REASONS WHY HIS LORDSHIP MUHAMMAD MUSSTAFA—U. W. B. —PROTECTED AND EDUCATED A’LI MURTAZA—MAY ALLAH ENNOBLE HIS REPUTATION—AND HOW ABU TÂLEB WAS INFORMED OF THE MISSION OF HIS LORDSHIP, AND FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF HIS OWN SON.

The principal historians relate that once there was a great famine in Mekkah, and that dearth prevailed among the Qoraish. At that time Abu Tâleb had but little property, but a numerous family; therefore his holy and prophetic lordship said to A’bbâs, who was distinguished among his contemporaries by the extent of his possessions: ‘Abu Tâleb is poor, and has a large family to support, accordingly we must try to lighten his burden during this year of scarcity, and each of us must take charge of one of his sons.’ A’bbâs having approved of this proposal, they went to Abu Tâleb’s house, explained the matter to him, and he replied: ‘Leave me, O’quail, and do with the rest as you like.’ After they had agreed on this point, his lordship the asylum of termination—u. w. b.—took A’li—u. w. b.—to his sacred house, and A’bbâs took Ja’far. A’li Murtaza— u. w. b.—was cherished by the protection of the prince of existences until he was ten years old. When Jebrâil appeared to his lordship commanding him to perform his orisons with two prayer flexions, A’li Murtaza happened to see his lordship engaged in prayers with Khodaijah; but as he perceived nought in front of them during their protrac­tions, he was astonished, and asked after they had termi­nated: ‘O Muhammad, what art thou doing?’ His lord­ship replied: ‘This is the religion which Allah the Most High has selected for himself, and I invite thee to believe in Him who has no partner.’ According to one tradition A’li made his profession of the Faith on the very same day; but according to another he replied: ‘I can do nought without first consulting Abu Tâleb.’ But as his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b.—was unwilling that the matter should be divulged on that day, he said: ‘O A’li, if thou wilt not profess Islâm, at least conceal it.’ The boy meditated on the subject during that night. Allah inspired his heart to profess Islâm, and when the love thereof had taken root in the mind of that model of piety, he said the next morning to the lord of prophets: ‘What proposest thou to me?’ His lordship replied: ‘To bear witness that there is but one God. To renounce Lât and U’zza, and to abstain from apostasy.’ Accordingly he made his profession of the Faith on the spot.

In the Fazâil-ahl-beit it is recorded that his prophetic lordship received the mission on Monday, and that A’li— u. w. b.—was made happy by professing the religion on the second day after the mission—i.e., on Tuesday—but kept the matter secret from Abu Tâleb, and was saying prayers with his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—in the recesses of the mountains. One day Abu Tâleb happened to be looking for them, but being unable to find where they were, he made inquiries from Fattimah, the mother of A’li—u. w. b.— and she said: ‘A’li is greatly attached to Muhammad, and I dread lest he be engaged in a matter contrary to the religion of our fathers and ancestors.’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘My son does not engage in such affairs without my approbation and advice.’ He, nevertheless, went in search of A’li, and discovered him in a mountain gorge with Muhammad. When A’li saw his father he became frightened, but Abu Tâleb asked: ‘What religion is this?’ And his lordship answered: ‘This is a religion which Allah the Most High has selected for Himself, and for the propa­gation whereof He has sent prophets.’ Hereupon the prince of existences invited his uncle to profess the orthodox religion and to aid him. Abu Tâleb retorted: ‘My soul does not allow me to abandon the Faith of my ancestors, to renounce idolatry and the religion of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb. Be thou, however, steadfast in the mission thou hast received, for as long as I am alive I shall protect and aid thee, and shall never betray thee to any foe. I shall ward off from thee the wicked machinations of enemies until Allah the Most High completes the matter whereunto He has sent thee.’ After that he turned to A’li Murtaza—u. w. b. —and said: ‘O A’li, be not afraid to become the first proselyte of the religion of thy uncle’s son and to follow the excellent Faith, because Allah—whose name be glorified— will be your keeper, guardian, and protector.’

There is also a tradition that one day Abu Tâleb entered a mountain-pass with his son Ja’far, where he perceived his lordship the refuge of apostleship—u. w. b.—and A’li the [future] commander of the faithful—u. w. b.—engaged in prayers. Abu Tâleb said to Ja’far: ‘Join the wing of the son of thy uncle.’ Accordingly, the latter stood by the side of the prophet and prayed with him, his lordship the asylum of termination uttering the following invocation in his favour: ‘The blessing of Allah be on thee and thy wings, for their bird will be in paradise.’ No doubt the Lord—whose name be magnified and exalted—responded to this prayer of His favourite by causing Ja’far to attain martyrdom* in the war of Mautah, and by bestowing on him two wings, wherewith to soar about in the gardens of paradise, for which he is now called the ‘flying Ja’far.’

It is related that when Abu Tâleb ordered Ja’far to obey the prophet his lordship was much pleased and rejoiced. When Abu Tâleb returned home Fattimah, the daughter of Asad and mother of A’li Murtaza—u. w. b.—asked him: ‘Where is thy son?’ He queried: ‘What wouldst thou do with him?’ She continued: ‘A girl informed me that he is praying with Muhammad in a certain mountain-pass, and wouldst thou permit A’li to secede?’ Abu Tâleb retorted: ‘Be quiet and do not mind him, for he is right in taking the part of his uncle’s son Muhammad. If my soul were to allow me to renounce the faith of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb and to follow him, I would certainly do so.’ When these sentiments became public among the Qoraish they were greatly offended and afraid.

A trustworthy authority records as follows: ‘Once I had come to Mekkah during the time of the prilgrimage for the purpose of trading, and was purchasing goods at Mina from A’bbâs, when suddenly a man came out from an adjoining large tent, looked at the sun, and began to pray. A woman in his rear followed with a full-grown boy and imitated him. I asked A’bbâs who these people were, and he said to me: “The man is Muhammad Bin A’bdullah, the son of my brother, and the woman is his wife Khodaijah, the daughter of Khoilad, and the boy is A’li Bin Abu Tâleb, the son of my brother.” I asked: “What are they doing?” He said: “They are praying. Muhammad pre­tends to be a prophet, and says that the empires of the Qaissar and Kesra* will be conquered by his followers; but up to this time no other persons are adhering to him except these two.”’ The author of this tradition some time afterwards made his profession of Islâm, and said: ‘Had I at that time been exalted by the blessing of Islâm and monotheism, I should be second only to A’li for all time to come.’ There is also a tradition that A’li said: ‘I prayed with the prophet before the people nine hundred and seven times.’