Liaison office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al Sistani (L.M.H.L) in London, Europe, North and South America.

• Sayyid al-Kishmiry has inquired why do some Muslims ignore the death memory of Abi Talib (May Allah be satisfied with), the protector and supporter of the Messenger?
• He calls upon the Iraqi people to keep the unity, brotherhood, forgiveness and love in the light of the common religious and human similarities among them, and the commitment to the path of UhlulBait (Peace be upon them) as their behaviour is the basis for the Muslims’ unity everywhere.
• To challenge terrorism and those whose accuse other Muslims of being blasphemers, the number of visitors this year to the shrines of the two Imams (P.B,U.T) in Kadhimiya has jumped up to ten millions.

He delivered his speech at the congregation of Friday prayers on 26th of Rajab 1426H, saying that one of the honourable occasions when Muslims forgive each other, among them some of UhluBait followers, with no reference to the death of the prophet’s uncle (Abu Talib-Abd Munaaf (May Allah be satisfied with), his first protector and supporter, and this sad occasion passes away in 26th of Rajab as if nothing had happened as he is not remembered or mentioned and talked about as if all Muslim had forgot his fighting stands for the sake of Islamic call that is referred to by Ibn Abi al-Hadid when saying,

ولولا أبو طالب وابنه            لما مثل الدين شخصا فقاما
فذاك بمكة آوى وحامى            وهذا بيثرب جس الحماما
تكفل عبد مناف بأمر            وأودى فكان علي تماما
فقل في ثبير مضى بعد ما           قضى ما قضاه وأبقى شماما

And if we consult the books of biographies and their commentaries about his stands, we would learn that this man, though he has not pronounced Shahadatain- I BEAR WITNESS THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH AND MUHAMMAD HIS MESSENGER- but his practical support and stand and poetry are proofs for his faith in the prophet’s message and he is the same as the believer of the Pharaoh’s Family who had concealed his faith, ((A believing person from the people of the Pharaoh who concealed his faith said)) Abu Talib has also defended Allah’s Messenger not only by speech and action but he favoured him on his sons as well because he had exploited his authority to defend him strongly against the intrigues of blasphemers whenever the prophet was threatened.

And, when the prophet and a small number of true faithful believers were boycotted socially and economically no one had supported them except Abu Talib. He also pulled his sword when necessary to protect Allah’s Messenger (P.B.U.H), and even full of hatred blasphemers did not dare to continue with their harmful actions and they soon had to run away when they saw this man of high dignity stood by the prophet’s side to protect him and for this reason the prophet had called the year that Abu Talib and Khadija passed away in the year of sorrow.

Some have claimed falsely that Abu Talib was defending (P.B.U.H) only because he was his brother’s son, but such claims sprang out because of the falsification of history that written down by Umayyad, particularly Mu’awiya Bin Abi Sufiyan in order to defame Abu Talib’s status who is the father of Imam Ali by claiming untruly that the reason behind his support to Islam was not because of his strong faith in it but because he was the prophet’s uncle! In such atmosphere such claims can not be considered because a man holds the same feelings towards his eldest son as for his brother’s son but Abu Talib was in ready to sacrifice even his son for the sake of Muhammad, and if the uncle’s feelings were behind all this care and attention, then why the prophet had suffered from his uncle Abu Lahab who hurt him and stood with his enemies against him, while others from Bany Hasim did not support him in the same way and sincerity that Abu Talib had shown? That level of support and sincerity were not reflected by other people who had submitted to Islam and endured and shared all the hardship with the prophet (P,B.U.H.) because sacrifice, preference and to act as his ransom from this great man if they prove that Abu Talib had firm belief in Islam. The proofs for his belief are more luminous than the sun in a clear day. Here are some of them:

1-His unlimited relentless support to the prophet (P.B.U.H) in spite of the hardships and the circumstances, and his confrontation with the tyrants of Kuraish is an evidence for his faith in the call of the Messenger.

2-His intentions in all his poetry about the Messenger, Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and his private relation with Allah as it was referred to in Ibn Hisham’s biography reflect his belief.

3-Abu Talib had encouraged his son Ja’far and his wife Fatima Bint Asad and his brother Hamza to be amicable to Muhammad and pray behind him in support for the prophet (P.B.U.H)

4-The Messenger of Allah saddened when Abu Talib died, his sorrow was filled with pain and he interceded with Allah on his behalf, and if this attitude proves anything it proves that he is a believer in the prophet’s message.

5-It was reported by Abi Bakr and al-Abass Bin Abdulmutalib that Aba Talib had pronounced al-Shahadatain before his death.

6- The prophet’s call for him from the pulpit of the mosque and his plea to Allah to forgive him and, it is far from the prophet to ask forgiveness for a blasphemer because personal emotion, and the prophet had also escorted his body to his grave, and he asked Imam Ali to was it and cover it with an Islamic shroud but prayers on his body was not recited because it was not obligatory on Muslims at that time and by same token it was not recited on Khadija’s body.

7-What has been attributed to Imam Ali about his deep sorrow when he learnt about his father’s death.

8- It was reported that the prophet Muhammad he said, “The Messenger shall be the interceder on behalf of his father and his uncle at the dooms- day.”

9- It is undisputable that Fatima Bint Asad, Abu Talib’s wife is one of the early Muslims and she had migrated because of her religion. And if Abu Talib were a blasphemer, she would not have been allowed to remain with him as Allah warns by saying, ((Do not hold unto your disbelieving wives))

10- Abulfatl Bin Shathaan cited a tradition that he related to al-Shaikh al-Sadooq `ibn `babawayh al-Qumy (May Allah has mercy on him) and attributed to Imam al-Hassan Bin Ali al-Askri (P.B.U.H) and it is part of a long talk where it was stated in it, “Allah the glorified and the Exalted had revealed to his Messenger (P.B.U.H) saying, : I have supported you by two types of followers- followers who support you openly and supporters who support you secretly, and the Master of those who supports you secretly is Abu Talib, and the Master of those who supports you openly is his son, Ali Bin Abi Talib, and added that Abu Talib is as the believer of the Pharaoh, who had concealed his faith, and similar to that is Imam al-Sadiq’s comment when he said, “Gabriel came to the prophet saying to him,” Allah convey his peace on you and inform you that the people of the Cave had kept their faith secret and behaved as being blasphemers, and Allah had rewarded them twice and Abu Talib kept his faith secret and behaved as a blasphemer so Allah for this had rewarded him twice.

Abu Talib (P.B.U.H) behaved in this way at the start of the Islamic Call (concealed his faith), and the one who wanted to take this path must socially be a strong figure, acknowledged by others, and Abu Talib was the best character who represented such figure, and in spite of this, if he had declared his belief, he would have been surprised and boycotted, and that means that the road for oppressing the prophet will be open ajar.

Some may enquire why all this attack on Abi Talib, accusing him of being a blasphemer? The answer is because he is Ali’s father and this has brought him the hatred of the Umayyad Rule and their associates. They had created a great number of suspicions and false narrations to discredit his faith to confirm that Ali had not been a light in the lofty loins as the case of all immaculate members of UhluBait but if Abu Talib were Mu’awiya’s father he would have been considered one of the early Masters.

al-Halaby scholar mentioned the following in his biography: ‘When Abu Talib was about to die, he asked for the dignitaries of Kuraish and Bany Hasim and advised by telling them the following that is part of his advice, “Oh, people of Kuraish, you are the best of Allah’s creation and the heart of the Arab, among you those who are obeyed and the brave and the generous. You have acquired all the good deeds that Arab enjoy and acquired all honour and for this you have excelled them by the moral excellence and for it you are sought. I advise you to honour this building i.e. (the Ka’ba) in it there is Allah’s satisfaction and good living… then he added, I ask you to be good to Muhammad as he is the faithful of Kuraish and the truthful among the Arabs, and he enjoys all I advise you with, and he has come with an issue that has been accepted by the hearts and rejected by the tongue for fear of enmity, by Allah I, as if looking at the Arab vagabonds and the Bedouins outside the city centres and paupers who have answered his call and believed in his words and dignified him and declared their war support, and the leaders of the Arab and their brave men have become tails and their houses were destroyed , and their weak have become masters and the great of them will be in need of him and the farthest from him will be nearest to him, and the Arab will show him sincerity and give him the leadership. People of Kuraish watch out! Be the guardians and supporter of his party. By Allah, any of you who follow his path will be on the right path, and any of you who accept his opinion will live happily.”

It was narrated that when Abu Talib kick the bucket, Imam Ali (Peace on him) came to Allah’s Messenger and informed about his death. By hearing about the news, he was deeply grieved with sorrow and ordered the Imam to shoulder his washing and asked the Imam, “If you carried him out of his bed, inform me, and when he was carried out of his bed, the prophet intercepted his body as he being lifted by people. The prophet commemorated him before his burial by saying, “Uncle you have established a relation with your relative and rewarded well, you have adopted and brought up a child, and supported and defended him when he became a man and you have escorted him to his grave.” He then stood at his body and said, “By Allah I shall intercede on your behalf an intercession that would surprise both the human and the Jinn. In another narration, when the prophet was informed about the death of Abu Talib, his heart grew heavy and has become greatly uneasy and entered to him and wiped his right cheek four times and his left cheek three times and said, “Oh, uncle you have adopted an orphan and brought him up when he was a child, and supported him when he was a man, may Allah reward you on my behalf graciously.” He then walked around his body and showed him by saying “You have established a relation with your relative and would be rewarded kindly.”

al-Aminy said the implications of these narrations do not conform with the claim that Abi Talib was blasphemer as the prophet would not have ordered his successor, Imam Ali to wash and shroud him and ask forgiveness on his behalf and mercy nor seek any good for him.

As for the doubt that they raised by claiming that the follwing Quranic verse, (((Muhammad), you cannot guide whomever you love))

was revealed with reference to Abi Talib, but Imam ZainulAbideen replied to it by saying that by this proof, they have acknowledged the prophet’s love to Abi Talib and this acknowledgement is a proof for the faith of Abi Talib because Allah, the Exalted has said, ((You will not find any people of faith in God and the Day of Judgment who would establish friendship with those who oppose God and His Messenger, even if it would be in the interest of their fathers, sons, brothers, and kinsmen. God has established faith in their hearts and supported them by a Spirit from Himself. He will admit them to Paradise wherein streams flow to live therein forever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with God. These are members of the party of God and the party of God will certainly have everlasting happiness))

They have acknowledged the prophet’s love to Abi Talib and the Quranic verse denies the belief in Allah and the Last Day, (it is truly blasphemy in its self) to any one who showed enmity to Allah and his Messenger. How is the situation then if the Messenger had done that? Among the Quranic verses that reflect not only the faith of Abi Talib but his great status to Allah is confirmed by Him in this Quranic verse: ((Did He not find you as an orphan and give you shelter))

Shelter (and care)? And this verse reflects significant meanings. It draws the attention not only to the high dignity of Abi Talib and his great position but it confirms his faith as well, and these meanings are as follow:

1-Allah has stated that sheltering the Messenger is by choice and order from Allah, the exalted, the Glorified. It is clear doer of the action of sheltering is Allah, the glorified, the Exalted, and from this meaning we comprehend that Allah as He has chosen Zakaria (P.B.U.H) to be Merriam’s guardian, ((Zachariah took custody of her))

He has chosed Aba Talib to shelter and be the guardian of His prophet (P.B.U.H).

2- The Quranic verse reflects benevolence to the prophet, and the position of providing shelter is in the front of those favours and even Allah has referred to it before the favour of the Message ((Did He not find you wandering about and give you guidance))

3- In the language and the Quranic use, Sheltering is more important in position and meaning than the adoption. That is why Allah has described the greatest of his Paradises by the garden of abode by saying ((to the Lot-tree (in the seven heavens) (14) near which is Paradise (15).))

4- Allah’s speech ((The believers who left their homes, and strove for the cause of God and those who gave them refuge and helped them, are true believers. They will have forgiveness (from their Lord) and (will be granted) honorable provisions. ))

If these Quranic precious verses are viewed linguistically, the following will be found: Those (Ula’ka) refers to glorification, and they refers to the delegation of authority, and truly refers to preference and this is the position of sheltering, and support in general; it is aggrandizement, confirmation and distinguish in the faith, so what do you think of the one who was assigned to give shelter and support to the Messenger by Allah’s order and choice? Abu Talib’s position is praiseworthy as the one who is dignified and distinguished by Allah, the Glorified. All we have mentioned is a drop in the ocean that proves Abu Talib’s position and his faith.

Shaikh al-Aminy has allocated a special chapter at the end of the seven volumes and the beginning of the eighth of his encyclopedia (al-Ghadir), reviewing analytically and in detail the Quranic verses referring to Abi Talib and the writings of scholars of both sects about him, his faith and position. Shaikh Abdulla al-Khinziry wrote a book of more than four hundred pages entitled (Kuraish’s Believer) about him, allocating a certain chapter to the witnesses of the infallible Imams (May Allah bless them) about the faith of this man, and in addition to these two references, there are a number of books written independently about his character such as (Mumait al-Talb fi Hayat Abi Talib), ( Mawahib al-Wahib fi Fata’l Abi Talib), (al-yaquta al-Hamra fi Imaan Sayyid al-Bat-ha) and (Imaan Abi Talib and others.

At the end of his speech, Sayyid al-Kishmiry brought the attention to the events in Iraq during the visitors’ march to Imam al-Kadhim, and expressed his deep sorrow against those who do not want to see any good for Iraq and its people, and praised the spirit of the Iraqis who are no longer deceived by such claims and their purposes and earnestly has requested all to be above aims of Islam’s enemies whose goals are, creating intrigue and sectarianism among the different communities and sects of Iraqi people. He called for unity, friendship and brotherhood in the light of common religious, human and national goals and UhlulBait stand from these goals that unite the Iraqi people as all the Iraqis have faith in them and adore them (((Muhammad), say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of(my near) relatives))

There is no Muslim who dislikes UhlulBait (P.B.U.T) or hates them because their love is an obligation from Allah, the Glorified, and the Exalted. He also praised highly the spirituality and the toughness of the visitors and their resistance for visiting Imam Musa Bin Ja’far (P.B.U.H) and their challenge to terrorism and terrorists who those who accuse other Muslims of being blasphemers. Some Media Channels had confirmed that the number of visitors to the shrine of Imam al-Kadhim was more than ten millions ((They would like to extinguish the light of God with a blow from their mouths, but even though the unbelievers may dislike it, God has decided to let His light shine forever ))

At the end, he asked for mercy for the souls of the martyrs of visitors to the Imamain and asked Allah to bestow on them the high rank and position, and peace be on you both Aba Talib and Babul Hawa’j when you were born and lived and the day you will arrive before Allah delighted.