Islam > Hadiths > The noble quran and quranic sciences > O uncle, say: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah), a word with which I can defen…
AuthenticUpdated on 24 September 2026 at 12:34 AM
📖 2 min readعن سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ أَبَا طَالِبٍ الْوَفَاةُ، جَاءَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهُ أَبَا جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، فَقَالَ: «أَيْ عَمِّ، قُلْ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللهِ»، فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ: أَتَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْرِضُهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَيُعِيدَانِهِ بِتِلْكَ الْمَقَالَةِ، حَتَّى قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ آخِرَ مَا كَلَّمَهُمْ: عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، وَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «وَاللهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ مَا لَمْ أُنْهَ عَنْكَ»، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ: {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ} [التوبة: 113]، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ فِي أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَقَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: {إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ} [القصص: 56].
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his uncle Abu Tālib when he was in his death throes and said to him: O Uncle, say: "La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah)," a statement with which I can testify in your favor before Allah. Thereupon, Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ’Umayyah said: O Abu Tālib, would you abandon the religion of your father ‘Abdul-Muttalib, i.e. worshipping idols?! They both kept talking to him until the last thing he said to them was about the religion of Abdul-Muttalib, i.e., the religion of Shirk (polytheism) and idolatry. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, said: I will ask forgiveness for you as long as my Lord does not forbid me from doing so. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed: {It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists[83], even if they are close relatives, after becoming clear to them that they are the people of the Blazing Fire.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 113] And the following verse was revealed concerning Abu Tālib: {You cannot guide whoever you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best who will be guided.} [Surat al-Qasas: 56] You cannot guide whoever you like to guide; your duty is only to convey the message, and Allah guides whom He wills.
Categories : The Noble Qur'an and Qur'anic Sciences · Qur'anic Exegesis · Calling to Allah (Da‘wah) · Da‘wah and Hisbah