You will be a contester. You will contest the first of believers and the most knowledgeable of them with regards the Days of Allah

أنا أسلم بن الفضل بن سهل ثنا الحسين بن عبيد الله الأبزاري البغدادي ثنا إبراهيم بن سعيد الجوهري حدثني أمير المؤمنين المأمون حدثني الرشيد حدثني المهدي حدثني المنصور حدثني أبي حدثني عبد الله بن عباس قال سمعت عمر بن الخطاب يقول كفوا عن ذكر علي بن أبي طالب فقد رأيت من رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فيه خصالا لأن تكون لي واحدة منهن في آل الخطاب أحب إلي مما طلعت عليه الشمس كنت أنا و أبو بكر و أبو عبيدة في نفر من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فانتهيت إلى باب أم سلمة و علي قائم على الباب فقلنا أردنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال يخرج إليكم فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فسرنا إليه فاتكأ على علي بن أبي طالب ثم ضرب بيده منكبه ثم قال إنك مخاصم تخاصم أنت أول المؤمنين إيمانا و أعلمهم بأيام الله و أوفاهم بعهده و أقسمهم بالسوية و أرفأهم بالرعية و أعظمهم رزية و أنت عاضدي و غاسلي و دافني و المتقدم إلى كل شديدة و كريهة و لن ترجع بعدي كافرا و أنت تتقدمني بلواء الحمد و تذود عن حوضي ثم قال ابن عباس من نفسه و لقد فاز علي بصهر رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و بسطة في العشيرة و بذلا للماعون و علما بالتنزيل و فقها للتأويل و نيلا للأقران

Aslam ibn al Fadl ibn Sahal informed us―Hussain ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Abzari al Baghdadi narrated to us―Ibrahim ibn Sa’id al Jawhari narrated to us―Amir al Mu’minin al Ma’mun narrated to me―Rashid narrated to me―al Mahdi narrated to me―al Mansur narrated to me―my father narrated to me―’Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas narrated to me saying that he heard ‘Umar ibn al Khattab stating:

Withhold from criticising ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib for I saw Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mentioning such traits in him; just one of those traits being present in the family of al Khattab is more dear to me that what the sun rises over. I, Abu Bakr, and Abu ‘Ubaidah were with a group of the Companions of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. I reached the door of Umm Salamah and ‘Ali was standing at the door. We submitted, “We want Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.” He said, “He will come out to you.” Accordingly, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam came out so we went forward towards him. He leaned on ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, patted his shoulder with his hand and then prophesised, “You are a contester. You will challenge the first of believers, the most knowledgeable of them with regards the Days of Allah, the most fulfilling of his covenant, the fairest, the most compassionate to the populace, and the greatest disaster. You are my support, the one to bathe me, the one to bury me, the one to stand up to every difficulty and aversion. You will not turn renegade after me. You will precede me with the flag of praise and you will defend my pond.”

Ibn ‘Abbas then added from his own side, “‘Ali was prosperous with regards being the son-in-law of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, increasing in the family, spending the implements, being cognisant of revelation, understanding interpretation, and beating the equal.”

This narration is one of the fabrications of al Abzari.

Al Abzari

Ibn al Jawzi quotes, “Ibn Abi Hatim said about al Abzari, ‘He would lie.’”[1]
Al Dhahabi comments, “Al Abzari is a kadhab with no shame.”[2]

Next⇒ Undoubtedly, you will soon see your Rabb clearly

[1] Al Mawdu’at vol. 1 pg. 259.

[2] Mizan al I’tidal vol. 2 pg. 250.

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents