Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
أبو سفيان بن حرب
c. 560 CE – c. 653 CE · c. 32 AH† †
† Hijri date derived by computation from the Gregorian/Julian date; it may differ from the transmitted date by a day or two.
Leader of Mecca through the years of open war against the Muslims — commander at Uhud and the Trench — who submitted at the conquest of Mecca and ended his life a Muslim; father of the first Umayyad caliph.
At a glance
- Roles
- Politician · Merchant
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
BattlesPeace-making and coexistenceTrade and finance
Place in the story
- Military opponenttowardThe early Muslim community · 624 CE · 2 AH† – 630 CE · 9 AH†Historical
- Convert to Islam · 630 CE · 9 AH†Tradition
- Companion · 630 CE · 9 AH† – 632 CE · 11 AH†Tradition
- Ruler · c. 634 CE · c. 13 AH† – c. 653 CE · c. 32 AH†Tradition
Arabian polytheism (documented) · Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Brief
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb led Mecca through its open war against the Muslims — commander at Uhud and the Trench — then submitted on the eve of the conquest and died a Muslim elder. His son would found the Umayyad caliphate.
Life
A merchant prince of Banu Umayya, Abu Sufyan led the caravan whose escape precipitated Badr, then commanded the Meccan army at Uhud (625) and the confederate coalition at the Trench (627) 1 2.
When Mecca could no longer resist, he went out to the Muslim camp and was received: the tradition records the Prophet declaring safe whoever entered Abu Sufyan's house. He fought with the Muslims at Hunayn weeks later — and, tradition says, lost his second eye at Ta'if 3.
Under the Rashidun he held governorship and saw his children placed in the new order: Mu'awiya in Syria, Umm Habiba married to the Prophet himself. He died around 653 CE, very old 4.
For young visitors
Abu Sufyan fought the Muslims for six years — then made peace, joined them, and lived to see his son become a caliph.
Opinions on the question
The question: How do the traditions describe Abu Sufyan's career and his conversion?
First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
More opinions (2)
Academic viewSecondary opinion
Shia (Twelver) viewOther opinion
Connections
- Born in
- Mecca
- Child of
- Harb ibn Umayya
- Member of
- Banu Umayya ibn Abd ShamsQuraysh
- Spouse of
- Hind bint Utba
- Opposed
- Muhammad
- Fought
- The early Muslim community
- Participated in
- The Battle of UhudThe Battle of the Trench (al-Ahzab)The Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)The Battle of HunaynThe conversion of Abu Sufyan ibn HarbAbu Sufyan's mission to MedinaThe distribution of Hunayn spoils at al-Ji'ranaExpedition of al-SawiqThe Expedition of Badr al-Maw'idaExpedition of RabighThe Prophet's sermon at the Kaaba and general amnestyExpedition to Hamra al-AsadLast Quraysh delegation to Abu TalibThe plot at Dar al-Nadwa
- Converted under
- Muhammad
- Parent of
- Mu'awiya ibn Abi SufyanUmm Habiba Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan
- Sibling of
- Umm Jamil
People and things also explored
MuhammadQurayshMeccaThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)The Prophetic EraKhalid ibn al-WalidUmar ibn al-KhattabMedina
Sources
- Ibn Ishaq / Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad (1955)
- Watt, Muhammad at Medina (1956)
- Ibn Sa'd, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir (Bewley translation, Ta-Ha)
- al-Tabari, History vol. X: The Conquest of Arabia (Donner translation, SUNY)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Abu Sufyan ibn Harb”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/abu-sufyan-ibn-harb/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.