Yanabi` al-Mawaddah

The Hadith of Thaqalayn Section Two
October 1, 2015
Kifayat al-Talib
October 1, 2015
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Table of Contents
  1. Yanabi’ al Mawaddah
    1. The Narration of Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali
    2. The Narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah
      1. Zaid ibn Arqam
      2. Zaid Ibn Thabit
      3. ‘Ali al Murtada and The Freed Slave Abu Rafi’
      4. Abu Hurairah
      5. Sayyidah Fatimah
    3. The Narrations of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah Which Appear Under the Title ‘Al Manaqib Mentions’
    4. Study of the Above Narrations
      1. The Narration of Sulaim ibn Qais
      2. A Study of the Narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah
    5. The Narrations of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah Which Appear Under the Title ‘Al Manaqib Mentions’
    6. An Appendage to the Discussion of Yanabi’
    7. Another Misinterpretation
    8. A Different Perspective
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Yanabi’ al Mawaddah

 

This book was authored in the year 1291 A.H.

Before presenting the answers to the narrations of this book, we wish to enlighten our Sunni readers with a few facts of this book and its author. It is possible that those who do not know this book and its author may regard it, on account of their misunderstanding to be reliable.

1. The complete name of the book is Yanabi’ al Mawaddah li Dhawi al Qurba. The name of the author is Sulaiman ibn Ibrahim also known as Khwajah Kulan ibn Muhammad (Baba Khwajah) ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Ma’ruf ibn al Sheikh al Sayed Tarsun al Baqi al Hussaini al Balkhi al Qunduzi. He is generally referred to as Sheikh Sulaiman al Qunduzi. At the end of this book he wrote:

 

The compilation of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah li Dhi al Qurba min Ahl al ‘Iba’ has been completed, by the praise of Allah and His grace at mid-morning, Monday the ninth of Ramadan 1291 A.H.[1]

 

2. The copy of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah that is in our possession is the second print of Maktabah al ‘Irfan-Beirut. This book has been printed several times. As long as we did not have a copy of this book, we would be intimidated when seeing it on the list of references. In fact it left us worried. This is because the opposition repeatedly present it as one of the accepted books of the Ahlus Sunnah. Now we present to the readers that which we have learnt after studying the book.

a. This book was only compiled in the twelfth century (1291 A.H.). The author gathered information from many different books that were written regarding virtues and merits. He chose from Shia as well as Sunni sources. Some of the books were the products of extremist Shi’ism. He took extensively from these books. We will mention a few of these books here.

  • Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali
  • Kitab al Muwalat of Ibn ‘Uqdah
  • Kitab Maqtal Abu Mikhaf (Lut ibn Yahya)
  • Kitab al Ghaybah by Muhammad ibn Hassan ibn ‘Ali al Tusi
  • Kitab al Manaqib by Akhtab Khawarizmi
  • Kitab al Bayan fi Akhbar Sahib al Zaman by Muhammad ibn Yusuf al Kanji
  • Kashf al Ghummah by Sheikh ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa al Arbili, etc.

These books are the works of extremist Shia. Furthermore, he included narrations from many books of fada’il (virtues and merits) which contain an assortment of narrations. This book is a compendium of all types of narrations (sahih, da’if, mawdu’, munkar etc.).

 

b. We wish to highlight the author of the Yanabi’ al Mawaddah’s views. After reading through the book, we learnt that he subscribes to the following beliefs:

  • After the demise of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, it is compulsory to obey the Twelve Imams, the first amongst them being ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. The last Imam will be Muhammad al Mahdi, who will wage war to take revenge from all those who were against the Ahlul Bayt. To prove this belief, he dedicated an entire chapter (Chapter: 93 vol. 3), in which he presents what he alleges to be proofs.
  • He believes that Muhammad al Mahdi is the son of Imam Hassan al ‘Askari. He dedicated a chapter for this as well. (Chapter: 86 vol. 3). He presented a list of references in this chapter in an attempt to prove this belief.
  • He believes that al Mahdi was born and then disappeared within his lifetime. Despite disappearing or going into hiding, he still meets certain special individuals. He had twelve special representatives, whose names he mentioned, who would meet up with al Mahdi during the Ghaybah Sughra (lesser occultation, 260 – 329 A.H). For this too, he dedicated an entire chapter (Chapter: 83 vol. 3).

The reader can judge whether the above mentioned beliefs are those of the Ahlus Sunnah or the Shia. It is not a difficult or complex matter, which a person cannot understand. This individual clearly belonged to the Shia school of thought. This is the reality, even though the author does not confess to it. He merely calls himself ‘one who loves the Ahlul Bayt’ and did not admit that he is a Shia. However, Taqiyyah (dissimulation) is an old tactic of the Shia, by means of which many of their greatest tasks have been achieved. This book has also been written using this method. Nonetheless, the narrations of this book cannot be accepted without examining them.

After presenting the above facts, we now wish to comment regarding these versions of narrations of Thaqalayn, which the author of Yanabi’, compiled after much effort. The author dedicated the fourth chapter of the first volume of his book to those narrations which mention the virtues of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Although this chapter contains many other narrations regarding the merits of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu (such as the hadith of the ship of Nuh, the hadith of Ghadir Khum, etc.), he paid special attention to the narration of Thaqalayn and dedicated much of his effort towards it.

We will only comment on the narrations of Thaqalayn that appear in this chapter. We will not discuss the other narrations. It should also be noted that the answers to many of the narrations which appear in this chapter have already passed. They include the narration of Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmed, Nawadir al Usul of Hakim al Tirmidhi, Tha’labi, Ibn al Maghazili, Akhtab Khawarizm, the Ma’ajim of al Tabarani, Abu Ya’la al Mawsili, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, al Diya al Maqdisi, etc. The answers to all these narrations have already been presented. However, the remainder of the narrations require answers. We will now present the answers to those narrations. Some narrations were also mentioned which have no relation to the claim (that it is necessary to obey and hold onto the Book of Allah and the Ahlul Bayt). They were only added to lengthen the book. Now, those narrations regarding Thaqalayn which require answers will be presented. We will first reproduce all the narrations according to their sequence and thereafter the answers to them in a similar manner.

 

The Narration of Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali

Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali narrates:

عن سليم بن قيس الهلالى قال بينا انا و جيش بن المعتمر بمكة اذ قام ابو ذر و اخذ بحلقة باب الكعبة فقال من عرفنى فقد عرفنى ومن لم يعرفنى فانا جندب بن جنادة ابو ذر فقال ايها الناس انى سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول مثل اهل بيتى فىكم كمثل سفينة نوح من ركبها نجا ومن تركها هلك ويقول انى تارك فيكم ما ان تمسكتم به لن تضلوا كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى و لن يتفرقا حتى يردا على الحوض

Whilst I was in Makkah with Jaysh ibn al Mu’tamar, Abu Dhar stood up and held the handle of the Ka’bah door and said, “Whoever knows me should recognise me, and whoever does not know me, then I am Jundub ibn Junadah, Abu Dhar.” Thereafter he said, “I heard Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, ‘The example of my Ahlul Bayt amongst you is like the ship of Nuh ‘alayh al Salam. Whoever boarded it was saved, and whoever abandoned it was destroyed.’ He also said, ‘I am leaving amongst you that which, if you hold onto it you will never go astray, the Book of Allah and ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt. They will not separate until they meet me at the pond.’”[2]

 

In al Manaqib from the book of Sulaim ibn Qais, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is reported to have said:

 

و فى المناقب فى كتاب سليم بن قيس قال على عليه السلام ان الذى قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يوم عرفة على ناقته القصواء وفى مسجد خيف و يوم الغدير و يوم قبض فى خطبته على المنبر ايها الناس انى تركت فيكم الثقلين لن تضلوا ما ان تمسكتم بهما الاكبر منهما كتاب الله و الاصغر عترتى اهل بيتى وان اللطيف الخبير عهد الى انهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض كهاتين اشار بالسبابتين ولا ان احدهما اقدم من الاخر فتمسكوا بهما لن تضلوا ولا تقدموا منهم ولا تخلفوا عنهم ولا تعلموهم فانهم اعلم منكم

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said on the day of ‘Arafah on his camel al Qaswa’, and in Masjid Khayf, and at Ghadir Khum, and in his sermon the day that he passed away, “I am leaving amongst you al Thaqalayn, you will never go astray as long as you hold onto them. The greater of the two is the Book of Allah and the smaller of the two is my ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt. The One who knows the finest details and is well aware of everything has promised me that they will not separate until they meet me at the pond, like these two fingers. (He indicated with his index and middle finger). None is ahead of the other, so hold onto them and do not deviate. Do not go ahead of them and do not become distant from them. Do not try to teach them, for they are more learned than you.[3]

 

The Narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah

These are those narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah that could not be discussed until now.

Zaid ibn Arqam

 

روى الحافظ جمال الدين محمد بن يوسف الزرندى المدنى فى كتابه نظم درر السمطين حديثا و لفظه روى زيد بن ارقم رضى الله عنه قال اقبل رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ىوم حجة الوداع فقال انى فرطكم علي الحوض فانكم تبعى و انكم توشكون ان تردوا على الحوض فاسئلكم عن ثقلى كيف خلفتمونى فيهما فقام رجل من المهاجرين فقال ما الثقلان قال الاكبر منهما كتاب الله سبب طرفه بيد الله و طرفه بايديكم والاصغر عترتى فتمسكوا بهما فمن استقبل قبلتى و اجاب دعوتى فليستوص باهلى خيرا فلا تقتلوهم ولا تقصروا عنهم…واخرجه ابن عقدة فى الموالاة

Jamal al Din Muhammad ibn Yusuf al Zarandi narrates a hadith in his book Nazm Durar al Simtayn the wording of which is as follows:

Zaid ibn Arqam radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrated that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said on the occasion of Hajjat al Wada’, “I will be waiting for you at the pond for you are my followers. Soon you will meet me. I will ask you regarding my Thaqalayn, how did you succeed me regarding them.” A man from amongst the Muhajirin stood up and asked, “What is al Thaqalayn?” Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam replied, “The greater one is the Book of Allah, one end is with Allah and the other is in your hands. The smaller of the two is my ‘itrah. Hold onto them. Whoever faces my Qiblah and answers my call, then he should be good towards my ‘itrah. Do not kill them and do not be negligent regarding them…”

Ibn ‘Uqdah narrated it in al Muwalat. [4]

 

Note:- The actual narrator of this narration is Ibn ‘Uqdah. Al Hafiz Jamal al Din Muhammad ibn Yusuf al Zarandi and others only quote it from him, as mentioned by the author of Yanabi’ at the end of the narration, “Ibn ‘Uqdah narrated it in al Muwalat.”

 

Zaid Ibn Thabit

 

و اخرج ابن عقدة فى الموالاة من طريق محمد بن كثير عن فطر و ابى الجارود كليهما عن ابى الطفيل عن زيد بن ثابت قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم انى تارك فيكم خليفتين كتاب الله عز و جل حبل ممدود من السماء الى الارض وعترتى اهل بيتى وانهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا عللى الحوض

Ibn ‘Uqdah narrates in al Muwalat from Muhammad ibn Kathir — Fatr and Abu al Jarud —Abu al Tufayl — from Zaid ibn Thabit that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

Indeed I will soon be called and I will respond to the call. I am leaving amongst you al Thaqalayn, the Book of Allah—the most Exalted and Glorious—which is a rope that has been extended from the sky to the earth and my ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt. The Knower of the finest details and the One who is well aware of everything has informed me that they will never separate until they meet me at the pond, therefore be careful how you succeed me with regards to them.[5]

 

‘Ali al Murtada and The Freed Slave Abu Rafi’

 

و اخرج ابن عقدة من طريق سعد بن ظريف عن الاصبع بن نباتة عن على و ابى رافع مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ما لفظه ايها الناس انى تركت فيكم الثقلين الثقل الاكبر و الثقل الاصغر فاما الاكبر فهو حبل فبيدالله طرفه والطرف الاخر بايديكم وهو كتاب الله ان تمسكتم به لن تضلوا ولن تذلوا ابدا و اما الاصغر فعترتى اهل بيتى…

Ibn ‘Uqdah narrates from Sa’d ibn Zarif—Asbagh ibn Nubatah—’Ali and Abu Rafi’ (the freed slave of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam):

O people! I have left amongst you al Thaqalayn, The greater Thiqal and the smaller Thiqal. As for the greater Thiqal, it is a rope. One end is with Allah and the other end is in your hands, it is the Book of Allah. If you hold onto it you will never go astray or be humiliated. The smaller Thiqal is my ‘itrah who are my Ahlul Bayt…[6]

 

Abu Hurairah

 

و اخرج ابن عقدة من طريق محمد بن عبد الله بن ابى رافع عن ابيه عن جده و عن ابى هريرة ما لفظه انى خلفت فيكم الثقلين ان تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا ابدا كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى و لن يتفرقا حتى يردا عللى الحوض

Ibn ‘Uqdah narrates from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Rafi’ — (his father) ‘Abdullah — (his father) Abu Rafi’ — Abu Hurairah:

I have left amongst you al Thaqalayn. If you hold onto them you will never go astray the Book of Allah my ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt. They will never separate until they meet me at the pond.[7]

 

Sayyidah Fatimah

 

و اخرج ابن عقدة من طريق عروة بن خارجة عن فاطمة الزهراء قالت سمعت ابى صلى الله عليه و سلم فى مرضه الذى قبض فيه يقول قد احتلات الحجرة من اصحابه ايها النلس يوشك ان اقبض قبضا سريعا و قد قدمت اليكم القول معذرة اليكم الا انى مخلف فيكم كتاب ربى عز و جل و عترتى اهل بيتى ثم اخذ بيد على فقال هذا  على مع القران و القران مع على لا يفترقان حتى يردا على الحوض فاسئلكم ما تخلفونى فىهما

Ibn ‘Uqdah narrates from ‘Urwah ibn Kharija — Sayyidah Fatimah al Zahra radiya Llahu ‘anha:

I heard my father salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying in his final illness, whilst the room was fully occupied by his Companions, “O people! Indeed I will be given a sudden death. I am excusing myself by telling you the following, Beware! I am leaving amongst you the Book of my Rabb—the Exalted and Majestic—and my ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt.” Thereafter he held the hand of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and said, “This is ‘Ali with the Qur’an and the Qur’an with ‘Ali. They will not separate until they meet me at the pond, where I will question you as to how did you succeed me regarding them.”[8]

 

The Narrations of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah Which Appear Under the Title ‘Al Manaqib Mentions’

 

وفى المناقب عن احمد بن عبدالله بن سلام عن حذىفة بن اليمان رضى الله عنه قال صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الظهر ثم اقبل بوجهه الكريم الينا فقال معاشر اصحابى اوصيكم بتقوى الله والعمل بطاعته و انى ادعى فاجيب و انى تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى ان تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا و انهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض فلا تعلموهم فانهم اعلم منكم

Al Manaqib reports from Ahmed ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Salam — that Hudhayfah ibn al Yaman radiya Llahu ‘anhu said:

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam led us in salat al Zuhr. Thereafter, he turned his noble face towards us and said, “O My companions, I advise you to fear Allah and to obey him. Indeed I will soon be called and I will respond. I have left amongst you al Thaqalayn: the Book of Allah and my ‘itrah, who are my Ahlul Bayt. If you hold onto them you will never go astray. They will never separate until they meet me at the pond. Do not try to teach them as they are more learned than you.[9]

 

عن عطاء بن السائب عن ابى يحيى عن ابن عباس رضى الله عنهما قال خطب رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال يا معشر المؤمنين ان الله  عز و جل اوحى الى انى مقبوض اقول لكم قولا ان عملتم به نجوتم  و ان تركتموه هلكتم ان اهل بيتى و عترتى هم  خاصتى و حامتى و انكم مسئولون عن الثقلين كتاب الله و عترتى ان تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا فانظروا كيف تخلفونى فىهما

‘Ata ibn al Sa’ib — Abu Yahya — from Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhu that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam delivered a sermon in which he said:

O gathering of Mu’minin, Allah, the Most Exalted and Majestic, has revealed to me that I will soon be taken away. I leave you with advice, if you act upon it you will be saved and if you abandon it you will be destroyed. Indeed my Ahlul Bayt and my ‘itrah are my chosen ones and my protectors. You will be questioned about al Thaqalayn, the Book of Allah and my ‘itrah. You will never go astray as long as you hold onto them. Beware of how you succeed me regarding them.[10]

 

و عن ابى ذر رضى الله عنه قال قال عليه السلام الطاحة و عبدالرحمان بن عوف سعد بن ابى وقاص هل تعلمون ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال انى تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى و انهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض و انكم لن تضلوا ان  اتبعتم و تمسكتم بهما قالوا نعم انتهى المناقب

Abu Dhar radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrates that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu asked Talhah, ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf, and Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas:

Are you aware that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “I have left amongst you al Thaqalayn: The Book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt. They will never separate until they meet me at the pond. You will never be misguided as long as you follow them and hold onto them.’’? They replied, “Yes.”[11]

 

Now we will study each of the above narrations, in the same order as they were narrated, in the light of rules and principles.

 

Study of the Above Narrations

The Narration of Sulaim ibn Qais

We first need to understand the personality of Sulaim ibn Qais, this will enlighten us as to whether his narrations should be accepted or not.

1. The Shia regard him to be a great narrator and they accept his narrations. Their scholars believe that he was favoured with the companionship of ‘Ali, Hassan and Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhum. He had a special notebook in which he recorded his narrations. This notebook was propagated amongst the people by his closest student, Aban ibn Abi ‘Ayyash. Sheikh ‘Abbas al Qummi writes in Tuhfat al Ahbab regarding Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali:

 

Sulaim was from the companions of Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali, Hassan and Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhum. His book is famous amongst the Muhaddithin and scholars, Aban narrated it from him as mentioned at the beginning of the book.[12]

 

He further states in the same book, under the discussion of Sulaim:

 

Many of the senior scholars of the Shia have relied upon this special notebook of Sulaim. Aban said that Sulaim was a great ascetic and saint whose face would remain illuminated.[13]

 

2. For the benefit of the scholars, we would like to mention that Sheikh ‘Abbas al Qummi is not the only one who noted the great status and rank enjoyed by Sulaim ibn Qais in Shia circles. Many other Shia scholars have also written this in their books. Thus, we find lengthy discussions in Jami’ al Ruwat of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al Ardabili (pg. 374) and Rawdat al Jannat of Mir Khuwansari al Musawi under the biographies of Sulaim and his distinguished student Ibn Abi ‘Ayyash. The author of Rawdat al Jannat added an especially long discussion regarding him, at the end of which he mentions the high level of reliability that Sulaim possessed. Sheikh ‘Abbas al Qummi answered a few objections regarding him and concluded the discussion stating that he is definitely a reliable person.

The crux of the matter—as understood from the above quotations—is that this Sulaim was an extremist Shia. His narrations are readily accepted by the Shia. Therefore, presenting to us his narrations is a complete vilification of all principles. His narrations can never be paid attention to when discussing contentious Sunni-Shia matters.  The fact that some scholars, who did not research his position, quoted some of his narrations in their books is irrelevant. His reality is as we have explained. Furthermore, the author of Yanabi’ is not a reliable person and thus, when he quotes any of the Sunni sources, his word cannot be taken until it is confirmed to be as he stated.

 

3. The common books of the Ahlus Sunnah have absolutely no mention of Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali. The following books were consulted to find some mention of him, Taqrib, Tahdhib, Lisan al Mizan, al Jarh wa al Ta’dil of Razi, Mizan of al Dhahabi, Tarikh Baghdad, Tadhkirat al Huffaz, Tarikh Saghir and Tarikh Kabir of al Bukhari Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d as well as others. Now there remains no doubt that he was an extremist Shia. Therefore, the answer to the question of accepting his narrations has become apparent. There is no need for further discussion.

 

A Study of the Narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah

In brief, the author of Yanabi’ compiled and presented the narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah to create the impression that he is one of the many accepted Muhaddithin of the Ahlus Sunnah and he mentions the asanid of all his narrations. This is not the reality. Ibn ‘Uqdah died in the year 332 A.H. He definitely mentions his asanid; however, he has nothing to do with the Ahlus Sunnah. This is a fact that both parties have agreed upon. He belongs to the Zaidi Jarudi denomination of the Shia and he is a reliable narrator of their al Usul al Arba’ah (four canonical books) whose narrations appear therein in a great number.

We have presented the answers to the narrations of ‘Abaqat after the discussion regarding the narrations of Abu al Qasim al Baghawi, where we quoted eight narrations of Ibn ‘Uqdah which he quoted. Refer to the complete discussion there. Hereunder is a summary of the discussion:

  1. He is famously known as Abu al ‘Abbas Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’id al Kufi, Ibn ‘Uqdah.
  2. It is an accepted fact amongst both, Ahlus Sunnah and Shia that he was a Zaidi Jarudi.
  3. He memorised thousands of ahadith regarding the virtues of the Ahlul Bayt, which he would spread amongst the people. The narrations of Thaqalayn were one of them.
  4. He would concoct some of the best asanid for his narrations, and exclude his own name.
  5. He would not waste any opportunity wherein he could relate to the people the ‘mistakes’ committed by the Sahabah.

Refer to the following Sunni sources, Mizan al I’tidal (vol. 1 pg. 65), Lisan al Mizan (vol. 1 pg. 266) and al Bidayah wa al Nihayah of Ibn Kathir al Dimashqi (vol. 6 pg. 67).

Refer to the following Shia sources as well, Jami’ al Ruwat (vol. 1 pg. 65, 66, 67,) Rawdat al Jannat (pg. 58) and Tuhfat al Ahbab of al Qummi (pg. 14).

 

Note:- These are only three references from each side. The remainder of them as well as the other details can be viewed under the previous discussion. From the above, it has become clear that all the narrations which were quoted by the author of Yanabi’ from Ibn ‘Uqdah are not proofs against us and we do not have to present answers regarding them.

We will present such narrations from the ‘ulamaʼ of the Ahlus Sunnah, which will have sahih asanid and will be acceptable, Allah willing. Those ‘ulamaʼ from amongst the Ahlus Sunnah who were not aware of the position of Ibn ‘Uqdah will be overlooked and excused in this case. It is incorrect to raise objections against them and hold them responsible, since the reality of Ibn ‘Uqdah was not brought to their attention. Whatever those ‘ulamaʼ have done or said was on account of a misunderstanding, which arose as a result of the Taqiyyah of the Shia.

 

The Narrations of Yanabi’ al Mawaddah Which Appear Under the Title ‘Al Manaqib Mentions’

The author of Yanabi’ added mostly those narrations which do not have asanid. He sufficed upon mentioning the name of the Muhaddith from whose book it was sourced. He even kept the sources of some of the narrations ambiguous. He simply starts of the narrations by mentioning “And in al Manaqib”. He leaves it upon the reader to find out which ‘al Manaqib’ this refers to and who the author of the book is. Our opinion, which was formed after reading the book and contemplating upon the matter is, one cannot assume that it refers to any specific book. Rather, he has to look at the book Yanabi’ and figure it out from the context. Therefore, we hold the following opinions:

1. Either this refers to the book of Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali (whose book is a ‘treasure’ of all types of narrations). This could be established from the start of page 32, where he states:

وفى المناقب فى كتاب سليم بن قيس قال على عليه السلام

‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam is reported to have said…as mentioned in al Manaqib in the book of Sulaim ibn Qais.

 

2. Or it could refer to the Manaqib of Akhtab Khawarizmi, which is well-known amongst those who have an interest in the books of fada’il. The Shia use this as a source for many of their narrations. A perfect example is ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa al Arbili who quotes extensively from Akhtab Khawarizmi in his book Kashf al Ghummah. Many misinformed Sunnis have also quoted from him, whereas he was not a reliable source.

Whether the author of the book is Akhtab Khawarizmi or Sulaim ibn Qais, it does not make any difference. Akhtab is a Zaidi Shia. Shah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz categorically stated this in Tuhfah Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, as quoted previously. Ibn Taymiyyah also leveled severe criticism against him. We quoted his entire criticism under the narration of al Bayhaqi. One may refer to it there. The narrations of Akhtab cannot be accepted without scrutinising them, as he is not a reliable source. If he presents any narrations, along with the isnad, then it should be studied in light of principles and it should be accepted if it is worthy of acceptance. In this case, he did not mention any isnad, due to which there will be no need for further discussion.

 

An Appendage to the Discussion of Yanabi’

We bring to the attention of the readers that just as many narrations were mentioned without asanid and the author sufficed upon referring to them by saying, “It is mentioned in al Manaqib”, similarly, many other narrations were also quoted from unreliable books without their asanid. Above that, these books are not the original sources of the narrations. These books include Ma’alim al ‘Itrah of Hafiz ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al Akhdar, Mawaddat al Qurba of Madani as well as others. It is not within our capacity to accept narrations which do not have asanid and are quoted from unreliable books. This will render all the books that were written on the principles of accepting ahadith useless. Indeed, this will be a great loss!

However, there is one book that has been referred to under the discussion of Thaqalayn, which cannot be brushed aside, i.e. Musnad al Bazzar. The author is a great Muhaddith who mentions his asanid. The author of Yanabi’ quoted him twice whilst discussing the narrations of Thaqalayn. The first time that he quoted him was on page 37 of volume 1. These are the exact words:

 

روى البزار و لفظه انى تركت فيكم الثقلين يعنى كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى و انكم لن تضلوا ان تمسكتم بهما

Al Bazzar narrated (the hadith) in these words, “I have left amongst you al Thaqalayn, i.e. the Book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt. You will not deviate if you hold onto them.”

 

The second quotation (volume 1, page 37) is as follows:

 

و اخرج البزار فى مسنده عن ام هانئ بنت ابى طالب قالت رجع رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم عن حجته حتى نزل بغدير خم ثم قام خطيبا بالهاجرة فقال ايها الناس اوشك ان ادعى فاجيب و قد تلركت فيكم…

Al Bazzar narrated in his Musnad from Umm Hani bint Abi Talib: “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam halted at Ghadir Khum on his return from Hajjat al Wada’. He then stood at al Hajirah and delivered a sermon in which he said, ‘O people! I will soon be called and I will answer to the call. I have left amongst you…’”

 

The name of the Sahabi who narrated the first narration has been omitted. The second narration is narrated by Umm Hani. We would like to inform the readers that we had searched through the entire Musnad in an attempt to gather all the narrations of al Thaqalayn, unfortunately we could only find the narrations of Abu Hurairah and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, which we had reproduced under the discussion of this Musnad. The asanid of these two narrations were not sahih. We also included all the criticism that was levelled against the narrators. You will be convinced if you refer once more to the discussion of Musnad al Bazzar. We could not find the narrations of Umm Hani and ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf radiya Llahu ‘anhuma in the Musnad. We searched through the copy of the library at Pir Jandah, Nawabshah, (which is a worn out copy), as well as a copy of one of the libraries in Hyderabad, Dakkan. We acquired this copy through the medium of Molana Mufti Rahim al Din, the Sheikh al Tafsir of Jami’ah Nizamiyyah (Shibli Ganj). In both copies, we could only find the narrations of Abu Hurairah and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. No other Sahabi appears in these books.

Someone may object by citing the accepted principle, ‘the lack of mention does not necessitate lack of existence’, hence these narrations have possibly been recorded in other copies of the Musnad. The answer to this objection is quite simple, those who believe that it is incumbent to follow Thaqalayn should be courteous enough to find that copy and then bring it forward to us. If the isnad is sahih, we will not hesitate to accept our mistake. If this cannot be done, then at the least, we should not be forced to accept unauthentic narrations and narrations which do not have asanid.

 

We wish to conclude this section by mentioning a few important points, in the same manner as we began by mentioning a few important points. It is necessary to take note of them:

1. The interpretation of the narrations of Thaqalayn that was presented by us is not something that we had pulled out of a hat. Instead, this is the view of all the ‘ulamaʼ of the Ahlus Sunnah. We believe that if this narration has to be accepted as sahih, then it demands devotion and obedience to the Qur’an only. It also contains exhortation towards good conduct, kindness, compassion, love, forbearance and fulfilment of rights of the wives, children and family of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who have been referred to as the Ahlul Bayt. There is no mention of holding onto and obeying the Ahlul Bayt, anywhere in these narrations. There is also nothing in these narrations that implies that a person who does not follow and obey them will be misguided and doomed.

The claimants of love for the Ahlul Bayt on the other hand, interpret this hadith to mean that obedience to the Ahlul Bayt is of the exact same level as obedience to the Qur’an, and that the Ahlul Bayt are divinely protected from any shortcomings, just as the Qur’an is divinely protected from adulteration.

This interpretation is incorrect. The correct interpretation is the one presented as the view of the Ahlus Sunnah. In fact, this view has also been supported by statements recorded in their books, which they accept without hesitance. We reproduce a few of them below.

a. There is a lengthy narration of Thaqalayn in a book that is quite common amongst the scholars of the Shia, Kashf al Ghummah by ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa al Arbili. This narrations includes the following passage in it:

فلم ندر ما الثقلان حتى قام رجل من المهاجرين فقال بابى انت وامى ما الثقلان؟ فقال الاكبر منهما كتاب الله سبب طرف بيد الله و طرف بايديكم فتمسكوا به لا نزلوا ولا تضلوا والاصغر منهما عترتى لا تقتلوهم ولا تقهروهم فانى سئلت اللطيف الخبير ان يردوا على الحوض فاعطانى فقاهرهما قاهرى و خاذلهما خاذلى ووليهما وليى و عدوهما عدوى

We did not know what al Thaqalayn was until a man from the Muhajirin stood up and asked, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, what is al Thaqalayn?” Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam replied, the greater of them is the Book of Allah, one end is with Allah and the other end is in your hands. Hold onto it, do not move away from it and do not go astray. The lesser of the two is my Ahlul Bayt. Do not kill them or suppress them, for I have asked al Latif (the Knower of the finest details) al Khabir (the one who is fully aware of everything) that they should meet me at the pond and he granted my request. Therefore, the one who suppresses them has suppressed me and the one who betrayed them has betrayed me. Their friend is my friend and their enemy is my enemy.[14]

In short, we have been commanded to follow the Qur’an in order to avoid deviation and to be good to the Ahlul Bayt. There is no mention of obeying them. The readers are requested to ponder over this narration. Does it not comply with the interpretation of hadith of Thaqalayn offered by the ‘ulamaʼ of the Ahlus Sunnah?

b. The famous Shia mufassir, ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim al Qummi quotes a narration in his Tafsir al Qummi (in the fourth juz under verse 59). This narration is called, ‘the five flags’. This narration also supports the interpretation of the narrations of Thaqalayn that has been accepted by the Ahlus Sunnah. It proves that the interpretation and deductions that the Shia wish to take is definitely incorrect. We will first reproduce this narration, followed by a translation thereof which was rendered by the famous Shia ‘alim, Maqbul Ahmed Dehlawi in the appendix of his footnotes. We will reproduce it verbatim, after which the fair-minded will be able to judge for themselves. They will not need any comment from us.

ثم ترد على راية مع امام المتقين و سيد المسلمين وقلئد الغر المحجلين ووصى رسول رب العالمين قاقول لهم ما فعلتم بالثقلين من بعدى فيقولون اما الاكبر فاتبعناه و اطعناه فاما الاصغر فاحببناه وواليناه و ازلرناه و نصرناه حتى اهرقت فيهم دمائنا فاقول رووا الجنة رواء ملرويين مبيضة وجوهكم ثم تلا رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يوم تبيض وجوه وتسود وجوه[15]

Translation: (Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said,) thereafter the fifth flag, the leader of the muttaqin, chief of the Muslimin, the guide of those whose limbs will shine from the effects of wudhu and the Wasi of the Rasul of Allah will come to me. I will ask them, “How did you deal with al Thaqalayn after my demise?” They will reply, “We followed and obeyed the greater Thiqal, and we expressed our love and support for the lesser Thiqal. We supported them to the extent that our blood was spilt as a result thereof.” Thereupon I will say to him, “Enter Jannat with your faces illuminated and your appetite satiated.” Thereafter Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam recited the verses, “On that Day when some faces will be illuminated and some blackened.”[16]

This narration of al Qummi has clarified the matter for us; the command of obedience is restricted to the greater Thiqal (the Book of Allah). The command regarding the Ahlul Bayt is to be compassionate towards them and love them. There is no mention of obeying them.

c. We present to you a narration of Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu, which he narrates from Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This narration was quoted by Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu to an audience who opposed him in order disprove their stance. The widely acclaimed mujtahid of the Shia, Sheikh Ahmed ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib al Tabarsi quotes this narration in his book al Ihtijaj (pg. 129), the wording of which is as follows:

قال سيدنا (الامام الحسن)  انشدكم بالله اتعلمون ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و اله قال فى حجة الوداع ايها الناس انى قد تركت فيكم ما لن تضلوا بعده كتاب الله و عترتى فاحلوا حلاله و حرموا حرامه واعملوا بمحكمه و امنوا بمتشابه و قولوا امنا بما انزل الله من الكتاب و احبوا اهل بيتى و عترتى و والوا من والاهم وانفروا على من عاداهم وانهما لن يزالا فيكم حتى يردا على الحوض ىوم القيامة

Our master, Imam Hassan said, “I ask you in the name of Allah, do you not know that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said in Hajjat- al Wada’, ‘I left amongst you that which is sufficient to keep you away from misguidance, the Book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt. Accept as halal that which it terms halal, and haram that which it declares haram, act upon the muhkam (explicit) verses and believe in the mutashabih (seemingly contradictory) verses. Say, ‘We believe in everything that Allah has revealed in the Qur’an.’ Love my Ahlul Bayt. Support those who stand with them and wage war against their enemies. The two of them (the Qur’an and the Ahlul Bayt) will remain amongst you until they meet me at the pond on the day of Qiyamah.’”[17]

 

This narration instructs us to obey the Book of Allah and maintain a cordial relationship with the Ahlul Bayt. It does not imply that they should be followed and obeyed. Thus, all these narrations prove that the interpretation of the hadith of Thaqalayn that has been adopted by the Ahlus Sunnah is undoubtedly the correct interpretation. The view and claim of the Shia cannot be established from this hadith.

 

2. The summary of the Shia interpretation of the hadith of Thaqalayn is as follows:

a. The Ahlul Bayt share the pedestal of being an authority with the Qur’an. Both are equally necessary to obey, follow, and hold onto. There is no difference between the two. Thus a person can only gain salvation if he holds onto both of them. The one who does not do so will be misguided.

b. This interpretation only applies to the Twelve Imams of the Ahlul Bayt, whose obedience is incumbent and equivalent to practicing upon the Qur’an.

 

Acceptance of this interpretation immediately raises a few questions which need to be adequately answered by the Shia, who also need to re-think their position. We list them below:

  • When Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam issued this instruction, was it directed to the uncle and members of the Ahlul Bayt who were alive and present there as well? If the command was directed to them as well, then were they expected to follow and obey themselves? This needs to be explained and clarified.
  • Did the (1) Uncle of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhu) and (2) the brother of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, ‘Aqil radiya Llahu ‘anhu, disregard this command when they pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu?
  • Did ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu himself disregard this command when he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu?
  • Why did (1) Sayyidina Hassan and (2) Sayyidina Hussain ignore this command, by pledging allegiance to Amir Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu?
  • How could Imam Hussain leave aside this narration by pledging allegiance to Amir Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu instead of supporting his blood-brother and divinely protected Imam, Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu?
  • How is it that the son of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah, did not uphold this command, in the sense that he did not accept the Imamah of the rightful Imam, Zayn al ‘Abidin?
  • Why did the son of Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu, Hassan al Muthanna, not accept the Imamah of the rightful Imam of the time, Zayn al ‘Abidin, whilst standing up for the post of Caliphate? Did he also not practice upon the narrations of Thaqalayn?
  • Similarly, why did Zayn al ‘Abidin not accept the Imamah of Hassan al Muthanna who undoubtedly belonged to the Ahlul Bayt, as he was from the progeny of ‘Ali and Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anhuma?
  • Why did the son of Zayn al Abidin, Imam Zaid, side-line this hadith by refusing to accept the Imamah of the Imam of the time, Muhammad al Baqir rahimahuma Llah?
  • Similarly, did Imam Muhammad al Baqir trivialise this hadith by not accepting the Imamah of his biological brother, Zaid radiya Llahu ‘anhuma?
  • Did Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah Mahd ibn Hassan al Muthanna ibn Imam Hassan break this command by claiming Imamah instead of following Imam Jafar al Sadiq?
  • Similarly, how is it that Jafar al Sadiq did not accept the Imamah of the children of Hassan al Muthanna, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah Mahd to be specific, despite the fact that they belonged to the Ahlul Bayt and the progeny of Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha? Non-compliance to them is against the command of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as established by this hadith. How could Jafar oppose this command?
  • How could Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah Mahd ibn Hassan al Muthanna ibn Imam Hassan oppose this hadith by not accepting the Imamah of Jafar al Sadiq?

 

The core of these questions is that how could fourteen members of the Ahlul Bayt and progeny of ‘Ali and Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anhuma constantly and vehemently oppose this hadith (i.e. the Shia interpretation thereof)? Why did they not regard it compulsory to follow the Ahlul Bayt? Rather they pledged their allegiance to others who did not belong to the Ahlul Bayt. Thus, on what grounds will it be reasonable to expect the rest of the ummah to act upon this hadith?

 

Another Misinterpretation

The Shia have a book by the name of Misbah al Zulam. It was authored by the mayor of Patnah, Nawab Imdad. This Nawab ordered that it should be printed in Ranpur, after being edited by the Mujtahids of Lucknow. He continuously attempts to condemn the statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

حسبنا كتاب الله

The Book of Allah is sufficient for us.

 

Which was uttered at the time of the final illness of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. (Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam physical condition was deteriorating, due to which ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu expressed his compassion for Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by uttering this statement and relieving Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam of an added strain to his health.) Nawab claims that this statement had far reaching consequences and was actually a result of political agendas. This statement, according to him, rendered the hadith of Thaqalayn meaningless. We present to you a few quotations verbatim from his book.

1. He writes on pg. 10:

This statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu, which consisted of only three or four words:

 

حسبنا كتاب الله

The Book of Allah is sufficient for us,

brought into existence a whole new version of Islam which stands till today with a lot of influence. The instruction of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was sufficiently emphasised; however, this statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu turned the ummah away from this instruction. The result is that this instruction is now regarded as nothing more than an ordinary statement.

 

2. He writes further down on the same page:

This hadith is now found to be a dead layer in the books. It did not get more significance than this.[18]

 

3. He says:

There is no doubt that this statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

حسبنا كتاب الله

The Book of Allah is sufficient for us,

was successful. This statement stood in the way of practising upon the hadith of Thaqalayn.

 

4. And also:

The reality of the matter is that there was no parallel to the political insight possessed by ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan was no doubt a mastermind and a well organised leader; however, his political acumen could not match that of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. In a short statement,

حسبنا كتاب الله

The Book of Allah is sufficient for us,

he rendered the instruction of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam meaningless.[19]

 

Note:-  The above four references may be found in al Najm Lucknow number 11-12 (vol. 7 pg. 67-68), more well known as al Rabi’ min al Mas’alatayn. You may refer to it there.

The pitiable author of Misah al Zulam tries to put all the blame on ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu, by saying that his statement:

 

حسبنا كتاب الله

The Book of Allah is sufficient for us,

was entirely responsible for the ummah not practising upon the hadith of Thaqalayn. He claims that it was this statement alone that turned the hadith into a ‘dead layer’. This is against reality. The first question that needs to be answered is: To what extent did the Hashimi family, the descendants of Abu Talib, the Ahlul Bayt of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the progeny of Fatimah and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma practice upon this narration (according to the Shia interpretation)? Were they not the ones who rendered this narration meaningless in each era by pledging allegiance to the Khalifah of the time?

The truth is that this statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu is not responsible for rendering this hadith meaningless, rather the actions of these illustrious members of the Hashimi family are what caused this narration to become a ‘dead layer’ (according to the Shia interpretation).

 

A Different Perspective

1. If on the other hand, it is claimed that this command was not directed towards them (the Ahlul Bayt and other close members), then who were they supposed to follow? If it is claimed that they were commanded to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then we would like to know where this narration can be found, in which they have been exclusively commanded to do so, leaving out the rest of the ummah? It would be highly appreciated if this narration could be pointed out to us.

If anyone goes on to claim that the Qur’an is sufficient for them, as it contains the command to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then he should remember that the command issued in the Qur’an is a general command, i.e. it is directed to the entire ummah. There are no special rules for specific people. Therefore, this can only be proven from a narration. They will have to find that narration, which restricts the command of following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to the Ahlul Bayt.

 

2. The second matter that needs careful attention is that the Ahlul Bayt that is mentioned in this narration is confined by the Shia to the Twelve Imams, the first amongst them being ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and the last amongst them being al Mahdi.

a. At this juncture, it will not be inappropriate for us to ask that why were the honourable consorts of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam excluded from this, whereas the word Ahlul Bayt in the Arabic language refers to a person’s wife. This is even established from the Qur’an. In Surah Hud, the wife of Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam is addressed in the following manner:

رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ اَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ

May Allah’s mercy and blessings be on you, O members of the household (Ahlul Bayt of Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam).[20]

This is a clear reference to the wife of Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam, using the word ‘Ahlul Bayt’. This is a fact that is accepted by both Ahlus Sunnah as well as Shia. Surah al Qasas mentions the suggestion offered by the sister of Musa ‘alayh al Salam. She said:

هَلْ اَدُلُّكُمْ عَلٰٓی اَهْلِ بَیْتٍ یَّكْفُلُوْنَه_ لَكُمْ وَ هُمْ لَه_ نٰصِحُوْنَ

Should I show you a family that will foster him on your behalf and take good care of him?[21]

This refers to the mother of Musa ‘alayh al Salam, the wife of ‘Imran. This is also accepted by both parties. When both, the Qur’an as well as the Arabic language, refer to the wives as Ahlul Bayt, then on what basis were they excluded?

b. If this hadith only refers to the Twelve Imams, then Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anhu will also be excluded from the Ahlul Bayt. Which sensible Muslim will exclude the blessed daughters from the Ahlul Bayt of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? If the wives of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are excluded and the daughters are also excluded, then who remains? If Ahlul Bayt refers to the son-in-laws, then this would mean that it is incumbent to follow ‘Ali, ‘Uthman, and Abu al ‘As ibn al Rabi’ radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

c. If this hadith is interpreted to mean that the children and progeny of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are the ones who must be obeyed, then this would mean that that the greater Thiqal is the Book of Allah and the lesser Thiqal is the progeny of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Thus, every single person born into this noble bloodline immediately becomes an authority, whose obedience is binding. According to one source, Imam Hassan had eight children. It is agreed upon that Imam Hussain had six sons, whilst there are also some who say that he had eleven sons. All of these sons as well as their progeny up until today will have to be counted. This will include counting the sons and progenies up until today of Zayn al ‘Abidin (who had eleven sons), Muhammad al Baqir (who had five sons), Jafar al Sadiq (who had nine sons), Hassan al ‘Askari as well of the other members who all belonged to the noble lineage and progeny of Sayyidah Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This is because the Shia interpretation of this narration demands that all of these peoples’ obedience is binding and compulsory.

If the ‘itrah are to be obeyed, then it should apply to every member of the ‘itrah, and if it does not apply to one of them, then it should not apply to all of them. Is there any text to prove that this command applies to only Twelve members of the ‘itrah? If not, then confining the Ahlul Bayt to these twelve individuals is nothing more than a claim without proof!

 

3. This narration informs us that the Qur’an as well as the Ahlul Bayt will both remain up until Qiyamah, enabling humanity to follow the Qur’an and maintaining cordial ties with the Ahlul Bayt, thus adhering to the bequest of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. However, Shia sources state that both of these have left the presence of mankind centuries ago. In the year 269 A.H. the Imam took the Qur’an and retreated to the cave ‘Surra man Ra’a’, according to them. We are currently in the year 1383 A.H. You can calculate the amount of years that they have been out of the reach of mankind. With this being the situation, how are people expected to uphold the emphasised instruction of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? Please explain; you will be rewarded!

 

4. If the interpretation of the Shia is in fact the correct interpretation, then it proves that Muslims are only required to follow two authorities, i.e. the Book of Allah and the Ahlul Bayt. The Sunnah of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam no more remains an authority is Islam. The vast majority of Muslims accept that taking the Sunnah as an authority in Islam is quite obvious. Rejecting the position of the Sunnah has been criticised by Shia narrations as well. We will present them in the second part of this book, Allah willing.

 

5. Lastly, it should be understood that the Shia believe that the command of obeying the ‘itrah and Ahlul Bayt is directly from Allah, not from the narrations of Thaqalayn. Therefore, to use this hadith as a proof would be incorrect.

 

NEXT⇒ The Hadith of Thaqalayn Section Two

[1]  Yanabi’ vol. 3 pg. 206 Beirut, second print (1391 A.H)

[2]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 27 Chapter: 4, Beirut.

[3]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 32-33 Chapter: 4, Beirut.

[4]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 35 Chapter: 4, Beirut.

[5]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 36

[6]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 37-38

[7]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 38

[8]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 38

[9]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 33

[10]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 34

[11]  Yanabi’ al Mawaddah vol. 1 pg. 34

[12]  Tuhfat al Ahbab pg. 134 (The discussion of Sulaim) Tehrani Print

[13]  Tuhfat al Ahbab pg. 2 (The discussion of Sulaim)

[14]  Kashf al Ghummah vol.1 pg.67 of the edition which has the Farsi translation,

[15]  Tafsir al Qummi pg. 59

[16]  The appendix of Maqbul Ahmed Dehlawi pg. 58

[17]  Al Ihtijaj of al Tabarsi pg.139 – Hassan ibn ‘Ali’s refutation against those who denied.

[18]  Misbah al Zulam pg.10

[19]  Misbah al Zulam pg.19

[20]  Surah Hud: 73

[21]  Surah al Qasas: 12