Doubting Hazrat Abu Talib’s (a.s.) Faith Is Like Challenging Allah’s Will

⏱ Reading time: 4 min 

Brief Biography

• Birth: 29th Shawaal

• Name: Imran ibn Abd al-Muttalib

• Kuniyyat: Abu Talib

• Titles: Sayyed al-Bathaa, Momin-e-Quraish, Nasir al-Nabi, Kafil al-Rasool, Mohsin-e-Islam

• Wife: Fatima bint Asad (peace be upon her)

• Sons: Talib, Jafar, Aqeel, Ameerul Momineen Imam Ali (peace be upon them)

• Demise: 26th Rajab

• Buried: Janna al-Mo’alla, Mecca

Introduction

The faith and righteousness of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) hold a significant place in Islamic history, especially through the lens of the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them). Let’s explore this further with reference to Quranic verses and narrations from the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them).

Purity of the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them)

The verse of Purity (Tatheer) (Surah Ahzab (33): verse 33) highlights Allah’s intention to purify the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them)

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًۭا

"Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity, O people of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification." 

This verse highlights the divine protection and purification bestowed upon the Prophet & his household (peace be upon them)

Impurity Associated with Disbelief and Sin

Other Quranic verses emphasize that impurity (al-rijs) is associated with disbelief and sin.

كَذَٰلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

“Thus does Allah place defilement upon those who do not believe.” (Surah Anaam (6): verse 125).

وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ

“But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has [only] increased them in evil [in addition] to their evil. And they will have died while they are disbelievers.” (Surah Tawbah (9): verse 125)

“Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, in his book ‘Fath al-Bari,’ confirms that the term ‘al-Rijs’ means ‘impurity.’ Based on the Quranic verses mentioned above, the following can be classified as impurities:

• Sin – Surah Ahzab (33): 33

• Disbelief – Surah Tawbah (9): 125

• Punishment – Surah Anaam (6): 125

The two verses from Surah Ahzab and Surah Tawbah emphasize the spiritual impurity of those who reject faith, while in the verse of Purity (Tatheer) (Surah Ahzab (33): 33), Allah the High, mentions His intention of keeping impurity away from the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them).

Doubting the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) raises a significant question against these verses that declare the purity of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and his holy progeny (peace be upon them):

• How could Allah entrust the guardianship of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) to someone considered spiritually impure (God forbid) while He has promised to keep impurities away from the Prophet and his family (peace be upon them)?

Support and Protection by Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him).

A narration in Bukhari emphasizes the protection Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) provided to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny):

Narrated Abdullah bin Al-Harith bin Naufal: Abbas bin `Abdul Muttalib said, “O Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him and his holy progeny)! Did you benefit Abu Talib with anything as he used to protect and take care of you, and used to become angry for you?”…

Reference: Bukhari, Book 78, Hadith 232

It defies logic that someone who steadfastly protected the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and his mission until the end of his life and displayed anger for his sake could be deemed ‘Impure’.

Despite this, the Ahle Tasannun have a strange penchant for placing Hazrat Abu Talib, Hazrat Abdul Muttalib, and the parents of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon them) into Hell. We have discussed their hatred towards Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) in a separate article.

Teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them)

Imam Ali al-Reza (peace be upon him) responded to a man who wrote to him expressing doubts about Hazrat Abu Talib’s (peace be upon him) faith with the following words:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Now then, whoever follows a path other than that of the believers, We will lead him to what he has chosen (Surah Nisa (4):115), and indeed, if you do not acknowledge the faith of Abu Talib (peace be upon him), your destination will be the Fire.”

References:

• Kanz al-Fawa’id, vol. 1, p. 182-183 

• Behar al-Anwaar, vol. 35, page 110, H. 40

This narration underlines the severe consequences of doubting the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) and reinforces the importance of his belief near the Ahlul Bayt’s (peace be upon him).

Conclusion

• By examining the above-mentioned Quranic verses, it becomes apparent that questioning the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) is akin to challenging the Divine Will of Allah the High, who decreed purity for the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon him).

• The Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon him) have explicitly stated that the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) is an integral part of Islamic belief, about which even the slightest doubt can lead a person to hellfire.

We pray to Allah to be included among the followers of this great personality of Islam and in doing so get amnesty from the fire of hell.

References:

• Bukhari, Book 78, Hadith 232

• Kanz al-Fawa’id, vol. 1, p. 182-183

• Behar al-Anwaar, vol. 35, page 110, H. 40