Dear readers! The teachings of the Quran and Sunnah show that calling a Muslim a disbeliever is equivalent to becoming a disbeliever oneself. The fitna of takfir (declaring Muslims to be disbelievers) is a belief and ideology based on extremism, which has no connection with Islam. It is truly extremism. But it should also be kept in mind that this is one extreme. Islam is a moderate religion, therefore Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, in terms of their creed and methodology, have always remained in moderation between two extremes. Now, what is the other extreme in this regard? Obviously, contrary to the fitna of takfir, the other extreme is trying to prove as a Muslim a person against whose disbelief there are solid proofs such as the Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of the Muslims. In the following lines, the respected teacher has taken up, as the subject of discussion, the belief “Iman of Abu Talib,” which mirrors this second extreme, and has refuted it through the Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of the Ummah; moreover, he has also established, in the light of the Quran and Sunnah, the unanimous view of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah on this matter. If this article is viewed with fairness and without the blindfold of prejudice, an extremist way of thinking will certainly come to an end. However, it is certainly true that we do not place Abu Jahl and Abu Talib in the same row. On Abu Jahl dying in disbelief we are not at all grieved, because he left no opportunity of hostility to Islam untouched; but Abu Talib was certainly a friend of Islam, and we too are saddened that he died without accepting faith, just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was saddened, yet in this matter we cannot let go of the hem of truth and justice. May Allah grant us the tawfiq to accept the truth. (Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpuri)
It is the unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah that the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Talib, did not become a Muslim. The evidences of the Quran and Hadith bear witness to this position. The statements of the Imams of the religion are in addition to it. Despite this, the Rafidi sect insists on the Islam of Abu Talib. Some Shias have written books under the title “Iman of Abi Talib”. Similarly, some so-called Ahl al-Sunnah have also made an unsuccessful attempt to prove the Iman of Abi Talib. A Barelvi named Ata Muhammad Bandialvi has written a treatise titled “Tahqiq Iman Abi Talib”. It carries a foreword by “Mufti” Muhammad Khan Qadri Barelvi.
Our request is this: those people who deviate from the consensual belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, and who, following the Rafidis, reject the explicit Hadiths of the Messenger regarding the disbelief of Abu Talib by calling them “khabar al-wahid”, and who also strive in a blameworthy manner to declare these sayings of the Messenger contrary to the Quran, what right do they have to call themselves “Sunni”?
Regarding such people,
says:
۔۔۔ يَقُولُهُ الْجُهَّالُ مِنْ الرَّافِضَةِ وَنَحْوِهِمْ مِنْ أَنَّ أَبَا طَالِبٍ آمَنَ وَيَحْتَجُّونَ بِمَا فِي ”السِّيرَةِ“ مِنْ الْحَدِيثِ الضَّعِيفِ وَفِيهِ أَنَّهُ تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلَامِ خَفِيٍّ وَقْتَ الْمَوْتِ. وَلَوْ أَنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ آمَنَ لَمَا كَانَ ”قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَمُّك الشَّيْخُ الضَّالُّ كَانَ يَنْفَعُك فَهَلْ نَفَعْته بِشَيْءِ؟ فَقَالَ : وَجَدْته فِي غَمْرَةٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فَشَفَعْت فِيهِ حَتَّى صَارَ فِي ضَحْضَاحٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ نَعْلَانِ مِنْ نَارٍ يَغْلِي مِنْهُمَا دِمَاغُهُ وَلَوْلَا أَنَا لَكَانَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنْ النَّارِ“ ”. هَذَا بَاطِلٌ مُخَالِفٌ لِمَا فِي الصَّحِيحِ وَغَيْرِهِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ آخِرَ شَيْءٍ قَالَهُ : هُوَ عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَأَنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ مَوْتَهُ مَعَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ لَوْ صَحَّ لَكَانَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ أَحَقّ بِالشُّهْرَةِ مِنْ حَمْزَةَ وَالْعَبَّاسِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ الْعِلْمِ الْمُتَوَاتِرِ الْمُسْتَفِيضِ بَيْنَ الْأُمَّةِ خَلَفًا عَنْ سَلَفٍ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُذْكَرْ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَلَا أَبَوَاهُ فِي جُمْلَةِ مَنْ يُذْكَرُ مَنْ أَهْلِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَحَمْزَةِ وَالْعَبَّاسِ وَعَلِيٍّ وَفَاطِمَةَ وَالْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ كَانَ هَذَا مِنْ أَبْيَنِ الْأَدِلَّةِ عَلَى أَنَّ ذَلِكَ كَذِبٌ .
“The Rafidis and other ignorant people say that Abu Talib had come to faith. In this regard they take evidence from a weak hadith mentioned in the books of Sirah. Its content is that Abu Talib spoke something hidden at the time of death (regarding faith), but if Sayyidina Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) had mentioned Abu Talib’s faith, he himself would not have said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘Your misguided uncle used to benefit you (during his life); did you also benefit him in any way?’ Upon this the Prophet ﷺ said: وَجَدْته فِي غَمْرَةٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فَشَفَعْت فِيهِ حَتَّى صَارَ فِي ضَحْضَاحٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ نَعْلَانِ مِنْ نَارٍ يَغْلِي مِنْهُمَا دِمَاغُهُ وَلَوْلَا أَنَا لَكَانَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنْ النَّارِ ‘I saw him in a pit of fire, so I interceded for him until he came into a shallow part of the fire; on his feet are two sandals of fire, from which his brain boils. Had it not been for me, he would be in the lowest depth of the Fire.’
That is, this matter is contrary to the story mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari and elsewhere. Abu Talib’s final statement was that he was upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. Furthermore, Sayyidina Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was not present at the death of Abu Talib. Moreover, had this been true, the fame of Abu Talib’s faith should have been greater than that of Sayyidina Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyidina Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
From the Salaf to the Khalaf, it is a mutawatir and widely known and recognized fact that Abu Talib… was not mentioned among the relatives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who believed, such as Sayyidina Hamza, Sayyidina Abbas, Sayyidina Ali, Sayyidah Fatimah, Sayyidina Hasan and Sayyidina Husain (may Allah be pleased with them). This is the clearest evidence that this claim is a lie.”
Now we will mention, in the briefest manner, the evidences that Abu Talib did not become a Muslim:
Evidence No. 1:
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
“O Prophet! You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are guided.”
This noble verse was, by unanimous agreement, revealed concerning Abu Talib, as
states:
فقد أَجمع المفسرون علي انھا نزلت في ابي طالب، وكذا نقل إجماعھم علي ھذا الزجاج وغيره، وھي عامه فانه لا يھدي الا يضل الا الله تعاليٰ.
“The scholars of tafsir are agreed that this noble verse was revealed concerning Abu Talib. Al-Zajjaj and others have related the consensus of the mufassirun in this way. This verse is also general: guiding and misguiding is solely the work of Allah the Exalted.”
writes:
“Those who narrate do not differ that this verse was revealed concerning Abu Talib.”
Evidence No. 2:
Sayyidina Musayyab ibn Hazn (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أَنَّ أَبَا طَالِبٍ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْهُ الوَفَاةُ، دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعِنْدَهُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ، فَقَالَ : أَيْ عَمِّ، قُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ : يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ، تَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ، فَلَمْ يَزَالاَ يُكَلِّمَانِهِ، حَتَّى قَالَ آخِرَ شَيْءٍ كَلَّمَهُمْ بِهِ : عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ، مَا لَمْ أُنْهَ عَنْهُ فَنَزَلَتْ : ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الجَحِيمِ﴾
وَنَزَلَتْ : ﴿إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ﴾
“When Abu Talib’s time of death came, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to him. The Prophet ﷺ found Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah ibn al-Mughirah with him, and said: ‘O uncle! Say: لا اله الا الله, a statement by which I can argue on your behalf before Allah.’ Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah said: ‘O Abu Talib! Will you turn away from the religion of Abd al-Muttalib?’ The Prophet ﷺ kept on presenting his point to Abu Talib and repeating it, until Abu Talib’s last words to them were that he was upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. He refused to say لا اله الا الله. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘I will keep asking forgiveness for you from Allah, for as long as I am not forbidden from doing so.’ Then Allah revealed these verses: ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الجَحِيمِ﴾
‘It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the Hellfire.'”
While revealing the Qur’an about Abu Talib, Allah said to His Messenger ﷺ:
﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
“Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He is most knowing of those who are guided.”
This hadith is explicit that Abu Talib was a disbeliever. He died upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. At the time of death he refused to recite the kalimah. Guidance was not granted to him. Allah prohibited His Prophet from supplicating for him.
Proof No. 3:
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَمِّهِ: قُلْ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، أَشْهَدُ لَكَ بِهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ، قَالَ: لَوْلَا أَنْ تُعَيِّرَنِي قُرَيْشٌ، يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّمَا حَمَلَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْجَزَعُ لَأَقْرَرْتُ بِهَا عَيْنَكَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ : ﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his uncle (Abu Talib): ‘Say “La ilaha illa Allah” and I will testify for you on the Day of Resurrection by this word.’ He replied: ‘If the Quraysh did not reproach me, saying that anxiety at death has prompted him to this, I would recite it and cool your eyes.’ Then Allah revealed this blessed verse: ﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾
‘Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.'”
Proof No. 4:
Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
مَا أَغْنَيْتَ عَنْ عَمِّكَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَحُوطُكَ وَيَغْضَبُ لَكَ، قَالَ : يا رسول الله، هل نفعت أبا طالب بشيء فإنه كان يحوطك ويغضب لك؟ قال: نعم، ھو فی ضحضاح من نار، لولا أنا لكان في الدرك الأسفل من النار
“O Messenger of Allah! Did you benefit Abu Talib with anything? He used to defend you and would become angry on your behalf with others.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Yes! (I benefited him) he is now in a shallow part of the Fire. Had I not been there, he would be in the lowest level of the Fire.”
says:
وظاھر الحديث يقتضي أن عبدالمطلب مات علي الشرك
“The apparent wording of this hadith requires that Abd al-Muttalib died upon polytheism.”
writes under this hadith:
فھذا شان من مات علي الكفر، فلو كان مات علي التوحيد لنجا من النار أصلا والاحاديث الصححة والاخبار المتكاثرة طاقحة بذلك “This is the condition of one who dies upon disbelief. Had Abu Talib died upon Tawhid, he would have been completely saved from the Fire. Yet many hadiths and reports are full of this (Abu Talib’s disbelief).”
Proof No. 5:
It is narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):
أنه سمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وذكر عنده عمه فقال : لعله تنفعه شفاعتي يوم القيامة، فيجعل في ضحضاح من النار يبلغ كعبيه يغلي منه دماغه.
He heard the Prophet ﷺ, when his uncle (Abu Talib) was mentioned in his assembly, say: “Perhaps my intercession will benefit him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be placed in a shallow part of the Fire, reaching up to his ankles, which will make his brain boil.”
Proof No. 6:
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أَهْوَنُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَهُوَ مُنْتَعِلٌ بِنَعْلَيْنِ يَغْلِي مِنْهُمَا دِمَاغُهُ
“Among the people of Hell, the one with the lightest punishment will be Abu Talib. He will be wearing shoes of fire, which will make his brain boil.”
Proof No. 7:
The rightly guided caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ أَبِي أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْتُ : إِنَّ عَمَّكَ قَدْ تُوُفِّيَ قَالَ : اذْهَبْ فَوَارِهِ ، قُلْتُ : إِنَّهُ مَاتَ مُشْرِكًا، قَالَ : اذْهَبْ فَوَارِهِ وَلَا تُحْدِثَنَّ شَيْئًا حَتَّى تَأْتِيَنِي ، فَفَعَلْتُ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَغْتَسِلَ
“When my father died, I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘Your uncle has died.’ He said: ‘Go and bury him.’ I said: ‘Indeed, he died in a state of polytheism.’ He said: ‘Go and bury him, but do not undertake any new action until you come back to me.’ I did so, then I came to him, and he ordered me to perform ghusl.”
In another narration the words are:
إِنَّ عَمَّكَ الشَّيْخَ الضَّالَّ قَدْ مَاتَ، قَالَ : اذْهَبْ فَوَارِ أَبَاكَ، ثُمَّ لَا تُحْدِثَنَّ شَيْئًا حَتَّى تَأْتِيَنِي، فَذَهَبْتُ فَوَارَيْتُهُ، وَجِئْتُهُ، فَأَمَرَنِي، فَاغْتَسَلْتُ وَدَعَا لِي
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘Your misguided uncle has died, who will bury him?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: “Go and bury your father.”
This hadith has been declared “sahih” (authentic) by Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah by Ibn Hajar: 114/7) and Imam Ibn al-Jarud, may Allah have mercy on them both (550 AH).
This hadith is a definitive text that Abu Talib was not a Muslim. Neither the Prophet ﷺ nor Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) even offered the funeral prayer for him.
Proof No. 8:
Look at the very clear statement of Sayyidina Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him):
وَكَانَ عَقِيلٌ وَرِثَ أَبَا طَالِبٍ هُوَ وَطَالِبٌ، وَلَمْ يَرِثْهُ جَعْفَرٌ وَلَا عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا شَيْئًا لِأَنَّهُمَا كَانَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ، وَكَانَ عَقِيلٌ وَطَالِبٌ كَافِرَيْنِ
“Aqil and Talib both became the heirs of Abu Talib, but Sayyidina Ja’far and Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) inherited nothing from his estate, because they were both Muslims, whereas Aqil and Talib were both disbelievers.”
This narration is also clear evidence that Abu Talib died in a state of disbelief. That is why, unlike Aqil and Talib, Sayyidina Ja’far and Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did not become his heirs, because the blessed saying of the Prophet ﷺ is: لَا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ، وَلَا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ “A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever, nor does a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim.”
says:
وقيل : إنهُ أَسلَمَ وَلَا يَصِحٌ إسلامُهُ
“There is also a view that Abu Talib became a Muslim, but his Islam is not established.”
The Prophet ﷺ was deeply grieved that Abu Talib passed away without faith. He certainly remained a friend of Islam throughout his life. For Islam and the Prophet of Islam he always kept a soft corner in his heart, but it was Allah’s will that he was not blessed with the gift of Islam. Therefore, although we keep a soft corner for him in our hearts, we cannot make supplication for him.
writes, after mentioning Abu Talib’s death in disbelief:
وَلَوْلَا مَا نَهَانَا اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مِنَ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ، لَاسْتَغْفَرْنَا لابي طَالب وترحمنا عَلَيْهِ “Had Allah not forbidden us from seeking forgiveness for the polytheists, we would have sought forgiveness for Abu Talib and also prayed for mercy upon him!”
