Leadership and sovereignty wouldn't be gained without plenty of money but although Abu Talib (a) was not so rich, he was the respected leader, the first master and the obeyed chief and this might be the characteristic of Abu Talib alone and no one else other than him.

Even though he was empty-handed but he had a great rich spirit. He was so great with his qualities and virtues and no one would ever replace him.

The existence of Abu Talib (a) after Abdul Muttalib (a) was an inevitable necessity. Such deportment had to be a sign for a divine mission, which would shine to drive the dark cloud prevailing over the existence away. But it might be surprising for those, who used to live under the darkness and that it might be too difficult for them to open their eyes before a bright lamp.

No one would deny that the personality of Abu Talib had all the qualities of the well-quallified leader, the virtuous aspects and the high excellences, which made him distinguished from all around him and surrounded him with a halo of respect and admiration.

Many qualities gathered into the personality of Abu Talib; greatness, exaltedness and self-making. He was the adopter of the orphan Muhammad, the protector and supporter of Prophet Muhammad and the believer in Muhammad's mission. He was Sheikhul Bat~ha' and Baydhatul Balad.

It had been decided by the Heaven that Abu Talib would undertake this task and he carried out the task in the best way. He supported the mission of the Heaven as possible as he could.

Ibn Assakir mentioned in his book that Jalhama bin Arfata had said: (2) "Once I came to Mecca where it was a year of rainlessness. Some said: Let's go to al-Lat and al-Ozza. Another said: Let's go to Manat. A prudent handsome old man said: Why do you turn away whereas the remainder of Abraham and the progeny of Ishmael is among you? They said: As if you mean Abu Talib! He said: Yes, I do.

They all, and I was with them, went to Abu Talib. We knocked at the door. A pretty-faced man wearing loincloth came out. They rushed to him and said: O Abu Talib, the valley became rainless and people became miserable. Would you please pray to Allah for rain?

Abu Talib went out with a little boy; it was Muhammad, who was as a sun appearing among dark clouds. Abu Talib took the boy and stuck his back to the Kaaba. The boy pointed to the Heaven with his finger suppliantly. There was no a bit of cloud in the sky. The clouds began to come from here and there. The valley was filled with water and the ground became green and fresh."

With these high qualities, virtues and excellences Abu Talib had had his high position and made the hearts submit to him lovingly, surround him with respect and glorification and let the leadership to be for him alone ... and who would be better than him for that? He was like his father; a carpet was put to him around the Kaaba and he sat on it alone. Muhammad came and sat with his uncle on the carpet. Abu Talib said: "My nephew feels blessedness or great glory."

Signs:
The poetry of Abu Talib (a) had evidence showing that he had known about the prophethood of Muhammad (s) before he was sent as prophet according to what the monk Buhayra had told him and according to many other signs. The knowing of Abu Talib about the prophet-hood of Muhammad (s) was mentioned by many historians besides that it was understood through his poetry.

Imam Abudl Wahid as-Safaqissi

As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.88.

Abu Talib said: "My father read all of the books. He had said: From among my progeny there will be a prophet. I wish I live until that moment to believe in him. Whoever of my progeny attains him is to believe in him." (1)

Abu Talib was not in need of this saying to show new evidence about the prophecy because his belief was deep-rooted and his faith was firm. He had many evidences even that one of them was enough to prove his intent. These clear evidences confirmed the faith of Abu Talib, who had never been hesitant at any moment.

He had known definitely and without any bit of doubt that his nephew would be that expected prophet, about whom he and his father had read in the divine books and the divine missions had talked about since the first days of their revelation.

Besides that certain knowledge Abu Talib saw clear signs and bright evidences that no one would but to submit to. He saw some of those signs while his father Abdul Muttalib was still alive. Abdul Muttalib often saw some of those signs and informed Abu Talib of them. But today as he was the first guardian of his orphan nephew, he would see many many of those signs, which no day passed or no cloud traveled away unless he would see a sign of the prophecy through its folds.

He saw in his nephew things, aspects and qualities that would never be of an ordinary man, who would live and die as if nothing had happened ... certainly not! He saw in his nephew the most perfect image of the creation of Allah since the creation of Adam until the Day of Resurrection. He saw that his nephew was the ideal copy of the exaltedness of man with the highest values.

Among those many signs -rather than the spiritual and moral signs- there were many touchable signs that even the materialists, who didn't see but by their eyes and didn't touch but by their hands, would easily feel them so how about the prudent, the discerning and the faithful persons!

We don't want to wedge the signs and evidences available in the different books in this book for it needs a long time but we just want to show the reader some of them as examples.

The Spring:

The historians mentioned that among the signs that preceded the prophethood of the Prophet (s) was that one day Muhammad was with his uncle Abu Talib in Thul Majaz. (1) Abu Talib felt thirsty and there was no water with them at all. He told his nephew about his thirst. Muhammad (s) kicked a rock with his leg and water began to flow. Abu Talib drank and then Muhammad (s) kicked the rock again and it returned to its previous state. (1)

With the Diviner:

A man of Lihb (2) was a diviner. Whenever he came to Makkah, the men of Quraysh came to him with their boys to predict about them. One of those men was Abu Talib, who had come with his nephew Muhammad (s). The diviner looked at Muhammad (s) and then he became busy with another thing. When he finished he said: "The boy! Bring me the boy!"

When Abu Talib saw that the diviner paid much attention to the boy, he became afraid and felt there was something. He thought that he had to hide his nephew so that the diviner's piercing eyes wouldn't glance at him. The diviner shouted: "O you! Bring me the boy, whom I just saw. By Allah, he will be of great importance!" (3)
This word of the diviner was not new for Abu Talib because he knew well that his nephew would be of great importance.

You are blessed:

Abu Talib saw a clear thing showing a bright sign since Muhammad (s) had joined his family after the death of Abdul Muttalib. Abu Talib's family was numerous and he was not wealthy. This wouldn't let his family be satiated when having their meals. But whenever Muhammad (s) was among them at the meal, the all would be satiated and some food would remain yet. So Abu Talib often said to his family when it was the time of the meals and he didn't see his nephew among them: "Don't eat until my son comes!"

Anyone of his family would drink the entire cup of milk but Abu Talib took the cup to let Muhammad (s) drink first and then the all would drink from the very cup. Then Abu Talib said to his nephew: "You are blessed."

To Sham:
Abu Talib's care for Muhammad (s) reached an extent beyond description. Their two souls united that it was difficult for each of them to separate from the other. When Muhammad (s) saw that his uncle was preparing to travel, he became upset and uncomfortable that the travel might be long. He wouldn't tolerate this separation and it wouldn't be easy for him to resort to a fortress protecting him from the gales save this merciful old man. If he traveled, then who would pat upon his shoulder, who would join him to his warm chest, who would grant him pity and sympathy to make him forget his orphancy?

As soon as Muhammad (s) saw his uncle stepping towards his sumpter, his tears began to fall from his eyes towards his cheeks.
When this merciful old man saw the tears of the orphan falling down, his compassionate heart began to beat and couldn't tolerate his nephew's words: "O uncle, to whom will you leave me? Neither a father nor a mother I have."
Abu Talib couldn't but to say: "By Allah, I won't go without him. I won't part from him nor will be part from me at all."

He took him on the same sumpter to be near to each other always. The caravan went on through the desert until it reached Busra; a country in Sham. They stopped to rest after a long travel. (1) There was a monk called Buhayra living in his cell. But it was the first time for the caravan to see this monk. As much as they traveled through this land but they hadn't met or talked with this monk.
The monk came out of his cell and saw the caravan. There was something that drew his attention. There was a cloud moving to shadow one of those in the caravan. When the caravan stopped, the monk noticed another thing. He noticed that the tree, which they stopped near, bent it branches to shadow the same one, who had been shadowed by the cloud.

He was so astonished but when he remembered who was there between the lines of the holy Book he had, his astonishment left his prudent mind. He came down from his cell, ordered his companions to serve food and invited the caravan saying: "O people of Quraysh, I have served some food for you. I like that all of you; the little boys and the old men, the servants and the masters to come."
One from among the caravan said: "O Buhayra, by Allah you have something in your mind today. We passed by you times and times but you did never do such a thing for us. What is the matter today?"

They accepted his invitation and came with him except one, who was the very point of the monk's attention. It was Muhammad (s), who stayed under the tree with the baggage.

The monk's eyes roved hear and there but they didn't see what they looked for.
O Buhayra, all of them were here except a little boy. He stayed with the baggage.
But the questions of Buhayra wouldn't stop unless that little boy came. Some one went to bring the boy. The deep examining looks of the monk began to check some things of the boy's body to find the description he had read in the holy Book about this great boy.

When they finished eating their food, Buhayra began to ask Muhammad (s) some questions to be sure about what he had in his mind.

The Monk turned to Abu Talib asking: What relation is between you and this boy?"

Abu Talib said: "He is my son."

The monk said: "He is not your son. His father must not be alive."

Abu Talib said: "He died while his mother was expecting him."

The monk said: "You are true. Go back with your nephew to your country and be careful of the Jews. By Allah, if they see him and know what I know, they will do their best to do away with him. Your nephew will be of great importance. Hurry up with him to your country."

(1 As-Seera al-Hishamiyya, vol.1 p.191-194, As-Seera an-Nabawiyya, vol.1 p.90-92, as-Seera al-Halabiyya, vol.1 p.139-142, at-Tabari's Tareekh, vol.2 p.22-24, al-Kamil by ibnul Atheer, vol.2 p.23-24, Qissas al-Arab, vol.1 p.99-100, Biharul Anwar, vol.6 p.59-61, 62, 129, 130, Abu Talib p.31).

Muhammad (s) came back with his uncle after seeing different sides of life and after roving through a new world rather than Makkah, in which he lived and grew.
Abu Talib came back with his nephew more carefully, surrounding him with care and love. He strived with caution to protect him from that fatal group, the wicked Jews, who intended if they could to cut this bud before blooming.
These images wouldn't leave Abu Talib's imagination. They were engraved inside his mind. He wanted to record them in order to be engraved upon the forehead of the time to be read by all the generations so he documented them in his poetry:

The son of Aamina, (1) Prophet Muhammad to me
was much lovelier than my sons.
When he clung to the rain I pitied him
whereas the camels were about to set out
my eyes rained with tears like scattered pearls.
I considered his close relation and regarded the will of
the grandfather.
I asked him to travel with generous, brave uncles,
who moved to the farthest known place,
until they reached Busra and saw a monk,
who told them a truthful talk about him,
who must be protected against the enviers;
the Jews, who strived to kill Muhammad when seeing the signs.

Abu Talib recorded this event with his verses and showed the situation of Buhayra the monk when he stood against the three Jewish rabbis, who plotted to kill Muhammad, the expected prophet:

They came deciding to kill Muhammad
but he prevented them by showing what the Torah had.
He said to them: you intend the worst of aims;
do you want to kill Prophet Muhammad?
Then you be disgraced with your sins!
Your evil will never be.
There is a One to protect him against every intrigue!
That is one of his signs,
and the light of day is not like the darkness. (1)

After all that we don't doubt that Abu Talib was certain about the great future of his nephew after he had seen all those signs, which he paid his full attention and care for, because what happened wouldn't make anyone indifferent to because what happened were extraordinary things.
All those signs and evidences Abu Talib saw in his nephew, he wouldn't see in anyone else.

Why the diviner asked him to bring him back the boy whereas he had met many many others? Why did he say: "He will be of great importance?"

Then the care of the monk Buhayra towards the caravan whereas the caravan used to pass by the cell since a long time without attracting a bit of Buhayra's attention so why it was so that day?

And the conversation between Buhayra and Abu Talib, which had firm evidence ... Abu Talib said that he was his son but Buhayra answered with no any doubt that he was not Abu Talib's son and that his father would not be alive and then he warned him of the Jews because he would be of great importance! They were clear signs on doubt!

These evidences, besides what he had heard from his father Abdul Muttalib, the blessedness of this boy when he participated them in their meals, the flowing water from the rock, which this boy had kicked, the cloud that traveled with the caravan to shadow this boy and the branches of the tree when bending to shadow this blessed boy made Abu Talib believe definitely that his nephew would be greater than the others at all.

Abu Talib saw all that in his nephew besides the personal qualities and virtues such as his truthfulness, honesty, ideality of morals, kindness, gentleness, eloquence ... to the infinite chain of good aspects and high qualities he had. This made Abu Talib think a lot about this boy, whose qualities were not found in that low society with its bad traditions and low habits. Not only Abu Talib had noticed these nonesuch qualities in his nephew but also all the people of Mecca. They called him the truthful, the trustworthy. They all accepted him to judge between them. He talked and they believed and he ordered and they obeyed.