Also, the Prophet and believers are prohibited friendship and with polytheists and hypocrites through following verses: Surah Nisa 4: 144 & 139;
Surah Aale Imran 3:28; Surah Munafiqoon 63:6; Surah Taubah 9: 23 & 81.
In spite of these verse, which were revealed before the verse of seeking
forgiveness, do you think that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) sought forgiveness for his
uncle for a number of years while (on the basis of this report) before the eyes of
His Eminence – refuge of Allah – he died a disbeliever? No, by God, it is not so
and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) is remote from this.
Perhaps, due to these factors, Husain bin Fadhl has regarded it unlikely that
the revelation of verse was regarding Abu Talib and wrote: It is unlikely, because
Surah Taubah was the last Surah to be revealed and Abu Talib passed away in the
early period of Islam and when Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was in Mecca.
Qurtubi has mentioned this statement in his Tafseer1 and accepted it.
4. Regarding the context of revelation of the verse of seeking forgiveness
from Surah Taubah, there are reports, which contradict this report, among them
being: reports which Muslim has mentioned in his Sahih and Ahmad in his
Musnad, Abu Dawood in his Sunan, Nasai and Ibne Majah2 that the cause of
revelation of verse of seeking forgiveness, as narrated from Abu Huraira was
that:
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) came to the grave of his mother and wept and
all those accompanying him also wept. Then he said:
“I pleaded to my Lord to permit me to seek forgiveness for her, but He did
not permit. I sought His permission to visit her grave, and He gave permission.
So visit the graves, as it reminds you of the hereafter.”3
Zamakhshari, in Kashaf,4 has quoted the tradition regarding revelation of
verse regarding Abu Talib; then he has mentioned this tradition to be the cause of
revelation of the verse and he says:
This is the most correct view, because demise of Abu Talib occurred before
Hijra and this was the last Surah to be revealed in Medina.
Qastalani has written in Irshadus Sari:5
It is proved from this report that when Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
performed Umrah, he came to the grave of his mother and appealed to Almighty
Allah to allow him to seek forgiveness for her. Then this verse was revealed.
Hakim6 has mentioned this report; and Ibne Abi Hatim has narrated from Ibne Masud, Tibrani7
has narrated from Ibne Abbas and this report proves that the revelation of the verse was after demise of Abu Talib and the fact is that the
revelation of the verse was not repeated.
Allamah Amini says: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) till the Battle of
Tabuk and after the revelation of the verse as we mentioned, knew that seeking
forgiveness and intercession for polytheists was allowed for him and the
believers. Then why he sought permission from Allah to seek forgiveness and
intercession for his mother? Do you think that his mother comes under a rule
other than that of other people? Or the fact is that this report is fabricated and it
puts the nobility of Prophet under question and makes purity of his mother
stained with blemish of polytheism?
After all this, the value of the statement of Zajjaj would become clear to you
when he says:
“Muslims have consensus that this verse was revealed about Abu Talib.”
Also, the value of the statement of Qurtubi becomes clear that he mentioned
after quoting the words of Zajjaj that:
“The right thing is what was mentioned: Most commentators have consensus
that this verse was revealed about Abu Talib.”8
أَنْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ، وَكَفَى بِهِ إِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
“See how they forge the lie against Allah, and this is sufficient as a manifest sin.”9