Ahle Sunnat have exceeded all limits in making allegation and displaying
enmity to the great warrior of Islam, who was the first of Muslims after his
righteous son, and the only supporter of the religion of God. In such a way that
they have not remained content with invented stories; they have even targeted
Quran and changed its original words and in this way, brought three verses from
Quran and interpreted them to be evidence that Abu Talib did not accept belief.
They are as follows:
First verse
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْـَٔوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ (٢٦)
“And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and
they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do
not perceive.”1
Tabari and others have mentioned through the channel of Sufyan Thawri
from Habib bin Ubayy Thabit from one, who heard from Ibne Abbas that the
latter said:
“These verses were revealed about Abu Talib, who forbid others from
harassing Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), but himself refrained from entering the
circle of Islam.”2
Allamah Amini says: The revelation of this verse regarding Abu Talib is
not correct from many aspects:
1. The tradition is narrated through incomplete chains of narrators and the
narrators between Habib and Ibne Abbas are not specified. Numerous trustless
persons have narrated this from Ibne Abbas and perhaps this one may one of
those unknown persons.
2. Only Habib bin Abi Thabit has narrated this tradition and if we suppose
that he was himself reliable, we cannot be sure about his traditional reports, because Ibne Habban3 said: He was Mudallas [he concealed defect in the report].
Aqili has written:4 Ibne Aun has criticized him and he narrated traditions
from Ata, which should not have been narrated.
We do not dispute against chains of narrators of this traditional report due to
the presence of Sufyan Thawri in it and we will not blame him for this statement
that: “Sufyan resorts to wrong attribution and narrates traditions from excessive
liars.”5
What is narrated from Ibne Abbas through a number of proper channels
contradicts this report, in reports which Tabari, Ibne Mundhir, Ibne Abi Hatim
and Ibne Marduya have narrated through chains of Abi Talha and Aufi from Ibne
Abbas, it is mentioned: “Disbelievers forbid people from believing in
Muhammad and themselves, kept away from him.”6 In these reports, there is no
mention of Abu Talib’s name.
What is concluded from the holy verse is that Allah, the Mighty and High
condemns people, who were alive at that time, and who prohibited following
Prophet and who kept away from him; and also it is concluded that their negative
conduct to Prophet was as such only, and they followed this practice at the time
of revelation of the verse.
But with reference to two traditional reports, which shall be mentioned and
which Ahle Sunnat regard as authentic; it is mentioned in those reports that the
verse of Surah Qasas:
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ اعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
“Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides
whom He pleases, and He knows best the followers of the right
way.”7
…was revealed after the passing away of Abu Talib and about him.
It cannot be said that the verse of:
وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْتَونَ عَنْهُ ، وَإِنْ يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
“And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and
they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do
not perceive.”8
…which was revealed for those living at that time, can be regarding Abu
Talib, because according to what is mentioned in Itqan,9 Surah Anam, in which this verse is present, was revealed10
after five Surahs following Surah Qasas and how it can be said to be related to Abu Talib, while he was dead long ago?