Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Lecture Two

In the Name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, the Creator of all beings, and may peace be with the servant of God, His Messenger, friend, the chosen one, the trustee of His secret and the transmitter of His Message, our lord and prophet, Muhammad and his pure and infallible progeny.

“He who forsakes his home in the cause of God, finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious: Should he die as a refugee from home for God and His Messenger, his reward becomes due and sure with God: And God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”(4/100).

In the last lecture we discussed immigration and jihad, which have been mentioned repeatedly in the Holy Qur’an almost together. In this lecture we aim to continue the discussion about the significance of both these tenets, not least for their influence in cultivating man’s character in his progress towards perfection and particularly in the moral domain. However, we may, as the discussion develops, discuss the social dimension of these principles.

As you may recall, we have already examined the misinterpretation of the concept of immigration and jihad and explained their true meaning and parameters. Should we aim for the spirit, [not the letter], of both the concepts in all fields, be they materialistic or moral, we should conclude that by immigration (hijra ), we mean forsaking the things that became part of man or he became attached to them.

The immigrant (muhajir ) is the person who is capable of turning his back to any practice he has become hooked on, should thesharia law make it incumbent on him to do so. By jihad, we mean struggle, strife, and exertion, be it external, i.e. against the enemies of God, or internal, man: travel or staying put? Of course, one should not infer from this question that man i.e. against one’s own tempting self.

Without immigration and jihad man’s lot would be nothing other than degradation and misery. For man to be free in the full sense of the word, he has to free himself from all the shackles of humiliation that surround him. He should not let himself be enslaved by anything he might feel very close to his heart. Otherwise, he who submits to the circumstances that may govern his living and show weakness in getting rid of them cannot be deemed free at all. Rather, he is a prisoner of that state of affairs.

Embarking on discussing the semantics of immigration, especially its core constituent, i.e. travel, we would soon find ourselves confronted by this question: Which is better for should always be on the move, i.e. without permanent abode or home. Perhaps, we should paraphrase the question thus: Is it better for man to reside in his hometown/country without ever travelling abroad, or is taking to travel beneficial to him, being a kind of immigration? From an Islamic standpoint travel, in itself, is praiseworthy.

Although Islam discouraged wandering aimlessly in the land,1 yet this does not mean that man should spend all his life in his village or town without venturing outside them, to other towns and countries. This status quo is liable to weaken one’s spirit, making it subservient to the conditions being lived.

In contrast, the person who takes to travelling, travel is bound to broaden his horizons and sharpen his wit, especially when the aim is aspiring for personal advancement, acquiring new virtues and that which is capable of contributing to perfectly shaping one’s personality. Travel has five benefits:

1. Releasing the pressure: Travel provides the tourist with an opportunity to unwind by relieving tension, grief and sorrow. As long as man stays put in the climate he has got used to, it would make him live and remember all the bad things and regrettable incidents. This is bound to put him under immense pressure. So, by venting out such pressure, the person would be able to recharge their batteries.

2. Looking for work: The smart among people is he who can win his bread by relocating. New opportunities will certainly arise where immigrants could better their lot in their host countries.

3. Pursuit of knowledge: This is yet another valuable benefit that comes with travel. Setting out in search of knowledge and scholarship beyond your hometown or country should provide you with new experiences. [When it comes to religious learning], each and every scholar [alim , pluralulema ] is unique in his own right.

No doubt, theulema in your town are great, and yet each flower has its own distinctive scent, in that thealim of a particular town could not be as knowledgeable as the one in your town. Nevertheless, he could have his own area of expertise. Should you decide to meet with him, you would find out that he has a brand of knowledge thealim of your town does not possess.

4. Attainment of moral excellence: You cannot acquire all morals depending entirely on abstract sciences and by staying in the same environment. By the same token, shorn of any foundation of knowledge, travel alone is not going to prove a panacea for claiming the high moral ground. Getting a blend of both would lead to good results. A traveler is bound to see and experience new situations he was not used to in his own hometown or homeland. The spiritual maturity gained through travel cannot be had by any other means, including reading.

There may be people who could claim that they can gain new knowledge and expertise without travelling abroad. In their judgment, reading books about the intended countries, for example, should provide them with the required information. Without a shadow of a doubt, reading is beneficial. And yet, it cannot make the same impact travel and witnessing things first hand can.

In the Holy Qur’an reference is made to “touring the land”, such as “Travel through the earth” (3/137) and “Say: travel through the earth” (6/11). Historians are unanimous in their interpretation of these holy verses, in that they suggest the familiarization with and drawing lessons from historical events. However, the Holy Qur’an does not confine achieving this objective to reading history annals. Rather, it calls on us to do that which is more tangible, i.e. to experiencefirst hand the historical relics on the ground and draw the lessons thereof. In these two lines of poetry, which are attributed to Imam Ali (a.s .), he says:

Emigrate from your native country in pursuit of loftier positions, for there are five benefits to be had from travel: Alleviating anxiety, working for a living, acquiring knowledge, attaining moral excellence and the companionship of distinguished people.

So, travel far and wide and do not be like a caged bird. Travel and let your goal be gaining knowledge about the people and the countries you are heading for. For sure, you are going to experience new sets of morals and social norms, which you may sometimes find superior than your own and which you can make use of, or at least be in a position to compare between the two and, maybe, be in a position to select the more superior.

5. The companionship of distinguished people: In travel, you may come across more illustrious people and forging relationships with such distinguished people may benefit you, not least in shaping your character through the positive influences such associations would leave.

Friendship here does not necessarily mean that of imparting knowledge by someone and receiving it by the other, i.e. teaching/learning relationship. Rather, it means good companionship and what would come out of it, i.e. gaining practical experience.

When the Imam (a.s .) establishes the aim of travel by “seeking higher status”, this should not mean that, in travel, one should restrict one’s attention to finding the best food, hotels and the like. The aim should be attaining moral excellence, learning, knowledge, human consummate conduct and intellectual maturity. So, let these be the fruits of travel and migration.

History tells us that the scholars who made journeys or immigrated to other countries, especially after they had gone through the early stages of their maturity, gained new experiences in their progress towards perfection.

Examples of such luminaries abound. Ash-Sheikh al-Baha’ie , for instance, occupies a special place among theulema . He was an encyclopedic scholar who excelled in various disciplines. Among outstanding poets, the name ofSa’adi features high. He stood out in the different departments of poetry – love, mysticism, and heroism to name but a few. The secret of his brilliance in all those poetry genres is attributed to his vast mine of education and knowledge.

Sa’adi lived some ninety years. He spent thirty years of his life in schooling, education and acquiring knowledge. The second thirty years, he spent in travel, and the third thirty years witnessed the stages of his intellectual and literary maturity, prowess, and achievements.

In his divan, or collection of poems,Bustan , he has this to say about his globetrotting and the benefits he had reaped from it, “I travelled all over the world and enjoyed the company of each person I met a number of days. I benefited something from every corner I happened to be in and garnered from every field a spike of grain.”

In his short stories,Gulstan andBustan , he said, “I was in a mosque in Baalbek, [ancient Heliopolis, village in East Lebanon], when such and such happened.” In another place, he said, “I was in Kashmir when so and so took place.” So, you may ponder the distance that separates the two places. In a third place, he said, “I was in India when thus and thus occurred.” In a fourth place, he said, “I came across a man whose behavior was such and such. We were in each other’s company on the way toHijaz [modern day Saudi Arabia].”

Most of this imagery found its way toSa’adi’s poetry. No doubt, the poet’s spirit would roam in new heights with these experiences. Indeed, this is true inSa’adi’s case, in that his travels contributed to his poetic and literary genius. This characteristic, you find inMawlawi’s poetic works. This was made possible by his wide travels that netted him diverse knowledge and experiences about other nations. Some of these were reflected in his poems, which boast some of those nations’ culture, expressions and impressions. Thanks to his travels, he learned several languages.

In contrast with this, you do not find this quality in Hafiz’s poetry. In spite of the fact that we hold him in high regard, as he was a mystic and notwithstanding his excellence in divine love poetry, so much so that, compared to him in this poetic genre,Sa’adi could not match him; his skill shined in that type of poetry. Maybe, this was because Hafiz stayed put in his hometown and never left it because he was attached to it. He even admits that attachment to his hometown, Shiraz, “Although Isfahan is the spring of life, yet Shiraz is far superior.”

In his poetry, he often sings the praise of Shiraz and the beauty of its places. Although, he lived almost the entire of his life in Shiraz, it is reported that he ventured out of it once by travelling toYezd . Yet, he was melancholic and felt homesick only to hurry back to Shiraz. He recorded his feelings in one of his poems where he expresses a wish to return to his hometown where he equates his seat there with the seat of Solomon, and expresses a wish to free himself from the prison of Alexander. Hafiz borrowed this metaphor from history. Fables have it that when he invaded Iran, Alexander, the Macedonian [Great] madeYezd a dumping ground for his prisoners, whereas, of old, Shiraz used to be described as the Seat of Power of Solomon.

This may exert some light on both the feelings of the poet vis-à-visYezd and Shiraz.2 Some of his poems bear witness to the fact that the poet’s dislike forYezd had nothing to do with its inhabitants; rather, it was to do with his affection for his hometown, Shiraz. The evidence is found in his poetry where he spoke highly ofYezd’s people and their hospitality. However, when Hafiz was offered a trip to India to stay somewhere close to the seaside, he declined it outright.

No doubt a scholar as famous as ash-Sheikh al-Baha’ie , who travelled the world over, stands head and shoulders above others who did not venture out of Najaf, [in Iraq, the well known seat ofShia Muslim learning and scholarship] all of their lives. Sheikh al-Baha’ie got in touch with the followers of different faiths and schools of thought and came to know a lot about their beliefs, cultures, and customs. There are others of ourulema (scholars), like al-Baha’ie , who came in contact with people of other faiths, persuasions, men of letters, professors, and other disciplines.

History books tell us that those who took to travel and in the process came into contact with other people of different backgrounds benefited a lot from this cross germination of experiences and ideas, so much so that it enriched their knowledge, sharpened their wit, and broadened their intellectual horizon.

In contrast, there had been greatulema , who were as erudite, genius, and loyal as the aforesaid group ofulema , if not more superior, and yet they did not avail themselves of journeying outside the boundaries of their usual domicile. It goes without saying that members of the latter group were less experienced than the former.

This should lead us to conclude that there is another meaning for immigration (hijra ) that is different from the patent one. This meaning has come out in thehadith (traditions) of the Infallibles (a.s .). It can be found in these words, “The immigrant is he who has turned his back (hajara ) to committing that which is vile”. And yet, one should not get the wrong end of the stick. That is, this interpretation does not, by any way, make the manifest meaning ofhijra redundant.

On the contrary, the second meaning corroborates the fact that, in Islam, there are two types ofhijra ( immigration), one is patent and the other latent. In other words, the Islamic immigration is not restricted to leaving behind your family and homeland for a new destination as is dictated by the interest of Islam or for the aim of freeing oneself from becoming enslaved by one’s own circumstances; should it be the latter, this could encroach on one’s sole servitude to God Almighty, and thus one must break free from the clutches of circumstance.

Thus, the second type of immigration is getting rid of the yoke of [bad] customs and traditions on which one is brought up from a tender age, so much so that they become part of their very being. Insomuch as one should not become prisoner to one’s own spiritual climate, they should not be held hostage to the surrounding spiritual climate. Consequently, freeing oneself from this form of captivity is the type of immigration that should be gleaned from the second meaning, i.e. that which has been talked about in thehadith .

Man may become used to certain norms of personal habits or conduct as a result of the influence of social custom. He may become so attached to what he acquired from society that the acquired habits become part and parcel of his personality.

Let us, for example, take smoking as a habit of a personal choice. Although the dangers of smoking to one’s health are well known, yet when some people become ill as a result and are advised by their doctor to kick the habit, they find it difficult to do so, because they got addicted on it and that giving it up would exasperate the situation. Off course, this is some sort of idle talk. Nevertheless, “The immigrant is he who has turned his back (hajara ) to committing that which is vile”. That is, a real person is he who could give up that which they got used to doing, including smoking.

The late AyatollahHujjat , May God elevate his station, could be described as a chain smoker. When he fell ill and was taken to hospital in Tehran, the doctors advised him to quit smoking because he was diagnosed with chest infection and continuing smoking would complicate matters for him. He jokingly remarked, “I need my chest for smoking. If I stop smoking what need will there be for a chest!?” He enquired, “Is it true that smoking is bad for my health?” The doctors answered him in the affirmative. He then said that he would never smoke again. Thus, in a word, he turned his back to a habit of almost a lifetime.

It has been reported that al-Ma’moun [the Abbasid Caliph] was suffering from the habit of devouring dust. Conventional remedies were doomed to failure. In a gathering, people were talking about al-Ma’moun’s habit and how he could not give it up. Among those present was a dervish who shouted that he had the remedy for al-Ma’moun’s habit. The people turned their eyes in his direction and asked him as to what could this magic potion be. He answered, “A firm will of the sort kings are capable of.” When the story of the dervish reached al-Ma’moun , he said that the man was right and took a decision to give the habit up completely and forthwith.

Therefore, it is incumbent on man not to become a hostage to any [bad] habit. It is regrettable to say that this is more widespread among women. They cling vehemently, i.e. more so than men, to social customs relating to ceremonies of marriage and memorial services. Whenever they are told off, in that it is not right, they, without any hesitation, answer that they cannot trample social norms and practices. And when they are asked about the benefit that could be reaped from those norms and practices, they say that they just cannot abandon those social customs. This simply means blind following and submission to those customs and entails a lack of willpower and sheer enslavement. Man oughtnot acquiesce to these impositions.

Sensible people should subject their behavior and the positions they take to the judgment of their intellect and common sense. It is noteworthy, at this juncture, to point out that it is not right, of some people, to dismiss outright as irrelevant all social customs and therefore the necessity to rebel against them. This is a kind of extremist view. We do not reject all social customs; rather, some of them, i.e. those which go against the sensibility of the human mind and common sense.

Islam, therefore, looks upon immigration (hijra ) as a fundamental pillar in the life of people, the objective of which is the revival and the shaping of man’s character. The other aim is to combat one of the most salient factors which could thrust man into slavery, humiliation, and submission to the environment he lives in, or materialistic or abstract things he becomes used to doing.

It is not expected of man to become a slave to the environment in which he was born and brought up. It is incumbent on him, instead, to preserve his integrity, freedom and independence. In so doing, he would ensure that he would never become a slave to immoral practices and be shackled to bad social norms. That is, “The immigrant is he who has turned his back (hajara ) to committing that which is vile”. And immigration means breaking clean with all the unsavory things that surrounds man, worldly or non-figurative. Thus, immigration is an important educational tool in molding man’s personality.

Jihad

Jihad means struggle (or battling with someone). However, the other definition of jihad is that of doing battle with one’s tempting self. In as much as man should not fall under the sway of his own environment, he should not surrender to the impediments and difficulties, found in such an environment as a matter of course, which may encounter him in his life. Man has been created with a built-in mechanism to deal with these barriers and overcome them to reach maturity and perfection.

The Holy Qur’an says:

”He who forsakes his home in the cause of God, finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious...” (4:100)3

However, in the same verse, the above-quoted statement is immediately followed by this one:

”Should he die as a refugee from home for God and His Messenger, his reward becomes due and sure with God: And God is Oft-forgiving,Most Merciful.” (4:100).

The Holy Qur’an’s approach to this subject is unique, in that it talks, in verse 98 of the same Chapter, i.e. just three verses ahead of the aforesaid verse, about those who were deemed weak (mustadh’afeen ):

“When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls. They say: In what (plight) were ye? They reply: Weak and oppressed were we in the earth. They say: Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (from evil)?” (4:97).

This discusses, in a dialogue mode, the pretexts of those who went astray of the path of right and guidance by condoning the status quo, i.e. of staying in the climate of injustice and vice.4

When the angels of death come to take their souls away, they find out that their records have turned black with the vile deeds and when they ask such people as why their balance sheets are full of debits, they reply, “Weak and oppressed were we in the earth.” That is, they were living in conditions conducive to misconduct and since they were deemed weak, they could not do anything to alleviate their situations. The angles’ reply comes in no time, “Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (from evil)?”

This sort of excuse given by those people may, for a good reason, be accepted from trees whose environment became polluted, so much so that their leaves withered away and eventually died, having no choice of moving away since they were deep rooted. However, this cannot be accepted from man.

Even animals do not entertain such excuses. There are great numbers of migrating animals, such as birds, that got used to moving away from their natural habitat when the weather changes. There are some species of fish which migrate twice a year pursuant to the change of climate, i.e. from summer to winter and vice versa, covering thousands of kilometers in the process. Locust is yet another example of migrating animals. So, animals refuse to get bogged down in their habitat, taking to migration instead.

Thus, it is repugnant of man to give as pretext the unbecoming surroundings to justify his staying in the mire and falling prey to the temptations and immoral practices that engulf him, blaming the sins he has committed on the environment he has become part of, rather than himself.

This goes against the divinelogic”He who forsakes his home in the cause of God, finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious...” (4:100). That is, you can get to the land where you would be able to fight back (or wage jihad) against the enemies of God in the same way they fight you to deny you your beliefs and principles. You should fight back against the enemy’s beliefs and principles; in other words, you engage them in struggle (or jihad).

The other definition or interpretation for the concept of jihad is governed by the same principle of struggle. The difference being that you are battling with your tempting self, i.e. the enemy within. Some people have become compulsive liars and when you take issue with them as to why they do it, they say: Is there anyone who does not lie? No doubt, man can, sometimes, be driven to lying. Among other examples are those who you turn to and ask them to lower their gaze, i.e. not to look at that which God has ordainedharaam (unlawful). They reply in astonishment, “Can any person not do that?”

You counsel another person among the faithful to set their hearts and minds towards God in prayer, and not to be distracted by mundane issues. They reply that it is impossible. And yet, should this appeal have been far-fetched, God would have not ordained it. The problem is that some people have become used to paying lip service to some devotional acts, especially prayer, not even trying to concentrate on the job in hand, and do away with inattention, while they are in audience with their Creator. If they had tried they would have said their prayer in complete submission, humility and attention.

Provided that you remain watchful for your own self and battle with it against its temptations, you should be in control of your intellectual capacity and conscience. Imagination is a transient state of mind and thus is not capable of overcoming your intellect, if you did not want that and make it possible.

Should you be in control, you would be able to restrain your mental power and prevent it from becoming victim to lack of concentration. Why should man become a slave to others while God has created him free from any bondage to any one? God has endowed man with power, freedom and independence. Consequently, if he so desires, he would be able to set himself free from everything; rather, it is in his power to control everything. Yet, this requires genuine willpower and jihad (struggle), not least with the enemy within, i.e. one’s own self, which is inclined to beautify committing what is evil. It requires going against one’s love for comfort, good living and the enslavement to lust. He who is not prepared to engage in such a struggle is not worthy of acceptance and respect.

God has bestowed on man the gift of reason. Thus, it is incumbent on him to choose one of two paths – either battling with his tempting self, which is often inclined to lure you to do what is vile, and put it under the control of your intellect, and this is the road of perfection and advancement. The second alternative is giving up that struggle in return for leaving the tempting soul rule supreme where the result would inevitably be that you become subservient to its own whims. This is the road that leads to the lowest point of the low. If you do not keep it preoccupied, it will engage you and keep you on your toes and at its service.

What was the philosophy of Imam Ali’s (zuhd ) asceticism (or indifference to worldly things)? It revolves around activating the power of freedom man enjoys and controlling his ego. Imam Ali (a.s ) hated to be defeated in combat by external foes, such asAmr binWid andMarhab . Similarly, he hated to give in to the enemy within, i.e. his own ego and inclinations. That is, he did not want his desires to achieve a victory over him.

It is related that one day the Imam (a.s .) was going through a marketplace when he passed a butcher’s shop. The butcher said to him that he had fresh meat that day and pressed him to buy some of it. The Imam answered that he did not have money on him then. The butcher said that he would sell him the meat on credit. The Imam said, “Rather, I would say to my stomach to be patient. And if I cannot do that to my stomach, I would rather ask you to be patient until I got the money. Nevertheless, I shall say to my stomach to be patient.” Speaking of his philosophy of asceticism (zuhd ), he had this to say, “If I wanted, I would have found the way to enjoying the best produce of honey, wheat, and linen.”

Thus, Ali (a.s .) could, if he wanted, acquire the best of this world’s enjoyments, for he knew the way to them, and yet he did not want to. Why? This is his answer to this question, “How preposterous! I am not going to let my inclination win over my resoluteness.” He then turned his attention to the life of this world and addressed it, thus, “O Life of this World! Leave me alone. I have given you free rein. I have managed to extricate myself from your clutches and slip away from your snares.”5

[This is an epilogue to the lecture, i.e. going back to telling part of the story of the Karbala tragedy – the martyrdom of ImamHussain (a.s .)]:

The eleventh ofMuharrram , 61 AH. [Circa 680 CE.] was one of the worst days that the Progeny of the Prophet (a.s .) had witnessed. Examining the tragedy of Karbala from its both ends, i.e. the shining side that is full of vivid images of bravery, patience and sacrifice in the cause of God and the dark side that teems with the ugliest imagery of treachery, vileness, and crime, the implications of the dialogue between God and the angels when He was informing them of Adam’s creation, would become manifestly clear,

“Behold, thy Lord said to the angels; I will create a vicegerent on earth. They said: Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)? He said: I know what ye know not.” (2:30).

All that which the angels saw of the nature of man and his ability to do mischief, his capacity for going astray and arrogance, was demonstrated at the battle of Karbala. And yet, alongside that evil, the epitomes of virtue and sublimity were also established. The angels did not see these luminous aspects of man, when God Almighty addressed them, thus, “I know what ye know not.”

Indeed, Karbala was a strange battleground for trials. The criminals committed the most heinous crimes. Among those was the act of violence perpetrated against children and young people, beheading them and tearing their corpses to pieces before the eyes of their mothers. Those who were massacred in this way on that day in Karbala were eight, three youth and five children. Among those eight victims was Abdullah bin al-Hussain , who was still an infant. He was martyred in front of the tent that housed the members of al-Hussain’s family.

It has been reported by the historians of wars that ImamHussain called on his sister,Zeinab and said to her, “Bring me my infant baby to bid him farewell.” As al-Hussain was taking the baby in his arms, cuddling it,Ibn Sa’ad shot him with an arrow that was embedded in his neck, slaying him.

Al-Qassim , son of Imam al-Hassan (a.s .) was another of the Karbala martyrs, whose killing, in that gruesome way, was witnessed by his mother. As forLaila , the mother of Ali al-Akbar, [the eldest son of ImamHussain (a.s .)], she was not present on that day, despite the fact that there have been reports confirming her presence.

Awn bin Abdulla binJa’far was another martyr who was killed in the same way. His mother,Zeinab , [daughter of Imam Ali (a.s .)], witnessed his killing.6 Zeinab had demonstrated a noble character and sublime upbringing, in that historians are almost unanimous in confirming that she did not mention any thing about her son, be it before or after his martyrdom, as she must have been aware of what was going to happen to her brother, ImamHussain (a.s .). So, she treated the sacrifice of her son as a small contribution towards defending her brother and the principles he stood for. This self-denial was evident when she came out of her tent in the wake of the martyrdom of her nephew, Ali al-Akbar, lamenting his death.

Another of the martyrs of Karbala was a boy, aged ten. Historiographers have it that the boy came out of his tent disorientated after the martyrdom of ImamHussain . He was distraught because the events, which were unfolding before his eyes, overwhelmed him. He was spotted by one of the enemy camp who descended upon him, beheaded him and snatched two earrings he was wearing. This happened in the presence of his mother, who went out to look for him.

Another young boy met his death that day in a shocking manner. It was Abdullah bin Imam al-Hassan (a.s .), who was around ten years old. It is said that when his father died he was either still in his mother’s womb or a suckling sibling. He was brought up by his uncle, ImamHussain (a.s .). That is why there was a strong bond between uncle and nephew.

Although ImamHussain ordered members of his family not to venture out of their tents, yet he could not bear staying put after his uncle fell to the ground having been fatally wounded in the battle. He broke free from her aunt’s hands,Zeinab , who was trying to restrain him, and ran towards his uncle, shouting, “By God! I am not going to part with my uncle.” Having reached the place where his uncle fell, he threw himself on his uncle’s chest. ImamHussain (a.s .) showed utmost forbearance and hugged the boy. In the meantime, a soldier of the enemy’s camp was about to drive his sword into the body of ImamHussain when the boy yelled at him, saying, “O son of the evil one! Are you killing my uncle?” He then raised his arm to prevent the sword blow from reaching the body of his uncle. The full force of the blow fell on his arm, severing it. The boy shouted, “O Uncle!Help!” [While still lying, suffering from his wounds], the Imam embraced his nephew tighter, saying to him, “O my nephew! Show patience for what has befallen you. God will soon unite you with your pure fathers and forefathers – The Messenger of God, Ali,Hamza ,Ja’far and al-Hassan.”

[It is customary to conclude lectures, such as this one, given to big gatherings, with the following prayer (supplication)]:

O God! Fill our hearts up with the light of faith. Fill them up withYour love and the love of your friends. O God! Increase our faith and make our hearts fast set onYour religion. O God! Grant the sick among the faithful a speedy recovery and shower our dead withYour forgiveness and mercy. O God! Accept our works and the works of those who seek, with effort and/or money, to hold commemorative assemblies for the martyrdom of ImamHussain (a.s .) and glorify Your worship and propagate His injunctions. O God! Out of Your Grace, give us of the sustenance of this world and the next. There is neither power nor refuge except with God Almighty. And may peace be with Muhammad and his Pure Progeny.

Notes

1. The type of moving around that is not commendable is that the person wanders aimlessly about just to be aloof from people, with the intention of retiring to remote areas and mountains for exclusive “worship”.

In Al-Hur al-Amili’s Wasa’il ush-Shia ,vol , 11, p. 10, it has been reported that Othman binMadh’oun approached the Prophet and expressed a wish to retire to the mountains. The Prophet said to him, “O Othman! Do not do it, the journeying of members of myummah (community) is jihad. ”

Also, in Sheikh an-Nouri’s Mustadrakul Wasa’il , vol. 2, p.245 (lithograph) it is related that a man took to a mountain to retire for worship. His family brought him to the Messenger of God (s.a.w .), [complaining of hisbehaviour ]. The Prophet discouraged him from so doing, and said, “If a believer shows resilience and perseverance in jihad for only one day, it is more meritorious for him thana forty -year worship”.

2. However, if we examine his statement from a spiritual perspective, we would find out that he was aspiring to shake off the yoke of materialism in order to roam in the noble world of spiritualism. In the metaphor, he likened the materialistic world to Alexander’s prison and the sublime spiritual life to the kingdom of Solomon.

3. “Finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious” means that the earth is vast, that is, it is not confined to the vicinity where the person lives. “Muragham ”, which came in the context of the verse,

means fine dust or sand. “Dipping one’s nose in the dust or the like” is a metaphor for the voluntary practice in prayer, as an expression of humility before God.

4. The power of the expression/argument in this verse lies in the fact that itdose not only set out to demolish the reasons “those who were deemed weak in the land” had put forward for going astray, i.e. the general decadence of society, but gives the alternative – the way out – to break free from the status quo. That is, commending the act of immigration in the cause of God, in that the immigrant’s reward would come from God; it also sets out the benefits arising from taking to immigration (hijra ). That is, the immigrant would find in the land more space to observe one’s acts of worship.

5. The text is part of the letter Imam Ali (a.s .) sent to his governor ofBasrah , Othman binHanif .(Vol. 4, p. 590,Darul Andulus , Beirut, an noted by Sheikh MuhammadAbdah ). You may also look it up inNahjul Balagha , Beirut new edition, Catalogued by Dr.Subhi as-Saleh , Letter No. 45.

6. Abdullah binJa’far ,Zainab’s husband, had two sons who were martyred in the Battle of Karbala. One was Awn, who wasZainab’s son and the second was by another wife.

Why is it compulsory to follow Ahlul Bayt (Hadith al-Thaqalayn)?

The prophet (saw) has left us two important things. If we adhere to them, we will never go astray. Several authentic narrations comfirm that the two weighty things left to us by the prophet are the Quran and His progeny (ahlul bayt). However, the majority of the muslims believe that the 2 weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet.

It is a proven fact that hadiths were written at the time of the prophet. After His demise, the political regimes that followed on gathered most (and not all) of the written sources of hadiths to burn them. Moreover, the writing of hadiths was prohibitted. The only source of preservation was through memory.

As time rolled on, this method of preservation proved to be ineffective because it became difficult to keep track of all the hadiths since most of companions who lived and heard the prophet passed away. Moreover, not everyone remembered the exact wording of the hadiths and when they were said. To make things worse, the corrupted political regimes (Banu Umayya and Banu Abbas) paid citizen muslims to fabricate hadiths that will support their doctrine and promote their Islamic school of thought.

It became difficult for most muslims to tell apart a false hadith from a true one. Therefore, the tradition that says the two weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet falls apart because of these fabrications.

The only individuals who were able to authenticate any hadith were the Ahlul Bayt. They were the true protectors and the most knowledgeable, in particular Ali ibn Abu Talib who had in his possession a written document of all the authentic hadiths of the prophet, called Sahifah al-Jamiaa'. But the corrupted political regimes were abled to isolate these highly virtuous and knowledgeable individuals from the society, who were the only source of guidance after the prophet.

History has witnessed Ahlul Bayt undergoing extreme sufferings from these political regimes because they (ahlul bayt) totally rejected their unislamic doctrine and they were a threat to all the unjust leaders. All muslims agree that Ahlul Bayt are as truthful as the Quran is and they can never be separated from the Quran in this life. Unfortunately, we dont see that in practice. The hadiths of the prophet are the key to the interpretation of the Quran.

A unique interpretation of the Quran is necessary to make a united Ummah. Not every transmitter of a hadith is a credible one. Using fabricated hadiths to interprete the Quran will lead to false interpretations. To avoid any deception, the prophet has ordered us to follow both, the Quran and ahlul bayt.

The people the most fit to transmit the Sunnah of the prophet are His progeny because of their exceptional virtues. They have been purified by Allah a perfect purification, which means they don't make mistakes, they don't alter the narrations, they don't lie. Moreover, they have inherited the knowledge of the prophet. Is not the prophet the city of knowledge and Ali its gate? Others however, may transmit narrations with unintentional alterations or errors because they can make mistakes and they forget. It is just logical to take narrations that are transmitted from reliable sources that are endowed with special virtues and have a special place with regards to Allah.

Bottom line is that hadith al-thaqalayn proves that it is compulsory for us to follow ahlul bayt alongside with the Quran in order not to go astray. The Banu Umayyah and Banu Abbas have spent centuries fighting and demeaning ahlul bayt, in order to deprive the masses of muslims from their guidance. By isolating ahlul bayt from the society, the oppressors were capable of exercising their tyranny over the muslims. They were able to fabricate hadiths and twist the meanings of the Quran to fit their doctrine.

That is exactly why the Islamic world is submerged with tragedies and disasters. That is exactly why we have several sects that have considerable differences. Today's islamic leadership is an exact copy of the Banu Umayyah and Banu Abbas leadership. A leadership that fully contradicts the teachings of the Quran.

Content:

Hadith al-Thaqalayn Hadiths conflicting hadith al-Thaqalayn Is it the Quran and my progeny or the Quran and my Sunnah? External Links:

More on hadith al-Thaqalayn Hadith al-Thaqalayn

Yazid b. Hayyan reported, I went along with Husain b. Sabra and 'Umar b. Muslim to Zaid b. Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husain said to him: Zaid. you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, offered prayer behind me. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue.

Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being.

I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah's call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husain) said to Zaid: Who are the members of his household? Aren't his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: 'Ali and the offspring of 'Ali, 'Aqil and the offspring of 'Aqil and the offspring of Ja'far and the offspring of 'Abbas. Husain said: These are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zaid said: Yes.

Yazid b. Hayyan reported: We went to him (Zaid b. Arqam) and said to him. You have found goodness (for you had the honour) to live in the company of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and offered prayer behind him, and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation of wording that he said: Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, one of which is the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and that is the rope of Allah.

He who holds it fast would be on right guidance and he who abandons it would be in error, and in this (hadith) these words are also found: We said: Who are amongst the members of the household? Aren't the wives (of the Holy Prophet) included amongst the members of his house hold? Thereupon he said: No, by Allah, a woman lives with a man (as his wife) for a certain period; he then divorces her and she goes back to her parents and to her people; the members of his household include his ownself and his kith and kin (who are related to him by blood) and for him the acceptance of Zakat is prohibited.

Reference:

*- Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 5920, 5923 - Kitab Al-Fada'il Al-Sahabah; Page 941, Number 2408-36 (Arabic version)

*- Musnad ibn Hanbal, v4,p366 [Entire book:(p1409,#19479)] - It is narrated that the prophet repeated the sentence “I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt” three times.

The messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: “I am leaving for you two precious and weighty Symbols that if you adhere to BOTH of them you shall not go astray after me. They are, the Book of Allah, and my progeny, that is my Ahlul-Bayt. The Merciful has informed me that These two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise).”

حَدَّثَنَا أَسوَدُ بنُ عَامِرٍ أَخبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسرَائِيلَ يَعنِي إِسمَاعِيلَ بنَ أَبِي إِسحَاقَ المُلَائِيَّ عَن عَطِيَّةَ عَن أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُم الثَّقَلَينِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكبَرُ مِن الآخَرِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبلٌ مَمدُودٌ مِن السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرضِ وَعِترَتِي أَهلُ بَيتِي وَإِنَّهُمَا لَن يَفتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الحَوضَ

Reference:

*- Musnad ibn Hanbal, v3,p14 [Entire book:(p785,#11120)]; v3,p17 [Entire book:(p787,#11148)]; v3,p27 [Entire book:(p794,#11229)]; v3,p59 [Entire book:(p817,#11582)]; v5,p181 [Entire book:(p1591,#21911)]; v5,p189 [Entire book:(p1597,#21993)];

*- Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, pp 662-663,328, report of 30+ companions, with reference to several chains of transmitters.

*- al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, Chapter of “Understanding the virtues of Companions, v3, pp 109,110,148,533 who wrote this tradition is authentic (Sahih) based on the criteria of the two Shaikhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

*- Sunan, by Daarami, v2, p432

*- Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p585, Tradition #990

*- al-Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, pp 21,30

*- al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p230

*- al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, pp 62-63,137

*- History of Ibn Asakir, v5, p436

*- al-Durr al-Manthoor, al-Hafidh al-Suyuti, v2, p60

*- Tafsir Ibn Kathir (complete version), v4, p113, under commentary of verse 42:23 of Quran (four traditions)

*- Usdul Ghabah fi Ma'rifat al-Sahaba, Ibn al-Athir, v2, p12

إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا بعدي أحدهما أعظم من الآخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي ولن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما. (ت عن زيد بن أرقم)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#873,#946,#950,#952,#953 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة );

*- al-Jaami'i al-Sagheer, by Jalaludin al-Suyuti: v3,#2631 (المجلد الثالث << [تتمة باب حرف الألف ]);

*- Ziyadat al-Jaami'i al-Sagheer, by Jalaludin al-Suyuti: #1773 (كتاب “زيادة الجامع الصغير”، للسيوطي << حرف الهمزة );

إني لا أجد لنبي إلا نصف عمر الذي كان قبله وإني أوشك أن أدعى فأجيب فما أنتم قائلون قالوا نصحت قال أليس تشهدون أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله وأن الجنة حق وأن النار حق وأن البعث بعد الموت حق قالوا نشهد قال وأنا أشهد معكم ألا هل تسمعون فإني فرطكم على الحوض وأنتم واردون الحوض وإن عرضه أبعد ما بين صنعاء وبصرى فيه أقداح عدد النجوم من فضة فانظروا كيف تخلفوني في الثقلين قالوا وما الثقلان يا رسول الله قال كتاب الله طرفه بيد الله وطرفه بأيديكم فاستمسكوا به ولا تضلوا والآخر عترتي وأن اللطيف الخبير نبأني أنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فسألت ذلك لهما ربي فلا تقدموهما فتهلكوا ولا تقصروا عنهما. فتهلكوا ولا تعلوهم فإنهم أعلم منكم من كنت أولى به من نفسه فعلي وليه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه. (طب عن أبي الطفيل عن زيد بن أرقم)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#957 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة );

يا أيها الناس إني قد نبأني اللطيف الخبير إنه لن يعمر نبي إلا نصف عمر الذي يليه من قبله وإني قد يوشك أن أدعى فأجيب وإني مسؤول وإنكم مسؤولون فما أنتم قائلون قالوا نشهد أنك قد بلغت ورسوله وأن جنته حق وناره حق وأن الموت حق وأن البعث حق بعد الموت وأن الساعة آتية لا ريب فيها وأن الله يبعث من في القبور يا أيها الناس إن الله مولاي وأنا مولى المؤمنين أولى بهم من أنفسهم فمن كنت مولاه فهذا مولاه يعني عليا اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه يا أيها الناس إني فرطكم وإنكم واردون علي الحوض أعرض ما بين بصرى إلى صنعاء فيه عدد النجوم قدحان من فضة وإني سائلكم حين تردون علي عن الثقلين فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما الثقل الأكبر كتاب الله عز وجل سبب طرفه بيد الله وطرفه بأيديكم فاستمسكوا به لا تضلوا ولا تبدلوا وعترتي أهل بيتي فإنه قد نبأني اللطيف الخبير أنهما لن ينقضيا حتى يردا علي الحوض. (الحكيم طب عن أبي الطفيل عن حذيفة بن أسيد)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#958 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة ); Note the last sentence “These two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)”. This shows the great importance of ahlul bayt with regards to guidance and truth. They should never be separated from the Quran.

حدثنا أبو الحسين محمد بن أحمد بن تميم الحنظلي ببغداد، حدثنا أبو قلابة عبد الملك بن محمد الرقاشي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد، وحدثني أبو بكر محمد بن بالويه وأبو بكر أحمد بن جعفر البزار قالا: حدثنا عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل، حدثني أبي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد

وثنا أبو نصر أحمد بن سهل الفقيه ببخارى، حدثنا صالح بن محمد الحافظ البغدادي، حدثنا خلف بن سالم المخرمي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد، حدثنا أبو عوانة، عن سليمان الأعمش قال: حدثنا حبيب بن أبي ثابت، عن أبي الطفيل، عن زيد بن أرقم -رضي الله تعالى عنه- قال :

لما رجع رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم- من حجة الوداع، ونزل غدير خم، أمر بدوحات، فقمن، فقال: (كأني قد دعيت فأجبت، إني قد تركت فيكم الثقلين، أحدهما أكبر من الآخر، كتاب الله تعالى، وعترتي، فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما، فإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

ثم قال: (إن الله -عز وجل- مولاي، وأنا مولى كل مؤمن). ثم أخذ بيد علي -رضي الله تعالى عنه- فقال: (من كنت مولاه، فهذا وليه، اللهم وال من والاه، وعاد من عاداه). وذكر الحديث بطوله. هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين، ولم يخرجاه بطوله. شاهده حديث سلمة بن كهيل، عن أبي الطفيل، أيضا صحيح على شرطهما. (ج/ص: 2/ 132)

References:

*- Mustadrak, al Hakim, vol 3, #174/4576 (المجلد الثالث << -31- كتاب معرفة الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم >> ومن مناقب أمير المؤمنين: علي بن أبي طالب -رضي الله تعالى عنه- مما لم يخرجاه )

حدثنا أبو بكر محمد بن الحسين بن مصلح الفقيه بالري، حدثنا محمد بن أيوب، حدثنا يحيى بن المغيرة السعدي، حدثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد، عن الحسن بن عبد الله النخعي، عن مسلم بن صبيح، عن زيد بن أرقم -رضي الله تعالى عنه- قال: قال رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم-: (إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وأهل بيتي، وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض)

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد على شرط الشيخين، ولم يخرجاه. (ج/ص: 3/161 )

References:

*- Mustadrak, al Hakim, vol 3, #309/4711 (المجلد الثالث << -31- كتاب معرفة الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم >> ومن مناقب أهل رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلم -)

Consider the tradition that says the 2 weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah. Which version of the sunnah do we follow? The Hanbalis? The Hanafis? The Shafiis? Or the Malikis? Or the Twelvers? Aren't these 5 different islamic school of thoughts? One of each being the fundamentals of religion education of a specific muslim country? The emergence of these 5 schools of thoughts have resulted in the divergence of the interpretation of the Quran among them.

Don't you think the prophet knew this would have happened? That some corrupted people would fabricate new haddiths and alter existing ones for political and other reasons. Don't you think he knew that future generations will rely on fabricated hadiths to explain the Quran. The more the school of thoughts are in desagreement with each others, the more confused we become, and the further away from the truth we are. This is just common sense. The sole fact that there are many schools of thoughts is an indication that all 5 differ in their jurisprudence. Otherwise, what is the point of their existence?

So which Sunnah do we follow? The answer is in Sahih Muslim and many other reliable shia and sunni references: The sunnah of the Prophet as carried and transmitted by Ahlul Bayt. The prophet did not order us to follow Ahmad ibn Hanbal, or Hanafi or Malik ibn Anas or Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafii. He simply ordered us to adhere to the members of Ahlul Bayt because they are the protectors of the hadiths and the correct interpreters of the Quran and the authentic transmitters of the teachings of the prophet. If muslims had followed hadith al-thaqalayn, then there would have been only one school of thought: that of the prophet and the Islamic nation would have been united under one jurisprudence.

If each school of thought says they are right about everything, then why are they different? How do you learn about the Sunnah of the prophet when you have several versions and interpretations? How do you learn about islam? The Quran by itself is not enough, we need a genuine sunnah to interprete its content. We need reliable sources. Think it through. Use common sense.

Hadiths conflicting hadith al-Thaqalayn There are several hadiths that appear to be contradicting hadith al-Thaqalayn. Could the prophet contradict himself? Certainly not! All of these conflicting hadiths share one thing in common: They are not found in the reliable hadiths sources of the Twelvers Shiah. In fact, the Twelvers Shiah do not consider them as authentic. They are only found in the Sunnis books.

Adhere to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided successors after me. Hold on to it and cling on to it stubbornly.

Hadith al-thaqalayn is known to have been narrated by more than 30 companions of the prophet and is proven to be authentic by the Sunnis and Shiah school of thoughts. This means that any conflicting narration to hadith al-thaqalayn is likely to be a fabrication. According to the Sunnis, the rightly guided caliphs are Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, which is not the case for the Twelvers Shiah.

It has already been proven that the first three caliphs have introduced innovations to Islam during their leaderships. How could the prophet tell us to follow his progeny and at the same time follow the “rightly guided” caliphs, three of which have not only alter the rulings of Islam, but have also fought Ahlul Bayt. Besides, what purpose does the Sunnah of the prophet serve if we have to follow the Sunnah of the “rightly guided” caliphs?!? Wasn't the purpose of the prophet to fight those who contradict the teachings of Allah?

The only Sunnah to follow is that of the prophet and no one else! Accepting this hadith is insulting to the purpose and special virtues of the prophet. He was sent to guide all of us. We therefore follow his teachings and guidance.

Take part of your religion from this Humayra' (i.e. A'ishah).

The above narration is another contradiction to the hadith of al-thaqalayn. How can you take part of Islam from Aisha who was disrespectful to the prophet in many instances. She conspired with the other wives against Him. She fought Ali, the beloved brother of the prophet, causing the death of thousands of Muslims. She disobeyed Allah by leaving her house to wage a war against Ali. She became violent because of her excessive jealousy. She spread her legs in front of the prophet while he was praying. She mistrusted Him. She confirms that the prayer of the traveler is 2 rakaa's, yet prays 4 rakaa's so as to please Uthaman ibn Affan.

She spoke ill and with disrespect (in front of the prophet) of our beloved mother, Khadija (the first wife of the prophet) who the angel Gabriel gave glad tidings and whom Allah has built a castlle for in paradise. She hated Ali, the beloved cousin and brother of the prophet, about whom He said: “O 'Ali! none but a true believer loves you, and none but a hypocrite hates you”. How can you take part of Islam from her? Is such an examplar for women to follow? Is it possible for the prophet to tell us to learn Islam her? Read more about Aisha, the second wife of the prophet Muhammad, and you will soon realize whether you can really learn about half of Islam from her! Many reliable Sunnis scholars have rejected this hadith and treated it as a fabrication. Among them, there are:

Reference:

(taken from al-shia.com)

*- alMizzi and alDhahabi as mentioned in alTaqrir wa al-tahbir fi sharh alTahrir, iii 99

*- Ibn Qayyim alJawziyyah, who has considered all traditions with the words “ya Humayra” and “al-Humayrah” as fabrications

*- Ibn Kathir as quoted in alDurar almuntashirah fi al-'ahadith almushtahirah, 79

*- Ibn Hajar alAsqalani as quoted in al-Taqrir wa altahbir, iii, 99

*- Ibn alMulaqqin, alSubki, Ibn Amir al-Hajj, alSakhawi, alSuyuti, alShaybani, alShaykh Ali alQari, al-Zarqani, Abd alAli alShawkani and others Follow those who will come after me, Abu Bakr and Umar.

Ibrahim ibn Ismail, Ismail ibn Yahya, Yahya ibn Salamah ibn Kuhayl and Abu alZara' are the transmittters of this hadith. They have been considered as unreliable transmitters by Abu Zurah, Abu Hatim, Ibn Numayr, alDarqutni, alBukhari, alNasa'i, Ibn Muin, Ibn Hibban, al-Tirmidhi and others. Read the comments made after the next hadith to understand why the above hadith cannot have been narrated by the prophet. Verily, my Companions are like the stars (nujum) in the sky; whichever of them you follow, you shall be guided rightly. The disagreement of my Companions is a blessing for you.

The prophet spent his life establishing the rulings of Islam as well as fighting those who were hostile to them. Allah does not allow an unjust person to rule His nation, Allah does not allow an individual to introduce innovations to His religion. Abu Bakr and Umar, as well as the third caliph, Uthman, have done a lot of things that are unacceptable to the religion that the prophet dedicated His life to. Today, all muslims are affected by these changes which have created tensions among the different sects of Islam for holding on to different beliefs.

Haven't many of the companions turned their backs to religion? Haven't they become infidels after cutting the throats of one another in the battles of Siffin and the Camel? Haven't they fought each others for the pleasures of this world? Haven't they introduced innovations to the religion? Then how can we be guided by anyone of them after all their unislamic deeds? Is not their behavior a sign of misguidance? The companions desagreed among themselves on religious rulings (Umar was ignorant of the concept of Tayammum, others rejected the concept of temporary marriage (hadith of sahih Muslim #3261) as well as political positions. How many of them joined Muawiyah or the mother of the believers, Aisha to fight Ali ibn Abi Talib? I dont see how the desagreement among them is a blessing for us! In fact, this desagreement is what has mutilated Islam and its followers. If they were to follow the hadith of al-thaqalayn (starting with Umar who said the Quran was sufficient for us - see the calamity of thursday), we would have been in a better condition!

The last hadith has 2 problems. First, not all companions were righteous. If we were indeed asked to follow them, only the righteous ones ought to be followed. Fortunately, the fabricators of this hadith were not smart enough to distinguish between the good and the bad companions. Second, the companions are not to be followed. Their duties were to help spread Islam, teach and implement its rules and set themselves as examples to the community. They themselves needed guidance! We ought to follow those to whom guidance was given to, that is the prophet Muhammad and His pure progeny, who should never be separated from the Quran.

Moreover, a long list of Ulamas have declared this hadith as a mere fabrication to bring a strong support the companions and isolate the progeny of Ahlul bayt from the society.

Is it the Quran and my progeny or the Quran and my Sunnah? The muslim Ulamas have proven the strong authenticity of the hadith of al-thaqalayn that orders us to follow the Quran and the progeny of the prophet. Knowing the virtuous of the members of Ahlul Bayt, there is no doubt that Allah has endowed them with the knowledge to explain the Quran and guide the muslims. The tradition has been accepted as authentic by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, as well as the Twelvers Shiaa scholars.

As far as the second version that states “the Quran and my Sunnah”, the chain of narrators have been proven to be a weak source by many reliable Sunnis scholars. Two members of the chain of narrators are Ismael bin Owais from Abi Owais and are both considered unreliable narrators. Another chain of transmission is: Al-Zabee from Saleh bin Musa Al- talhe from Abdul-Aziz bin Rafia from Abi Saleh from Abu Huraira. Saleh bin Musa is also considered a weak source of hadith by many scholars.

A third chain of transmission is:Abdul-Rahman bin yahya from Ahmad bin Saeed from Muhammed bin Ebrahim Al-Dbaili from Ali bin Zaid Al-fraedi from Al-hurairi from Katheer bin Abdulla bin Omar bin Auf from his father and from his grandfather. Imam Shafii and Abu Dawood (the author of Sunan of Abu Dawood, d.276 A.H.) consider Katheer bin Abdulla a liar. Moreover, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said about Katheer bin Abdulla: “His traditions are rejected and he is not reliable”.

Moreover, “the Quran and my Sunnah” version of the hadith is not mentioned in Sahih Muslim or Sunan al-Tirmidhi.

Why is it compulsory to follow Ahlul Bayt (Hadith al-Thaqalayn)?

The prophet (saw) has left us two important things. If we adhere to them, we will never go astray. Several authentic narrations comfirm that the two weighty things left to us by the prophet are the Quran and His progeny (ahlul bayt). However, the majority of the muslims believe that the 2 weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet.

It is a proven fact that hadiths were written at the time of the prophet. After His demise, the political regimes that followed on gathered most (and not all) of the written sources of hadiths to burn them. Moreover, the writing of hadiths was prohibitted. The only source of preservation was through memory.

As time rolled on, this method of preservation proved to be ineffective because it became difficult to keep track of all the hadiths since most of companions who lived and heard the prophet passed away. Moreover, not everyone remembered the exact wording of the hadiths and when they were said. To make things worse, the corrupted political regimes (Banu Umayya and Banu Abbas) paid citizen muslims to fabricate hadiths that will support their doctrine and promote their Islamic school of thought.

It became difficult for most muslims to tell apart a false hadith from a true one. Therefore, the tradition that says the two weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah of the prophet falls apart because of these fabrications.

The only individuals who were able to authenticate any hadith were the Ahlul Bayt. They were the true protectors and the most knowledgeable, in particular Ali ibn Abu Talib who had in his possession a written document of all the authentic hadiths of the prophet, called Sahifah al-Jamiaa'. But the corrupted political regimes were abled to isolate these highly virtuous and knowledgeable individuals from the society, who were the only source of guidance after the prophet.

History has witnessed Ahlul Bayt undergoing extreme sufferings from these political regimes because they (ahlul bayt) totally rejected their unislamic doctrine and they were a threat to all the unjust leaders. All muslims agree that Ahlul Bayt are as truthful as the Quran is and they can never be separated from the Quran in this life. Unfortunately, we dont see that in practice. The hadiths of the prophet are the key to the interpretation of the Quran.

A unique interpretation of the Quran is necessary to make a united Ummah. Not every transmitter of a hadith is a credible one. Using fabricated hadiths to interprete the Quran will lead to false interpretations. To avoid any deception, the prophet has ordered us to follow both, the Quran and ahlul bayt.

The people the most fit to transmit the Sunnah of the prophet are His progeny because of their exceptional virtues. They have been purified by Allah a perfect purification, which means they don't make mistakes, they don't alter the narrations, they don't lie. Moreover, they have inherited the knowledge of the prophet. Is not the prophet the city of knowledge and Ali its gate? Others however, may transmit narrations with unintentional alterations or errors because they can make mistakes and they forget. It is just logical to take narrations that are transmitted from reliable sources that are endowed with special virtues and have a special place with regards to Allah.

Bottom line is that hadith al-thaqalayn proves that it is compulsory for us to follow ahlul bayt alongside with the Quran in order not to go astray. The Banu Umayyah and Banu Abbas have spent centuries fighting and demeaning ahlul bayt, in order to deprive the masses of muslims from their guidance. By isolating ahlul bayt from the society, the oppressors were capable of exercising their tyranny over the muslims. They were able to fabricate hadiths and twist the meanings of the Quran to fit their doctrine.

That is exactly why the Islamic world is submerged with tragedies and disasters. That is exactly why we have several sects that have considerable differences. Today's islamic leadership is an exact copy of the Banu Umayyah and Banu Abbas leadership. A leadership that fully contradicts the teachings of the Quran.

Content:

Hadith al-Thaqalayn Hadiths conflicting hadith al-Thaqalayn Is it the Quran and my progeny or the Quran and my Sunnah? External Links:

More on hadith al-Thaqalayn Hadith al-Thaqalayn

Yazid b. Hayyan reported, I went along with Husain b. Sabra and 'Umar b. Muslim to Zaid b. Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husain said to him: Zaid. you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, offered prayer behind me. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue.

Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being.

I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah's call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husain) said to Zaid: Who are the members of his household? Aren't his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: 'Ali and the offspring of 'Ali, 'Aqil and the offspring of 'Aqil and the offspring of Ja'far and the offspring of 'Abbas. Husain said: These are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zaid said: Yes.

Yazid b. Hayyan reported: We went to him (Zaid b. Arqam) and said to him. You have found goodness (for you had the honour) to live in the company of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and offered prayer behind him, and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation of wording that he said: Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, one of which is the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and that is the rope of Allah.

He who holds it fast would be on right guidance and he who abandons it would be in error, and in this (hadith) these words are also found: We said: Who are amongst the members of the household? Aren't the wives (of the Holy Prophet) included amongst the members of his house hold? Thereupon he said: No, by Allah, a woman lives with a man (as his wife) for a certain period; he then divorces her and she goes back to her parents and to her people; the members of his household include his ownself and his kith and kin (who are related to him by blood) and for him the acceptance of Zakat is prohibited.

Reference:

*- Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 5920, 5923 - Kitab Al-Fada'il Al-Sahabah; Page 941, Number 2408-36 (Arabic version)

*- Musnad ibn Hanbal, v4,p366 [Entire book:(p1409,#19479)] - It is narrated that the prophet repeated the sentence “I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt” three times.

The messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: “I am leaving for you two precious and weighty Symbols that if you adhere to BOTH of them you shall not go astray after me. They are, the Book of Allah, and my progeny, that is my Ahlul-Bayt. The Merciful has informed me that These two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise).”

حَدَّثَنَا أَسوَدُ بنُ عَامِرٍ أَخبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسرَائِيلَ يَعنِي إِسمَاعِيلَ بنَ أَبِي إِسحَاقَ المُلَائِيَّ عَن عَطِيَّةَ عَن أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُم الثَّقَلَينِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكبَرُ مِن الآخَرِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبلٌ مَمدُودٌ مِن السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرضِ وَعِترَتِي أَهلُ بَيتِي وَإِنَّهُمَا لَن يَفتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الحَوضَ

Reference:

*- Musnad ibn Hanbal, v3,p14 [Entire book:(p785,#11120)]; v3,p17 [Entire book:(p787,#11148)]; v3,p27 [Entire book:(p794,#11229)]; v3,p59 [Entire book:(p817,#11582)]; v5,p181 [Entire book:(p1591,#21911)]; v5,p189 [Entire book:(p1597,#21993)];

*- Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, pp 662-663,328, report of 30+ companions, with reference to several chains of transmitters.

*- al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, Chapter of “Understanding the virtues of Companions, v3, pp 109,110,148,533 who wrote this tradition is authentic (Sahih) based on the criteria of the two Shaikhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

*- Sunan, by Daarami, v2, p432

*- Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p585, Tradition #990

*- al-Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, pp 21,30

*- al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p230

*- al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, pp 62-63,137

*- History of Ibn Asakir, v5, p436

*- al-Durr al-Manthoor, al-Hafidh al-Suyuti, v2, p60

*- Tafsir Ibn Kathir (complete version), v4, p113, under commentary of verse 42:23 of Quran (four traditions)

*- Usdul Ghabah fi Ma'rifat al-Sahaba, Ibn al-Athir, v2, p12

إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا بعدي أحدهما أعظم من الآخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي ولن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما. (ت عن زيد بن أرقم)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#873,#946,#950,#952,#953 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة );

*- al-Jaami'i al-Sagheer, by Jalaludin al-Suyuti: v3,#2631 (المجلد الثالث << [تتمة باب حرف الألف ]);

*- Ziyadat al-Jaami'i al-Sagheer, by Jalaludin al-Suyuti: #1773 (كتاب “زيادة الجامع الصغير”، للسيوطي << حرف الهمزة );

إني لا أجد لنبي إلا نصف عمر الذي كان قبله وإني أوشك أن أدعى فأجيب فما أنتم قائلون قالوا نصحت قال أليس تشهدون أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله وأن الجنة حق وأن النار حق وأن البعث بعد الموت حق قالوا نشهد قال وأنا أشهد معكم ألا هل تسمعون فإني فرطكم على الحوض وأنتم واردون الحوض وإن عرضه أبعد ما بين صنعاء وبصرى فيه أقداح عدد النجوم من فضة فانظروا كيف تخلفوني في الثقلين قالوا وما الثقلان يا رسول الله قال كتاب الله طرفه بيد الله وطرفه بأيديكم فاستمسكوا به ولا تضلوا والآخر عترتي وأن اللطيف الخبير نبأني أنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض فسألت ذلك لهما ربي فلا تقدموهما فتهلكوا ولا تقصروا عنهما. فتهلكوا ولا تعلوهم فإنهم أعلم منكم من كنت أولى به من نفسه فعلي وليه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه. (طب عن أبي الطفيل عن زيد بن أرقم)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#957 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة );

يا أيها الناس إني قد نبأني اللطيف الخبير إنه لن يعمر نبي إلا نصف عمر الذي يليه من قبله وإني قد يوشك أن أدعى فأجيب وإني مسؤول وإنكم مسؤولون فما أنتم قائلون قالوا نشهد أنك قد بلغت ورسوله وأن جنته حق وناره حق وأن الموت حق وأن البعث حق بعد الموت وأن الساعة آتية لا ريب فيها وأن الله يبعث من في القبور يا أيها الناس إن الله مولاي وأنا مولى المؤمنين أولى بهم من أنفسهم فمن كنت مولاه فهذا مولاه يعني عليا اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه يا أيها الناس إني فرطكم وإنكم واردون علي الحوض أعرض ما بين بصرى إلى صنعاء فيه عدد النجوم قدحان من فضة وإني سائلكم حين تردون علي عن الثقلين فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما الثقل الأكبر كتاب الله عز وجل سبب طرفه بيد الله وطرفه بأيديكم فاستمسكوا به لا تضلوا ولا تبدلوا وعترتي أهل بيتي فإنه قد نبأني اللطيف الخبير أنهما لن ينقضيا حتى يردا علي الحوض. (الحكيم طب عن أبي الطفيل عن حذيفة بن أسيد)

Reference:

*- Kanz al-U'ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: v1,#958 (المجلد الأول << الباب الثاني في الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة ); Note the last sentence “These two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)”. This shows the great importance of ahlul bayt with regards to guidance and truth. They should never be separated from the Quran.

حدثنا أبو الحسين محمد بن أحمد بن تميم الحنظلي ببغداد، حدثنا أبو قلابة عبد الملك بن محمد الرقاشي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد، وحدثني أبو بكر محمد بن بالويه وأبو بكر أحمد بن جعفر البزار قالا: حدثنا عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل، حدثني أبي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد

وثنا أبو نصر أحمد بن سهل الفقيه ببخارى، حدثنا صالح بن محمد الحافظ البغدادي، حدثنا خلف بن سالم المخرمي، حدثنا يحيى بن حماد، حدثنا أبو عوانة، عن سليمان الأعمش قال: حدثنا حبيب بن أبي ثابت، عن أبي الطفيل، عن زيد بن أرقم -رضي الله تعالى عنه- قال :

لما رجع رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم- من حجة الوداع، ونزل غدير خم، أمر بدوحات، فقمن، فقال: (كأني قد دعيت فأجبت، إني قد تركت فيكم الثقلين، أحدهما أكبر من الآخر، كتاب الله تعالى، وعترتي، فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما، فإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض

ثم قال: (إن الله -عز وجل- مولاي، وأنا مولى كل مؤمن). ثم أخذ بيد علي -رضي الله تعالى عنه- فقال: (من كنت مولاه، فهذا وليه، اللهم وال من والاه، وعاد من عاداه). وذكر الحديث بطوله. هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين، ولم يخرجاه بطوله. شاهده حديث سلمة بن كهيل، عن أبي الطفيل، أيضا صحيح على شرطهما. (ج/ص: 2/ 132)

References:

*- Mustadrak, al Hakim, vol 3, #174/4576 (المجلد الثالث << -31- كتاب معرفة الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم >> ومن مناقب أمير المؤمنين: علي بن أبي طالب -رضي الله تعالى عنه- مما لم يخرجاه )

حدثنا أبو بكر محمد بن الحسين بن مصلح الفقيه بالري، حدثنا محمد بن أيوب، حدثنا يحيى بن المغيرة السعدي، حدثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد، عن الحسن بن عبد الله النخعي، عن مسلم بن صبيح، عن زيد بن أرقم -رضي الله تعالى عنه- قال: قال رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم-: (إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وأهل بيتي، وإنهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا علي الحوض)

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد على شرط الشيخين، ولم يخرجاه. (ج/ص: 3/161 )

References:

*- Mustadrak, al Hakim, vol 3, #309/4711 (المجلد الثالث << -31- كتاب معرفة الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم >> ومن مناقب أهل رسول الله -صلَّى الله عليه وسلم -)

Consider the tradition that says the 2 weighty things are the Quran and the Sunnah. Which version of the sunnah do we follow? The Hanbalis? The Hanafis? The Shafiis? Or the Malikis? Or the Twelvers? Aren't these 5 different islamic school of thoughts? One of each being the fundamentals of religion education of a specific muslim country? The emergence of these 5 schools of thoughts have resulted in the divergence of the interpretation of the Quran among them.

Don't you think the prophet knew this would have happened? That some corrupted people would fabricate new haddiths and alter existing ones for political and other reasons. Don't you think he knew that future generations will rely on fabricated hadiths to explain the Quran. The more the school of thoughts are in desagreement with each others, the more confused we become, and the further away from the truth we are. This is just common sense. The sole fact that there are many schools of thoughts is an indication that all 5 differ in their jurisprudence. Otherwise, what is the point of their existence?

So which Sunnah do we follow? The answer is in Sahih Muslim and many other reliable shia and sunni references: The sunnah of the Prophet as carried and transmitted by Ahlul Bayt. The prophet did not order us to follow Ahmad ibn Hanbal, or Hanafi or Malik ibn Anas or Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafii. He simply ordered us to adhere to the members of Ahlul Bayt because they are the protectors of the hadiths and the correct interpreters of the Quran and the authentic transmitters of the teachings of the prophet. If muslims had followed hadith al-thaqalayn, then there would have been only one school of thought: that of the prophet and the Islamic nation would have been united under one jurisprudence.

If each school of thought says they are right about everything, then why are they different? How do you learn about the Sunnah of the prophet when you have several versions and interpretations? How do you learn about islam? The Quran by itself is not enough, we need a genuine sunnah to interprete its content. We need reliable sources. Think it through. Use common sense.

Hadiths conflicting hadith al-Thaqalayn There are several hadiths that appear to be contradicting hadith al-Thaqalayn. Could the prophet contradict himself? Certainly not! All of these conflicting hadiths share one thing in common: They are not found in the reliable hadiths sources of the Twelvers Shiah. In fact, the Twelvers Shiah do not consider them as authentic. They are only found in the Sunnis books.

Adhere to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided successors after me. Hold on to it and cling on to it stubbornly.

Hadith al-thaqalayn is known to have been narrated by more than 30 companions of the prophet and is proven to be authentic by the Sunnis and Shiah school of thoughts. This means that any conflicting narration to hadith al-thaqalayn is likely to be a fabrication. According to the Sunnis, the rightly guided caliphs are Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, which is not the case for the Twelvers Shiah.

It has already been proven that the first three caliphs have introduced innovations to Islam during their leaderships. How could the prophet tell us to follow his progeny and at the same time follow the “rightly guided” caliphs, three of which have not only alter the rulings of Islam, but have also fought Ahlul Bayt. Besides, what purpose does the Sunnah of the prophet serve if we have to follow the Sunnah of the “rightly guided” caliphs?!? Wasn't the purpose of the prophet to fight those who contradict the teachings of Allah?

The only Sunnah to follow is that of the prophet and no one else! Accepting this hadith is insulting to the purpose and special virtues of the prophet. He was sent to guide all of us. We therefore follow his teachings and guidance.

Take part of your religion from this Humayra' (i.e. A'ishah).

The above narration is another contradiction to the hadith of al-thaqalayn. How can you take part of Islam from Aisha who was disrespectful to the prophet in many instances. She conspired with the other wives against Him. She fought Ali, the beloved brother of the prophet, causing the death of thousands of Muslims. She disobeyed Allah by leaving her house to wage a war against Ali. She became violent because of her excessive jealousy. She spread her legs in front of the prophet while he was praying. She mistrusted Him. She confirms that the prayer of the traveler is 2 rakaa's, yet prays 4 rakaa's so as to please Uthaman ibn Affan.

She spoke ill and with disrespect (in front of the prophet) of our beloved mother, Khadija (the first wife of the prophet) who the angel Gabriel gave glad tidings and whom Allah has built a castlle for in paradise. She hated Ali, the beloved cousin and brother of the prophet, about whom He said: “O 'Ali! none but a true believer loves you, and none but a hypocrite hates you”. How can you take part of Islam from her? Is such an examplar for women to follow? Is it possible for the prophet to tell us to learn Islam her? Read more about Aisha, the second wife of the prophet Muhammad, and you will soon realize whether you can really learn about half of Islam from her! Many reliable Sunnis scholars have rejected this hadith and treated it as a fabrication. Among them, there are:

Reference:

(taken from al-shia.com)

*- alMizzi and alDhahabi as mentioned in alTaqrir wa al-tahbir fi sharh alTahrir, iii 99

*- Ibn Qayyim alJawziyyah, who has considered all traditions with the words “ya Humayra” and “al-Humayrah” as fabrications

*- Ibn Kathir as quoted in alDurar almuntashirah fi al-'ahadith almushtahirah, 79

*- Ibn Hajar alAsqalani as quoted in al-Taqrir wa altahbir, iii, 99

*- Ibn alMulaqqin, alSubki, Ibn Amir al-Hajj, alSakhawi, alSuyuti, alShaybani, alShaykh Ali alQari, al-Zarqani, Abd alAli alShawkani and others Follow those who will come after me, Abu Bakr and Umar.

Ibrahim ibn Ismail, Ismail ibn Yahya, Yahya ibn Salamah ibn Kuhayl and Abu alZara' are the transmittters of this hadith. They have been considered as unreliable transmitters by Abu Zurah, Abu Hatim, Ibn Numayr, alDarqutni, alBukhari, alNasa'i, Ibn Muin, Ibn Hibban, al-Tirmidhi and others. Read the comments made after the next hadith to understand why the above hadith cannot have been narrated by the prophet. Verily, my Companions are like the stars (nujum) in the sky; whichever of them you follow, you shall be guided rightly. The disagreement of my Companions is a blessing for you.

The prophet spent his life establishing the rulings of Islam as well as fighting those who were hostile to them. Allah does not allow an unjust person to rule His nation, Allah does not allow an individual to introduce innovations to His religion. Abu Bakr and Umar, as well as the third caliph, Uthman, have done a lot of things that are unacceptable to the religion that the prophet dedicated His life to. Today, all muslims are affected by these changes which have created tensions among the different sects of Islam for holding on to different beliefs.

Haven't many of the companions turned their backs to religion? Haven't they become infidels after cutting the throats of one another in the battles of Siffin and the Camel? Haven't they fought each others for the pleasures of this world? Haven't they introduced innovations to the religion? Then how can we be guided by anyone of them after all their unislamic deeds? Is not their behavior a sign of misguidance? The companions desagreed among themselves on religious rulings (Umar was ignorant of the concept of Tayammum, others rejected the concept of temporary marriage (hadith of sahih Muslim #3261) as well as political positions. How many of them joined Muawiyah or the mother of the believers, Aisha to fight Ali ibn Abi Talib? I dont see how the desagreement among them is a blessing for us! In fact, this desagreement is what has mutilated Islam and its followers. If they were to follow the hadith of al-thaqalayn (starting with Umar who said the Quran was sufficient for us - see the calamity of thursday), we would have been in a better condition!

The last hadith has 2 problems. First, not all companions were righteous. If we were indeed asked to follow them, only the righteous ones ought to be followed. Fortunately, the fabricators of this hadith were not smart enough to distinguish between the good and the bad companions. Second, the companions are not to be followed. Their duties were to help spread Islam, teach and implement its rules and set themselves as examples to the community. They themselves needed guidance! We ought to follow those to whom guidance was given to, that is the prophet Muhammad and His pure progeny, who should never be separated from the Quran.

Moreover, a long list of Ulamas have declared this hadith as a mere fabrication to bring a strong support the companions and isolate the progeny of Ahlul bayt from the society.

Is it the Quran and my progeny or the Quran and my Sunnah? The muslim Ulamas have proven the strong authenticity of the hadith of al-thaqalayn that orders us to follow the Quran and the progeny of the prophet. Knowing the virtuous of the members of Ahlul Bayt, there is no doubt that Allah has endowed them with the knowledge to explain the Quran and guide the muslims. The tradition has been accepted as authentic by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, as well as the Twelvers Shiaa scholars.

As far as the second version that states “the Quran and my Sunnah”, the chain of narrators have been proven to be a weak source by many reliable Sunnis scholars. Two members of the chain of narrators are Ismael bin Owais from Abi Owais and are both considered unreliable narrators. Another chain of transmission is: Al-Zabee from Saleh bin Musa Al- talhe from Abdul-Aziz bin Rafia from Abi Saleh from Abu Huraira. Saleh bin Musa is also considered a weak source of hadith by many scholars.

A third chain of transmission is:Abdul-Rahman bin yahya from Ahmad bin Saeed from Muhammed bin Ebrahim Al-Dbaili from Ali bin Zaid Al-fraedi from Al-hurairi from Katheer bin Abdulla bin Omar bin Auf from his father and from his grandfather. Imam Shafii and Abu Dawood (the author of Sunan of Abu Dawood, d.276 A.H.) consider Katheer bin Abdulla a liar. Moreover, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said about Katheer bin Abdulla: “His traditions are rejected and he is not reliable”.

Moreover, “the Quran and my Sunnah” version of the hadith is not mentioned in Sahih Muslim or Sunan al-Tirmidhi.