Naqabat (Chieftainship)
The responsibility of managing the affairs of men and women who were descendants of Abu-Talib1 - the father of the Commander of the Faithful Imam
Ali (‘a) - was called as Naqabati-Talibeen. This office was established for the preservation of lineage, honor, prestige, and merits of Talibyan, as well as to protect them from the confrontation and onslaughts by the low and ignoble individuals.2
The Naqib was responsible for the five most important responsibilities as follows:
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Judgment and issuance of final verdict in cases of internal disputes between Sadat.3
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Management of possessions and properties belonging to orphans.
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In case an individual from Sadat was involved in some criminal act, the Naqib was responsible for the execution of the sentence.
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He was responsible for marriage arrangements for the daughters and women without guardian belonging to Sadat, and to look after their relevant affairs.
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He was responsible for the guardianship of mad or insane persons as well those who were without any caretaker belonging to Sadat.4
In order to discharge the above duties properly, it was necessary that the bolder of this office should be a competent Jurisprudent, so that he could issue the religious decrees correctly while issuing judicial verdicts. Since, Sayyid Radi was a competent manager, as well as a learned religious scholar and Jurisprudent familiar with the current social issues, he was appointed to this important and sensitive office.
- 1. Abu Talib: Was the uncle of the Holy Prophet, his guardian during the days of his childhood, and his main defender after the commencement of his Prophet hood. The protection by this hero of his nephew and his defense against the threats of the Qureshites (the non-Hashimite Meccan clans) was a main factor in the continuity of life of the Messenger and his message. The Meccan clans were burning with hatred towards the Messenger and anxious to shed his blood. What prevented them from that was the presence of Abu Talib, the chief of Mecca, who led the Hashimites and made out of them and himself an unbreakable fortress around the Messenger.
The readers of the Islamic history know how the Qureshite clans delivered to Abu Talib an ultimatum to stop his nephew from defaming their fathers and belittling their gods and ridiculing their minds; otherwise, they would confront him and Muhammad on a battlefield until one of the two parties perished. Abu Talib did not have any doubt that his acceptance of the Qureshite challenge meant his death and the annihilation of his clan; yet he did not pressure his nephew to stop his campaign. He only informed him of the Qureshite ultimatum, and then he told him kindly:
"Save me and yourself, my nephew, and burden me not with what I cannot bear. When the Messenger rejected their ultimatum, declaring to his uncle that he would not exchange his message with the possession of the whole universe, Abu Talib immediately reversed his attitude and decided to go along with the Messenger to the end. He called him after he turned his back: "Come back, my nephew." When the Messenger came back, the great uncle said to him: "My nephew, go on. Say whatever you like, I shall never let you down at any time."
Abu Talib fulfilled this huge promise with distinction. When a Meccan threw some dirt on the Messenger while he was prostrating, Abu Talib went on brandishing his sword and holding the hand of his nephew until he came to the sacred Mosque. A group or the enemies were sitting there, and when some of them tried to stand for Abu Talib, he said to them:
"By the One in Whom Muhammad believes, if anyone from you stands up, I will hit him with my word." Then he went on pulling dirt on their faces and beards.
The Qureshite clans formed a strong alliance against Abu Talib and his clan and resorted to the weapon of starvation instead of confrontation. They knew that the Hashimites would fight if fought; and that they could not be annihilated without costing their adversaries great losses. Thus, the Meccan clans imposed an economic and social embargo against the Hashimites. This continued for three years during which time the Hashimites were forced to live at a rugged mountain called "Shi-ab Abu Talib." The Hashimites during the period were forced sometimes to eat leaves of trees to alleviate the pains of hunger.
During that period, the main concern of the old hero was to protect the life of the Messenger. Abu Talib during those years often made some members of his own family (especially his son 'Ali) lie at the bed of the Holy Prophet, protecting him by his dearest son, from danger of assassination.
As far as the controversy regarding the acceptance of Islam by him, in accordance with document transmitted from the household of the Prophet and extant poems composed by Abu Talib, it becomes certain that he had also embraced Islam; however, because he was sole protector of the prophet, he hid his faith from the people in order to preserve the outward power he had with Quraysh. - 2. Ahkam al-Sultanayeh p. 90
- 3. Sadat. The plural of Sayyid, the descendants of the Holy Prophet (S).
- 4. Iranian Muslims in the beginning of Islam p. 269