Bukhari

➊ Benefits and Issues:
This hadith is also found in the following books:
[صحيح مسلم:210 يا 513]
[مسند احمد:55،50،9،8/3]
[مسند ابي يعلٰي:1360]
[صحيح ابي عوانه:98،97/1]
[صحيح ابن حبان:6238 يا 6271، وسنده صحيح]
[دلائل النبوه للبهيقي:347/2]

It is understood from this that, due to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), there will be some reduction in the punishment of his uncle, but despite this reduction, his brain will be boiling due to the heat of the Fire. It is also understood that some inhabitants of Hell will receive more punishment than others. This matter is not contrary to any verse of the Noble Qur’an. In the Noble Qur’an, the forgiveness and intercession that has been prohibited refers to the cessation of the punishment of Hell for the mentioned person and his entry into Paradise, and both of these matters are absent in the aforementioned hadith about Abu Talib. There is no contradiction between the Qur’an and the hadith.

Hadith Commentary:
In the Noble Qur’an, [the verse] ﴿فَمَا تَنْفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ﴾ (al-Muddaththir: 48) (“So the intercession of the intercessors will not benefit them”)
— in this verse, by “benefit” it is meant that they would be taken out of Hellfire; this benefit cannot be for the disbelievers and polytheists.
In this case, there will be no contradiction between the hadith and the verse. However, in another verse it is stated: ﴿فلا یُخَفَّفُ عَنهُمُ العذابُ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 86) (“So the punishment will not be lightened for them”)
— its answer can also be given as follows: the punishment that will begin upon them will not be lightened; this does not contradict the possibility that for some disbelievers, a lighter punishment is decreed from the outset, and for others, it is severe.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
It is stated in the Noble Qur’an:
“The intercession of those who intercede will not benefit the disbelievers.”
( al-Muddaththir: 48)
What is meant by this is that they will not be taken out of Hellfire.
In another verse, it is stated that the punishment will not be lightened for the disbelievers.
( al-Baqarah: 86/2)
So its meaning is that the punishment which will begin upon them will not be lessened.
For Abu Talib, from the very beginning, there will be a lighter punishment.
(2)
From this hadith, it is also understood that not all disbelievers will receive the same punishment in Hellfire; rather, there will be different levels within it.
Reason dictates that some disbelievers, along with their disbelief, will also be enemies of Islam, while some disbelievers will remain upon disbelief but will not have enmity towards the Muslims.
In Surah al-Mumtahanah, this distinction among the disbelievers has been maintained.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
In the narration, Abu Talib is mentioned; this is the very reason for the relevance to the chapter.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In a narration from Musnad Ahmad, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) presented him with the call to truth, he said:
“If I did not fear the reproach of Quraysh, that they would say Abu Talib abandoned his religion out of fear of death, I would certainly bring coolness to your eyes.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 2/441)
In any case, he did not recite the testimony of faith (kalimah), therefore he will be seized by punishment.

➋
In one narration, when his brain will begin to boil, it will come out from inside and fall upon his feet.
(Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Ishaq: 1/65, and Fath al-Bari: 7/245, 246)
The deeds of the disbelievers will not benefit them in any way, but Abu Talib will certainly receive some benefit as a result of his support for the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
All of this is a particularity and blessing of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

➌
From this, it is also understood that the nature of the punishment of the people of Hell will differ from one another.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/246)

➍
This incident shows that providing correct guidance is the responsibility of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), but making someone walk upon the straight path is the prerogative of Allah, the Exalted.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) cannot guide anyone to the right path; he can only show the way, as is stated in the Qur’an.
(Ash-Shura: 42:52)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
The support and protection of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and his defense, is so accepted in the sight of Allah Ta'ala that, despite disbelief, it will be beneficial for Abu Talib. However, despite such great love and affection, support and protection, and extremely close kinship, due to the filth of disbelief, he will not be able to come out of Hellfire. And due to his disbelief, the punishment he deserves will not be lessened.

Because of the severity of disbelief and the abundance or scarcity of corrupt deeds, not all disbelievers will be deserving of the same punishment. But to infer from the reduction and lessening (scarcity) of Abu Talib's punishment that the parents of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had faith is a strange logic. The intercession regarding Abu Talib can also be a special distinction of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.