The life of the Prophet Muhammad - Ibn Kathir - volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'PL IBN KATHiR 83
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) replied, "I did not hear."
"'And God Almighty revealed about that group of men, "Sad. By the Qur'an
of fine repute! Those who disbelieve act in pride and arrogance"'" (sarat Sad;
XXXVIII, v. I).
We have discussed this in the Tafsir (Exegesis), and to God go all praise and
credit.
Various scholars of the Shi'a and other extremists hold the view that Abii Tdib
died a Muslim because of what alLCAbbasaid in this hadith, that is, "0 Nephew,
my brother did speak the word you told him to say: 'There is no god but God."'
There are many ways to respond to this. One is that there is some question
relating to the chain of authorities that includes one link defined as "a member
of his family" about whom nothing is known. The doubt here rests on ignorance
of both the person and his circumstances. Such a tradition is normally regarded
as an Eadith rnawqahZO if it remains unsubstantiated.
Imam Ahmad, al-Nasa'i and Ibn Jarir gave much the same chain, through Abii
Usama from d-A'mash (who said), "CAbbad related to us, from Sacid b. Jubayr
..." He gave the account without, however, mentioning the words of alLCAbbas.
Al-Thawri also related it, from al-Acmash, from Y*ya
b. 'Ammara al-Kiifi,
from Sa'id b. Jubayr, from Ibn (Ahbas. He gave it without the addition of the
words of d-'Abbas.
Al-Tirmidhi related it and stated it to be a good tradition, as did al-Nasii'i and
Ibu Jarir.
The wording of the tradition on the line given by al-Bayhaqi through
al-Thawri, from al-A'mash, from Yahya b. 'Amara, from Sacid b. Jubayr, quotes
Ibn 'Abb% as saying, "Abii Tdib fell sick and men of Quraysh and the Prophet
(SAAS) arrived at his home and there was a seat for one person at the head of
Abii Talib's bed. Abii Jahl arose to prevent him sitting there, all the while
protesting to Abii Talib about Muhammad. He asked, 'Nephew, what is it you
want from your people?'
"He replied, 'Uncle, all I want from them is a statement through which
the Arabs will submit to them and which will bring them tribute from the
non-Arabs. Just one statement.'
"'And what is that?'
"'There is no god but God,' he replied.
"They commented, 'What, make all the gods into one? That's ridiculous!'
"He went on, 'And God revealed about them, "Sad. By the Qur'an of fine
repute! . . ." and so on to the words, ". . . nothing hut a forgery! " "' (snrat Sad;
XXXVIII, v.7).
Moreover Ibn IshZq's account is contradicted by one more authoritative, namely
that of al-Bukhari, who said, "Mahmiid related to us, that 'Abd al-RazzBq
20. The term implies that the hadith has an unknown person in its chain of transmission; it is
therefore regarded as unsound.