Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases...

Narrated Al Musaiyab (ra)


When Abu Talib (Prophet's Uncle) was on his death bed, Allah's Apostle (sall Allahu alaihe wa sallam) came to him and found with him, Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya bin Al-Mughira. 


Allah's Apostle (PBUH) said, "O uncle! Say: 
None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, a sentence with which I will defend you before Allah." 
On that Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya said to Abu Talib, "Will you now leave the religion of 'Abdul Muttalib?" 

Allah's Apostle (PBUH) kept on inviting him to say that sentence while the other two kept on repeating their sentence before him till Abu Talib said as the last thing he said to them, "I am on the religion of 'Abdul Muttalib," and refused to say: "None has the right to be worshipped except Allah." 


On that Allah's Apostle (PBUH) said, "By Allah, I will keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden (by Allah) to do so." So Allah revealed: 

"It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they should invoke (Allah) for 
forgiveness for pagans." (9.113)

And then Allah revealed especially about Abu Talib: 

"Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases, and He knows best the followers of the right way." 
(28.56)




[ The context shows that the object of addressing this sentence to the Holy Prophet, after mentioning the affirmation of the Faith by this Christians from Habash, was to put the disbelievers of Makkah to shame, as if to say. "O unfortunate people, what wretches you are! People from far off places are coming to benefit from the fountainhead of blessings that has been made available in your own city, but you are willfully depriving yourselves of it." But the same thing has been said like this: "O Muhammad, you wish that your clansmen and your kinsfolk; and your near and dear ones should benefit from this life-giving nectar, but your willing alone cannot avail. To give guidance is in the power of Allah: He favours with it only those whom He finds inclined to accept guidance. If your kinsfolk lack this inclination, how can they be favored with this blessing?"

According to Bukhari and Muslim. this verse was sent down with regard to the Holy Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib. When he was about to breathe his last, the Holy Prophet tried his utmost that he should affirm faith in La ilaha illallah, so that he might die as a Muslim, but he preferred to die on the creed of `Abdul Muttalib; that is why Allah said: "You cannot give guidance to whom you please.." But this is a well-known method of the traditionalists and commentators that when they find that a particular verse applies to an event of the Prophet's time, they regard it as the occasion of the verse's revelation. Therefore, it cannot be necessarily concluded from this and the other similar traditions that have been related in Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, etc. on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, etc. that this verse of Surah Al-Qasas was revealed on the occasion of Abu Talib's death. This only shows that the truth of its meaning became most evident only on that occasion. Though the Holy Prophet sincerely wished that every man should be blessed with guidance, the person whose dying on disbelief could cause him the greatest anguish and of whose guidance he was most desirous on account of personal bonds of love and affection, was Abu Talib. But when he was helpless in affording guidance even to him, it became evident that it did not lie in the power of the Prophet to give guidance to one or withhold it from another, but it lay wholly in the power of Allah. And Allah bestows this favor on whom ever He wills not on account of a family or tribal relationship, but on the basis of one's sincerity, capability and inclination of the heart.]

Sources:

 [Translation and Tafsir] : http://www.searchtruth.com/tafsir/tafsir.php?chapter=28

Hadith: Sahih Al-Bukhari 6.295





[Dialogue between Nuh (Peace be upon him) his son]:

42 As the ark floated with them on board over the mountainous waves and Nuh called out to his son, who stood apart: "O my son! Embark with us and be not with
 the unbelievers!"
 43 He replied: "I will take refuge on some mountain, which will save me from the flood." 
Nuh said: "None shall be secure today from the judgement of Allah, except the one on whom He has mercy!" And thereupon a wave came between them and he (Nuh's son) became among one of those who drowned.
[Surah: Hud 42-43]

  [Story of Ibrahim and his idol worshipping father]:
41 Relate to them the story of Ibrahim from the Book (The Qur'an), he was a truthful Prophet. 42 Remember when he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship something that can neither hear nor see, nor yet profit you in any way?
 43 O my father! I have been given some knowledge whic has not come to you, so follow me: I'll guide you to the Right Way. 44 O my father! Do not worship Shaitan: for Shaitan is disobedient to the Compassionate (Allah). 45 O my father! I fear that a punishment of the Beneficent may afflict you, and you may become a friend of the
 Shaitan".

46His father replied: "How dare you renounce my gods O Ibrahim? If you do not stop this folly, I will indeed stone you to death: so be gone from my house this very
moment!"

47 Ibrahim said: "Peace be upon you: I will pray to my Rabb for your forgiveness, surely He is ever Kind to me. 48 I am leaving you and those whom you invoke besides Allah: I will call upon my Rabb and I am sure my prayers to my Rabb will not be ignored".

49 So when he left them and the deities whom they worshipped besides Allah, We granted him descendants like Ishaq and Ya'qoob, and We made each of them a Prophet. 50 We bestowed on them Our Mercy and We granted them honor of being mentioned with true high respect. [Surah Maryam]


114 Ibrahim (Abraham) prayed for his father's forgiveness only to fulfill a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah he
 disassociated himself from him. The fact is that Ibrahim was tenderhearted, forbearing.  [Surah At-Tauba]

92 Obey Allah and obey the Rasool (Messenger, Muhammad peace be upon him) and abstain from these things. If you do not, then you should know that Our Rasool's duty is only to pass on My message clearly. [Surah:5 Verse: 92]

40 O Muhammad! Whether We let you see, within your lifetime, a part of what We
threaten them with or cause you to die before We smite them, your mission is
only to deliver the Message and it is for Us to take accountability. [Surah:13 Verse: 40]

18 If you deny the Message, then nations have denied before you . The only duty a Rasool has is to deliver Allah's Message clearly." [Surah:29 Verse:18]


54 Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Rasool. If you do not, the Rasool is still under obligation to fulfill his duty, as you are under obligation to fulfill yours; and if you obey him, you shall be rightly guided. Note it well that the responsibility of the Rasool is only to deliver Allah's message clearly."
 55 Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that He will
most surely make them vicegerent in the earth as He made their ancestors
before them, and that He will establish for them their religion, the one which He
has chosen for them, and that He will change their present state of fear into peace and security. Let them worship Me Alone and not to commit shirk with Me;
and if anyone rejects faith after this, it is they who are
the transgressors. [Surah:24 Verse:54-55]

Guidelines

"Good deeds are not equal to the evil ones. Repel other's evil deeds with your good deeds. You will see that he with whom you had enmity, will become your close friend.
But none will attain this quality except those who patiently endure and none will attain this quality except those who are truly fortunate."

Chapter: 41, Verses 34-35, Al-Quran

Sharing is Caring!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Get Email Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner