Saturday 25 May 2013

Abu Taleb; Sheild of the Prophet


Abu Taleb; Sheild of the Prophet


By His Eminence Sayed Mahdi Al Modarresi
Question:
What evidence do the Shia have to show that Abu Taleb, Imam Ali’s father, was a believer and did not die as an idolator?
Answer:
Since belief – by definition – is a matter of the heart, the only way it can be demonstrated is by words and deeds. As for making unequivocal proclamations of faith, Abu Taleb has done so through his poetry, seen as the most eloquent means of communication at the time. Had a single verse of poetry such as those of Abu Taleb been uttered by the likes of Abu Jahl, one would have seen Wahhabis running around erratically proclaiming them to be among the greatest of companions!
However, Abu Taleb’s belief continues to be a matter of suspicion, or rather, outright rejection because of a “crime” from which he can never be acquitted: his crime is that he is the father of Ali! Pagan grudges and bitter recollections from the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khaibar, and Hunain towards Imam Ali – who was the greatest hero and chief architect of these victorious battles – built a steel wall in front of basic reason. Imam Ali, whose swordsmanship and bravery brought the most vicious idolators to their knees, is resented in such a way that even his father cannot escape the black hole of hatred created by the Umayyad dynasty.
Defending Abu Taleb against accusations of disbelief is like defending Jesus against claims of violence! Yet the enemy’s black propaganda machines have made it necessary to do so.
This enmity was also passed down to ordinary Sunni Muslims. The enmity toward Ali is such that the unmistakable statements of Abu Taleb testifying to the oneness of God and the prophethood of his own adopted son are dismissed as rhetoric and figurative poetry!
How could they ignore the obvious; that a man who sacrificed his position, wealth, and eventually his life to afford all the protection he could to the Prophet, is one who believes in him. Allah says:
والذين اووا ونصروا اولئك هم المؤمنون حقا لهم مغفرة ورزق كريم
Those who believed and left their homes and strove for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them – these are the believers in truth. For them is pardon, and bountiful provision. [8:74]
Scholars have presented indisputable evidence of Abu Taleb’s faith in books such as Allamah Majlisi’s Behar (v. 35), Amini’s Al Ghadeer (v. 7 & 8), Mortadha Ameli’s Al Sahih (v. 3) among many others. I shall present just 5 proofs herein:
Proof #1: The abundant, unequivocal, and authenticated narrations of the Ahlulbayt:
Dozens of narrations by infallible members of the Holy Household confirm, without a shadow of doubt, the fact that Abu Taleb was nothing short of an upright monotheist. Among them is the narration of Imam Ali himself who said: “By God, my father and my grandfather Abdul Muttaleb, as well as Hashem [Prophet's great grandfather] and Abd Munaf [his great great grandfather] never worshipped an idol.” He was then asked whom they worshipped. He said “They prayed to the House [of God] according to the religion of Abraham, holding firmly to his faith”.
Also among these narrations, is one by Imam al Sadeq who said “the arc angel Gabriel descended upon the Prophet and said: O’ Mohammad, your Lord sends His peace upon you and says ‘I have made the fires of hell forbidden upon the loins which bore you, the womb which carried you, and the laps that gave you refuge. [He added] The loins were his father Abdullah son of Abdul Muttalib, the womb which carried him was his mother Amenah hint Wahab, and the lap was his uncle Abu Taleb.” ~ Alghadeer by Amini.
Also among these narrations: Imam al Sadeq asked Yunos “What do people say about Abu Taleb? Yunos said “they claim he is in a shoal of blaze, wearing a pair of shoes made from fire that boil the top of his head!. The Imam replied: the enemies of God are lying! Verily Abu Taleb is among the companions of “prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they! [Qur'an 4:69].”
Note: What is interesting is that the word ‘shoal’ (or ‘Dhahdhah’ in Arabic) refers to an area of shallow water. This shows that whoever concocted the narration lacked basic understanding of Arabic vocabulary, since it makes no sense to refer to fire contained in a shallow ditch of water!
Among these narrations is also one in which Imam al Kadhem was asked by Abu Baseer “My master, the people say that Abu Taleb is engulfed in such a fire that his brain boils from its blaze! The Imam replied: they are liars! By God, if the belief of Abu Taleb was put on one side of the scale, and the belief of all of God’s creatures on another, the scale of Abu Taleb would be heavier than that of the rest of the people..”
There are many other narrations demonstrating the impeccable status of Abu Taleb, which we shall leave to researchers to dwell into.
Proof #2: Abu Taleb’s own testimonies:
One objective, unbiased, look at these testimonies will reveal the great depth of Abu Taleb’s faith, beyond a shadow of doubt.
Examples:
أَنْتَ الْأَمِينُ أَمِينُ اللَّهِ لَا كَذَبَ *** وَ الصَّادِقُ الْقَوْلُ لَا لَهْوَ وَ لَا لَعِبَ‏
أَنْتَ الرَّسُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَعْلَمُهُ *** عَلَيْكَ تَنْزِلُ مِنْ ذِي الْعِزَّةِ الْكُتُب‏
You [Muhammad] are the trustworthy one, trusted by God, indeed
You are the truthful one in your speech which is no vain nor play
You are the messenger, the prophet of God, we know that for a fact
Upon him are books descended from the Glorious One
Abu Talib also urged Najashi, king of Habasha, to offer his support and protection to the Prophet:
تَعَلَّمْ مَلِيكَ الْحَبَشِ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً *** نَبِيٌّ كَمُوسَى وَ الْمَسِيحِ ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ‏
أَتَى بِالْهُدَى مِثْلَ الَّذِي أَتَيَا بِهِ *** وَ كُلٌّ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ يَهْدِي وَ يَعْصِمُ‏
وَ أَنَّكُمْ تَتْلُونَهُ فِي كِتَابِكُمْ *** بِصِدْقِ حَدِيثٍ لَا حَدِيثِ الْمُرَجَّمِ‏
وَ لَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ نِدّاً وَ أَسْلِمُوا *** فَإِنَّ طَرِيقَ الْحَقِّ لَيْسَ بِمُظْلَم‏
Know, O’ King of the Ethiopians, that Muhammad
is a prophet like Moses and Jesus son of Mary.
He came with guidance such as they did,
for each of them was through God’s mercy a guide and protector [from evil]
Concerning him, you recite verses in your scriptures;
a true account it is, not a fantastic tale.
Do not, therefore, take equals with God; rather submit,
for the way of truth is not obscured in darkness.
Abu Taleb also offered words of moral support to Hamza (also known as Abu Ya’la) and congratulated him for accepting Islam:
فَصَبْراً أَبَا يَعْلَى عَلَى دِينِ أَحْمَدَ *** وَ كُنْ مُظْهِراً لِلدِّينِ وُفِّقْتَ صَابِراً
فَقَدْ سَرَّنِي إِذْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكَ مُؤْمِنٌ *** فَكُنْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ فِي اللَّهِ نَاصِراً
وَ نَادِ قُرَيْشاً بِالَّذِي قَدْ أَتَيْتَهُ *** جِهَاراً وَ قُلْ مَا كَانَ أَحْمَدُ سَاحِرا
Be steadfast, O Abu Ya’la in the faith of Ahmad;
Show forth your faith, may you be strengthened in your resolve!
Follow the footsteps of him who came with true faith from his Lord;
It fills me with joy when you said that you are a man of faith;
Be, then, a true supporter of the Messenger of Allah in Allah’s cause.
Call the people of Quraysh to that which you have been given;
Proclaim openly to them that Ahmad is indeed not a sorcerer!
Ibn Abi al Hadid al Mu’tazeli also narrates in his commentary on Nahjul Balagha that Imam Ali said: My father said: O son, hold on to your cousin (the Prophet) for with him you will be immune from all evil, be it present or future. Then Imam Ali narrated that Abu Taleb recited the following verses:
إِنَّ الْوَثِيقَةَ فِي لُزُومِ مُحَمَّدٍ *** فَاشْدُدْ بِصُحْبَتِهِ عَلَى يَدَيْكَا
“The tight rope is that of Muhammad, so hold on to to his companionship with your two hands”
Then Ibn Abi al Hadid narrated another of Abu Taleb’s poems:
إِنَّ عَلِيّاً وَ جَعْفَراً ثِقَتِي *** عِنْدَ مُلِمِّ الزَّمَانِ وَ النُّوَبِ‏
لَا تَخْذُلَا وَ انْصُرا ابْنَ عَمِّكُمَا *** أَخِي لِأُمِّي مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ وَ أَبِي‏
وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَخْذُلُ النَّبِيَّ وَ لَا *** يَخْذُلُهُ مِنْ بَنِيَّ ذُو حَسَب‏
In Ali and Ja’afar is my reliance at times of adversity and trial
Do not abandon and make sure you support your cousin (Muhammad) who is like a brother to me born of my father and mother
By God, I shall never forsake the Prophet, and neither will any of my sons whose lineage is noble
Abu al Faraj al Esbahani has also narrated that Abu Taleb said:
زَعَمَتْ قُرَيْشٌ أَنَّ أَحْمَدَ سَاحِرٌ *** كَذَبُوا وَ رَبِّ الرَّاقِصَاتِ إِلَى الْحَرَمِ‏
مَا زِلْتُ أَعْرِفُهُ بِصِدْقِ حَدِيثِهِ *** وَ هُوَ الْأَمِينُ عَلَى الْحَرَائِبِ وَ الْحَرَم‏
Qur’aish has claimed that Ahmad is a sorcerer. They are liars, by those who perform the pilgrimage to the sacred mosque.
I have known him to be truthful in his speech, and he is the trustworthy one in war and in peace.
Ibn Abi al Hadid has also narrated through “many” chains, some leading back to Abbas son of Abdul Muttalib, some leading back to Abu Bakr, that “Abu Taleb did not die until he said ‘I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is his messenger’. It is also well known that upon his death, Abu Taleb whispered something into his brother Abbas’s ears”.
Abul Fara and Sha’rani, both of whom are Sunni scholars, have also narrated that when Abu Taleb’s death drew near the Prophet said: O’ uncle, say it (i.e. the testimony of faith), and I shall offer my intercession on the day of Judgement. Abu Taleb then replied: “My nephew, had it not been for fear of reproach and that Quraish will say that he said it out of fear of death, I would have said it. But when his death became imminent, he began moving his lips, so his brother listened closely. Then Abbas said: By God, O my nephew, he has just uttered the proclamation that you commanded him to make. Then the Prophet said: Praise be to God who guided you, O uncle.”
Let us not forget that the above Hadiths are Sunni narrations, which are irrelevant, since Abu Taleb has unequivocally confirmed his faith throughout his life. It’s also important to note that the alleged concern over the “reproach of Quraish” makes no sense because what Abu Taleb had suffered at the hand of Quraish was much more than mere reproach. He was subjected to the worst treatment possible and eventually perished due to starvation while besieged. Despite all of this, this narration is sufficient to lay all doubts raised by Sunnis to rest.
Proof #3: Abu Taleb’s Actions and Character:
One cannot help but wonder how a man who stood by the Messenger during his most difficult years, first taking him in at the request of Abdul Muttaleb who upon his death asked his son to afford his grandchild Mohammad all the care and affection that a special, yet orphaned child. His unconditional support for the Prophet continued throughout the next 10 years after the revelation. So much so, that it is reported Abu Taleb would relocate his nephew from his bed several times every night, and place his own son Imam Ali in the Prophet’s bed, in case there was an attempt on the life of Mohammad! Anyone with the slightest bit of objectivity can easy discern a deeply-rooted commitment to the cause and an unparalleled faith in the message on the part of Abu Taleb.
Ibn Kuthair, a prominent Sunni historian, states in his famous collection, v.2, p.42: “Abu Taleb said to the Prophet, “O nephew, as long as Abu Taleb hasn’t been buried under the sand, and his head isn’t lying on a rock, your enemies shall not lay a hand upon you. So go forth, declare what you have commanded to reveal, fear no one, preach the glad tidings. You have called me to your faith and I know that you call unto none other than what is righteous, for you are truthful. Verily the message of Mohammad is among the best of all messages”.
How could one who does not believe in a message, abandon a kingdom of riches and abundant prosperity in Mecca, for a life of misery and pain deep in the valleys of the barren deserts in order to protect the messenger?! Three long and difficult years were spent in the valley which ultimately became his final resting place, and there are those who ask for more proof of his belief? This is surely an even stronger sign of his faith than mere statements, as a verbal testimony may or may not be truthful, but action speaks louder than words.
History books bear countless bold acts of prowess by Abu Taleb in defense of the Prophet, which go beyond the scope of this paper. See ‘Al A’laam by Qortobi, v.13, ‘Al Ghadeer, by Amini, among others.
Proof #4: Lack of Historical Evidence:
This argument, used by Sibt Ibn al Jawzy, states, in basic terms, that Imam Ali had many enemies throughout his life. These were individuals with a pathological hatred towards the Imam who often fought him, both prior to and after their alleged ‘conversion’ to Islam. They would also spend much time and effort in trying to find character flaws or use any means to defame the Imam, even if it meant resorting to Argument ad Hominem fallacies. He often debated them and exposed their hideous agendas.
However, as far as historical records show us, not once did any of the Imam’s enemies accuse his father of being a non-believer! Imam Ali even went as far as to tell Mu’awyah in a letter “Umayyah is nothing like Hashem, nor is Harb like Abdul Muttaleb, or Abu Sufyan like Abu Taleb, or the Migrant like the Released..” in a clear reference to the fact that Mu’awyah’s ancestors were idol-worshippers with no credentials, versus the noble ancestors of Imam Ali. Despite this personal attack on Mu’awyah, he could not (and ultimately did not) respond by accusing Abu Taleb of being an idol-worshipper as is now claimed by Sunnis.
Had this been the case, Imam Ali’s enemies who used every means possible to character-assassinate him would have certainly seized on this issue. Had the narration of the “shoal of blaze” and the “fiery slippers” actually been stated by the Prophet, you would have heard it being recited by orators, and sung by poets during Siffin and beyond! The lack of any such claims shows clearly that these lies were, in fact, concocted by the Umayyads after the martyrdom of Imam Ali, since no one had the audacity to bring about such flagrant travesties during the Imam’s lifetime.
Proof #5: His continuous marriage to Fatima hint Assad:
According to Islamic law (as mentioned in the Qur’an as in 60:10 and others) a consensus exists among jurists of all islamic sects that when a non-believer converts to Islam and her husband refuses to accept Islam, they automatically become separated, yet Fatima Bin Assad, Abu Taleb’s wife and mother of the Commander of the Faithful, openly declares her Islam and becomes a loyal follower of the Prophet, but remains the wife of Abu Taleb until his death without the Prophet ever objecting. This alone shows that Abu Taleb was, in fact, a Muslim.
We shall now list briefly just a few more proofs of Abu Taleb’s faith for those who wish to investigate the matter further:
• Abu Taleb’s sermon at the Prophet’s engagement, which contains many indication as to his belief in his nephew’s message.
• His encouragement for his son to follow the Prophet, saying “verily he shall not guide you to anything other than righteousness, so stand by him”. Would he instruct his to follow a religion, that he himself did not believe in?!
• His instructions to his other son Ja’far, to stand by the Prophet’s side, saying “be like a wing to your cousin, pray to his left side [while Ali prays to his right]”
• His support, not only for the Prophet, but also to all new Muslims in their plight and suffering.
• His final will and testimony to his tribe of Banu Hashem, saying “you shall be well and in property so long that you follow the instructions of Mohammad and obeyed his command. So follow him and support him and you shall be guided”
• The Prophet’s overwhelming grief upon Abu Taleb’s death, and his remarks upon declaring the ‘Year of Sorrow’ after the death of both his uncle and his wife Khadijah.
• According to ‘Asna al Mataleb’ by Ibn Asaker and others, the Prophet instructed Imam Ali to prepare his father’s body for burial as they do for all Muslims (using committal and funeral traditions reserved exclusively for believers), then cried bitterly upon his entombment and addressed his uncle saying “May Allah reward you, O’ uncle, for you sponsored and raised me as a child, then supported and defended me as an adult”. The prophet then said “I shall intercede for you in such a way so as to amaze the entire Thaqalayn [both the humans and the jinn] on the day of judgement”.
• Upon Abu Taleb’s death, God sends his arc angel Gabriel to warn the Prophet “O’ Mohammad, leave Mecca for you no longer have a supporter after Abu Taleb’s death”.
Finally, it is worth quoting a narration by Imam al Sadeq which sums up the lofty status of Abu Taleb:
“..عن الصادق عليه السلام عن آبائه أن أمير المؤمنين علي عليه السلام كان جالساً في الرحبة والناس حوله فقام إليه رجل فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين إنك بالمكان الذي أنزلك الله وأبوك معذب في النار . فقال عليه السلام : مه ، فض الله فاك ، والذي بعث محمداً بالحق نبياً ، لو شفع أبي في كل مذنب على وجه الأرض لشفّعه الله فيهم ، أبي يعذب في النار وابنه قسيم الجنة والنار؟! والذي بعث محمداً بالحق إن نور أبي طالب ليطفئ أنوار الخلائق إلا خمسة أنوار : نور محمد، ونور فاطمة، ونور الحسن، ونور الحسين، ونور ولده من الأئمة ، ألا إن نوره من نورنا خلقه الله من قبل خلق آدم بألفي عام” (بحار الأنوار ج35ص69رواية3باب3).
“It is narrated by the Commander of the Faithful that he was once seated surrounded by a large crowd. A man stood up and asked: “O’ Master of Believers, [how is that] you are in this [lofty] position chosen by God, while your father is in the inferno?”. The Imam replied: Silence! By the One who sent Mohammad as a truthful messenger, if Abu Taleb intercedes for every single sinner on the face of the earth, God would accept his intercession! My father is in hell, while his son is the divider of heaven and hell?! By the One who sent Mohammad as a truthful messenger, the light of Abu Taleb outshines the light of all other creatures except for five, the light of Mohammad, Fatima, Hassan, Hussein, and the light of his children; the Imams. Verily, his light is from [the same source as] our light, which God created prior to the creation of Adam by two thousand years”. ~ Bihar al Anwar, v.35, p69, Hadeeth 3, ch.3.

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