that Abū Tālib embraced faith. They cite the weak hadith in “al-Sīra” (The Prophetic Biography), which states that he uttered indistinct words at the time of his death. Had al-ʿAbbās stated that he had embraced faith, he would not have said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

“Your uncle, that misguided old man, used to help you. Have you done anything to benefit him?”

He replied:

“I found him deep in the Fire, so I interceded for him until he came to be in a shallow part of the Fire. On his feet are two sandals of fire that cause his brain to boil. Were it not for me, he would be in the lowest depth of the Fire.”

This claim is false and contradicts what is recorded in the Sahīh and elsewhere: the last thing he said was that he followed the religion of ʿAbd al-Muttalib, and al-ʿAbbās did not witness his death. Moreover, had that claim been true, Abū Tālib would have been more deserving of renown than Hamza and al-ʿAbbās. It is widely known throughout the Muslim community, through numerous reports handed down from earlier to later generations, that neither Abū Tālib nor the Prophet’s parents are mentioned among his believing family members, such as Hamza, al-ʿAbbās, ʿAlī, Fātima, al-Hasan and al-Husayn—may Allah be pleased with them. This is among the clearest proofs that the claim is a lie.

(Fourth: Allah Most High said, in the verse:

“You have had an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disavow you’”—up to His words—“‘I will certainly seek forgiveness for you, but I cannot avail you against Allah at all.’”

Allah Most High also said:

“Abraham’s seeking forgiveness for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he disowned him.”

The command, therefore, is to follow the example of Abraham and those with him, except in Abraham’s promise to seek forgiveness for his father. It is also stated that, when it became clear to him that his father was an enemy of Allah, he disowned him. And Allah knows best.