Abu Talib (a.s)

To Sham

Abu Talib's care for Muhammad (s) reached an extent beyond description. Their two souls united that it was difficult for each of them to separate from the other. When Muhammad (s) saw that his uncle was preparing to travel, he became upset and uncomfortable that the travel might be long. He wouldn't tolerate this separation and it wouldn't be easy for him to resort to a fortress protecting him from the gales save this merciful old man. If he traveled, then who would pat upon his shoulder, who would join him to his warm chest, who would grant him pity and sympathy to make him forget his orphancy?

As soon as Muhammad (s) saw his uncle stepping towards his sumpter, his tears began to fall from his eyes towards his cheeks. When this merciful old man saw the tears of the orphan falling down, his compassionate heart began to beat and couldn't tolerate his nephew's words: "O uncle, to whom will you leave me? Neither a father nor a mother I have."

Abu Talib couldn't but to say: "By Allah, I won't go without him. I won't part from him nor will be part from me at all." He took him on the same sumpter to be near to each other always. The caravan went on through the desert until it reached Busra; a country in Sham. They stopped to rest after a long travel. (1) There was a monk called

____________ 1 When As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.190 and as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.140 mentioned this event, they added: "Before the caravan reached Busra it stopped at a monastery. The monk of the monastery said to Abu Talib: What relation is between this boy and you? Abu Talib said: He is my son. The monk said: He is not your son and his father must not be alive because these qualities are of a prophet and the sign of the prophet according to the old books that his father dies while he is still in his mother's womb and then his mother dies when he is yet a child.

Abu Talib asked: What is a prophet? The monk said: It is he, who receives revelations from the Heaven to inform the people of the earth of them. Abu Talib said: Allah is more glorious than what you say. The monk warned Abu Talib and asked him to protect this boy from the Jews. The caravan passed by another monastery and there was a same conversation between Abu Talib and the monk of the other monastery. After that Abu Talib said to his nephew: O my nephew! Do you hear what they say? He said: O uncle, don't deny the power of Allah!

Buhayra living in his cell. But it was the first time for the caravan to see this monk. As much as they traveled through this land but they hadn't met or talked with this monk.

The monk came out of his cell and saw the caravan. There was something that drew his attention. There was a cloud moving to shadow one of those in the caravan. When the caravan stopped, the monk noticed another thing. He noticed that the tree, which they stopped near, bent it branches to shadow the same one, who had been shadowed by the cloud.

He was so astonished but when he remembered who was there between the lines of the holy Book he had, his astonishment left his prudent mind. He came down from his cell, ordered his companions to serve food and invited the caravan saying: "O people of Quraysh, I have served some food for you. I like that all of you; the little boys and the old men, the servants and the masters to come."

One from among the caravan said: "O Buhayra, by Allah you have something in your mind today. We passed by you times and times but you did never do such a thing for us. What is the matter today?"

They accepted his invitation and came with him except one, who was the very point of the monk's attention. It was Muhammad (s), who stayed under the tree with the baggage.

The monk's eyes roved hear and there but they didn't see what they looked for. O Buhayra, all of them were here except a little boy. He stayed with the baggage. But the questions of Buhayra wouldn't stop unless that little boy came. Some one went to bring the boy. The deep examining looks of the monk began to check some things of the boy's body to find the description he had read in the holy Book about this great boy.

When they finished eating their food, Buhayra began to ask Muhammad (s) some questions to be sure about what he had in his mind. The Monk turned to Abu Talib asking: What relation is between you and this boy?" Abu Talib said: "He is my son."

The monk said: "He is not your son. His father must not be alive." Abu Talib said: "He died while his mother was pregnant with him."

The monk said: "You are true. Go back with your nephew to your country and be careful of the Jews. By Allah, if they see him and know what I know, they will do their best to do away with him. Your nephew will be of great importance. Hurry up with him to your country." (1) Muhammad (s) came back with his uncle after seeing

____________ 1 As-Seera al-Hishamiyya, vol.1 p.191-194, As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.90-92, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.139-142, at-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.2 p.22-24, al-Kamil by ibnul Atheer, vol.2 p.23-24, Qissas al-Arab, vol.1 p.99-100, Biharul Anwar, vol.6 p.59-61, 62, 129, 130, Abu Talib p.31.

different sides of life and after roving through a new world rather than Mecca, in which he lived and grew. Abu Talib came back with his nephew more carefully, surrounding him with care and love. He strived with caution to protect him from that fatal group, the wicked Jews, who intended if they could to cut this bud before blooming.

These images wouldn't leave Abu Talib's imagination. They were engraved inside his mind. He wanted to record them in order to be engraved upon the forehead of the time to be read by all the generations so he documented them in his poetry:

The son of Aamina, (1) Prophet Muhammad to me was much lovelier than my sons. When he clung to the rain I pitied him whereas the camels were about to set out my eyes rained with tears like scattered pearls. I considered his close relation and regarded the will of the grandfather. I asked him to travel with generous, brave uncles, who moved to the farthest known place, until they reached Busra and saw a monk, who told them a truthful talk about him, who must be protected against the enviers; the Jews, who strived to kill Muhammad when seeing the signs.

Abu Talib recorded this event with his verses and showed the situation of Buhayra the monk when he stood against the three Jewish rabbis, who plotted to kill Muhammad, the expected prophet:

They came deciding to kill Muhammmad but he prevented them by showing what the Torah had. He said to them: you intend the worst of aims; do you want to kill Prophet Muhammad? Then you be disgraced with your sins! Your evil will never be.

____________ 1 The mother of the Prophet (s).

There is a One to protect him against every intrigue! That is one of his signs, and the light of day is not like the darkness. (1)

After all that we don't doubt that Abu Talib was certain about the great future of his nephew after he had seen all those signs, which he paid his full attention and care for, because what happened wouldn't make anyone indifferent to because what happened were extraordinary things. All those signs and evidences Abu Talib saw in his nephew, he wouldn't see in anyone else.

Why the diviner asked him to bring him back the boy whereas he had met many many others? Why did he say: "He will be of great importance?" Then the care of the monk Buhayra towards the caravan whereas the caravan used to pass by the cell since a long time without attracting a bit of Buhayra's attention so why it was so that day?

And the conversation between Buhayra and Abu Talib, which had firm evidence ... Abu Talib said that he was his son but Buhayra answered with no any doubt that he was not Abu Talib's son and that his father would not be alive and then he warned him of the Jews because he would be of great importance! They were clear signs on doubt!

These evidences, besides what he had heard from his father Abdul Muttalib, the blessedness of this boy when he participated them in their meals, the flowing water from the rock, which this boy had kicked, the cloud that traveled with the caravan to shadow this boy and the branches of the tree when bending to shadow this blessed boy made Abu Talib believe definitely that his nephew would be greater than the others at all.

____________ 1 Al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.345-346, Al-Hujja p.77-78, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.148, Mo'jaul Quboor, vol.1 p.185.

Abu Talib saw all that in his nephew besides the personal qualities and virtues such as his truthfulness, honesty, ideality of morals, kindness, gentleness, eloquence ... to the infinite chain of good aspects and high qualities he had. This made Abu Talib think a lot about this boy, whose qualities were not found in that low society with its bad traditions and low habits. Not only Abu Talib had noticed these nonesuch qualities in his nephew but also all the people of Mecca. They called him the truthful, the trustworthy. They all accepted him to judge between them. He talked and they believed and he ordered and they obeyed.

MARRIAGE

That successful trip made Abu Talib, who had a big family and whose income was not enough, ask his nephew to look for a job in order that he might help his somehow needy uncle in his big family's expenses. Moreover he thought that a great future awaiting his nephew and he didn't want him to be dependent or inactive.

He thought that it would be better for his nephew to work in trade for one of those wealthy people of Mecca. The position and the high qualities his nephew had would make everyone happy to employ him. In fact the merchants would complete to win him. Khadeeja (1) heard of what conversation was between Abu Talib and his nephew. She sent for him and she would be very happy to employ such truthful and trustworthy man to undertake her trades.

Muhammad (s) came back with great profits. This made him have a good position in Khadeeja's good heart until she loved him and wished if he would be her spouse. She wouldn't find anyone better than him in his handsomeness, morals, honesty, truthfulness and pure deeds. Khadeeja, since that moment when she listened to her servant Maysara, who accompanied Muhammad (s) in his travels, when telling her about every sign happened to Muhammad (s) on their way to Sham, began to think of him and ignored everything else. She found that he was the perfect man that she would never accept to be a wife of other than.

But how would she achieve her aim whereas many ____________ 1 She was one of the wealthiest people of Mecca. Later on she became the wife of the Prophet (s).

traditions and obstacles blocking her way towards her sweet expectation?

The traditions decided that the man, who had to propose to engage the woman and it was not possible for the woman to do so. Would she submit to the traditions to lose her hope? Or would she overstep this dam before her heart broke and her life lost when Muhammad would be the share of other than her?

She thought of an idea that no one would feel that she had trespassed the traditions. She sent a woman called Nafeesa bint Munya to tell Muhammad (s) about the wish of Khadeeja. Khadeeja waited for her woman that she might bring her good news. Nafeesa brought the good news and Muhammad hurried to his uncle full of delight.

The wedding took place. The leader of Quraysh and the master of the Arabs, at that time, Abu Talib stood up to do a speech. He said: "Praise be to Allah, Who has made us of the progeny of Abraham and the descent of Ishmael and the origin of Mi'add and the race of Mudhar. He has made us the guardians of His House and the guards of His Sanctum. He has made for us a House, to which people intend from everywhere, made for us a safe sanctum and had made us the rulers over the people.

My nephew Muhammad bin Abdullah isn't compared with a man unless he will be preferred to him in honor, nobility, virtue and reason. If he has a little money; money is a transient shadow, a changeable thing and a paid back debt.

Here is Muhammad. You know his lineage well .... He proposed to engage Khadeeja bint Khuwaylid and paid her dowry as so and so .... By Allah, he will be of high position and great

importance." (1) This speech of Abu Talib showed two things;

He began his speech with praising Allah for making them of the progeny of Abraham and the descents of Ishmael that the idolatry had never polluted them with its filths and that they -the Hashemites- were a continuous origin and a remainder ray connected with the first light of Abraham so they were an eternal symbol of the divine mission of Abraham (s).

This quality that distinguished them from the rest of people made them the guardians of the Holy House (the Kaaba), which had been built by their father Abraham on the order of Allah. Hence they alone were the guardians of the Kaaba; therefore they became the rulers over the people. Then he went on showing the excellence of his nephew. He declared that his nephew was the most perfect man and he was preferable to the all in the scales of morals and values. No one would be comparable to him in his qualities and excellences at all.

After all that he would be -in the near future- greater and higher than what he was at that day. Abu Talib swore by Allah and definitely his swear had its meaning and value when he said: He will be of high position and great importance. It was not but the divine mission, with which he had guided the human beings to end the page of prophecy with the brightest ray and the best shining light.

Abu Talib looked farther than his day and beyond the reality, in which he lived, to announce to the delightful party about that great importance (the Prophecy) so that they wouldn't be surprised with it.

____________ 1 AS-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.106, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol. p.165, Fatima bint Muhammad p.44, Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.312, Abu Talib p.4, Al-Hujja p.36, Biharul Anwar, vol.6 p.135, Tathkiratul Khawass p.312 and al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.274. Some of this speech was mentioned in I'jazul Quran by al-Baqillany p.234, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.39 p.137 and al-Kamil by al-Mubarrid, vol.3 p.1174-1175.

The Dawn Of The Mission

The First Dawn

The orphan, who had spent those years of his life under the wings of his uncle, became a muscular man today. He became a master of a family and a father of children. Although he was not of so much money, his family lived happily and safely to the full. Did the task of Abu Talib end now? Did he carry out the will of his father Abdul Muttalib concerning his orphan grandson? Did he fulfill his duty towards his nephew to turn towards his own family and children, who hadn't got their sufficient share of their father since he had been busy with his nephew with all of his heart and mind?

Certainly the answer would be NO!

The answer might be YES if the orphan was not the son of Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib. THe answer might be YES if the orphan was anyone else, not this one, who would change the line of history and who would spread the light all over this dark universe. As the orphan was the son of Abdullah so the task of Abu Talib wouldn't end even now when the orphan became the husband of Khadeeja and the father of smiling flowers.

In fact the task would begin since now; since this day when Muhammad (s) had passed the forty years of honored life! It was the expected day where Abdul Muttalib wished from his deep heart to be alive to see its shining sun and to follow its guiding rays but when he saw that he was about to leave for the other world, he recommended his lovely son Abu Talib to save the man of this great day and asked his other sons, whoever of them would remain until this day, to believe in him; the man, who would be chosen by the Heaven for the great mission.

Since the death of Abdul Muttalib, Abu Talib had been waiting for the dawn of this day impatiently for he didn't know whether his life would reach this day or his page would be folded. He was afraid that the death might attack him as his father without attending the dawn of this day and he would miss the honor of believing in its rightness, glory and greatness.

Yes, that day came with its smiling face and Abu Talib's face shone, his heart delighted and his soul countered to see with his eyes the dawn of that expected day.

And now Muhammad the Prophet (s) went to his uncle al-Abbas, Abu Talib's brother, and said to him: "Allah has ordered me to announce my mission." He asked his uncle to support him, but al-Abbas found that he was not able to undertake this heavy task so he apologized to his nephew saying: "... but you ask your uncle Abu Talib because he is the eldest of your uncles and if he doesn't support you, certainly he won't disappoint you or betray you."

When Abu Talib saw them both, he thought that there was something important. He asked: "What is the matter? What made you come at this time? He listened to his brother al-Abbas telling him of what matter their nephew had brought. As soon as Abu Talib heard that, his eyes shone delightfully and said his saying, which would fill the heart of Muhammad (s) with happiness, courage and power to go on carrying out the order of his God stably, courageously and faithfully because he got a good assistant and a strong fortress, to which he would resort if any storm faced him.

Abu Talib said: "O my nephew, set about! You are exalted, defended by a great party and honored of a great father. By Allah, no one confutes you, unless he will be confuted with sharp tongues and sharp swords. By Allah, the Arabs will submit to you. My father had read all the books and he often said: "There will be a prophet from my progeny. I wish I would live till that day to believe in him. Whoever of my children lives till that day has to believe in him." (1) Abu Talib encouraged Muhammad (s) to go on his mission and promised to defend him, to support him and to sacrifice for the sake of the mission. Then he remembered what his father had said to him and to his brothers in his will. The expected day came and Muhammad (s) became the Apostle of Allah so Abu Talib had to believe in him and to support him to achieve the will of his father so that the soul of Abdul Muttalib would content and his eye would delight.

This was the first evidence of Abu Talib's faith in Muhammad's mission, otherwise he would be the first to deny it and refute what Muhammad (s) pretended. He could do that whereas Muhammad was his foster-son besides that his mission was not yet active or accepted by anyone. It was still a seed without a stem yet. It was easy for him to perish it without any difficulty or at least he could let his nephew alone without promising to support him or to encourage him so enthusiastically.

But we found that Abu Talib was waiting for that expected event to occur in a moment or another and when he saw the first sign of the prophecy he didn't become surprised; therefore as soon as al-Abbas ended his talk with his nephew, Abu Talib encouraged Muhammad (s) to announce his mission without any hesitation.

If Abu Talib hadn't believed in his nephew's pretense, he wouldn't have encouraged him to spread it and he would have taken a different situation. But his faith and

____________ 1 Refer to al-Ghadeer, vol.7 p.348, at-Tara'if by ibn Tawoos p.8, Dhiya'ul Aalameen by sheikh Abul Hassan ash-Shareef, Sheikhul Abtah p.22 and al-Abbas p.18, 21.

certainly about the mission led him to assist his nephew so enthusiastically for the task he would undertake was so heavy that he had to assist and defend as possible as he could because he knew well that it was the very divine mission, which the holy books had talked about as Abdul Muttalib had read.