The widowed Prophet today lost to the cold hands of death the loving uncle who, along with his faithful wife Fatema bint Asad, had brought him up as his own son, and then protected him and his mission with all his capabilities from the Arab pagans, including three years of economic- social boycott in the gorge outside Mecca that is known till this day as She’b Abi Taleb.

       Abu Taleb (Allah’s blessings upon him) needs no introduction. As a matter of fact, those who do not know him or who doubt his firm faith in Islam, are nothing but faithless hypocrites despite their pretension to be Muslim.

      Born in the monotheistic Ishmaelite clan of Banu Hashem, and named Imran, he was the consanguineous brother of Abdullah, the father of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), and thus loved his orphaned nephew more than his own sons.

       The sceptics are advised to ponder deeply on the words of the holy Qur’an to the Prophet, who is reminded by God of the arrangement made through his loving uncle.

       "Did He not find you an orphan, and shelter you?” (93:6)

      Those still in doubt should read Surah Aal-e Imran, where in Ayah 61 God Almighty, in order to refute the illogical argument of the Christians of Najran on the alleged divinity of Prophet Jesus (AS) son Mary (daughter of Imran), orders Abu Taleb’s nephew the Prophet, to take with him to the field of Mubahela his dearest and nearest ones – daughter Fatema (SA), son-in-law Imam Ali (AS) and the couple’s two sons, Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS). 

       The fact that Imam Ali (AS) is the son of Abu Taleb, while the Prophet’s daughter is the daughter-in-law of Abu Taleb, and the Prophet’s maternal grandsons are the paternal grandsons of Abu Taleb, is a clear indicator that Surah Aal-e Imran has more to do with the merits of the progeny (Aal) of the Ishmaelite Imran (Abu Taleb), compared to those of Jesus (AS), the maternal grandson of the Israelite Imran. 

      Moreover, Abu Taleb was the last legatee of Prophet Abraham (AS), and as Hanif or the Upright Muslim, he passed on to Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) the legacy of Prophet Ishmael. 

       In the words of the Prophet’s 7th infallible Heir, Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS), Abu Taleb (AS) was the repository of the trust given to the past Prophets and he was the medium for their transfer to Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), whose prophethood and divine mission he acknowledged.

        In view of these irrefutable realities, any doubt concerning Abu Taleb’s (AS) steadfast faith in Islam, in fact, exposes the sceptics in their true colours as the offspring of the malicious pagans, such as Abu Sufyan and other hardcore infidels, that reluctantly became Muslims and that too as late as 8 AH at the surrender of Mecca a couple of years before the Prophet passed away. 

      Known popularly as Shaikh al-Bat-ha (Senior Statesman of Mecca), he was 72 years old when he passed away. The Prophet wept bitterly on the death of his loving uncle and guardian, and would remark: As long as he was alive the infidels dared not lift a finger against me. 

      Faith is proven by practical deeds and not mere lip service. Thus, the life of Abu Taleb, such as his staunch support for the Prophet for whose safety he was ready to endanger the life of his own sons and in protecting whom he stood up to the Qurayshi and the Meccans in an atmosphere where ignorance prevailed and where there were no humanitarian sentiments or values, is an undeniable proof of this fact.