The majority of scholars maintain that the parents of the Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) believed in One Allah during their lifetime as well as at the time of their death. They also hold the opinion that his parents are not only Muslims but leaders of Muslims.
The Holy Quran states:
"There had come unto you a Messenger (one) of yourselves."
In another reading the Fah
(ARABIC) of
ARABIC is pronounced with a Zabbar
(ARABIC) which would mean that this most honourable Prophet has come from a most honourable group or society. Naturally, the idolaters cannot be termed as an honourable group, but on the contrary, as the most wicked. The above argument proves that the parents of Rasoolullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and his entire genealogical trace were a most honourable group and believed in One Allah.
The Holy Quran states:
"And see your abasement among those who fall prostrate."
According to the commentary of "Madarik", "Jamal," etc. the above verse translated correctly would read:
"I see the genealogy of your parents and ancestors all of whom were Believers." Believers, meaning that they believed in One Allah and were true devotees. The genealogy here refers to the chain from Hazrat Adam
(alaihis salaam) to Hazrat Abdullah
(radi Allahu anhu).
A Tradition extracted from Bukhari found in Miskhaat, under the Chapter "Fazaa'il Syedul Mursaleen," contains the following words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam):
"I have been sent from the best group of the children of Adam, from one group to the next, till I am in that group which I am."
The above Tradition substantiates that the Holy Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has been carried along the best and most noble group. The revolution of his light (Noor) has always remained within clean and pure wombs. Whose womb can be considered as clean and pure, but that of a true Believer in One Almighty Allah!
In Miskhaat, in the Chapter "Ziarat Quboor," it is stated that the Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) sought permission from Almighty Allah to visit the grave of his mother, not to seek her forgiveness. We ask, in all honesty, that if she was a disbeliever, why was he even given permission to visit her grave when it is stated explicitly in the Holy Quran not to even visit the graves of disbelievers? The Holy Quran states:
"Not stand by his grave (O Muhammad). Lo! They disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and they died while they were evil-doers."
The above verse is proof enough that she was not a disbeliever or else he would not have been given permission to even stand at her grave.
As to the question of forgiveness, he was not permitted to ask for their forgiveness because they were not sinners. A sinner or disbeliever is he upon whom a set of Divine Laws has reached and who intentionally violates it. A set of pure Divine Laws did not reach the parent's of Rasoolullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), yet they believed in One Allah. How then could they be termed as idolaters?
As to the question of him weeping, it was merely a burst of filial affection.
Leaving aside an authentic report, even a weak report has not been found in which it is proven that the parents of the Holy Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) were disbelievers or idolaters. It is proven from their life and actions that they believed in the Existence of One Allah. Allama al-Suyuti
(radi Allahu anhu), in his book "Kitaabut Ta'zeem was Sunnat", reports from "Dalaa'il Nabuwat" by Abu Naeem, that at her last moments, the mother of the Holy Prophet
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), Bibi Aaminah
(radi Allahu anhu), looked at him wistfully at the plight of his orphanhood and read the following couplet:
"O my son! May the Almighty Allah bestow blessings upon you,
I am sure that you are from your Lord a Prophet to all creation,
And that you will administer and spread Islam from Mecca to all Arab and non-Arab,
Almighty will save you from worshipping idols,
And the Religion of Ibrahim will spread through you."
She then recited another verse:
"I will pass away yet my remembrance will continue,
For I have left behind me a perfect model, a perfect son."
From the above verses, even her faith and belief in the Religion of Hazrat Ibrahim
(alaihis salaam) has been proven and is an indication of her perfect belief in One Allah.
Hey, I read some Hadiths in Bukhari that Prophet's mother Aminah and father Abdullah died as Pagans. Prophet says he was forbidden to pray for his parents but he wanted to to go to his mother's grave. Allah had only given permission to go to her grave but didn't give permission to pray because his mother was idolater so was his father. A man asked Prophet about his father. Prophet said my father and your father both are in hellfire now.