We present herewith some examples of Abu Talib’s golden bands of clear
verses, beautiful and astonishing, mentioned in books of biography, history and
tradition.
Hakim in Mustadrak,1 has narrated through his chains of narrators from Ibne
Ishaq that: “Abu Talib sent verses for Najjashi so that he may accord a nice
treatment to the Muslims, who had migrated to Habasha and urged him to defend
them:
“The best of the people know that Muhammad is the vizier of Musa and
Isa Ibne Maryam. He brought for us the character and behavior of those two
previous prophets; and all of them guide to the command of God and protect
man from deviation and misguidance.”
Among his compositions are the following verses:
“Do you not know that we found Muhammad a prophet like Musa, that
it is mentioned in the ancient scriptures. And that there is love for him
among people, and injustice and oppression has no scope for one whom
Almighty Allah chose as His beloved.”2
And he addressed these verses to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.):
1. By God, with all their capacity and strength, they will not get
dominance over you, till I am buried in dust. 2. Make your religion
apparent, which has no defect, and by this become happy and may your eye
light up in joy. 3. You invited me and I know that you call to salvation, and
indeed you called me while you are trustworthy in this call. 4. Indeed, I
know that the religion of Muhammad is the best of the religions of the
creatures.
Thalabi has quoted these verses in Tafseer and says: Maqatil, Abdullah bin
Abbas, Khasam bin Mahzara and Ata bin Dinar have consensus that it is correct
to quote these verses from Abu Talib.3 [Abu Talib himself composed these
verses].
According to the quotation of Ibne Abil Hadid in his Sharh,4 among his
famous verses are the following:
“You are Muhammad, prophet of Allah and you are great, illuminated
and the lord and master for the nobles and purified and you are from a
purified progeny. Good lineage and descent; you are from Amr (Hashim):
very benevolent and incomparable.”
Ibne Abil Hadid has written in his Sharh:5
They have said: It is famous that Abdullah bin Mamun said: By God, Abu
Talib had embraced Islam through these couplets:
“1. I supported the Prophet, messenger of powerful Lord before swords,
which shone like lightning. 2. I defended the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
and supported him like the helping of one, who is kind and concerned. 3.
And I have not moved slowly before his enemies like the slow moving shecamels due to fear of terrifying male camels. 4. But I raise a loud slogan for
them, like the roar of a cornered lion.”
These verses are mentioned along with an extra verse in Diwan Abu Talib.6
Ibne Abil Hadid in his Sharh Nahjul Balagha,7 after the mention of some
verses, has written:
“All these verses are widely narrated (Mutawatir), although each verse may
not be widely narrated (Mutawatir), but all the verses together prove a common
issue, and that is the testimony in favor of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.). And the verses
taken together are widely narrated (Mutawatir) just as though each of the battles
of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) in which he slain the stalwarts are separately
narrated through single report, but all such reports taken together are widely
narrated (Mutawatir) and they inform us of his valor…”
The incomparable Allamah Ibne Shahr Ashob Mazandarani, in his book of
Mutashabihatul Quran, writes under the exegesis of the verse:
وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ
“And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause…”8
Verses of Abu Talib, which make us conclude that he was a believer, exceed
three thousand, in which he has expressed enmity to those, who are inimical to
the Prophet and has regarded him as a divine prophet.
Then he has quoted a large number of his verses. Among them being verses in his bequest:
“I advise four persons to render assistance to the good prophet: my son, Ali, and the elder of community, Abbas, and Hamza, the valiant fighter for
the reality of Prophet and I advise Ja’far to defend him in confrontation
with people. May my mother and her children be sacrificed on you in
providing assistance to Ahmad, be a shield against people.”9