In the tradition Ahlu-l-beit* it is related that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed he convened the Bani Hâshem, and said: ‘O ye Bani Hâshem, you are the saints of Allah, the marrow of the Arabs, the confederates of the Almighty, and the chiefs of the nobility. Muhammad is one of you. The chief of the braves is one of you. You attempt no weighty affair without completing it, nor a noble enterprise without effecting it. Therefore you excel all men and aid them.’ After this preamble he continued: ‘I enjoin you to honour this family, because the glory and magnificence thereof will entail the approbation of the Almighty Nourisher, will become the cause of prosperity, and of the fulfilment of desires.’ He further said: ‘I recommend you to cherish your kindred, because that will prolong life and multiply our progeny. Abstain from discord, because many nations have perished on account thereof. Be prompt to give alms, and to assist the needy; for both these qualities ennoble life and facilitate death. Adhere to truth, and honestly restore whatever has been entrusted to your care, because these two qualities avert the suspicion of covetousness.’ He further said: ‘I order you to obey and to aid Muhammad, who is the Ameen [i.e., faithful one] of the Qoraish, and the Siddiq [i.e., veracious one] of the Arabs. He has come on a business, to the truthfulness whereof, and to the veracity of his tongue, the angels have borne witness. I swear by Allah that I am beholding the nobles of the world, as well as the poor of all countries, responding to his invitation, and believing his words, for the sake of which the sabres of friends and foes are unsheathed, blood will be shed, and Qoraish chiefs aiding or opposing him slain; [I am beholding] the richest people most in need of him and the poorest most respected by him. [I see] the Arabs surrendering to him their country and the direction of their affairs, whilst love for him is taking root in their hearts. O ye Bani Hâshem, seek his favour, and assist him in word and in deed.’ He further said: ‘Be ye his close allies and confederates, because Allah does not make anyone walk in a path, but He directs him; nor does He guide anyone, but He prospers him. By Allah! if my life were to be prolonged I would give him all possible satisfaction, and would ward off from him all calamities.’
In the Rauzatu-l-ahbâb* it is recorded by Muhammad B. Ka’b that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed, the Qoraish came to visit him, and after the usual inquiries said: ‘Request thy nephew to bring some food from the paradise he is speaking about, that it may become the occasion of health to thee.’ Accordingly Abu Tâleb sent a man to his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—with the message: ‘Thy uncle says, “I am old, weak, decrepit and sick. Send me some of the food and drink of paradise, that I may recover my health.”’ His lordship sent, however, no reply whatever by the envoy of Abu Tâleb; but Siddiq Akbar [i.e., Abu Bakr], who happened to be present in the assembly, replied: ‘Allah the Most High and Glorious sends neither food nor drink from paradise to infidels,’ which words the messenger duly reported on his return. The infidels, however, induced Abu Tâleb to despatch the same individual a second time with the same request, and on this occasion the lord of prophecy returned the following answer: ‘Verily Allah has excluded infidels therefrom,’ but followed the messenger to the house, which he found full of unbelievers, and said to them: ‘Go out, and leave me with my uncle.’ They replied: ‘We are as much related to him as thyself, and we shall not abandon him at such a time as this.’ Then his lordship sat down on the couch, and said: ‘O uncle, may Allah reward thee for having taken care of me in my minority, and for having protected me in my majority!’ Then he continued: ‘O uncle, second me in uttering an expression by means of which I shall intercede for thee with Allah on the day of the resurrection.’ Abu Tâleb asked: ‘What expression is it?’ The prophet replied: ‘Say, “There is no God but Allah alone, who has no partner.”’ Abu Tâleb exclaimed: ‘I am convinced that thou art my well-wisher, and were I not apprehensive that after my death people would say to thee, “Thy uncle was frightened!” I would rejoice thy heart by pronouncing these words.’ Then he uttered the following:
Verses: Thou hast invited me, thou art my adviser;
Thou hast indeed been veracious and faithful;
Thou hast promulged a religion, and I know it is
The best religion in the world.
Were it not for reproach, I would profess it,
As now I plainly express it.
When the Qoraish heard these verses they began to reproach Abu Tâleb with having apostatized from the religion of his ancestors A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, Hâshem, and A’bd Munâf, but he replied: ‘Abu Tâleb acts according to the religion of his forefathers.’ Some authors of chronicles relate that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed he convoked the sons of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and said: ‘As long as you follow and aid Muhammad prosperity, Divine grace, and peace will be your portion,’ and his lordship asked: ‘Enjoinest thou them to follow me, and thyself abstainest to do so?’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘Had I been in good health I would have complied; but now I am apprehensive of the reproaches of the Qoraish, who would say: “Whilst Abu Tâleb was well he made no profession of the religion, but has become a Musalmân in the agony of death.” For this reason I refuse to become a Moslem.’ It is related that when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— despaired of inducing Abu Tâleb to profess Islâm, he arose from the couch, and said: ‘By Allah! I shall continue to pray for his pardon until such time as I am forbidden to do so.’ Accordingly, his lordship sat in his house several days after the death of Abu Tâleb, praying for his pardon. When the companions were informed hereof they likewise united with his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b. —in praying for their relatives who had died infidels until the verse was revealed: ‘It is not [licit] for the prophet, nor for those who are true believers, that they pray for idolaters, though they be of kin, after it has become known unto them that they are inhabitants of hell.’* It is related that when the disease of Abu Tâleb had reached a stage at which the Qoraish despaired of his life they consulted with each other, and said: ‘Abu Tâleb had during his life protected Muhammad as much as he possibly could, and, as he is now on the point of death, we also must not neglect his nephew, the more so as Hamzah—a more brave Arab than whom does not exist—has become a Musalmân, and as O’mar B. Al-Khattâb, whose courage and power are known to the high and to the low, has become his follower. Moreover, as many of the Qoraish and of other tribes have professed Islâm, and we are convinced that the adherents of Muhammad will increase, will help him more and more, will propagate his religion among all the Arabs, will attack and fight, and will, after taking possession of Mekkah, subjugate us also; therefore it will be proper for us to go to Abu Tâleb and request him to invite Muhammad to conclude a treaty of peace with us in such a manner that he shall hereafter abstain from meddling with our religion, and we shall have nothing to do with his.’ When they had arrived at this conclusion, O’tbah, Shaibah, Abu Jahl, O’mmiah B. Khuluf, Abu Sofiân B. Harb, and a number of other well-known Qoraish leaders, presented themselves at the bedside of Abu Tâleb, and said: ‘O Abu Tâleb, we have always acknowledged thy rule and government, nor have we ever swerved from thy mandates. But now we fear that after thy departure from this perishable world quarrels and contentions will arise between the Qoraish and Muhammad. Call him if thou deemest proper, and enjoin him to cease injuring our religion, and we shall let alone his.’ Accordingly, Abu Tâleb called his holy and prophetic lordship, and spoke to him as follows: ‘Son, the nobles and the chiefs of the Qoraish have a request to make, and agree to promote thy interests, and to act according to thy behests, if thou wilt comply therewith.’ The prince of the world replied: ‘I have also a request to make to the tribe.’ Abu Tâleb queried: ‘What is it?’ His lordship replied: ‘I request them to utter only one expression, after pronouncing which they will reign over all the Arabs, and the whole of Persia will become subject and obedient to them.’ Abu Jahl replied: ‘O Muhammad, instead of one expression we are prepared to utter a hundred. Tell it.’ He said: ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’ When the people heard these words they became angry, clapped their hands, and said: ‘O Muhammad, wishest thou to reduce our gods from one thousand to one? This is a very strange thing, and although we desire to reconcile thee and to please thee, thou art unwilling to settle thy business.’ After these words they arose and dispersed. When they had left the house, Abu Tâleb said: ‘Thy request to the Qoraish was not unfit, and thy words were appropriate.’ This declaration induced his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—to conceive hopes of Abu Tâleb’s conversion, and he said: ‘Uncle, pronounce those word’s thyself, that I may, with their aid, intercede for thee on the day of the resurrection.’ But Abu Tâleb replied: ‘By Allah! were I not apprehensive of the reproaches of the Qoraish, and of the suspicions of the people that I have professed the Faith for fear of death, I would have pronounced the Kalimat to please thee, would have rejoiced thy heart and brightened thy eyes.’ After that his condition changed, his tongue moved in his mouth, and when A’bbâs placed his ear to the mouth of Abu Tâleb, he said: ‘O nephew, he pronounces the words which thou wishest him to say.’ Despite of Muhammad B. Esahâq, one of the greatest historians and biographers, who has a tradition that although when his lordship the refuge of the apostolate—u. w. b.—proposed to Abu Tâleb to utter the Kalimat of monotheism he first refused, but afterwards repeated it in a low voice, as A’bbâs had heard it, the Sunnis and Sheikhs of the Motazzelites* refuse to believe it, because, according to the opinions of many writers on tradition, the blessed verse ‘It is not allowed to the prophet,’ etc.,* had been revealed on the occasion of his praying that Abu Tâleb might be forgiven, as has been recorded above. That assertion contradicts also the tradition of many U’lâma, who say that the blessed verse ‘Verily thou canst not guide whom thou pleasest, for Allah guideth whom He willeth to the straight road, and He knows best who are guided,’ had been revealed with reference to Abu Tâleb. On this subject there are so many traditions that they cannot be recorded in this abridgment, but Muhammad B. Esahâq is the author who asserted that Abu Tâleb professed the Faith, and Allah knows best. After that his lordship the apostle went out, and Abu Tâleb departed to the gardens of paradise.
In some biographies we read that when Abu Tâleb died Murtaza A’li—u. w. b.—informed the prophet thereof, saying: ‘Verily thy uncle, that misguided old man, has died,’ and that his lordship, who was weeping, replied: ‘Go, wash his body, shroud it, and make all the arrangements necessary for the funeral.’ A’li replied: ‘O apostle of Allah, he has died an unbeliever.’ But his lordship again said: ‘Go, wash his body, and say nothing until thou returnest to me.’ Accordingly, A’li did as he was bid. There is a tradition of A’bbâs—m. A. r. h.—that in Abu Tâleb’s funeral the prophet walked in front of the bier, and said: ‘O uncle, thou hast cherished thy kin, and hast done good acts. May Allah reward thee!’ All the U’lâma agree that Abu Tâleb died during the tenth year of the mission, and that his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.— was overpowered by vehement grief.
During the same year, three days or thirty-five days after Abu Tâleb’s decease, Khodaijah Kabri also hastened to the gardens of paradise, and his lordship was so melancholy on account of the departure of these two beloved persons that he declined to leave his house, and the said year was surnamed the year of mourning. In some books it is recorded that when Khodaijah Kabri fell sick, his lordship the refuge of termination said to her: ‘Thy disease produces a disagreeable odour, but with the loathsomeness thereof Allah the Most High and Glorious has vouchsafed thee great benefits. Knowest thou not that the Most High has exalted thee above Mariam, the daughter of E’mrân and sister of Mûsa, and above Asiah, the daughter of Mozâhum, the wife of Fara’ûn?’ When Khodaijah died she was sixty-five years old, and was buried in Hajûn. The prophet—u. w. b.—used to visit her grave, although at that time the funeral customs and prayers had not yet become obligatory. This statement is, however, contrary to the assertion of the author of the Mustaqaza, according to which the prophet—u. w. b.—is said to have forbidden A’li—u. w. b.—to pray for Abu Tâleb. It is said that after the decease of the latter the idolaters stretched forth the hand of opposition against the prophet, and they —may dust cover their heads—induced a caitiff to throw dirt at the august head and countenance of his lordship. When A’bd-Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb heard that the prophet —u. w. b.—was, on account of the insults of the infidels, hindered from pursuing his mission as he wished, he met his lordship, and exclaimed: ‘O Muhammad, pursue thy avocation as during the lifetime of Abu Tâleb. I swear by Lât and by U’zza that as long as I am alive thy enemies will not be able to injure thee.’ It is related that when on a certain occasion an imbecile fellow was cursing the prophet—u. w. b.—the words were reported to Abu Lahab, and he rated him soundly for them, but the Qoraish asked: ‘Hast thou accepted the religion of Muhammad?’ He replied: ‘I profess the Faith of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, but I protect my nephew from insults, to enable him to live at ease and to pursue his business.’ Then the Qoraish said: ‘Thou actest well in cherishing thy kinsman.’ After that his lordship attended to his mission for some time without being insulted by the idolaters for fear of Abu Lahab, until one day Abu Jahl B. Heshâm and O’tbah B. Abu Mo’itt—may Allah curse them both—asked Abu Lahab: ‘Has thy nephew told thee where the place of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb is now?’ He replied: ‘No.’ They continued: ‘Ask him.’ Abu Lahab then questioned his lordship, and was told that A’bd-ul-Muttalleb was with his people, and on his reporting this reply to them, they said: ‘The meaning of these words implies that he is in hell.’ Then Abu Lahab put the following question to his lordship: ‘Will A’bd-ul-Muttalleb go to hell?’ The prophet—u. w. b.—replied: ‘Yes, and all who follow his religion will go to hell.’ On hearing these words Abu Lahab became angry, and said: ‘By Allah! henceforth I shall always be thy enemy.’ Accordingly, he united himself at that time to the Qoraish in persecuting and insulting the prophet to such a degree that his lordship was compelled to leave Mekkah.