As for male family members of Bani Hashim clan and sons of Abdul
Muttalib and Abu Talib, they have only reported about his stable faith and his
acts in providing assistance to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), which prove that he was a
faithful believer in the religion of His Eminence (s.a.w.a.); and the members of a
family are more aware of what goes on in the family.
Ibne Athir has written on Jamiul Usul:
According to the belief of Ahle Bayt (a.s.), no one from the uncles of
Prophet except, Hamza, Abbas and Abu Talib embraced Islam.
Yes, Ahle Bayt (a.s.) in their times emphatically and clearly announced the
Islam of Abu Talib (a.s.) and took a stance against those, who opposed this issue.
“If Huzam (name of a woman) says a thing, you should testify for her;
because it is right what Huzam says.” (Arabic couplet)
1. Ibne Abil Hadid says in his Sharh:1
It is narrated through numerous chains of narrators, some of which reach to
Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib and some to Abu Bakr bin Abi Qahafa that Abu Talib
did not pass away till he recited the dual testimony of faith. And it is a well
known that at the time of his demise, Abu Talib mentioned something softly and
Abbas heard him.2 It is also narrated from Ali (a.s.) that Abu Talib did not pass
away till he approved the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) [and embraced Islam].
Allamah Amini says: We mentioned this tradition for the sake of accompaniment with Ahle Sunnat, otherwise he, at the time of passing away, did
not need to recite these two confessions: those two valuable confessions, to
which he devoted his whole life to defend through his poetry and prose and to
propagate and defend them; and he bore severe hardships and terror in their
implementation. So when did he become a disbeliever and when did he become
misguided that he should embrace faith and should be guided by recitation of
these two statements?
2. Ibne Saad, in his Tabaqat,3 has narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abu Rafe
from Ali (a.s.) that I informed the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) about the demise
of Abu Talib. He lamented and said: “Go and give him the funeral bath, shroud
and bury him, may Almighty Allah forgive him and have mercy on him.”
Also, it is mentioned in the words of Waqidi that:
“Then he wept bitterly and said…”
3. It is narrated from Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Harith that Abbas asked: “O
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), do you have hope about Abu Talib?” He replied:
“I hope for all goodness in his favor from my Lord.”
Ibne Saad has mentioned this report in Tabaqat,4 through correct chains of
narrators, all of whose reporters are trustworthy.
4. t is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that he said to Aqil
bin Abi Talib:
“O Abu Yazid, I like you from two aspects: one because of your relationship
to me and another due to the fact that I know that my uncle, Abu Talib loves
you.”5
This is a true evidence of the fact that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was certain of
the faith of his uncle, otherwise what is the value of loving an infidel that it
should impel him to love his children?
Jamaluddin Ushkhar Yemeni in Sharhul Bahjat, has written in the
explanation of this tradition that:
“Among the manners of friendship is that one should love one, whom the
friend loves.”
If Abu Talib had not embraced faith – refuge of Allah – would Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.a.) have issued such statements after his passing away and expressed
love for Aqil as his father loved him? Are you not amazed?
5. Abu Nuaim6 and others have narrated from Ibne Abbas and others that:
Abu Talib loved Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) deeply, and he did not love any of
his sons like that; and he gave precedence to him over his sons; that is why, he
always slept besides him. Whenever he went out, he accompanied him.
When Abu Talib passed away, the Quraish harassed the Prophet to such an
extent that he never slept like he had done during the lifetime of Abu Talib.
So much so that fools caught him and cast mud on his head and Messenger
of Allah (s.a.w.a.) came home with dust on his head. One of his daughters arose
and while weeping, washed the mud and Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said:
“Don’t weep, my daughter, indeed Almighty Allah protects your father.
Quraish did not do what they liked with me as long as Abu Talib was alive.”
It is mentioned in other words that the Quraish remained fearful as long as
Abu Talib was alive and it is mentioned in another version that the Quraish were
always fearful till Abu Talib passed away.7