Parents of Rasulallah muslims ?

[muzaffar]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Imam sahib, i have read in a few places that the holy parents of Rasulallah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) were believers, but i need concrete evidence of this from Quran and sahih hadith to show someone please.

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

All praise be to Allah the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most High, and Endless Blessings be upon His Messenger, His Family, and His Companions.



Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,



Thank you brother Muzaffar for your valued question, in relation to the Blessed Parents of the Beloved Prophet of Allah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa aalihi wa Sallam). First of all, I would like to apologise in the delay of writing this answer. The blessed month of Ramadhan, brings forth all kinds of duties, that one must attend to.


The Qur'an al kareem states:

'Wa la tus'alau 'an as'hab-il-jahim.'

Normally, people tend to translate this as: 'You will not be questioned about the people of the fire.'


Some of the 'outward scholars' ('Ulama'-e-Zahirin), had understood that the parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, were of the hellfire. (na'udhu billahi min dhalik). We shall be fair, and just (munsif) in our research.


For the readers, justice is a hope. And from the Beloved Habib of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, and Allah the Almighty acceptance is our hope. It must also be remembered, that there are 4 sayings in relation to this topic. They are as follows ;-


a) That niether were Muslims when they were alive, nor at the time of death, and not now.

b) Silence in this matter is virtuous, as Allah the Almighty knows the best.

c) At the time of death neither persons were Muslims, but now they are from the believers.

d) Finally, that they were Muslims in their lifetimes, they were Muslims at the time of death, and that they are Muslims now.


The majority of scholars (Jam'hur 'Ulama') have gone to say what we have quotedin (d). Those who stay silent, say that evidence for both their faith ('iman), and misbelief (kufr) can be found, but we should think of them with a good intention.


Those who claim that they were misbelievers in their lives, but are now believers (mu'min), say that from some of the narrations, it can be found that they were polythiest (mushrik).


In addition to this, it can also be found from the narration of Hadrat A'isha Siddiqah Radi Allahu anha, that at the time of the last Hajj (Hujjat-ul-Wida'), the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, brought them back to life, and had them testify to the religion of Islam. Shami, has related this from Imam Qurtubi, and Imam Nasir-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with them).


The research scholars ('Ulama'-e-Muhaqqiqin), claim that both personalities were believers of One God (mawhid mu'min), both in their lifetimes, and at the time of death. In addition to this, they also prove that they were the leaders of the Muslims, as well as the Companions of the Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, that they are no where near hellfire.


We shall now focus on the evidences from the Qur'an al hakeem, the Sunnah, and the sayings of the Salaf Salihin, in re-instating that the parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, were upon the faith of One Allah the Almighty, in their lifetime, at the time of death, and are still upon that same faith today ;-


1) The circumstances of revelation (Shan-e-Nuzul), in relation to the above verse, has been claimed to be weak (da'if). For details, one may refer to the 'Kitab-ut-Ta'zimi was Sunnati', which is an outstanding work, authored by Shaykh Jalal-ud-Din Suyuti Rehmatullahi Alaih, rather it's meaning is that which has been emphasized in this book that the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's will NOT BE QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS PARENTS, AS HIS PARENTS ARE BOTH OF PARADISE. This is the real meaning of the verse, as how can they ever be questioned?


2) Allah the Almighty says:-


'La qad ja'akum rasulum min anfusi kum' (at-Tawbah, 128).


According to one 'qir'ah', it is 'min anfasi kum', meaning that this great revered Prophet, has arrived from such a lovely group. The misbelievers were not lovely (nafis), but were dirty (khabith).


From this verse, we are able to analyse, that those people who came before the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, and were from His lineage, were all believers (mu'min).


3) Allah the Almighty says:


'taqalluba fis sajidin' (ash-Shu'ara' 219).


Which simply means that ; 'Oh! Messenger of Allah, we have been watching the ancestry and the wombs, during the eras'. Meaning, that from Hadrat Adam Alayhis Salam until Hadrat 'Abdullah Radi Allahu anhu , all the people therein had remained believers (mu'min), and pious ('abid). For further details, Tafsir-e-Madarik, and Tafsir-e-Juml, may be seen, under the same verse.


4) In the famous Hadith Book 'Mishqaat', in the chapter entitled 'Fadha'il-e-Syedil Mursalin', it is related from Bukhari shareef that:


'Bu'istu min khayri qurunin, bani Adama qarnann fa qarnann hatta kuntu min karnil ladhina kuntu minhu'.


This hadith clearly shows that the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, was always transferred to the best group amongst men, and that the rotation of the light of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, was also manifest in the pure backs and pure wombs, until birth, which was also similar. Thus 'khayrinn' is the best, and misbelievers (mushrikin), are not 'khayr', but 'sharr'.


5) The hadith in relation to the visitation of Sayyadina Aminah Radi Allahu anha, which is in the Mishqaat', under 'Zyarat-al-Qubur', that the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam niether got permission to go to visitation, nor for repentance, then if this was the case, then the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam would never have got the permission. Just look at what the Qur'an al kareem says:-


'Wa la taqum min qabri hi annahum kafaru billahi wa rasuli hi wa matu wa hum fasiqun.' (at-Tawbah, 84).


'And you should not pray, nor should you stand over their graves. No doubt they misbelieved in Allah the Almighty, and His Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, and died while they were disobedient'.


Which clearly shows that the visitation (ziyarah) of a grave of a misbeliever is forbidden. His parents Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, were not misbelievers, but believers, which leaves the permission of repentance (Istaghfar). This also shows that they did not have the need for repentance to be made, as they were sinless (ma'sum). This is what the belief of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama'ah is.


Sinful is he, who after the Divine Commands have been revealed, does not believe in them, or opposes them. They did not receIve any Divine Commands, this is why they were saved, as there was no supplication for repentance (Du'a-e-Istaghfar) in the funeral prayer (Janazah).


This leaves the weeping of the Beloved Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, which was an expression of the 'feeling', of being their offspring, that had the parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, been alive today, they would have seen His Esteem and Reverence, for the coolness of their eyes.


6) Forget concrete evidence, until today, it still has'nt been proven via a 'da'if' evidence, that these two personalities had ever taken up idol worshipping, or their misbelief ('aqidah-e-kufr). But by their own sayings, we can calculate their belief (iman).


Thus, in the book 'Kitab-ut-Ta'zimi was Sunnah', by Allamah Suyuti with the narration of 'Dala'il-un-Nabuwwah', author of Abu Nu'aym, has stated that at the time of the death (wissal) of Hadrat Aminah Radi Allahu anha, she looked at the Ennobled Face of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, in longing (hasrat), and stated these couplets, as she thought of the orphanage of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam:-

'Barakallahu fi ka min ghulami',

'Ya ibnilladhi hurma til hamami',

'Fa anta mab'uthunn ilal anami',

'Min indi Dhil Jalali wal Ikrami',

'Tab'atha fil hilli wa harami',

'Tab'athu bit tahqiqi wal Islami',

'Dine abikal birri barahami',

'Fallahu inhaka 'anil asnami'.

Meaning, that 'Oh Son, may Allah bless you. I am confident that you will be a Prophet of the whole creation, from your Lord. That you shall spread Islam, in the 'hill', and 'haram', 'Arab' and 'Ajam', Allah the Almighty will save you from the idol worship, and will help you spread the religion of Ibrahim Alayhis Salam.


And then She Radi Allahu anha stated:-


'Wa kullu kathiriyy yafna wa ana maytataww wa zikra baqinn wa qad taraktu khayraww wa waladtu tahrann.'


'That I shall die, but my rememberence (dhikr), shall remain until Judgement Day, because I have left behind a great thing, a pure son'.


This shows that the Blessed Parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam were on the Path of the Religion of Ibrahim Alahis Salam. (Din-e-Ibrahimi).


7) Before the birth of the Beloved Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, news was spread far and wide, of His appearance. People were using His coming as a Prophet, His end to idol worshipping, and other qualities were spoken of in great sermons, to the extent that Hadrat 'Abdullah Radi Allahu anhu, himself had seen many wonders ('aja'ib).


Hadrat Aminah Radi Allahu anha had seen many miracles during Her pregnancy, and during Her birth, to the extent that the event of the 'fil' was also seen, as the 'ababil' had defeated the 'fil' by the blessings of such a pregnancy.


Every month, a Prophet would bring good news, and state the qualities and characteristics of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, to Hadrat Aminah Radi Allahu anha.

One day Hadrat Halimah Radi Allahu anha told Her that the chest of Her son had been opened up, and that she feared this. She was told not to fear, as He was the True Prophet, and that the devils etc. could not harm Him. Then how is it possible, that after seeing all this, she would still persist in polythiesm (shirk)?


8) Abu Lahb celebrated a little during the birth of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, and he gained a lesser punishment.


The Noble Grave of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, is greater than the Throne ('arsh).


The fish, in which Hadrat Yunus Alayhis Salaam remained was also greater than the Throne ('arsh).


The container in which a jewel is kept, is also valuable. So how can it be that the Pure Mother, who keeps in Her womb, He who looks after the poor, for nine months, and celebrates His birth be ever given to the hellfire?


9) Allah the Almighty says:-


'Wa ma kunna mu'adhibina hatta nab'atha rasula'. (al Isra', 15)


'We do not give punishment to any nation, without sending to them a Messenger.'


Then these personalities, had not even been given the invitation by the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, then how the punishment?


10) No mother of any Messenger was a misbeliever, then how is it possible that the Mother of the Most Beloved Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, ever be a misbeliever?


11) Those who were within the era of Hadrat Isa Alayhis Salam, and the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, it was enough for them to be salvated by believing in One God.


These two personalities had passed on at a very young age. Thus Hadrat 'Abdullah Radi Allahu anhu, passed away at the age of 25, and Hadrat Aminah Radi Allahu anha's, age was even lesser than this, therefore, they had met the lesser of the misbelievers in their time.


12) Hadrat Ibrahim Alayhis Salam, constructed the Ka'bah Shareef, and supplicated:-

'Wa min zurriyatina ummatam muslimatal lak'

'Oh Allah, keep amongst us a group, that will always remain Muslim.'


and then stated:-


'wab'ath fi him rasulam min hum' (al-Baqarah, 2, 129).

'And from this group send the Last Prophet'.


That supplication was fulfilled by the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, which means that the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, was born from a Muslim group. The exegisis (tafsir) of these verses can be seen in their texts.


Those who claim the misbelief (kufr) of the parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, their evidence will now be provided, and will be answered in the correct manner, they are as folllows, First of all the revelation of this verse:-


'Ma kana linn nabiyyi....'


Was not even revealed in relation to the parents of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. For a full detailed check, you may refer to 'Kitab-ut-Ta'zimi was Sunnah', 'Tafsir-e-Kabir', and 'Tafsir-e-'Azizi' etc.


Rather the above verse in reality, was revealed in relation to Abu Talib, or all those other Muslims at the time, who had intended for the repentance of their polythiest (mushrik) parents. Bukhari Shareef has also admitted that the revelation had descended in relation to Abu Talib.


The hadith that they have presented, proving their point has been severly criticised by the Muhaddithin, (naqidin), and poythiesm (shirk) or even misbelief (kufr), can never be proven from a 'da'if' hadith. The claim to the hadith that:


'Mine and your parents are in the hellfire...' (Muslim)


This hadith has been repealed (mansukh), as the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, had said this before He attained the knowledge of their salvation. For further details the book called 'Shami' can be referred to, in the chapter called 'Bab-ul-murtaddin'. Otherwise this hadith is severely 'da'if', although Muslim has narrated it, or here the word Abi, is referred to the uncle of the Most Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, as it was common for the Arabs to refer to their uncle, as their father.


In relation to 'Fiqh-e-Akbar' in which many editions state that the Blessed Parents of the Most Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam were misbelievers (kafir), nevertheless, it does not give anybody the right to claim that they were. Because some editions have stated:-


'maataa 'alal kufri'

'they died as misbelievers'


.... and some editions have stated:


'ma maataa 'alal kufri'

'They did not die as misbelievers'.


.... and some editions have no mention whatsoever!


Thus Mawlana Wakil Ahmad Sikanderpuri, had attained a correct edition of 'Fiqh-e-Akbar' from Hyderabad, and had it published, and proved that that was the correct edition, and all the other editions were faulty, that edition also has no mention of the issue in question! However in some editions it states -


'maataa 'alal fitrati'


'They went upon the natural religion' (tawhid)

... and some editions have:-


'ma maataa 'alal kufri'


'They did not die, as misbelievers'


However, this issue is not one of 'ijtihad', or 'taqlid', in that you must follow an Imam, but it is rather a historical fact. With so many different editions, how can one believe just a single edition?


The other hadith in relation to bringing the parents being brought back to life, how is this possible, because firstly the hadith is 'da'if', and secondly it is unimaginable that the parents be brought back to life, and thirdly because to accept Islam at the time of death, or after death in essence is no acceptance, in which case' The hadith is perfectly 'sahih', as 'Shami' has stated. He states in 'Bab-ul-Murtaddin', that Imam Qurtubi, and Hafiz Hisham ibn-e-Nasir-ad-Din etc. have stated that it is 'Sahih'.


It is the general rule, that equalisation (ta'dil) has preference over criticism (jar'h), and in the excellence of deeds (fadha'il-e-a'mal), a 'daif' hadith is also reliant (mu'tabar), and this hadith is also a hadith in relation to the excellence of the parents. Thus to bring back the dead, is it possible? Never mind! It's a fact.


Hadrat Musa, Hadrat Isa, and Hadrat Hazqil Alayhim us Salam, all had brought back the dead to life, to the extent that the 'Dajjal' will also bring back the dead to life.


The Most Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam brought the children of Hadrat Jabir Radi Allahu anhu, to life, and also a certain group. See Shar'h Qasidah Burdah, Kharputi, Madarij-an-Nabuwwah, Shami in Bab-al-Murtaddin, and Kitab-ul-Fadhl.


Similarly, to become alive, and then accept Islam, then there is no argument in this. Will the 'Ashab-e-Kahf' not become alive once again, and remain with Imam Mahdi Alayhis Salam? They will surely perform Hajj, as they will be included amongst the community of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.


The nation of Hadrat Yunus Alayhis Salam saw the disaster that was to befall them and accepted Islam. The Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam brought back the sun and Himself and Hadrat 'Ali Sher-e-Khuda Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu prayed their salaah, so is it not possible that He bring back His parents, and make them recite the kalimah?


Then with names like 'Abdullah', the servant of Allah, and 'Aminah', the one with Iman, would these names have been kept had they been Mushrik? Furthermore Allah the Almighty has stated:-


'wa lasawfa yu'tika rabbu ka fa tarda'


'soon your Lord will give you so much that you shall be pleased'


Then which son is it that wants his parents to be from the hellfire? Would the Most Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, not even make a single regard to Allah the Almighty in relation to this?


The evidence is greater than the doubt. It is the doubt that must be erased, and doubts carry questions. In the light of all this, the evidence has been presented, it is for the reader to weigh up what is correct, against what is false ....


I hope that the evidence and arguments that have been put forward, serve the purpose of the questioner.


May Allah the Almighty keep us from claiming others to be 'mushrik' or 'Kafir', especially where the pure lineage of Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam the Most Beloved of Allah is concerned, and may He help us to learn more, give more honour to those who have earned it, and have a little more respect for those personalities of Islam, especially where the Most Beloved Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam is concerned.[/b][/i]


In the event of further questioning on this matter, please do not hesitate to question again.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi