THE COUSIN OF MUHAMMAD WHO RENOUNCED ISLAM

THE COUSIN OF MUHAMMAD WHO RENOUNCED ISLAM

Ubayd-Allah ibn Jahsh is a name not very well known today, but he is among the earliest witnesses of the power of the Gospel even in difficult and unexpected circumstances.

He was a close cousin of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), and also among the first people to accept Islam as soon as it began to be proclaimed in Mecca.

Because of the severe persecution that faced the early Muslims, Ubayd-Allah was among the small group of people who decided to flee Mecca in the year 615 A.D. and migrate to the land of Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia), which was under a Christian king called Negus, a leader known for his justice and mercy toward refugees and the oppressed. In that land of protection and religious freedom, Ubayd-Allah encountered in depth the teachings of Christianity, and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ his heart was uniquely touched.

He reflected, he prayed, and finally he decided to renounce Islam and follow Jesus Christ.

“I came to know Christ here, and in my heart I felt a new light that I did not know before. I follow Christ, the Son of the Living God,”

these words are quoted in the traditional accounts of early Christians who knew him.

His decision was not received with joy by the Muslim community that was with him, nor by his relatives who remained in Mecca.

But despite pressure, insults, and blame, he remained firm in his faith until his death while still in Abyssinia.

But what followed was a shocking event that raises many questions. After Ubayd-Allah renounced Islam, the Prophet Muhammad decided to take his wife Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan and marry her himself. Meaning Muhammad saw it fit to snatch the wife of his cousin because he had left Islam. 😂😂

This action has been explained by many Islamic historians such as Ibn Ishaq, al-Tabari, and others, though from a perspective that criticizes Ubayd-Allah and defends the Prophet...

This created pain and shock, for a man who decided to follow his spiritual conscience and leave the religion of his people lost his honor and even his family for the price of following Christ.

Although his personal feelings about this act were not written clearly, the situation itself leaves questions of justice and humanity.

“He decided to seize the wife of a man who left Islam—was that justice or revenge?”

Ubayd-Allah did not base his faith on customs, but followed it through inner conviction and spiritual testimony.

While others feared losing position or honor, he chose the way of the cross and renounced the religion of Islam and said “yes” to the living Christ.

Today, the story of Ubayd-Allah ibn Jahsh is a symbol of courage, a pure conscience, and a testimony of the love of God that crosses the boundaries of religion, family, and even nation.

This man was not just a cousin of Muhammad, but a witness of the Gospel who stood in the midst of the storm. To me, he is my role model.

The Bible says:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...” — Romans 1:16

This is the story of one man, but it is the voice of all who have ever stood for the truth even when it hurt them.

THIS STORY IS VERY RARELY TOLD IN ISLAM.

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