Did Abū Ṭālib die a believer on account of which you visit [ziyārah] his shrine?

Reply: From the viewpoint of the Shī‘ah, Abū Ṭālib, the son of ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib, the eminent father of the Commander of the Faithful ‘Alī (‘a) and the uncle of the Holy Prophet (ṣ), is among the people who believed in the apostleship [risālah] of the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), and among his helpers and confidants in time of tribulations and adversities during the early period of Islam.   

The family of Abū Ṭālib

He was born in a house and grew up under the supervision of the Prophet’s (ṣ) grandfather, the champion of the followers of the school of Ibrāhīm al-Khalīl (Prophet Abraham) (‘a), viz. ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib. A cursory glance at the history of the Arabian Peninsula will reveal that during the most critical and dangerous junctures of his life, ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib never abandoned worshipping God and safeguarding the creed of monotheism.

When Abrahah headed toward Mecca with a huge army of elephant-riders with the aim of destroying the Ka‘bah, he took some of ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib’s camels which were on the way. As ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib came to him to get back his camels, Abrahah asked him in astonishment: “Instead of requesting for the return of your camel, why do you not ask for the return of my army and do something to save the Ka‘bah from destruction?”

Full of faith and trust in God, ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib replied:

“.[يحميه] يمنعه ربّ وللبيت الإبل ربّ أنا”

 “I am the owner of the camels, and this House (Ka‘bah) has its Owner Who shall protect it.”[1]

He then went back to Mecca, and holding the door of the Ka‘bah, he thus said:

سواكا أرجولهم لا ربّ يا

حماكا منهم فامنع ربّ يا

عاداكا من عدوّالبيت إنّ

فناكا يخربوا أن امنعهم

O God! I plead no one but You to repel the enemies. O God! Guard Your Sanctuary against them.

The enemies of the House are inimical to You. Prevent them from destroying Your House.[2]

These eloquent statements and the like are a clear testimony to the monotheistic belief and unflinching faith of ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib, the eminent father of Abū Ṭālib. In his history book, Ya‘qūbī writes the following about ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib:

“.عزّوجلّ الله وحّد و الأصنام عبادة رفض”

“He kept aloof from worshipping idols and worshipped no one other than Allah, the Honorable and Glorious.”[3]

Now, let us see what is this monotheist and faithful father’s opinion about his own son, Abū Ṭālib: