𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗧’𝗦 ﷺ 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦 [𝟭]...

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗧’𝗦 ﷺ 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦 [𝟭]

There are four views regarding the parents of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ:

1. They passed away on the religion of Prophet Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him).
2. They passed away as Kuffār [we seek the refuge of Allāh].
3. They were amongst the Ahl al-Fatrah.
4. They passed away as Ahl al-Fatrah but miraculously, the Prophet ﷺ made them alive and blessed them with Islām and also his companionship.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟰, 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱. The other 3 are accepted by them and whichever view is accepted, there is no detriment in it because in all 3 cases, the parents of the Prophet ﷺ will be in Paradise. There are numerous verses of the Qur’ān and aḥādīth that prove the Prophet’s ﷺ parents were believers. We shall present 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 of them here.

𝗤𝗨𝗥’𝗔𝗡

1) Allāh says: “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 (𝘚𝘢̄𝘫𝘪𝘥ī𝘯) 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩.” [26:217-219]

Sayyidunā ’Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās says in its commentary: “𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.” [al-Khāzin, 5:107]

Another commentary is narrated from Sayyidunā ’Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās: “𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.” [Masālik al-Ḥunafā, p. 40]

Besides, in the verse, commentators have taken Sājidīn [those who prostrate] to refer to believers; meaning from Prophet Ādam and Sayyidah Ḥawwā’ (peace be upon them) to Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh and Sayyidah Āmina (Allāh’s mercy be upon them), all wombs and generations the Prophet ﷺ was present in were of believers:

► “𝘖𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈̄𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏̣𝘢𝘸𝘸𝘢̄ 𝘵𝘰 ‘𝘈𝘣𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈̄𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢, 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴.” [Tafsīr al-Jumal, 3:396]

► “𝘚𝘢̄𝘫𝘪𝘥ī𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈̄𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 ‘𝘈𝘣𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 ﷺ 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴.” [Sāwī ‘alā al-Jalālayn, 3:287]

► Imām Ahl al Sunnah Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī writes: “𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴: 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩.“

2) Where the Qur’ān has taken an oath of the Prophet ﷺ, it has also done the same for his father. This oath proves the purity of his lineage.

Allāh says: “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵.” [90:3]

This verse is an oath regarding all those fathers in whose loins the light of the Prophet ﷺ passed until it reached his grandfather, ‘Sayyidunā ‘Abdul Muttalib and from him, Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh. From him, it went to Sayyidah Āmina (may Allāh be pleased with them all). Hence, an oath has been taken regarding all those people who were ancestors of the Prophet ﷺ.

After taking an oath regarding the begetter, the verse mentions the begot which shows that the whole lineage is part of the oath. Qādī Thanā’ Allāh Pānī Pattī commentates on the verse: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘢̄𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘈̄𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘣𝘳𝘢̄𝘩ī𝘮 (‘𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘴-𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢̄𝘮) 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 ﷺ.” [al-Tafsīr al-Mazharī, 10:464]

𝗛𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗛

1) The Prophet ﷺ himself clarified the purity of his lineage in his own words so that no person can dare challenge it. The Prophet ﷺ said: “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘢̄𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘧. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.” [Tirmidhī, 2:223]

2) Sayyidunā ’Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās narrates that some people from the Quraysh once came to my auntie – Safiya bint ‘Abdul Muttalib – and showed pride at their lineage. Sayyidah Safiya refuted them by saying how can your lineage be the best when we are beloved to Allāh, that is, only the lineage of the Prophet ﷺ can be the best, not yours. They were angered upon hearing this and said, the lineage of the Prophet ﷺ is like a branch of dates growing from rubbish. Sayyidah Safiya told the Prophet ﷺ of the incident upon which the Prophet ﷺ became very angered and ordered Sayyidunā Bilāl to gather the people.

Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ ascended the pulpit and asked them: “Oh people, Who am I?” “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ”, they replied. He then asked them to talk about his lineage. They replied by saying you are the grandson of ‘Abdul Muttalib and the son of ‘Abdullāh. The Prophet ﷺ then said: “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲.” [Masālik al-Ḥunafā with reference to Musnad Bazzār, p. 132]

3) Some narrations show that after demise, the parents of the Prophet ﷺ were made alive and professed belief in the Prophet ﷺ. This is from the specialities that were granted to the Prophet ﷺ.

Imām Tabarānī narrates from Sayyidah ‘Āi’sha that during Ḥajjat al-Widā’, the Prophet ﷺ went to a graveyard called ‘Ḥujūn’. He was in a state of sadness and due to the will of Allāh, he remained there. He then became happy and returned to us. I asked: “Oh Prophet of Allāh, you were sad earlier but have returned happy.” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “I asked Allāh about my mother so Allāh made her alive for my sake. She professed belief in me and she was then returned to Barzakh.” [Nūr al-Hudā with reference to Majmā’ al-Awsat, p. 42]

Ḥāfidh Abū Bakr Khatīb Baghdādī in ‘al-Sābiq wa al-Lāḥiq’ and Ḥāfidh ‘Umar ibn ‘Uthmān in ‘al-Nāsikh wa al-Mansūkh’ have narrated this narration of Sayyidah ‘Ā’isha in greater detail in these words: “When the Prophet ﷺ came with us at the time of Ḥajjat al-Widā’, he took me with him to the Ḥujūn graveyard. He was extremely sad and asked me to wait so I did so leaning against the camel chair. A long time later, the Prophet ﷺ returned and he was exceptionally joyful and smiling. I said: “You had left here sorrowful and I too cried after hearing you cry. Now you are particularly happy. Why?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “I had gone to see the grave of my mother and asked Allāh to make her alive. So, Allāh made her alive and she professed belief in me and then went back.” [al-Sābiq wa al-Lāḥiq, p. 377]

If a question is asked that the verses and aḥādīth presented earlier prove that the parents of the Prophet ﷺ were monotheists before they demised, whereas the narration above shows that they were not Muslims before but were made alive and then became Muslims. The answer to this is that the parents of the Prophet ﷺ were most definitely Muslims before. They were not made alive to accept Islām because they were not Muslims, rather, the reason was so that they could attain the rank of companionship [saḥābiyat].

Imām ‘Abdul ‘Azīz Parhārwī writes: “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢̄𝘮. 𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬.” [al-Nibrās, p. 527]

The abovementioned verses and aḥādīth clearly prove that none of the ancestors of the Prophet ﷺ were infidels or polytheists because Allāh said about infidels and polytheists: Truly the Pagans are unclean [9:28]hence declaring their impurity. If the ancestors of the Prophet ﷺ were unbelievers, then how can the Prophet ﷺ declare them all to be pure?