Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother, 

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah. Would you please answer my question in detail refering to Qur'aan and Sunnah whether the beloved uncle of our Holy Prophet(SAS)-Abu Talib Ibn Abd al-Muttalib accepted Islam and will go to the heaven? Most of the Ulemas say that he will not be forgiven but some Sufis opine about this controversial issue that Abu Talib will go to heaven coz one of the Asabs(AS) heard him at his death bed, whispered to his ear Kalima Shahada. What is the real fact?

With most regards,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Fate of Abu Talib

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.442 Narrated by Said bin Al Musaiyab from his father

When the time of the death of Abu Talib approached, The Messenger of Allah (saws) went to him and found Abu Jahl bin Hisham and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya bin Al-Mughira by his side. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to Abu Talib, "O uncle! Say: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, a sentence with which I shall be a witness (i.e. argue) for you before Allah." Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya said, "O Abu Talib! Are you going to denounce the religion of Abdul Muttalib?" The Messenger of Allah (saws) kept on inviting Abu Talib to say it (i.e. 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah') while they (Abu Jahl and Abdullah) kept on repeating their statement till Abu Talib said as his last statement that he was on the religion of Abdul Muttalib and refused to say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' (Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "I will keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden (by Allah) to do so." So Allah revealed (the verse) concerning him (i.e. It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they should invoke (Allah) for forgiveness for pagans even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the fire (9.113).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.227 Narrated by Abdullah bin Al Harith bin Naufal

Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib said, "O Messenger of Allah (saws)! Did you benefit Abu Talib with anything as he used to protect and take care of you, and used to become angry for you?" The Prophet (saws) said, "Yes, he is in a shallow place of Fire. But for me, he would have been in the lowest part of the Fire."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.224 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri

That he heard the Prophet (saws) when somebody mentioned his uncle (i.e. Abu Talib), saying, "Perhaps my intercession will be helpful to him on the Day of Resurrection so that he may be put in a shallow fire reaching only up to his ankles. His brain will boil from it."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 413 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas

The Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “Among the inhabitants of the Fire AbuTalib would have the least suffering, and he would be wearing two shoes (of Fire) which would boil his brain.”

The fate of every individual will be decided by the One Who is All Just and All Knowing on the Day of Judgement, and no one will be wronged in that Just Court of the All Merciful. In light of the above authentic narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is obvious that although the Prophet (saws) loved and respected his uncle Abu Talib dearly, Abu Talib did not die on the deen brought by Prophet Mohamed (saws). The above hadiths clearly depict the fate of Abu Talib; and no sufi, and no scholar, etc. has a right to say anything of the unseen without direct evidence from the Quran or Sunnah.

Our duty as believers is to unconditionally obey and follow the words of Allah and His Messenger (saws). We should never ever get into an argument whether a deceased person will be given Paradise as a reward, or Hell Fire as a punishment, for we have no right to do so. What we know of the unseen is what is declared by Allah and His Messenger (saws), and nothing else! Allah Subhanah will neither ask you or me what will happen to Abu Talib; each individual will be brought forth in the Court of Allah Subhanah to give a full accounting of his own deeds. That is the system of proceedings in the Just Court of the All-Just!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 134: They were a people who passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned, and you shall have the reward of what you will earn. And you will not be questioned as to what they did.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan