English
TürkçeThe great uncle of our Prophet (A.S.), AbuTalib (R.A.) had taken our Prophet under his protection when he was 7 years old. He looked after him, brought him up with a particular care, wanted Mother Khatija to marry him and organized a big wedding dinner for them. When our exalted Prophet (A.S.) declared his prophecy, he supported him and he continued to show kindness and protected Hz. Muhammad (A.S.) until he died.
When his uncle, Abu Talib (R.A.) died, Hz. Prophet (A.S.) washed his corpse with his divine and holy hands, buried him, recited the Koran and prayed for him while standing near his grave. If Abu Talib (R.A.) had been a polytheist, he would not have washed him when he died, he would not have stood by his grave and prayed for him because Allah commands not to attend the funerals of the hypocrites (they are actually unbelievers), and not to pray for them. “Velateküm ala kabrihim- You shall not attend the burial of them- the unbelievers- and you shall not pray for them.” (Al-Tawba, 84)
The Prophet Muhammad, who did not attend the burial of the unbelievers and hypocrites, and who did not pray for them, would not have attended the burial of an unbeliever and he would not have prayed for him, even if he had been one of his relatives or a friend of him.
Yet, it was definitely confirmed by Ahl al Bayt (the Family of the Prophet) and by the Companions (Ahsab) who witnessed this event that he had washed his uncle, Abu Talib and he stood by his grave while praying for him. Hz. Abbas, the brother of Hz. Abu Talib, testified that Abu Talib (R.A.) was a believer. Tarih-i Teberi and other sources of Islam History report that Hz. Muhammad (A.S.) washed the corpse of AbuTalib (R.A.). Now, I will tell you a truth: Hz. Hashim and all the members of his family (except Abu Leheb) were Hanif (they were Muslims and they knew Allah one). The Hanifs are the ancestors of Hz. Hashim, coming from the descendants of Hz. Ismael, the son of Hz. Abraham. They worshipped Allah, who is the Lord of Universe and the sole God of Hz. Abraham. They were not polytheists. Hz. Abubaqır was also included in these Hanifs as he carried the blood of Hashimids from his maternal side. He was also one of the young friends of the Prophet and he disliked, hated the idols and idolaters.
The Hanifs would worship in their houses secretly obeying the requirements of Hz. Abraham’s religion. When they went outside, they used to hide their belief from the people of Mecca, all of whom were polytheists and pagans. But, when Abu Leheb married to Hateb (Hateb was also a strong opponent and the enemy of the Prophet), who was the sister of Abu Sufyan and the aunt of Muawiyah, he started to be affected by his wife Hateb and the Family of Sufyan and this dirt was smeared on him from them. As a result, he cut off the relation with Hashimids, who were his own family. There was only one person who did not have faith from the Hashimids and he was “Abu Lahab”, but he used to like Hz. Muhammad (A.S.), he would oppose to those who insulted the Prophet or swore at his face. He even let one of his slaves free when he gave him the good news of the birth of his nephew Muhammad, for the Glory of the Prophet Muhammad. Allah may or may not forgive him. Allah says only “May the hands of Abu Lahab be perished!” in the Koran.
Hz. Abu Talib (R.A.) had hidden his faith, as he was the chief and the oldest of the Hashimids and the tribe. If Hz. Abu Talib had confessed his belief, it would have been very difficult to look after the Prophet and to protect him against the other chiefs of the tribes. (*) The polytheists, especially Abu Sufyan did not attempt to murder Hz. Muhammad (A.S.) and the believers until Abu Talib (R.A.) died. It is obvious that they respected Abu Talib and got frightened from him. Soon after Abu Talib’s death, Abu Sufyan and his supporters increased their oppression and violence on Muslims. Some of the Companions of the Prophet (A.S.) emigrated to Ethiopia, some of them to Yemen and some of them to Tebük. The truth of the matter is; they were sent away from their countries. They also decided to kill Hz. Muhammad (A.S.) but our Lord Allah protected Hz. Muhammad (A.S.), Hz. Abu Talib (R.A.) and his sons, the Hashimids, Hz. Abubaqır and all the Hanifs- Muslims and He enabled them to be gathered in Madina, in safety.
This is the truth, my brothers! Those who are against Abu Talib (R.A.) are the Family of Umayyads and the Ulama class of the Umayyads whose origin was Umayyads like İbn-i Hazım and the similar people who were, in fact, the enemies of Hz. Ali and the Hashimids and the enemies of the real Companions that were hanif-Muslims and the lover of Ahl al Bayt.
This is a matter of mentality. The Umayyads and their supporters wanted to slander Hz. Muhammad, Hz. Ali and the Family of Hashimids indirectly by slandering Abu Talib (R.A.).
The hostility of Umayyads towards Hashimids is a historical truth.
(*) “Abu Talib was the arm, the wing, the shelter of Our Prophet Aleyhisselam. He was the helper and the defender of him against Polytheists.” (İslam Tarihi, M. Asım Köksal, vol.2, p. 125) From Hz. Abu Talib (r.a.): “My pink faced, white skinned Muhammad, Rain is desired on dry days for the sake of your honorable face. The prays for rain are intended by your name, You are the person, who embraces the orphans, And becomes a shelter for the widows, My rosy-faced Muhammad….” (Ghazali, İhya, vol. 2, p.898 and “İslam Büyüklerinden Menkibeler, p. 5)
Kazım YARDIMCI
2nd November, 2004