Did Sayyidina Abu Thalib ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.) Die as a Muslim?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The followings question, on whether Sayyidina Abu Thalib ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.) die as a Muslim, was answered by Dr. Jibril Fu’ad Haddad. 

The original question was, can one believe that Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) died a Muslim?  The reason the questioner asked is because he read in Allama Shibli Nu’mani’s (r.a.) Sirat an-Nabi that there is a great difference of opinion regarding the Islam of Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) due to conflicting reports. 

Mulla Nur ad-Din Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Sulthan Muhammad al-Hirawi al-Qari’s (r.a.) Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar li Abu Hanifah stated that, “As for Abu Thalib, the report of his conversion to Islam is inauthentic.” 

Dr. Jibril said, one may believe that Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) died a Muslim but this is not the view of the majority of the ‘ulama.  They follow the patent meaning of the swahih reports and confirm their truth without adding anything further. 

There is a silent committal of the matter to Allah (s.w.t.) among the highest adab authorities of the last two centuries and they tend to accept the view of the Mufti of Makkah and Shaykh al-Islam, Sayyid Ahmad Zayni ad-Dahlan (r.a.) in his Asna al-Mathalib fi Najat Abu Thalib “The Purest Claims of the Salvation of Abu Thalib.” 

Their main argument is that Sayyidina Abu Thalib’s (r.a.) positions and sayings regarding the Prophet (s.a.w.), constitute a long string of confirmations of his Prophetic status.  He foretold his high status even before nubuwwah, at his wedding with Sayyidatina Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (r.a.).  He helped him like no one else did.  He said to him, “By the falling stars!  You never once lied to me” and pressured the Quraysh until they rescinded their 3-year embargo of the Muslims in Makkah and annulled their pact. 

On that occasion, Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) is related to have said, “Did the news not reach you that the charter was torn to pieces, and that everything Allah Dislikes is destined to ruin?”  This is narrated mursal from Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah az-Zubayr ibn Bakkar (r.a.), by Imam Tsiqat ad-Din Abu al-Qasim ‘Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Asakir (r.a.) in Tarikh Dimashq, and without chain by Shaykh ibn Ishaq (r.a.) and, through him, Shaykh ibn Hisham (r.a.), found in al-Isti’ab, al-Bidaya’ wa an-Nihaya’, Khaswa’isw, and al-Iktifa’. 

This is one of six lines spoken by Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) at the time.  Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hadi al-Kharsa said that a proof for Sayyidina Abu Thalib’s (r.a.) Salvation is in the words of the Prophet (s.a.w.), that he interceded for him to be in a shallow level of Hellfire, as recorded in Swahih al-Bukhari and Swahih Muslim, whereas Allah (s.a.w.) said of the disbelievers: 

سُوۡرَةُ المدَّثِّر

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَـٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ (٤٨) 

Then will no intercession of (any) intercessors profit them. (Surah al-Muddatsthsir:48) 

However, it can be answered that the verse is muqayyad, excepted, in the first place by the fact that the first, general intercession of the Prophet (s.a.w.) for mankind at the universal Maqam, Station, on the Day of Judgement, includes the disbelievers.  So, does his ulterior intercession for the lessening of their eternal punishment in the Fire. 

It is also related that some of the Ash’ari a’immah such as Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Qurthubi (r.a.), Imam Taqi’ ad-Din Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-Kafi’ as-Subki (r.a.), and Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn Ahmad ash-Sha’rani (r.a.) said that Sayyidina Abu Thalib (r.a.) was Saved, according to Sayyid Ahmad Zayni (r.a.), who cited the Hanafi Mufti of Makkah, Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Mirghani (r.a.), to that effect.  They mention, among other evidences, the narration from Sayyidina al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.), by Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa’d (r.a.), in his Thabaqat, “‘Affan ibn Muslim told us, that Hammad ibn Salamah told us, from Tsabit, from Ishaq ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harits, who said, that al-‘Abbas said, ‘I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, do you hope anything for Abu Thalib?’ 

He replied, ‘I hope for everything good from my Lord.’” 

The above narrators are all trustworthy and their transmission is sound, except that the meaning of the hadits is unspecific.  Further, Imam al-Qurthubi (r.a.), in his Tafsir, and Imam as-Subki (r.a.) in Thabaqat ash-Shafi’iyyah al-Kubra’, hold different positions than those ascribed to them above.  This is for the following verses: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

وَهُمۡ يَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنۡهُ وَيَنۡـَٔوۡنَ عَنۡهُ‌ۖ وَإِن يُهۡلِكُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَہُمۡ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ (٢٦) 

Others they keep away from it and themselves they keep away; but they only destroy their own souls and they perceive it not. (Surah al-An’am:26) 

سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة

قُلۡ أَنفِقُواْ طَوۡعًا أَوۡ كَرۡهً۬ا لَّن يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنكُمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّكُمۡ ڪُنتُمۡ قَوۡمً۬ا فَـٰسِقِينَ (٥٣) 

Say: “Spend (for the cause) willingly or unwillingly: not from you will it be accepted: for ye are indeed a people rebellious and wicked.” (Surah at-Tawbah:53) 

Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (k.w.) himself said that Abu Bakr (r.a.) is the only swahabi to have both parents, Sayyidina Abu Quhafah ‘Utsman ibn Amir (r.a.) and Sayyidatina Umm al-Khayr Salmah bint Sakhr (r.a.), enter Islam.  And Allah (s.w.t.) Knows best. 

Indeed, even Sayyidina ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.) has been affiliated with Islam due to other evidence.  As for the two noble parents of the Prophet (s.a.w.), they are Saved according to a vast number of the accomplished authorities.  Yet none of these items form something we are tasked with confirming, nor taken to task for denying.



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