Say 'there is no god but Allah', and I will testify for you by it on the Day of Judgment
Chapter: Evidence that the islam of one who becomes muslim on his deathbed is valid, so long as the death thoes have not begun; Abrogation of permission to supplicate for forgiveness for the idolators; Evidence that one who dies an idolator is one of the people of hell and no intervention can save him from that
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his uncle: "Say 'there is no god but Allah', and I will testify for you by it on the Day of Judgment." He said: "Were it not for the fear that the Quraysh may blame me and say that it was the fear (from imminent death) that induced me to do so, I would have certainly delighted your eyes with it." So, Allah revealed: {You cannot guide whoever you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.} [Surat al-Qasas: 56]
Reported by Muslim (No. 25b, 25a), At-Tirmidhi (No. 3188) and Ahmad (No. 9237, 9310).
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) asked his uncle Abu Tālib, while in the throes of death, to utter the testimony of faith, so that he could intercede for him with it on the Day of Judgment and testify that he was a Muslim. But he refused to utter it, fearing that the Quraysh would revile him and say that he embraced Islam out of fear of death and weakness! He said to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): Were it not for that, I would have made you joyful by saying the testimony, fulfilling your wish and making you pleased. So, Allah Almighty revealed a verse indicating that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) cannot guide people in the sense of inspiring them to accept Islam, but it is Allah Almighty alone Who grants such guidance to whomever He wills; and that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided them by clarifying, showing, and calling them to the straight path.
Lessons
The truth should not be renounced out of fear of what people say.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) can only guide people by leading and showing them the right way, not by inspiring them to accept guidance.
It is permissible to visit a sick disbeliever to invite him to Islam.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on calling people to Allah Almighty in all circumstances.
Explanation in Arabic
طَلَبَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِن عمِّه أبي طالب وهو في سكرات الموت أن ينطق بلا إله إلا الله ليشْفَع له بها يوم القيامة، ويشهد له بالإسلام،
فأبى أن ينطق بالشَّهادة خوفًا مِن أن تَسُبَّه قريش وتقول عنه: إنَّه أسلَم بسبب الخوف مِن الموت والضَّعْف!
فقال للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: لولا ذلك لَأدخلت السّرور على قلبك بقول الشَّهادة، وأبلغتك أُمنيتك حتى ترضى!
فأنزل الله تعالى الآية التي تدل على أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يملك هداية التوفيق للإسلام، بل الله عز وجل وحده يُوفِّق من يشاء.
وأن النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام يهدي الخلق بالدلالة والبيان والإرشاد والدعوة إلى الصراط المستقيم.
الحق لا يُترك خوفًا من كلام الناس.
النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إنما يملك هداية الدلالة والإرشاد لا هداية التوفيق.
مشروعية زيارة الكافر المريض لدعوته إلى الإسلام.
حرص النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على الدعوة إلى الله تعالى في كل الأحوال.
When Abu Tālib was about to die, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to him and found Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah ibn Abi' Umayyah ibn al-Mughīrah with him. He said: "O uncle, say: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah), a word with which I can defend you…