The Faith of Abu Talib (peace be upon him)

On the anniversary of the passing of Abu Talib, the father of Ali (PBUH).

This article examines the role of our master Abu Talib (PBUH) in supporting the Prophet (PBUH) and defending Islam. Satan has always sought to extinguish the light of divine guidance, but God, Glorified and Exalted be He, prevented the path of guidance from being lost through His power. At Ghadir Khumm, Satan’s last hopes of extinguishing the light of guidance were shattered. Nevertheless, the enemies of Islam—especially the Samaritan party—sought, by stirring up seditions and innovations, to lead people away from the straight path. One such plot was to malign the father of the Commander of the Faithful, our master Abu Talib (PBUH), and to spread fabricated reports such as the hadith of “Ḍaḥḍāḥ,” forged by al-Mughira ibn Shuʿba, one of the enemies of Banu Hashim. Imam al-Rida (PBUH) refuted these fabricated reports, affirmed Abu Talib’s faith, and regarded him among the righteous Companions. Abu Talib (PBUH) played a major role in supporting Islam through his great sacrifices, such as putting his son in the Prophet’s (PBUH) place to protect him and threatening to kill the leaders of Quraysh. After Abu Talib’s (PBUH) death, the Prophet (PBUH) attended his funeral and promised him a great intercession on the Day of Resurrection. Based on reliable Shiʿi sources, this article reviews Abu Talib’s (PBUH) faith and status and highlights his role in Islamic history. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, I shall intercede for Abu Talib with an intercession that will astonish all jinn and humankind.”

The Prophet (PBUH) attended Abu Talib’s funeral and said to the mourners: “On the Day of Resurrection, I shall intercede for Abu Talib with an intercession that will astonish all jinn and humankind.”

Satan makes it his concern to extinguish God’s light and spares no effort to achieve this. At one time, he teaches the Nimrodians to kindle a fire so that they may burn Abraham (PBUH), the breaker of idols in the history of the prophets; at another, he trains the Samaritan to replace monotheism with a calf; and at yet another, he teaches the human devils to crucify Jesus so that they may extinguish the light of guidance. But “the hand of God is above their hands”; thus Jesus was raised to heaven by God’s will, the one made to resemble him was crucified, the Samaritan’s calf was burned in Moses’ fire (PBUH), and Abraham’s fire became a garden. God will never leave the path of guidance closed.

The last hope of Satan at Ghadir, from which he had despaired; from today the disbelievers will never be able to extinguish the light: “Today those who disbelieve have despaired of [undermining] your religion.”

Despite Satan’s knowledge of the authority of the Lord’s word, he refused to prostrate before Adam, until he stood before God—while knowing of the punishment—and said: “I will surely lead Your servants astray.” Satan also knew that the Islamic religion had been perfected through Ghadir, and that after it there would be neither deviation nor crookedness for one who seeks the truth. Yet despite this, the Saqifah came into being to repeat the story of the Samiri and his calf. This time, however, those whose hearts had been illuminated by Ghadir refused to bow before the Samiri’s calf, even if they were to sacrifice their lives to preserve Ghadir.

The party of the Samiri did not cease its scheming; each time, they created seditions, deviations, and innovations in an attempt to extinguish the light of guidance. Yet their innovations never found their way into the school of the followers of Ghadir throughout history. Among the plots of the criminals was the insult and assault upon the father of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib. The party of the Samiri did not hesitate to wrong the Commander of the Faithful, beginning with insulting and cursing him from pulpits. Although they knew that Imam Ali, peace be upon him, was the spirit of the Prophet, they were not content with that; rather, they attacked the faith of the Commander of the Faithful’s father, seeking to diminish the status of the Commander of the Faithful by belittling his father and accusing him of disbelief—God forbid.

They fabricated a false hadith about Abu Talib known as the hadith of “Ḍaḥḍāḥ” (that is, the Fire). This hadith was propagated by al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah, the devoted supporter of Abu Sufyan in the Age of Ignorance. It claims that Abu Talib is in the shallow fire of Hell, a pool of fire, wearing shoes of fire on his feet, and that his brain boils from the heat of the Fire. (Here, however, we must apologize to Imam al-Mahdi and the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon them, for relating this fabricated hadith.) All these hadiths are attributed to al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah, who was among the enemies of the Prophet’s Household, among the killers who wronged Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, peace be upon her, and devoted to the Umayyads.

As mentioned in the noble verse, “Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills,” this verse was revealed concerning the polytheists of Quraysh after the Battle of Uhud, when they broke the Prophet’s teeth, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said: “O Allah, [guide] our people; they are astray.” It is reported in the book Al-Hujjah ‘ala al-Dhahib that this verse was revealed in this context, while some scholars said that it was revealed concerning those who held back from migration. (1)

When this false hadith was mentioned before Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, he said: “The enemies of God have lied. Indeed, Abu Talib is among the companions of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous—and excellent are they as companions.” That is: “The enemies of God are lying; indeed, Abu Talib is among the companions of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and what excellent companions they are.” He further said: “If you doubt Abu Talib’s faith, your end is the Fire.” (2)

Sayyid Ibn Tawus writes: «We have neither seen nor heard of anyone whose Islam required the degree of strictness applied to Abu Talib’s Islam. For the method known of them is that they rely on the slightest single report they find in order to regard any unbeliever as a Muslim, even if that report contains only the most minor indications of their intended meaning. Yet their enmity toward the Hashimites reached such a point that they deny Abu Talib’s faith, despite the clear evidence that proves it…» (3)

Who, truly, was Abu Talib, whose faith has been disputed to such an extent? And what importance does his faith or lack of faith have? There were many relatives of the Prophet who did not believe, and many non-relatives who did believe; so why do some insist on Abu Talib’s disbelief while others insist on his faith?

In answer, it must be said that, because the followers of Satan’s path could find no fault in the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, and could not criticize even the smallest aspect of him, their contempt and hatred for him led them to place his noble father under attack and seek to portray him as an unbeliever, imagining that in this way they might diminish the rank of the Commander of the Faithful. But it must be said: «O flies, this is the domain of the Simurgh, not your place; take your request and go.»

He stands at a rank comparable to the successors of the prophets; therefore, imagining him to be an unbeliever is irrational. Hence, the Shi'a unanimously believe in his faith; nevertheless, some of his qualities are mentioned in order to illuminate his rank and also to establish Abu Talib’s faith.

Abu Talib, may God be pleased with him, risked his life and his tribe in Mecca in order to support the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him. In defending the Prophet, he went so far as to order the killing of the leaders of Mecca should it be necessary for the Prophet’s defense. On the night when the Prophet ascended to heaven, Abu Talib did not find him in Mecca. He gathered all his sons and servants, gave them weapons, and instructed them to go in the morning to the Ka'ba. Each was to stand beside one of the leading men of Quraysh who were seated around the Ka'ba—all of them among the notables of Mecca. If they did not find the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, in the morning, or received no news of him, Abu Talib would signal for the leaders of Mecca to be killed, and they were to carry out this command. At dawn, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, entered. When Abu Talib saw him, he rose toward him, happy and joyful, then kissed the Prophet between his eyes and said: «O son of my brother, by God, had you been delayed, none of the leading men of Mecca would have remained alive…» (4)

The Shi‘b of Abu Talib was among the most difficult periods in the life of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. During this harsh boycott, the men of Banu Hashim defended the Prophet’s life with all their strength, fearing that enemies might attack him at night. In this context, Abu Talib’s defense of the Prophet was admirable, to the extent that it reflects the strength of Abu Talib’s faith in the Prophet’s message. At night, he would place his son in the Prophet’s bed so that, if there were an attempt to assassinate the Prophet, Abu Talib’s son would become the victim in his place. (5)

Can it be claimed that Abu Talib, who defended the Prophet with such intensity and sacrifice, did not believe in his message? If there is any انصاف, we must acknowledge that faith had become firmly established in the depths of Abu Talib’s heart. After the death of His Eminence Abu Talib, peace be upon him, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, washed his body by order of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. The Prophet attended his funeral and said to those accompanying it: “On the Day of Resurrection, I shall intercede for Abu Talib with an intercession that jinn and humankind will not believe.” (6)

As long as Abu Talib was alive, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, was honored in Mecca, and no one dared harm him until Abu Talib’s death. After his death, Quraysh united to harm the Prophet and prevent his call. Gabriel, peace be upon him, descended upon the Prophet and said to him: “Peace be upon you from God, and He says to you: Leave Mecca, for your supporter and protector has died.” (7)

Much has been said about Abu Talib’s stations and faith. From ancient times to the present, Shi‘a scholars have authored many books concerning Abu Talib’s stations, and it is not possible to mention all of them in this brief account. (8) Therefore, only a narration from Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, will be cited; it indicates the knowledge and greatness of the father of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, and also proves Abu Talib’s faith and belief, peace be upon him.

Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, says: The following words were engraved on Abu Talib’s ring: “I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with my nephew Muhammad as a Prophet, and with my son Ali as his successor.” I am pleased that Allah is my Lord, that my nephew Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, is a Prophet, and that my son Ali, peace be upon him, is a successor. (9)

Al-Khisal, translated by Kamare'i, vol. 2, p. 39; Why Did Abu Talib Not Officially Join the Party of Islam? ..., p. 36; Bihar al-Anwar — Allamah al-Majlisi — vol. 35, pp. 110–111; Sayyid Ibn Tawus, in Tara'if, p. 87, cited from: al-Ghadir (Persian) — Shaykh al-Amini (translated by a group of translators) — vol. 14, pp. 343–346. In "The Faith of Abu Talib — Shaykh al-Mufid — pp. 23–24," Shaykh al-Mufid writes that this report is agreed upon by biographical historians and authors of prophetic biographies. The Correct Account of the Life of Imam Ali (a) — Sayyid Ja'far Murtada al-'Amili — vol. 2, pp. 81–84; The Faith of Abu Talib — Shaykh al-Mufid — pp. 25–26; The Faith of Abu Talib — Shaykh al-Mufid — pp. 24–25. Some of these books are: The Faith of Abu Talib, authored by Shaykh al-Mufid; The Proof against Those Who Declare Abu Talib an Unbeliever, authored by Sayyid Fakhar ibn Ma'd al-Musawi, who died in 630 AH; Abu Talib, the Believer of Quraysh, authored by Abdullah al-Khunayzi; and Abu Talib, the Hero of Islam, authored by al-Khalid, Sayyid Haydar Muhammad Sa'id al-'Urfi. This subject is also discussed in part of the book The Correct Account of the Life of Imam Ali. The Correct Account of the Life of Imam Ali (a) — Sayyid Ja'far Murtada al-'Amili — vol. 2, pp. 102–104.