How Did Quraysh Threaten Abu Talib, the Prophet's (PBUH) Uncle?
بماذا هدد كفار قريش أبا طالب عم الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم؟
The leaders of Quraysh came to Abu Talib and they said to him: Your nephew has insulted our gods and cursed our fathers, and if you do not stop him and prevent him, we will fight you both until one of the two parties perishes. Abu Talib sent for his nephew and told him what the people had said: “Spare yourself and me, and do not burden me with more than I can bear.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied: “O my uncle! by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this course, until Allah makes it prevail, or I perish therein, I would not abandon it.” His uncle said, ” Oh my nephew! “Go and preach what you please, for by Allah I will never forsake you.”
Note: In the earlier published Arabic text, the Prophet’s reply lacked its conclusion, «ما تركته» (I would not abandon it). It is in Ibn Ishaq’s report as quoted by Ibn Kathir in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, so it was added.
جاءت سادات قريش إلى أبي طالب فقالوا له: إن ابن أخيك سفه آلهتنا وشتم آباءنا، فإن لم تنته وتكفه عن ذلك لننازلنه وإياك حتى يهلك أحد الفريقين، لذا أرسل أبو طالب لابن أخيه الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال له: يا ابن أخي إن قومك جاءوني، فقالوا لي كذا وكذا، فأبق على نفسك وعليّ، ولا تحملني من الأمر ما لا أطيق، فقال: يا عم! والله لو وضعوا الشمس في يميني والقمر في يساري على أن أترك هذا الأمر، حتى يظهره الله أو أهلك فيه ما تركته، فرد عليه عمه وقال: اذهب يابن أخي فقل ما أحببت، فوالله لا أسلمك لشيء أبدا
ملاحظة: جاء جواب النبي ﷺ في النص المنشور سابقا ناقصا، ليس فيه: (ما تركته)، وهو في رواية ابن إسحاق التي نقلها ابن كثير في البداية والنهاية: (على أن أترك هذا الأمر حتى يظهره الله أو أهلك فيه ما تركته)، فأُضيف.
1. The Ultimatum of the Quraysh Notables | الإنذار الأخير من سادات قريش لأبي طالب
Ibn Ishaq reports, as Ibn Kathir quotes him, that the leaders of Quraysh came to Abu Talib and said: "O Abu Talib, you have age, honour and standing among us. We asked you to stop your nephew and you did not. By Allah, we will not endure this insulting of our fathers, mocking of our minds and finding fault with our gods, until you restrain him from us, or we will fight both him and you over it until one of the two sides perishes."
روى ابن إسحاق، كما نقل ابن كثير، أن سادات قريش مشوا إلى أبي طالب فقالوا: «يا أبا طالب، إن لك سنا وشرفا ومنزلة فينا، وإنا قد استنهيناك من ابن أخيك فلم تنهه عنا، وإنا والله لا نصبر على هذا من شتم آبائنا، وتسفيه أحلامنا، وعيب آلهتنا، حتى تكفه عنا أو ننازله وإياك في ذلك حتى يهلك أحد الفريقين».
2. Abu Talib's Appeal and Moral Dilemma | مناشدة أبي طالب للنبي وخشية قطيعة العشيرة
Ibn Ishaq says their parting from him and their enmity weighed heavily on Abu Talib, yet he would neither hand the Prophet ﷺ over nor abandon him. He sent for his nephew and said: "Spare me and yourself, and do not burden me with more than I can bear."
قال ابن إسحاق: فعظم على أبي طالب فراق قومه وعداوتهم، ولم يطب نفسا بإسلام رسول الله ﷺ لهم ولا خذلانه، فبعث إليه فقال: «فابق علي وعلى نفسك، ولا تحملني من الأمر ما لا أطيق».
3. The Immortal Declaration: Sun and Moon | الموقف الخالد: "لو وضعوا الشمس في يميني والقمر في يساري"
The Prophet thought his uncle was about to abandon him and hand him over, and said: "O uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this matter, I would not abandon it until Allah makes it prevail or I perish in it." Then his eyes filled with tears; he wept and stood up (Ibn Ishaq, a report whose chain hadith scholars consider weak).
فظن رسول الله ﷺ أنه قد بدا لعمه فيه وأنه خاذله ومسلمه، فقال: «يا عم، والله لو وضعوا الشمس في يميني والقمر في يساري على أن أترك هذا الأمر حتى يظهره الله أو أهلك فيه ما تركته»، ثم استعبر فبكى ثم قام (رواية ابن إسحاق، وإسنادها ضعيف عند المحدثين).
4. Abu Talib's Renewed Pledge of Protection | تجديد العهد: ثبات أبي طالب على حماية النبي
As he turned away, Abu Talib called him back and said: "Go, my nephew, and say what you like. By Allah, I will never hand you over for anything" (Ibn Ishaq). Ibn Ishaq also reports that when Abu Talib died, Quraysh harmed the Prophet ﷺ as they could never have hoped to while he lived.
فلما ولى ناداه أبو طالب فقال: «اذهب يا ابن أخي فقل ما أحببت، فوالله لا أسلمك لشيء أبدا» (رواية ابن إسحاق). وذكر ابن إسحاق أنه لما هلك أبو طالب نالت قريش من رسول الله ﷺ من الأذى ما لم تكن تطمع به في حياته.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
With what did the disbelievers of Quraysh threaten Abu Talib?
With war: they said they would fight him and his nephew until one side perished unless he restrained him (Ibn Ishaq, quoted by Ibn Kathir).
What did Abu Talib say to the Prophet after receiving the threat?
He asked him: Spare me and yourself, and do not burden me with more than I can bear (Ibn Ishaq).
What was the Prophet's famous response to his uncle?
In Ibn Ishaq's report, whose chain hadith scholars consider weak, he said that even if they put the sun in his right hand and the moon in his left, he would not abandon this matter until Allah made it prevail or he perished in it.
How did Abu Talib react to the Prophet's unwavering commitment?
He called him back and said: Go, my nephew, and say what you like; by Allah, I will never hand you over for anything (Ibn Ishaq).