The Death of Abu Talib, the Uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and His Refusal to Embrace Islam

Allah, the Exalted, said: "And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not." (Quran, 6:26)

He also said: "Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills." (Quran, 28:56)

It was narrated that Ibn Abbas said regarding the verse: "And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him." He said: "It descended concerning Abu Talib. He used to prevent the polytheists from harming the Prophet and keep away from what they brought [to him], according to a narration of Abdul Razzaq."

Another narration states: "...and he keeps away from what is brought to him."

It was narrated by Muhammad bin Kathir from Sufyan, from Habib bin Abi Thabit, who heard Ibn Abbas say that the verse descended about Abu Talib.

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Explanation by Abdullah ibn Abbas Regarding the Prophet's Uncle Abu Talib

Abdullah ibn Abbas reported that Abu Talib used to forbid the polytheists from harming the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and distancing themselves from his message. This incident reveals Abu Talib's defense of the Prophet when he was attacked while praying at the Kaaba.

The Attack on the Prophet and Abu Talib's Reaction

During a prayer at the Kaaba, Abu Jahl, a staunch opponent of Islam, disrupted the Prophet’s prayer by smearing filth on his face. This caused the Prophet to end his prayer and seek help from his uncle, Abu Talib. In response, Abu Talib confronted the aggressors, including the instigator Abdullah ibn Abi Zabara, by retaliating and defending the Prophet, leading to the revelation of the verse: "And they are discouraging [others] from him and [themselves] turning away." This incident showcases Abu Talib's unwavering support for the Prophet in the face of hostility.

Impact of Abu Talib's Support

When asked about the effectiveness of Abu Talib's defense, the Prophet affirmed that it had protected him from harm and shielded him from the influence of evil forces. Despite enduring hardships, Abu Talib's commitment was rewarded with divine protection, as reflected in the verse urging perseverance like the steadfast messengers before.

Conversion of Abu Talib

Abu Talib was urged to embrace the belief in the Oneness of God, with the Prophet testifying to his faith on the Day of Judgment. However, societal pressures hindered his proclamation until divine revelation clarified that guidance is solely in God's hands, emphasizing the Prophet's role as a warner and clarifying the concept of "jazʿ," interpreted as fear or panic, in subsequent narrations.

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Accounts of Abu Talib's Encounter with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Conversion of Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr

Abu Talib was visited by the Prophet (PBUH) on his deathbed. The Prophet found Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah with him and said that Abu Talib would face a punishment in the Fire, wearing shoes made of fire causing his brain to boil.

Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr converted to Islam during the Conquest of Mecca and sought forgiveness from the Prophet (PBUH), who accepted his apology. He was a renowned poet and praised the Prophet (PBUH) through his verses, seeking redemption for his past disbelief.

One of his poems included lines like:

• "The nightingales have ceased their tunes and sorrows, And the tough predator preys on vultures; I have turned to Ahmad with hope, Embracing him as if heated by fever."

He humbly requested forgiveness from the Prophet (PBUH) for his ignorance and expressed his repentance for his previous actions. He acknowledged the truth of Islam, praised the Prophet (PBUH), and affirmed his faith.

In another context, it is mentioned that Az-Zubayr was a distant descendant of Hashim, a descendant of Ismail, Son of Ibrahim, the father of prophets, as documented in genealogical data.

Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) concerning Abu Talib

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Oh uncle! Say 'There is no god but Allah' so that I can bear witness for you before Allah." Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah asked Abu Talib, "Are you turning away from the religion of Abdul-Muttalib?" He replied, "The last words of Abu Talib were affirming the religion of Abdul-Muttalib." Upon this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "I will ask forgiveness for you as long as I am not prohibited from doing so." It was revealed that the Prophet and the believers cannot seek forgiveness for the disbelievers, similar to how Prophet Ibrahim only sought forgiveness for his father out of a promise he made, but when he realized he was an enemy of Allah, he disassociated from him.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) continued presenting Islam to Abu Talib, but he remained steadfast on the religion of Abdul-Muttalib, refusing to say 'There is no god but Allah.' This led to the revelation of verses stating that the Prophet cannot guide whom he loves and the matter of guidance lies with Allah. This incident is narrated in various hadith collections.

It is also reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited Abu Talib along with Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah. Despite repeated attempts by the Prophet to persuade him, Abu Talib maintained his stance, refusing to accept Islam. This led to the revelation of further verses emphasizing divine guidance and the Prophet's duty to convey the message.

These events are recorded in the Quranic verses from Surah Al-Tawbah, and they underscore the Prophet's unwavering commitment to conveying the message of Islam despite the challenges he faced.

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Hadith Narrations

Reported by Al-Bukhari: The narration is on the authority of Isaac ibn Ibrahim and Mahmoud. It is also narrated by Muslim on the authority of Isaac the judge and Abd ibn Humayd, all from Abd al-Razzaq. Additionally, Al-Bukhari narrated it on the authority of Abu Al-Yaman.

Dialogue between the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and His Uncle

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his uncle, "Say, 'There is no deity but Allah,' a statement with which I will testify for you on the Day of Resurrection." His uncle replied, "The Quraysh will insult me for abandoning their religion if I do so." The Messenger of Allah said, "I will ask Allah to make you firm in your stance." Then Allah revealed, "Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills." (Quran 28:56)

Additional Narrations

Reported by Al-Bukhari: The narration is in the commentary of Surah Al-Tawbah in Fath Al-Bari and in the chapter on funerals, on the authority of Isaac, narrated from Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Saleh, all from Al-Zuhri, from Sa'id ibn Al-Musayyib, from his father.

Another narration by Al-Bukhari: It is narrated by Mahmoud ibn Ghailan in a book on the virtues of the Ansar in narration number 3884.

Narrated by Muslim: From Isaac ibn Ibrahim in the chapter on faith, on the evidence of Islam for someone present at death, unless death necessitates the removal of life support, such as the practice of gargling, and the abrogation of seeking forgiveness for polytheists, in hadith number 40.

Another narration by Al-Bukhari: In the commentary on the stories in Fath Al-Bari.

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Abu Usamah Reports:

Yazid ibn Kaysan informed us that he heard from Abu Hazim, who narrated from Abu Hurairah:

Upon the death of Abu Talib, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to him and said, "O my uncle, say 'There is no god but Allah' - a testimony I will intercede for you with on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Talib replied, "Were it not for the fear of Quraysh branding me as a coward due to my demise, I would fulfill your wish." Then Allah revealed to His Prophet, 'You do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are guided.' This is recorded by Muslim in authentic hadith from Muhammad ibn Hatim, from Yahya ibn Said al-Qattan."

Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz Reports:

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Hazim from Kufa told us, he said, "Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah informed us, he said, 'My father narrated to me from Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Asadi, from Sufyan, from Al-A'mash, from Yahya ibn 'Umarah, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas who said, 'Abu Talib fell ill, so Quraysh and the Prophet came to him. Near Abu Talib's head, a man was present. Abu Jahl stood to prevent him and complained to Abu Talib. Abu Talib asked, 'My nephew, what do you want from your people?' Abu Jahl said, 'I only want from them a word that will humiliate the Arabs to them and make the non-Arabs pay them tribute.' Abu Talib inquired, 'What word is this?' He replied, 'There is no god but Allah.' They said, 'Make all the gods into one god. This is indeed a strange thing.' Allah then revealed concerning them in Surah Sad, 'And this Quran of remembrance...' until He reached, 'This is nothing but human speech.'"`

The Conversion of Abu Talib to Islam

Introduction

In this passage, it narrates the story of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) visit to his uncle Abu Talib on his deathbed and urging him to embrace Islam.

The Conversation

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Abu Talib, "O uncle, say there is no god but Allah, I will testify for you on the Day of Judgment," Abu Talib responded, mentioning his concern for his family's reputation if he were to accept Islam. He did not say the declaration except to honor the Prophet's request.

Abu Talib's Passing

As Abu Talib's condition worsened, he made a movement with his lips. The Prophet's cousin, Abbas, leaned in to hear what he had to say, but Abu Talib refused to repeat the declaration of faith. After Abu Talib's death, Abbas reported to the Prophet that indeed Abu Talib did not embrace Islam. Only after some time did Abbas himself become a Muslim and questioned the Prophet about Abu Talib's fate.

Conclusion

The Prophet explained that Abu Talib's support kept him safe from the lowest depths of Hell but did not grant him salvation due to his failure to accept Islam.

Hadith on the Intercession of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Narrated by Various Sources

Reported by Al-Bukhari

Al-Bukhari reported from Musa and Muslim reported from Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and others, all narrating from Abu Awanah. Also, Sufyan al-Thawri, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah narrated from Abdul-Malik ibn Umair. Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Abdan reported that Ahmed ibn Ubaid al-Saffar narrated from Ibn Milhan who narrated from Ibn Bukayr who narrated from Al-Layth who narrated from Yazid ibn al-Had, from Abdullah ibn Khabbab, from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that he heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) mentioning his uncle Abu Talib, saying: "Perhaps my intercession may benefit him on the Day of Resurrection to be placed in a shallow part of the Fire that reaches up to his ankles causing his brain to boil."

Additional Narrations

Al-Bukhari also reported this hadith, as well as Muslim, from various chains, in different collections.

Explanation of Terms

"Ad-Dahdah"

Ad-Dahdah refers to the pouring out of water on the ground to a level near the ankles and is used metaphorically here in the context of the Fire.

Hadith on the Death of Abu Talib

Narrated by Ibn Abbas:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "The lightest punishment in Hell will be for Abu Talib, who will wear sandals of fire causing his brain to boil." This hadith is reported by Muslim in Sahih from Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah.

Narrated by Taqiyyah ibn Ka'b:

I witnessed Ali saying: When my father (Abu Talib) died, I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and told him about the death. He said, "Go and bury him." I said, "But he died as a polytheist." The Prophet said, "Go and bury him, and do not speak until you come back to me." I did as told, and when I went back to him, he instructed me to perform ghusl (ritual bath).

This hadith is mentioned by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, by al-Nasai in the book of funerals, and by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih.

The Narration about the Death of Abu Talib and the Prophet's Reaction

Ali ibn Abi Talib recounts

Sufyan narrated from Abu Ishaq, from Najiyah ibn Kaab, from Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: "When Abu Talib passed away, I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, 'Your uncle, the elderly man, has died. Who will bury him?' The Prophet instructed me to go and bury my father and not to speak about it until I see him. So, I followed his orders, bathed, and then he prayed for me with supplications that pleased me, assuring me of blessings that covered everything on earth."

Additional Narration

Abu Yaman al-Hawzani reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned about the burial of Abu Talib and added, 'But he did not stand by his grave.' This narration was also reported by Ibrahim ibn Abdul Rahman al-Khwarazmi.

Continuation of the Narration

Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz reported from Abu Saeed bin Abi Amro that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'The Quraysh persisted in their opposition to me until Abu Talib passed away.'

Complete the Narrative

Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz narrated from Abu Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'The Quraysh were like a sheltering tent for me until Abu Talib's death.'

The Death of Abu Talib

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Quraysh continued to be hostile towards me until the death of Abu Talib." Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz narrated that Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub reported to him that Muhammad ibn Ishaq Al-Saghani told them that Yusuf ibn Buhlul said that Abdullah ibn Idris said that Muhammad ibn Ishaq, on the authority of Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr, from Abdullah ibn Jafar, said: "When Abu Talib died, a group of fools from Quraysh insulted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and threw dust on him. He returned home, and one of Abu Talib's daughters came and wiped the dust off his face and wept. He said to her, 'O my daughter, do not weep, for surely Allah does not prevent your father from any good' and he said between that 'Quraysh has not harmed me as much as they did when Abu Talib died.'

Reference (41): not found in As-Sirah. Reference (42): For more on the death of Abu Talib, refer to Ibn Hisham's Sirah (2:26-27), Ibn Saad (1:141), Ar-Rawd Al-Anif (1:258), Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah (3:122), An-Nuwairi (16:277), As-Sirah Al-Halabiyyah (1:466), As-Sirah Ash-Shamiyyah (2:563).