PERSONS CITED IN TEXT – EXCLUDING PROPHETS al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (d. 32/652 or 653). The uncle of the Prophet, before whom he was born, it is sometimes said, by two years. An important personality at Mecca, he held the ancient office of providing water (siqāya) to the pilgrims. While always tolerant of his nephew’s…