Did Abu Talib die a Muslim?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

This is incorrect. Abu Talib did not die a Muslim according to the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari. There is an inauthentic narration that suggests he did. However, this narration is not only weak in itself, but also further weakened and rejected due to it contradicting numerous Sahih Hadith narrations.

سَعِيدُ بْنُ المُسَيِّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ: أَنَّهُ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ أَبَا طَالِبٍ الوَفَاةُ جَاءَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهُ أَبَا جَهْلِ بْنَ هِشَامٍ، وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ المُغِيرَةِ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأَبِي طَالِبٍ: ” يَا عَمِّ، قُلْ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، كَلِمَةً أَشْهَدُ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ” فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ: يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ أَتَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ؟ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْرِضُهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَيَعُودَانِ بِتِلْكَ المَقَالَةِ حَتَّى قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ آخِرَ مَا كَلَّمَهُمْ: هُوَ عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ المُطَّلِبِ، وَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولَ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ مَا لَمْ أُنْهَ عَنْكَ» فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِ: {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ} [التوبة: 113] الآيَةَ

(Sayidina) al-Musayib narrated: When Abu Talib was close to death, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to him. Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah bin al-Mughirah were present too. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O uncle, say there is no god except Allah, a statement for which I can testify for you before Allah (Most High).” Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah said, “O Abu Talib, will you leave the religion of Abd al-Muttalib?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued to encourage him. Whilst they kept repeating their statement. Until the last thing Abu Talib said to them was that he is upon the religion of Abdul Muttalib. And he refused to say: There is no god but Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will continue to seek forgiveness for you until I am forbidden.” Then (the following) was revealed: It is not fitting for the Prophet. (Quran: 9, 113). (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1360).

Clear evidence

This narration was repeated in Sahih al-Bukhari numerous times (3884, 4675). It is also in Sahih Muslim (24 – 39), Musnad Ahmad (23674, Sahih), al-Mustadrak of Imam Hakim (3291, Sahih) and many other authoritative Hadith collections. All these authentic Hadith narrations establish the fact that Abu Talib refused to become Muslim at the end of his life.

It is due to the abundance of evidence from the Holy Quran and Sahih Hadith narrations that the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah believed Abu Talib died non-Muslim. Some of them linked the view that Abu Talib died a Muslim to the Shia.

وَوَقَفْتُ عَلَى جُزْءٍ جَمَعَهُ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الرَّفْضِ أَكْثَرَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْأَحَادِيثِ الْوَاهِيَةِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى إِسْلَامِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَلَا يَثْبُتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ وَبِاللَّهِ التَّوْفِيقُ وَقَدْ لَخَّصْتُ ذَلِكَ فِي تَرْجَمَةِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ الْإِصَابَةِ

I came across a collection compiled by one of the Rafidah (Shia). He gathered numerous feeble narrations alluding to Abu Talib accepting Islam. They do not establish anything (due to extreme weakness). Success is by Allah. Indeed, I have summarised the issue in Abu Talib’s biography in the book al-Isabah. (Imam Ahmad bin Ali Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

In the Nass above, Imam Ibn Hajr is commenting on narrations stating that Abu Talib did become Muslim. He clarifies that they do not establish anything. This is due to their weakness. He presents a detailed analysis of the narrations in his book al-Isabah.

The other narration

Some people argue that a narration found in Imam Ibn Ishaq’s Seerah proves Abu Talib did make the Shahadah at the end of his life. It seems that they have not checked the Sanad (chain of narration) provided. The Sanad has a clear and obvious weakness. It contains a Majhool narrator, which renders it weak, as seen below:

قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَحَدَّثَنِي الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدِ (بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ) عَنْ بَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ، عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: مَشَوْا إلَى أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَكَلَّمُوهُ. (السيرة النبوية لابن هشام)

Ibn Ishaq said: al-Abbas bin Abdullah bin Ma’bad informed me from a person of his family, on the authority of Ibn Abbas. He said: They went to Abu Talib and spoke to him. (Imam Ibn Hisham, al-Seerah al-Nabawiyah).

في سند هذا الحديث مبهم لا يعرف حاله، وهذا إبهام في الاسم والحال، ومثله يتوقف فيه لو انفرد، وقد روى: الإمام أحمد، والنسائي، وابن جريج، نحوا من سياقه، ولم يذكروا قول العباس، ثم يعارضه ما هو أصح منه، وهو ما رواه البخاري. (شرح سنن أبي داود)

In the chain of transmission (Sanad) of this Hadith is an unknown person. His state (as a narrator) is not known. This ambiguity exists regarding the name and the state (of the narrator). The like of this is not accepted if it is a solitary narration. Indeed Imam Ahmad, al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Jurayj, narrated the like of it. However, they did not mention (Sayidina) al-Abbas’ statement. Furthermore, it contradicts that which is more authentic than it. Namely, what (Imam) al-Bukhari narrated. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood).

Although weak narrations are normally acceptable for Seerah. It is not always the case. As Imam al-Ayni mentioned above, this weak narration contradicts that which is stronger than it. In reality, it contradicts numerous sound Hadith narrations and the statements of Sahabah and Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah.

Sometimes people attribute the narration above to Imam al-Bayhaqi or Ibn Asakir. Once again it seems they have not checked the Sanad. Since, these narrations have the same flaw as the narration in Ibn Ishaq. They also failed to consider what the Imams themselves said about the narrations.

هَذَا إِسْنَادٌ مُنْقَطِعٌ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَسْلَمَ الْعَبَّاسُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتُ وَحِينَ أَسْلَمَ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ حَالِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. (دلائل النبوة)

This is an interrupted chain of transmission (Munqati). (Also, Sayidina) al-Abbas had not yet become Muslim. When he did embrace Islam, he asked the Prophet ﷺ about Abu Talib’s condition. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi, Dalail al-Nabuwah).

هذا الحديث في بعض إسناده من يجهل والأحاديث الصحيحة تدل على موته كافرا. (تاريخ دمشق)

This Hadith contains an unknown person within the chain of transmission. Also, Sahih Hadith narrations prove that he died as an unbeliever. (Imam Ibn Asakir, Tareekh Dimashq).

Even if it was Sahih

Imam Ibn Katheer also mentioned the weakness of narrations indicating that Abu Talib became Muslim. He further explains that even if they were sound, they could not be taken to mean that he actually did become Muslim. This is due to the abundance of evidence demonstrating that he did not become Muslim.

وَعِنْدِي أَنَّ الْخَبَرَ بِذَلِكَ مَا صَحَّ لِضَعْفِ سَنَدِهِ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ. وممَّا يدلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ النَّبيّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فذكر له ما تقدم، وبتعليل صِحَّتِهِ لَعَلَّهُ قَالَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ مُعَايَنَةِ الْمَلَكِ بَعْدَ الْغَرْغَرَةِ حِينَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. (البداية والنهاية)

In my opinion, the narration about it is not authentic due to the weakness of its chain of transmission, as has been mentioned. What (further) establishes this (weakness) is that he (Sayidina al-Abbas) later asked the Prophet ﷺ about Abu Talib. He ﷺ mentioned to him what was mentioned above (he is being punished). Even if we assume authenticity, he (Abu Talib) may have said that when seeing the angel. Which is after the process of death has begun. At which point, (embracing) faith is of no benefit to a person. Allah (Most High) knows best. (Imam Abu al-Fida Ibn Katheer, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihaayah).

In the Nass (text) below, Imam Ibn Hajr alludes to the narration that mentions Abu Talib making the Shahadah being Munkar. Such a narration is not merely weak. Rather it is very weak. A Munkar narration is a weak narration that contradicts something stronger.

يَا بن أَخِي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ قَالَ أَخِي الْكَلِمَةَ الَّتِي أَمَرْتَهُ أَنْ يَقُولَهَا وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَوْ كَانَ طَرِيقُهُ صَحِيحًا لَعَارَضَهُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي هُوَ أَصَحُّ مِنْهُ فَضْلًا عَنْ أَنَّهُ لَا يَصِحُّ. (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري)

O my nephew, by Allah, my brother said the words that you commanded him to say. If this Hadith had a sound chain, it would have still opposed the Hadith stronger than it. However, it is not sound. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari).

Another argument

Some people who try to prove that Abu Talib died Muslim say that Abd al-Mutalib was Haneef (opposed to idol worship). Therefore, Abu Talib saying he is upon his religion is tantamount to becoming a Muslim. This is a deeply flawed argument.

Firstly, why would any Muslim link himself to the religion of Abd al-Mutalib instead of the religion of our blessed Prophet ﷺ? How can such an approach indicate Iman (faith)?

Secondly, when the Prophet is asking you to say one thing and Abu Jahl is encouraging you to say another, which of the two is correct? The Prophet ﷺ was requesting the Shahadah and Abu Jahl was mentioning the religion of Abd al-Mutalib. Abu Talib mentioned that he is upon the religion of Abd al-Mutalib.

Thirdly, if a non-Muslim today was to say, I am on the religion of Abd al-Mutalib, would we consider him a Muslim? If it is not acceptable now. Then how could it possibly be accepted in the very presence of the Prophet ﷺ?

Fourthly, we cannot establish that Abd al-Mutalib was a Haneef. But we know Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl was. His being a Haneef is proven by numerous authentic Hadith narrations in Bukhari and elsewhere. Did the Prophet ﷺ ever accept or encourage a Shahadah in his name? The list of objections to this view is very long, I will suffice with this.

He believed the Prophet was truthful

A contention raised by some is that Abu Talib used to say his nephew is not a liar. Therefore, he did believe in the Prophet ﷺ. Unfortunately, this is not sufficient. If it were sufficient then why did the Prophet ﷺ call him to Islam when he was dying? Why was Dua and inheritance not permitted? Once again, the argument fails upon cursory scrutiny.

وكفرُ عناد: بأنْ يعترف بقلبه ويقرُ بلسانهِ ولا يتلفظ بالتوحيد، ككفرِ أبي طالب. (تحفة الباري)

The Kufr of stubbornness is when he knows it (the truth) in his heart and acknowledges it with his tongue. However, he does not make the statement of Tawheed. Like the Kufr of Abu Talib. (Imam Zakariyah al-Ansari, Minhatu al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

In the Nass (text) above, Imam Zakariyah al-Ansari mentions that Abu Talib was Kafir. He explains that knowing the truth and speaking it is insufficient if one refuses to enter Islam. So many classical scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah clarified the issue of Abu Talib that it is surprising to see many people ascribing themselves to Sunni Islam today differing.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (14.12.23)