَةَ تَحْتَ صَخْرَةٍ فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنِّي رَمَيْتُهُ بِحَرْبَتِي، فَأَضَعُهَا فِي ثُنَّتِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَتْ مِنْ بَيْنِ وَرِكَيْهِ ـ قَالَ ـ فَكَانَ ذَاكَ الْعَهْدَ بِهِ، …
“Hamza bin `Abdul Muttalib came out”
7 AH
His young daughter followed the Prophet out of Mecca, and the Prophet entrusted her to her maternal aunt.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 4251Sahih Arabic text
… ابْنَةُ حَمْزَةَ تُنَادِي يَا عَمِّ يَا عَمِّ. فَتَنَاوَلَهَا عَلِيٌّ، فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهَا وَقَالَ لِفَاطِمَةَ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ دُونَكِ ابْنَةَ عَمِّكِ. حَمَلَتْهَا فَاخْتَصَمَ فِيهَا عَلِيٌّ وَزَيْدٌ وَجَعْفَرٌ. قَالَ عَلِيٌّ أَنَا أَخَذْتُهَا وَهْىَ بِنْتُ عَمِّي. وَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ ابْنَةُ عَمِّي وَخَالَتُهَا تَحْتِي. وَقَالَ زَيْدٌ ابْنَةُ أَخِي. فَقَضَى بِهَا النَّبِيُّ …
“the daughter of Hamza followed him shouting”
A day in their footsteps
5 small, repeatable practices from Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Standing up first to the challenger
When an enemy champion called for a duel before Uhud, Hamzah stepped out and said: do you challenge Allah and His Messenger? He killed him in the duel. He is remembered for being first to answer the call to defend the Muslims.
Try this today
When something sacred is mocked, be the first to speak up with courage and restraint.
Sit with this
When something sacred is mocked in front of you, how do you respond?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 4072Sahih … اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ثُمَّ شَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَكَانَ كَأَمْسِ الذَّاهِبِ ـ قَالَ ـ وَكَمَنْتُ لِحَمْزَةَ تَحْتَ صَخْرَةٍ فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنِّي رَمَيْتُهُ بِحَرْبَتِي، فَأَضَعُهَا فِي ثُنَّتِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَتْ مِنْ بَيْنِ وَرِكَيْهِ ـ قَالَ ـ فَكَانَ ذَاكَ الْعَهْدَ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ النَّاسُ رَجَعْتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَقَمْتُ بِمَكَّةَ، حَتَّى فَشَا فِيهَا …
“Do you challenge Allah and His Apostle?”
Facing the opening duels at Badr
At Badr, Hamzah was one of the three Muslims who stepped forward against three Qurayshi champions. Abu Dharr swore by Allah that the verse about two opponents disputing about their Lord was revealed about this duel.
Try this today
Do not hide behind others when a decisive moment comes.
Sit with this
What decisive moment are you hoping someone else will step into?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 3966Sahih قَالَ نَزَلَتْ{هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ} فِي سِتَّةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ عَلِيٍّ وَحَمْزَةَ وَعُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ وَشَيْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ وَعُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ وَالْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ.
“(22.19) was revealed concerning six men from Quraish”
Quran 22:19Quran هَٰذَانِ خَصْمَانِ ٱخْتَصَمُوا۟ فِى رَبِّهِمْ فَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قُطِّعَتْ لَهُمْ ثِيَابٌ مِّن نَّارٍ يُصَبُّ مِن فَوْقِ رُءُوسِهِمُ ٱلْحَمِيمُ
“are two opponents who contend concerning their Lord”
Family ties that outlived him
His young daughter followed the Prophet out of Mecca crying 'O uncle, O uncle'. Ali took her to Fatima, and when Ali, Ja'far and Zayd disputed over her care, the Prophet gave her to her maternal aunt, saying the aunt is in the position of the mother.
Try this today
Look after the orphans and families of those who have passed.
Sit with this
Which orphan or family of the departed could you look in on?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 4251Sahih … تَحْتِي. وَقَالَ زَيْدٌ ابْنَةُ أَخِي. فَقَضَى بِهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِخَالَتِهَا وَقَالَ" الْخَالَةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الأُمِّ". وَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ" أَنْتَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْكَ". وَقَالَ لِجَعْفَرٍ" أَشْبَهْتَ خَلْقِي وَخُلُقِي". وَقَالَ لِزَيْدٍ" أَنْتَ أَخُونَا وَمَوْلاَنَا". وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ أَلاَ تَتَزَوَّجُ بِنْتَ حَمْزَةَ. قَالَ" إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَخِي مِنَ …
“The aunt is of the same status as the mother”
Close kinship by milk
The Prophet was offered marriage to Hamzah's daughter and said she is not lawful for him because she is the daughter of his foster brother. The hadith shows that Hamzah and the Prophet were milk-brothers.
Try this today
Honour relationships of milk and marriage as the Prophet did.
Sit with this
Which family bonds, by milk or by marriage, have you let go quiet?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 2645Sahih قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بِنْتِ حَمْزَةَ " لاَ تَحِلُّ لِي، يَحْرُمُ مِنَ الرَّضَاعِ مَا يَحْرُمُ مِنَ النَّسَبِ، هِيَ بِنْتُ أَخِي مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ".
“She is the daughter of my foster brother”
Simple burial in a single cloth
The companions remembered that Hamzah, like Mus'ab, was martyred with nothing to be shrouded in but a single cloth. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf wept at the memory and feared that his own rewards had been hastened in this world.
Try this today
Let the example of those who gave everything keep your own comfort in perspective.
Sit with this
What comfort do you enjoy that they never had?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1274Sahih … بْنُ عَوْفٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَوْمًا بِطَعَامِهِ فَقَالَ قُتِلَ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ ـ وَكَانَ خَيْرًا مِنِّي ـ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ حَمْزَةُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفَّنُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ بُرْدَةٌ، لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُجِّلَتْ لَنَا طَيِّبَاتُنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا الدُّنْيَا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ …
“Hamza or another person was martyred and he was also better than I”
Virtues
Abu Dharr swore that the verse about the two opposing groups was revealed concerning Hamzah and his two companions at Badr, against Utbah, Shaybah and al-Walid.
“was Revealed in connection with Hamza and his two companions”
Arabic text
أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُقْسِمُ فِيهَا إِنَّ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ{هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ} نَزَلَتْ فِي حَمْزَةَ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ، وَعُتْبَةَ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ يَوْمَ بَرَزُوا فِي يَوْمِ بَدْرٍ رَوَاهُ سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ. وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ عَنْ جَرِيرٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ قَوْلَهُ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4743Sahih
Ali, Ja'far and Zayd each wanted to take in Hamzah's orphaned daughter, and the Prophet settled the matter justly.
“She is the daughter of my uncle”
Arabic text
… وَجَعْفَرٌ. قَالَ عَلِيٌّ أَنَا أَخَذْتُهَا وَهْىَ بِنْتُ عَمِّي. وَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ ابْنَةُ عَمِّي وَخَالَتُهَا تَحْتِي. وَقَالَ زَيْدٌ ابْنَةُ أَخِي. فَقَضَى بِهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِخَالَتِهَا وَقَالَ" الْخَالَةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الأُمِّ". وَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ" أَنْتَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْكَ". وَقَالَ لِجَعْفَرٍ" أَشْبَهْتَ خَلْقِي وَخُلُقِي". وَقَالَ لِزَيْدٍ" أَنْتَ أَخُونَا …
Sahih al-Bukhari 4251Sahih
Sayings and moments
To the champion before Uhud: do you challenge Allah and His Messenger?
“Do you challenge Allah and His Apostle?”
Arabic text
… اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ثُمَّ شَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَكَانَ كَأَمْسِ الذَّاهِبِ ـ قَالَ ـ وَكَمَنْتُ لِحَمْزَةَ تَحْتَ صَخْرَةٍ فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنِّي رَمَيْتُهُ بِحَرْبَتِي، فَأَضَعُهَا فِي ثُنَّتِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَتْ مِنْ بَيْنِ وَرِكَيْهِ ـ قَالَ ـ فَكَانَ ذَاكَ الْعَهْدَ بِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ النَّاسُ رَجَعْتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَقَمْتُ بِمَكَّةَ، حَتَّى فَشَا فِيهَا …
Sahih al-Bukhari 4072Sahih
Words on this page
- Badrبدر
- The first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh, in 2 AH. Those who fought there hold a special rank among the Companions.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Makkahمكة
- The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
- Qurayshقريش
- The leading tribe of Makkah, to which the Prophet ﷺ belonged, and which opposed him for most of his mission.
- Uhudأحد
- The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.
Related companions
- خديجة بنت خويلدKhadijah bint KhuwaylidKhadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first Mother of the Believers: her steadying support of the Prophet and her loya…
- علي بن أبي طالبAli ibn Abi TalibCousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, among the first to believe, and fourth caliph; remembered for knowledge…
- فاطمة بنت محمدFatimah bint MuhammadFatimah, the Prophet's youngest daughter: her patience at home, her closeness to her father and the bedtime d…
- الزبير بن العوامal-Zubayr ibn al-Awwamal-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, the Prophet's disciple (hawari): his courage, trustworthiness with money and reliance…
Sources and review
- Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib - Wikipedia (biography, dates) (opens in a new tab)
- hadith-api, English hadith editions mirroring sunnah.com numbering and grades (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.