The Sayings of Ahlul Bayt (2)
If we studied the biographies of Ahlul Bayt, we would find that each of them had confuted the accusations had been ascribed to Abu Talib. They declared the reasons behind those accusations, which distorted the faith of Abu Talib and made him one of the unbelievers.
Whenever the lies and the fabrications increased, a word of rightness came out to scatter all that confusion and a ray of truthfulness shone to clarify the darkness of that unfairness and evil wills.
1. One of those, who had heard of the lies fabricated
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1 Waq'at Siffeen, p.597.
2 Ahlul Bayt: the Prophet's progeny.
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about the faith of Abu Talib, asked Imam Sajjad -Ali bin al-Husayn- (s)
(1) about those accusations. Imam Sajjad said: "Yes!"
The asker repeated his question to be certain about the source of those accusations and to know whether they were true or not: "There are some people here pretending that Abu Talib was unbeliever!"
Imam Sajjad sighed painfully and cried loudly: "How wonder! Did they accuse Abu Talib (of being unbeliever) or they accused the Prophet (s), who had been ordered by Allah not to let a believing woman keep on living with an unbelieving man as his wife in many Quranic verses? No one doubted that Fatima bint Assad
(2) was one of the first faithful women. She had been still Abu Talib's wife until he died."
(3)
The saying of Imam Sajjad showed that whoever thought that Abu Talib was unbeliever, accused the Prophet (s) of contradicting the orders of the holy Quran or being indifferent to apply them to his uncle.
No one at all could deny the true faithfulness of Fatima bint Assad, Abu Talib's wife and Ali's mother, and no one could say that the Prophet (s) had annulled the marriage of Abu Talib and his wife Fatima. If Abu Talib was unfaithful, then the Prophet (s) had to separate between him and his faithful wife.
As long as Fatima bint Assad had been still as Abu Talib's wife until he died, so whoever said that Abu Talib was unfaithful, definitely would accuse the Prophet (s) of disobeying his God. Hence whoever accused Abu Talib of being unfaithful would impudently accuse the heart of
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1 Imam Sajjad was the fourth imam of the Shia. His full name was Ali bin al-Husayn bin Ali bin Abu Talib.
2 She was Imam Ali's mother. Bint means the daughter of.
3 Al-Hujja p.24, Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.312, Sheikhul Abtah p.76, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.381, 390-391, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136-37.
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Islam; the great Prophet (s).
2. Imam Baqir
(1) was asked about the false tradition fabricated against Abu Talib saying that Abu Talib would be in Hell. He answered: "If the faith of the Abu Talib is put in a scale of a balance and the faith of the peoples is put in the other scale, the faith of Abu Talib will outweigh."
Then he said: "Don't you know that ameerul mo'mineen Ali (s) ordered to offer the hajj for the sake of Abdullah, Aamina
(2) and Abu Talib during his lifetime (Ali's lifetime) and then he ordered in his will to offer the hajj for them."
(3)
The faithfulness of Abu Talib was of a prudent man not of an imitator. It was faithfulness of a struggling supporter. Abu Talib was the leader of the greatest tribe among all the Arabs. In fact it was the essence of the Arabs. He was the chief of the town that all the Arabs used to visit for its sacredness and holiness. Such an obeyed leader and a highly respected chief turned to be a follower of an orphan, who was brought up by Abu Talib himself. He left his leadership and high position and followed his nephew; the Prophet, who was chosen by the Heaven to be the means between the Creator and His creatures. Wasn't it a true faithfulness that made this great an as same as any of the slaves, who followed the Prophet (s)?
Then Imam Baqir proved the faithfulness of Abu Talib when saying that Imam Ali had ordered to offer the hajj for the sake of Abu Talib not only during his lifetime (Ali's lifetime) but also after his death when recording that in his will. Hajj was one of the basic pillars of Islam and hence Ali wouldn't have ordered to be offered for an unfaithful man!
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1 He was the son of Imam Sajjad.
2 Abdullah and Aamina were the Prophet's father and mother.
3 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.311, Al-Hujja p.18, Sheikhul Abtah p.23, 76, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.381, 391, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136.
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3. As for Imam Sadiq
(1) (s) he had plentiful sayings about his great grandfather Abu Talib, in which he confuted all the accusations ascribed to his grandfather. The age of Imam Sadiq was after the end of the state of the Umayyads, which poured upon the people flows of disasters and distresses, and the beginning of the state of the Abbasids, who ruled under the pretense of getting back the rights of the Alawites.
(2) They pretended that they would get back the rights to their actual possessors. It was just a pretense, which they made as the cornerstone of their new state.
It was a short time when the swords were put aside from the necks of the Alawites and the muzzles were removed from the mouths of people but everything would be changed as soon as the bases of the state became firm and strong.
This was an active reason that made the voice of Ja'far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq announce the truth loudly and spread much of his lights among people. Although the time was short for him, he could spread the pure principles of the Hashemites. Abu Talib, the assistant of the Prophet (s), had his enough share of Imam Sadiq's active traditions.
Once someone asked Imam Sadiq: "People pretend that Abu Talib is in Hell!"
Imam Sadiq said: "They tell but lies! Gabriel had never revealed such a thing."
Then he added: "The example of Abu Talib was like the example of the Fellows of the Cave; they concealed their faith and announced polytheism and so Allah rewarded them doubly. Abu Talib also concealed his faith and announce polytheism so Allah rewarded him doubly ... He didn't leave this worldly life until he was
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1 He was the son of Imam Baqir.
2 The progeny of Ali bin Abu Talib.
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told that he would be in Paradise ... How do they describe him so? Gabriel had come down in the night when Abu Talib died and said: "O Muhammad! Go out of Mecca! You have no supporter in it after Abu Talib."
(1)
Imam Sadiq said that Allah would reward Abu Talib twice that he could keep his faith secret when he found that it was better; therefore he would be rewarded for his faith and he would be rewarded for keeping his faith secret. Not everyone could conceal what one believed in even if it was in the interest of the mission.
Imam Sadiq compared Abu Talib with the Fellows of the Cave mentioned in the Quran and he said that Allah had brought him good news (via the revelation to the Prophet (s)) that he would be in Paradise. This was not an unbelievable thing after the historians had mentioned that the Prophet (s) had told somme people that they would be in Paradise. There might be some ones among them, who wouldn't be equal to Abu Talib in his defending and supporting Islam!
Then Imam Sadiq mentioned a great evidence confirming the faithfulness of Abu Talib when saying that Gabriel had ordered the Prophet (s) to leave Mecca after the death of Abu Talib because by the death of Abu Talib, the Prophet (s) had lost the support and protection in Mecca. Would such a man like Abu Talib be unbeliever or would Hell be his reward? If it was so then there would be no difference between the Muslims and the polytheist.
Once there was a conversation between Imam Sadiq and Yonus bin Nabata. Imam Sadiq asked Yonus: "O Yonus! What do people say about Abu Talib?"
Yonus said: "They say that he is in Hell, in which his
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1 Al-Hujja p.17, 15, Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.312, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.381, 391, Mo'jamul Quboor, vol.1 p.191, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136.
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head boils."
Imam Sadiq said: "Have told lies the enemies of Allah! Abu Talib is one of the companions of
(the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!) (1)
Once again Imam Sadiq answered a man asking him that people pretended that Abu Talib was unbeliever: "They tell but lies! How is that and he had said:
Don't you know that we have found Muhammad a Prophet
as Moses! It had been recorded in the first Books! (2)
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Once again he said: "How was Abu Talib unbeliever whereas he had said:
They knew well that our sons had never been a liar,
nor had he cared for absurdities.
And a white-faced, with whose face it is prayed,
so that the clouds bring goodness.
He is the shelter of the orphans and the guardian of the widows." (3)
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Imam Sadiq said: "Ameerul mo'mineen (Imam Ali) was pleased with the poetry of Abu Talib to be recited and recorded. He said: Learn it (the poetry) and teach it to your children for it complies with the religion of Allah and it has much knowledge."
(4)
Besides that this tradition had a clear witness by Ali about the faithfulness of his father. It showed us the value and the high position of Abu Talib. Imam Ali became so pleased when he heard his father's poetry; therefore he ordered that it should be learned and taught because it complied with the mission of Allah and it had much divine knowledge about the previous religions of Allah.
4. Imam Musa al-Kadhim
(5) was asked by Durst bin
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1 Al-Hujja p.17, Sheikhul Abtah p.23, 75, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.394.
2 Al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.392.
3 Ibid
4 Al-Hujja p.25, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.395.
5 Imam Kadhim was the son of Imam Sadiq.
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Abu Mansoor about Abu Talib. The asker didn't ask about the faithfulness of Abu Talib because this was certain for him but he asked about something above the faithfulness.
He asked: "Was the Prophet (s) submissive to Abu Talib?"
(1)
Imam Kadhim said: "No! but he (Abu Talib) was the depositee of the precepts and then he delivered them to him (to the Prophet (s)).
The man asked: "Did he deliver the precepts to the Prophet (s) as if the Prophet (s) was submissive to him?"
Imam Kadhim said: "If the Prophet (s) was submissive to him, he wouldn't deliver the precepts to him!"
The man asked: "Then what about Abu Talib?"
Imam Kadhim said: "He believed in the Prophet (s) and in his mission and so he delivered the precepts to him."
(2)
This tradition confirmed what we have said about the personality of Abu Talib in this book.
A man like Abu Talib was necessary to be available in order to connect the ray of the mission of Abraham (s) to the shining flame of the Mission of Muhammad (s).
The tradition showed us that the asker was certain about the faithfulness of Abu Talib and he thought that Abu Talib was the depositee of the precepts, which he had to deliver them to Prophet Muhammad (s). Definitely no polytheist would have been deposited with this divine heritage.
The asker thought, as he had already known the high position of Abu Talib, that Prophet Muhammad (s),
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1 It was though that Abu Talib was a guardian of the previous prophet (Jesus Christ (s)). He had the precepts, which he had to deliver to the next prophet (Muhammad).
2 Al-Abbas p.18, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.395.
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before the advent of the mission, was submissive to Abu Talib as guardian but Imam Kadhim removed this illusion from the asker's mind when answering him so clearly.
After the clouds of illusion had left the asker's mind, he asked about the situation of Abu Talib and Imam Kadhim answered him that Abu Talib had confessed the prophecy of Muhammad and believed in Allah otherwise he wouldn't have delivered the precepts to the Prophet (s).
5. Abban bin Mahmood wrote to Imam Reza
(1) (s) when his faith was about to be shaken by the fabricated lies: "May Allah make me die for you! I am in doubt about the faith of Abu Talib!"
Imam Reza (s) wrote to him:
"(And whoever acts hostilely to the Messenger after that guidance has become manifest to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he has (himself) turned and make him enter Hell; and it is an evil resort) (2) Then: if you don't confess the faithfulness of Abu Talib, your fate will be to Hell."
(3)
The answer of Imam Reza showed that doubting about the faithfulness of Abu Talib contradicted believing in the Prophet (s) and deviate from the way of guidance after knowing it and whoever deviated from the right way of guidance would be out of the sphere of faith and then his way would lead him to Hell. It would be considered as harming the Prophet (s) and harming the Prophet (s) was a guilt leading to Hell.
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1 He was the son of Imam Kadhim.
2 Quran 4:115.
3 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.311, Al-Hujja p.16, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.381, 396, Mo'jamul Quboor, vol.1 p.189, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136 (without mentioning what was after the Quranic verse).
(181)(Surely (as for) those who speak evil thing of Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world and the here after, and He has prepared for them a chastisement bringing disgrace) 33:57, and: (and (as for) those who molest the Messenger of Allah, they shall have a painful punishment) 9:61.
The Prophet (s) said in one of his tradition: "He, who harms a hair of mine, harms me and whoever harms me, harms Allah." (1)
6. Imam Askari (2) (al-Hasan bin Ali) said in a long tradition narrated by his grandfathers: "Allah the Almighty had revealed to his messenger (Muhammad): (I have assisted you with two groups of assistants; a group supports you secretly and the other supports you openly. As for the group that supports you secretly, their master and the best of them is your uncle Abu Talib but as for the group that support you openly, their master and the best of them is his son Ali bin Abu Talib."
Then he added: "Abu Talib is like the believer of the Pharaoh's people; he keeps his faithfulness secret." (3)
One of the two groups had to carry out its task secretly as long as carrying it out openly was not possible for it ... like the support of the angels as mentioned by the Quran: (... and sent down hosts which you did not see) 9:26.
(... and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see) 9:40.
(... that your Lord should assist you with three thousand of the angels sent down) 3:124.
(Your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angels) 3:125.
(I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another) 8:9. There are many other verses talking about this subject.
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1 As-Sawa'iqul Muhriqa p.111
2 He was the eleventh imam of the Shia.
3 Al-Hujja p.115, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.368.
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Abu Talib wouldn't be able to support the Prophet (s) unless he kept his faith secret. He was like the believer of the pharaoh's people, whose story had been mentioned by the Quran. (1) If the believer of the Pharaoh's people hadn't concealed his faithfulness, the Pharaoh would have killed Prophet Moses (s). His situation was so active among his people, who didn't know that he was a believer but they thought that he was like them. So was the situation of Abu Talib towards the mission of the Prophet (s). To this meaning Imam Askari referred when he mentioned this tradition narrated by his fathers, who had ascribed it to the Prophet (s).
No one could suspect the sayings of the Prophet's progeny and think that their sayings might be untrue after the Quran had confirmed their infallibility by saying: (Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying) 33:33.
This Quranic verse declares the infallibility of the pure Prophet's progeny in spite of the disgraceful attempts of some deviate interpreters to distort its meaning.
Ahlul Bayt were equal to the holy Quran. They were as a rope extended between the Heaven and the earth; whoever kept to it would get to the top of eternality and whoever turned aside from it, would remain at the foot surrounded with dangers of destruction.
The Prophet (s) said: "I have left among you two weighty things, which if you keep to, you will never go astray at all; the Book of Allah and my family. They will never separate until they come to me at the river in Paradise."
This true tradition, which had been agreed upon by the consensus of the Muslims, was another evidence showing the infallibility of the Prophet's progeny.
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1 We began our book with the verses talking about the believer of The Pharaoh's people because they had a similarity to our subject.
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whoever suspected the, would suspect the Quran, whose equal they were, and whoever let them down, would be perished.
There are many other Quranic verses and prophetic traditions confirming the infallibility and purity of the Prophet's progeny. We don't want to mention them for they are not of our subject.
They, who were equal to the Quran, definitely wouldn't say save truthfulness. They were worthier than anyone else not to contradict the Quran and they were the first to obey its orders and to refrain from its prohibitions.
After that, would they praise a man, even if he was their father, falsely and ascribe to him what he didn't have? Would they acquit him from a real guilt without any evidence just because of kinship? Certainly not!
Whoever said that, would violate their high position, which was the very position of the Prophet (s) himself, and would violate the sacredness of the Prophet (s) and the sacredness of his mission.
