The Sayings of the Companions and Others
We found among the Prophet's companions that there were many, whose eyes hadn't been blinded by the evil fancies nor had they deviated from the right way because of the personal interests, confessing the faithfulness of Abu Talib and mentioning his good deeds.
We don't want to quote all what was said by the companions about Abu Talib in order to prolong the research, but we want to quote some of their sayings to be as evidence to show the truth.
1. The caliph Abu Bakr said: "Abu Talib didn't die until he had said: There is no God but Allah and
(184)
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
(1)
The same was said by al-Abbas.
(2)
2. Abdullah bin Abbas was asked by a man: "O cousin of the messenger of Allah! Would you tell me about Abu Talib? Was he a Muslim or not?"
Abdullah bin Abbas answered him: "How was he not a Muslim
whereas he said:
"They knew well that our son had never been a liar,
nor had he cared for absurdities."
|
Abu Talib was like the Fellows of the Cave; they kept their faithfulness secret and showed polytheism so Allah rewarded them doubly."
(3)
3. The great companion Abu Tharr, whose eyes hadn't been blinded by the shine of gold nor had he been frightened by the violence of Mo'awiya, said: "By Allah, whom there is no god other than! Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) didn't die until he became a Muslim ..."
(4)
4. Hassaan bin Thabit, the poet recited:
"If you mourn a dead,
Please, mourn the loyal man; the brother of the loyal."
|
Sibt bin aj-Jawzi when explaining this verse said: "He means Hamza and Abu Talib."
(5)
5. These confessions were not limited to a certain age rather than the others or to a certain class of people ... everyone, who was honest, fair, impartial and not affected by the different fancies, had a ray of light emitted in the darkness to light the straight way.
____________
1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.312, Sheikhul Abtah p.71, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.370, 401, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136.
2 Sheikhul Abtah p.71, 73, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.399, 401, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.136.
3 Al-Hujja p.94, 115, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.397.
4 Al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.399.
5 Tathkiratul Khawass p.31.
(185)
It was a word of rightness emitted of the mouth of the Abbasid King Abdullah al-Ma'moon, although he was not such an honest man, but it was a fair word that slipped away of his mouth willingly or unwillingly. He said: "By Allah, Abu Talib became a Muslim when he said:
I supported the Prophet; the Prophet of the Lord,
with swords shining like the lightening.
I defended and protected the Prophet of the Lord,
as kind guardian.
I creep to his enemies like a young camel with much heed,
but I roar at them proudly,
as a lion roaring in its liar. (1)
|
6. Abu Ja'far al-Iskafi, in his thesis (Naqdh al-Othmaniyya) when trying to refute the thesis of aj-Jahidh (al-Othmaniyya), mentioned Abu Talib. He couldn't but praise him. He said: "Abu Talib was his father (the Prophet's father), his guardian, his supporter and defender and without him, the Prophet (s) wouldn't succeed. But in spite of that, he (Abu Talib) didn't become a Muslim according to most of the traditions."
(2)
We found it odd; in fact we didn't think that Abu Ja'far had said the last statement, which contradicted the beginning of his saying, besides that Abu Ja'far was one of those, who had said that Abu Talib was a Muslim as we will mention it in the last chapter.
What made us doubt more about it was that our source was not the thesis itself but the summary of the thesis, which was collected by Hasan as-Sandoobi, whom we talked about in the beginning of the book (At the threshold).
If it was proved that the last statement was said by Abu Ja'far, he didn't showed his own opinion about the
____________
1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.314, al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.337, Al-Hujja p.54, Divan Abu Talib p.10, The Theses of aj-ahidh p.32.
2 The Theses of aj-Jahidh p.32.
(186)
subject but he just said that some of the traditions had mentioned that Abu Talib was not a Muslim.
In another place, when Abu Ja'far talked about those, who had become Muslims because of the good praying of Abu Talib and his keeping to the Prophet (s), he said: "... and because of him (Abu Talib) the Hashemites kept on defending the Prophet (s) in Mecca against the tribes of Makhzoom, Sahm and Jumah ... and because of him the Hashemites tolerated the blockade in the Shi'b ... and because of his praying and his keeping to Muhammad (s), his wife Fatima bint Assad became a Muslim. He was better in kindness and good nature than Abu Bakr and others ... What prevented him from being a Muslim -if it was proved that he hadn't been a Muslim- was but the Taqiya
(1)."
(2)
This last statement didn't mean that he thought Abu Talib hadn't been a Muslim as his disciple ibn Abul Hadeed declared.
This saying -if it was his- might have been said by him before he became certain about the faithfulness of Abu Talib after researching for the truth then he declared what he had become certain about. This word denied the announcement of Abu Talib's faithfulness and not the faithfulness itself because taqiya would impose upon one to conceal the true beliefs.
7. Aj-Jahidh, in spite of his disgracefull and ignorant situation in his thesis (al-Othmaniyya) when mentioning Abu Talib to disvalue the antecedence of Ali in being a Muslim, couldn't but to say: "Don't you know that Quraysh and all the people of Mecca couldn't harm the
____________
1 Taqiya means: ("self-protection"), in Islam, the practice of concealing one's belief and foregoing ordinary religious duties when under threat of death or injury to oneself or one's fellow Muslims.
2 The Theses of aj-Jahidh p.51.
(187)
Prophet (s) as long as Abu Talib was alive?"
(1)
8. The author of Tathkiratul Khawass, after talking about Abu Talib through the talking about Imam Ali (s) and mentioning some of the good deeds of Abu Talib, the sayings of the Prophet (s) about Abu Talib and his praying Allah to have mercy upon him, said: "I say: the saying that Abu Talib is among the fellows of Paradise doesn't need pondering on it. There are many evidences proving that; his caring for protecting the Prophet (s), supporting him, defending him against the harm of the polytheists and the unbelievers, the sorrow of the Prophet (s) when Abu Talib died, naming that year as the year of sorrow by the Prophet (s) because of the death of Abu Talib and Khadeeja, the praying of the Prophet (s) that Allah might have mercy upon Abu Talib and might forgive him and the response of Allah to the praying of Abu Talib especially when he insisted upon it."
(2)
Then the author tried to prove the faithfulness of Abu Talib by mentioning the sayings of the infallible imams about him and his own sayings about the Prophet (s) and about his religion.
It would be better to quote this passage: "... and also that no one of his enemies mentioned that his (Abu Talib's) sons were angry that their father was unbeliever.
Mo'awiya, the bitter enemy and opponent of him (Ali), Amr bin al-Aass, Abdullah bin az-Zubayr, Marwan and others, in spite of criticizing him, defaming him and ascribing to him what he was free from, did never accused him of that his father was unbeliever ... whereas he (s) often criticized them for the unbelief of their fathers and mothers and the meanness of their lineage but they didn't reciprocate ...!
This was the best evidence showing his (Abu Talib's)
____________
1 The Theses of aj-Jahidh p.5.
2 Tathkiratul Khawass p.10-11.
(188)
faithfulness and showing the bad fanaticism of those of the public (the Sunnis), who ascribed unbelief to him.
O you, the just! Think about the evil will of the batlike people in their enmity against the sun of Islam and its light ...!"
(1)
It was a clear evidence and a reasonable conclusion taken from the actual reality! If those, who were the bitter enemies of Imam Ali, weren't certain that Abu Talib was faithful, they would definitely defame Imam Ali with this thing, whereas they tried their best to ascribe to him much many fabricated defects, which he was certainly free from. There was no faith, no honesty and no conscience would prevent them from that but they had no way to it.
9. We had, in this chapter, to quote this clear saying, which came out of a Christian mouth that knew the rightness and supported it and saw the light and led to it.
We quote it without any comment for the facts in these lines didn't need any comment or explanation.
The historian writer Abdul Masseeh al-Antaki said: "The historians disagreed upon the faithfulness of Abu Talib. Some said he was a Muslim and some said he was a polytheist. Each group had evidences and prophetic traditions they declared upon.
One like me is not to determine such a serious matter.
But the evidences taken from the actual reality confirmed the thought of those, who said that Abu Talib was a faithful because man, however exceeded in loving his kin; his son, his nephew or his son-in-law, could never be indifferent to his beloved if he saw him violating his religion or belief and trying to demolish its pillars to replace it with another religion ... could never be indifferent unless he himself believed in the new religion for, as you know well, that people stuck to their religions
____________
1 Tathkiratul Khawass p.11.
(189)
and exaggerated in sanctifying them to a degree that a believer was ready to kill his son or his father if he saw him scoring his religion or making little of his god.
If this was applied to the ordinary people, it would be worthier to be applied to the upper class of them like Abu Talib, who had a high position among Quraysh so he was obliged by himself and by his position to defend his religion, which he and his people had already believed in, in order that his position would still be respected, he wouldn't be mean before his people and he wouldn't expose himself to the wrath of his gods and then to lose his afterlife.
Hence Abu Talib must believe in the mission of his nephew (s) in his heart but he didn't announce that for a certain purpose required by wisdom and political affairs.
If he had announced his faithfulness at the beginning of the mission, Quraysh would have been against him and so he would have lost his glory and respect ... then he would be unable to defend his nephew, who was still powerless, against the harm of Quraysh. This made him conceal his faithfulness.
His deeds, poems and speeches showed his faithfulness clearly, especially when defending and praising al-Mustafa
(1 (s) in his poems and speeches until the last moment of his life, which he ended with his clear will. He could do all that depending upon his powerfulness and high position among Quraysh.
According to that, Abu Talib was one of the best companions and supporters undoubtedly.
How nice it would be if Islam would have some men, nowadays, who could defend it and could restore its glory as Abu Talib had done at the dawn of the mission, then Islam would remain glorious.
This was Abu Talib; the guardian of al-Mustafa (s),
____________
1 It is one of the Prophet's surname.
(190)
his uncle, his beloved, his supporter and the father of our master; ameerul mo'mineen, the emir of the religion and the victor lion of Allah, Ali bin Abu Talib ...! Yes, he was this great man, who had brought up these two luminous suns that lighted the sky of life and religion!"
(1)
We don't think that this clear saying needs any comment.
On the pages of history there were many examples confirming the saying that the religious sentiment was stronger and more determined than the sentiment of kinship. If both of them met in the field of struggle, victory would definitely be for the first and defeat would be for the second.
10. Dr. Taha Hussayn said: "Abu Talib's kindness to the Prophet (s) was well-known and his strife to defend him and his religion against Quraysh was so famous."
(2)
11. The fair professor Abdul Aziz Sayyidul Ahl wrote a book about Abu Talib. Some of the readers noticed that he hadn't declared the faithfulness of Abu Talib.
I am on the contrary to that. I think that the professor have confessed in the clearest way that Abu Talib was one of the first believers and the antecedent Muslims and that he had done Islam many favors.
If the book had nothing but the few shiny lines in its preface, it would be the best evidence proving what the author thought about the sheikh of the Hashemites.
It would be better to quote some lines of those shiny pages. The author said: "It was not fair for people towards the man, who had brought up the Prophet (s) and protected him ore than forty years, that his news were abridged, scattered and distorted and that the narrators of his news were so few and confused ...
Then all his favors were forgotten and history, at the
____________
1 Mo'jamul Quboor, vol.1 p.194-195.
2 Al-Fitnatul Kubra: Othman p.151.
(191)
moment of his death, took an odd and weak situation towards him. History talked about this man, who had protected the prophecy and defended it strongly, sacrificingly and faithfully, in a way as if it talked, with a tongue created by fancy, about an adventitious thing or a new coming foreigner ...!
The man had spent all his life in supporting the Prophet (s), forced his family to follow him, spent his power, love and monies for him, quarreled with his enemies, stroke them and defeated them and made himself ready to hasten sincerely to his nephew in the way of distresses.
The existence of Abu Talib was one of the necessities of the creation and a support that must be available to make the mission survive and spread as ibn Khaldoon had said in his theory
(1)...
It was the will of Allah; no man, no belief and no religion would win unless there was a sufficient support defending him or it against the terrible fanaticism then he or it would prevail by the followers and the assistants, but that support must be the first because without it there wouldn't be followers and assistants."
(2)
"... and Abu Talib didn't miss the duty, which he was to do, and he wasn't overburdened with the heavy task that he was to carry out. He supported the Prophet (s) and assisted him, quarreled with all the people for the sake of him and pride didn't carried him off to sin as it carried the others of the greats, who misled the people.
Abu Talib was the master of all of Quraysh with no equal."
(3)
"The Prophet (s) cried when his uncle died; and who
____________
1 We wished if the Professor had referred to the source of this saying of ibn Khaldoon.
2 Abu Talib; the Sheikh of the Hashemites p.5-6.
3 Ibid p.7.
(192)
would cry tenderheartedly, mercifully and faithfully if Muhammad, whose God had brought him up well, wouldn't? He mourned his uncle, who had brought him up, protected him, supported him and tolerated any sufferings for him. Abu Talib was his father when he lost the father, was his right hand when he needed a supporter and was his party when he needed a strong rightness to defeat the falsehood and to perish the tyranny!"
(1)
We tried not to quote many sayings spread in the book but in spite of our trying we were forced to quote the above words.
Then we want to ask the reader: "Was it possible to say that we didn't find that the author had declared that Abu Talib was a Muslim after all what he had said in his book? We quoted these sayings just to be as an example to show his clear confession, which was definitely the truthful witness!
12. We found the professor George Jirdaq in his wonderful book (Imam Ali; the Voice of the Human Justice) praising Abu Talib with wonderful statements of esteem and glorification.
We thought that we had to quote something of this marvelous mention.
The professor said: "When his grandfather -Abdul Muttalib; the Prophet's grandfather- died, his uncle Abu Talib -Ali's father- adopted him. The boy kept on living in the sphere of sympathy, meekness and well-education, which the late father had left to the resident son."
(2)
After mentioning that Abdul Muttalib had recommended Abu Talib to took after his grandson he said; "... and he wouldn't choose Abu Talib unless he was certain about the actual feeling and thinking of him. Although all the sons of Abdul Muttalib were kind and
____________
1 Abu Talib; the Sheikh of the Hashemites p.89.
2 Imam Ali; the Voice of the Human Justice p.34 (vol.1 p.154).
(193)
sympathetic, their kindness and sympathy were not so firm and deep like Abu Talib's.
The effect of kindness and sympathy in the good adopting and educating would be clearer than the effect of monies; therefore Abdul Muttalib chose Abu Talib to look after Muhammad (s).
In addition to that Abu Talib had great sympathy towards his nephew that would force him strongly to take much care of him even if his father hadn't recommended him to! So how would it be if both of them; his sympathy and his father's recommendation were together?
No doubt that Abu Talib was a nice and beloved person; a nice person, who had the wisdom of a kind old man, who was loyal and experienced and who put all what he had of kindness, loyalty and experience in practice in any case."
(1)
Let us listen to this wonderful word: "As if it was that when Allah had chosen the Prophet from among the family of Abdul Muttalib, He had chosen this generous uncle to bring him up! As if the power of the existence paved the way for Abu Talib to know about the matter of his nephew what any one else didn't know."
(2)
Another wonderful word said by this man talking clearly about the personality of Abu Talib with all the good meanings it had: "... the good meanings of Abu Talib's nature moved to be inside the soul of Muhammad. They became a part of his self while growing under the care of the loving uncle."
(3)
"Abu Talib was the first in Islam, who recited poetry full of love towards Muhammad and calling for supporting him. He became so angry whenever there was
____________
1 Imam Ali; the Voice of the Human Justice p.54 (vol.1 p.55).
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid p.56.
(194)
a doing or a saying having some harm to his nephew."
(1)
"Abu Talib didn't forget for a moment throughout his life that Muhammad was the continuity of the high morals, which he himself, his brother Abdullah and their father Abdul Muttalib had spontaneously."
(2)
"When Abu Talib died the Prophet (s) felt that he lost the greatest pillar, to which he used to resort and which defended him against the harm of Quraysh. This feeling showed the connection of the means of goodness between Muhammad and his uncle; the chief of the house, in which Muhammad grew and acquired his high morals!
By losing Abu Talib, Muhammad felt that he lost the supporter, who was ready to sacrifice himself for him and to defend him against any harm, who was his fortified shelter against Quraysh and its oppressors until he said: "I didn't get any harm from my people until my uncle died."
How much we justify this deep sorrow that had filled Muhammad's heart after his uncle's death?
What was the cause of this grief whereas Muhammad was so patient, determined and confident that his mission would succeed however his enemies were many or however his assistants were few and whatever the situations of the good or the evil people were?
Yes! What was the cause of this grief? It was the disaster that afflicted Muhammad (s) when he lost his uncle; the dearest man, who had been so kind to him and who had protected him against the evils of the enemies.
The abundant tears Muhammad shed were clear evidence showing that he had lost something of his self, his present and his past!"
(3)
Then, in another chapter, he talked about the relation
____________
1 Imam Ali; the Voice of the Human Justice p.35 (vol.1 p.58).
2 Ibid p.59.
3 Ibid p.60.
(195)
that united the sympathy between Muhammad and Ali as it was between Abu Talib and Muhammad and how that unity had given its good fruits.
He said: "The connection of sympathy and brotherhood continued between Muhammad and Ali and the cooperation between them to make the mission succeed continued too since Muhammad had known Abu Talib and since Ali had known Muhammad and since the three had gathered in one house, which had been based on the meanings of magnanimity.
The qualities of the house of Abu Talib were but an incentive that made Abu Talib and Ali understand the genius of Muhammad in a way that appeared in the first as sympathy and sacrifice and in the second as great intellect, deep feelings and sacrifice like the miracles!"
(1)
A reader might say that there was nothing of what the writer had praised Abu Talib with showing that he said that Abu Talib was a Muslim because he didn't do save showing Abu Talib's high qualities, his devotedness in loving and protecting the Prophet (s) and his propagandizing for the mission and for supporting the Prophet (s).
We are satisfied with this. We don't need from a great thinker like George Jirdaq to say about the light: I see it ... when he described the light, shows its aspects and leads to it. This is enough to make us feel that he walks in the way of the light that he praises.
Hence we don't need to lead the reader with his hand to show him what meanings these words have because they are too clear and they are full of frank confession of the faithfulness of Abu Talib.
We want to refer to his sayings: "As if the power of the existence paved the way for Abu Talib to know about the matter of his nephew what any one else didn't know."
____________
1 Imam Ali; the Voice of the Human Justice p.46 (vol.1 p.71).
(196)
and: "Muhammad was the continuity of the high morals, which Abu Talib, his brother Abdullah and their father Abdul Muttalib had spontaneously." How would Muhammad be the continuity of these men, if they were polytheists? God forbid!
Then what was that great soul of Abu Talib, which melted inside the soul of Muhammad and the two souls mixed to be two parts of one thing? Then how Abu Talib, Muhammad and Ali became one thing that couldn't be divided?
The qualities of the house of Abu Talib was the strong incident that led the father and the son to understand the genius of the Prophet (s) in a way that appeared in them as great sympathy and sacrifice, which were held together just to make the mission succeed with all what that successfulness required of deep sympathy, great intellect and sacrifice, which was like the miracles.
That high sympathy united between the Prophet (s) and his uncle and his cousin since he had known his uncle and since his cousin had known him to make a firm unity that couldn't be separated since the three had gathered in one house built upon the bases of magnanimity and virtues.
Then what was that goodness, whose means connected between Muhammad, his uncle and Ali?
Did Muhammad acquire means of goodness from a polytheist one?
Was it hopeful to acquire goodness from a stubborn polytheist?
Could that stubborn polytheist be a partner with the messenger, who would spread the mission of monotheism?
It was naturally for the Prophet (s), when he lost his uncle, to feel that he lost the greatest pillars, on which he leant and by which he was protected and his mission was defended. His uncle was the chief of the house, in which
(197)
he had been brought up with the highest of morals.
It was naturally for Muhammad (s) to be sad and sorrowful in spite of that he was so patient and firm and in spite of his confidence in his God, Who would definitely make his mission succeed, even if the apparent means of success were so little that the enemies were much more than the assistants and that the evil ones were more than the good ones.
But it was the sorrow that remained when one was afflicted by the loss of the dearest one, who used to protect and defend ... it was the loss that made one feel as if one lost a part of one's self extended from one's present to the past!
These quotations are enough and we don't need to quote more. They have enough evidences and confessions clarified by many personalities leading to the same point although there are differences controlled by the different fancies and aims. This point is supporting the wronged right, uncovering the hidden facts and announcing the truth loudly, in the milieu that is full of noisy lies, odious barking and hideous hissing of adders scattering their poisons here and there.
But it is the bright rightness and the shiny truth ...!
Allah definitely prepares the sincere supporters and the loyal assistance of the rightness lest the virtue and the vice be equal or lest the evil defeat the good!
