His Jihad & His Deep Faith
The mission of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) became so active and spread its rays here and there for the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had a strong fortress saving him from the storms. His uncle Hazrat Abu Talib (as) had promised Allah to support His religion, which his nephew had been entrusted with by his God.
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) tried his best to save and support his nephew even if he would be to sacrifice his sons or himself for the sake of the Prophet’s mission.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) began to announce his mission openly after being surrounded by this guard and support. He set out courageously and bravely without fearing anything as long as he had a fortress he could resort to.
Now a new bright page of Hazrat Abu Talib’s (as) history opened. After the page of believing, the page of jihad and firm defense began its shining lines in the way of the real sacrifice for the true belief. He defended the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) against the arrogants of Quraysh and made the way free for him to spread his mission.
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) not only defended the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) but he also defended anyone who had believed in the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), against the tormenting of the oppressive polytheists of Quraysh.
It was a page full of sacrifice, true jihad and steadfast defending.
Due to the support of Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s.) the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) became so fearless and active in his mission and his voice became so loud that Quraysh began to fear this new mission, which invited the people to profess in the unity of the One and Only God and to discard those idols, which were made of wood and stone by their own hands and which didn’t hear or see and didn’t benefit or harm.
The people of Quraysh became angry when Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) defamed their idols. They didn’t find save Hazrat Abu Talib (as) to make reparation to them. A group of notable men of Quraysh went to Hazrat Abu Talib (as) complaining against his nephew.
They said: “O Abu Talib! Your nephew abused our gods, faulted our beliefs, stultified our traditions and considered our forefathers as deviants. So either you prevent him from doing that or you leave him alone to us.”
Abu Taalib answered them leniently and gently until they left but the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) kept on spreading his mission.
But when they didn’t find any result for their complaint, they decided to go to Hazrat Abu Taalib (as) complaining again: “O Abu Taalib! You have honour and high position among us. We asked you to prevent your nephew from keeping on his doing but you didn’t.
By Allah, we won’t tolerate abusing our forefathers, faulting our traditions and defaming our gods. So either you make him refrain from his doings or we will fight him and you until one of the parties will be defeated.”
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) stopped between two difficult situations; each of them was so serious. He was afraid that if he declared the war against his people that it would do away with the young and the old and at the same time he could never fail the divine mission where he had promised to support his nephew, the Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.a.); moreover he had been recommended by his father Hazrat Abdul Muttalib (as) to support Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and to believe in him when he would be chosen by the Heaven.
He had to strive as long as the divine will had chosen him to be the guardian of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) since the first day and since the first dawn of the mission.
He told the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) “O my nephew, go ahead! Say whatever you like! By Allah, I will never betray you whatever happen.” Then he recited:
By Allah they won’t reach you whatever numerous they were
until I am buried under the ground.
Announce your mission and never mind anything,
and let your eyes be delighted.
You invited me and I knew that you were sincere to me.
You are the most truthful, the most honest.
I have known that the religion of Muhammad
is the best of religions among all of the people.
We don’t have to pass by these verses without paying attention to them. These verses showed clearly the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) in wonderful images and certain concepts that couldn’t be distorted or mis worded.
These verses showed the true faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) (a.s.) besides his full knowing about the other religions when saying that the religion of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was the best of all religions.
The Quraysh knew the real situation of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) towards the new mission and towards the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). They became so angry that he had this firm situation and that all their attempts failed. They asked him to prevent his nephew from abusing their gods but he didn’t. They asked him to leave Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) alone to them but they found that he encouraged Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) to spread his mission and that he promised to support and to defend him.
After all of that the polytheists of Quraysh found a new way to conclude a deal with Hazrat Abu Talib (as). They came to Hazrat Abu Talib (as) bringing with them Imara bin al-Waleed. They said to him: “O Abu Talib)! This is Imara bin al-Waleed. He is the best young man and the most handsome of the Quraysh. Take him as your son and give us your nephew, who denied your religion and your forefathers’ religion, separated the unity of your people and mocked their traditions. We kill him and it will be a man for a man.”
If Hazrat Abu Talib (as) didn’t know how to behave in the serious situations, he would send a loud laugh scornfully and slightingly towards this silly word but he said prudently and bravely: “By Allah! What a bad deal it is! Do you give me your son to feed him for you and I give you my son to be killed? By Allah(s.w.t.), this will never be at all!”
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) thought, after declaring his situation towards the Quraysh that he had to armour himself and to be ready for the emergencies he might face from the Quraysh after they knew his situation. He didn’t find save the Hashemites to depend upon in his struggle against the Quraysh.
He invited them to be with him to defend the new religion and to protect the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) against the evil doers of the Quraysh if they would try to do any harm to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). All the Hashemites compiled with his invitation except that deviate brother Abu Lahab, the cursed.
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) became so delighted when he saw the great situation of the Hashemites that he would not worry much about the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). He thanked his kin and praised them for their support and assistance.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his mission became so strong and the disagreement increased between the Hashemites and the Quraysh. Hazrat Abu Talib (as) began to fear for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) from the Quraysh more than before. He began to care much for him and tried not to let him alone so that he might be hurt by anyone of the Quraysh.
Once, Hazrat Abu Talib (as) missed his nephew. He looked for him but he didn’t find him. He became so worried and upset. He determined to revenge after hearing that the Quraysh intended to assassinate the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to do away with the new mission.
He called for the young men of the Hashemites and ordered each of them to hide a weapon under his cloths. He ordered each one of them to stay beside a chief of Quraysh and agreed with them upon a certain sign that if he failed to find Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), they would revenge Muhammad’s blood upon those men of the Quraysh at the same moment.
The young men took their places as they were ordered by Hazrat Abu Talib (as). He went to look for his nephew. When he found him safe, he took him by the hand and stood before the people of Quraysh shouting: “O people of Quraysh! Do you know what I have intended to do? ...” He told them about his plan and his young men’s intention and asked his young men to show their weapons. He challenged them by showing them his powerfulness. The defeat appeared upon the faces of Quraysh especially the arrogant Abu Jahl.
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) said to them: “By Allah (s.w.t.)! If you kill him, I will never let any of you alive. It will be the war until we or you are perished.”
Then Hazrat Abu Talib (as) recited some verses praising his nephew after criticizing the bad situation of the Quraysh. He declared for the Quraysh that he was the guardian of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and his family:
Inform Quraysh wherever they are,
even though that everything of them is but haughtiness,
that I am, with swearing by the reciters,
the books and the scientists,
a sincere guardian of Muhammad’s family.
My heart and conscience love them.
I won’t give up my kin and sons,
even if the war brings its disasters.
Do they order their people to kill Muhammad so unfairly?
I swear that Quraysh will gain nothing,
where their reason is lost.
My nephew is my heart-root.
Will the young men drink pure water,
while Ahmad will be in the grave?
O you, the son of the master of Qussay!
As if your face is like the full moon
One day while the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was offering the prayer, Quraysh wanted to mock at him and to disturb his prayer. They asked Abdullah bin az-Ziba’ra to undertake this mean task. He took some feces and blood of an animal and stained the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) while he was prostrating in his prayer.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) hadn’t save Hazrat Abu Talib (as) to resort to. He went to his uncle heartbrokenly and his eyes were full of tears. It was a great insult.
His uncle became very angry about what happened to his nephew. He had to revenge him on them and to repay them the insult.
He, holding his sword, rushed towards them with his nephew. His face was overcome with rage and the signs of revenge were talking loudly until he reached the meeting of the people. They were afraid of his angry look. They tried to run away before him but he nailed them in their places with a sudden word: “By Allah, if any of you moves from his place, I will cut him with my sword.”
They stuck to the ground as if they lost their will. He approached to them and asked his nephew: “My son! Who is the doer?”The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) pointed to Abdullah bin az-Ziba’ra. Hazrat Abu Talib (as) approached to him and hit him on his nose.
Then he stained the people’s faces, beards and cloths with faeces and blood. He scolded and insulted them severely. Then he turned to his nephew saying victoriously: “O my nephew! Are you satisfied now? Do you know who you are?
You are Muhammad bin Abdullah (he detailed his lineage). By Allah, you have the most honoured ancestry and the highest rank among them all. O people of Quraysh! Whoever of you wants to move, let him do. You know well who I am!”
Then Hazrat Abu Talib (as) recited:
You are Muhammad the Prophet,
a generous master and a son of generous masters.
They are the highborn and so are you.
The best of the origin was the root; Amr (Hasaim)
who crumbled bread in the bowels,
when the life of Mecca was miserable!
How are you wronged while I am still alive?
I am the brave, the powerful!
And your men, as if they are lions!
I have known that you are truthful;
You haven’t said but the truth since you have been a child!
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) began his poem with a clear confession that would let no way for anyone to argue or to object ... so what was the difference between saying the shahada ‘...and I witness that Muhammad is His Apostle’ and Hazrat Abu Talib (as)’s confession ‘You are Muhammad the Prophet?’
There was no difference, for both showed confessing the prophecy of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.). But the black hearts and the filthy consciences had their own purposes when distorting the truth and changing the reality.
This was but a clear confession of the Prophet’s mission by Hazrat Abu Talib (as) as a divine mission. It showed the definite faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as).
It would be better to quote these verses too to show the reader the real thinking of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) towards Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and his encouraging him to keep on carrying out his task determinedly.
Before these verses ibn AbulHadeed said in his Sharh Nahjul Balagha: “... and from among his (Hazrat Abu Talib (as)’s) famous poetry are these verses, in which he addresses Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), clams his heart and orders him to announce his mission.”
Never let those sinuous hands and cawing voices
Prevent you from the rightful task you carry out.
My hand is yours whenever you face your opponent,
and my soul is sacrificed for yours in the disasters.
He supported the very mission, in which he believed, and he supported everyone, who believed in it. He wouldn’t be tranquil if any one of Muhammad’s follower was harmed because of the mission. He had many shining pages of such support that we wouldn't pass by without referring to some of them.
The polytheists of Quraysh tortured Usmaan bin Maz’oon al-Jomahi when he became a Muslim they wanted to deviate him from the right way he had chosen. When Hazrat Abu Talib (as) heard of that, he revenged Usmaan on Quraysh. Then he recited:
Is it because you remember untrustworthy time,
you are sad and you cry with agony?
Or you remember impudent people,
wronging whoever invites to faith?
Didn’t you see, o Quraysh – Allah may degrade you all,
that we revenged for torturing Usmaan bin Maz’oon?
We fight injustice and face whoever wants to harm us
with every sharp weapon in our hands.
Sharp swords, as if they are mixed with salt,
relieve our avengement on the mad’s heads,
until the men of no reason submit,
and become lenient after haughtiness,
or until they believe in a wonderful divine book revealed
to a Prophet like Moses o Jonah.
What did he mean in his last verse by a wonderful book revealed to a Prophet like Moses or Jonah? Would it be but believing in the Holy Quran? It was a divine book revealed to a Prophet among the prophets, whom Almighty Allah had chosen.
After all these things, could any one deny the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) unless that one was a deviate enemy?
Besides the evidence this poetry had that proved the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as), it certified what we have said before that Hazrat Abu Talib (as) had known much about the previous religions that preceded the mission of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), which confirmed the continuity of the Religion of Abraham (a.s.) otherwise Hazrat Abu Talib (as) wouldn’t mention these religions.
The jihad of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) (a.s.) was not limited to defend the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), to resist his enemies, to safeguard him against the plots of the Quraysh or to protect the tortured Muslims, who used to resort to him.
Hazrat Abu Talib (as) was an Islamic propagandist. He revealed every sign or virtue of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) one time, glorified and praised the religion another time, invited people to believe in the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) a third time and warned the Quraysh of the bad end if they persisted in their deviation and indifference and many other doings he did and poetized them in his poetry to be passed from mouth to mouth as a means of media at that time.
When the Muslims met much torment and discrimination from the Quraysh, they decided to emigrate for Abyssinia. Among the emigrants there was Ja’far, the son of Hazrat Abu Talib (as).
But the meanness and the lowness of Quraysh wouldn’t end to a limit.
They delegated Amr bin al-Aas and Imara bin al-Waleed after the Muslims to Abyssinia in order to plot and to fabricate every lie against the Muslims as possible as they could to make the king of Ayssinia drive them away from his country, but the prudence, the deep insight and the firm faith of Ja’far uncovered the plots of the delegated persons and made them return empty-handed.
When Hazrat Abu Talib (as) heard about this plot of Quraysh, he sent some verses of poetry to the Negus of Abyssinia asking him to treat Ja’far well and not to listen to the fabrication of the lying sinner Amr bin Aas.
When Hazrat Abu Talib (as) knew about the kindness of the Negus to the Muslims, he sent him other verses of poetry, in which he invited him to believe in Islam, which the great Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had been sent with for the peoples all over the world:
You know O king of Abyssinia!
Muhammad is a Prophet like Moses and Jesus, the son
of Blessed Marry.
He came with guidance as they both had come with.
Each -according to the order of Allah- guides and educates.
You recite in your Book as a true speech not a divination.
So don’t make a partner with Allah and let you come to Islam,
the way of the rightness is not dark.
Whatever group of ours comes to you,
it will be back with honour and glory.
These verses were clear evidence confirming the faith of Hazrat Abu Talib (as) and they were a talking proof showing that he was an Islamic propagandist trying his best to spread Islam as a divine belief and inviting people to believe in Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) as a chosen Apostle by the Heaven.
It was also evidence showing his knowledge of the Divine Books and the previous missions and Apostles of Allah as we mentioned before. It was a certification of all what was revealed from Almighty Allah and acknowledgement of the prophecy of all His apostles; Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), Jesus Christ and Moses (a.s.). The guidance that had been received from Allah (s.w.t.) was the same that had been received by Jesus Christ and Moses. It was but the guidance of Almighty Allah.
It would be impudence if we said after all that that Hazrat Abu Talib (as) hadn’t become a Muslim whereas he spent his years inviting people to believe in Islam and that he was certain about the straight way of the rightness, which would save people from deviation and lead them to the light of guidance.