Abu Talib (a.s)

A Stop With Ibn Abul Hadeed (1)

We don't want to examine every word said about the subject for it will take us too far. It is enough for us to be satisfied with the truthful witnesses of those, whom on true Muslim can suspect; the Prophet (s) and his pure progeny and the witnesses of the persons, who have seen the light and have known the truth. But we have to quote some sayings of ibn Abul Hadeed in his book Sharh Nahjol Balagha and to argue with him about a certain saying we found in his book.

He said when talking about the umma, to which Muhammad had been sent as prophet, and dividing it into some groups: "the mo'attilah (2) and non-mo'attilah; among the mo'attilah were those, who denied the Creator and the day of Resurrection, those who believed in transmigration (of souls) and those, who worshipped the idols ... etc." ... until he said: "As for those, who were not mo'attilah among the Arabs, they were few. They were God-fearing. They were pious and they refrained from committing vices, like Abdullah, Abdul Muttalib and Abu Talib." (3)

You see that ibn Abul Hadeed said here that Abu Talib was one of those, who were God-fearing, who believed in monotheism and who believed in the Creator of the existence after he talked about those, who denied the Creator and the Day of Resurrection and after he talked about the idolaters and others. He said that Abu Talib was one of those, who were pious and who refrained from committing vices.

____________ 1 The author of Sharh Nahjol Balagha. 2 It was a group of people denying the existence of Allah the Creator and denying the resurrection after death. 3 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.1 p.39.

There was no vice for Abu Talib worse than to see the guidance of the Prophet (s) without following it! He also said when talking about the virtues and the qualities of Imam Ali (s): "What do I say about a man, whose father was Abu Talib; the master of Arabia, the sheikh of Quraysh and the chief of Mecca?" until he said: "... and Abu Talib adopted the Prophet (s) when he was a child and protected him when he became a man. He defended him against the polytheists of Quraysh. He met for the sake of him great distresses, faced hard sufferings and tolerated much in supporting and assisting him ... It was said: When Abu Talib died, it was revealed to the Prophet (s): (Get out of it (Mecca). Your supporter died)." (1)

Ibn Abul Hadeed considered the kinship of Abu Talib as honor and that it was one of Imam Ali's good qualities. He said that Imam Ali had a great honor by being the son of Abu Talib. Then he mentioned the virtues of Abu Talib such as adopting, protecting and defending the Prophet (s) against the harms of Quraysh until he suffered great distresses but he achieved his duties in spite of all the difficulties he faced.

He said that the Prophet (s) had been ordered by the Heaven to leave Mecca after the death of his uncle Abu Talib, who was his defensive fortress! He referred to this point, the revelation to the Prophet (s) to leave Mecca, another time when he said: "When Abu Talib died in Mecca, Quraysh became alone with Muhammad and harmed him so much whereas it couldn't do that when Abu Talib was alive. He left Mecca fearing for himself and emigrated to his God." (2)

He talked about this point again when he said: "Know that Ali (s) often pretended that he was the best of the all,

____________ 1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.1 p.9-10. 2 Ibid vol.3 p.322.

the most preferable to the all and had the honor above the all by being proud of his cousin Muhammad (s), himself and his father Abu Talib (s) ... He, who read the history, would know that Islam wouldn't succeed without Abu Talib!

No one is to say: How is it said so about a religion that Allah has promised to spread and to make it succeed whether Abu Talib was available or not? Because we say: If it is so then the Prophet (s) isn't to be praised nor is it to be said that he guided people from deviation, saved them from ignorance, did them great favors and without him Allah would never be worshipped on the earth ..." until he said: "If you say: These people are envied and praised because Allah had achieved these things by means of them and made them succeed in carrying them out. In fact the actual doer is Allah and these people are just tools and means used for doing these things so praising them is to be considered for that. The same thing is to be said about Abu Talib ...!" (1)

It would be better to refer here to the saying of ibn Abul Hadeed when he explained the speech of Imam Ali (s) after leaving Siffeen: "No one of the umma is to be compared with the family of Prophet Muhammad (s). They are the basis of the religion and the pillar of certainty. To them returns every expensive thing and after them come the others. The right of authority is theirs and among them guardianship and succession are." Can we stop a little at this saying of ibn Abul Hadeed? Can we concentrate on the point when he said that Ali (s) pretended to have antecedence, honor and virtue over the all by being proud of the master of the creatures Prophet Muhammad (s), his father Abu Talib and himself? We want but to attract the reader's attention to think about this statement and the meaning it has. It refers to

____________ 1 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.1 p.47.

the unity that gathers these three men in antecedence, honor and virtue above the all! Then we want to refer to the statement of ibn Abul Hadeed "peace be upon him" after mentioning the name of Abu Talib ... this statement shows the thought of the sayer about the person, whom the sayer refers to, and his high position. This statement is not said except to those, who have the position of prophecy, imamate, guardianship or something like that. It is not said to many many of the Prophet's companions! Ibn Abul Hadeed didn't say this statement to Abu Talib, unless he knew well that Abu Talib had a great role in establishing the bases of Islam, which would be nothing without Abu Talib as he himself said! (1)

Then ibn Abul Hadeed imagined that perhaps there was someone, who might deny his saying. He replied that if Abu Talib had no virtue in supporting the Prophet (s), the Prophet (s) also wouldn't have any virtue in spreading the divine mission according to the thought that it was Allah, Who would have done every thing!

I didn't quote these sayings of ibn Abul Hadeed, unless I wanted to discuss his confusion and contradiction at the end of his long speech about Abu Talib, (2) in which he mentioned some fabricated lies about the (adopter and protector) of the Prophet (s) as he himself had said. (3) These fabrications were not more than eleven lines (4) of his long pages, which were full of irrefutable evidences and clear proofs that confirmed the faithfulness and the right belief of Abu Talib. But he liked to end his speech

____________ 1 The fidelity of research (!!!) led Muhammad Abul Fadhl Ibraheem to omit this word from the origin! Refer to Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.1 p.142, which was edited by this man! 2 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.305-318. 3 Ibid p.310. 4 Ibid p.310-311.

with this weak fabrication.

We would like to discuss his speech passage by passage to argue with him about his collapsed points. He said after that long speech, in which he had declared the evidences proving Abu Talib's faithfulness: "I said: As for me, the condition is confused to me and the news are contradicted. Allah is more aware of his (Abu Talib's) reality, how it was! The letter of Muhammad an-Nafs az-Zakiyya (1) to al-Mansoor (2) disturbes me; especially his saying: "I am the son of the best of people and I am the son of the worst of people. I am the son of the master of people of Paradise and I am the son of the master of people of Hell.

This was a confession that Abu Talib was unbeliever. This was his son and he wouldn't accused of fabricating lies against Abu Talib besides that his time was near to the time of the Prophet (s). It was not so long time between them to say that the news might be fabricated." (3)

He said that the condition was confused to him because the news were contradicted! He meant that the news, which he himself mentioned as certain evidences proving the faithfulness of Abu Talib and which couldn't be suspected for their sources were the Prophet (s), his pure progeny and the sayings and doings of Abu Talib himself, were contradicted by the fabricated news that Mo'awiya had bought with his monies and were narrated by al-Mugheera and his likes of that filthy series. We will confute them in a particular chapter inshallah! The contradiction between two traditions wouldn't be unless there was equivalence between them that the

____________ 1 He was Muhammad bin Abdullah bin al-Hassan bin Imam Hassan bin Ali bin Abu Talib (s). 2 He was an Abbasid caliph. 3 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.317.

narrators of the two traditions would be trusty. No one of the two series of the narrators should be accused of anything and no tradition should be preferred to the other for any reason otherwise the preferable one must be depended upon while the other must be left aside. This thing wouldn't be applied to our subject in any ease! Would a tradition narrated by the infallible progeny from the Prophet (s) be equal to a tradition narrated by al-Mugheera and his likes? So as there was no equivalence, there would be no contradiction!

Then he went on sticking to the letter of an-Nafs az-Zakiyya to al-Mansoor. We referred to this letter in the books of history and we found, among what ibn Abul Hadeed had mentioned, this passage: "Allah chose fathers and mothers for me in the pre-Islamic age and in the Islamic age until He chose for me one of them, who would be in (Hell). I will be in the highest position among people of Paradise and will get the least punishment among the people and the son of the best of the evil people. I am the son of the best among people of Paradise and the son of the best among people of Hell ..." (1) We researched on the narration of this letter in ibnul Atheer's Kamil but we didn't find any mention about them. The author of Sheikhul Abtah mentioned that the

____________ 1 Refer to at-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.6 p.196. You find it in al-Kamil by ibnul Atheer, vol.5 p.5 with some difference and in Muhadharat Tareekhul Umam -the Abbasid state (lectures on the history of the nations) p.65 in a different way. Al-Mubarrid mentioned this letter in his book al-Kamil vol.3 p.1274-1275 but he didn't mention anything of this passage.

narrator of this letter was Sa'eed bin Sa'd al-Madani and said: "This Sa'eed is one of the unknown narrators." (1) At-Tabari mentioned incomplete series of narrators of this letter. He said: "Muhammad bin Yahya said to me: I copied these letters from Muhammad bin Basheer when he was correcting them. Abu Abdur Rahman, who was one of the Iraqis writers, and al-Hakambin Sadaqa bin Nizar told me about these letters. I heard ibn Abu Harb correcting them." (2)

This series of narrators, as you see, is incomplete and one cannot depend upon it:

Muhammad bin Yahya: we don't know his grandfather's name! But when we referred to Mizanul I'tidal to look for those, who had this name, we found that they were seventeen men having the same name with different surnames.

Each of them was either a narrator of neglected, weak, denied, or obscure traditions that couldn't be depended upon, or a liar fabricating traditions (3) or of a single narrated the tradition or who narrated refuted or fabricated traditions, who was not trusty, who narrated from the untrust narrators, who was not agreed upon, who narrated what he hadn't heard or who fabricated traditions. (4)

Muhammad bin Basheer: we found two men having this name;

a: Muhammad bin Basheer bin Marwan al-Kindi al-Wa'idh. He was not trusted. Ad-Darqutni said about him

____________ 1 Sheikhul Abtah p.81.

2 At-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.6 p.195.

3 It was mentioned in al-Ghadeer, vol.5 p.329 that Muhammad bin Yahya bin Razeen al-Maseesi was a liar fabricating traditions. So was mentioned in Mizanul I'tidal vol.3 p.147.

4 Mizanul I'tidal vol.3 p.146-148.

that he was not reliable in his traditions.

b: Muhammad bin Basheer bin Abdullah al-Qass. Ibn Mo'een said about him that he was not reliable. (1)

We didn't know Abu Abdur Rahman or ibn Abu Harb who they were!
We didn't find any mention of al-Hakam bin Sadaqa in Mizanul I'tidal.

We leave the weak series of the untrusted narrators aside in order not waste the time and come back to the very letter of an-Nafs az-Zakiyya that have disturbed ibn Abul hadeed's mind. Also we don't want to stop at the differences between the wordings of the letter mentioned by ibn Abul Hadeed and each of at-Tabari, ibnul Atheer and al-Khudhari. (2)

We became astonished at this prudence! Would anyone be proud of being the son of the worst of the evil people or the best of the evil people? Would be there any good in the evil or among the evil people? Would be there a master or any goodness among the people of Hell? If he was the son of the master of people of Hell -if there would be a master in Hell- so no one would be the master there unless he was the worst of the evil people, who definitely would get the severest punishment. This contradicted the fabricated tradition ascribed to the Prophet (s) that Abu Talib would be the least tortured one among the people of Hell.

According to their thought, this was the utmost intercession the Prophet (s) could do for his uncle! What an intercession it was! Even the stingiest and the meanest of people would be ashamed towards this intercession, so how about the great Prophet, who was

____________ 1 Mizanul I'tidal vol.3 p.31. 2 Ibn Abul Hadeed said: ... I am the son of the evil ... whereas the others said: ... I am the son of the best of the evil ...

chosen by Allah to complete the nobilities?

Did such proudness come out except of an insane man? It was but a confession of the mean position, which would never agree with the situation of Muhammad an-Nafs az-Zakiyya, who claimed to be the caliph and resisted the king sitting on the throne? If it was so, then he objected himself in this letter!

Therefore we found among what was mentioned as the answer of al-Mansoor to the letter this saying: "You pretend that you are the son of the least punished one among the people of Hell and you are the son of the best of the evil ... there is no littleness in unbelieving in Allah nor lightness in His torment. There is no good one among the evil people. The believer, who believes in Allah, has not to be proud of Hell. You will know that: (... and they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back. Quran 26:227)" (1) This answer was suitable to that passage ascribed to an-Nafs az-Zakiyya. It would be the definite irrefutable answer if the letter and the answer were said by those, to whom they were ascribed, or fabricated and ascribed to them!

As for the saying of an-Nafs az-Zakiyya: "I am the son of the worst of the evil people" mentioned by ibn Abul Hadeed, which made us argue with him, it would never be applied to Abu Talib at all because the meaning of this statement would be that there was no one more evil than Abu Talib among his people and at his time at least! Otherwise the statement meant continuity; that he was the son of the worst evil one at all! Even if we said that he was the son of the worst evil one among his people and at his time, would that refer to

____________ 1 Refer to at-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.6 p.197, al-Kamil, vol.5 p.6, Muhadharatul Umam -the Abbasid state p.66, al-Kamil fil Lugha, p.1277,3.

Abu Talib?

We didn't find that any of the liars and fabricators had reached this degree of meanness! No one of them had said that Abu Talib was one of the evil people rather than to say that he was the worst of them. Could one of them dare to say that, whereas Abu Talib's virtues and favors were the causes of goodness and blessings among all of his people? Would he, who was the pillar of the structure of Islam and without whom Islam would be nothing according to the saying of ibn Abul Hadeed himself, be the worst of the evil people?

Would the worst evil man be so greatly respected by the Prophet (s) whereas the Prophet (s) had said: "O Allah! Don't make a dissolute or an unbeliever have a chance of getting my kindness!" Would Abu Talib be more evil than Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl, (1) who had filled the existence with their evil and corruption and harmed the Prophet (s) with all kinds of harms and distresses? Perhaps supporting the Prophet (s) was considered as evil or eviler than harming and fighting him according to the opinion of those, who had lost their minds!

Then how would it be possible for an-Nafs az-Zakiyya to be proud of such defect and disgrace where he was in so critical situation? Let's suppose that this letter was said by an-Nafs az-Zakiyya, then what was the evidence that made ibn Abul Hadeed refer especially to Abu Talib as the worst evil of people? Wasn't that but suppose and guess ... if we didn't want to declare the truth? Otherwise it would show that there

____________

1 This question was just for arguing, otherwise there was no any way of comparison between Abu Talib and these two wicked unbelievers at all.

Fabrication And Distortion

was a certain purpose behind that! Why wouldn't it concern Talha bin Obeidillah; the father of Umm Iss~haq, who was an-Nafs az-Zakiyya's grandmother, or Abdul Ozza, who was his mother's grandfather? An-Nafs az-Zakiyya's mother was Hind bint Abu Obeida bin Abdullah bin Zam'a bin al-Asswad bin al-Muttalib bin Assad bin Abdul Ozza. (1) This Abdul Ozza was a chief among the unbelievers of Quraysh! We don't say that one of these two was meant by the saying of an-Nafs az- Zakiyya because it was not but suppose and guess that made ibn Abul Hadeed refer to Abu Talib alone! Let's give up and say that an-Nafs az-Zakiyya didn't mean by his saying "the worst of the evil" save Abu Talib, then why did this saying especially, although it contradicted the truth, stop in ibn Abul Hadeed's chest and nothing of the sayings of Imam Sadiq, who lived in the same period of an-Nafs az-Zakiyya and ibn Abul Hadeed mentioned many of his sayings, stopped in his chest?

There was no any way of comparison between Imam Sadiq and an-Nafs az-Zakiyya whether in science and knowledge, fidelity, truthfulness, keeping to the rightness and announcing it. Ibn Abul Hadeed himself knew this very well, but in spite of all that this letter only that stopped in his chest! A hair of a camel stopped in his mouth whereas he swallowed camels with their hooves whenever he liked! Then why didn't the witnesses of Abu Talib's actual son Imam Ali (s) and his sons of the infallible imams after him, who had much any virtues and qualities that an-Nafs az-Zakiyya didn't have any of, stop in ibn Abul Hadeed's chest? If an-Nafs az-Zakiyya was the son (grandson) of Abu

____________ 1 Refer to Nasab Quraysh p.53, 227 and Sheikhul Abtah p.82.

Talib. "and he wouldn't be suspected" as ibn Abul Hadeed said, then would the witnesses of Imam Ali (s) and his infallible sons be suspected and would they be accused of adding Abu Talib to the Muslims whereas he was in the list of the unbelievers? Was an-Nafs az-Zakiyya more pious and more truthful than Imam Ali (s) and the other infallible Imams that an-Nafs az-Zakiyya said what wouldn't be suspected and these imams said what would be far away from the truth? I myself didn't think that an-Nafs az-Zakiyya had said this word after showing the evidences that prevented even the insane and the mad from saying such a thing. (1)

If an-Nafs az-Zakiyya had said it, so what did he mean by saying "Abu Talib was the adopter and the protector of the Prophet (s)"? And if he meant what he had said, we wouldn't depend upon it and leave aside the certain sayings of the infallible imams, who would never be suspected at all whether in their doings or sayings. Ibn Abul Hadeed said: "His time was near to the time of the Prophet (s) and there was not so long period between them and it was not possible that the news might be fabricated."

Ibn Abul Hadeed depended upon a saying said by a man after nearly a century and a half since the death of whom it was said about and didn't depend upon the sayings of the infallible imam, who always and ever kept to the rightness and who lived with the man, he witnessed to, in one house. Ibn Abul Hadeed didn't think that the news was fabricated because there was no so long period as he said

____________

1 The reality showed that the letter was fabricated or at least some statements were inserted into it just for defame and disgrace and not for proudness. It was the unjust policy that inserted such lies to assist the Abbasid rule.

whereas he himself showed the lies and the false traditions fabricated during the time of Mo'awiya, who was born in the time of the Prophet (s). If the reason was the length or the shortness of time, we wouldn't find all that fabrications happened during the age of Mo'awiya. I don't know how to justify this saying of ibn Abul Hadeed or what was the reason that made him adopt this thought and what made this saying stop in his chest rather than the others?

But we don't mistrust him as long as (mistrusting the Muslim is haram) and (the sanctity of the Muslim is greater than the sanctity of the Kaaba) as al-Ghazali says among what we have quoted in our chapter (At The Threshold) of this book.

After faltering with weak steps in a zigzag way, ibn Abul Hadeed returned to contradict himself by saying: "One of the Talibites (1) wrote a book about the faithfulness of Abu Talib. (2) He sent it to me and asked me to write a preface for it whether in poetry or prose to witness that the evidences mentioned in the book were true. I hesitated to give a final decision about that because I had some doubt about it ... But I couldn't refrain from glorifying Abu Talib because I knew that without him Islam would never stand and I knew that he had done favors that every Muslim must be grateful to him in this life until the Day of Resurrection, so I wrote on the back of the book these verses:

Without Abu Talib and his son, the religion wouldn't be so firm to stand. That in Mecca; sheltered and defended,

____________ 1 The progeny of Abu Talib. 2 It was the book Al-Hujja Ala Ath-Thahib Ila Takfeer Abu Talib by Sayyid Shamsuddeen. It was one of our references in this book.

and this in Medina ready to die. Abu Manaf (1) undertook the task and died, then came Ali to complete it. Praise a mountain that passed, after achieving what he had and leaving but glory! How great! This began the guidance, and that concluded with nobilities! No nonsense of an ignorant would harm the glory of Abu Talib, nor would any of eyesight feigning to be blind. As no one seeing the light of day as darkness, would harm the signs of morning.

So I gave him his due of glory and honor in full and at the same time I didn't determine a matter that I was not certain about." (2) We found the contradiction clearly in his passage before his verses when he said that he hesitated to decide about the faithfulness of Abu Talib because he was in doubt about it but he couldn't refrain from glorifying the man, who was the basis of the great edifice of Islam,, without whom Islam wouldn't stand and whose favors made every Muslim grateful to him in this life until the Day of Resurrection! These were two contradictories that couldn't meet together; Abu Talib was unbeliever! But without him Islam wouldn't stand nor would be there a basis for Islam to be erected upon, therefore the Muslims had to be grateful to him! What an unbeliever he was after all that!

Wherefrom did he get that right to be thanked and respected by the Muslims until the Day of Resurrection? Was that because of his unbelief? And how was he the basis and the pillar of the great structure of Islam? Could an unbeliever be such? After all that, ibn Abul Hadeed wrote on the book his

____________ 1 Abd Manaf was the name of Abu Talib. 2 Sharh Nahjol Balagha, vol.3 p.317-318.

verses, in which the rightness was so clear. He showed the great deeds of Abu Talib and his son Imam Ali (s), who were the two pillars of Islam and without whom Islam wouldn't succeed or stand. The father began the struggle and established the base of the structure and then the son completed the structure. The father protected and defended the Prophet (s) and then the son often faced death in the way of supporting the Prophet (s). The great task that the father had undertook but died before it reached the aim; the great son came and completed the efforts of the father. The father was the beginner of guidance and the son was the completer of the nobilities.

What about this saying "How great! This (Abu Talib) began the guidance" said by ibn Abul Hadeed?

What did guidance mean? Didn't it mean the guidance of Islam?

Would the beginner of the guidance of Islam be unbeliever? I beg Allah's forgiveness! But after ibn Abul Hadeed had given Abu Talib his due of glory and honor in full, he couldn't decide his believing in Islam. It stopped in his mouth. Perhaps he chocked with water or might his mouth be filled with it that he couldn't speak! Let's stop at his saying:

No nonsense of an ignorant would harm the glory of Abu Talib, nor would any of eyesight feigning to be blind. As no one seeing the light of day as darkness, would harm the signs of morning.

So what harm would be against the high glory of Abu Talib, his firm faithfulness and his certain believing in Islam if ibn Abul Hadeed, who knew every thing, ignored the truth? Perhaps it was imposed upon ibn Abul Hadeed to walk in this crooked way and to avoid the bright straight one!

FABRICATION AND DISTORTION

We referred, in the chapter (At The Threshold), to the black market that Mo'awiya had established and had spent too much of the Muslims' monies just to make it succeed, with not feeling of any responsibility nor fearing the bad end of his bad deeds; therefore fabricating the prophetic traditions and distortion the Quranic verses increased in this market. The false goods accumulated in this market until a mark of disgrace was put on the forehead of time and the pages of history were blackened with dark letters. The truth was distorted and the face of history was deformed.

Abu Talib, the father of Imam Ali, received his share of that terrible injustice made in this market. Many lies were fabricated against him to perish his faithfulness, to put out his bright belief and to do with his jihad he had done for the sake of Islam. In fact the purpose of these lies was to avenge on him because it was he, who prevented from choking the mission in its cradle when his nephew and come with it; therefore many lies and untrue traditions were fabricated and many Quranic verses were distorted just to defame him and to remove his virtues. We have, in this chapter, to rove through the accusations woven against Abu Talib and the ill-wills that fabricated against him what he was free from.

We have to examine these fabrications and distortions and to criticize them with full analysis in order to clarify the truth.

The First Verse

Allah says: (And of them is he who hearkens to you, and We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and a heaviness into their ears; and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it;

so much so that when they come to you they only dispute with you; that who disbelieve say: This is naught but the stories of the ancients. * 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. *And could you see when they are made to stand before the fire, then they shall say: Would that we were sent back, and we would not reject the communications of our Lord and we would be of the believer) 6:25-27.

These three verses talked about the doings of some of the polytheists, who listened to the Prophet (s) when reciting the verses of the holy Quran revealed to him but they understood nothing. Allah had put veils over their hearts not to perceive and heaviness into the ears not to hear. They didn't believe in the verses they narrated from the Prophet (s). They disputed with the Prophet (s) about these verses and said stubbornly that these verses were not but myths of the ancient people. (1) The three verses were common and connected in talking about the same subject; the doings of some of the polytheists, but the fabricators came and distorted the middle verse from among the three.

At-Tabari and others mentioned a tradition narrated by Sufyan ath-Thawri from Habeeb bin Abu Thabit from someone, who heard ibn Abbas saying that this verse was revealed to the Prophet (s) concerning Abu Talib; he prohibited from harming the Prophet (s) but he refused to

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1 Az-Zamakhshari said in his book al-Kashshaf, vol.1 p.447 (vol.2 p.10) when explaining these verses: "It was mentioned that Abu Sufyan, al-Waleed, an-Nadhr, Otba, Shayba, Abu Jahl and their likes gathered to listen to the Prophet's recitation of the Quran. They said to an-Nadhr: O Abu Qutayba! What is Muhammad saying? He said: I swear by Him, Who made it (the Kaaba) as his House. I don't know what he says. He just moves his tongue and tells of the myths of the ancient people." ... until az-Zamakhshari said: "... then this verse was revealed ..." It was also mentioned by al-Baydhawi in his Tafseer, vol.2 p.184 and Majma'ul Bayan, vol.7 p.33.

be a Muslim. (1) We put our notes about this tradition as the following: a. We found among the stories of the narrators of this tradition Sufyan ath-Thawri. He concealed the defects of the traditions of the unreliable narrators, wrote down traditions from the liars (2) and narrated traditions from the unreliable narrators. (3) Ibn Mubarak said: "Sufyan narrated a tradition. I came and found that he was changing something of it. When he saw me, he felt shy and said: "We narrate it from you." (4)

Ibn Mo'een said: "The mursal (5) traditions of Sufyan are like the wind." (6)

It was mention in Tathkiratul Huffadh from ath-Thahabi that al-Faryani had said: "I heard Sufyan saying: If we wanted to tell you of the traditions as we had heard, we wouldn't tell you even of one tradition." (7)

Sufyan narrated traditions from as-Salt bin Dinar al-Azdi. As-Salt was one of those, who criticized and defamed Imam Ali (s) and the scholars of jarh and ta'deel (8) criticized him. In spite of that, Sufyan narrated traditions from him but he didn't mention his name. He said, when narrating from him, Abu Shu'ayb told us ... until Shu'ba said: "If Sufyan narrates a tradition

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1 Ibn Katheer's Tafseer, vol.2 p.127, al-Ghadeer, vol.3 p.8. 2 Mizanul I'tidal, vol.1 p.398 and Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.34. 3 Is'aful Mubta' p.2 and Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.34. 4 Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.34, A'yan ash-Shia, vol.35 p.38. 5 Mursal is a tradition narrated without a series of narrators or with incomplete series of narrators or the narrators are unknown. 6 Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.34. 7 Ibid. 8 Jarh means proving the unreliability and untruthfulness of a certain person, who narrates prophetic traditions. Ta'deel means proving that a certain person, who narrates prophetic traditions, is reliable and truthful.

from someone that you don't know, don't accept from him because he narrates traditions from persons like Abu Shu'ayb the mad." (1) There were some people, who considered Sufyan as one of the Shia.

We found ourselves between two contradictories; ascribing Sufyan to the Shia and the truthfulness of this tradition of him! They were two contradictories that would never meet; Shiism and considering Abu Talib as unbeliever where Ahlul Bayt (s) and all the Shia agreed upon the faithfulness of Abu Talib. So did every fair prudent person. Objecting this consensus meant being away from Shiism. If it was proved that Sufyan was one of the Shia, then he would be free from narrating this tradition.

Imam al-Ameen talked about Sufyan in his book A'yan ash-Shia (2) and mentioned both jarh and ta'deel about him and said: "... but I incline towards jarh because he showed many objections against the imam of Shiism, Ja'far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq (s)." (3) There was a saying about his Shiism and then he deviated from that (4) and another said that he was a Zaydi. (5) b. The series of the narrators was cut between Habeeb and ibn Abbas. There was unknown narrator without mentioning any name. This uncovered the hidden secret and answered the riddle! c. Al-Ameeni said: "This tradition was narrated by Habeeb only without being narrated by anyone else. Ibn

____________ 1 Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.38, Mizanul I'tidal, vol.1 p.468. 2 vol.35 p.137-138. 3 A'yan ash-Shia, vol.35 p.142-148. 4 Ibid p.141. 5 Zaydiyya was a sect of Shi'ite Muslims owing allegiance to Zayd bin Ali, grandson of Imam Husayn. Refer to A'yan ash-Shia, vol.35 p.139-141.

Habban and ibn Khuzayma said that he was a falsifier. Al-Aqeeli said: Ibn Oun slandered him. He narrated some traditions from Ata' that no one paid attention to them.

Al-Qattan said: He narrated some traditions from Ata' that no one paid attention to them and they were not memorized. Al-Aajuri said that Abu Dawood had said: There is no true tradition narrated by Habeeb from Aasim bin Dhamra. (1) Ibn Ja'far an-Nakhkhas said: He (Habeeb) often said: If a man told me of a tradition narrated by you and then I narrated it, I would be truthful." (2)

Do you see the indifference of this man towards his narration and his mockery in his tradition? d. Al-Qurtubi said: "The meaning of the Quranic verse was general and it concerned all the unbelievers, who kept away from Muhammad (s) and prevented people from following him. So was said by ibn Abbas and al-Hasan." (3)

Al-Ameeni quoted from at-Tabari, ibnul Munthir, ibn Abu Hatim and ibn Mardwayh a tradition narrated by Ali bin Abu Talha and al-Qufi that ibn Abbas thought that this verse concerned the polytheists, who prohibited people from believing in Muhammad (s) and who kept away from him. (4) Al-Ameeni mentioned another tradition narrated in many ways and the all thought that the verse meant: they prevented people from the Quran and from the Prophet (s) and they kept away from the Prophet (s). (5) e. No one interpreted the verse like Sufyan ath-Thawri

____________ 1 Al-Ghadeer, vol.8 p.4 from Tahtheeb at-Tahtheeb, vol 2 p.179. 2 Dala'il as-Sidq, vol.1 p.26. 3 Al-Ghadeer, vol.8 p.3. 4 Ibid, Majma'ul Bayan, vol.7 p.35. 5 Al-Ghadeer, vol.8 p.3.

did, especially after mentioning the tradition of ibn Abbas that was narrated in many ways. Ibn Abbas contradicted Sufyan in interpreting this verse and in his thought about his uncle Abu Talib. (1) We have mentioned his clear thought about his uncle in the previous chapter. (2) f. The unity of the meaning between the three Quranic verses prevents any one from distorting the meaning of the second verse where it is connected with the previous and the following one.

g. Distorting the meaning of the middle verse especially conflicts with its clear meaning. The meaning of the verse, as it was explained by all the interpreters, was: they prohibited from listening to the Quran and to the Prophet (s) ... whereas the distorters distorted the meaning of (prohibition) and interpreted it as supporting the Prophet (s) and prohibiting people from harming him!

How could we get such a meaning out of this verse? h. This interpretation, in which they said that the verse concerned Abu Talib alone because he prevented the unbelievers from harming the Prophet (s) and so they kept away from believing in him, was falser than the previous interpretation. (3) The pronoun in the verse was a plural pronoun (... they prohibit ... they ...). If it concerned Abu Talib alone, the pronoun would be a singular pronoun.

Then how could the meaning of (and go far away from it) refer to Abu Talib, who had never separated from the Prophet (s) for a moment? When did Abu Talib keep away from the Prophet (s)? Was that when he protected and supported the Prophet (s)? Was that when he propagandized for the

____________ 1Ibn Abbas was Abu Talib's nephew too. 2 Under the title of (the sayings of the companions and others). 3 Al-Ghadeer, vol.8 p.3.

mission? Was that when he defended the Prophet (s) and his followers? How could Abu Talib do all that if he was away from the Prophet (s)? i. It would be better to quote the sayings of some interpreters about this subject. We quoted these sayings from al-Ameeni's book Al-Ghadeer because some of the reference books were not easily to be at hand.

Ar-Razi mentioned in his Tafseer (1) two sayings; the verse was revealed to talk about the polytheists, who prohibited people from believing in the Prophet (s), and the other saying; that the verse concerned Abu Talib especially and he said: "The first saying is more accepted for two reasons; The first: all the previous verses criticized the unbelievers and even the sayings (And they prohibit (others) from it) must concern them because if we interpret this saying to concern Abu Talib, who prohibited from harming the Prophet (s), there will be a confusion in the meaning of the verses. The second: after that Allah said: (and they only bring destruction upon their own souls). It refers to the very previous meaning and it is not suitable that the saying (And they prohibit (others) from it) means prohibiting from harming the Prophet (s) because this is a good meaning and doesn't lead to destruction.

If it is said that the saying (and they only bring destruction upon their own souls) concerns the saying (and go far away from it) and not (And they prohibit (others) from it) because it means that (they kept away from him by refusing his religion) and this is dispraise so your justification is not right.

We say: the meaning of the saying (and they only bring destruction upon their own souls) concerns all what mentioned previously because it is like saying that someone keeps

____________ 1 vol.4 p.28.

away from a certain thing and disaffects the others from it and so he will harm himself. Harm, here, doesn't concern only one thing rather than the other."

Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer (1) mentioned the first saying narrated by ibnul Hanafiyya, Qatada, Mujahid, ad-Dhahhak and others and said: "This saying is more acceptable -Allah is the most aware- and it is preferred by ibn Jareer." (2) An-Nasfiy, in his Tafseer printed on the margins of al-Khazin's Tafseer, (3) mentioned the first saying and then said: "It was said that it concerned Abu Talib but the first saying is more acceptable."

Az-Zamakhshari in his Kashshaf, (4) ash-Shawkani in his Tafseer (5) and others mentioned the first saying and mentioned the second saying preceded by (it was said). Al-Aaloosi detailed the first saying then he mentioned the second and said: "The imam denied it." Then he mentioned the conclusion of ar-Razi. (6)

Some people generalized the verse to concern all the Prophet's uncles: "... they were ten (uncles). They were the most of people in being with him openly and the most of people in being against him secretly." (7) You knew well that among the Prophet's uncles were Hamza; the master of the martyrs and al-Abbas! You could decide after that whether these two; Hamza and al-Abbas, would be in Hell and would be concerned by this verse or not!

____________ 1 vol.2 p.27. 2 It was also mentioned in Majma'ul Bayan, vol.7 p.36 narrated by ibn Abbas, Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyya, al-Hasan, as-Saddiy, Qatada and Mujahid. 3 Vol.2 p.1. 4 vol.1 p.448 (vol.2 p.10). 5 vol.2 p.103. 6 Al-Ghadeer, vol.8 p.7-8. 7 Asbab an-Nuzool p.98, ibn Katheer's Tafseer, vol.2 p.12.

What would the perplexed and the infatuated ones interpret more? As for me, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that. We have mentioned some examples in the first chapter of this book (At The Threshold). One of them was a tradition narrated by Orwa saying that al-Abbas and Imam Ali would be among the people of Hell! However Hamza wouldn't be better than Imam Ali in virtues so they would say about him whatever they liked!!!

j. Hence the hidden secret was uncovered and the mean purposes behind distorting the meaning of the Quranic verse from being about the unbelievers to concern the faithful man Abu Talib, became clear according to the weak series of the narrators, the unity of the meaning of the verses and the opinions of the interpreters.

Before all, the doings and the sayings of Abu Talib and the witnesses of the Prophet (s) and his progeny had confirmed the faithfulness of this man. All that imposed upon us to brush that distorted interpretation aside and not to pay any attention to the evil wills.