Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
nasai:2036Isḥāq b. Manṣūr > ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > Abū al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

"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 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)  

النسائي:٢٠٣٦أَخْبَرَنَا 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 ﷺ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَنَزَلَتْ { وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأَبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ }  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Tirmidhī, Aḥmad, Ḥākim, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
tirmidhi:3101Maḥmūd b. Ghaylān > Wakīʿ > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq

"I heard a man seeking forgiveness for his parents who were idolaters, so I said to him: 'You seek forgiveness for your parents while they are idolaters?' He said: 'Did Ibrahim not seek forgiveness for his father, and he was an idolater?' So I mentioned that to the Prophet ﷺ and (the following) was revealed: It is not for the Prophet nor those who believe, that they should seek forgiveness for the idolaters (9:113)."  

الترمذي:٣١٠١حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ كُوفِيٌّ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَجُلاً يَسْتَغْفِرُ لأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَتَسْتَغْفِرُ لأَبَوَيْكَ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقَالَ أَوَلَيْسَ اسْتَغْفَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لأَبِيهِ وَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَزَلَتْ ( مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ )  

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ
ahmad:771Yaḥyá b. Ādam > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > Abū al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

I heard a man praying for forgiveness for his parents, who were mushrikeen. I said: Would a man pray for forgiveness for his parents when they are mushrikeen? He said: Didnʿt Ibrahim (عليه السلام) pray for forgiveness for his father? I mentioned that to the Prophet ﷺ and the words ʿIt is not proper for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allahʿs forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief). And Ibrahimʿs (Abraham) (عليه السلام) invoking (of Allah) for his fatherʿs forgiveness was only because of a promise he [Ibrahim (Abraham]] had made to him (his father). But when it became clear to him that he (his father) is an enemy of Allah, he dissociated himself from him” At- Tawbah [9:113-114] were revealed. He [the Prophet ﷺ ] said: ʿ[That was] when he died.ʿ  

أحمد:٧٧١حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَجُلًا يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ أَيَسْتَغْفِرُ الرَّجُلُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ؟ فَقَالَ أَوَلَمْ يَسْتَغْفِرْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ؟ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَزَلَتْ {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ} [التوبة 113] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ} [التوبة 114] قَالَ لَمَّا مَاتَ  

ahmad:1085[Chain 1] Wakīʿ > Sufyān [Chain 2] ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > Abū al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

I heard a man asking for forgiveness for his parents and they were mushrikeen. I said: Are you asking for forgiveness for your parents when they are mushrikeen? He said: Didnʿt Ibraheem (عليه السلام) ask for forgiveness for his father when he was a mushrik? I mentioned that to the Prophet ﷺ and these verses were revealed: “It is not (proper) for the Prophet ﷺ and those who believe to ask Allahʿs forgiveness for the Mushrikeen” [At-Tawbah 9:113-114]. ‘Abdur-Rahman said: And Allah revealed [the words]. “And Ibraheemʿs (Abraham) invoking (of Allah) for his fatherʿs forgiveness was only because of a promise he [Ibraheem (Abraham)] had made to him (his father)ʿ.  

أحمد:١٠٨٥حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَجُلًا يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ تَسْتَغْفِرُ لِأَبَوَيْكَ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ؟ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ قَدِ اسْتَغْفَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ؟ قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَزَلَتْ {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلمُشْرِكِينَ} [التوبة 113] إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَتَيْنِ قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ} [التوبة 114]  

hakim:4028Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Aṣbahānī > al-Ḥasan b. al-Jahm > al-Ḥusayn b. al-Faraj > Muḥammad b. ʿUmar > Faḥaddathanī al-Thawrī > Abū Isḥāq al-Hamdānī > ʿAbdullāh b. al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

"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 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) (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2036)   

الحاكم:٤٠٢٨حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَصْبَهَانِيُّ ثنا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْجَهْمِ ثنا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الْفَرَجِ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ فَحَدَّثَنِي الثَّوْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْخَلِيلِ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ اسْتَغْفَرَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ أَتَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ؟ فَقَالَ اسْتَغْفَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةَ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ} [التوبة 114] سكت عنه الذهبي في التلخيص  

hakim:3289Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Ṣaffār > Aḥmad b. Muḥammad al-Bartī > Abū Nuʿaym And ʾAbū Ḥudhayfah > Sufyān > ʿAlī b. ʿĪsá b. Ibrāhīm > al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad b. Ziyād > ʿUthmān b. Abū Shaybah > Wakīʿ > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > Abū al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

I heard a man asking for forgiveness for his parents and they were mushrikeen. I said: Are you asking for forgiveness for your parents when they are mushrikeen? He said: Didnʿt Ibraheem (عليه السلام) ask for forgiveness for his father when he was a mushrik? I mentioned that to the Prophet ﷺ and these verses were revealed: “It is not (proper) for the Prophet ﷺ and those who believe to ask Allahʿs forgiveness for the Mushrikeen” [At-Tawbah 9:113-114]. ‘Abdur-Rahman said: And Allah revealed [the words]. “And Ibraheemʿs (Abraham) invoking (of Allah) for his fatherʿs forgiveness was only because of a promise he [Ibraheem (Abraham)] had made to him (his father)ʿ. (Using translation from Aḥmad 1085)   

الحاكم:٣٢٨٩أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْتِيُّ ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ وَأَبُو حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَا ثنا سُفْيَانُ وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثنا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ثنا وَكِيعٌ ثنا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَجُلًا يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لِأَبَوَيْكَ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ قَدِ اسْتَغْفَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ؟ فَذَكَرْتُهُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَزَلَتْ {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ} [التوبة 114]  

«هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجَاهُ» صحيح
nasai-kubra:2174Isḥāq b. Manṣūr > ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Sufyān > Abū Isḥāq > Abū al-Khalīl > ʿAlī

"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 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) (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2036)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٢١٧٤أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَجُلًا يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ فَقُلْتُ أَتَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا وَهُمَا مُشْرِكَانِ؟ فَقَالَ أَوَلَمْ يَسْتَغْفِرْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَنَزَلَتْ {وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ} [التوبة 114]  

suyuti:4-194bʿAli > Smʿt Rjl
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:٤-١٩٤b

" عَنْ عَلِىٍّ قَالَ: سمعتُ رجلًا يستغفرُ لأبويهِ وهمَا مشركَانِ، فقلتُ: تستغفرُ لأبويكَ وهمَا مشركانِ؟ قالَ: أولمْ يستغفرْ إِبْراهِيمُ لأبيهِ؟ فلمْ أدر ما أَرُدُّ عليهِ، فذكرتُ ذلكِ للنبىِّ ﷺ فنزلتْ: {مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ} الآية ".  

[ط] الطيالسي [ش] ابن أبى شيبة [حم] أحمد [ت] الترمذي وقال: حسن، [ن] النسائي [ع] أبو يعلى وابن جرير، وابن المنذر، وابن أبى حاتم، وأبو الشيخ، وابن مردويه، والدورقى، [ك] الحاكم في المستدرك [هب] البيهقى في شعب الإيمان [ض] ضياء المقدسي في مختاره