When Takfiri Tarek Fatah declared the Holy Prophet’s beloved uncle an infidel – by Irfan Qadri
Related posts: We condemn Tarek Fatah’s stereotyping and incitement to murder of Shiite Muslims – by Mohsin Jaffer
Takfiri Tarek blames Sunnis for Hazrat Ali’s murder and Shia genocide – by Irfan Qadri
As a Sunni Hanafi Muslim, I condemn Tarek Fatah’s insult against Hazrat Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him), the benefactor and beloved uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
On Twitter, two days ago, Tarek declared Hazrat Abu Talib (R.A.) as an infidel (Kafir).
Tarek Fatah @TarekFatah
@ahadhussain @abdulnishapuri Abu Talib was not a Muslim. What is the issue? He never converted to Islam. That is a fact.
I ask: is Tarek an Islamic Mufti to declare fatwa of anyone’s infidelity (kufr) or Islam? Who has given him the authority to declare anyone Kafir? How is he different from other Takfiri mullahs who declare Sufi Sunnis, Ahmadis, Shiites etc as Kafir? Why did he choose to present an opinion of kufr (naooz billah) of Hazrat Abu Talib which reflects a Salafist mindset and account?
Hazrat Abu Talib is hated by Takfiris and Salafi-Wahhabis because of his relationship with Shiites first Imam Ali; Abu Talib was Imam Ali’s father. Sunni Muslims consider Hazrat Ali (R.A.) as the fourth Rashidun Caliph and hold him and his father in high respect.
What Takfiri Tarek has said is not only religiously insensitive, it is also historically inaccurate.
According to all Shias and most Sunni Sufi scholars, Hazrat Abu Talib was a Muslim and a beloved uncle and benefactor of the holy Prophet (PBUH).
Tarek Fatah’s comments regarding Hazrat Abu Talib are a continuation of his disgusting attacks on the victims of Takfiri terrorism. After indirectly blaming my Shia Muslim brothers for the genocide that they have been facing by Takfiri (extremist Deobandis/Wahabis), Tarek made further shocking generalizations.
“Sunnis assassinated Hazrat Ali”
“Shias curse Sahabas, Sunnis kill Shias”
etc
This is the type of hate mongering that is used by Takfiri terrorists to justify their attacks on all Muslims who disagree with their tactics. Oversimplication of issues, distorting history to suit one’s biases and reducing complex issues to an us vs them binery.
Hazrat Abu Talib (R.A.) looked after the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) since the age of eight after the death of his father Abdul Muttalib (who was Holy Prophet’s grand-father). For the next 42 years, he was like the Holy Prophet’s father. When the Holy Prophet announced his prophethood, Hazrat Abu Talib (R.A.) stood by him like a rock. He supported the Holy Prophet (pbuh) during his most trying times and when he died, the Holy Prophet mourned for him and Hazrat Khadija (R.A.) for one year!
Please refer to prominent anti-Taliban Sunni scholar, Allama Tahir ul Qadri. Even Shias use him as a source to prove that Hazrat Abu Talib was never a disbeliever. One of the signs of a degenerate mindset is to malign and slander those who are one’s benefactor.
Reinforcing the Takfiri belief that Hazrat Abu Talib is a sign of such degeneration.
“Sunnis assassinated Ali”
Hazrat Ali was killed by a Takfiri Khariji Ibn-e-Muljim who was not a Sunni. Is Tarek Fatah naive or dishonest to equate Takfiri Kharijis with Sunnis?
“Sunnis killed Imam Hussain”
Everyone, especially most Muslims barring few friends and relatives, failed Imam Hussain. His sacrifice awakened the true spirit of Islam (refer to Mir Anees, Dabir and Iqbal) which was standing up for truth, justice and the right cause. Our elders taught us that such values are the real Sunnah.
Tarek Fatah blames Sunnis for the murder of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Imam Hussain and the rest of the Holy Prophet’s family. What is the difference then between him and extremist Christains and Nazis who blame Jews for the murder of Jesus Christ (Hazrat Issa)?
Collective blaming is the same reductionist mentality of the Takfiris and Tarek applies it to both Sunnis and Shias. Both sects remember Imam Hussain in their way. All over Pakistan, Sunnis used to open Sabeels (free drinks) and cook langar (food) for mourners of Hazrat Imam Hussain.
As a Sunni Hanafi Muslim, I have great love for the teachings of Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain. We love the Saints of the Qadirriyah and Chishtiyah order and my life long dream is to visit the Durgah at Ajmer. In our belief, it is not important what sect our Saints belonged to. Many of them were descendants of Holy Prophet (pbuh) and we admire them for their teaching and their love and inclusiveness all of mankind.
Before the Takfiris gained control in Pakistan (thanks to PNA movement that installed General Zia ul Haq), Sunnis and Shias handled their differences with debates known as Manazras. There were hardliners on both sides but they were only a fringe, not the mainstream. Only Ismail Deobandi (a Deobandi who converted to Shia) used to engage in criticism (not abuse) of our Sahaba-e-Karam. Otherwise Manazras were mostly on metaphysics and interpretation of the Quran.
The Takfiri element has infiltrated Sunni ideology via Salafist ideology and needs to be exposed. Even JUI-F, a Deobandi political group has been targeted recently for opposing Takfirism.
However, for people like Tarek, it is all black and white. Typical Wahabi-Salafi mentality. There is nothing in his discourse that aims to deal with complex issues. For someone who poses as a liberal/Marxist reformer and a moderate Muslim, he is now painting targets on the two largest groups within Muslims, the Sunni and the Shia. For him, both deserve to be collectively maligned and punished for the acts of a few.
Because of his Takfiri attitude and recent incitement to violence against my Shiite brothers, Tarek Fatah is labelled as #CanadianZarqawi and #TakfiriTarek. Abu Musab Zarqawi was a Takfiri Salafi of Jordanian origin who killed thousands of Shiiites and Sunnis in Iraq. Tarek Fatah appears to be an English speaking, refined version of Zarqawi.
Fast forward to the present:
For Tarek, the genocide of at least 190000 Shias in Pakistan is a part of Sunni-Shia conflict. By lying about one side of the equation, Tarek is also lying about the other.
Attack on Bari Imam Shrine (Islamabad 2003)
Blast at Jhal Magsi Shrine (Balochistan 2005)
Suicide massacre of Karachi’s Sunni leaders at Patel Para (Nishtar Park, Karachi 2006)
Blast on Data Darbar (Lahore 2010)
Blast on Abdullah Shah Ghazi (Karachi 2010)
Destruction of Rahman Baba Mazar (Peshawar 2010)
All these major attacks took place on Sunni Muslims in Pakistan by the ISI-backed TTP-ASWJ-LeJ combine – the same Takfiri Deobandi-Salafi group responsible for Shia Genocide in Pakistan.
Still insisting that this is a Shia-Sunni conflict?
Shame on Tarek Fatah. The Jew Is not Your Enemy, the Shia is not Your Enemy and the Sunni is not your Enemy Either!
You are a hypocrite who has misrepresented the most important Muslim issues to dilute the role of Takfiri terrorists. It would be a tragic illusion if you continue to call yourself as “progressive”, “secular”, “moderate”. Your response to Mohsin Jaffer was to call WSF an “Iranian blog”. What will you call me – a Riyadh agent? Or a murder of Hazrat Ali (R.A.)?
Of course, the whole world knows who is the Takfiri apologist here!
A sample of reaction on Twitter
Karrar @KarrarrHussain
@tatom2k Uncle @TarekFatah is off western radar currently. his views no longer worth buying. So he’s coming with his Shia-phobe tweets now@tatom2k
Y TarekFatah whining libidos!he thinks by getting in2 sensitive matters help current going hate? Hate produces hate soz he doing@MahdiBaloch
KSA Riyals do speak & become part of one’s blood & beliefs, xmpl –> RT @TarekFatah Abu Talib was not a Muslim @ahadhussainTalat Hameed @hameedtalat
@TarekFatah @munaeem @owaisz:What a immense tragedy when educated people think like this! How have todays Muslims become so narrow minded?Karrar @KarrarrHussain
@YousufNazar Meet new beardless Takfiri >@TarekFatah . See his TL and tell me how’s he different from Malik Ishaq.Karrar @KarrarrHussain
@AliAbbasTaj @AbdulNishapuri This beardless Takfiri > @TarekFatah , the pseudo-Marxist is exposing himself more as he tweets.Karrar @KarrarrHussain
@AliAbbasTaj @AbdulNishapuri Why don’t I see @TarekFatah in this pic https://twitter.com/#!/AbdulNishapuri/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Flockerz.com%2Fs%2F239790226 ? A beardless takfiri wud look good with IshaqAbdul Nishapuri @AbdulNishapuri
A universal bigot. RT @mangoparent @TarekFatah your ridiculous and bigoted tweet implies Mormons aren’t Christians! You hypocrite!Ali Taj @AliAbbasTaj
@KarrarrHussain @AbdulNishapuri @TarekFatah @ahadhussain No Abu Talib = No Islam only enemies of Islam can say what Tarek saysKarrar @KarrarrHussain
@AliAbbasTaj @AbdulNishapuri Good to see @TarekFatah so glaringly demonstrating his senility. Lol. He was an intellectual? Lol.Karrar @KarrarrHussain
@AliAbbasTaj @AbdulNishapuri I think @TarekFatah has the task to translate Takfiri literature for Western jihadis. Good going. @ahadhussainShiaHazaraGirl @ShiaHazara1
@tarekfatah And we wonder how do extremists grow up. Now order a fatwa that Abu Talib was a Kafir @ahadhussain @AbdulNishapuri @AliAbbasTajAhad Hussain @ahadhussain
@AliAbbasTaj @AbdulNishapuri @TarekFatah Prophet(saww) did not find any need to migrate from Makkah till Abu Talib(as) was alive.Ali Taj @AliAbbasTaj
@AbdulNishapuri @TarekFatah @ahadhussain Hz Abu Talib conducted Nikkah of Prophet Pubh, no non muslim could conduct Nikkah.Ali Taj @AliAbbasTaj
@AbdulNishapuri @TarekFatah @ahadhussain Tarek which fundamentalist books are you readin. Hz Abu Talib was the savior of Islam not shiaAbdul Nishapuri @AbdulNishapuri
@ahadhussain Most Sunni Barelvi scholars share this view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj_cmxZc9a4 If Abu Talib (a.s.) is not Muslim, no one is! @TarekFatahAbdul Nishapuri @AbdulNishapuri
Salafist mindset. RT @TarekFatah @ahadhussain Abu Talib was not a Muslim. What is the issue? He never converted to Islam. That is a fact.Tarek Fatah @TarekFatah
@ahadhussain @abdulnishapuri Abu Talib was not a Muslim. What is the issue? He never converted to Islam. That is a fact.Baqir Sajjad @Baqirsajjad
@ShiaHazara1 @Arif_Hazara @tarekfatah why discuss a bastard. Leave him alone to bark in wilderness. We don’t need certificate from anyoneWorld Shia Forum @WorldShiaForum
@tarekfatah #CanadianZarqawi must be arrested. After his hate speech, a Shia judge was killed in Pak.Tarek Fatah @TarekFatah
Yr Ayatollah slip is showing @WorldShiaForum: RT “@TarekFatah shd be arrested. After his hate speech, a Shia judge was killed in Pakistan”World Shia Forum @WorldShiaForum
@TarekFatah We are aware of your indoctrination in Saudi Arabia and camouflaged hatred of Jews. http://pakistanblogzine.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/is-tarek-fatah-really-a-friend-of-jews/ … #CanadianZarqawi
World Shia Forum 
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Learned as Tarek Fatah is. However here it would appear he has perhaps, rushed through the pages of Islam’s history and does not appear to have a close grasp of it otherwise he would have arrived at a logical conclusion r.e the history of the Prophet’s uncle. Hazrat Abu Talib as stated in this forum read the nikah of our Prophet (pbuh) a mushrik cannot read the nikah of a Prophet. He raised his nephew and supported him till his last breath. The prophet could not reside with his uncle and eat the same food if he was god forbid a mushrik as He (The Prophet) pbuh had been ordained by God to refrain from the company of mushrik’s.
Evidence of racist and anti-Shia sectarian views of Saudi-indoctrinated bigot Tarek Fatah, please spread widely. http://pakistanblogzine.wordpress.com/tag/tarek-fatah/ https://worldshiaforum.wordpress.com/tag/tarek-fatah/ http://criticalppp.com/archives/tag/tarek-fatah
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And idea is with the Sunnis saying that Abu Talib (ra) died a Kafir (Astaghfirallah). The point of this thread will be to prove he didn’t and debunk the Sunni arguments. Firstly Abu Talib was the father of Imam Ali (as) and the uncle of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) . He took care of the Prophet after Abd Al Muttalib died, and treated the Prophet like a son. He was the head of the Quraish and always stuck behind the Prophet. At the end he died the same year as Khadija, after the sanctions on the Prophet and Muslims ended. Something to note is that Sunnis had some odd conception of the Sahaba, as in Abu Talib uncle and helper of the Prophet burns in hell forever, Mu’awiya the enemy of the Prophet, Imam Ali, and Islam, goes to Janat, as in this is some odd thinking, but let’s proceed to the main topic.
First Abu Talib, before the advent of Islam, never worshiped idols, and was a Hanifa, and on the religion of Ibrahim, like a lot of Bani Hashim (excluding some such as Abu Lahab (La’nat Allah)), as can be seen when he recited the Nikkah and the Sermon for the Nikkah of the Prophet and Khadija. In his sermon, he starts off saying “All praise is due to Allah”, as recorded in Al Sirah Al Halabiyya, Volume 1 Page 139. Though Allah was a high God to the Kafir of Makkah in those days, the highest God and Idol to them was Hubal, and they would constantly praise him, and bring him to battles, so this was odd.
Now read this Hadith, which tells us that Abu Talib followed the laws of Islam, before they were to be laid out, and the Prophet’s mission began:
Abu Talib, even in the days of ignorance, considered intoxicants Haraam for himself.
Referenced in Al Sirah Nabawiyya page 80
Okay, now that we’ve established these points before Islam started, let’s focus on the arguments you’ll hear about after Islam started, and that he died In Kufr, then refute him.
First argument you will get is this:
Narrated Al Musaiyab : When Abu Talibs death approached, the Prophet ( saw ) went to him while Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya were present with him. The Prophet ( saw ) said : ‘ O Uncle, say : None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, so that I may argue for your case with it before Allah. ‘ On that Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya said : ‘ O Abu Talib ! Do you want to renounce Abdul Muttalib’s religion ? ‘ Then the Prophet ( saw ) said, ‘ I will keep on asking ( Allah for ) forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so. ‘ Then there was revealed
” It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that
they should pray for forgiveness for pagans even though they
be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are
the companions of the fire.” [ 9 : 113 ]
Sahih Bukhari Kitabul Tafseer Arabic English Volume 6 Page 158 Tradition no. 197
So according to them this Hadith is evidence for Abu Talib’s death in Kufr, and the Prophet was ordered not to pray for him. Let’s refute it, and show it’s faultiness. Firstly, examine the Surah 9, ie Surah Tawba.
It is a Madinite Surah, except the last two Ayaat (128&129)
It was revealed when a clan from Bani Quraish broke the treaty of Hudaybiya, and it came as an ultimatum
It was revealed in year 9 of Hijra
And off topic, but this is some back ground about the Surah, The Prophet (pbuh) had ordered Abu Bakr to announce first part of it during the days of the pilgrimage of that year when he sent him as an ‘ Amir Al Hajj ‘. Then he sent Imam Ali to take that part from him and announce it, because God commanded him that no one should deliver the revelation other than himself or a man from the members of his House. This was narrated in the following Hadith: The Messenger of Allah sent Abu Bakr to the people of Mecca with the Chapter of al-Bara’ah and when he proceeded, (the Prophet) sent for him and asked him to return the chapter and said: “No one takes it to them except one of my Ahlul-Bayt.” and thus he sent Ali for this mission.” With the following Sunni sources:
– Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v2, p183, v5, pp 275,283
– Musnad of Ahmed Hanbal, v1 pp 3,151, v3, pp 212,283
– Fadha’l al-Sahabah, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p562, Tradition #946
– Hakim in his Mustadrak, v 3 p 51
– Al Nisai in his Khasais al Awliyah, p 20
– Fadhail al Khamsah, v 2 p 343
– Siratun Nabi by Shibli Numani, v 2 p 239
This Surah was revealed all together, like Surah Yusuf
Okay now that we have some background on the Surah, let’s have some background on the death of Abu Talib.
Abu Talib died after the sanctions on the Muslims from the Bani Quraish
He died in the year of grief
The year of grief is in 619 AD, which was 12 years before the revelation of Surah 9
Okay logically looking at this, how was the 113 verse of the chapter revealed about a person and an event which took place 12 years earlier, that makes no sense, if it was about Abu Talib, it would have had been revealed then and there. So that Hadith falls (We’ve refuted the Hadith, let’s see what’s also wrong with the narrator in the nest part).
Now a similar Hadith, again by the Narrator Abu Musaiyab, as quoted in the book of Shibli Numani, Siratun Nabi, Volume 1, page 219, and 220, he writes the following:
On return from the mountain, the Prophet had hardly passed a few days in peace when Abu Talib and Khadija both died. He paid his last visit to Abu Talib when he was dying. Abu Jahl and Abd Allah ibn Ummaya were already there. The Prophet asked Abu Talib to recite the credo of Islam, so that he might bear witness to his faith in the presence of Allah. Abu Jahl and Ibn Umayya expostulated with Abu Taleb and asked if he was going to turn away from the religion of Abd Al Muttalib. In the end Abu Talib said that he was dying with is belief in the religion of Abd Al Muttalib. Then he turned to the Prophet and said that he would have recited the creed but he feared lest the Quraish should accuse him of fear of death. The Prophet said that he would be praying to Allah for him till He forbade (Bukhari on the Chapter of Funeral. The last sentence has been taken from Muslim and not Bukhari). This is the version of Bukhari and Muslim. Ibn Ishaq says that while dying Abu Talib’s lips were in motion. al-Abbas who was till then a nonbeliever, put his ear to his lips and then said to the Prophet that he was reciting the Shahada the Prophet had wanted of him.
Plus the other “Abu Talib burns in Hell” hadith you have all over Sunni books. Okay, so we have him using Abu Musaiyab there, he then writes in his book Al Aini, Chapter Janaiz or Funeral,Volume 4, p age 200:
But from a traditionist’s point of view this report of Al Bukhari is not worthy taking as reliable because the last narrator is Musaiyyab who embraced Islam after the fall of Mecca, and was not himself present at the time of Abu Talib’s death. It is on this account that Al Aini in his commentary has remarked that this tradition is Mursal.
And he writes on page 221:
Abu Talib made great sacrifices for the Prophet none can deny that. He would even sacrifice his own children for his sake. For his sake he had exposed himself to the odium of the whole country, and for his sake he had passed years in state of siege, suffering starvation as an exile, unprovided with food or drink. Will all this love, sacrifice and devotion go unrewarded ?
And Ibn Abil Hadid tells us in Shahr Nahjul Balagha Volume 1, page 370 that Ibn Musaiyab:
He didn’t like Ali Ibn Abi Talib
He refused to read the funeral prayers of Imam Zainul Abideen
He obviously didn’t like Imam Ali, or his family, do you think he’ll narrate truthful and good things about his father?
And the following Sunni Tafseers tell us Surah 9 had nothing to do with Abu Talib:
– Tafsir Kashshaf, volume 2 page 49
– Tafsir Qurtubi, volume 8 page 273
– Tafsir Itqan, volume 1 page 18
– Tafsir Showkani, volume 3 page 316
Okay so this argument falls, it has nothing to do with Abu Talib
Okay next argument you’ll get:
“And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do not perceive it.” Qur’an 6:26
Tabari relates from Sufiyan Soori who relates it from Habib ibn Abu Thabit who narrated it from somebody saying that Ibn Abbas said ‘that this verse came down for Abu Talib, because he used to protect Mohammad from the Kafirs but he never recited the Shahada.
References being:
– Tabaqat of Ibne Sa’ad, volume 2 page 105
– History of Tabari, volume 7 page 100
– Tafsir Ibn Katheer, volume 2 page 127
– Tafsir Kashaf, volume 1 page 448
– Tafsir Qurtubi, volume 6 page 406
Let’s see this argument fall now. Firstly reading the Hadith, we see it’s in past tense, saying that “It came down about Abu Talib, because he used to protect Mohammad from the Kafirs, but never recited Shahada”. Clear past tense, the verse then says “And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do not perceive it.” This verse is in clear present tense, if a verse is in present tense, it’s discussing something happening then, why on earth would it be referring to something that happened in the past.
Next point, the chain of Hadith says that the last person in the line of transmitters (Habib Ibn Abu Thabit) says he heard from someone who heard it from the main narrator (Ibn Abbas). According to the criteria of Hadith, this is unacceptable, especially for such an important situation. But for argument’s sake, let’s over look this, and see what else is wrong with the chain. Okay, look at the following information told to us now:
In the eyes if Ibn Habban, Habib is a ‘deceiver’, and Aqili Ibn Aun has ‘avoided’ Habeeb since Habib has copied Ahadith from Ata’a which are ‘ absolutely unacceptable ‘. Qita’an says that Habib’s hadeeths other than Ata’a are also unacceptable and are not safe from being fake. Abu Dawud quotes from Ajri that the hadeeths narrated by Habib from Ibn Zamraa are not correct. Ibn Khazima comments that Habib is a ‘deceiver’
Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, volume 2 page 179
Okay further information about the narrators as Dhahabi writes:
Sufyan narrations are lies.
Mizan al-Itidal, by al-Dhahabi, volume 1 page 396
Plain and simple, he’s a liar.
Okay the Hadith falls, now let’s see what the Ayat is actually about.
Tabari states that the above verse came down for all the mushrikeen who used to stay away from the Prophet and used to advise others to stay away from him (the Prophet)
-Tafsir Tabari, volume 7 page 109.
-Tafsir Durre Manthoor, volume 3 page 8
Again this accusation falls.
Okay, now what’s the definition of a (in the terminology of the Qur’an) Kafir? According to Al Mizan Fi Tafsir Al Qur’an, by Allamah Tabataba’ei, he states that a Kafir is: Someone who knowingly, willingly, and arrogantly rejects Islam-even though it is made clear to them, as confirmed in 2:6: “Surely those who disbelieve, it being alike to them whether you warn them, or do not warn them, will not believe.” Okay, the reason I want to establish this is because in several places in the Qur’an, we’re told about such disbelievers, and how we should associate with them, and they were revealed before Qur’an 9:113, the alleged verse against Abu Talib, so for argument’s sake, let’s keep the verses in this time frame, so we see that Abu Talib was not a Kafir, and could not have had been one, otherwise the Prophet went against the Qur’an:
Qur’an 4:144: “O you who believe! do not take the unbelievers for guardians rather than the believers; do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves?”
Tafsir Qurtubi volume 5 page 1, tells us this verse is revealed in Makkah. If Abu Talib was a disbeliever, why on earth would the Prophet (pbuh) violate the Qur’an and take him as a friend and as a protector. Or why on earth would he pray for him, how on earth does it make sense he’s a Kafir. Next verse:
Qur’an 58:22: “You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the latter day befriending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their (own) fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk; these are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and whom He has strengthened with an inspiration from Him: and He will cause them to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him these are Allah’s party: now surely the party of Allah are the successful ones.”
Tafsir Ibn Kathir volume 4 page 329, Tafsir Shoo Kafi volume 5 page 189, Tafsir Aloosi volume 28 page 37. All of them tell us this verse is revealed in or around the time of the Battle of Badr, which would be about 7 years before Surah 9 came down. Would the Prophet (pbuh) be mourning over a Kafir, when this instructed him not to? Last verse:
Qur’an 3:28: “Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; and whoever does this, he shall have nothing of (the guardianship of) Allah, but you should guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully; and Allah makes you cautious of (retribution from) Himself; and to Allah is the eventual coming.”
Sirah Ibn Hisham volume 2 page 207 tells us the first 80 Ayaat of Surah 3 were revealed at the first year of Hijra, would the Prophet be mourning over a Kafir?
These are going to be the best and most intellectual arguments you’ll get, we’ve refuted them, now let us look at some evidences for Abu Talib’s belief.
Firstly, you have the fact that he read the Nikkah of the Prophet to Khadija, you’ll get counter arguments from a Sunni saying “That was before Islam though!” Well, the Prophet was always a Prophet, (Biggest proof is when Jesus speaks from his cradle and announces he’s a messenger, even though his message at that moment had not come) look at his life, he practiced the future teachings of Islam his whole life:
Never worshiped idols
Never oppressed
Never took intoxicants
Never ate from Haraam
Never took interest
Never abused anyone
Never lied
etc.
He practiced his teachings to build a reputation before the advent of Islam, you think he’ll let a Kafir read his Nikkah?
I’m sure the reader must have seen the film The Message (1976) or have read a biography of the Prophet, in it they will not that the Kafirs came to Abu Talib and asked him to ask the Prophet to stop his religion. And he went to do it, to which he gets a reply from his uncle says “My Uncle, tell them whether they put the sun in my right hand, or the moon in my left, I will not renounce my message, which is from God.” Then Abu Talib gives this response: “Come back my nephew, go one, say whatever you like, I’ll never let you down.” This has been recorded in Tarikh Tabari volume 2 page 281, Shahr Nahjul Balagha volume 3 page 306, Sirah Al Halabiyya volume 1 page 306, Tarikh Ibn Kathir volume 2 page 258, and many others.
Now let’s see some more sayings of Abu Talib about the Prophet and about Islam:
>>I believe that Mohammed’s faith is the best of all the religions of the Universe.
-Shahr Nahjul Balagha, Ibn Abil Hadid, Volume 3 page 306
-Al Isabah, Volume 4 page 116
-Sirah Halabiyya, Volume 1 page 305
-Talha At Al Talib, page 5
-And others too
>>To exalt him He derived his name from His own; the One on High is called Mahmood while He named him Mohammed. There is no doubt, that Allah has made him a Prophet. So Ahmad is the most praised figure in the universe.
-Tarikh Ibn Kathir, volume 1 page 266
-Tarikh Ibn Asakir, volume 1 page 275
Abu Talib at his death:
>>By Allah, He has uttered the words which you have requested, Oh messenger of Allah!
-Ibn Hisham page 146, Cairo edition
-Dailal Al Nabuwiyya, Bayhaqqi, volume 2 page 101
And the Prophet says to him on his death:
>>You verily have been kind to your next of kin, may you be rewarded well.
-Ibid volume 2 page 103
-Tarikh Ibn Kathir volume 3 page 125
-Al Isabah volume 4 page 116
-And many more
There are many other sayings and such traditions, I’ve just selected a special and strong looking few from the Sunni books, and out of the sake of time and space, I’ll use these.
Now, in those days of Arabia, we know people there were master poets, thus the reason the Qur’an came in poetry as a miracle for those people, so Abu Talib wrote poetry about his nephew the Prophet, he has written over 3000, let’s look at 3 stanzas:
Let all of the people know that Muhammad
Is the wazir of Musa and Isa
he came to us with guidance
which Allah had guided him
everyone is guided through
their love of Muhammad
Does a Kafir say this? He accepts Musa and he accepts Isa? A Kafir says Mohammad’s mission is from Allah? Next stanza:
Allah has honored the Prophet Muhammad
And the most honorable of Human beings is Muhammad
Allah ripped apart from his name Mehmood
and gave it to Muhammad
A Kafir says this?
By God they will never reach you, their whole gang
Untill I have dust completely covering my face
So go ahead with your mission
You are under my eyes
You invited me and knew that I was a guide to you
And you invited me and knew that I was trustworthy with you
And you invited me because you knew that I knew
that Islam was the greatest religion in the eyes of Allah
These are not the words of a Kafir..
The Sunni references being:
Al Muhabil Dunya, volume 1 page 72
Balughul Adaab, volume 1 page 327
Sunni al Mutalib, page 5
Tabaqat of Ibn Sa’ad, volume 1 page 123
Finally, can someone be a Mo’min without formally announcing it, as in can they be a Muslim in Taqiyya. Look no further than the Qur’an:
First we’ll see it’s permission in the Qur’an on a Muslim:
16:106: He who disbelieves in Allah after his having believed, not he who is compelled while his heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens (his) breast to disbelief– on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.
Clear permission to use it. Now is there in an example in the Qur’an of what Abu Talib did? Let’s see down below:
Qur’an 40:28: And a believing man of Firon’s people who hid his faith said: What! will you slay a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and indeed he has brought to you clear arguments from your Lord? And if he be a liar, on him will be his lie, and if he be truthful, there will befall you some of that which he threatens you (with); surely Allah does not guide him who is extravagant, a liar.
Like that man was to Musa, Abu Talib was to the Prophet.
Therefor I conclude, after having have brought counter arguments and refutations, and then Hadith with good standings (from Sunni books), and then my final evidence from the Qur’an. Without a doubt, Abu Talib died a Muslim.
Out of restriction of use of emoticons, I could not write (pbuh) and (as) or (ra) every time I gave a name, so at this moment I take the chance to send peace and blessings on those who I mentioned who deserve it.
Sources:
-Shi’ah Islam
-Abu Talib (book)
-The Message (Ayatollah Jafar Subhani)
-Peshawar Nights (Series of debates)
-Ammar Nakshawani (Abu Talib: Muslim or Kafir?)
-Shiite Encyclopedia (printed book)
-Ali Brother of Mohammad (book)
-Biography of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (book)
http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/235005527-was-abu-talib-a-muslim-or-kafir/
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Hazrat Abu Talib, the first Muslim! https://lubpak.com/archives/290009