Faith is such an entity that its reality can be concealed
in the hearts due to special circumstances and in such situations its reality
cannot be determined by anyone except by those who are bestowed with ilim e
Gayb and are aware of the conditions of hearts,
its inclining towards and its repelling against.There are ample such
examples in history where the believers had to conceal their faith due to the
circumstances prevalent during that time, of which some are even brought
forward in the Holy Quran like the Ashab e Kahaf, Momin e Firaun etc.
As for Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s) then we must understand
that he was no ordinary person that an enquiry be conducted to determine his
faith.The books of history are replete with his achievements and
accomplishments in the protection of Islam and the Holy prophet (sawa). The
certification of this fact comes from the side of Allah directly as confessed
in Sharh e Nahjul balagah of Ibne Abil Hadeed Motazeli volume 1 page 29 thus:
لما توفي أبو طالب أوحي إليه ع و قيل له اخرج
منها فقد مات ناصرك
After Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s) had passed away it was
revealed to Prophet (sawa) leave from here (Mecca for Medina) certainly your helper
has died.
Indeed Janab e AbuTalib (a.s) in his lifetime on many
occasions had made it clear from both his words and deeds that he was amongst
the foremost ones who believed in the Prophethood of Muhammad (sawa) and was
ready to sacrifice everything he had for the protection of the Prophet (sawa)
of Allah. And one of the most important events confirming this fact is called
in the books of history as the “Shaib (valley) of Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s)”
Hazrat AbuTalib (as)’s sincere
protection of Prophet
The event of Shaib e Abu Talib is detailed, Hazrat Abu
Talib (a.s) resisted against the Quraysh while they had decided to severe off
economic ties and in whatever possible manner finish the Prophet (sawa) of
Islam. As a result the Muslims were confined in a Shaib i.e. valley surrounded
by mountains, from 7th year to the 10th year or
proclamation. Our hearts burn when we remember that our beloved Prophet (sawa)
and the true believers had to stay in this valley for 3 years in the scorching
heat of Mecca in a state that everyone has severed ties with them and deserted
them to such severe trials. Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s) spent all the wealth he
possessed and also the magnanimous wealth of Janab e Khadija was exhausted in
the protection of the suckling Islam in this valley. Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s)
used to be extremely vigilant in the protection of the Holy Prophet (sawa) so
much so that sometimes he would flatten the place where Holy Prophet (sawa)
used to sleep and at times when he anticipated an attack on the Prophet (sawa)
in the middle of the night, he made Hazrat Ali (a.s) sleep in the bed of
Prophet (sawa). And there is no surprise
that this practice of Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) became a sunnat of Allah that He
ordered His Prophet to make Ali sleep on his bed in the night of Hijrat. The
love of Hazrat AbuTalib (as) for the Prophet of Allah was so extreme that he
did not care for his wealth neither was bothered for his beloved children and
was ready to sacrifice everything he possessed for the sake of Islam and the
Prophet (sawa).
Reference to the event can be found at the following
sources:
تاريخاليعقوبي،ج 2،ص 31 ـدلائلالنبوةللبيهقي،ج 2،ص 361
ـالبدايةوالنهايةلإبنكثيرالدمشقي،ج 3،ص 105 ـالسيرةالنبويةلإبنكثير،ج 2،ص 43
ـتاريخالإسلامللذهبي،ج 1،ص 221 ـالدررلإبنعبدالبر،ص 53 ـالنزاعوالتخاصمللمقريزي،ص
66 ـسبلالهديوالرشادللصالحيالشامي،ج 2،ص 377 ـالسيرةالحلبيةللحلبي،ج 2،ص 25
In reality Shaib e Abu Talib is the most extreme form of
protection of Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) extended for the Prphet (sawa) in which he
never cared of his own life or the lives of his own children. Our question to
the muslim nation here is why were Abu Bakr and Umar not to be seen on this and
every occasion of trial upon Islam that demanded altruistic sacrifices?
As for the whereabouts of Abu Bakr during this event, we
find that Abu Jafar Al Iskafi writes in his book Almeyar wal mawazena Page 88,
“Then you should ponder a little as to
what trials and tribulations Hazrat Ali ibne Abi Talib (as) was undergoing in
this siege along with the Prophet (sawa)….And Abu Bakr along with his family
was secure and in ease”
And Umar not being a Muslim, shamelessly tortured the
Muslims and also wanted to kill Holy Prophet (sawa) during this period. As
the sunni scholar Zahni Dahlan writes in his book Tareekh
e Islam volume 1 page 181:
At the time when Muslims were migrating to Ethiopia Umar
asked where are you going? Why do you want to leave Mecca? They replied due to
the severe torture you inflict on every person who becomes Muslim.
Anas bin Malik narrates Umar took his sword and on his
way met a person from the tribe of zohra, he asked Umar where are you going?
Umar replied I am going to kill Mohammed, the person said if you kill
Mohammed how will you save your life from the bani hashim and the tribe of
Zohra do you not wish that I direct you towards your sister and your brother in
law that both have become Muslims? Umar
went to his brother in law and started beating him then her sister came to the
rescue of her husband upon which Umar beat her on face such that blood started
flowing from her face…
Tareekh al Islam of Zahhabi Volume 1
page 174, Tareekh e Madina e Damishk of ibne Asakir volume 44 page 34, Fath e
Bari fi shar e Sahihbukhari of Ibnehajarasqalani volume 7 page 38, umdatulQari
fi sharah e sahi al bukhari of Aiyni volume 17 page 9, Durulmansoor of
Jalaludinsoyuti volume 4 page 293, tabaqat e Qubra of mohammed bin Saad volume
3 page 267, Shar e Nahjulbalagah of IbneAbilHadid volume 12 page 182.
Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) in the Prophetic
traditions:
Apart from his actions the sayings of Holy Prophet (sawa)
& Aimmah Masoomeen (a.s) enumerate his merits in a way that is unimaginable
and astonishing to the intellects. Here is not the place to deal with this
topic in details but a glimpse to the fact can be observed from the following
two traditions:
أخرج
ابن الجوزي بإسناده عن علي عليه السلام مرفوعا: هبط جبرئيل عليه السلام علي فقال :
إن الله يقرئك السلام ويقول: حرمت النار على صلب أنزلك، وبطن حملك، وحجر كفلك، أما
الصلب فعبد الله، وأما البطن فآمنة، وأما الحجر فعمه يعني أبا طالب و فاطمة بنت
أسد.Ibne Jawzi has narrated from his chain from Hazrat Ali ibne Abi Talib (a.s) that Jibrael descended and told to Prophet (sawa) Surely Allah sends salutations to you and says that fire is prohibited upon the loin that brought you and the womb that carried you and the guardian that protected you.As for the loin then it is Janabe Abdullah (as) and as for the womb then it is Janabe Amena (as) and as for the guardian then it is his uncle (and aunt) i.e. Janabe Abu Talib (as) and Fatema binte Wahab (as)
(Al Gadheer volume 7 page 378 narrating from
Tazeemwalmunat page 25 of Hafiz Suyuti)
And in one another tradition from Imam Baqir (a.s):
لَوْ وُضِعَ
إِيمَانُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فِي كِفَّةِ مِيزَانٍ وَ إِيمَانُ هَذَا الْخَلْقِ فِي
الْكِفَّةِ الْأُخْرَى لَرَجَحَ إِيمَانُهُ
If the Faith of Hazrat AbuTalib (as)
is placed on one pan of the weighing scale and the faith of all the creations on another pan
of the scale, his faith will be weightier.
(Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 35,
p. 156 narrating from SharhNahj al-Balaaghah of IbnAbi al-Hadeed al-Motazeli,
vol. 14, p. 68)
كتبأبانبنمحمودبنإلىعليبنموسىالرضاعليهالسلام:
جعلتفداكإنيقدشككتفيإسلامأبيطالب.
فكتبإليه: ومنيشاققالرسولمنبعدماتبينلهالهدىويتبعغيرسبيلالمؤمنين.
الآية:
وبعدهاإنكإنلمتقربإيمانأبيطالبكانمصيركإلىالنار
Aban Bin Mahmood wrote a letter to
Imam Reza (a.s), May I be your ransom certainly I doubt in the Islam of Hazrat
AbuTalib (as). Imam (a.s) replied starting with the verse of Quran “
“if anyone contends with
the Messenger Even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows
a path other than that becoming to men of Faith”
And after this if you still
do not believe in the faith of Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) then your abode will be
the fire
(SharhNahj al-Balaaghah of
IbnAbi al-Hadeed al-Motazeli, vol. 14, p. 68)
Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) as per the sunni
scholars:
Let us conclude the discussion with the words of the
sunni scholar At-Talmassani who says when mentioning Hazrat AbuTalib (as):
"He should not be mentioned
except with protecting the Prophet (s) because he protected and supported the
Prophet (s) in saying and doing. Criticizing Hazrat AbuTalib (as) would harm
the Prophet (s) and he, who harmed the Prophet (s), would be unbeliever and the
unbeliever should be killed."
(Al gadheer volume 7 page
382 narrating from Hashiyato Ashifa & Fatawa of Allama Ajhoori)
If the readers are really interested in drilling further
down in this matter and learn the opinions of revered sunni scholars of the
order of Qurtubi, as-Sabki, ash-Sha`arani, IbneWahshi, Abu Tahir, al-Barazanji,
As-Sayooti, ZayniDahlan regarding the Faith of Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) we invite
them to refer to the master piece of Allama Amini (r.a) Al-Gadheer Volume 7
page 382, 383 & 384).
Conclusion:
Despite Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s) numerous and unparalleled
merits there are still some nasibis who in the enmity of Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib
(a.s) doubt his faith, in the process rejecting the numerous traditions
regarding his merits and all his sacrifices and contributions documented in the
books of History. It is sheer prejudice that forces this group to not believe
in the faithof Hazrat AbuTalib (a.s) while at the same time they defend the
faith of proven disbelievers, criminals and drunkards of the likes of Yazeed
(LA). What a misery that they acquit Shajar e Maloona of Kufr and Jahannam
while their hatred towards Hazrat Ali (a.s) does not permit them to believe
that the father of the distributor of Hell and Paradise will be in
paradise. It is up to the readers to make an unbiased decision on this matter
and arrive on a fair conclusion so that the ajr e resalt to Holy prophet can be
presented in the best of the manner.
