Abu Talib; The great supporter of the Prophet
- Updated On Friday, 25 July 2014
- Written by Allamah Qurashi
- Editor Faisal Shaheen
- Supervisor Sayyed Roohullah Musavi
- Published on Wednesday, 07 May 2014
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- Hits: Please explain the role of Abu Talib in protecting the Prophet and also in the propagation of Islam
The Prophet (a.s.) grew up under the true love and care of his Abu Talib who was overly loyal in his love and kindness to The Prophet. In fact, he preferred t him and who preferred him to all his family and children too. Priests and parsons had told him that his nephew would have a great importance later on. Therefore, he feared too much for him and he did not leave him alone day and night.1 He did not entrust him to anyone else than him. Abu Talib became certain that his nephew would be the last of prophets and the master of messengers; therefore, he submitted himself and spent all his powers to serve him and look after all his affairs. Abu Talib's wife, Lady Fatima bint Asad, had a very important role in serving and looking after Muhammad (a.s.). She also preferred him to all her children in love and care. She recompensed him for the loss of his mother's love and kindness. She often prayed Allah to endow her with a male child to be as a brother to him, and Allah responded and granted to her Ali (a.s.)2 who was, indeed, a brother, supporter, and defender to the Prophet (a.s.).2 Abu Talib takes the Prophet to Sham The Prophet (a.s.) was twelve years old when his uncle Abu Talib wanted to travel to Sham 3 for trading. Abu Talib was unwilling to accompany his nephew with him lest he might suffer the hardships of the long journey, but the Prophet (a.s.) showed his great wish to travel with his uncle saying to him: "With whom will you leave me while I have neither a father nor a mother?" Abu Talib responded to his nephew and took him with him. The Prophet (a.s.) left Mecca with his uncle in one of Quraysh's caravans until they arrived in Sham. The caravan stopped at some place to have rest. Some priest, who was very knowledgeable in the books of Christianity, was living in that place. The priest saw that when Muhammad (who was a young boy yet) sat under a tree, its branches dangled over him. He believed that this boy would be a prophet and would be the last of prophets. He went to the people of Quraysh (of the caravan) saying to them: "I have served to you some food and I like you all, young and old ones, slaves and the free, to come." The people of Quraysh were astonished at that. One of them said: "We often and always passed by you. What is the matter with you today?" The priest replied: "What you say is true, but today you are all my guests." The men thanked him for that and they all went to his house except Muhammad (a.s.). When the priest saw that Muhammad (a.s.) was not with them, he said: "O people of Quraysh, Let no one of you not come to have food." They said that no one had remained except a young boy who was the youngest of them all. The priest asked them to invite him for the meal. When Muhammad (a.s.) came, the priest began looking at him thoughtfully then asked him: "O boy, I adjure you by al-Lat and al-Uzza4 to answer me about what I ask you." The Prophet (a.s.) said: "Do not ask me by al-Lat and al-Uzza. By Allah, I hate nothing at all more than them." The priest understood that the boy's belief was unlike the belief of the people of Quraysh who were submissive to idols, and so he asked him: "By Allah, I ask you and you should answer me." The Prophet (a.s.) said: "Ask as you like!" The priest asked the Prophet (a.s.) about his private affairs and he answered him. Then the priest looked at the sign of prophethood between the Prophet's shoulders and he turned to Abu Talib saying to him: "What relation between this boy and you?" Abu Talib said that he was his son. The priest said: "He is not your son. This boy's father could not be alive." Abu Talib said that the boy was his nephew and the priest said: "You are right! What about his father?" Abu Talib said: "His father died when his (the Prophet) mother was pregnant with him." The priest said to Abu Talib: "You are right. Bring your nephew back to his country and beware of the Jews. By Allah, if they see him and know what I have known about him, they will plot evil against him. Your nephew will be very important one." When Abu Talib accomplished his trading in Sham, he hastened back to Mecca.5 Abu Talib protects the Prophet Abu Talib was the strongest fort that defended and protected the Prophet (a.s.) against the plotting and evil of Quraysh. While Quraysh were angry and full of spite against the Prophet and resisted and fought him, but his uncle Abu Talib encouraged him to be determined and steadfast. Abu Talib addressed his nephew with these verses of poetry: "Announce your mission and never mind anything, and let your eyes be delighted. You invited me and I knew that you were sincere to me. You are the most truthful, the most honest. I have known that the religion of Muhammad is the best of religions among all of the peoples. By Allah, they won't reach you whatever numerous they were, until I am buried under the ground." These verses and other verses remained from Abu Talib declare Abu Talib's deep faith in Islam and his devotedness in defending the Prophet (a.s.). Some chiefs of Quraysh went to Abu Talib asking him to deliver Muhammad to them to kill him and to give Imarah, who was the noblest and most handsome young man of Quraysh, to him (Abu Talib) instead. Abu Talib replied to them saying: "O fools, you have not been fair to me. Fie and woe be to you! Do you want me to give you my soul and son to kill him and you give me your son to bring him up for you? How do you judge?!... By Him in Whose hand my soul is, if you give me the whole world, I will not replace it by a nail from Muhammad's foot…" Abu Talib orders Ja.far to follow the Prophet and protect as his other son Ali did. Abu Talib also sent the king of Abyssinia a letter and invited him to embrace Islam. The year of sorrow: Abu Talib's death After the Prophet (a.s.) had left the Shi'b where he and his followers were forced to undergo home arrest, he began announcing his mission among the tribes that came to Mecca. He felt safe in that under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib who had devoted his life, position, and all his abilities to serve Islam and protect the Prophet (a.s.) though he was about eighty years old and attacked by illnesses. After the Prophet (a.s.) had left the Shi'b where he and his followers were forced to undergo home arrest, he began announcing his mission among the tribes that came to Mecca. He felt safe in that under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib who had devoted his life, position, and all his abilities to serve Islam and protect the Prophet (a.s.) though he was about eighty years old and attacked by illnesses. Abu Talib faced many hardships in supporting the Prophet (a.s.), protecting, and defending him against his opponents. Therefore, illnesses attacked him and death approached him rapidly. At the last moments of his life, he recommended his family and children to support the Prophet (a.s.) and protect him against the plotting and oppression of Quraysh. Then, he breathed his last and his pure soul ascended to Allah the Almighty. The Prophet (a.s.) felt much sorrow at his uncle until that year was called "the year of sorrow". The Prophet (a.s.) lost his supporter and defender and the strong fort that he resorted to. After Abu Talib's death, Quraysh found the Prophet (a.s.) alone, and so they could harm him too much. He said: "Quraysh could not harm me with anything I hated until Abu Talib died."6
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References 1 Manaqib Abi Talib, vol. 1 p. 36. 2 It is worth mentioning that this great lady was from the first ones who embraced Islam. She became a Muslim after ten persons, and she was the first woman to pay homage to the Prophet (a.s.) when he took homage from Muslim women to abide by chastity, purity, and avoiding of sin. Scholars of Hadith consider her as one of the narrators from the Prophet (a.s.). They mention from her forty-six traditions. In Sahih of al-Bukhari and Sahih of Muslim one tradition has been mentioned from her. The death of this lady, who was too kind and compassionate to Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) and who treated him too lovingly, affected him too much. He called her .mother." The Prophet (a.s.) escorted her pure corpse with great sorrow to her last abode. When a grave was dug for her, he lay in it first and prayed Allah to forgive and have mercy on her. He was asked, .We have not seen you do to anyone else as you have done to her?" He said: "There was no one after Abu Talib kinder than her to me. I clothed her with my shirt so that she would be dressed with the garments of the Paradise, and I lay in her grave so that (the punishment of the grave) would be made easy to her." 3 Nowadays Damascus, but then, Sham encompassed the present Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. 4 The priest asked by al-Lat and al-Uzza (two idols worshipped by Quraysh) as a matter of conformity with the people of Quraysh who worshipped idols. 5 As-Seera an-Nabawiyyah by ibn Hisham, vol. 1 p. 181, 182. 6 Al-Kamil fit-Tareekh, vol. 2 p. 34.