Asad ibn Hashim

Asad ibn Hāshim was the son of Hashim ibn Abd Manaf and the brother of Abd al-Muttalib. He was the father of Fatima bint Asad, the mother of Ali and the cousin and wife of Abu Talib. Asad was a very respected person among the Hashimi Arab tribe. He was a merchant and very often helped the poor. His name means Lion. His descendants usually use the surnames Al-Hashimi, Al-Asadi, Sayyid, or Sharif, while some of his descendants avoid using any surname.