What is the belief state of the grandfather of the Prophet (pbuh)? Did he worship idols?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the most superior, virtuous, respectable and distinguished person in terms of his family, nobility and lineage like all other aspects.

Once, the Companions asked him about his lineage. The Prophet gave them the following answer:

“'Indeed, Allah created the creatures and made me from the best of them. Then, He made me from the best of the two categories (Arabs and Non-Arabs). Then, He chose among the tribes and made me from the best tribe (Quraysh). Then, He chose among families and made me from the best family. So, I am the best of them in person and the best of them in terms of family.”1

The following hadith exists in Bukhari regarding the issue:

“I was transferred from era to era and from family to family and chosen from the purest lineage of Sons of Adam. I was born from the tribe of Hashimis, in which I live now.”2

All of the ancestors of the Prophet (pbuh) were noble, well-behaved and honest people. They followed the religion of oneness. As it is narrated in detail in books of siyar, which narrate the life and struggle of the Prophet (pbuh), the light of the Prophet dates back to the Prophet Ismail; then, it was transferred to Kinana; after that it was transferred to Quraysh and finally to the Sons of Hashim. It is seen that this chain develops as it nears the Prophet (pbuh).

Ibn Sa’d, the writer of Tabaqatul-Kubra, gives the following information about the grandmothers of the Prophet (pbuh):

“I determined about five hundred grandmothers of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). I did not see any indecent acts of the Era of Jahiliyya like fornication and any other bad deeds in any of them.”3

According to what is included in siyar books, the grandfathers and grandmothers of the Prophet (pbuh) followed the religion of Hanif, which is the religion of Hz. Ibrahim (Abraham). It is reported that none of them committed the bad deeds of polytheism. For, God Almighty protected the lineage of the person whom He chose among people from all kinds of bad deeds and bestowed upon him His grant and grace.

As for the grandmothers of the Prophet (pbuh), the name of his father’s mother is Fatima and the name of his mother’s mother is Barra. His maternal uncles were called Sons of Adiy bin Najjar. The grandmothers of the Prophet (pbuh) were not alive when Muhammad (pbuh) became a prophet; therefore, they could not be Muslims. However, they practiced the religion of Hanif and they did not worship idols like the Makkan polytheists.

Abdulmuttalib believed in the hereafter and penalty and reward in the hereafter:

"By Allah, there is another world after this world; those who do good deeds will be rewarded there and those who do bad deeds will be punished there." 4

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi makes the following short explanation upon a question he is asked about the belief of Amina, the Prophet’s mother, Abdullah, his father, and Abdulmuttalib, his grandfather:

“The Noble Messenger’s (Upon whom be blessings and peace) parents were believers and will be saved and go to Paradise. Surely Almighty God would not wound His Noble Beloved’s blessed heart with its filial tenderness.”5

That is, the father and mother of the Prophet (pbuh) are people of salvation. They are people of Paradise and belief. God Almighty will definitely not harm the blessed heart of His beloved Prophet and the compassion owned by that heart.

Footnotes:

1 Tirmidhi, Manaqib: 1.
2 Sahih-i Buharî Muhtasarı Tecrîd-i Sarih Tercemesi, 9: 272.
3 Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 1: 60.
4 Shahristani, al-Milal wan-Nihal, Vol. 2, p. 240.
5 Mektubat, p. 361.

(Mehmed Paksu, Aileye Özel Fetvalar)

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