65/28.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4772 — Allah Guides Whom He Wills
The Statement of Allah the Exalted: "Verily! You (O Muḥammad pbuh) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills..." (V.28:56)
Guidance in Islam: Allah Guides Whom He Wills
Sahih Bukhari : 4772
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4772
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ أَبَا طَالِبٍ الْوَفَاةُ جَاءَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهِ أَبَا جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، فَقَالَ " أَىْ عَمِّ قُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ". فَقَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ أَتَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْرِضُهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَيُعِيدَانِهِ بِتِلْكَ الْمَقَالَةِ حَتَّى قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ آخِرَ مَا كَلَّمَهُمْ عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، وَأَبَى أَنْ يَقُولُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ. قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَاللَّهِ لأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ مَا لَمْ أُنْهَ عَنْكَ ". فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ} وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَقَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم {إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ}. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ {أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ} لاَ يَرْفَعُهَا الْعُصْبَةُ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ. {لَتَنُوءُ} لَتُثْقِلُ. {فَارِغًا} إِلاَّ مِنْ ذِكْرِ مُوسَى. {الْفَرِحِينَ} الْمَرِحِينَ. {قُصِّيهِ} اتَّبِعِي أَثَرَهُ، وَقَدْ يَكُونُ أَنْ يَقُصَّ الْكَلاَمَ {نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ}. {عَنْ جُنُبٍ} عَنْ بُعْدٍ عَنْ جَنَابَةٍ وَاحِدٌ، وَعَنِ اجْتِنَابٍ أَيْضًا، يَبْطِشُ وَيَبْطُشُ. {يَأْتَمِرُونَ} يَتَشَاوَرُونَ. الْعُدْوَانُ وَالْعَدَاءُ وَالتَّعَدِّي وَاحِدٌ. {آنَسَ} أَبْصَرَ. الْجِذْوَةُ قِطْعَةٌ غَلِيظَةٌ مِنَ الْخَشَبِ، لَيْسَ فِيهَا لَهَبٌ، وَالشِّهَابُ فِيهِ لَهَبٌ. وَالْحَيَّاتُ أَجْنَاسٌ الْجَانُّ وَالأَفَاعِي وَالأَسَاوِدُ. {رِدْءًا} مُعِينًا. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ {يُصَدِّقُنِي} وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ {سَنَشُدُّ} سَنُعِينُكَ كُلَّمَا عَزَّزْتَ شَيْئًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْتَ لَهُ عَضُدًا. مَقْبُوحِينَ مُهْلَكِينَ. {وَصَّلْنَا} بَيَّنَّاهُ وَأَتْمَمْنَاهُ. {يُجْبَى} يُجْلَبُ .{بَطِرَتْ} أَشِرَتْ. {فِي أُمِّهَا رَسُولاً} أُمُّ الْقُرَى مَكَّةُ وَمَا حَوْلَهَا. {تُكِنُّ} تُخْفِي. أَكْنَنْتُ الشَّىْءَ أَخْفَيْتُهُ، وَكَنَنْتُهُ أَخْفَيْتُهُ وَأَظْهَرْتُهُ. {وَيْكَأَنَّ اللَّهَ} مِثْلُ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ {يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ} يُوَسِّعُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُضَيِّقُ عَلَيْهِ.
Al-Musaiyab Narrated from:
When Abu Talib was on his death bed, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to him and found with him, Abu Jahl and `Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya bin Al-Mughira. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 Messenger (ﷺ) 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 Messenger (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) and those who believe that they should invoke (Allah) for forgiveness for pagans.' (9.113)And then Allah revealed especially about Abu Talib:--'Verily! You (O, Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He will.' (28.56)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4772In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 294USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 295
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4772
This hadith about guidance in Islam describes the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم visiting Abu Talib near death and inviting him to say, “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted a statement by which he could defend him before Allah. Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya urged Abu Talib to stay on the religion of Abdul Muttalib. Abu Talib refused to say the statement. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said he would seek forgiveness for him unless forbidden, then verses were revealed about not seeking forgiveness for pagans and about Allah guiding whom He wills. The hadith teaches that invitation is made, but guidance is with Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم invited Abu Talib to the statement of tawhid.
- Bad company can press a person away from accepting truth.
- The text states that Allah guides whom He wills.
