`Abd al-Husayn Denies that Abu Talib Died upon Shirk

‘Abdul Hussain Denies that Abu Talib Died upon Shirk

On page 150, ‘Abdul Hussain quotes the following hadith under the heading, “Abu Talib rejects the shahadatayn”:

قال أبو هريرة قال: قال رسول الله (ص) لعمه قل لا إله إلا الله أشهد لك بها يوم القيامة قال: لولا أن تعيرني قريش يقولون إنما حمله على ذلك الجزع لأ قررت بها عينيك فأنزل الله: { إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِيْ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يَّشَاءُ }

Abu Hurairah said, “The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to his uncle, ‘Say there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I will testify in your favour due to it on the Day of Judgement.’

He replied, ‘If (it was not for fear that) Quraysh will mock me saying, “He only done that as a result of fear,” I would have definitely comforted you by (saying) it.’

Thereupon Allah revealed, ‘Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.’”^[1]

Thereafter, he tries to discredit the hadith saying:

أين كان أبو هريرة عن النبي وعمه (ع)؟!! وهما يتبادلان الكلام الذي أرسله عنهما كأنه رآهما بعينيه وسمع كلامهما بأذنيه ؟ ….أن هذا الحديث مما ارتجله المبطلون تزلفا لأعداء آل أبي طالب ، وعملت لدولة الأموية في نشره أعمالها ، وقد كفانا السلف الصالح !! من أعلامنا مؤنة الاهتمام بتزييفه …

Where was Abu Hurairah when the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had this dialogue with his uncle? He relates it as if he seen it with his own eyes and heard it with his own ears! This hadith was manufactured by the deniers, who used it to gain closeness to the enemies of the household of Abu Talib. The Banu Umayyah also played an influential role in spreading it. Our pious predecessors have sufficed us in proving the unreliability (of this narration).

Our comment: This criticism is worthless. It is based upon blind fanaticism towards their creed and it lacks academic honesty. When these two attributes are found in any research, they render it completely worthless. You have already understood the attitude of this author towards Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, O reader! Hence, you will also understand that this is nothing more than a further attempt to defame him, thereby comforting his restless feelings of hatred towards this great Sahabi. This can be proven from the fact that Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu is not the only one who reports that Abu Talib died upon shirk and refused to recite the testimony of faith. It also narrated by other Sahabah such as ‘Abbas, Abu Sa’id al Khudri, and Jabir radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

In fact, this narration is reported by your own scholars as well! In his Tafsir, al Qummi (‘Ali ibn Ibrahim) states under the explanation of the verse, “Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided^[2]”:

نزلت في أبي طالب فإن رسول الله كان يقول: ياعم قل لا إله إلا الله أنفعك بها يوم القيامة ، فيقول يابن أخي أنا أعلم بنفسي فلما مات شهد العباس بن عبد المطلب عند رسول الله أنه تكلم بها عند الموت ، فقال رسول الله: أما أنا فلم أسمعها منه وأرجوا انفعه يوم القيامة

It was revealed regarding Abu Talib. The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would say to him, “O my uncle, say there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I will help you out on account of it on the Day of Judgement.”

He would reply, “O my nephew, I am more knowledgeable regarding myself.”

After he died, ‘Abbas testified before the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam that he proclaimed it at the time of his death.

The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam replied, “I did not hear it from him, but I hope that I will be able to help him on the Day of Judgement.”^[3]

Fadl Allah al Rawandi (al Shia) states in his book Nawadir al Rawandi:

قال رسول الله أهون أهل النار عذاباً عمي أخرجه من أصل الجحيم حتى أبلغ به الضحضاح عليه نعلان من نار يغلى منهما دماغه

The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “My uncle will receive the lightest punishment from all the dwellers of the fire. I will raise him from the pit of Jahim until he reaches the shallow portion. He will wear sandals of fire which will cause even his brains to boil.”[4]

Al Majlisi quotes from Ibn Abi al Hadid’s Sharh Nahj al Balaghah:

اختلف الناس في اسلام أبي طالب فقال الإمامية والزيدية: ما مات إلا مسلماً وقال بعض شيوخنا المعتزلة بذلك منهم : الشيخ أبو القاسم البلخي وأبو جعفر الإسكافي وغيرهما، وقال أكثر الناس من أهل الحديث والعامة ومن شيوخنا البصريين وغيرهم: مات على دين قومه ويرون في ذلك حديثاً مشهوراً : إن رسول الله قال عند موته: قل ياعم كلمة أشهد لك بها غداً عند الله تعالى، فقال: لولا أن تقول العرب أن أباطالب جزع عند الموت لأقررت بها عينك، وروي إنه قال: أنا على دين الأشياخ ! وقيل: إنه قال: أنا على دين عبدالمطلب وقيل غير ذلك وروى كثير من المحدثين أن قوله تعالى:{ مَاكَانَ لِلنَّبِىّ وَالَّذِيْنَ أٰمَنُوا أَن يَّسْتَغْفِرُوْا لِلْمُشْرِكِيْنَ وَلَوْ كَانُوْا أُوْلىِ قُرْبٰى مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحٰبُ الْجَحِيْمِ وَ مَاكَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيْمَ لِأَبِيْهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبِيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلّٰهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ } [ التوبة/113-114]، أنزلت في أبي طالب لأن رسول الله استغفرله بعد موته .

ورووا أن قوله تعالى:{ إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ} نزلت في أبي طالب .

ورووا أن علياً(ع) جاء إلى رسول الله بعد موت أبي طالب فقال له: إن عمك الضال قد قضى فما الذي تأمرني فيه ؟ واحتجوا به لم ينقل أحد عنه أنه رآه يصلي، والصلاة هي المفرقة بين المسلم والكافر، وأن علياً وجعفرا لم يأخذا من تركته شيئا .

ورروا عن النبي أنه قال: إن الله قد وعدني بتخفيف عذابه لما صنع في حقي وإنه في ضحضاح من نار . ورووا عنه أيضاً إنه قيل له: لو استغفرت لأبيك وأمك فقال: لو استغفرت لهما لاستغفرت لأبي طالب فإنه صنع إليّ مالم يصنعا ،و أن عبدالله وآمنة وأبا طالب في حجرة من حجرات جهنم .

The people have differed regarding the Islam of Abu Talib. The Imamiyyah and Zaidiyyah said, “He definitely died as a Muslim.” Some of our scholars from the Mu’tazilah are also of this view. They include, Sheikh Abu al Qasim al Balkhi, Abu Jafar al Iskafi, etc… Most people, including the scholars of hadith, the general people, some of our scholars from Basrah and others opine that he died upon the religion of his people. To support this, they cite the famous hadith, i.e. The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to him at the time of his death, “O my beloved uncle, (Say) a word by means of which I may testify in your favour tomorrow in the court of Allah, the Most Exalted.” He answered, “If it was not for (fear that) the Arabs will say, ‘Abu Talib was frightened by death!’ I would have comforted you by (saying) it.” It is also narrated that he said, “I am upon the religion of the seniors.” It is said that he declared, “I am upon the religion of ‘Abdul Muttalib.” There are other views as well.

Many of their hadith scholars have narrated that the following verse was revealed regarding Abu Talib, as the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sought forgiveness on his behalf after his demise:

مَاكَانَ لِلنَّبِىّ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُوْلىِ قُرْبَى مِنمبَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَحِيمـِ وَ مَاكَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيمـَ لأَبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبِيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لّلّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ

It is not for the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire. And the request of forgiveness of Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became apparent to Ibrahim that his father was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed was Ibrahim compassionate and patient. (Surah al Tawbah, 113-114)

They also narrate that the verse, “Indeed, (O Muhammad), you do not guide whom you like,” was revealed regarding Abu Talib. It is reported in their books that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu came to the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after the demise of Abu Talib and asked him, “Your misguided uncle has passed on, what do you command me to do with him?” This narration has been used as proof by them. Furthermore, none have narrated that he was ever seen performing salah, the primary distinguishing feature between Muslim and kafir, and ‘Ali as well as his brother Jafar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma did not take anything from his inheritance. Another narration states that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said,

إن الله قد وعدني بتخفيف عذابه لما صنع في حقي وإنه في ضحضاح من نار . ورووا عنه أيضاً إنه قيل له: لو استغفرت لأبيك وأمك فقال: لو استغفرت لهما لاستغفرت لأبي طالب فإنه صنع إليّ مالم يصنعا ،و أن عبدالله وآمنة وأبا طالب في حجرة من حجرات جهنم

Allah promised me that his punishment will be lightened as a result of the help that he offered me. He is in the shallow portion of Jahannam. They have also narrated from him that he was once told, “Why do you not seek forgiveness on behalf of your father and your mother?” He replied, “If (I was allowed to) seek forgiveness on their behalf, I would have definitely sought forgiveness on behalf of Abu Talib, as he done for me that which they did not do. ‘Abdullah, Aminah, and Abu Talib are in one of the rooms of Jahannam.”^[5]

Our comment: The greatest calamity and the most unpleasant aspect in this case, is the fact that they did not do this to the parents of the other Prophets, not even Azar, who was declared a disbeliever by the Qur’an. They on the other hand believe that he was a believer and that the verse was revealed regarding the uncle of Prophet Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam.

NEXT⇒ ‘Abdul Hussain Rejects that a Nation was Turned into Rats

^[1] Surah al Qasas: 56.

^[2] Surah al Qasas: 56.

^[3] Tafsir al Qummi, 2/24, al Qasas: 56; al Burhan, 3/230.

[4] Nawadir al Rawandi, page 10.

^[5] Bihar al Anwar, 35/155.

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