~when the Prophet ﷺ was around 50 years old
As Abu Talib lay dying, his nephew the Prophet ﷺ came to see him. Abu Jahal was there as well. The Prophet ﷺ pleaded with him, "O my uncle, say 'la ilaha illaLlah', one kalimah that I will be able to present as an argument on your behalf before Allah." Abu Talib knew in his heart that the Message was true, and he was about to say it.
But Abu Jahal and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya challenged him, "O Abu Talib, are you going to leave the religion of Abdul Muttalib?" Abdul Muttalib was Abu Talib's father. They kept interrupting whenever he seemed ready to say the words. Abu Talib died without ever saying the kalimah, the declaration of faith.
Outcome: His death removed the protection that had allowed the Prophet ﷺ to preach openly in Makkah, and the Quraysh soon stepped up their persecution. Abu Lahab briefly took over the protection of the Banu Hashim, then withdrew it. This left the Prophet ﷺ to seek refuge in Ta'if.
Abu Talib is regarded as the highest-ranking non-Muslim in the history of Islam. In a hadith in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ says that Abu Talib is the person punished least in the Fire. Another report explains that this is because of the Prophet ﷺ's intercession for him. Even so, it could not bring him into Paradise.
Other events recorded around the same time. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
أي عم: قل لا إله إلا الله كلمة أحاج لك بها عند الله
O my uncle, I beg you say 'la ilaha illallah', a word by which I will be able to argue in front of Allah to save you.
Are you going to leave the religion of your father?
I will ask Allah to forgive you, until He stops me.
Said just after Abu Talib died without having spoken the shahada, out of the grief and love the Prophet ﷺ still felt for the uncle who had shielded him for so long.
Your uncle has passed away.
Go and bury him.
But he died a mushrik.
Go and bury him, and come back as soon as you have finished: don't do anything on the way.
I would never give up all of those du'as for this world and all that is in it.
Said after returning from burying Abu Talib, while the dust of the grave was still on him and the Prophet ﷺ made him a long du'a to comfort him.
Indeed, Muhammad ﷺ's religion is the best of all religions, and were it not for the fact that people would criticize me, I would have accepted it.
I would have said the kalimah were it not for the fact that my people will accuse me that now that I am about to die, I accept your religion out of fear.
Said to the Prophet ﷺ once the Quraysh, who had kept interjecting to stop him from speaking the kalimah, had left his deathbed.
O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, your uncle Abu Talib benefited you so much. Weren't you able to benefit him back?
Yes, I did. Because of my du'a for him, he has been removed to one of the outlying perimeters of the Fire of Hell. Were it not for my du'a, he would be in the pits and the depth of the Fire of Hell.
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَىٰ
“It's not befitting for the prophet and the believers to seek forgiveness for pagans even if they are close relatives”
Revealed after the Prophet ﷺ continued seeking forgiveness for Abu Talib without permission.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ
“You are not able to guide those whom you love, but Allah guides those whom He pleases”
Revealed regarding the Prophet ﷺ's inability to guide Abu Talib to Islam despite his love for him.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥٓ أَنَّهُۥ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لَأَوَّٰهٌ حَلِيمٌ
“As for Abraham's prayer for his father's forgiveness, it was only in fulfillment of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to Abraham that his father was an enemy of Allah, he broke ties with him. Abraham was truly tender-hearted, forbearing.”
Part of the same Abraham's-prayer-for-his-father passage as 9:113 (already linked to this event), explaining the limits of seeking forgiveness for a mushrik relative.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“Allah would never consider a people deviant after He has guided them, until He makes clear to them what they must avoid. Surely Allah has [full] knowledge of everything.”
Part of the same Abraham's-prayer-for-his-father passage as 9:113 (already linked to this event), explaining the limits of seeking forgiveness for a mushrik relative.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۚ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
“Indeed, to Allah [alone] belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death. And besides Allah you have no guardian or helper.”
Part of the same Abraham's-prayer-for-his-father passage as 9:113 (already linked to this event), explaining the limits of seeking forgiveness for a mushrik relative.