About
The elder brother of ʿAlī and cousin of the Prophet ﷺ. He led the Muslims who emigrated to Abyssinia and spoke for them before the Negus, reciting from sūrah Maryam. He returned at the conquest of Khaybar, and tradition remembers the Prophet ﷺ saying he did not know which pleased him more, Khaybar or Jaʿfar's return. The Prophet ﷺ told him, 'You resemble me in appearance and character' (Bukhārī). He was killed at Muʾta after Zayd, holding the standard after losing both arms; hence al-Ṭayyār, by tradition.
The name
'A small river' or 'stream' in Arabic.
al-Ṭayyār — the one who flies, for the arms lost at Muʾta, by tradition
Source: Sīrah
Relationships
FatherHis father, chief of Banū Hāshim
BrotherHis younger brother
CousinHis cousin, whom he resembled in looks and manner