The mission of the Prophet (s) became so active and spread its rays here and there for the Prophet (s) had a strong fortress saving him from the storms. His uncle Abu Talib had promised Allah to support His religion, which his nephew had been entrusted with by his God. Abu Talib tried his best to save and support his nephew even if he would be to sacrifice his sons or himself for the sake of the Prophet's mission.
The Prophet (s) began to announce his mission openly after being surrounded by this guard and support. He set out courageously and bravely without fearing anything as long as he had a fortress he could resort to.
Now a new bright page of Abu Talib's history opened. After the page of believing, the page of jihad and firm defense began its shining lines in the way of the real sacrifice for the true belief. He defended the Prophet (s) against the arrogants of Quraysh and made the way free for him to spread his mission. Abu Talib not only defended the Prophet (s) but he also defended anyone who had believed in the Prophet (s), against the tormenting of the oppressive polytheists of Quraysh.
It was a page full of sacrifice, true jihad and steadfast defending. Would life have a meaning without a firm belief, deep-rooted faith, steadfast jihad and a truthful brave tongue? If the tongue couldn't carry out the task alone, there would be sharp swords, muscular hands and great wills.
Hence the Prophet (s) became so active in his mission and his voice became so loud. Quraysh began to fear this new mission, which invited the people to profess in the unity of the One and Only God and to discard those idols, which were made of wood and stone by their own hands and which didn't hear or see and didn't benefit or
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harm. People stood up before those idols tied up like subservient slaves losing power, option and reason in front of dead substances. It didn't show save the ossification of minds, the death of senses and the stupidity of traditions.
The new mission spread widely and the believers increased. The Prophet (s) began to announce his mission openly. He mocked the idols, around which there were flocks of beastly people ready to sacrifice themselves for. The Prophet (s) began to make them think about their dark and bitter reality they lived in and invited them to come out of their sphere. But alas! The blind wouldn't know what light was as the bat, which wouldn't fly during the brightness of the day!
The people of Quraysh became so angry when Muhammad (s) defamed their idols. They didn't find save Abu Talib to make reparation to them. A group of notable men of Quraysh went to Abu Talib complaining against his nephew. They said: "O Abu Talib! Your nephew abused our gods, faulted our beliefs, stultified our traditions and considered our forefathers as deviants. So either you prevent him from doing that or you leave him alone to us. And as you are in disagreement with him as we are, so we will relieve you of him."
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Abu Talib answered them leniently and gently until they left but the Prophet (s) kept on spreading his mission.
But when they didn't find any result for their
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1 This showed the secret of concealing the faith by Abu Talib; otherwise they wouldn't go to him complaining against his nephew unless they thought that Abu Talib had the same belief of theirs. But if they knew that he had believed in the Prophet (s), they would declare the war against him and the results would be very bad against the new mission, which was still fresh and in the beginning of its long difficult way.
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complaint, they decided to go to Abu Talib complaining again: "O Abu Talib! You are so old and you have honor and high position among us. We asked you to prevent your nephew from keeping on his doing but you didn't. By Allah, we won't tolerate abusing our forefathers, faulting our traditions and defaming our gods. So either you make him refrain from his doings or we will fight him and you until one of the parties will be defeated."
Abu Talib stopped between two difficult situations; each of them was so serious. He was afraid if he declared the war against his people that it would do away with the young and the old and at the same time he could never fail the divine mission where he had promised to support hid nephew, the Apostle of Allah; moreover he had been recommended by his father Abdul Muttalib to support Muhammad (s) and to believe in him when he would be chosen by the Heaven.
He made up his mind. He called for his nephew and told him of what the delegation of Quraysh had said to him. He wanted to be sure about the determination of his nephew in carrying out the mission. Then he said to him: "Save yourself and save me and don't burden me with what I can't bear." He didn't notice of his nephew but determination, strictness, firmness and seriousness. His nephew said: " O uncle! If they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to give up this matter, I will never do until Allah makes it overcome or I die for it."
He had a look at his nephew as he got up to leave and a deep pain was inside his heart thinking that -as some historians mentioned- his uncle would betray him or would leave him alone without any support so some tears fell down from the Prophet's eyes ....
(1)
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1 We don't think that the Prophet (s) thought that his uncle would fail him whereas he knew well his uncle's firm situation but those tears were because the Prophet (s) felt pity for his uncle, who would be in a very critical situation for the sake of him.
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Abu Talib noticed that and became uncomfortable ... a moment passed and he became more determined and firm. He determined to support the Prophet (s) and his mission even if he would confront all of Quraysh or even the Arabs all in all.
He had to strive as long as the divine will had chosen him to be the guardian of the Prophet (s) since the first day and since the first dawn of the mission.
"O my nephew! Come one!"
With this word Abu Talib broke the silence and the long pondering of his nephew. He added: "O my nephew, go ahead! Say whatever you like! By Allah, I will never betray you whatever happens."
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Then he recited:
By Allah they won't reach you whatever numerous they were
until I am buried under the ground.
Announce your mission and never mind anything,
and let your eyes be delighted.
You invited me and I knew that you were sincere to me.
You are the most truthful, the most honest.
I have known that the religion of Muhammad
is the best of religions among all of the people. (2)
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We don't have to pass by these verses without paying
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1 At-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.2 p.64, 67, As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.196, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.323, as-Seera al-Hishamiyya, vol.1 p.283, 285, Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.305, 306, Abu Talib p.57, 61, Hashem and Umayya p.166, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.127, 128, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.363.
2 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.306, As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.85, 197, Thamarat al-Awraq, vol.2 p.4, al-Abbas p.22-23, Hashem and Umayya 167, al-Kashshaf, vol.1 p.448 (vol.2 p.10), Tathkiratul Khawass p.9, Mo'jamul Quboor, vol.1 p.186, al-Manaqib p.34, Divan Abu Talib p.7, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39, p.128, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.322, al-Issaba, vol.4 p.116, Al-Hujja p.63, Sheikhul Abtah p.27, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.334.
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attention to them. These verses showed clearly the faith of Abu Talib in wonderful images and certain concepts that couldn't be distorted or misworded.
After the conversation occurred between Abu Talib and the delegation of Quraysh, Abu Talib wanted to relieve his nephew and to reassure his heart so he recited these verses to show his nephew that his uncle was still the supporter, the assistant and the defender as ever as he had been and as ever as he would be until he would meet his God after contenting his conscience, achieving his promise and carrying out his father's will.
He would never fail his nephew or leave him alone. He assured him that he would never mind for the deviate flocks of Quraysh for no one of them would harm him until Abu Talib would be buried under the ground. The last verse confirmed Abu Talib's faith in Muhammad's mission after he had encouraged his nephew to announce his mission openly in the previous verses.
These verses showed the true faith of Abu Talib besides his full knowing about the other religions when saying that the religion of Muhammad (s) was the best of religions at all.
But the evil fancies and the bad intentions didn't want to let the brightness of these verses spread easily so they tried to throw some ashes upon it. They added another verse to distort the pure image that expressed the faith of Abu Talib. They fabricated the following verse:
Lest I will be blamed or it will be shameful to me,
I may declare believing!
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You can see clearly the great difference between this verse and the verses you have just read above.
Ahmad Zayni Dahlan said about this further verse: "It was said that this verse was fabricated and added to the poetry of Abu Talib. It was not of his actual saying."
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1 Refer to al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.334,
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And if we agreed with those, who ascribed the verse to Abu Talib, who hadn't said it; nevertheless it wouldn't serve their aim and wouldn't satisfy their purpose. The meaning of the verse would be thus: if he didn't fear to be blamed or abused, he would be able to declare his faith in the mission of Muhammad (s) openly in front of the people of Quraysh and wouldn't keep it secret. It didn't mean that if he didn't fear to be blamed, he would be a believer. If it had this meaning so it would definitely contradict the meaning of the previous verses, in which he had confirmed his believing in his nephew when he had invited him to his mission.
Till now everyone, even those who tried to distort the real image of Abu Talib, said that Abu Talib was acute, prudent, quick-witted, eloquent and sharply discerning. Would it be acceptable for him to contradict himself within a few lines of poetry?
Quraysh knew the real situation of Abu Talib towards the new mission and towards the Prophet (s). They became so angry that he had this firm situation and that all their attempts failed. They asked him to prevent his nephew from abusing their gods but he didn't. They asked him to leave Muhammad (s) alone to them but they found that he encouraged Muhammad (s) to spread hid mission and that he promised to support and to defend him.
After all of that the polytheists of Quraysh found a new way to conclude a deal with Abu Talib. They came to Abu Talib bringing with them Imare bin al-Waleed. They said to him: "O Abu Talib! This is Imara bin al-Waleed. They said to him: "O Abu Talib! This is Imara bin al-Waleed. He is the best young man and the most handsome of Quraysh. Take him as your son and give us your nephew, who denied your religion and your forefathers' religion, separated the unity of your people and mocked their traditions. We kill him and it will be a man for a man."
If Abu Talib didn't know how to behave in the serious
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situations, he would send a loud laugh scornfully and slightingly towards this silly word but he said prudently and bravely: "By Allah! What a bad deal it is! Do you give me your son to feed him for you and I give you my son to be killed? By Allah, this will never be at all!"
What silliness it was indeed. It showed the devaluation, the irrationality and the unintellectuality of those people.
Then al-Mut'im bin Adiy bin Nawfal bin Abd Manaf, who was the an ally of Abu Talib, said: "O Abu Talib! By Allah, your people have been fair to you. They try to rid you form what you hate ... but I don't see that you want to accept their attempt ...!"
Abu Talib answered him:" By Allah, they haven't been fair to me. But you failed me and supported them against me. Do whatever you like!"
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Then Abu Talib recited a poem criticizing al-Mut'im bin Adiy about his betraying and then he criticized everyone betraying him of the family of Abd Manaf
(2) and everyone of Quraysh bearing enmity against him.
Abu Talib thought, after declaring his situation towards Quraysh, that he had to armor himself and to be ready for the emergencies he might face from Quraysh after they knew his situation. He didn't find save the Hashemites to depend upon in his struggle against Quraysh.
He invited them to be with him to defend the new religion and to protect the Prophet (s) against the evil
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1 At-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.2 p. 67, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.323, As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.197, as-Seera al-Hishamiyya, vol.1 p.286, Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.306, Abu Talib p.61, 63, Biharul Anwar, vol.6 p.446, Tathkiratul Khawass, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.306, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.129.
2 Abd Manaf was the father of Hashem and Hashem was the grandfather of Abu Talib and Muhammad (s).
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doers of Quraysh if they would try to do any harm to the Prophet (s). All the Hashemites compiled with his invitation except that deviate brother Abu Lahab, the cursed.
Abu Talib became so delighted when he saw the great situation of the Hashemites that he would not worry much about the Prophet (s). He thanked his kin and praised them for their support and assistance. He poetized this gratitude and praise in a poem to be eternal throughout the generations. He had to mention Muhammad (s), who had the great honor and glory that no one else than him had. He recited:
If one day Quraysh gathers to pride,
Abd Manaf will be their best and purest essence.
And if Abd Manaf gets the honor,
Hashem will be the most honorable among them,
And if the Hashemites pride one day,
Muhammad will be their most glorified essence.
Quraysh, all in all, rushed against us,
but they failed and lost their reason.
We have never accepted any unfairness,
and if they show haughtiness, we are always humble to people.
We defend our sanctuary whenever there is a danger,
and strike whoever try to harm a rock of it.
With us the withered plant become fresh.
and under our shadow it grows and lasts. (1)
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The Prophet (s) and his mission became so strong and the disagreement increased between the Hashemites and Quraysh. Abu Talib began to fear for the Prophet (s) from Quraysh more than before. He began to care much for
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1 The poem was mentioned in as-Seera al-Hishamiyya, vol.1 p.288. The first three verses were mentioned in As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.20 and as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.33. The poem was mentioned in Al-Hujja p.79, 80 without the last two verses. The first four verses were mentioned in A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.148. It was mentioned in al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.362, 363 and in Sheikhul Abtah p.37.
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him and tried not to let him alone so that he might be hurt by anyone of Quraysh.
Once Abu Talib missed his nephew. He looked for him but he didn't find him. He became so worried and upset. He determined to revenge after hearing that Quraysh intended to assassinate the Prophet (s) to do away with the new mission.
He called for the young men of the Hashemites and ordered each of them to hide a weapon under his cloths. He ordered each one of them to stay beside a chief of Quraysh and agreed with them upon a certain sign that if he failed to find Muhammad (s), they would revenge Muhammad's blood upon those men of Quraysh at the same moment.
The young men took their places as they were ordered by the old man. He went to look for his nephew. When he found him safe, he took him by the hand and stood before the people of Quraysh shouting: "O people of Quraysh! Do you know what I have intended to do? ..." He told them about his plan and his young men's intention and asked his young men to show their weapons. He challenged them by showing them his powerfulness. The defeat appeared upon the faces of Quraysh especially the arrogant Abu Jahl.
Abu Talib said to them: "By Allah! If you kill him, I will never let any of you alive. It will be the war until we or you are perished."
(1)
Then Abu Talib recited some verses praising his nephew after criticizing the bad situation of Quraysh. He declared for Quraysh that he was the guardian of Muhammad (s) and his family:
Inform Quraysh wherever they are,
even though that everything of them is but haughtiness,
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1 Refer to Al-Hujja p.61, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.349, 352, Sheikhul Abtah p.26-27, Ithabatul Wassiyya p.96 and Abu Talib p.67-68.
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that I am, with swearing by the reciters,
the books and the scientists,
a sincere guardian of Muhammad's family.
My heart and conscience love them.
I won't give up my kin and sons,
even if the war brings its disasters.
Do they order their people to kill Muhammad so unfairly?
I swear that Quraysh will gain nothing,
where their reason is lost.
My nephew is my heart-root.
Will the young men drink pure water,
while Ahmad will be in the grave?
O you, the son of the master of Qussay! (1)
As if your face is like the full moon. (2)
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There was another event, in which Abu Talib had proved his powerfulness and sovereignty over Quraysh.
One day while the Prophet (s) was offering the prayer, Quraysh wanted to mock at him and to disturb his prayer. They asked Abdullah bin az-Ziba'ra to undertake this mean task. He took some feces and blood of an animal and stained the Prophet (s) while he was prostrating in his prayer.
The Prophet (s) hadn't save Abu Talib to resort to. He went to his uncle heartbrokenly and his eyes were full of tears. It was a great insult.
His uncle became very angry about what happened to his nephew. He had to revenge him on them and to repay them the insult.
He, holding his sword, rushed towards them with his nephew. His face was overcome with rage and the signs of revenge were talking loudly until he reached the meeting of the people. They were afraid of his angry look. They tried to run away before him but he nailed them in their places with a sudden word: "By Allah, if any of you
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1 Qussay was the tribe of the Hashemites (their great grandfather).
2 Al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.350-351, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.149.
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moves from his place, I will cut him with my sword."
They stuck to the ground as if they lost their will. He approached to them and asked hid nephew: "My son! Who is the doer?"
The Prophet (s) pointed to Abdullah bin az-Ziba'ra. Abu Talib approached to him and hit him on his nose. Then he stained the people's faces, beards and cloths with feces and blood. He scolded and insulted them severely. Then he turned to his nephew saying victoriously: "O my nephew! Are you satisfied now? Do you know who you are? You are Muhammad bin Abdullah (he detailed his lineage). By Allah, you have the most honored ancestry and the highest rank among the all. O people of Quraysh! Whoever of you wants to move, let him do. You know well who I am!"
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Then Abu Talib recited:
You are Muhammad the Prophet,
a generous master and a son of generous masters.
They are the highborn and so are you.
The best of the origin was the root; Amr (2)
who crumbled bread in the bowels,
when the life of Mecca was miserable!
How are you wronged while I am still alive?
I am the brave, the powerful!
And your men, as if they are lions!
I have known that you are truthful;
You haven't said but the truth since you have been a child! (3)
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Abu Talib began his poem with a clear confession that would let no way for anyone to argue or to object ... so
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1 Al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.395, Sheikhul Abtah p.28, Al-Hujja p.106, 108, Thamaratul Awraq, vol.2 p.3-4, Abu Talib p.63, al-Manaqib p.35.
2 Hashem; the grandfather.
3 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.315, Al-Hujja p.72, Sheikhul Abtah p.28, Hashem and Umayya p.173-174, Divan Abu Talib p.12-13, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.143, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.336.
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what was the difference between saying the shahada (... and I witness that Muhammad is His Apostle) and Abu Talib's confession (You are Muhammad the Prophet)? There was no difference, for both showed confessing the prophecy of Muhammad (s). But the black hearts and the filthy consciences had their own purposes when distorting the truth and changing the reality.
After he praised his ancestors and mentioned the deeds of Amr (Hashem, their grandfather) who enacted feeding the pilgrims when Mecca was afflicted with some years of bannerness. He satiated the hungry stomachs and relieved the distressed hearts.
After that Abu Talib showed his sympathy towards his nephew and assured that his nephew wouldn't be defeated as long as he was surrounded by lions that would tread upon whoever thought of doing any evil against him. Then he ended his poem with two verses, in which he certified the truthfulness of his nephew and that he had never heard him saying but truth and rightness since his earliest childhood and he had never found him deviate from the right way at all.
This was but a clear confession of the Prophet's mission by Abu Talib as a divine mission. It showed the definite faith of Abu Talib.
It would be better to quote these verses too to show the reader the real thinking of Abu Talib towards Muhammad (s) and his encouraging him to keep on carrying out his task determinedly.
Before these verses ibn Abul Hadeed said in his Sharh Nahjol Balagha: "... and from among his (Abu Talib's) famous poetry are these verses, in which he addresses Muhammad, clams his heart and orders him to announce his mission."
Never let those sinuous hands and cawing voices
prevent you from the rightful task you carry out.
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My hand is yours whenever you face your opponent,
and my soul is sacrificed for yours in the disasters. (1)
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If we investigate all the poetry of Abu Talib about this subject, our way will be so long and ramified but let's go back to our main subject.
Abu Talib wouldn't support Muhammad, as he had done since his childhood until he was chosen by the Heaven for the divine mission, as a kin but he supported the very mission, in which he believed, and he supported everyone, who believed in it. He wouldn't be tranquil if any one of Muhammad's follower was harmed because of the mission.
He had many shining pages of such support that we wouldn't pass by without referring to some of them.
The polytheists of Quraysh tortured Othman bin Madh'oon aj-Jumahi when he became a Muslim. they wanted to deviate him from the right way he had chosen. When Abu Talib heard of that, he revenged Othman on Quraysh. Then he recited:
Is it because you remember untrustworthy time,
you are sad and you cry with agony?
Or you remember impudent people,
wronging whoever invites to faith?
Didn't you see, o Quraysh -Allah may degrade you all-,
that we revenged for torturing Othman bin Madh'oon?
We fight injustice and face whoever wants to harm us
with every sharp weapon in our hands.
Sharp swords, as if they are mixed with salt,
relieve our avengement on the mad's heads,
until the men of no reason submit,
and become lenient after haughtiness,
or until they believe in a wonderful divine book revealed
to a prophet like Moses o Jonah. (1)
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1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.315, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p., Al-Hujja p.74, Abu Talib p.33, Divan Abu Talib p.11, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.150.
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What did he mean in his last verse by a wonderful book revealed to a prophet like Moses or Jonah? Would it be but believing in the holy Quran? It was a divine book revealed to a prophet among the prophets, whom Allah had chosen.
After all these things, could any one deny the faith of Abu Talib unless that one was a deviate enemy?
Besides the evidence this poetry had that proved the faith of Abu Talib, it certified what we have said before that Abu Talib had known much about the previous religions that preceded the mission of Muhammad (s), which confirmed the continuity of the religion of Abraham otherwise Abu Talib wouldn't mention these religions.
Then he wasn't satisfied with that until he invited the polytheists to follow this new religion. He made them choose either to be stricken by the sharp swords or to believe in this wonderful book.
Describing the Quran as (wonderful book) had its similar thing mentioned in the holy Quran itself: (Surely we have heard a wonderful Quran, guiding to the right way, so we believe in it) 72:1-2.
Quraysh tortured many Muslims in order to make them give up Islam. Among those, who had been tortured, was Abu Salama bin Abdul Assad al-Makhzoomi, who didn't find save Abu Talib to resort to in order to be saved from the torture of Quraysh.
When the tribe of Makhzoomi knew that Abu Talib had protected their man, they sent a delegation to him. They said to Abu Talib: "O Abu Talib! You have protected your nephew Muhammad from us then why do you protect our man from us?"
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1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.313, Al-Hujja p.50, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.335, Hashem and Umayya p.164, Sheikhul Abtah p.30, Divan Abu Talib p.9-10, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.9 p.42.
