The Illustrious Sahaabah The Illustrious Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
In the tenth year after nubuwwah, the boycott had terminated and the Muslims came out from the Valley of Abu Taalib. Not long thereafter, the uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Abu Taalib, passed away.
The demise of Abu Taalib occurred in the month of Shawwaal or the month of Ramadhaan. Three or five days later, the beloved and respected wife of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Hazrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), also passed away.
Abu Taalib was over eighty years old at the time of his demise, and Hazrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was sixty-five years old at the time of her demise.
Hazrat Khadijah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was buried in Hajoon. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) himself went into the grave to bury her. No janaazah salaah was performed, as the injunction of the janaazah salaah had not yet been revealed at that time.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was greatly saddened and grieved at that time, and he would refer to that year (the 10th year after nubuwwah) as “عام الحزن” (the Year of Sorrow and Grief).
(Sharhuz Zurqaani 2/38, 48-49, Al-Kaamil 1/507)
Inviting Abu Taalib to Islam at the Time of His Demise
When Abu Taalib was on his deathbed, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was worried and concerned that he should leave this world with imaan. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus came to Abu Taalib, but on arriving at his home, he found that Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah – two notorious leaders of the Quraish – were already present.
There was a place next to Abu Taalib empty, and Abu Jahl feared that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) will sit in that spot and invite Abu Taalib to Islam, so he quickly went and sat in that spot.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), from where he was standing, began to encourage Abu Taalib to embrace Islam saying, “O my uncle! Recite the kalimah Laa ilaaha illallaah just once so that I will have a basis to intercede for you before Allah!”
Hearing this, Abu Jahal and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah immediately interrupted and said, “O Abu Taalib! Are you going to turn away from the religion of your father, Abdul Muttalib?” Hearing this, Abu Taalib refused to recite the kalimah, and the last words he uttered before passing away were, “On the religion of Abdul Muttalib (i.e. I am passing away on the religion of my father, Abdul Muttalib).” Saying these words, Abu Taalib passed away.
In some narrations, it is mentioned that Abu Taalib said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Muhammed! If it was not for the Quraish taunting me and saying that out of fear for death, he embraced Islam, I would have definitely pleased you by reciting the kalimah and embracing Islam.”
Abu Taalib’s passing away upon kufr brought great grief and sorrow to the blessed heart of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). It is reported in the narration of Saheeh Bukhaari that at the time when Abu Taalib passed away upon kufr, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) addressed him saying, “By Allah! I will continue to beg Allah for forgiveness on your behalf (O Abu Taalib,) so long as I am not prevented by Allah Ta‘ala (i.e. so long as Allah Ta‘ala does not prohibit me from seeking forgiveness on your behalf, I will continue to beg Allah Ta‘ala to forgive you).” (Saheeh Bukhaari #4675)
It was on that occasion that Allah Ta‘ala revealed the following verses of the Qur’aan Majeed:
مَا کَانَ لِلنَّبِیِّ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنۡ یَّسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡا لِلۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ وَ لَوۡ کَانُوۡۤا اُولِیۡ قُرۡبٰی مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَہُمۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَحِیۡمِ ﴿۱۱۳﴾
It is not (permissible) for the Nabi and the believers to seek forgiveness for the mushrikeen (polytheists), even if they are family relatives, after it became clear to them that they are the people of hell. (Surah Taubah v. 113)
اِنَّکَ لَا تَہۡدِیۡ مَنۡ اَحۡبَبۡتَ وَ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَہۡدِیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ وَ ہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِالۡمُہۡتَدِیۡنَ ﴿۵۶﴾
(O Muhammed (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)!) You cannot give guidance to whomsoever you wish, but Allah gives guidance to whomsoever He wills, and He knows best those who are on the right path. (Surah Qasas v. 56)
(Al-Bidaayah wan Nihaayah 3/122-123m Musnad Ahmed #3419)
The Burial of Abu Taalib
When Abu Taalib passed away, Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to Rasulullah (sallallah ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “Your old uncle, who was upon misguidance, has passed away.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Go and bury your father, and thereafter return to me before doing anything.”
Accordingly, Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) went and buried his father, Abu Taalib. When he returned to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) instructed him to make ghusal (as his father was a kaafir and his body was napaak – impure).
Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was extremely grieved at that time, as his father passed away upon kufr. Seeing him in this state of sorrow and grief, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made special duas for him. The duas which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made for him on that occasion brought solace and happiness to his heart.
Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) explains, “On that occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made such duas that I am not prepared to exchange them for anything (in the world).” (Sunan Abu Dawood #3214, Musnad Ahmed #1093)
The Punishment of Abu Taalib in Jahannum
Hazrat Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was the uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the brother of Abu Taalib. Allah Ta‘ala blessed him with imaan and Islam. One day, he said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “Your uncle, Abu Taalib, did a lot for you. He stood for you and supported you (though he did not embrace Islam). Will he benefit from you in any way in the Hereafter?”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes, Allah Ta‘ala will give him the lightest form of punishment in Jahannum because of me. His azaab will be that he will be made to wear shoes of fire. The fire will go through his body until his brains and his entire head will boil.” (Saheeh Muslim #209, 212)
