The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 239
VII - Days of Struggle 239 occurred in 10 Nabawī , Abū Ṭālib was over eighty years of age. 1 Although Abū Ṭālib held fast to polytheism during the whole of his life and also died in the same state, the Holy Prophet sa always considered him his father and demonstrated such a high model of love, loyalty, service, obedience, honour and respect, the likes of which cannot be found. On the other hand, Abū Ṭālib always treated the Holy Prophet sa with an extreme level of protection and loyalty, and preferred putting himself in every type of difficulty, but did not leave the side of the Holy Prophet sa. Where this treatment is evidence of his own graciousness and loyalty, it also proves that although he may have believed the Holy Prophet sa to be mistaken, on account of his polytheistic beliefs, he did not consider the Holy Prophet sa a liar or deceiver at all. He was a heartfelt believer of the excellent morals, truthfulness and sincerity of the Holy Prophet sa. Therefore at this instance, Muir writes: “The sacrifices to which Abū Ṭālib exposed himself and his family for the sake of his nephew, while yet incredulous of his mission, stamp his character as singularly noble and unselfish. They afford at the same time strong proof of the sincerity of Moḥammad. Abū Ṭālib would not have acted thus for an interested deceiver; and he had ample means of scrutiny. ” 2 A few days after the demise of Abū Ṭālib, Ḥaḍrat Khadījah ra also passed away. 3 Khadījah ra had stood by the Holy Prophet sa in times of extreme grief and anguish. She loved the Holy Prophet sa and the Holy Prophet sa loved her immensely. For this reason, naturally, the Holy Prophet sa was exceedingly grieved at her demise. After her demise, whenever she was mentioned, the eyes of the Holy Prophet sa would become suffused in tears, and he would praise her often. He would say that, “Khadījah [ra] was among the best of the women in her era. ” Ḥaḍrat ‘ Ā’ishah ra narrates that: The Holy Prophet sa would praise Ḥaḍrat Khadījah ra so often, that I would begin 1 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 59, Bābu Dhikri Abī Ṭālib wa Ḍammihī Rusūlillāhi sa , Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 2 Life of ‘Mahomet’, By Sir William Muir, p. 105, Reprint of the 1894 Ed. , Published by Voice of India New Delhi 3 * Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 241, Bābu Dhikril- Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhi sa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā. . . . . . , Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 59, Bābu Dhikri Abī Ṭālib wa Ḍammihī Rusūlillāhi sa , Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)