Volume 2, Book 23, Number 442:
Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab from his father:
When the time of the death of Abu Talib approached, Allah’s Apostle went to him and found Abu
Jahl bin Hisham and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya bin Al-Mughira by his side. Allah’s Apostle said to
Abu Talib, “O uncle! Say: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, a sentence with which I
shall be a witness (i.e. argue) for you before Allah. Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya said, “O
Abu Talib! Are you going to denounce the religion of Abdul Muttalib?” Allah’s Apostle kept on invit –
ing Abu Talib to say it (i.e. ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’) while they (Abu Jahl and
Abdullah) kept on repeating their statement till Abu Talib said as his last statement that he was on
the religion of Abdul Muttalib and refused to say, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’
(Then Allah’s Apostle said, “I will keep on asking Allah’s forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden (by
Allah) to do so.” So Allah revealed (the verse) concerning him (i.e. It is not fitting for the Prophet and
those who believe that they should invoke (Allah) for forgiveness for pagans even though they be of
kin, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the fire (9.113).