As for his good deeds and effort for thankfulness, through which the elder of
Mecca, Abu Talib (s) continued to provide assistance to the Prophet, and defend
His Eminence and called others towards him and his upright religion, from the
beginning of Besat till he passed away. Regarding these things, he has issued
statements, all of which clarify his Islam, his pure faith and his humility to divine
message, some of which we present to you here. Ahle Sunnat have narrated that:
1. Abu Talib prayed to Allah for rain through the Prophet
Ibne Asakir in his Tarikh,1 has narrated from Jalhama bin Arfata that:
“I came to Mecca and there was a famine there. The Quraish said: O Abu
Talib, our lands have become parched and we have no water for drinking. Make
haste and pray for rain. Abu Talib came out accompanied by a youth, who
seemed to be like a Sun behind a cloud. Along with them, were other youths. Abu
Talib held the back of that youth to the Kaaba and with his finger sought refuge
through him. There was no cloud in the sky. Suddenly clouds gathered from all
directions and began to rain; and there was heavy rain. Water began to flow and
the desert turned green and vegetated. Regarding this Abu Talib says:
“That illuminated and effulgent one, through whose honor the clouds
were requested. He is the supporter of orphans and refuge for widows. The
poor2 from the progeny of Hashim take his refuge and with him they pass
their time in comfort and prosperity. And he is the criterion of justice, who
does not commit even the slightest mistake. And is the right one, regarding
whom no exaggerated claim is made.”
In Al-Milal wan Nihal,3 Shahristani on the gloss on the book of Fisal, has mentioned Abu Talib and said:
Among the things, which prove that he had awareness of the position of
messengership and nobility of prophethood is that when that severe drought came
upon people of Mecca and there was no rain for two years, Abu Talib ordered his
sons to bring Mustafa (s.a.w.a.), who was a suckling infant at that time. Then he
placed him in his arms and brought him to the Kaaba and held him towards the
sky and said:
“O Allah, by the right of this newborn,” and he repeated this twice or thrice,
saying: “By the right of this infant, send down heavy and continuous rain upon
us.” Thus, not an hour passed, but that clouds gathered in the sky and rain fell; so
much so that they feared that the Masjid would be destroyed and Abu Talib
recited his Lami verses [which ended with the Arabic letter ‘L’] which begin as
follows:
“That illuminated and effulgent faced one, through whose honor the
clouds were requested. He is the supporter of orphans and refuge for
widows.”
Then he mentions the verses of this panegyric. And as was mentioned
before,4 it is clear for researcher that Abu Talib composed this panegyric when he
was in the valley (Sheab). Thus, praying for rain by Abdul Muttalib and his son
(Abu Talib), the elder of Mecca through the means of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on
the day when he was an infant and a youth is the proof of sincere monotheism of
these two gentlemen, their faith in God, recognition of seal of Prophet and their
belief in purity of owner of this message from the first day.
If these two were the only incidents available, it would have been sufficient
and it is not necessary to pursue further evidences of his faith.
2. Abu Talib (a.s.) and the beginning of Prophet’s mission
Hanbali jurist, Ibrahim bin Ali bin Muhammad Dinawari, in his books of
Nihayatul Talab and Ghayatus Sa-ool fee Manaqib Aale Rasool,5 has narrated
through his chains of narrators from Tawus from Ibne Abbas in a lengthy
tradition that Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said to Abbas:
“Almighty Allah has commanded me to make my call apparent and has
informed me that and sought my report, what is your opinion about this?”
Abbas said: “Nephew, you know that people harbor great envy for sons of
your grandfather. Now that this excellence would be added, it would create a
great calamity and much hardships and all of us would become their targets. They
would destroy all of us. But you become proximate to your uncle, Abu Talib,
because he is your elder uncle. You will not be safe if he does not assist you.”
So both came to Abu Talib and when the latter saw them, he asked: “I
definitely know something, what has brought you here now?”
Abbas quoted the statement of Prophet and his own reply to it. Abu Talib
glanced at the Prophet and said: “O my nephew, go out and make your call
evident, as you are of lofty rank and nobility and your clan would support you
and your father is of higher rank. And by God, the Arabs would be humiliated
before you like a kid (of goat) bends before its mother. Indeed, my father recited
all the books and said: A prophet would be born from my progeny. I wish to live till that time and believe in him. Thus, whoever of my sons lives till his time, he
should believe in him.”
Allamah Amini says: Do you think that Abu Talib narrates the faith of his
father with such confidence and from the first day he was so supportive to
Prophet and advises him to announce his call and mention God openly. And he is
certain that he was that same prophet, which his father and previous scriptures
had promised. And he makes the forecast that Arabs would pay homage to him
and in spite of all this, he did not believe in him?! This is nothing but falsehood!