Upon reviewing texts regarding Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him), it becomes evident that those living alongside him have often been a victim of bias. Despite witnessing the lofty status of Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him), the Ahle Tasannun did not accept his leadership and guidance, instead they resorted to false allegations against him and those close to him. One prominent example is the noble personality of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him). For example, Dhahabi has criticized Nisaai, who is the author of one of the four most popular books of the Ahle Tasannun for his love of Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him).
Why do some from the Ahle Tasannun claim that Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) was not a believer? The answer is as clear as daylight.
There are numerous reasons for this false allegation, primarily stemming from jealousy and hatred towards Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him). From the inception of Islam. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was consistently the first to respond and assist the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) in every task, which did not go unnoticed by the hypocrites who held grudges against him since the day of Dawat-e-Zul Asheera. For example: Tabari tried to change his record of Dawat-e-Zul Asheera to hide the excellences of Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him).
Additionally, Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him) killed many hypocrites in battlefields, further aggravating their animosity. These hypocrites, who never wanted Islam to flourish, saw their plans thwarted by the relentless efforts of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them). Following the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), these hypocrites rebelled, oppressing the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) through false allegations, defamation, social boycotts, and killings.
One significant reason for the baseless claims about Hazrat Abu Talib’s (peace be upon him) faith is his relationship with Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and his lifelong service to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and Islam. To the extent that Bukhari despite his extreme bias against the Ahlul Bait (peace be upon them) has recorded a tradition from Abbas (the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny)) that speaks about the sacrifices of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) – Refer: Bukhari Tradition No: 6208
Similarly, they even raised false allegations on the faith of Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him), despite acknowledging him as one of the four rightly guided caliphs.
As documented by Shaikh al-Saduq (ar) in Elal al-Sharaye, “Ali ibn Hathram said: I was in the assembly of Ahmad ibn Hanbal when the mention of Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, came up, and he said: “A man cannot be a Sunni until he dislikes Ali (peace be upon him) a little…”
Reference: Elal al-Sharaye, volume 2, page 468, tradition no. 65
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, the famed Motazali scholar has discussed this in his book “Sharh Nahjul Balaghah,” wherein he has brought an entire chapter titled “Al Hadeesul Mauzuato Fi Zammi Ali’ in (A.S.)” which translates to “The Fabricated Traditions in Condemnation of Amirul Momineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both).”
One such narration from Zohri goes like this:
“And Abd al-Razzaq narrated from Ma’mar that al-Zohri had two narrations from Urwah about Aisha regarding Ali (peace be upon him), so he asked him about them one day. He said: “What do you want to do with them? God knows best about them. I indeed accuse them (Urwah and Aisha) of bias towards the Bani Hashim.”
He said: “As for the first hadith, we have mentioned it. As for the second hadith, it is that Urwah claimed that Aisha narrated to him that she said: ‘I was with the Prophet when al-Abbas and Ali (peace be upon him) came in. He said: ‘O Aisha, if you wish to look at two men of the Hellfire, then look at these two who have just entered.’ So, I looked, and it was al-Abbas and Ali ibn Abi Talib!!’ [God forbid]”
Reference: Sharh Nahjul Balagah, Ibn Abil Hadeed, vol 4 page 64
Another narration about Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) is quoted by Amr ibn Aas, an advisor to Muawiya.
“And a hadith is narrated from him that is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs with a connected chain of transmission to Amr ibn al-Aas, who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: ‘The progeny of Abu so-and-so (referring to Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him)) are not my guardians; rather, my guardians are Allah and the righteous believers.'”
Reference: Sharh Nahjul Balagah, Ibn Abil Hadeed, vol 4 page 64, Bukhari tradition no. 5990, Muslim, tradition no. 215
These traditions clearly showcase the hatred towards the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them), particularly Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him) and his father, Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him).
It is worth questioning whether such allegations would be directed towards their self-appointed caliphs. In reality, their own caliphs committed numerous oppressions and frequently transgressed religious boundaries. To obscure their faults, they attempt to defame Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him) and his immaculate progeny (peace be upon them).
By closely examining these narratives through Quranic verses and the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them), we find numerous narrations that speak about the pure belief and righteousness of Hazrat Abu Talib (peace be upon him).
It is crucial to approach these historical accounts with a discerning eye and an open heart to uncover the true legacy of this esteemed figure in Islamic history. May Allah grant us the intercession of this great personality of Islam.