Hadith 109: Whoever desires to hold firm to the red stick which Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala planted in the Garden of Eden with His right hand should hold firm to the love of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Hadith 108: The remembrance of ‘Ali is ‘ibadah (worship).
January 31, 2019Hadith 110: On the Day of Resurrection, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala will make for me to the right of the ‘Arsh (Throne) a domed edifice made from red gold.
January 31, 2019BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
Hadith 109
من أحب أن يستمسك بالقضيب الأحمر الذي غرسه الله عز وجل في جنة عدن بيمينه، فليتمسك بحب علي بن أبي طالب.
Whoever desires to hold firm to the red stick which Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala planted in the Garden of Eden with His right hand should hold firm to the love of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.
This hadith is narrated from Zaid ibn Arqam, Hudhayfah, Abu Hurairah, al Baraʾ and Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
The Hadith of Zaid ibn Arqam
This version of the hadith has the following two chains of transmission:
- Al Qati’i and others narrate from al Hassan ibn ‘Ali ibn Zakariyya — Al Hassan ibn ‘Ali ibn Rashid narrated to us — Sharik narrated to us — al A’mash narrated to us — from Habib ibn Abi Thabit — from Abu al Tufayl[1] — from Zaid ibn Arqam who said, “The Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said…”[2]
Al Hassan ibn ‘Ali ibn Salih ibn Zakariyya al ‘Adawi is a kadhdhab (liar) and a wadda’ (fabricator).[3]
Sharik possesses a weak memory (sayyiʾ al hifz).
Al A’mash and Habib ibn Abi Thabit are both mudallisin[4] (obfuscate when they narrate).
- Al Shirazi narrates — from ‘Abdul Malik ibn Dalil — my father Dalil narrated to me — from al Suddi — from Zaid ibn Arqam.[5]
Ibn Hibban says, “(The chain of transmission of) Dalil — from al Suddi — from Zaid ibn Arqam; Dalil’s son, ‘Abdul Malik narrates a fabricated report from his father. It is not permissible to mention this narration in books.” Al Dhahabi says, “From those (fabricated) reports is this hadith.”[6]
Ibn ‘Asakir also narrates this version of the hadith with a chain of transmission that is saqit (wholly unreliable).[7] It contains six defects. I have explained them in the original work.
The Hadith of Hudhayfah
Abu Nuaim narrates this version of the hadith.[8] It contains the narrator al Ghalabi. He is accused of lying.
It also contains the narrator Bishr ibn Mihran al Khassaf. Abu Hatim abandoned his hadith.
Al Albani ruled the hadith a fabrication.[9]
The Hadith of Abu Hurairah
This version of the hadith has the following two chains of transmission:
- Ibn ‘Asakir narrates this hadith. [10] It contains the narrators ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al Balkhi and al Fadl ibn Yahya al Makki. I do not know who they are.
It also contains the narrator al Suddi. He is Ismail ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Karimah. There is a difference of opinion regarding his status as a narrator.
His father is majhul (unknown).
- Ibn al Maghazili narrates this hadith.[11] It contains the narrator Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Thabit al Ashnani. He is a dajjal and a wadda’ (fabricator). Most of the other narrators are majhul (unknown).
The Hadith of al Baraʾ
Ibn ‘Asakir narrates this version of the hadith from Muhammad ibn Abi Ya’qub al Dinawari.[12] His hadith contains strange and unacceptable elements.
It also contains the narrator Jafar ibn Nasr Abu Maymun al ‘Anbari al Kufi. He is suspected of lying.
However, he enjoys a tabi’[13] (parallel narration) from Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al Nahwi, as reported by Ibn al Jawzi.[14] However, he is a kadhdhab (liar) and a wadda’ (fabricator).
The Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas
This version of the hadith has the following three chains of transmission:
- Ibn al Maghazili narrates this hadith with a chain of transmission that is not authentic.[15] I have explained this in the original work.
- Ibn al Maghazili narrates this hadith with a chain of transmission that contains the narrator Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Ghalib.[16] He is famously known as Ghulam Khalil. He is a kadhdhab (liar) and a dajjal.
- Ibn al Maghazili narrates this hadith.[17] It contains the narrator Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Shadhan. I do not know who he is. I am unsure of who everyone above him until ‘Ali ibn al Hussain is.
Ibn al Maghazili is da’if (weak).
In short, the hadith is batil (false) and munkar (unacceptable). The love of ‘Ali is compulsory; as is the love of the other Sahabah. However, what is the reason for all of this excess?
[1] Ibn ‘Asakir has the name as Abu al Tayyib. However, the editor says the previous print had the name as Abu al Tufayl. This is the correct name.
[2] Al Qati’i: Zawaʾid Fadaʾil al Sahabah, 2/1132.
[3] Ibn ‘Adi: al Kamil, 2/338.
[4] For an explanation of this term, Click Here. [translator’s note]
[5] Al Shirazi: al Alqab.
[6] Al Suyuti: al Laʾali al Masnu’ah, 1/337.
[7] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq, 42/243.
[8] Abu Nuaim: Hilyat al Awliyaʾ, 1/86 and 4/174.
[9] Al Albani: Silsilat al Ahadith al Da’ifah, 2/893.
[10] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq, 42/243.
[11] Ibn al Maghazili: Manaqib ‘Ali, hadith no. 264.
[12] Ibid., 42/243 and 56/300.
[13] For an explanation of this term, Click Here. [translator’s note]
[14] Ibn al Jawzi: Kitab al Mawdu’at, 1/387.
[15] Ibn al Maghazili: Manaqib ‘Ali, hadith no. 260.
[16] Ibid., hadith no. 261.
[17] Ibid., hadith no. 262.