Then his uncle Abū Ṭālib and his wife Khadījah passed away.

Regarding the Almighty’s words, “They bar others from it and keep away from it themselves, yet they destroy no one but themselves, though they are unaware” (Qur’an 6:26), it is said that this verse was revealed about Abū Ṭālib; likewise the verse, “Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love” (Qur’an 28:56).

Sufyān al-Thawrī narrated from Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit, from someone who heard Ibn ʿAbbās explain the verse, “They bar others from it,” saying: “It was revealed concerning Abū Ṭālib, who used to tell the idol-worshippers not to harm the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he himself kept aloof from the faith.”

Hamzah al-Zayyāt transmitted the same report from Ḥabīb with the chain: from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās.

Maʿmar related from al-Zuhrī, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, from his father: “When Abū Ṭālib was on his death-bed, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—entered and found with him Abū Jahl and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Umayyah ibn al-Mughīrah. The Prophet said, ‘O uncle, say: lā ilāha illā Allāh (there is no deity but Allah); with it I shall plead for you before Allah.’ The two men objected: ‘Abū Ṭālib! Will you turn away from the creed of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib?’ His final words were, ‘I remain on the creed of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib.’ The Messenger of Allah then declared, ‘I shall continue to seek forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so.’ Thereupon the revelation came: “It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists…” (Qur’an 9:113-114), and also: “Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love” (Qur’an 28:56). Muslim records this ḥadith, and al-Bukhārī has the same wording through Shuʿayb ibn Abī Ḥamzah.