The Prohibition Of Asking For Forgiveness For The Idolaters

It was narrated from Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab that his father said:

"When Abu Talib was dying, the Prophet (ﷺ) came to him and found Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah with him. He said: 'O uncle, say La ilaha illallah(there is none worthy of worship except Allah), a word with which I will defend you before Allah.' Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah said: 'O Abu Talib, are you turning away from the religion of 'Abdul-Muttalib.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'I will keep on asking for Allah's forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so.' Then the following was revealed: It is not (proper) for the Prophet (ﷺ) and those who believe to ask Allah's forgiveness for the idolaters. And the following was revealed: Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like."

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَوْرٍ - عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ ‏:‏ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ أَبَا طَالِبٍ الْوَفَاةُ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعِنْدَهُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ فَقَالَ ‏:‏ ‏"‏ أَىْ عَمِّ قُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ ‏:‏ يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ أَتَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ يَزَالاَ يُكَلِّمَانِهِ حَتَّى كَانَ آخِرُ شَىْءٍ كَلَّمَهُمْ بِهِ عَلَى مِلَّةِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏"‏ لأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ مَا لَمْ أُنْهَ عَنْكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏{‏ مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ ‏}‏ وَنَزَلَتْ ‏{‏ إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ ‏}‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated that 'Ali said:

"I heard a man praying for forgiveness for his parents who were idolaters, and I said: 'Are you praying for forgiveness for them even though they are idolators?" He said: 'Didn't Ibrahim pray for forgiveness for his father?' I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him about that, then the following revealed: And Ibrahim's (Abraham) invoking (of Allah) for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he (Ibrahim) had made to him (his father)." (Daif)

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ رَجُلاً، يَسْتَغْفِرُ لأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ ‏:‏ أَتَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقَالَ أَوَلَمْ يَسْتَغْفِرْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لأَبِيهِ ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏{‏ وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأَبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ ‏}‏ ‏.‏