Introduction

ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ

It does not matter if you believers do not support him, for Allah did in fact support him when the disbelievers drove him out of Makkah and he was only one of two. While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion, “Do not worry; Allah is certainly with us.” So Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you believers did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surah al Tawbah: 40)

أفضل‏ الناس بعد النبي عليه السلام أبو بكر الصديق ثم عمر بن الخطاب الفاروق ثم عثمان بن عفان ذو النورين ثم علي بن أبي طالب المرتضى رضي الله عنهم أجمعين غابرين على الحق ومع الحق نتولاهم جميعا

The best of people after the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is Abu Bakr al Siddiq, then ‘Umar ibn al Khattab al Faruq, then ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan Dhu al Nurayn, then ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib al Murtada radiya Llahu ‘anhum, who were steadfast on the truth, and with the truth we support them all. (Abu Hanifah)

إضطر الناس بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلم يجدوا تحت أديم السماء خيرا من أبي بكر فولوه رقابهم

People were constrained after the demise of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. They did not find anyone better under the canopy of the sky than Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. They thus appointed him their leader. (Al Imam al Shafi’i)

على الأصحاب من غير احتمال

وللصديق‏ رجحان جلي

Al Siddiq has a clear advantage over his companions without any possibility. (Al Imam al Farghani: Bad’ al Amali.)

All praises are for Allah, Who has set a destiny for everything and made its incursion a crime and a serious issue. He created mankind into groups and lineages, and categorised them in the adornments of this world as ignoble and noble, and in their closeness to the realities of din as followers and deviants, ignorant and knowledgeable. Thus, they differed in beliefs, in denial and acknowledgement, in oppression and justice.

Then praise be to Allah, Who enlightened the hearts of the believers with conclusive evidence, who are unharmed by the doubts of the disbelievers and the darkness of humiliated innovators. Praise be to Allah, Who appointed the Rightly Guided Khalifas to preserve the beliefs of the religion and selected from among them Abu Bakr al Siddiq—the most truthful one—who spoke the truth, the first of those who believed, the one who was inspired to accept the truth, and the greatest of those who gave charity and spent.

Then praise be to Allah, Who blinded the eyes of the wretched ones from seeing the sun of the honour of the right path and kept the people of disobedience away from approaching the palace of the group of Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum. They are those who are not in awe of the majesty of Allah, even though callers to the truth addressed them day and night. Their call only increased their flight and arrogance.

May peace and salutations of Allah be upon the owner of the reins of all goodness, the complete follower of the paths of all virtue, the best of creation, the leader of people on the truth, the best of humanity, our master Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his noble family, his great Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum, and those who called to his call until the Day of Qiyamah.

Allah made His beloved the best of prophets, and made his Ummah the best of nations, as He said:

ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ

You are the best community ever raised for humanity.^[1]

In the commentary of this verse, al Tirmidhi—and he judged it to be hasan—and others report from Bahz bin Hakim—from his father—from his grandfather, that he heard the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam say regarding this verse:

أنتم‏ تتمون سبعين أمة أنتم خيرها وأكرمها على الله عز وجل

You complete seventy nations; you are the best of them and the most honourable of them to Allah.^[2]

They are the least of the nations in practice and age, and the greatest in reward and recompense. A man from the previous nations would worship thirty times more than this Ummah, whereas this Ummah is thirty times better than those nations.^[3] They will enter Jannat before all other nations. The people of Jannat will be in one-hundred and twenty rows; this Ummah will have eighty of them, and all other nations will be forty rows.^[4] He made the scholars of this nation like the prophets of the Banu Isra’il.

The best of the Ummah of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is the first era, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. This has been proven in al Sahihayn (Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) from several sources. It has been established that no one that comes after the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum can equal them in the abundance of reward and recompense—which is the meaning of superiority. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

إن‏ الله اختار أصحابي على الثقلين سوى النبيين والمرسلين

Allah has preferred my Companions over all men and jinn, except for the Prophets and Messengers.^[5]

The first forerunners from the Muhajirin (emigrants) and Ansar (helpers) are better than the rest of the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum. No woman can be equal to the wives of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam—the Mothers of the Believers—in virtue. All of this has been proven through conclusive evidence that no one with understanding and intelligence can doubt.

All of this is a favour from Allah, which He bestows to whomever He wills, and His favour cannot be described by anyone who tries to describe them.

ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ

He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will (all) be questioned.^[6]

Virtue by Allah is for the one whom He prefers and favours, and honour by Him is for the one whom He honours. He has informed us that the basis of grace and honour is taqwa (piety), and that the most honoured is the one who is the most pious. His Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam indicated that the basis of taqwa is not the praiseworthy qualities and righteous deeds that people display, but rather something that is established in the hearts and it is not known except by divine ability from Allah and His Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has informed in His Qur’an of the superiority of some prophets over others and some groups over others. Similarly, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also informed of the superiority of some people over others. Therefore, it is necessary for a believer to adhere to the requirements of these texts and to believe in their general and specific implications. We found the past Salaf (pious predecessors), from the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum and the Tabi’in upon this sound approach.

Thereafter, when corruption prevailed in the countries and ignorance of religious matters spread among the people, the paths of truth became difficult for people. Turmoil and confusion increased in the field of beliefs, and excess and neglect became widespread. People perished in deviating from the correct path and in exceeding the path of moderation. Some people confused their speculation with the definite. Thus, some made the definite into speculative while others did the opposite. They immersed themselves in the darkness of ignorance, planted explosive mines in the streets that were poisonous, and circulated delusions capable of penetrating the souls of the elite before the masses.

Only those blessed with divine ability can be steadfast on taqwa, as the sea of misguidance is deep, inclinations are inviting to follow carnal desires, the soul is attracted to pleasures, slips flow with every breath, the heart is a place of suspicions, natures are inclined to evil, and a person is on the swing of passions from time to time. No one has the ability to stand on the definite principles, except those who adhere to the law of reason and transmission. Thus, fortunate is the one who is safe and salvation is only for the one who is protected.

Thereafter, a question can be posed. Why this exaggerated focus on such a matter, at such a time? Why spend time on small matters and exert effort on clarifying a matter wherein mistakes do not reach the level of disbelief, denial, and rejection, nor the level of serious innovation, or heinous deviation? Rather, the matter is lighter, so the atmosphere should be gentler, especially since today we are in dire need of turning a blind eye to what increases the Ummah’s anguish and even forgetting the differences completely, as it removes serenity and causes darkness.

However, this question, for those with a sound mind and a correct approach, does not arise from a correct understanding of the reality. If we look carefully and contemplate on the history of our Ummah, we will know with certainty— without any doubt—that the only reason for this great catastrophe that befell Muslims in the East and the West and afflicted this Ummah—Arab and non-Arab—is that some of the concerned people overlooked the doctrinal myths and behavioural deviations that they thought were minor and considered insignificant. If they stood up to those minor deviations—in their view and assumption—at the beginning of its emergence and the beginning of its rise, with resistance and a firm stance, the Ummah’s situation would not have reached the misery and hardship that we see today.

ومعظم النار من مستصغر الشرر

كل الحوادث مبداها من النظر

The beginning of all incidents is from contemplation. Most fires begin with a small spark.

Indeed, scholars have stated:

واحذر صغار المحدثات من الأمور ‏ فإن صغير البدع يعود حتى يصير كبيرا وكذلك كل بدعة أحدثت في هذه الأمة كان أولها صغيرا يشبه الحق فاغتر بذلك من دخل فيها ثم لم يستطع الخروج منها فعظمت وصار دينا يدان بها فخالفت الصراط المستقيم فخرج من الإسلام

Beware of minor innovations, for even a minor innovation will evolve until it becomes a major one. Likewise, every innovation that was introduced in this Ummah began as minor and resembled the truth. Those who entered it were deceived by it and then were unable to get out of it. Thereafter it became great and became a religion that was followed. It opposed the Straight Path and they left the fold of Islam.^[7]

Al Imam Abu Talib al Makki (d. 386 AH) states in Qut al Qulub:

وقد‏ كان السلف يستعظمون يسير الحدث في الدين ودقائق البدع في الإسلام لعظم الإيمان والسنة في قلوبهم

The Salaf would consider little innovations in religion and small innovations in Islam to be great, due to the greatness of iman (faith) and the Sunnah in their hearts.^[8]

Imam al Haramayn (d. 478 AH), while discussing the duties of the Imam when deviation—apostasy or innovation—appears in the Islamic society, states:

وإن‏ كان ما صار إليه الناجم بدعة لا تبلغ مبلغ الردة فيتحتم على الإمام المبالغة في منعه ودفعه وبذل كنه المجهود في ردعه ووزعه فإن تركه على بدعته واستمراره في دعوته يخبط العقائد ويخلط القواعد ويجر المحن ويثير الفتن ثم إذا رسخت البدع في الصدور أفضت إلى عظائم الأمور وترقت إلى حل عصام الإسلام‏

If the practice of the astrologer is an innovation that does not reach the level of apostasy, then it is incumbent upon the Imam to be severe in preventing and repelling it and to exert the utmost effort in deterring and dispersing it. Leaving him to his innovation and to continue to his call will confuse beliefs, mix up the laws, bring about trials, and stir up disorder. Thereafter, when the innovations are firmly rooted in the hearts, this will lead to greater issues and progress to dismantling the noose of Islam.^[9]

The view of the superiority of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to all the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum in general—contrary to the belief of the Ahlus Sunnah—leads to another question, which is, “How did the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum agree on appointing someone other than him before him?”

This problem in turn leads to doubting the integrity of Sheikhayn (Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma) and the honesty of the rest of the Companions of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The matter ends with reviling and slandering them. Furthermore, the problem continues until the suspicion of great treason hovers around the venerable personality of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, because the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is the one who took these men as his Companions and helpers. They stayed with him for months and years. He praised and vindicated them in private and in open. The command was issued to emulate them and follow their method in the Sunnah and the Qur’an. There is no doubt that if the matter reached this level, then this is actual disbelief. This is the final destination of every Shia, Allah forbid.

The early Zaidiyyah believed in the superiority of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu while supporting Sheikhayn and the noble Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum and attesting to the validity of the Imamah of the three prominent Khalifas. However, their matter ended up to what we have indicated previously. Al Shahrastani, after mentioning the development of the Zaidi School, states:

ومالت أكثر الزيدية بعد ذلك عن القول بإمامة المفضول وطعنت في الصحابة طعن الإمامية

After that, most of the Zaidiyyah inclined away from the belief in the Imamah of the inferior and slandered the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum like the Imamiyyah.^[10]

Al Bayhaqi reported from Abu Hanifah rahimahu Llah that he said:

أصل عقيدة الشيعة تضليل الصحابة والرافضة يقولون بتكفيرهم لأنهم عاندوا بترك النص على إمامة علي رضي الله عنهم أجمعين

The actual belief of the Shia is declaring the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum deviant. The Rafidah believe that they are infidels because they resisted by leaving out the text on the Imamah of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

Al Qadi Abu Bakr al Baqillani said:

إن فيما ذهبت إليه الرافضة مما ذكر إبطالا للإسلام رأسا لأنه إذا أمكن اجتماعهم على كتم النصوص أمكن منهم نقل الكذب والتواطؤ عليه لغرض فيمكن أن سائر ما فعلوه من الأحاديث زور وباطل

What the Rawafid have said is a complete nullification of Islam, because if it is possible for them to conceal the texts unanimously, it is possible for them to transmit lies and collude on it for some purpose. Then it is possible that all the ahadith that they narrated are lies and invalid.^[11]

Moreover, the Rawafid excommunicate the Ahlus Sunnah for giving superiority to Abu Bakr over ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, whilst the Ahlus Sunnah do not excommunicate the Rawafid for believing contrary to that. They declare them only innovators due to this issue. It is clear that their doctrine leads—according to Sheikh Ibn Hajar’s expression—to the excommunication of the Ummah (the Companions, Tabi’in, Imams of din, scholars of the Shari’ah, and the masses who came after them) and that there is no believer other than them. This leads to the destruction of the basis of the Shari’ah from its very foundation. However, look at our justice, the Ahlus Sunnah, whom Allah has purified from vices and ignorance, stubbornness and fanaticism, foolishness and stupidity. We do not excommunicate those who say that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is superior to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, even if that is contrary to what we have agreed upon, unanimously, in every era, from us to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Whoever from the Ummah excommunicated the Rawafid did so due to their other evil beliefs.^[12]

As for the doctrine of the Ahlus Sunnah of granting superiority to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, then ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu, then ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu, then ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, it does not lead to any of these forbidden things; praise and gratitude be to Allah. In fact, He is the one who is responsible for protecting all of their rights on us, the Ummah of Islam. They are all from one another; they are all our Imams, our role models, our masters, and our leaders. How beautiful is what Abu Ayub al Sakhtiyani—one of the senior predecessors of the Ahlus Sunnah—said:

من‏ أحب أبا بكر فقد أقام منار الدين ومن أحب عمر فقد أوضح السبيل ومن أحب عثمان فقد استنار بنور الله ومن أحب عليا فقد استمسك بالعروة الوثقى ومن قال الخير في جميع أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد برئ من النفاق ومناقبهم وفضائلهم أكثر من أن تذكر

Whoever loves Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu has established the beacon of din. Whoever loves ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu has made the path clear. Whoever loves ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu has been enlightened by the nur (light) of Allah. Whoever loves ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu has held fast to the firmest handhold. Whoever says good things about all the Companions of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam will be safe from hypocrisy. Their virtues and merits are too many to mention.^[13]

Belief in the superiority of the Khulafa’ Rashidin, according to the sequence mentioned by the Ahlus Sunnah, is necessary, through which a person is saved from the darkness of the Rawafid that leads to disbelief, obstinacy, heresy, and apostasy. It is incorrect to say that the disagreement on this issue is minor and trivial. The claim of the superiority of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is a pathway to establishing a subsidiary branch at the expense of destroying and invalidating a fundamental branch, which opposes what is required of reason and is contrary to the laws of derivation.

In our previous book, Daf’ al Shubuhat al Mu’adiyah ‘an Wajh Sayyidina Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, we alluded to some of the most important entrances to Shi’ism and Rafd, through which the vile Shia thought infiltrates the souls of those Muslims who have not acquired sufficient amount of intellectual and methodological immunity. I have mentioned the issue of Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu in it.^[14]

The second of those dangerous approaches is this issue, which we will be addressing now, to save the din of the Ummah and fulfil the responsibility. I had promised an exclusive comprehensive book on it and a guaranteed response to the doubts of the Shia more than a year ago, when writing the first book.^[15] Allah has eased its completion in a short time. Thus, all grace and gratitude are to Him.

Hence, it is obligatory upon the people of knowledge to clarify the truth in this issue and call people to it coupled with exposing falsehood and warning people against it. Indeed, din is more deserving of care and protection and the knowledge and methodology of the Ahlus Sunnah are more deserving of support and more worthy of care.

Is the superiority of the Salaf over those who came after them due to any other reason except their steadfastness on the methodology, their adherence to the truth, and their extreme aversion to innovations and evils? They set the most amazing examples in boycotting the people of falsehood and abandoning innovators. Whoever contemplates on the zeal and ardour of the Salaf in their era, in resisting innovations and fabricated meanings from being attributed to the din of Allah, and sees our cowardice in the face of innovations and heresies that have been attributed to the pure Shari’ah will realise why Allah preferred those centuries and will understand the status of revelation in those souls.

In fact, the source of innovations in the entire din of Allah stems from the weakness in reverence of the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum and the noble Salaf, in their in-depth knowledge and the perfection of their din. Likewise, the veracity of a person’s din and his guidance in the din of Allah is a branch of his reverence for them and due to the belief that they were more complete than we are in religion, knowledge, and understanding. Ibn Taymiyyah aptly stated:

وإنما‏ يوجد تعظيم السلف عند كل طائفة بقدر استنانها وقلة ابتداعها

Reverence for the Salaf is found in every group according to the degree of its (adherance to the) Sunnah and the scarcity of its innovations.^[16]

Otherwise, how can dozens of Qur’anic texts and hundreds of prophetic ahadith testify to the perfect guidance of the Companions and the virtue of the preferred eras, while those who came after possessed deeper knowledge about the din of Allah than they did? How can they be more fully-guided but less knowledgeable, deficient than others, and lower than them in religion? How can that be possible intellectually?

Denying the superiority of Sheikhayn and Dhu al Nurayn over all others besides the prophets and messengers, by preferring ‘Ali bin Abi Talib to them, or even remaining neutral in this issue is an innovation that emerged during the rule of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This news reached him regarding some people. He strongly denounced them in the presence of a large group of people. This denial was narrated by a large number of those who heard it from him, reaching the number of tawatur (mass transmission). The inception of Shi’ism was by preferring ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu over the rest of the three Khalifas. Hence, historians considered the Tafdili Shia to be the first Shia sect. Thereafter, Shia ideology developed into everything that a person can imagine; such as the various mannerisms, types, delusions, and fables.

These innovators treaded various paths to promote their innovation in people’s souls and adopted various methods to corrupt the beliefs of Muslims. The gullible, weak, and simple-minded people continued to fall into their traps. However, the people of truth and knowledge devoted their efforts day and night and continued to strive morning and evening, to guide people to the din of the Muhajirin and Ansar whenever the voice of falsehood prevailed in whichever country or city. They specialised in their responses to the doubts of the deviants, wherever the methods of deceit from the people of corruption varied, until they were uprooted from their roots, which led to its decline and degeneration.

One of the most dangerous tricks that the people of falsehood have used to alienate themselves from the path of obedience and separate the Ummah from the correct path is ‘definitiveness of the Shari’ah’ or ‘to limit din to that which is established through definitive proof and indication’. They exploit the legists’ distinction between definitive and conjectural in an evil way. They passed on their corrupt intellectual load in that and deceived many of the masses with it.

One will notice that many intellectual movements that have embarked upon legitimising their ideas that are contrary to the Jumhur (majority) of the Ummah, their speech passes through corrupt introductions, some of which lead to others. They begin by saying that there is no denial except in definitive issues. Then they largely narrow the concept of definitive and regard any contradiction—even if its contradiction is anomalous, reprehensible, false, and abandoned—to be a flaw in the definitiveness of the issue. They regard any possibility in the indication—even if scholars do not consider it at all—to be a flaw in the definitiveness.

In fact, they sometimes make the non-mentioning of the ruling in the Qur’an a flaw in the definitiveness, as many of them brag about the issue of the punishment for apostasy; where the obligation to executing the apostate is not mentioned in the texts of the Qur’an. Some of them consider the fact that the ruling was not mentioned in al Sahihayn to be a flaw in its definitiveness. As for al khabar al wahid (a hadith narrated by a solitary narrator), proving their non-definitiveness—no matter how many evidences are obtained that show its definitiveness—this is almost the religion and characteristic of every innovator.

This trick of ‘definitiveness’ is what the author of Ghayat al Tabjil wa Tark al Qat’ bi al Tafdil^[17] relied upon, as is evident from the title of his book, thinking that it would accomplish what he wanted. We have no choice—as we are embarking on proving the doctrine of the Ahlus Sunnah regarding superiority—but to falsify this doubt of his, around which he has built a palace of delusions. This is what the reader will see in the folds of this book, if Allah wills.

In addition to this suspicion and other suspicions that are extremely absurd and degrading which go beyond imagination, there is another factor behind the prevalence of Rafd, which has a strong influence on the souls of the ignorant masses. This is the vigorous emotion attached to the name Al al Bayt^[18] (household of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the feeling of anger and hatred towards those who were the cause of their injustice. This emotion and hatred quickly exceeded its limits until its owner went beyond limits regarding the Ahlul Bayt and deficient concerning the alleged opposition, the Companions of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Sheikh Yusuf al Nabhani—one of the great advocators of Sufism and praising the Ahlul Bayt and Companions in the past century—in his book al Asalib al Badi’ah, which he wrote in response to the Shia, states:

والحامل لي على تأليفه أن الشيطان قد قاد في هذا الزمان بعض الجهال من أهل السنة بوسيلة حب آل البيت الكرام والتعصب لهم بمجرد الهوى والأوهام إلى بغض بعض الصحابة الكرام لا سيما معاوية وعمرو ابن العاص.. وربما تجاوز بهم الحال إلى الاعتراض على الخلفاء الراشدين ولاسيما عثمان وقد يفضلون عليه بل عليهم عليا بمجرد الهوى والعصبية والحمية الجاهلية ويرون أن ذلك هو الإنصاف

What motivated me to write this is that in this era, Shaitan has led some ignorant people of the Ahlus Sunnah, by means of love for the Ahlul Bayt and being fanatical about them, based on mere desires and delusions, to hate some of the noble Companions, especially Muawiyah and ‘Amr ibn al ‘As… At times, their situation has gone beyond that, to the extent of objecting against the Khulafa’ Rashidin, particularly ‘Uthman. Sometimes they give superiority to ‘Ali over him, in fact, over all of them, based on mere desires, fanaticism, and pre-Islamic fanaticism, and they view that as justice.^[19]

No one should be delusional that when we award superiority to Sheikhayn and establish proof against the Rawafid and the people of falsehood, we are disrespecting Abu al Hasanayn (‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu). No, never! Rather, we assist him and assist his din that he was upon and his method that he called people towards. One should not be fazed by the truth. Allah dealt in the same way with someone who is better than ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and he is ‘Isa ‘alayh al Salam when the Christians exaggerated regarding him and his mother, and they said what they said. Allah responded to them saying:

ﮱﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ

The Messiah, son of Maryam, was no more than a messenger. (Many) messengers had (come and) gone before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both ate food.^[20]

I.e., and they would go out to relieve themselves.

What indicates to the great importance of this issue—the superiority of Sheikhayn and Dhu al Nurayn over Abu al Hasanayn and the rest of the noble Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum—is that most of the Sunni authors have addressed it in their theological books, with explanation and clarification. It is addressed even in the concise texts, such as al ‘Aqidah al Tahawiyyah, and in earlier times in books such as al Ibanah by Abu al Hasan al Ash’ari. Likewise, Mufassirin (commentators of the Qur’an), Muhaddithin (Hadith scholars), jurists, and Sufis have also addressed it with detail.

Some of the eminent authors have elaborated on the issue while explaining the differences between the Ahlus Sunnah and Shia. The best of them is al Qadi Abu Bakr al Baqillani in Manaqib al A’immah al Arba’ah and Sheikh Ibn Hajar al Haytami in al Sawa’iq al Muhriqah.

There are those who wrote exclusively about it and elaborated on it, mentioning verses, ahadith, and statements of scholars that prove it, and falsified the doubts raised against it.

Among those who wrote exclusively about it are:

Al Hafiz Jalal al Din al Suyuti (d. 911 AH) who wrote al Habl al Wathiq fi Nusrat al Siddiq. (Printed with al Hawi li al Fatawa, 1/326–333.)

Among them are the great researchers and Imams of the Ahlus Sunnah in India:

Sheikh Muhammad Hashim al Tattawi al Sindi (d. 1174 AH) who wrote al Tariqah al Muhammadiyyah fi Haqiqat al Qat’ bi al Afdaliyyah in Urdu. Some scholars have translated it into Arabic and printed it.
Sheikh Shah Wali Allah, Ahmed ibn ‘Abdur Rahim al Dihlawi (d. 1176 AH) who wrote Qurrat al ‘Aynayn bi Tafdil al Sheikhayn, which is in Persian.^[21] It is printed in Lahore, Pakistan, in 336 pages.
Sheikh, Hujjat Allah, Siraj al Hind, Shah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn Shah Wali Allah al Dihlawi (d. 1239 AH) who wrote al Sirr al Jalil fi Mas’alat al Tafdil.^[22]

Ahmed Rida Khan al Barelwi (d. 1340 AH) also wrote three books in Arabic and Urdu, viz: al Zulal al Anqa min Bahr Sabqat al Atqa, Matla’ al Qamarayn fi Sabqat al ‘Umarayn, and Muntaha al Tafsil fi Mas’alat al Tafdil. The latter is voluminous, as he pointed out in some places, but unfortunately, it is lost today. The first two are printed.

I witnessed the Shia trial flourish and renew, the doubts of the Rawafid did not diminish or dissipate, and their deviations were exported to the lands of the Ahlus Sunnah by the force of the temptation of money, politics, and even the sword, and in contrast, I saw our brothers belonging to the fold of the Ahlus Sunnah busy with trivial differences among themselves, not caring about what is happening around them. It seemed to me that they were a living example of their saying:

القافلة تتعثر وتئن والكلاب تسير

The caravan stumbles and groans while the dogs continue.

In fact, we do not miss the ignorant people of the Ahlus Sunnah and those among them regarding whom it is said that they are scholars and leaders, being lenient

in their stance with the foolish Rawafid and becoming the means of the masses and simpletons’ misguidance.

Therefore, I took it upon myself to carry out the responsibility of explaining the truth, repelling falsehood, and establishing the argument against every stubborn, redundant person, relying on the One in whose right hand the heavens will be rolled up and trusting in the One who is responsible for preserving His Shari’ah and din, the One who undertook to assist the believers and promised to defeat the oppressors.

After the introduction, I have divided the book into nine chapters. Briefly, they are as follows:

Chapter 1: When is the obligation of believing in something established?

Chapter 2: The issue of Tafdil (superiority) in Islamic belief.

Chapter 3: Evidence of superiority in the Qur’an.

Chapter 4: The superiority of Sheikhayn in the Sunnah.

Chapter 5: The superiority of Sheikhayn according to Ijma’ (Consensus).

Chapter 6: Signs attesting to superiority.

Chapter 7: The belief of the Ahlul Bayt, the Sufis, and the Salaf (pious predecessors).

Chapter 8: The superiority of Sheikhayn in the texts of the Imams of the Ahlus Sunnah.

Chapter 9: Other doubts and responses to them.

Under these chapters, there are discussions. I will not prolong the introduction, listing their titles.

Initially, I had named this book Tanwir al Fu’ad wa al ‘Aynayn fi al Qat’ bi Afdaliyyat al Sheikhayn radiya Llahu ‘anhuma ma’a al Radd bi al Tafsil ‘ala Kitab Ghayat al Tabjil. Then, when I showed the book to our noble friend, the beneficial researcher, the apple of Jordan, Sheikh Dr. Iyad Ahmed al Ghuj (may Allah bless him and grant him continued success), he suggested that I give it another name, which is al Isabah fi al Qat’ bi Tafdil al Sheikhayn ‘ala Sa’ir al Sahabah wa Yatadamman al Radd bi al Tafsil ‘ala Kitab Ghayat al Tabjil. I accepted it happily, in response to his wonderful wish.

O Allah, through Your generosity and kindness, ease the correct path and save me, when addressing the honourable Companions, from the calamities of in-depth delving and elongation; for if it were not for the rule of necessity, I would not have entered through this door.

Guide through this book whoever has gone astray, grant benefit from it wherever it reaches, and make it a sharp sword that severs the necks of the people of falsehood wherever it is drawn. Keep it as a tool for the Ahlus Sunnah so that they may uproot the roots of discord and innovation and cut off the roots of the people of discord and division. Make it a pillar in clarifying the forbidden from the permissible. Preserve it as a treasure for the righteous group wherewith they may confront the caravans of deviation, until the day when the deviates’ friend —Dajjal (antichrist)—emerges.

Make it a means by which difficulties and calamities are dissolved, eyes, even hearts, are enlightened, sights, even thoughts, are comforted, lofty aspirations look forward to it, and necks of honourable people stretch towards it.

Reward, O Allah, through Your grace, everyone who has a share, little or much, big or small, in accomplishing this work. Reward everyone who has a dream, near or far, in achieving his desires and hopes with Your most complete reward, through the medium of Your chosen Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his family, and his Companions—the people of truthfulness and loyalty, nobility and choice.

Dr. ‘Abdul Nasir Ahmed al Malibari, Malabar, India.

Wednesday, 8 Rabi’ al Awwal 1441 AH.

NEXT⇒ Chapter 1 – When is the obligation of believing in something established?

^[1] Surah Al ‘Imran: 110.

^[2] Sunan al Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, book on asceticism, 5/226, pg. 1433, Hadith: 4288.

^[3] Al Suyuti: Anmudhaj al Labib, pg. 37.

^[4] Sunan Ibn Majah, pg. 1433, Hadith: 4289; al Suyuti: Anmudhaj al Labib, pg. 50.

^[5] Al Sakhawi states:

أخرجه البزار بسند رجاله موثقون

Al Bazzar reported it through an isnad (chain of transmission) of thiqah (trustworthy) narrators.

^[6] Surah al Anbiya’: 23.

^[7] Al Barbahari: Sharh al Sunnah, pg. 68, Maktabat al Ghuraba’ al Athariyyah, al Madinah al Munawwarah, ‎1414 AH/1993 CE.

^[8] Abu Talib al Makki: Qut al Qulub fi Mu’amalat al Mahbub, 2/258.

^[9] Imam al Haramayn: Al Ghiyathi, pg. 329. See details on the dangers of innovation—especially Rafd and Shi’ism—in Islam and the duties of the people of knowledge in the first chapter of our book Daf’ al Shubuhat al Mu’adiyah ‘an Wajh Sayyidina Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, pg. 4–22.

^[10] Al Shahrastani: Al Milal wa al Nihal, 1/157.

^[11] Ibn Hajar: Al Sawa’iq al Muhriqah, pg. 43, 44 (Maktabat al Qahirah print), pg. 146 (Fayyad print); ‘Abdul Haqq al Dihlawi: Lam’at al Tanqih, 9/669.

^[12] Ibn Hajar: Al Sawa’iq al Muhriqah, pg. 63 (Maktabat al Qahirah print).

^[13] Ibn Hajar al Haytami: Al Zawajir ‘an Iqtiraf al Kaba’ir, 2/232.

^[14] Daf’ al Shubuhat al Mu’adiyah, pg. 35 (Dar al Imam al Nabhani, Beirut); pg. 76 (Kursi al Imam al Ash’ari, Malabar).

^[15] Daf’ al Shubuhat al Mu’adiyah, pg. 17 (Dar al Imam al Nabhani, Beirut); pg. 40 (Kursi al Imam al Ash’ari, Malabar).

^[16] Ibn Taymiyyah: Majmu’ al Fatawa, 4/156.

^[17] He is Professor Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh, from Egypt, one of the most senior Zaidiyyah of this time. He has a keen interest in the science of Hadith.

^[18] Al al Bayt or Ahlul Bayt are not limited to the sons of ‘Ali from Fatimah al Zahra’ radiya Llahu ‘anhum. Rather, it includes the wives of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam—the Mothers of the believers—radiya Llahu ‘anhunna, and every believer from the Banu Hashim and Banu al Muttalib. Yes, the sons of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu from Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha have a special honour which is obvious.

^[19] Yusuf al Nabhani: Al Asalib al Badi’ah, pg. 347. (Printed with Shawahid al Haqq.)

^[20] Surah al Ma’idah: 75.

^[21] Refer to Sayed ‘Abdul Hayy al Hasani: Nuzhat al Khawatir, 6/863. Sheikh Muhammad Anwar Shah al Kashmiri (d. 1352 AH) wrote a book in defence of Qurrat al ‘Aynayn, also in Persian, in 196 pages, in response to some of the Rawafid who wrote a book in response to the aforementioned Qurrat al ‘Aynayn. (Refer to Nafhat al ‘Anbar fi Hayat Imam al ‘Asr Sheikh Anwar by Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf al Binnori, pg. 128, al Majlis al ‘Ilmi, Karachi, Pakistan, 1389 AH; and Sheikh ‘Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah’s study of the book al Tasrih bi ma Tawatara fi Nuzul al Masih by Sheikh Anwar Shah, pg. 30, 6th print, 1426 AH.)

^[22] Nuzhat al Khawatir, 7/1016. Shah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz rahimahu Llah is also the author of the famous al Tuhfah al Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, which is one of the best books in refuting the deviations of the Rawafid. He wrote it in the Persian language, then some scholars translated it into Arabic. It was abridged. The abridged version is printed and widespread.

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