Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Endnotes

1. Having sought permission to debate, he starts explaining the debate's subject-matter, thus demonstrating his moral accomplishments and excellence as far as the norm of debate is concerned. The use of the initials "S" and "Sh" is an obviously suitable vehicle for carrying such a debate on, since "S" denotes his name "Salim" and his being a Sunni, while "Sh" signifies the author's surname "Sharafud-Din," and his being a Shi’a.

2. In his biography of Malik, Ibn Khallikan indicates in his Al-a’yan that the man lingered in his mother's womb for almost three years. The same is mentioned by Ibn Qutaybah who includes Malik among wise sages on page 170 of his book Al-Ma’arif, recounting him on page 198 among men whose mother's pregnancy outlasted the normal period.

3. He means to say: "Learn this from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny: ‘When a member of the Prophet's Household dies, he in reality does not die," that is, his soul remains shining in the real world. This is also stated by Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abdoh and others.

4. The Commander of the Faithful (as) acted upon the Greater Weighty Thing, namely the Holy Qur'an, leaving the Lesser Weighty Things, i.e. both his sons, behind. It is also said that his progeny are the models of conduct for others, as stated by Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abdoh and other commentators of Hahjul Balaghah.

5. In his commentary, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abdoh says: "The ‘sarar,' pronounced like ‘sahab' and ‘kitab,' is the last night of the lunar month during which the moon disappears. The meaning would be: ‘You entered into the dawn,' meaning ‘You used to live in utter darkness, the darkness of polytheism and misguidance, till you emerged into the light through our guidance and instruction,' a reference to Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny, and his cousin Imam (as), the one who supported his mission.

6. See the conclusion of sermon 105, page 214, Vol. 1, of Nahjul Balaghah. Ibn ‘Abbas has said: "We are members of the Prophet's Household whose homes are the visiting places of the angels, the Ahl al-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah, and members of the household of mercy and knowledge." He is quoted saying so by a group of most reliable Sunni traditionists and as stated at the conclusion of his chapter on the characteristics of Ahl al-Bayt (as), on page 142 of Ibn Hajar's Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

7. See also Qur'an, 3:7 and 4:162

8. This statement is quoted by many authors, including Ibn Hajar at the conclusion of his chapter on the characteristics of Ahl al-Bayt (as) near the conclusion of page 142 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa where he makes quite a few lies about them, being grossly unfair to them.

9. Refer to it at the conclusion of his chapter on the will of the Prophet (pbuh) in their regard on page 137 of Ibn Hajar's Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

10. Refer to it on page 90 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa where Ibn Hajar explains the meaning of the fifth verse: "And uphold Allah's rope all of you together" as one of many others which he explains in Section 1, Chapter 11.

11. Al-Tirmithi quotes it from Zayd ibn Arqam. It is hadith 874 of the ahadith quoted in, on p. 44, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

12. Imam Ahmad includes it among the ahadith narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit from two sources one of which is stated at the beginning of page 182, and the other at the conclusion of page 189, Vol. 5, and also by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Ya’li, and Ibn Sa’d, from Abu Sa’id. It is hadith 945 on p. 47, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

13. It is included by al-Hakim on page 148, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. The author comments thus: "This is one hadith the narrators of which are trustworthy according to both Shaykhs, though the latter did not transmit it." Al-Thahbi includes it in his abridged volume of Al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity due to the endorsement of both Shaykhs.

14. Included by Imam Ahmad in the hadith narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri from two sources one of which is mentioned on page 17, and the other at the end of page 26, Vol. 3, of Al-Musnad. It is also quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Ya’li, and Ibn Sa’d from Abu Sa’id. It is hadith 945 as listed in page 47, Vol. 1, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

15. It is sequentially quoted by al-Hakim from Zayd ibn Arqam on page 109, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. The author adds: "This hadith is authentic according to both Shaykhs who did not narrate it in its entirety." He quotes it from another source from Zayd ibn Arqam on page 533, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, adding: "This hadith is narrated by reliable narrators, yet they (both Shaykhs) did not publish it themselves." Al-Thahbi has included it in his Talkhis, admitting its authenticity.

16. Al-Tabrani has included it, as referred to in Nabhani's Al-Arba’in, and in Sayyti's Ihya'ul Mayyit. You are aware of the fact that his khutba, peace be upon him and his progeny, was not confined to this much, for nobody who narrates just this much can claim that he had heard it. But politics tied many tongues of traditionists and chained the pens of many writers. In spite of all this, such a drop of the ocean suffices; praise be to Allah.

17. Refer to it at the conclusion of Section 2, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa by Ibn Hajar, after the forty ahadith referred to in that Section on page 57.

18. Refer to it in the exegesis of the fourth chapter:

"And stop them, for they shall be questioned (Qur'an, 37:24),"

which is quoted in Section One, Chapter 11, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, at the conclusion of page 89.

19. Refer to it in the chapter dealing with the Prophet's will on page 135 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, then ask him why he preferred to follow al-Ash’ari in the roots of religion, and the four jurists in its branches, and how he came to consider as superior to them in the narration of hadith men like ‘Umran ibn Hattan and his likes among the Kharijites, favouring over them in exegesis Muqatil ibn Sulayman, the Murji'ite who believes that Allah has a physical form, and favoured to them in the sciences of ethics, etiquette, conduct, and psychology Ma’ruf and his likes, and how he disregarded the Prophet's own brother and wali, the one and only executer of his will, for general caliphate and representation of the Prophet (pbuh).

Then ask him how he came to prefer to the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, the descendants of cowards. What would one who turns away from the purified progeny of Muhammad (pbuh) in all such lofty stations and religious obligations and follows in the footsteps of those who oppose them do with the sahihs of the Two Weighty Things and the like? And how can he claim that he is upholding the progeny and embarking upon their Ark and entering through their Gate of Salvation?

20. Al-Hakim quotes it from Abu Tharr on page 151, Vol. 3, of his Sahih Al-Mustadrak.

21. Al-Tabrani quotes it in his Al-Awsat from Abu Sa’id. It is hadith 18 of the 25th Al-Arba’in [forty] ahadith of Nabhani's Al-Arba’in Al-Arba’in (the sixteen-hundred ahadith), p. 216.

22. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 149, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak from Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hakim adds: "This is an authentic hadith though they (both Shaykhs, i.e. Bukhari and Muslim) did not include it (in their own books)."

23. Refer to the conclusion of his chapter on the predictions of the holy Prophet (pbuh) of hard times following his death, near the conclusion of page 143 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. We ask Ibn Hajar: "Since this is the status enjoyed by the scholars of Ahl al-Bayt (as), why do you then turn away from them?"

24. Consider this statement of his, then tell me why he did not follow the guidance of their Imams in the branches and tenets of the faith, or in the principles and bases of jurisdiction, or in the sciences of the Sunnah and the Book, or in anything related to ethics, conduct, and etiquette, and why he lagged behind and thus drowned himself in the oceans of those who deny Allah's favours, ruining themselves in the avenues of oppression. May Allah forgive him for telling lies about us and unfairly assaulting our beliefs.

25. This hadith, verbatim, is hadith 3819 of the ones included on page 217, Vol. 6 of Kanz al-’Ummal. He also quotes it in Muntakhab al-Kanz; so, refer to the latter's text at the beginning of the footnote on page 94 of Vol. 5 of Ahmad's Musnad, although the author states: "They were endowed with my comprehension," rather than "comprehension and knowledge." The copier may have committed a mistake. Al-hafiz Abu Na’im, in his Hilyat al-Awliya', has also quoted it, and he in turn is quoted by the Mu’tazilite scholar on page 450, Vol. 2, of his commentary on Nahjul Balaghah, Egyptian edition. He also quoted something similar on page 449 from Abu ‘Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal in both his Musnad and his book titled Manaqib ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).

26. This hadith is number 2578 of the ones quoted in Kanz al-’Ummal, Vol. 6, page 155. It is also quoted by Muntakhab al-Kanz; so, refer to the latter and read the last line of the footnote on page 32, Vol. 5, that quotes Ahmad's Musnad. It is also quoted by Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani abridged in the biography of Ziyad ibn Mutraf in Part One of his Isaba, then he adds: "This hadith is quoted by Yahya ibn Ya’li al-Muharbi, a weak traditionist." This is strange coming from al-’Asqalani, for Yahya ibn Ya’li, according to the consensus of scholars of hadith, is quite trustworthy. In his Sahih, al-Bukhari quotes his ahadith related to the Hudaybiya treaty. He taught hadith to Muslim Ghaylan ibn Jami’. Moreover, al-Thahbi, in his Mizan, takes the man's integrity for granted, and so do many authorities held reliable by both Shaykhs as well as by others.

27. This is quoted by al-Hakim at the end of page 128, Vol. 3, of his authentic book Al-Mustadrak. He adds the following: "The narrators of this hadith are all trustworthy, and they (both Shaykhs) did not quote it." It is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Al-Jami’ al-Kabir, and by Abu Na’im in his book dealing with the excellences of the sahabah. It is hadith 2577 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal on page 155, Vol. 6. The author also quotes it in his Muntakhab al-Kanz; so, refer to the footnote on page 32, Vol. 5, of the Musnad.

28. Al-Tabrani has quoted it in his Al-Jami’ al-Kabir, and so has Ibn ‘Asakir in his history book, and it is hadith 2571 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal at the end of page 154, Vol. 6.

29. Al-Tabrani has quoted it in his Al-Jami’ al-Kabir as narrated by Muhammad ibn Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Umayr ibn Yasir who quotes his father citing his grandfather ‘Ammar. It is hadith 2576 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 155, Vol. 6. It is also quoted in Muntakhab al-Kanz.

30. It is narrated by Abul Shaykh in a lengthy hadith and transmitted by Ibn Hajar at the end of maqsad 4 of his Maqasid while explaining, on page 105 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, the verse enjoining kindness to the Prophet's kin after having scrutinized it, and in the supreme maqsad of his book Ghayat Al-Maram. Do not overlook his statement: "Do not accompany the wrong-doers."

31. This is quoted by al-Malla in his Sirat, as in Ibn Hajar's explanation of the verse "And follow in their footsteps, for they shall be questioned" in his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, page 90, suggests.

32. This is quoted by al-Tabrani who discusses the hadith of the Two Weighty Things, and he is quoted by Ibn Hajar when the latter explains the meaning of this verse of Chapter Four: "And follow in their foot steps, for they shall be questioned," a verse which he discusses in Chapter 11 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, page 89.

33. This is quoted by a group of authors of books of traditions from Abu Tharr, and it is transmitted by Imam al-Sabban while enUmarating the excellences of Ahl al-Bayt (as) in his work Is’af al-Raghibin, and by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhani on page 31 of Al-Sharaf al-Mu'abbad, and by many other authorities. It is a text which enforces their leadership and implies that guidance to righteousness can be attained only through them.

34. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Al-Awsat as transmitted by al-Sayyuti in his Ihya'ul Mayyit; by al-Nabhani in his Forty Forty [ahadith]; by Ibn Hajar in his chapter discussing enjoining their love in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, in addition to many other renown authorities; so, consider his statement: ‘Nobody's good deeds will avail him unless he is mindful of our rights," then tell me what these rights are, the ones that are considered by Allah as prerequisites to the acceptance of good deeds. Is it not obeying them and attaining Allah's Pleasure through following their RIGHT PATH? What is the commandment to which both Prophethood and caliphate attach such a great significance? But we have simply been inflicted by people who do not contemplate; so, "We are Allah's, and unto Him is our return."

35. This is quoted by the judge ‘Iyaz in a chapter explaining the fact that to venerate the Prophet (pbuh) and be worthy of pleasing him is to please his progeny and descendants, as indicated at the beginning of page 40, Part Two, of the book titled Al-Shifa which was printed in Istanbul in 1328 A.H. You know that "knowing" them in this text does not mean just knowing their names and persons, and that they are kin of the Messenger of Allah, for even Abu Jahal and Abu Lahab knew all of that, but it means recognizing the fact that they are the authorities after the Messenger, peace be upon him and his progeny, as he himself has said: "Whoever dies not knowing the Imam of his time surely dies the death of Jahiliyya," and the meaning of loving them and their wilayat is the love and wilayat that are obligatory upon "those who follow righteousness," i.e. the Imams of Truth, a fact that is quite obvious.

36. This is so due to the fact that Allah has granted them a special status which requires obedience to them. Loving them as such is rewardable. This hadith is quoted by al-Tabrani from Ibn ‘Abbas, and it is transmitted by al-Sayyuti in his Ihya'ul Mayyit, and by al-Nabhani in his Al-Arba’in, besides many other renown authorities.

37. This is quoted by al-Tabrani and al-Hakim, and it also exists in Nabhani's Al-Arba’in, in Sayyuti's Ihya'ul Mayyit and in others. This hadith is akin to his saying, peace be upon him and his progeny, as in one hadith which you have already heard, "By the One in Whose Hands my life is, nobody's good deeds will be of any avail without recognizing our right." If hating them is not hating Allah and His Messenger, the good deeds of those who hate them would not have been rendered vain even if they spend their life between the Rukn and the Maqam [of Ibrahim, as] praying and supplicating; even then, they would not have enjoyed such a status. Al-Hakim and Ibn Hayyan, in his sahih, as stated in Nabhani's Al-Arba’in Arba’in and Sayyuti's Ihya'ul Mayyit, from Imam al-Hasan, the Prophet's grandson, who said to Mu’awiyah ibn Khadij once: "Beware of hating us, we Ahl al-Bayt (as), for the Messenger of Allah has said: ‘Whoever hates or envies us would be pushed away from the Pool [Kawthar] with whips of fire.'" The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, delivered a sermon once and said: "O People! Anyone who hates us, we Ahl al-Bayt (as), will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment as a Jew." This hadith is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Al-Awsat as stated in al-Sayyuti's Ihya'ul Mayyit and Nabhani's Al-Arba’in Arba’in and in other books.

38. This is quoted by Imam al-Tha’labi in his explanation of the verse enjoining the love of Ahl al-Bayt (as) in Al-Tafsir al-Kabir from Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Bijli from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny. Al-Zamakhshari takes its authenticity for granted in his own exegesis of the same verse in his book Al-Kashshaf; so, refer to it.

39. Al-Malla has recorded it in the second maqsad of Chapter 14 of the Holy Qur'an in his own Chapter 11 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

40. This is quoted by ‘Abdul-Ghani ibn Sa’d in his Eizah al-Ishkal. It is hadith 6050 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal at the end of page 396, Vol. 6.

41. These two couplets of al-Shafi’i are very well-known and in wide circulation. Many trustworthy authorities have taken this fact for granted, indicating that he is the one who has composed them. Among them are: Ibn Hajar, who quotes them while explaining the verse "Allah and His angels send prayers unto the Prophet (pbuh)," on page 88 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; al-Nabhani on page 99 of his Al-Sharaf al-Mu'abbad, Imam Abu Bakr ibn Shihabud-Din in his Rashfatul Sadi, and by many others.

42. As it ruled in its departure therefrom according to the Almighty's statement:

"Allah wishes to remove all abomination from you, members of Ahl al-Bayt (as) and purify you with a perfect purification (Qur'an, 33:33)."

43. Nay! Nobody else can claim that at all. They have been selected for it; so, nobody can reach their station nor dream of attaining their achievements.

44. Nay! Allah has selected them for it and preferred them over all others, saying:

"Say (O Muhammad): ‘I do not ask you for any reward other than being kind to my kin,' and whoever attains a good deed [being kind to them], We shall certainly increase him in goodness; verily, Allah is Forgiving [to those who are kind to them], Appreciative [of such kindness] (Qur'an, 42:23)."

45. Nay! The verse of Mubahala was revealed specifically in their praise. Allah, the Dear One, says therein:

"Say (O Muhammad): ‘Let us bring our sons and your sons,... (Qur'an, 3:61)."

46. This is a reference to the revelation of Ayat al-’Asr (Chapter of Time) regarding them and their foes, and whoever wishes to be familiar with this matter as dealt with in the verse of purification, verse of mubahala, the verse enjoining kindness to the Prophet's kin, and the verse of time, he must refer to our own statement in this regard, for it is the remedy for every ailment. It brings the foes back to their senses, and it provides knowledge for those who do not know, and praise be to Allah.

47. In his commentary on the meaning of this verse in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, Imam al-Tha’labi quotes Aban ibn Taghlib reporting that Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) has said:

"We are Allah's rope about which He has said: ‘And uphold Allah's rope all of you together, and do not be separated (Qur'an, 3:103)'."

Ibn Hajar has included this verse among others revealed in their praise, being the fifth in the series of verses which he enUmarates in Chapter 11 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. While explaining its meaning, the author quotes al-Tha’labi, as you have heard above, citing Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as). Imam al-Shafi’i is quoted in Rashfatul Sadi by Imam Abu Bakr ibn Shihabud-Din as having said:

When I saw people being carried away to the seas of misguidance and ignorance by their sects,

I boarded, in the Name of Allah, the Ark of Salvation, that is, the Household of the Chosen One, the Seal of Prophets.

And I upheld Allah's Rope, and it is obedience to them, as He has commanded us to uphold to the Rope.

48. The "truthful" here are Allah's Messengers and the Imams of his purified progeny, according to our consecutive sahihs, and as supported by al-Hafiz Abu Na’im and Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad, and transmitted by Ibn Hajar in his explanation of Chapter 5, Section 11, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, page 90, quoting Imam Zaynul ‘Abidin (as) in a statement quoted above (see Letter No. 6).

49. Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq (as) used to always say: "The RIGHT PATH here is the Imam, and do not follow diverse paths (imams of misguidance) for they will divert you from His Path (and we are His Path)."

50. In his authentic sahih, the trusted authority of Muslims, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni, has quoted Burayd al-’Ajli saying: "I asked Abu Ja’far (Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, as) about the verse saying:

‘Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you (Qur'an, 4:59),'

and he answered me by saying:

‘Have you not observed those (Jews) who are given a portion of the (knowledge of the) Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah so that it might decide between them, then a party among them turns back (therefrom), and they withdraw (Qur'an, 3:23),'

how they believe in sorcerers and tyrants instead, and how they say to those who disbelieve that they are closer to the Straight Path than the Believers? They tell the imams of misguidance and the callers unto the Fire that their guidance is more accurate than that of Muhammad's progeny;

‘Have you not seen those to whom a portion of the Book has been given? They believe in idols and false deities and say of those who disbelieve: These are better guided in the path than those who believe. Those are they whom Allah has cursed, and whoever Allah curses, you shall never find for them any helper. Or have they a share in the kingdom? But then they would not give people even the speck in a date stone (Qur'an, 4:51-53),

' nor will they ever own aught of Allah's domain, that is, Imamate and Caliphate, ‘... or do they envy the people for what Allah has bestowed upon them of His own favours (Qur'an, 4:54)?'

We are the ones who are envied because of the Imamate which Allah has bestowed upon us rather than anyone else among His creation;

‘We bestowed upon the descendants of Ibrahim (Abraham) the Book and the Wisdom, and We provided them with a great kingdom (Qur'an, 4:54),'

meaning He made some of them messengers, prophets, and imams; so, how can they recognize its existence to the descendants of Ibrahim while denying it to the descendants of Muhammad (pbuh)?!"

"Among them are those who believed in it, and among them are those who turned away therefrom, and Hell suffices for a torment (Qur'an, 4:55)."

51. Explaining this chapter, al-Tha’labi quotes Jabir saying the following in his book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir: "When this Chapter was revealed, ‘Ali (as) said: ‘We are the people of remembrance,' and this is the case with all the Imams of guidance." The Bahraini scholar has quoted in Chapter 35 more than twenty authentic ahadith bearing this meaning.

52. Ibn Mardawayh, in his explanation of this Chapter, has indicated that "... to argue with the Messenger" in this context means to dispute with him regarding ‘Ali (as), and the guidance referred to in the verse "... after guidance has been made manifest to him" is the guidance provided by ‘Ali, peace be upon him." In his Tafsir, al-’Ayyashi states something almost similar to this, and the sahihs are consecutive from the sources of the purified progeny in stating that "the path of the believers" is the path of their own (progeny), peace be upon them.

53. Explaining this verse in Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, al-Tha’labi quotes Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) put his hand over his chest and said: ‘I am the warner and ‘Ali (as) is the guide, and through you, O ‘Ali, guidance is achieved.'" Many scholars of exegesis and authors of books of traditions quote Ibn ‘Abbas and Muhammad ibn Muslim saying: "I asked Abu ‘Abdullah (Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as)) about the implications of this verse and he answered: ‘Each Imam is the guide of his time.' Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir has said the following regarding its explanation: ‘The warner is the Messenger of Allah, and the guide is ‘Ali,' then he adds: ‘By Allah, imamate shall remain with us till the Hour approaches.'"

54. In his exegesis of Surat al-Fatiha, al-Tha’labi, in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, quotes Abu Buraydah saying that "al-sirat al-mustaqim (the Straight Path) is the path of Muhammad (pbuh) and his progeny (as)." Interpreting this sura, Waki’ ibn al-Jarirah quotes Sufyan al-Thawri through a chain of narrators including al-Sadi, Asht, Mujahid, all quoting Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "‘Guide us to the Straight Path' means ‘Guide us to the love for Muhammad and his progeny.'"

55. The Imams from among Ahl al-Bayt (as) are without any argument the masters of siddiqs, martyrs, and the righteous.

56. Scholars of exegesis are unanimous, as al-Qawshaji, imam of the Ash’aris, has admitted in his chapter on "Sharh al-Tajrid," saying that this verse was revealed in honour of ‘Ali (as) when he offered charity while engaged in the ceremonial supplication performing the prayers. In his sahih, al-Nisa'i quotes ‘Abdullah ibn Salam testifying to its revelation in honour of ‘Ali (as). This view is supported by the author of Al-Jami’ Baynal Sihah al-Sitta while explaining Surat al-Ma'ida [Chapter of Table of Viands]. Al-Tha’labi has indicated its revelation in honour of the Commander of the Faithful in his book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, as we will explain when we discuss it.

57. In Chapter 11, Part One, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, Ibn Hajar states: "The guidance referred to in Chapter 8 which states: ‘I am all-Forgiving for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, then seek guidance,' according to Thabit al-Banni, means the seeking of guidance from the household of the Prophet (pbuh).'" This is narrated from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, too. Ibn Hajar has narrated several ahadith testifying to the salvation of those who seek and act upon their guidance, peace be upon them. He also refers to what he quotes from al-Baqir's statement referring to the conversation between Imam al-Baqir (as) and al-Harith ibn Yahya in which the Imam says: "O Harith! Have you not seen how Allah has made it clear that repentance, belief, and good deeds are not sufficient without seeking guidance from our authority?' then he, peace be upon him, quotes his grandfather the Commander of the Faithful saying: "By Allah! If a man repents, believes, and does good deeds, but he does not seek guidance from our authority, nor recognizes our rights, all of these things will be utterly in vain.'" Abu Na’im the hafiz quotes Awn ibn Abu Jahufah who in turn quotes his father narrating a similar tradition from ‘Ali (as). Al-Hakim has published similar ahadith from Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq (as), and from Thabit al-Banni and Anas ibn Malik.

58. Refer to the meaning of this verse in Al-Safi, and in ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim's Tafsir, and to the traditions narrated by Sunnis explaining its meaning as compiled by the Bahraini scholar in Chapter 115 of his work Ghayat al-Maram.

59. In chapter 224 of Ghayat al-Maram, the Bahraini scholar quotes twelve traditions from our sahihs testifying to the fact that this verse was revealed regarding ‘Ali's government and that of the Imams among his descendants, barring the leadership of all others. In Chapter 223, he states that al-Asfahani al-Amawi narrates the same about ‘Ali (as) quoting various sources.

60. In Chapter 48 of his Ghayat al-Maram, the Bahraini scholar quotes three ahadith narrated by Sunnis testifying to the fact that the "bliss" here is what Allah has blessed people through the government of His Messenger (pbuh), that of the Commander of the Faithful and Ahl al-Bayt (as). In Chapter 49, he quotes twelve ahadith from our sahihs reflecting the same; so, refer to it if you wish.

61. Only one Sunni faqih among the authors of books of traditions, namely Imam al-Wahidi, while commenting on Surat al-Ma'ida in his book Asbab al-Nuzul, quotes Abu Sa’id al-Khudri saying: "This verse was revealed on the Day of Ghadir Khumm in honour of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)." Imam al-Tha’labi has included it in his Tafsir from two sources, and al-Hamawani al-Shafi’i includes it in his Fara'id from various sources from Abu Hurayrah, and it is transmitted by Abu Na’im in his book Nuzul al-Qur'an from two sources: Abu Rafi’ and al-A’mash, both quoting ‘Atiyyah. In Ghyat al-Maram, there are nine ahadith narrated by Sunnis and eight authentic ones by Shi’as conveying the same meaning; so, refer to it in Chapters 37 and 38.

62. This text is stated by Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as), succeeded in narrating it by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq (as). According to authentic narrations, Sunnis have included six ahadith in their own books of traditions that in the end quote the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, quite clearly emphasizing this very theme. Its explanation exists in Chapters 39 and 40 of Ghayat al-Maram.

63. Imam al-Tha’labi has detailed the explanation of this matter in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, and it is transmitted by the Egyptian scholar al-Shiblinji who details ‘Ali's biography in his book Nur al-Absar, page 171, where he, too, explains it in detail. Al-Halabi mentions it at the conclusion of his chapter "Hijjatul Wada’" in Vol. 3 of his book Al-Sira al-Halabiyya. Al-Hakim narrates it in "Tafsir al-Ma’arij" in his Al-Mustadrak, page 502, Vol. 2.

64. Al-Daylami, as is the case with the explanation of this verse in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa states that Sa’id al-Khudri quotes the Prophet (pbuh) saying: "Follow in their footsteps, for they are responsible concerning ‘Ali's wilayat." Al-Wahidi, as is the case with the author of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, explains this verse by saying: "It has been narrated regarding Allah's statement: ‘Follow in their footsteps, for they are responsible...,' that the responsibility referred to here is regarding ‘Ali's government and that of Ahl al-Bayt (as),'" adding: "For Allah commanded His Prophet (pbuh) to make people aware of the fact that he does not ask them for any rewards for conveying His Message other than being kind to his kin..., that is, they will be asked if they properly submitted to their wilayat as the Prophet (pbuh) had instructed them, or if they lost it and discarded it, thus becoming subject to Allah's demands and the consequences of such discarding." Ibn Hajar includes it in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa among the verses revealed in their praise, being number 4 in such sequence, and he elaborates on it a great deal.

65. Refer to what Abu Na’im al-Hafiz has quoted in his Hilyat al-Awliya, and to what is recorded by al-Tha’labi, al-Nisaburi, and al-Barqi regarding its meaning in their own tafsir books, and to what Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamawini and other Sunnis have said. Also refer to what Abu ‘Ali al-Tibrisi has said while explaining its meaning in his book Mujma’ul Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, quoting the Commander of the Faithful (as). What Chapters 44 and 45 of Ghayat al-Maram state in this meaning is something that dispels all doubts.

66. Our own discourse about Ahl al-Bayt (as), while explaining this verse, testifies to this fact.

67. Ibn al-Maghazli al-Shafi’i quotes Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, was asked about the words which Adam had received from his Lord and whereby his repentance was accepted, he (pbuh) said: ‘He [Adam] asked Him by the prestige He held for Muhammad, ‘Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, and thus did He accept his repentance and forgive him.'" This is what we know for a fact to be the meaning of this verse.

68. Refer to Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa by Ibn Hajar who interprets the verse of the Almighty: "Allah would not torment them..." as verse 7 of those revealed in their honour as recorded in Chapter 11 of the said book where the author endorses our own view stated here.

69. This is admitted by Ibn Hajar who counts this verse among the ones revealed in their honour, numbering it 6 in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. Ibn al-Maghazli al-Shafi’i, as indicated in the explanation of this verse in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, quotes Imam al-Baqir (as) saying: "By Allah, we are the ones who are envied." In Chapters 60 and 61 of Ghayat al-Maram, as many as thirty authentic ahadith are recorded in this meaning.

70. This is quoted by Thiqatul-Islam Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni who quotes an authentic hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (as) saying: "We are a people the obedience to whom has been mandated by Allah, the Exalted and the Sublime; we are the ones who are deeply rooted in knowledge, and we are the ones who are envied. Allah Almighty has said: ‘Or should they envy (certain) people for what Allah has granted them out of His own favour?'" This has also been quoted by al-Shaykh in his Tahthib, also quoting Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him.

71. While explaining this verse in his Tafsir, al-Tha’labi quotes Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "The ‘a’raf' is an elevated place of the Sirat whereupon al-’Abbas, Hamzah, ‘Ali and Ja’far of the two wings identify the ones who love them by the sign of the whiteness of their countenance, and the ones who hate them by its blackness." Al-Hakim, too, has quoted ‘Ali (as) saying: "We shall stand, on the Day of Judgment, between Paradise and Hell, and we shall recognize those who support us by their mark and would let them enter Paradise, and we shall recognize those who hate us also by their marks." Salman al-Farisi is quoted saying: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: ‘O ‘Ali! You and the wasis from your descendants are on the A’raf.'" This is supported by the hadith quoted by Dar Qutni at the conclusion of Part Two, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. It indicates that ‘Ali (as) delivered a lengthy address to the six persons assigned by ‘Umar to be in charge of the shura in which he stated: "I ask you in the Name of Allah if anyone among you has been told similarly to what I was told by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, and that is: ‘O ‘Ali! You are the one who will designate the destination of every person on the Day of Judgment either to Paradise or to Hell'?" They responded: "No, indeed." Ibn Hajar states the following: "The meaning of this hadith is what is narrated by Antarah from Imam ‘Ali al-Rida (as) who quotes the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying the following to ‘Ali (as): ‘O ‘Ali! You are the one who will assign people to either Paradise or Hell on the Day of Judgment, telling Hell which one is hers and which one is not.'" Ibn Hajar says: "Ibn al-Sammak narrates that Abu Bakr has said to ‘Ali (as), may Allah be pleased with both men, "I have heard the Messenger of Allah saying: ‘Nobody can pass on the Sirat except the one permitted by ‘Ali.'"

72. In Section 5, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, Ibn Hajar, while discussing ‘Ali's assassination, indicates that when ‘Ali (as) was on the pulpit in Kufa, he was asked to explain the verse in which this phrase occurs: "Men who proved truthful to their promise to Allah," and he answered by saying: "O Lord! Forgive them; this verse was revealed in honour of myself, my uncle Hamzah, and my cousin ‘Ubaydah ibn al­Harith ibn al­Muttalib. ‘Ubaydah died a martyr in Badr; Hamzah died a martyr on Uhud; as to myself, I am awaiting a most painful death, when this shall be drenched from the blood of this," pointing with his hand to his beard and head respectively; "It is a true promise made to me by my beloved Father of al­Qasim, peace be upon him and his progeny." Al­Hakim, while interpreting this verse as quoted in al-Tibrisi's Mujma’ul Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, cites ‘Umar ibn Thabit quoting Abu Ishaq quoting ‘Ali, peace be upon him, saying: "On our own behalf was this verse revealed: ‘Men who proved truthful to their promise to Allah...,' and I by Allah am waiting, and I have never changed aught."

73. Mujahid and Ya’qub ibn Sufyan quote Ibn ‘Abbas's interpretation of the verse saying "And when they see trade or amusement, they rush to it, leaving you standing (for prayers alone)," thus: "Dahyah al­Kalbi once came from Syria on a Friday with a merchandise of foodstuff and he came to a place called Ahjar al­Zayt where he announced his presence by beating drums to invite people to him. People, therefore, rushed to him, leaving the Prophet (pbuh) standing on the pulpit preaching with only ‘Ali, al­Hasan, al­Husayn, Fatima, Salman, Abu Tharr, and al­Miqdad. The Prophet (pbuh) then said: ‘Allah has cast a look at my mosque on a Friday, and had it not been for the presence of these persons, He would have set the city on fire and hurled stones at its inhabitants as He did with the people of Lut.' Allah has revealed in honour of those who remained with the Messenger of Allah at the mosque the verse saying: ‘Praising Him therein, during the night and at early dawn, men whom neither trade nor sale can divert.'"

74. Al-Tha’labi, while discussing the meaning of this verse in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, quotes Anas ibn Malik and Burayd saying: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) once read the verse saying ‘... in houses which Allah has desired that they should be elevated, and His Name shall be mentioned therein,' whereupon Abu Bakr stood up and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is this house (then he pointed to the house where ‘Ali and Fatima where living) among them?' The Prophet (pbuh) answered: ‘Yes; one of their choicest." In Chapter 12 of Ghayat al-Maram, there are nine authentic ahadith through which the light of dawn shines.

75. This is a reference to the verse saying: "The similitude of His Light is a Lamp..." Ibn al-Maghazli al-Shafi’i has quoted ‘Ali ibn Ja’far in his Manaqib saying: "I asked the father of al-Hasan (Imam al-Kazim, peace be upon him) about the verse saying ‘... like a niche wherein a lamp...,' and he, peace be upon him, answered: ‘The niche is Fatima, the Lamp symbolizes al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and ‘the glass is like a shining star,' indicates that Fatima shone like a star among all the women of the world, receiving its fuel from a blessed tree, the family-tree of Ibrahim (Abraham), neither of the east nor of the west, neither Jewish nor Christian, ‘its oil almost shines (by itself),' indicates that knowledge almost speaks of itself even when no fire touches it, ‘light upon light,' wherein there is one Imam after anoother, ‘Allah guides whomsoever He pleases to His Light,' implies that Allah guides to our wilayat whomsoever He pleases.'" Suffices such an interpretation to be coming from a member of the household upon whom the revelation descended.

76. Al-Daylami, as in hadith 29, Part Two, Section 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa by Ibn Hajar, quotes ‘Ayesha, al-Tabrani, Ibn Mardawayh, all citing Ibn ‘Abbas saying that the Prophet (pbuh) has said: "The foremost in believing in the Prophets are three men: Joshua son of Nun who was the foremost in believing in Moses (as); the one referred to in Chapter Yasin who was the foremost in believing in Christ (as), and the foremost in believing in Muhammad is ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)." This hadith is quoted by al-Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad and the faqih Ibn al-Maghazli, both quoting Ibn ‘Abbas.

77. Ibn al-Najjar, as in hadith 30 referred to in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa quotes Ibn ‘Abbas saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "The siddiqs are three: Ezekiel, who was the foremost to believe [in Moses] from among the descendants of Pharaoh; Habib al-Najjar, who is referred to in Chapter Yasin, and ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)." Abu Na’im and Ibn ‘Asakir, as in hadith 31 referred to in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa quotes Ibn Abu Layla saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "The siddiqs are three: Habib al-Najjar, the believer referred to in Chapter Ali Yasin as saying: ‘O my people, follow the Messengers;' Ezekiel, who was the foremost to believe [in Moses] from among the descendants of Pharaoh, who said: ‘Do you kill a man just for saying that his Lord is Allah?' and ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as), who is the best of them.'" Sahihs are consecutively reported in stating that he is the supreme siddiq and the greatest faruq.

78. The most distinguished among Sunni Imams, namely Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad, has quoted Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh citing ‘Ali (as) saying: "This nation will be divided into seventy-three groups; with the exception of one, all the rest will go to Hell; this (lucky) group is the one in whose honour Allah, the Exalted and the omni-Scient, has said: ‘Among those whom We have created is a group that guides towards righteousness, and through righteousness (alone) do they achieve equity,' and they include me and my Shi’as."

79. In his Amali, Shaykh al-Tusi correctly quotes the Commander of the Faithful saying that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, once recited the following verse: "The companions of the Fire are not equal to those who are the companions of Paradise," whereupon he explained saying: "The companions of Paradise are those who have followed me and recognized the authority of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) after me." He was asked: "What about the companions of the Fire?" He answered: "These include the ones who are dissatisfied with his (‘Ali's) government, those who shall violate the covenant and fight him after my demise." This hadith is quoted by al-Saduq from ‘Ali, peace be upon him. Abul-Mu'ayyad Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad has quoted Jabir saying that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "By the One in whose hands my soul is, this (‘Ali) and his Shi’as are the winners on the Day of Judgment."

80. Refer to the meaning of this verse in ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim's tafsir if you wish, or Chapters 81 and 82 of Ghayat al-Maram.

81. This verse descended to honor al-Hamzah, ‘Ali (as), and ‘Ubaydah who came out to battle ‘Utbah, Shaybah, and al-Walid. The believers are Hamzah, ‘Ali (as), and ‘Ubaydah, and the ones who committed wrong deeds are ‘Utbah, Shaybah, and al-Walid. There are many authentic ahadith supporting this argument.

82. Suffices you for proof the fact that Ibn Hajar has admitted its revelation in their own honor, counting it among the verses in their favour, numbering it 11 among such verses in Part One, Chapter 11, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to it to see the verses we have quoted in reference to this verse in the chapter dealing with Sunnis giving credence to Shi’as in our book Al-Fusul al-Muhimma.

83. Al-Bukhari, in his explanation of the Qur'anic Chapter dealing with hajj, on page 107, Vol. 3, of his sahih, quotes ‘Ali (as) saying: "I am the first to kneel down to submit a complaint before Allah on the Day of Judgment." Al-Bukhari then quotes Qays saying: "On their behalf this verse was revealed: ‘These are two opponents who have brought their case before their Lord.' They are the ones who came out on Badr to battle ‘Ali (as) and his two companions, Hamzah and ‘Ubaydah, namely Shaybah ibn Rabi’ah and his two fellows ‘Utbah ibn Rabi’ah and al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah." On the same page, he quotes Abu Tharr saying that he used to swear by the verse referring to the two opponents who disputed about their Lord which was revealed in honour of ‘Ali (as) and two of his companions, and about ‘Utbah and both of his companions when they came out to duel at Badr.

84. This verse was revealed on behalf of the Commander of the Faithful (as) versus al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abu Ma’it, without any argument. This is ascertained by traditionists and endorsed by scholars of exegesis. Imam Abul-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi, while discussind this verse in his book Asbab a-Nuzul, quotes Sa’id ibn Jubayr citing Ibn ‘Abbas saying that al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abu Ma’it once said to ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as): "I am stronger than you; my speech is more eloquent, and I am faster than you in raising an army." ‘Ali (as) said: "Say no more, for you are none other than a debauchee," whereupon the verse "Is that who is a believer similar to that who is a debauchee? They certainly are not alike," was revealed, describing ‘Ali (as) as the believer and al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah as the debauchee.

85. This verse was revealed in honour of ‘Ali (as), his uncle al-’Abbas, and Talhah ibn Shaybah who started thus bragging: "I am in charge of the House (Ka’ba); I have its keys, and mine is its covering cloth." Al-’Abbas said: "I am the one in charge of siqaya and maintenance." ‘Ali (as) said: "I do not know what you both say, for I have said my prayers in the company of the one [Prophet Muhammad, pbuh] who leads the jihad six months prior to anyone else among all people," whereupon Allah revealed the verse cited above. This is stated by Imam al-Wahidi while explaining the meaning of this verse in his book Asbab al-Nuzul citing al-Hasan al-Basri, al-Sha’bi, and al-Qurtubi. He also quotes Ibn Sirin and Murrah al-Hamadani saying that ‘Ali (as) said the following to al-’Abbas once: "Aren't you going to migrate? Aren't you going to join the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny?" He answered: "Do not I have a responsibility that is superior to the migration? Do not I provide water to the pilgrims of the House of Allah and maintain its Haram?" whereupon this verse was revealed.

86. On page 4, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, al-Hakim quotes Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "‘Ali has bartered his own life and has, indeed, put on the Prophet's garb." Al-Hakim testifies to the authenticity of this hadith according to the endorsement of both Shaykhs, although the latter did not narrate it themselves. In his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, al-Hakim admits the same on the said page, quoting Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Husain (as) saying: "The first to barter his life for the Pleasure of Allah is ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) who slept in the bed of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)," then he quoted a few verses of poetry attributed to ‘Ali (as) beginning with these:

I have safeguarded with my own life and strength

That of the best who walked on the surface of earth,

And circled the Ancient House, though alone,

And also around the [Black] Stone.

87. Traditionists, scholars of exegesis, and authors who have written about the causes of revelation of the Holy Qur'an have all quoted Ibn ‘Abbas explaining the verse reading: "Those who spend their wealth in charity at night, during the day, in secrecy, and in the open," by saying: "This verse was revealed in honour of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) who had once in his possession four dirhams; he spent one of them in the Cause of Allah at night, one during the day, one in secrecy, and in public also one; therefore, this verse was revealed to appreciate what he did." Imam al-Wahidi, too, has quoted this hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas in his book Asbabul-Nuzul. He also quotes Mujahid narrating it, and he transmits it from al-Kalbi in more detail.

88. The one who has brought forth the truth is the Messenger of Allah, and the one who has believed therein is the Commander of the Faithful (as), according to the hadith of al-Baqir, al-Sadiq, al-Kazim, al-Rida, peace be upon all of them, as well as by Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn al-hanafiyyah, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan, the martyred Zayd ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, and ‘Ali ibn Ja’far al-Sadiq (as). The Commander of the Faithful used to use this verse as a testimonial. Ibn al-Maghazli, in his Manaqib, quotes Mujahid saying: "The one who has brought the truth is Muhammad (pbuh), and the one who has believed in him is ‘Ali (as)." Both huffaz, that is, Ibn Mardawayh and Abu Na’im, have quoted it, and so have others.

89. In his exegesis of Surat al-Tur on page 468, Vol. 2, of his authentic Al-Mustadrak, al-Hakim quotes Ibn ‘Abbas paraphrasing the verse reading: "And those who believe and whose families follow them in faith, to them shall We join their families: nor shall We deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their good deeds; yet each individual is pawned to what deeds he has done," by saying: "Allah shall elevate the status of a believer's descendants so that they would be able to join him in Paradise, even if they may be in a lower station," then he recited the same verse again and said: "Allah says He will not decrease their rewards aught."

90. This is the third verse of the ones enUmarated by Ibn Hajar in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. The author goes on to say that a group of scholars of exegesis have quoted Ibn ‘Abbas saying: "The implication of this verse is to send salutations unto Muhammad's Progeny (as)." Ibn Hajar says that al-Kalbi, too, has given it the same meaning, then he adds: "Al-Fakhr al-Razi has stated that the Prophet's Progeny constitutes his [‘Ali's] peer in five instances: Allah has greeted him by saying: ‘Peace be unto you, O Messenger, and unto the Progeny of Yasin,' in sending prayers unto him and them in tashahhud, sadaqa, and tahara, when the Almighty says: ‘Taha,' that is, tahir, purified, and: ‘... purifies you with a perfect purification;' in loving them, saying: ‘Follow me so that Allah may love you,' and also: ‘Say: I do not ask you for any reward other than being kind to my kin.'"

91. Al-Bukhari has quoted it in his tafsir of the holy Qur'an, in Vol. 3 of his Sahih, in a chapter dealing with the verse "Allah and His angels send salutations unto Muhammad," in his exegesis of Surat al-Ahzab. It is also quoted by Muslim in a chapter on sending greetings unto the Prophet (pbuh) in his book on prayers in Vol. 1 of his Sahih, and it is quoted by all traditionists from Ka’b ibn ‘Ajrah.

92. Refer to the second of these verses on page 87.

93. Al-Tha’labi, while discussing its meaning in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, quotes hadith in which the Messenger of Allhh, peace be upon him and his progeny, says: "Tuba is a tree in Paradise whose root is in my home and whose branch overshadows the residents of Paradise." Some people asked: "O Messenger of Allah! We have asked you before about it, and you told us that its root is in ‘Ali's home and its branch is above the residents of Paradise," whereupon he, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "Aren't my home and ‘Ali's the same?"

94. Thiqatul-Islam al-Kulayni has quoted in an authentic hadith Salim saying that he once asked Abu Ja’far (Imam al-Baqir) about the meaning of the verse: "Then We let those whom We have selected from among Our servants inherit the Book." The Imam, peace be upon him, explained it as follows: "The one who rushes to do good deeds is the Imam; the one who is moderate is the one who knows the value of the Imam; and the one who does injustice to his own self is the one who is not aware of the significance of the Imam." Something similar to this is cited from Imams Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq (as), Abul-Hasan al-Kazim, and Abul-Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon them, who are quoted by al-Saduq and by many others among our narrators. Ibn Mardawayh quotes ‘Ali (as) explaining this verse thus: "The ones implied in this verse are we," and the details are available in our book Tanzil al-Ayat, as well as in Ghayat al-Maram.

95. This is quoted by Ibn ‘Asakir from Ibn ‘Abbas, as stated in Section 3, Chapter 9, page 76, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

96. This Letter has grown quite lengthy because the topic demands it to be as such. Scholars are not bored by its length due to its contents that include precious benefits sought by every researcher and critic. Other than these, let whoever is bored read a portion of it, and let him judge the rest of it accordingly, then let him go directly to Letter No. 17 and the ones that succeed it. For fear of boring you by such a lengthy Letter, we have refrained from including it in lists of books containing valuable and very interesting information.

97. Upon mentioning Isma’il ibn ‘Abbad, al-Thahbi departs from his usual approach in his Al-Mizan, listing him before Isma’il ibn Aban al-Ghanawi and Isma’il ibn Aban al-Azdi. He has, indeed, greatly wronged his own self, discarding all basic rights.

98. A collar put around the dog's neck; the meaning here is that his time to depart has come when a rope is tightened around his neck.

99. See page 196 of the abridged version of Al-Jami’ Baynal ‘Ilmi wa Fad'ilih by the contemporary scholar Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Muhammasani al-Beiruti.

100. Refer to page 199 of its summary in the book written by the scholar Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Muhammasani al-Beiruti.

101. Ibn ‘Adi quotes a chain of narrators including al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Sukuni al-Kufi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Sukuni, Salih ibn al-Aswad, al-A’mash, and ‘Atiyyah, stating that Jarir was asked once: "How was ‘Ali's status among your folks?" Jarir answered: "He was the best of mankind." This has been quoted by Muhammad Ahmad al-Thahbi in his biography of Salih ibn Abul-Aswad in Al-Mizan. In spite of al-Thahbi's extreme fanaticism, all he had to say in his comment about this hadith is his statement: "He probably meant during his [‘Ali's] lifetime."

102. His statement "What a great man ‘Ali was," though flattering, does not do justice to the status of the Imam, peace be upon him, even coming from one of his adversaries. Sharik's rejection of such a feeble compliment and his anger thereat are, according to the norms of tradition, justified. There is quite a difference between the statement of this Omayyad vagabond who infers "What a great man ‘Ali was," having heard ‘Ali's outstanding virtues, as well as the verses of the Exalted and Almighty stating: "We have decreed, and the most capable of decreeing are We..." The comparison between the statement of that Omayyad man and those of Allah is indeed quite manifest; yet Allah Almighty did not content Himself with just saying "What a great servant of Allah he is," but also added: "He is oft-returning;" so, Wafiyyat al-A’yan does not provide any answer to such a question.

103. He was also one of those who were put in charge of fighting the renegades as Ibn Hajar indicates as he discusses Sihan ibn Sawhan in Part One of his Al-Isabah.

104. It was said to al-Sha’bi, as mentioned in the biography of Rashid al-Hijri in al-Thahbi's Al-Mizan, "What is the matter with you? Why do you find fault with ‘Ali's companions? Haven't you learned what you have learned from any of them?" He asked: "From whom?" They answered: "From al-Harith and Sa’sa’ah." He said: "As regarding Sa’sa’ah, he was, indeed, an eloquent orator, and I learned from him how to deliver sermons, and truly al-Harith was an expert in mathematics, and from him did I learn the same."

105. Suffices you for proof testifying to this fact what is mentioned by Ibn Hajar in his biography in Part Three of his Isabah, Vol. 2, page 241.

106. Yes, he was agreed upon by those who are fair, and they included it in their sahihs with satisfaction. Those who opposed it are the Nasibis and Kharijites. It includes what is narrated by Ahmad ibn al-Azhar, who is unanimously considered as an authority, saying: "‘Abdel-Razzaq has taught me a few exclusive ahadith which he knows through a chain of narrators that includes Mu’ammar, al-Zuhri, and ‘Ubaydullah and ends with Ibn ‘Abbas who says that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked once at ‘Ali and said: ‘You are a chief in this life, and a chief in the life to come; whoever loves you loves me, and whoever hates you hates me; the one you love is loved by Allah, and the one you dislike is disliked by Allah; woe unto those who despise you.'" This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 128, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, followed by the author's comment thus: "This is an authentic hadith according to the authority of both Shaykhs." Among others is what ‘Abdel-Razzaq has narrated from Mu’ammar, from Ibn Najih, from Mujahid, from Ibn ‘Abbas who says that Fatima (as) once said: "O Messenger of Allah! You have married me to a provider who has no money." He said: "Are you not pleased that Allah cast a look at the inhabitants of the earth and chose from among them two men, and He made one of them your father and the other your husband?" This hadith is quoted by al-Hakim on page 129, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak through Sarih ibn Younus, Abu Hafs, al-A’mash, Abu Salih, up to Abu Hurayrah.

107. Allah forbid that they have abominations only Mu’awiyah and his oppressive gang are more likely to have. Among such abominations is narrated by ‘Abdel-Razzaq through a chain of narrators that includes: Ibn ‘Ayinah, ‘Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jath'an, Abu Nadrah, up to Abu Sa’d who quotes the Prophet (pbuh) saying: "If you see Mu’awiyah sitting on my pulpit, kill him."

108. The reason for this is the fact that he, peace be upon him and his progeny, died in 148 at the age of 65.

109. The demise of Imam al-Jawad, peace be upon him, took place in 220; he was 25 years old. They have committed a mistake those who say that ‘Abdel-Razzaq narrated hadith from al-Baqir, for al-Baqir, peace be upon him, died in 114 at the age of 57, twelve years prior to ‘Abdel-Razzaq's birth.

110. This can be extracted from the biography of his grandfather Sa’d ibn Janadah in Part One of the Al-Isabah.

111. Some say "Ibn Fayruz," others say "Ibn Fayruzan," while still others call him "Ibn ‘Ali."

112. Some say in the year 201, while others say it was the year 204.

113. As in Zubayd al-Yami's biography in Al-Mizan. We have quoted this statement from al-Jawzjani while discussing the biographies of Zubayd, al-A’mash, and Abu Ishaq, and we included noteworthy comments on them.

114. As on page 263, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by Ibn Abul Hadid, Egyptian edition. As regarding his book Naqd al-’Uthmaniyya, it is a unique book worthy of the attention of any seeker of the truth. It is on page 257 and its succeeding pages up to page 281, Vol. 3, of the Sharh, at the end the commentary at the conclusion of the "qasi’a" sermon.

115. Refer to the fourth page of that chapter, or to page 381 of the first volume of Al-Sira al-Halabiyya. Ibn Taymiyyah's wrecklessness is unfair, and his judgment is due to his well-known fanaticism. This hadith is quoted by the Egyptian sociologist Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal; refer to the second column on page five of the supplement to issue 2751 of his newspaper Al-Siyasa dated Thul-Qi’da 12, 1350, and you will find it there explained in detail. If you refer to the fourth column on page six of the supplement to issue 2785 of the same newspaper, you will find the author quoting this hadith from Muslim's , Ahmad's musnad, ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad's Ziyadat al-Musnad, Ibn Hajar al-Haithami's Jami’ul Fara'id, Ibn Qutaybah's ‘Uyun al-Akhbar, Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Rabbih's Al-’Iqd al-Farid, ‘Amr ibn Bahr al-Jahiz in his dissertation on the descendants of Hashim, and Imam Abu Ishaq al-Tha’labi's Tafsir. This hadith is also quoted by the British author Georges in his well-known book A Treatise on Islam, translated into the Arabic by an atheist from a Protestant descent calling himself Hashim al-’Arabi. You can also find this hadith on page 79 of the treatise's Arabic version, 6th edition. Due to the fame this hadith enjoys, a few non-Arab writers have included it in their books, especially in French, English and German. In his book Heroes and Hero Worship, Thomas Carlyle quotes it briefly.

116. Refer to hadith 6008 on page 392, and you will find it quoted from Ibn Jarir, while hadith 1045 on page 396 is quoted from Ahmad's Musnad and from al-Dia al-Maqdisi's Al-Mukhtara, and from al-Tahawi. Ibn Jarir has verified it. Also refer to hadith 6056 on page 397 and you will find it quoted from Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, Abu Na’im, al-Bayhaqi on the branches of faith, and in the Dala'il, and hadith 6102 on page 401 and you will find it quoted from Ibn Mardawayh, and hadith 6155 on page 408 and you will find it quoted from Ahmad's Musnad and from Ibn Jarir from Al-Diya fil Mukhtara. Whoever researches Kanz al-’Ummal will find this hadith in various places throughout the book. If you look into page 255, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by the Mu’tazilite Imam Ibn Abul-Hadid, or at the end of the explanation of the "qasi’a sermon" in it, you will find this hadith in its entirety.

117. Refer to hadith 6045 of the hadith included in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 396, Vol. 6, where you will find reference made to Ibn Jarir's verification of this hadith. If you refer to Muntakhab al-Kanz, the beginning of the footnote on page 44, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad, you will find reference to Ibn Jarir's verification of this hadith. As regarding Abu Ja’far al-Iskafi, he has emphatically judged its accuracy in his book Naqd al-’Uthmaniyya; so, refer to the text of page 263, Vol. 3 of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by al-Hadid, Egyptian edition.

118. Both al-Bukhari and Muslim have relied on him in their sahihs. They have both learned hadith from Shu’bah, and Bukhari has learned it from ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, while Muslim has learned hadith from Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah and Hammad ibn Salamah. His hadith is narrated in Bukhari by Muhammad ibn Hatim ibn Bazi’. In Muslim's Sahih he is quoted by Harun ibn ‘Abdullah the critic, and by Abu Shaybah and Zuhayr.

119. Muslim has relied on his authority in his Sahih, as we explained when we discussed him in Letter No. 16.

120. Both Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority in their respective sahihs, as we have stated while discussing him in Letter No. 16.

121. Al-Bukhari has relied on him, as we explained when we mentioned him in Letter No. 16.

122. His full name is ‘Abbad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam al-Qarashi al-Asadi. Al-Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority in their respective sahihs. He has heard hadith from Asma' and ‘Ayesha daughters of Abu Bakr. He is quoted in both sahihs by Ibn Abu Malka, Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn al-Zubayr, and Hisham ibn ‘Umar.

123. Letter No. 26 contains his admission of its authenticity.

124. This occurs in his section dealing with ‘Ali's virtues at the beginning of page 324, Vol. 2, of his Sahih.

125. Al-Hakim, too, quotes it at the beginning of page 109, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity due to its being endorsed by Muslim.

126. This occurs in the fifth maqsad of Al-Maqasid when the author discusses verse 14 in Section 11, page 107, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

127. He says that others have quoted it, and that some added to it "Get up; may Allah never allow you to stand up," and his name is omitted from the diwan, to the end of his quotation on page 107 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. This proves that a group of late traditionists besides Ahmad has quoted the status hadith from Mu’awiyah.

128. As we mentioned in the beginning of this Letter, quoting the fifth maqsad of the Maqasid of verse 14 of the verses discussed in Chapter 11, Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, page 107.

129. As Ibn Hajar describes in the first hadith of the forty ones which he discusses in the second section of chapter 9, page 72, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. Al-Sayyuti has stated the following while discussing ‘Ali (as) in his chapter on the righteous caliphs: "Al-Tabrani has quoted this hadith from all these men, adding to them Asma' bint Qays."

130. Al-Sayyuti indicates so while discussing ‘Ali (as) in his chapter on the caliphs on page 65.

131 As attested to by hadith 2504 of the hadith of Kanz al-’Ummal, page 152, Volume 6.

132. She is daughter of Milhan ibn Khalid al-Ansari and sister of Haram ibn Milhan. Her father and brother were martyred in the company of the Prophet (pbuh). She possessed a great deal of accomplishment and wisdom. She narrated a few ahadith of the Prophet (pbuh), and she is quoted by her son Anas, in addition to Ibn ‘Abbas, Zayd ibn Thabit, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, and by others.

She is considered to be in the first row of those who accepted and supported the Islamic faith, and she herself was a caller to Islam. During the pre-Islamic period of jahiliyya, she was in love with Malik ibn al-Nadar from whom she conceived her son Anas ibn Malik. At the dawn of Islam, she was among the foremost to embrace it, and she invited her husband Malik to believe in Allah and His Messenger, but he refused; so, she deserted him, and he in his rage moved to Syria where he died as a kafir. She advised her son, who was then ten years old, to serve the Prophet (pbuh), and the Prophet (pbuh) accepted his service in order to please her.

Many Arab men of prestige sought her hand, but she always used to say: "I shall not get married except when Anas reaches manhood;" so, Anas always used to say: "May Allah reward my mother, for she took very good care of me." Due to her own influence, Abu Talhah al-Ansari became Muslim. He sought her hand when he was still kafir, but she refused to marry him unless he embraced Islam; so, he accepted her invitation to embrace the new faith, and his dowery to her was his own acceptance of Islam.

She conceived a son by him, but the baby fell sick and died; so, she said: "Nobody should mention his death to his father before me." When her husband came home and inquired about his son, she said: "He is in most content;" so he thought that she meant their son was asleep. She served him his dinner, then she put on her best clothes and perfume, and he went to bed with her. The next day she said to him: "Pray for your son's soul."

Abu Talha narrated this story to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who said to him: "Allah blessed you last night." She continues to say that he (pbuh) invoked Allah to provide me with what I wanted and even more. In that same night, she conceived ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Talha upon whom Allah showered His blessings. He is the father of Ishaq ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Talha, the faqih, and his brothers were ten; each one of them was a man of knowledge.

Umm Salim used to participate in the Prophet's military campaigns. On the Day of Uhud, she had a dagger to stab any infidel who would come near her. She rendered Islam a great service, and I do not know any woman besides her whom the Prophet (pbuh) used to visit in her own house and she would offer him a present. She was aware of the status of his progeny, knowledgeable of their rights... May Allah shower His choicest mercy on her.

133. This hadith, I mean Umm Salim's, is number 2554 of the ones numbered in Kanz al-’Ummal as narrated on page 154 of its sixth volume. It also exists in Muntakhab al-Kanz; so, refer to the last line of the footnote on page 31 of Volume 5 of Ahmad's Musnad, where you will find it verbatim.

134. This is quoted by al-Hasan ibn Badr, al-Hakim in his chapter on kunyat, al-Shirazi in his chapter on surnames, volume six, and by Ibn al-Najjar. It is hadith 6029 and also 6032 of the ones numbered in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 395.

135. Discussing the biography of ‘Ali (as) in his Isti’ab, Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr describes him thus: "He made brotherhood with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, among the immigrants, then between the immigrants and the supporters. In each of these instances, he (pbuh) said to ‘Ali (as): ‘You are my brother in this life and the life hereafter,' then he made brotherhood between himself and ‘Ali (as)." The details are in the books of traditions and history. For the details of the first brotherhood, refer to page 26, Vol. 2, of Al-Sira al-Halabiyya, and in the second brotherhood on page 120, Vol. 2, also of Al-Sira al-Halabiyya, where you will find how the Prophet (pbuh) favoured ‘Ali (as) in both occasions over everyone else. In Al-Sira al-Dahlaniyya, the details of the circumstances of the first brotherhood and those of the second are similar to what is published in Al-Sira al-Halabiyya. The author also stated that the second brotherhood took place five months after the migration.

136. This is quoted from Ahmad and Ibn ‘Asakir by a group of trusted authorities such as al-Muttaqi al-Hindi; so, refer to hadith 918 of his Kanz al-’Ummal at the beginning of page 40 of its fifth volume. It is also quoted on page 390, Vol. 6, from Ahmad's book Manaqib ‘Ali, numbering it hadith 4972.

137. This is quoted from these Imams by a group of trusted authorities such as al-Muttaqi al-Hindi at the beginning of page 41, Vol. 5, of of his Kanz al-’Ummal, numbering it hadith 919.

138. This is quoted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in his Kanz al-’Ummal and Al-Muntakhab; so, refer to the Muntakhab's footnote on page 31 of its fifth volume regarding Ahmad's Musnad, and you will find it verbatim just as we have quoted it here. It is not difficult to sift the gist of the phrase "You have angered ‘Ali (as)" and comprehend the meanings of companionship, compassion, and the love of a compassionate and kind father to his son. If you wonder how ‘Ali had some doubts in the second time he was left behind, although in the first time he had some doubt, too, then he found out that the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, had kept him there just for himself, and why he did not consider the second incident in the light of the first. The answer is that the second incident could not be compared with the first one, for the first was regarding the immigrants in particular; so, the comparison did not forbid the prophet (pbuh) from creating brotherhood with ‘Ali (as), contrary to the second which was between the immigrants and the supporters. One immigrant in the second instance may be joined in brotherhood to a supporter, and vice versa. Since the prophet and the wasi were both immigrants, the assumption in the second instance was that they should not be brothers; so, ‘Ali thought that his brother would be a supporter, just like others by way of comparison. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not create brotherhood between him and any of the supporters, some doubt entertained his mind, but Allah and His Messenger insisted on favouring him, and so it was: he and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) became brothers, contrary to the common norm of practice among all the immigrants and supporters at that time and place.

139. This is quoted by the traditionists according to their own authentic sources of the traditions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny. Refer to pages 265 and 168, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak, and you will find the text of this hadith described as authentic according to the endorsement of both Shaykhs. Imam Ahmad has also quoted it from ‘Ali's hadith on page 98, Vol. 1, of his Musnad. Ibn ‘Abdel-Birr, too, quotes the biography of the grandson of the Prophet al-Hasan (as) from Isti’ab, and even al-Thahbi quotes it in his Talkhis, taking its authenticity for granted, in spite of his fanaticism and deviation from this nation's Aaron, and from its Shabar and Shubayr. It is also quoted by al-Baghwi in his Mu’jam, and ‘Abdul-Ghani from his Idah, as is recorded on page 115 of Al-Sawaiq al-Muhriqa, from Salman whose text is almost similar, and also from Ibn ‘Asakir.

140. Al-Hakim has quoted it on page 14, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak as narrated by Ibn ‘Umar from two authentic sources and endorsed by both Shaykhs. Al-Thahbi has also quoted it in his Talkhis, taking its authenticity for granted. Al-Tirmithi, too, quotes it as cited by Ibn Hajar on page 72 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to the seventh hadith of the ones included in Section 2 of Chapter 9 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. All those who have discussed the brotherhood hadith among writers of traditions and chronicles have accepted it without any argument.

141. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 159, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak. Al-Thahbi, too, has quoted it in his Talkhis, admitting its authenticity. Ibn Hajar copies it in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. All those who wrote about the wedding of al-Zahra' (as) have, without any exception, mentioned it.

142. This is included by al-Shirazi in his chapter on surnames, and by Ibn al-Najjar who quotes Ibn ‘Umar. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi has transmitted it in his Kanz al-’Ummal and Al-Muntakhab which he attaches to the footnote of his Musnad; so, refer to the second line of the footnote on page 32 of its fifth volume.

143. Al-Hakim quotes it on page 217, Vol. 3, of his Mustadrak, the authenticity of whose narrators is endorsed by Muslim. Al-Thahbi has admitted the same in his own Talkhis.

144. Al-Tabrani has quoted it in his Al-Kabir from Ibn ‘Umar, and it is transmitted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in his Kanz al-’Ummal as well as Al-Muntakhab; so, refer to Al-Muntakhab to see the inclusion of the footnote on page 32, Vol. 5, of the Musnad.

145. This is quoted by Ibn Sa’d on page 51, Part Two, Vol. 2, of his Tabaqat, and also on page 55, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

146. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Al-Awsat, by al-Khatib in his Al-Muttafaq wal-Muftaraq, and it is transmitted by the author of Kanz al-’Ummal; so, refer to Al-Muntakhab and see the inclusion of a footnote on page 35, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad. It is also transmitted by Ibn ‘Asakir in his footnote on page 46.

147. This is quoted by authors of books of traditions in their respective works, and it is briefly referred to by Imam Fakhrul-Din al-Razi as he interprets this verse of Surat al-Baqara, on page 189, Vol. 2, of his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir.

148. This is quoted by al-Nisa'i in Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, and by al-Hakim at the beginning of page 112, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, by Abu Shaybah and Ibn Abu ‘Asim in Al-Sunnah, and by Abu Na’im in Al-Ma’rifa. It is also transmitted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz al-’Ummal and Muntakhab al-Kanz. Refer to Al-Muntakhab and read what Ahmad has included in the footnote on page 40, Vol. 5, of his Musnad.

149. Refer to page 126, Vol. 3, of the Al-Mustadrak. It is quoted by al-Thahbi in his Talkhis, where the author does not dispute its authenticity at all.

150. This is quoted by Ibn ‘Abdl al-Birr in ‘Ali's biography in the Isti’ab, in addition to many other trusted authorities.

151. This is quoted by Ibn Sa’d while discussing Badr's military campaign in his Tabaqat, page 15, part One, Vol. 2.

152. As Dar Qutni quotes in the fifth maqsad of the Maqasid of the verse enjoining kindness to the Prophet's kin, and it is verse 14 of the ones counted by Ibn Hajar in Part 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to page 107 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

153. This hadith is quite lengthy, and it contains ten exclusive merits of ‘Ali, and we have quoted it Letter No. 26.

154. It exists on page 125, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. It is quoted by Abu Ya’li, as stated in Part 3, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to page 76 of this book. It is also quoted in this meaning in almost similar wording by Ahmad ibn Hanbal while quoting ahadith by ‘Umar and his son ‘Abdullah, and by many other trusted traditionists through various avenues.

155. As stated at the beginning of page 17, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. This hadith is included in Sunni books of traditions, and it is quoted by many trusted Sunni authorities.

156. As quoted about him by Ahmad on page 369, Vol. 4, of the Musnad. It is also quoted by al-Diya as stated in Kanz al-’Ummal and its Muntakhab; so, refer to Al-Muntakhab to see what is included in the footnote for page 29 of the fifth volume of the Musnad.

157. As he is quoted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi at the end of the footnote on the page referred to above.

158. As quoted by al-Tirmithi in his Sahih and quoted from him by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi as we have stated when referring to his Muntakhab. It is also quoted by al-Bazzaz from Sa’d, as stated in hadith 13 of the ahadith which Ibn Hajar quotes in Section 2, Chapter 9, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to page 73 of the same.

159. As they are quoted by ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Khatib, the Shafi’i faqih who is better known as Ibn al-Maghazli, in his book Al-Manaqib from various sources, and transmitted by the trusted researcher al-Balkhi in Chapter 17 of his Yanabi’ al-Mawaddah

160. This is quoted by Imam Abu Ishaq al-Tha’labi from Abu Tharr al-Ghifari in his interpretation of the following verse of Surat al-Ma'ida: "Verily, your wali are: Allah, His Messenger, and the Believers," in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, similar to which is transmitted from Imam Ahmad's Musnad by the Balkhi researcher.

161. This is quoted by Abu Dawud and other authors of books of traditions from Abu ‘Awanah al-Waddah ibn ‘Abdullah al-Yashkuri through a chain of narrators: Abu Balj Yahya ibn Salim al-Fizari, ‘Amr ibn Maymun al-’Awdi, ending with Ibn ‘Abbas. The men who have quoted this tradition are all authorities in their own right, and they are relied upon by both Shaykhs in their respective sahihs with the exception of Yahya ibn Salim whom they do not quote, yet even the pioneers of criticism and verification have all declared his trustworthiness, and that he used to mention the name of Allah most frequently. Al-Thahbi, while stating his biography in his Al-Mizan, quotes Ibn Ma’in, al-Nisa'i, Dar Qutni, Muhammad ibn Sa’id, Abu Hatim, and many others all testifying to the fact that the man is a trusted authority.

162. This is quoted by many authors of books of traditions such as Imam al-Nisa'i in his Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (when quoting ‘Umran's hadith at the beginning of page 438, Vol. 4, of his Musnad), al-Hakim on page 111, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity due to its endorsement by Muslim. It is quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah and Ibn Jarir, and the hadith both men quote from him has been verified by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi at the beginning of page 400, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. It is also quoted by al-Tirmithi from reliable sources as mentioned by al-’Asqalani while discussing ‘Ali's biography in his Al-Isabah. The Mu’tazilite scholar has quoted it on page 450, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, commenting: "This is narrated by Abu ‘Abdullah Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] in his Musnad in more than one place." He also narrates it in his book Fada'il ‘Ali [‘Ali's virtues], and it is narrated by most traditionists.

163. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, as long as he lived, never required anyone to issue orders to ‘Ali; on the contrary, he vested upon him the responsibility of issuing orders to others. He was his standard-bearer in every campaign, unlike many others. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were both ordinary soldiers in Usamah's troops, serving under the standard tied for him by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who ordered him to take charge of the Mu'ta expedition. He personally enlisted both men, according to the consensus of chroniclers, and he also made them soldiers of Ibn al-’As. These facts are stated by al-Hakim on page 43, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, and they are cited by al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, admitting the authenticity of the hadith. As regarding ‘Ali himself, he was never to receive orders, nor to be the subject of anyone other than the Prophet himself since the inception of his mission and till his demise, peace be upon him and his progeny.

164. This is quoted by Ahmad on page 356 from ‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah who quotes his father. On page 347, Vol. 5, of his Musnad, relying on a chain of narrators including Sa’id ibn Jubayr and Ibn ‘Abbas, he quotes Buraydah saying: "I participated in ‘Ali's campaign against Yemen, and I felt that his attitude towards me was cool. When I came to the Messenger of Allah and mentioned ‘Ali, I belittled him. Having done so, I saw the face of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) change colour, and he said to me: ‘O Buraydah! Do I not have more authority over the believers than the believers have over their own selves?' I answered: ‘Yes, indeed, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: ‘To whomsoever I am a mawla, ‘Ali is his mawla.'" This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 110, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, in addition to many traditionists. It is, as you see, quite clear in its gist, for when he starts with the question "Do I not have more authority over the believers than the believers have over their own selves?" he bears testimony to the meaning of "mawla" in this hadith to be "the one who is awla, i.e. most worthy of ruling" them, as is quite obvious. Similar to this hadith is what has been quoted by many traditionists such as Imam Ahmad at the end of page 483, Vol. 3, of his Musnad, from ‘Amr ibn Shas al-Aslami, one of those who were present at Hudaybiya, who quotes the same adding: "I accompanied ‘Ali to Yemen, and he was cool to me during the trip, so much so that I concealed some feelings against him. When I came back, I complained about him at the mosque till the news reached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). I entered the mosque one afternoon, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, was present there accompanied by many of his companions. As soon as he saw me, he stared at me till I sat down. He said to me: ‘O ‘Amr! By Allah you have hurt me.' I said: ‘I seek refuge with Allah against hurting you, O Messenger of Allah!' He said: ‘Yes; whoever hurts ‘Ali hurts me, too.'"

165. As he is quoted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi on page 398, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. He is also quoted in Muntakhab al-Kanz.

166. When he was told that ‘Ali was created of his own mould, peace be upon him and his progeny, thus by necessity becoming superior to this man, he said: "And I am created of Ibrahim's mould," mistakingly thinking that Ibrahim (Abraham) is superior to him, peace be upon him and his progeny, which contradicts the truth of the matter.

167. Ibn Jarir has quoted this hadith from al-Tabrani who includes it on page 103 of his book Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa while discussing the second maqsad of verse 14 of the ones which he discusses in Chapter 11 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. But when he comes to the statement "Have you not come to know that ‘Ali's share is more than a slave-girl?" his pen halts, and he cannot finish the hadith in its entirety! This is not strange, coming from him and his likes; and praise be to Allah for our good health.

168. This is quoted by al-Hakim at the beginning of page 134, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak, al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity, al-Nisa'i on page 6 of his Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, and Imam Ahmad on page 331, Vol. 1, of his Musnad. We have quoted it verbatim at the beginning of Letter No. 26.

169. This hadith is number 6048 among the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 396, Vol. 6.

170. This hadith is numbered 2579 among the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 155, Vol. 6.

171. This is transmitted by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi from Ibn Abu ‘Asim on page 397, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

172. This is why people in Syria call a Shi’ah "mutawali," due to his taking for mawla Allah, His Messenger, and those who have truly believed, that is, those in whose honour the same verse was revealed. Linguistically, the "mutawali" is singular, and the "mutawla" are the Shi’ahs. They are so-called because they accepted the wilayat of ‘Ali and Ahl al-Bayt (as).

173. It is hadith number 5991 of the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal on page 391, Vol. 6.

174. He died in 337. Ibn Khallikan mentions him in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan saying: "He was the unique authority of his time in the science of exegesis; he wrote Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, which surpassed all other books of tafsir," and he goes on to say: "He is mentioned by ‘Abdul-Ghafir ibn Isma’il al-Farisi in his book Siyaq Nisabur, where the author lauds him and describes him as ‘accurate in transmitting, trustworthy.'"

175. This is similar in meaning to the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: "You, folks of Quraysh, shall never cease feuding till Allah sends you a man the sincerity of whose faith He has tested to strike your necks with his sword, while you run away in fear like frightened cattle." Abu Bakr asked: "Is it I, O Messenger of Allah?" He answered: "No." ‘Umar asked: "Is it I, O Messenger of Allah?" He answered: "No; but it is he that mends the sandal." The narrator continues to say: "‘Ali then had in his hand the Prophet's sandal which he was mending for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny." This hadith has been recorded by many authors of books of traditions, and it is hadith number 610 at the beginning of page 393, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. Also similar to it is his saying, peace be upon him and his progeny, "Among you is a man who shall fight for the implementation of the Qur'an just as I have fought for its revelation." Abu Bakr asked: "Am I the one?" He answered: "No." ‘Umar asked likewise, and the Prophet (pbuh) answered: "No, but it is the man who is inside mending the sandal," whereupon ‘Ali came out of the room carrying the Prophet's sandal after having finished mending it. This hadith is quoted by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad as transmitted by Abu Sa’id, and it is narrated by al-Hakim in his Al-Mustadrak, Abu Ya’li in his Musnad, and by many authors of books of traditions. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi quotes it from them on page 155 of the sixth volume of his book.

176. What weight can a superficial interpretation have if it contradicts the spirit of the entire text?

177. This is hadith number 2527 of the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 153, Vol. 6, and it is quoted by al-Tha’labi from Abu Tharr when the author attempts to interpret the verse of wilayat in his book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir.

178. It is also quoted by al-Barudi, Ibn Qani’, Abu Na’im, and al-Bazzar. It is hadith 2628 of the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 157, Vol. 6.

179. It is hadith 2630 of the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 157, Vol. 6.

180. It is news item number 11 of the ones Ibn Abul Hadid states on page 450, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, and it is hadith number 2627 of the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 157, Vol. 6.

181. This is quoted by Abu Na’im in his Hilyat al-Awliya' from Anas and transmitted in detail by Ibn Abul Hadid on page 450, Vol. 2, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah; so, refer to news item 9 on that page.

182. This is quoted by Abu Na’im in his Hilyat al-Awliya' from one hadith narrated by Abu Barzah al-Aslami and Anas ibn Malik, and it is transmitted by the Mu’tazilite scholar on page 449, Vol. 2, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah; so, refer to the third news item on that page.

183. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Kabir from the ahadith narrated by Salman and Abu Tharr. It is quoted by al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan, and by Ibn ‘Uday in his Al-Kamil; it also is hadith number 2608 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal, Vol. 6, page 156.

184. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Kabir, and it is hadith number 2625 of the ones included in Kanz al-’Ummal, Vol. 6, page 157, and the tenth on page 450, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by Ibn Abul Hadid; so, look and see how he has made their right guidance conditional upon upholding ‘Ali; thus, those who do not do so would certainly stray. See how he has commanded them to love him just as they love the Prophet (pbuh), and to respect him in the same way they respect the Prophet (pbuh). This is so only because of his being his successor, the one to take charge after him. If you consider the verse "Gabriel has commanded me to tell you so," then truth becomes manifest to you.

185. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Kabir from Ibn ‘Abbas as stated on page 107 of Al-Jami’ al-Saghir by Sayyuti. It is also quoted by al-Hakim in Manaqib ‘Ali, page 226, Vol. 3 of his authentic Mustadrak from two sources: one of them is Ibn ‘Abbas from yet two authentic sources, and the other from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansari. He has brought forth irrefutable proofs for its authenticity. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal ibn al-Siddiq al-Magharibi, of Cairo, has dedicated an entire book only to prove the authenticity of this hadith, and he has crammed it with information and titled it Fath al-Malak al-’Ali Bisihhati Hadith Babul ‘Ilm ‘Ali, printed in Egypt at the Islamic Press. It is worthy of the attention of researchers, for it contains invaluable information. Views of the Nasibis and their likes are worthless vis-a-vis this hadith that is as commonly used as a popular proverb by both the elite and the common residents of the urban districts and the countryside. We have even considered their criticism, and we have found it to be sheer submission to sentiment, lacking in proof, full of extreme fanaticism, as declared by al-Hafiz Salahud-Din al-’Ala'i when he quoted the false allegation of al-Thahbi and others who charge that it is incorrect. He comments saying: "These have not produced any proof for their claim except its being a fabrication so that it may not indict them."

186. This is quoted by al-Tirmithi in his Sahih, in addition to Ibn Jarir, and from them it is quoted by several authorities such as al-Muttaqi al-Hindi on page 401, Vol. 6, of his Kanz al-’Ummal, where he quotes Ibn Jarir saying: "This is a tradition of whose authenticity we are quite sure." It is also quoted from al-Tirmithi by Jalalud-Din al-Sayyuti while discussing the "hamza" in language in his Jami’ al-Jawami’ and Al-Jami’ al-Saghir; so, refer to page 170, Vol. 1, of Al-Jami’ al-Saghir.

187. This is quoted by al-Daylami from Abu Tharr's hadith as stated on page 156, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal

188. Ibid.

189. This is quoted by Ibn Hajar in the fifth maqsad of the maqasid of chapter 14 of the ones discussed in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to page 106 of the same.

190. This hadith is number 2528 among the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 153, Vol. 6.

191. This is quoted by Ibn Majah in his chapter on the virtues of the Prophet's companions on page 92, Vol. 1, of his Sunan, by al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i in their respective sahihs, and it is hadith number 2531 among the ones cited in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 153, Vol. 6. It is also quoted by Imam Ahmad on page 164, Vol. 4, of his Musnad from hadith narrated from various authentic sources by Janadah. Suffices you the fact that it is quoted from a chain of narrators which includes: Yahya ibn Adam, Isra'il ibn Younus and his grandfather Abu Ishaq al-Subay’i who quotes Habashi. All of these men are authorities relied upon by both Shaykhs in their respective sahihs. Whoever studies this hadith in Ahmad's Musnad will come to know that it was said during the Farewell Pilgrimage which shortly preceded the departure of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, from this vanishing world. Prior to that, he, peace be upon him and his progeny, had sent Abu Bakr to recite ten verses of Surat Bara'a to the residents of Mecca, then he, according to Imam Ahmad on page 151, Vol. 1, of his Musnad, said to him: "Go see Abu Bakr before he discharges his mission, and as soon as you meet him, take the message from him, then carry it yourself to the people of Mecca and read it to them." ‘Ali met Abu Bakr at the Juhfa and took the tablets from him. Abu Bakr went back to the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, and asked him: "O Messenger of Allah! Have you received any message from Allah against me?" He answered: "No, but Gabriel has come to me and told me that nobody conveys Allah's Message except I or a man of my own family." Another narration, recorded by Ahmad on page 510, Vol. 1, of his Musnad from ‘Ali (as), says that when the Prophet dispatched him with Surat Bara'a, he said to him: "Either I should carry it, or you." ‘Ali said: "If it cannot be avoided at all, then I will go." He (pbuh) said: "Then proceed, for Allah will make your tongue firm, and He will guide your heart."

192. You have come to know by now the hadith narrated by ‘Amr ibn Shash with our commentary in Letter 36.

193. As quoted by Muslim in his chapter on iman, page 46, Vol. 1, of his Sahih. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr explains its gist while narrating ‘Ali's biography in the Isti’ab from a group of companions. Buraydah's hadith has been quoted in Letter No. 36 above. His hadith, peace be upon him and his progeny, "O Allah! Befriend whoever befriends ‘Ali, and be the enemy of whoever sets himself as the enemy of ‘Ali" is consecutively reported (mutawatir), as admitted by the author of Al-Fatawa al-Hamidiyya in his treatise titled "Al-Salat al-Fakhira fil Ahadith al-Mutawatira]."

194. Narrated, through al-Azhar, by ‘Abdul-Razzaq, Mu’ammar, al-Zuhri, ‘Ubaydullah, and Ibn ‘Abbas, each from the other, and all are reliable authorities. For this reason, al-Hakim, having labelled the hadith as "sahih" because of its endorsement by both Shaykhs, says: "Abul-Azhar, according to their consensus view, is trustworthy, and if authorities unanimously agree on the authenticity of one hadith, then it has to be held authentic," then he continues to say: "I have heard Abu ‘Abdullah al-Qarashi saying that he heard Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Halwani saying: ‘When Abul-Azhar came from San’a and started narrating this hadith to the people in Baghdad, Yahya ibn Ma’in rejected it. When he opened his place to the public, as usual, he inquired about the Nisaburi writer who quotes ‘Abdul-Razzaq stating such ahadith, Abul-Azhar stood up and said that it was he. Yahya ibn Ma’in laughed at his statement, stood up, and brought him to sit closer to him and inquired of him about how I personally came to be the only one who heard such hadith from ‘Abdul-Razzaq. I told him that I had just come from San’a, and when I bade him farewell, he told me that he owed me a unique hadith which nobody else had ever heard, and by Allah it was this hadith verbatim. Yahya ibn Ma’in then believed him and apologized to him.'"

195. We have quoted this hadith in Letter No. 10 above.

196. We have quoted this hadith, too, in Letter No. 10; so, refer to our commentary about it and about the one that precedes it.

197. Refer to our comment on this hadith and the one that precedes it in our Letter No. 10.

198. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 129, Vol. 3, of his authentic Al-Mustadrak, and it is narrated by quite a few authors of books and traditions, all testifying to its authenticity.

199. Refer to our comment on this hadith in Letter No. 34, and also scrutinize the books of traditions to which we have referred.

200. This is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Awsat, and by al-Khatib in his Al-Muttafaq wal-Muftaraq, as stated at the beginning of page 159, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. We have quoted it in Letter No. 34 and commented on it in a way which hopefully benefits the researcher.

201. This is transmitted from both of them by Abul-Hadid in the fourth news item of his news to which he has referred on page 449, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah. It is also quoted by Imam al-Razi while discussing the meaning of the verse of Mubahala in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, p. 288, Vol. 2, taking for granted the authenticity of this hadith according to the views of those who act upon it as well as those who do not. This hadith is also quoted by Ibn Battah from Ibn ‘Abbas's hadith, as stated on page 34 of Fath al-Malik al-’Ali Bisihhati Babil ‘Ilm ‘Ali by Imam Ahmad ibn al-Sadiq al-Hasani al-Magharibi of Cairo. Among those who have admitted that ‘Ali is the one who is acquainted with the secrets of all prophets combined is the Shaykh of all men of knowledge, namely Muhiyud-Din ibn al-’Arabi, as quoted by the learned al-Sha’rani in Section 32 of his book Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir, page 172.

202. This is quoted by al-Tabrani and Ibn Mardawayh who rely on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas. It is also quoted by al-Daylami from ‘Ayesha, and it is one of the lengthy traditions.

203. This is quoted by Abu Na’im and Ibn ‘Asakir from Abu Layla, and quoted also by al-Najjar from Ibn ‘Abbas; so, refer to ahadith 30 and 31 of the forty ahadith cited by Ibn Hajar in Part Two, Section 9, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, at the conclusion of page 74 and the page following it.

204. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 122, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak where the author admits its authenticity. Al-Thahbi quotes it in his own Talkhis, admitting its authenticity.

205. This hadith and the one succeeding it, i.e. Ibn ‘Abbas's hadith, are quoted by al-Hakim on page 140, Vol. 3, of his Mustadrak, and al-Thahbi quotes him in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak. Both authors admit the authenticity of this hadith due to its endorsement by both Shaykhs.

206. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 122, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak, saying that it is an authentic hadith according to its endorsement by both Shaykhs who have not included it in their books. Al-Thahbi has admitted its authenticity for the same reason when he quoted it in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak. Imam Ahmad has produced it from Abu Sa’id on pages 82 and 33, Vol. 3, of his Musnad, and al-Bayhaqi has quoted it in Shu’ab al-Iman. Imam Ahmad has included Abu Sa’id's hadith on pages 82 and 33, Vol. 3, of his Musnad, and al-Bayhaqi quotes it in his Shu’ab al-Iman, Sa’id ibn Mansur in his Sunan, Abu Na’im in his Hilyat al-Awliya', and Abu Ya’li in his Sunan numbering it 2585, page 155, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

207. His name is Ibn Abul-Akhdar. Ibn al-Sakan mentions him and quotes this hadith in his regard from al-Harith ibn Hasirah from Jabir al-Ju’fi from Imam al-Baqir from his father Zaynul-’Abidin, peace be upon them, from al-Akhdar from the Prophet (pbuh). Ibn al-Sakan says: "He is not quite famous among the Prophet's companions, and his traditions ought to be verified." This is quoted by al-Asqalani in his biography of al-Akhdar in Al-Isabah. Al-Dar Qutni has produced this hadith in his Ifrad, saying: "This hadith is narrated only by Jabir al-Ju’fi, who is a Rafizi."

208. Abu Na’im has quoted it among the traditions reported by Ma’ath, as well as the hadith succeeding it, that is, that of Abu Sa’id, in his Hilyat al-Awliya', and they are on page 156, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

209. Al-Hakim has quoted it on page 107 of his Sahih from Al-Mustadrak. Al-Thahbi did not comment on it in his book Talkhis al-Mustadrak.

210. Ibn ‘Asakir, as well as many other authors of books of traditions, have all quoted it.

211. From one hadith quoted by al-Tabrani, Ibn Abu Hatim, and many other authors of books of tradition. It is transmitted by Ibn Hajar who also quotes the three ahadith that precede it in Section 3, Chapter 9, page 76, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

212. This is quoted from Ibn ‘Ayyash by chroniclers and authors of sunan, and it exists where Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa has already referred.

213. As quoted by al-Salafi in his Tayyuriyyat, and it is transmitted by Ibn Hajar where we have indicated a short while ago while referring to Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

214. This is well-known about them. Ibn Hajar has copied it at the beginning of Section 2, Chapter 9, page 72, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa

215. "Athbat" is the plural of "thabat," and "asnad" is he plural of "sanad," and the latter means "hujjah," i.e. proof or authority.

216. This is quoted by al-Hakim on page 124, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, as well as by al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak. Both authors testify to its authenticity. It is one of the few elaborate ahadith. Anyone who is ignorant of the fact that ‘Ali is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with ‘Ali, after having studied the authentic traditions dealing with the Two Weighty Things, i.e. the Book and the ‘Itrat (Progeny), he should be referred to what we have quoted in this regard in our Letter No. 8 above, and let him recognize the rights of the Imam of the Prophet's Progeny, and their undisputed and undoubted chief.

217. This is quoted by al-Khatib in the ahadith narrated by al-Bara', and by al-Daylami in those narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas. It is transmitted by Ibn Hajar on page 75 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to hadith number 35 of the forty ahadith which he quotes in Section Two, Chapter 9, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

218. It is hadith number 6133, page 405, Vol. 6, in Kanz al-’Ummal. Suffices you for a proof that ‘Ali's soul is akin to that of the Prophet (pbuh) to study the verse of Mubahala according to the explanations stated by al-Razi in his tafsir titled Mafatih al-Ghayb, page 488, Vol. 2, and refer also to what we have mentioned while dealing with this verse.

219. Many renown authorities have admitted its authenticity, so much so that even Ibn Hajar stated the same, quoting al-Tabrani and others, in the shubha (allegation) number 11 of the ones which he enUmarates on page 25, Section 5, Chapter One, of his book Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

220. He has eulogized his own pure soul simply to attract their attention to the fact that time had come to bring his mission to perfection, necessitating the appointment of his successor, and that he is unable to postpone doing so for fear he might be called upon [i.e. die] before discharging such mission which he is to bring to perfection, a mission that is indispensable to his nation.

221. Since the appointment of his brother weighs heavily against those who compete, envy, create dissension and hypocrisy, he, peace be upon him and his progeny, desired, before making such an announcement, to first apologize to them in the hope that that might touch and unify their hearts and in apprehension of their speeches and deeds; he said: "And I am responsible," so that they might come to know that he receives orders, and that he is responsible to discharge them; therefore, he simply has to do so. Imam al-Wahidi, in his book Asbabul Nuzul, quotes Abu Sa’id al-Khudri saying: "The verse ‘O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord' was revealed on Ghadir Khumm day in reference to ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)."

222. By saying "You, too, are responsible," he, peace be upon him and his progeny, may have implied, as quoted by al-Daylami and others and stated in Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa and other books from Ibn Sa’id, that they should follow in their footsteps, since they are responsible regarding ‘Ali's wilayat. Imam al-Wahidi has said: "They are responsible regarding the wilayat of ‘Ali and Ahl al-Bayt." Thus, the purpose of his saying "and you, too, are responsible" is to threaten those who would dispute the authority of his wali and wasi.

223. Many have contemplated upon this sermon, giving it due attention, and they have come to know that its gist is nothing other than a reference to the fact that ‘Ali's wilayat is as much a root of the faith as his own responsibility as the Imam, for the Prophet (pbuh) first put the question: "Do not you bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger?" Then he said: "The Hour is approaching; there is no doubt about it, and Allah shall certainly bring to life those who are in the graves," following that with a statement in which he mentioned the wilayat so that it would be understood that the latter bears the same significance like the matters about which he has asked them and to which they have agreed. This is obvious to all the discreet who are familiar with the methods and objectives of speech.

224. His statement: "I am the mawla" is an outspoken testimony to a significant fact. The meaning of "mawla" is: one who is "awla," foremost in status, superior. Thus, the meaning of his statement is: "Allah is superior to me, and I am superior to the believers, and whoever considers me to be superior to him must also consider ‘Ali as such."

225. This wording of the hadith is quoted by al-Tabrani, Ibn Jarir, al-Hakim al-Tirmithi, from Zayd ibn Arqam. It is transmitted by Ibn Hajar from al-Tabrani and others in this exact wording, without questioning its authenticity; so, refer to page 25 of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa.

226. Refer to page 21 of Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, where the Prophet (pbuh) is quoted saying: "To whomsoever I have been the wali, this (‘Ali) is his wali.

227. Abul-Tufayl's question is obviously indicative of his amazement at this nation's overlooking this matter regarding ‘Ali in spite of the hadith it narrates from its Prophet (pbuh) in his honor on the day of the Ghadir. As if suspicious of the accuracy of the narrated hadith, he went ahead and inquired of Zayd, having heard him narrate the same, "Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah?!" His tone is that of someone amazed, bewildered, and skeptical. Zayd answered him that all individuals present under those trees had, indeed, seen the Prophet with their eyes and heard him with their ears; so, Abul-Tufayl then knew that the matter was just as al-Kumait, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, says:

On the day of the dawh, the dawh of the Ghadir,

Caliphate was made for him manifest and clear,

Only if the throngs opted to obey;

Yet I have never seen such a day,

Nor have I seen such right

Trampled upon, discarded outright;

But the men had sold it, and I never saw

Such a precious thing to sale would go...

228. This occurs on page 281 of his Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, in a chapter dealing with ‘Ali's status in the eyes of Allah, the Exalted, the omni-Scient, and also on page 25 of another chapter enjoining acceptance of his wilayat and warning against bearing animosity towards him.

229. These are among poetic lines composed as the answer of al-Walid ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abu Ma’it, quoted by Muhammad Mahmud al-Rafi’i in his Introduction to Sharh al-Hashimiyyat, page 8.

230. We do not dispute its revelation in reference to ‘Ali's wilayat on Ghadir Khumm Day, and our narratives from the sources of the purified progeny are consecutive. Suffices you for reference to its narration by others besides the latter what Imam al-Wahid has quoted in his exegesis of Surat al-Ma'ida on page 150 of his book Asbabul Nuzul from two respected sources: ‘Atiyyah and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri. The author says: "This verse [that is, the one reading: "O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord"] was revealed on Ghadir Khumm Day in reference to ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)." The same is narrated by al-Hafiz Abu Na’im who interprets it in his book Nuzul al-Qur'an relying on two sources one of which is Abu Sa’id and the other is Abu Rafi’. It is also narrated by Imam Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamawaini al-Shafi’i in his book Al-Fawa'id from various sources ending with Abu Hurayrah. It is quoted by Imam Abu Ishaq al-Tha’labi while explaining the meaning of this verse in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir from two respected sources. What testifies to its reference to ‘Ali (as) is the fact that prayers had been already established, zakat was enforced, fasting was legislated, the pilgrimage to the House was being conducted, what is permissible was clarified and so was what is forbidden, the Shari’ah was already regulated and its injunctions enforced; so, what else required Allah to place so much emphasis other than on the issue of caliphate, one which prompted Him to pressure His Prophet in a way which was almost similar to threatening? And regarding what, if not caliphate, could the Prophet (pbuh) feel presentiment of dissension if he did not convey it, something which required God's own immunity against any harm that might result from discharging it?

231. sahihs documenting the occasion that necessitated the revelation of this verse are consecutive from the sources of the purified progeny (as). We do not doubt what the purified progeny of Muhammad (pbuh) narrates even when al-Bukhari claims that the verse was revealed on the day of ‘Arafat, for the members of the Prophet's house know what is revealed in their house.

232. Sayyid Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, in a chapter on the Farewell Pilgrimage in his book Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyya [Biography of the Prophet], writes: "Ninety thousand - some say a hundred and twenty-four thousand, while others say more - accompanied him, peace be upon him and his progeny, from Medina, and this is just a rough figure of the number of people who accompanied him," to the end of his statement from which you come to know that those who went back with him were more than a hundred thousand, and they all witnessed the Ghadir hadith.

233. We have quoted this hadith in our Letter No. 48; so, if you refer to it, you will find it verbatim numbered 15 in the said reference; the same Letter refers to and comments on it in a way worthy of the attention of researchers.

234. He, peace be upon him, said to him then: "Why don't you stand with other companions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and testify to what you heard of him then?" He answered: "O Commander of the Faithful! I have grown old, and I have forgotten it." ‘Ali (as) said: "If you are telling a lie, then may Allah strike you with a white [disease, i.e. leprosy] which your turban cannot conceal." He hardly left before his face was filled with the marks of leprosy; so, he used to say: "I have become the object of a curse invoked by the Righteous Servant." This incident is quite famous, and a testimony for its authenticity exists when Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal quotes it at the end of page 119, Vol. 1, of his Musnad, adding: "They all, except three men, rose to testify; and those three fell under the effect of his curse."

235. Ibn al-Athir, while narrating the significant events that took place in the year 352 in his Kamil, says the following on page 181, Vol. 8, of his history book: "On the eighteenth of Thul-Hijjah of that year, Mu’izz al-Dawla ordered decorations to be installed in Baghdad, fires to be lit at the police quarters, and all merriments be displayed; so, market-places were opened at night just as is customary during ‘Id nights; he did all that to celebrate ‘Iid al-Ghadir, Ghadir Khumm. Drums were beaten; and trumpets were sounded, and it was quite a memorable day."

236. Al-Kumait ibn Zayd has said:

On the day of the dawh, the Ghadir dawh day,

Caliphate was made manifest for him: were they to obey...

Abu Tammam, in a poetic masterpiece which he includes in his diwan, says:

On the Day of Ghadir, truth looked clear and bright;

Redolently, with no curtains nor bars to hide;

The Messenger of Allah stood there to invite

Them to come close to what is just and right,

Gesturing with his hands, introducing your wali

And mawla; yet see what happened to you and me!

He brings the news to people so eloquently,

While they come with grudge and depart grudgingly,

Yet he made the truth eloquently shine,

While they usurped even your right and mine.

You made its destiny the sharp blades of your sword:

And the grave for whoever wanted the truth to uphold...

237. The author of Ghayat al-Maram says near the conclusion of Chapter 16, page 89, of his book: "Ibn Jarir has quoted the Ghadir hadith from ninety-five sources in a book which he dedicated to this subject, calling it Al-Wilayat, and Ibn ‘Uqdah has quoted it from one hundred and five sources written down in a book which he also dedicated solely for this subject-matter. Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Siddiq al-Magharibi has stated that both al-Thahbi and Ibn ‘Uqdah have dedicated a special book solely for this hadith;" so, refer to the sermon in his valuable book titled Fath al-Malik al-’Ali Bisihhati Babil ‘Ilm ‘Ali.

238. This is quoted from al-Tha’labi by a group of Sunni dignitaries such as scholar al-Shiblinji of Egypt in a biography of ‘Ali in his book Nurul Absar; so, you may refer to its eleventh page if you wish.

239. Refer to what al-Halabi has quoted of the narratives related to the Farewell Pilgrimage in his book of biography known as Al-Sira al-Halabiyya and you will find this hadith at the end of page 214 of its third volume.

240. We have clarified the same in our Letter No. 36; so, refer to it and do not overlook our comment in this regard.

241. This is quoted by Dar Qutni, as indicated near the conclusion of Section 5, Chapter One, of Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa by Ibn Hajar; so, refer to page 26. It is also narrated by many traditionists, each from his own source, and in their own books of traditions. Ahmad has quoted something similar from ‘Umar of the ahadith narrated by al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib on page 281, Vol. 4, of his Musnad, which we have already quoted in Letter No. 54 above.

242. This much suffices due to the fact that we have narrated quite a few ahadith from sources such as the Commander of the Faithful ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as), ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, Abul-Darda', Abu Hurayrah, Anas ibn Malik, Ma’ath ibn Jabal, quoting various sources, all stating that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "Whoever teaches my nation forty ahadith related to its faith, Allah will resurrect him on the Day of Judgment in the company of the faqihs and the learned." In another wording of the same hadith, "Allah will resurrect him as a learned faqih." According to Abul-Darda', the statement reads: "I will include him in my intercession on the Day of Judgment, and he shall be a witness." According to Ibn Mas’ud, "It will be said to him: ‘Enter Paradise from whichever gate you please.'" According to Ibn ‘Umar's narration, "... he will be included with the men of knowledge, and be resurrected in the company of martyrs." Suffices us in learning these forty ahadith and others included in all our Letters his statement, peace be upon him and his progeny, "Allah will look after whoever listens to my statement, comprehends it and conveys it just as he heard it." And also his hadith: "Let those of you who witness [my Sunnah] convey it to those who are absent."

243. This hadith and the ones before it exist in a chapter containing what has been narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the Qa'im, and that he is the twelfth in the line of Imams; it is Chapter Twenty-Four of Ikmal ad-Din wa Itmam al-Ni’mah, pages 149-167.

244. This hadith, together with the four preceding it, is quoted from al-Saduq's Ghayat al-Maram. These are quite lengthy, and we have quoted from them whatever testifies to our argument. As regarding the ahadith which succeed it, they are to be found in Chapter 13 of Ghayat al-Maram.

245. Refer to page 15, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by Ibn Abul-Hadid, and you will find out what atrocities befell Ahl al-Bayt (as) and their Shi’ahs in those days. Imam al-Baqir (as) has made a statement in this regard to which we refer the researchers.

246. We have quoted this hadith and the couple before it in Letter No. 48 above. Refer in that Letter to ahadith number 9, 10 and 11, and do not overlook our comments.

247. We have quoted the said hadith in Letter No. 32.

248. Refer to it in Letter No. 68 above.

249. This statement verbatim is confirmed as being ‘Ali's. It is quoted by al-Hakim on page 126, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak through a narration endorsed by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Al-Thahbi, in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, has admitted the same.

250. This hadith stands on firm grounds, and it is a lengthy one. It has been quoted by al-Diya' al-Maqdisi in his Al-Mukhtara, and by Ibn Jarir in his Tahthib al-Athar. It is hadith number 6155 on page 408, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. It is also quoted by al-Nisa'i on page 18 of his Al-Khasa'is al-’Alawiyya, and it is transmitted by Ibn Abul-Hadid from al-Tabari's Tarikh near the end of the commentary on the "qasi’a" sermon, page 255, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah. Refer also to page 159, Vol. 1, of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Musnad where you will find the same hadith conveying this meaning.

251. It occurs on page 125 of its third volume. It is also quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, and it is hadith number 6084 on page 400, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

252. Al-Thahbi has quoted this hadith while discussing the biography of Sharik in his book Mizan al-I’tidal, falsifying it and alleging that Sharik could not have tolerated narrating such a hadith. He said: "Muhammd ibn Hamid al-Razi is not trustworthy." Our answer to his allegation is that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam Abul Qasim al-Baghwi, Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, the Imam of critics and verifiers Ibn Ma’in, and others of their caliber, have all trusted Muhammad ibn Hamid and narrated his hadith, for he is their mentor. A reliable authority such as al-Thahbi admits the same in his biography of Muhammd ibn Hamid in his Al-Mizan. The man cannot be charged with Rafidism or Shi’ism, but the critic is a predecessor of al-Thahbi; so, there is no reason for initiating such an accusation regarding this hadith.

253. This hadith verbatim is numbered 2570 at the end of page 155, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, and the author quotes it again in his Muntakhab al-Kanz; so, refer to Al-Muntakhab, footnote on page 32, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad.

254. It exists on page 450, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, and we have quoted it in Letter No. 48.

255. This hadith, verbatim, as well as its source are also in hadith number 2541 on page 143, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, and it is quoted in Muntakhab al-Kanz as well; so, refer to the latter and read the footnote on page 31, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad.

256. Ibn Abu Hatim has quoted Anas saying: "Abu Bakr and ‘Umar sought Fatima's hand from the Prophet, but he remained silent and did not tell them anything; so, they went to ‘Ali to inform him."

It is also transmitted from Ibn Abu Hatim by many reliable authorities such as Ibn Hajar at the beginning of Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. Many other authorities have quoted something similar to it from Ahmad through isnad to Anas. Abu Dawud al-Sajistani, as stated by Ibn Hajar in Chapter 11 of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, while discussing the twelfth verse, says that Abu Bakr sought Fatima's hand, and the Prophet (pbuh) turned him down; then ‘Umar did the same, and he turned away from him, too; so, they both informed ‘Ali of it. ‘Ali himself is quoted saying: "Abu Bakr and ‘Umar sought Fatima's hand from the Messenger of Allah, but he (pbuh) rejected them. ‘Umar then said: ‘You, ‘Ali, are worthy of her.'" This hadith is quoted by Ibn Jarir. Al-Dulabi has quoted it, admitting its authenticity while discussing the Prophet's purified progeny, and it is hadith number 6007 on page 392, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

257. This hadith, verbatim, with reference to its narrator, is hadith number 5992 on page 391, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, where the author admits the reliability of its narrator.

258. This hadith, verbatim, with reference to its narrator, is hadith number 2543 on page 153, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, where the author quotes it from Ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Hurayrah. Al-Tabrani, in his Al-Muttafaq, has transmitted it from al-Khatib who quotes Ibn ‘Abbas; so, refer to Al-Muntakhab and read the first line of footnote on page 39, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad.

259. This hadith is quoted by al-Bukhari in his treatise on "Al-Wasaya (wills)," page 83, Vol. 2, of his Sahih, and in his chapter on the sickness and demise of the Prophet (pbuh), page 64, Vol. 3, of the same book. It is quoted by Muslim on page 64, Vol. 3, of his Sahih, and it is also quoted by Muslim in his treatise of the Prophet's will on page 14, Vol. 2, of his Sahih.

260. You probably already know that both shaykhs have intentionally narrated this hadith while discussing the Prophet's will to ‘Ali, for those who stated at that time that the Prophet had left a will to ‘Ali had not yet split from the ranks of the nation. They were either among the sahabah or the tabi’in who had the courage to reveal what would make the mother of believers unhappy and would oppose the politics of the time; for this reason, she, may Allah be pleased with her, was shaken a great deal when she heard their hadith. Such a reaction is seen in her own statement in response to it, a statement which is one of the most feeble of answers. Imam al-Sindi, in his comment on this hadith in al-Nisai's Sunan, as indicated on page 241, Vol. 6 (the Egyptian Press at al-Azhar), said: "It is quite obvious that such hadith [by the mother of the believers ‘Ayesha] does not rule out the existence of the will prior to her statement, nor does it prove that he (pbuh) had died suddenly without being able to leave a will or could have thought of doing so, since he came to know that his end was approaching even before falling sick, then he remained sick for days...," up to the conclusion of his statement. If you scrutinize this statement, you will find it quite strong

261. Her statements "He died on my chest," and "He died between my belly and chin," are recorded in a chapter dealing with his sickness and demise (pbuh) in Bukhari's Sahih. As regarding her statement "He died while his head was on my thigh," this exists in another chapter in which the author discusses his sickness and demise without an intervening chapter.

262. On page 66, Part Two, Vol. 2, of his Tabaqat, Ibn Sa’d quotes ‘Ali saying: "The Prophet (pbuh) had instructed that nobody other than myself should give him the ceremonial bath [for the dead]." Both Abul Shaykh and Ibn al-Najjar, as stated on page 54, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal, quote ‘Ali (as) saying: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had instructed me saying: ‘When I die, bathe me and use seven water skins." Ibn Sa’d, while discussing giving the Prophet (pbuh) his last ceremonial bath, on page 63, Part Two, Vol. 2, of his Tabaqat, quotes ‘Abdul-Wahid ibn Abu ‘Awanah saying that when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) fell sick prior to his demise, he said: "O ‘Ali! You should bathe me when I die." ‘Ali said: "I conducted the ceremonial bath for him, and each part of his body was very responsive to my touch." Both al-Hakim, on page 59, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, and al-Thahbi in his Talkhis, quote ‘Ali saying: "I gave the Messenger of Allah his bath, and I waited to see how death would affect his body, but I sensed no change: his body smelt in death as fragrantly as it did when he was still alive." This hadith is quoted by Sa’id ibn Mansur in his books of traditions, by al-Marwazi in his Jana'iz, by Abu Dawud in his Marasil, by Ibn Mani’, Ibn Abu Shaybah in his books on traditions, and it is hadith number 1094, page 54, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal. Al-Bayhaqi, in his books of traditions, quotes ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith saying: "‘Ali gave the Prophet (pbuh) the ceremonial bath while the Prophet's corpse was wrapped in a shirt," and it is hadith number 1104, page 55, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal, and Ibn ‘Abbas is quoted saying: "‘Ali has four chracteristics nobody else has had: he is the first to pray in the company of the Messenger of Allah; he accompanied him in all his campaigns; he remained with him when others ran away for their own lives, and he is the one who administered the ceremonial bath to him and placed him in his grave." This is quoted by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr is his biography of ‘Ali in the Isti’ab, and by al-Hakim on page 111, Vol. 3, of Al-Mustadrak. He also quotes Abu Sa’id al-Khudri saying that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said to ‘Ali: "O ‘Ali! You are the one who should bathe me, cancel my debts, and entomb me in my grave." This is quoted by al-Daylami, too, and it is hadith number 2583, page 155, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal. ‘Umar is quoted saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to ‘Ali (as) once: "You are to bathe me and bury me," according to the hadith on page 393, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. In the footnote to page 45, Vol. 5, of Ahmad's Musnad, ‘Ali is quoted saying: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: ‘I have been granted five of my own wishes regarding ‘Ali the like of which no other Prophet before me had been granted regarding anyone. The first is that he is the one who would cancel my debt and bury my body...," up to the end of the hadith quoted at the beginning of page 403, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. And when he was placed on the bed and people desired to perform the ritual burial prayer rites, ‘Ali said: "Nobody should be the Imam in leading such prayer, for the Messenger of Allah is your Imam alive and dead." People used to enter in groups and stand in prayers in a row without an Imam. They would make the takbir as ‘Ali stood near the corpse of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "Peace be unto you, O Messenger, and Allah's Mercy and Blessings; we bear witness, O Mighty Lord, that he has conveyed what You have revealed unto him, provided advice to his nation, and struggled in the way of Allah till He, the Exalted, the omni-Scient, elevated His faith, and his mission was accomplished. O Lord! Include us among those who follow what You have revealed to him, make us strong in our conviction, and rejoin our souls in his company," and people would respond with "Amin, Amin." This continued till all men, then women, then children, said their prayers. This hadith verbatim is quoted by Ibn Sa’d in his discussion of how the Prophet was given his ceremonial burial bath in his own Tabaqat. The first who entered to pay respects were the descendants of Hashim, then the Immigrants (Muhajirun), then the Supporters (Ansar), then other people. The first men who performed the ritual funeral prayers on his departed soul were ‘Ali and al-’Abbas who stood beside each other and made five takbirs.

263. Narratives in this regard are consecutively reported from the purified progeny (as). Suffices you what is quoted in Al-Kabir by al-Tabrani from Ibn ‘Umar, and by Abu Ya’li in his Musnad from ‘Ali (as). The first quotes one particular hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) says: "O ‘Ali! You are my brother and vizier, and you shall pay my dues on my behalf, fulfill my commitment, and set my conscience to ease." You can find this hadith on page 155, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal narrated by Ibn ‘Umar. On page 404, Vol. 6, of the same reference, ‘Ali (as) is quoted stating likewise. Many have quoted al-Buwaisiri saying that the narrators of this hadith are all trustworthy. Ibn Mardawayh and al-Daylami, as stated on page 155, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, quote Salman al-Farisi saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "‘Ali ibn Abu Talib fulfills my commitments on my own behalf, and he cancels my debt." Al-Bazzaz, as stated on page 153, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, indicates the same. It is also quoted by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal on page 164, Vol. 4, of his Musnad from Habashi ibn Janadah who says: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: ‘Nobody pays my dues except I or ‘Ali.'" Ibn Mardawayh, as stated on page 401, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, quotes ‘Ali (as) saying that when the verse "And warn thy near in kin" was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "‘Ali pays my debt, and fulfills my promise on my own behalf." Sa’d says that on the Juhfa day, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), having taken ‘Ali by the hand, and delivered a sermon, praised and glorified Allah then said: "O people! I am your wali." They said: "You have spoken the truth, O Messenger of Allah." Then he raised ‘Ali's hand and said: "This is the one chosen to be my wali; he shall pay my debt on my behalf." Qatdah is quoted saying, "‘Ali has carried out after the prophet (pbuh) a few errands (on behalf of the Prophet) one of which is said to have been the payment of [debts totalling] five hundred thousand dirhams." ‘Abdul-Razzaq was asked: "Did the Prophet (pbuh) leave a will in this regard?" He answered: "Yes; I do not doubt at all that the Prophet (pbuh) has, indeed, left a will to ‘Ali; otherwise, nobody would have let him pay the Prophet's debt all by himself." This hadith is quoted by the author of Kanz al-’Ummal on page 60, Vol. 4, who numbers it 1170.

264. Authentic texts have unanimously stated that he (pbuh) has entrusted ‘Ali (as) to clarify to his nation whatever ambiguous matters in which they disputed after him. Suffices you for proofs ahadith number 11 and 12 quoted in Letter No. 48, in addition to others which we have already quoted, as well as others which we have not quoted due to their being too well-known.

265. This is explained in Letters 36, 40, 54, and 56 above.

266. The brotherhood between the Prophet and the wasi is mutawatir, and suffices you for proof for its authenticity what we have quoted in Letters No. 32 and 34.

267. His being the father of his descendants is understood. He (pbuh) has said to ‘Ali (as): "You are my brother, and the father of my descendants; you shall fight for my Sunnah." This hadith is quoted by Abu Ya’li in his Musnad, as stated on page 404, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, and its narrators are all trustworthy as admitted by al-Busairi. It is also quoted in Ahmad's Manaqib, as stated at the conclusion of Section Two, Part 9, page 74, of Ibn Hajar's Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa. He (pbuh) has also said: "Allah has placed the progeny of every prophet in his own loin, and He has placed mine in ‘Ali's loins." This hadith is quoted by al-Tabrani in his Al-Kabir as narrated by Jabir, and by al-Khatib in his Tarikh from Ibn ‘Abbas. It is hadith number 2510, page 152, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. And he (pbuh) has said: "All descendants of women belong to the latter's men except Fatima's, for I am their wali and father." This is quoted by al-Tabrani from al-Zahra' (as) and is included among the ahadith quoted by Ibn Hajar in Section 2, Part 11, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, page 112. It is also quoted by al-Tabrani from Ibn ‘Umar as referred to on the same page. Al-Hakim quotes something like it on page 164, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, adding: "The narrators of this hadith are trustworthy, though they [Bukhari and Muslim] did not record it." He (pbuh) has said in one hadith quoted by al-Hakim in his Al-Mustadrak, and al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak, both admitting its authenticity due to the endorsement of both shaykhs, "As regarding you, O ‘Ali, you, indeed, are my brother and the father of my descendants; you are of me and for me," up to the end of the list of such authentic texts.

268. Refer to the texts regarding ‘Ali's government such as his (pbuh) statement: "You to me are in the same status like that of Aaron to Moses," as we explained in Letter No. 26, and in others. And also his saying (pbuh) in the hadith of warning his household, "Who, then, among you would support me in my mission?" ‘Ali answered: "I, O Messenger of Allah, would like to be your supporter in this matter," as quoted in our Letter No. 20. May Allah reward Imam Abu-Sayri for his poetic masterpiece in which he says:

And the vizier of his cousin in endeavours sublime,

And by their own households are viziers prime;

Uncovering the lid did not his conviction increase,

Like the sun, nothing can cause his rays to decrease.

269. The nation's consensus has decreed that there is one verse in the Book of Allah implemented by nobody other than ‘Ali till the Day of Judgment. It is the verse of elevation [najwa] in Surat al-Mujadila. This is agreed upon by both his supporters and opponents who quote in this regard many texts held to be authentic according to both shaykhs, known by the pious among the nation as well as the libertine. Suffices you what is quoted by al-Hakim on page 482, Vol. 2, of his Al-Mustadrak, and by al-Thahbi in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak. Refer also to the exegesis of this verse as recorded by books of exegesis authored by al-Tha’labi, al-Tabari, al-Sayyuti, al-Zamakhshari, al-Razi, and others. In the forthcoming Letter No. 74, you will come to know of two ahadith narrated by Umm Salamah and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar regarding the confidential dialogue between the Prophet (pbuh) and ‘Ali (as) immediately prior to the Prophet's demise, and you will be acquainted with their confidential discussion on the day of Ta'if, and the statement of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then: "It is not I who has confided in him; it is Allah Who has done so," and also to their confidential talks during ‘Ayesha's time; so, contemplate upon that.

270. Suffices you for a text proving that he is his wali his statement (pbuh), quoted by Ibn ‘Abbas and referred to in Letter No. 22: "You are the wali on my behalf in this life and the life hereafter." This hadith stands on firm grounds according to the demands of the religion of Islam; therefore, there is no need to go into details.

271. Suffices you of the texts of the will what you have heard in Letter No. 68.

272. This is quoted by Imam Ahmad from Abu Hurayrah's hadith on page 442, Vol. 2, of his Musnad. He says that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked at ‘Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, peace be upon them, then said: "I declare war on whoever fights you, and peace unto whoever is peaceful towards you." In another authentic hadith, he (pbuh) has also said when he covered them with a blanket, "I declare war on whoever fights them, and peace unto whoever is peaceful towards them." This hadith is transmitted by Ibn Hajar while explaining the first verse which he states to have been revealed in their honour in Section One, Part 11, of his Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, giving detailed explanation for his (pbuh) statement: "Fighting ‘Ali is fighting me, too, and making peace with ‘Ali is making peace with me."

273. Refer to hadith 20 in Letter No. 48. His consecutive statement: "O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him, and be the enemy of whoever sets himself as his enemy" should, by the Grace of Allah, suffice. You have heard in Letter No. 36 his (pbuh) statement as quoted by Buraydah: "Whoever hates ‘Ali hates me, too, and whoever abandons ‘Ali abandons me, too." Another mutawatir hadith is his (pbuh) statement: "Nobody loves him [‘Ali] except a believer, and nobody hates him except a hypocrite." It is by Allah the covenant of the Ummi Prophet (pbuh).

274. Consider his statement (pbuh), which is quoted by ‘Umar ibn Shash, "Anyone who hurts ‘Ali hurts me, too," which is quoted by Ahmad on page 483, Vol. 3, of his Musnad, and by al-Hakim on page 123, Vol. 3, of his Al-Mustadrak, and by al-Thahbi in Talkhis al-Mustadrak where he admits its authenticity. Al-Bukhari has quoted it in his Tarikh, Ibn Sa’d in his Tabaqat, Ibn Abu-Shaybah in his Musnad, and al-Tabrani in his Kabir. It exists on page 400, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.

275. Consider in this regard what you have heard in Letter No. 8 quoting Sihah al-Thaqalain, for they show the truth to those who have eyes to see, and you have already come to know in Letter No. 50 that "‘Ali is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with ‘Ali; they shall never separate from each other."

276. Reason alone rules it impossible that the Prophet (pbuh) would order something and strongly requires his nation to adhere to it while he himself is in dire need to act upon it. He needed a will in order to appoint his representative, and take into consideration the orphans who most badly need a care-taker. Allah is above neglecting his precious legacy, which includes Allah's legislations and commandments, and Allah is above leaving his orphans and widows, who are residents of the earth far and wide, struggling in the dark, going and coming as they desired, without a qayyim through whom Allah's argument becomes complete against them. Yet even common sense by itself rules that he should have left a will for ‘Ali (as), since we have found the prophet (pbuh) entrusting him to bathe and embalm his corpse, to clothe and bury it, then to pay his outstanding debts and clear his conscience, and clarify to people what they differ regarding their faith after him... etc., as referred to at the beginning of this Letter.

277. This hadith and the one that follows it are among detailed ahadith narrated by Sunnis. Refer to them in the discussion of Khadija al-Kubra (as) in the Isti’ab, and you will find them as we have quoted them here verbatim. They are quoted by al-Bukhari and Muslim in their sahihs in almost similar wording.

278. As narrated by al-Bukhari in his chapter on women's jealousy and sentimentality, near the conclusion of his treatise on marriage, page 175, Vol. 3, of his Sahih.

279. We have quoted it in the second paragraph of our celebrated statement, and anyone who wishes to research is referred thereto.

280. This is quoted by al-Tirmithi from Kinanah, slave of the mother of believers Safiyya, and it is transmitted by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his biography of Safiyya in the Isti’ab, Ibn Hajar in her biography in Al-Isabah, by Shaykh Rashid Rida at the end of page 589, Vol. 12, of his Manar, in addition to many other traditionists.

281. This agrees with Sunni books of traditions; so, refer to al-Bukhari's Sahih, his chapter on the households of the Prophet's wives, his treatise on holy wars and traditions, page 125, Vol. 2, and you will find the details.

282. The dissension of the Lesser Camel Battle took place in Basra five days before the end of Rabi’ul-Thani, 36 A.H., before the arrival of the Commander of the Faithful (as) there, when the city was attacked by the mother of believers [‘Ayesha] accompanied by Talhah and al-Zubayr. ‘Ali's governor of Basra then was ‘Uthman ibn Hanif al-Ansari. Forty supporters of ‘Ali (as) were killed at its mosque, and seventy others elsewhere. ‘Uthman ibn Hanif, who was one of the most respectful sahabah, was taken captive, and his captors wanted to kill him but feared revenge from his brother Suhayl and the rest of the Ansar; so, they shaved his beard, moustache, eyebrows, and head; they beat him, imprisoned him, then they expelled him from Basra. They were fought by Hakim ibn Jablah, with a group of his tribe ‘Abd Qays, of whom he was chief. Hakim was a man of wisdom, discretion, and prestige, and he was followed by a group of Banu Rabi’a who refused to cease fighting till each and every one of them was martyrded, including Hakim, in addition to his most honourable son, his brave brother, and Basra fell in the hands of the invading army. When ‘Ali (as) came, he had to face ‘Ayesha's army, and so did the Greater Camel Battle take place. The details of both battles are preserved in books of history written by Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Athir, and in many others.

283. As quoted by trustworthy chroniclers such as Abul-Faraj al-Asfahani at the conclusion of his discussion of ‘Ali in his book Maqatil al-Talibiyyin.

284. As quoted by al-Bukhari about her in his section on the Prophet's (pbuh) sickness and demise, page 62, Vol. 3, of his Sahih.

285. This statement in particular, i.e. Ibn ‘Abbas saying that ‘Ayesha does not wish him any good, is left out by al-Bukhari who stops his quotation at its preceding statements, following his customary habit in such situations, but many authors of books of tradition have quoted it through their authentic reporters. Consider what Ibn Sa’d records on page 29, Section Two, Vol. 2, of his Tabaqat, where he cites a chain of narrators including Ahmad ibn al-Hajjaj, ‘Abdullah ibn Mubarak, Younus, Mu’ammar, al-Zuhri, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Atbah ibn Mas’ud, whose sources end with Ibn ‘Abbas. Reporters of this hadith are considered trustworthy according to the consensus of scholars.

286. As quoted by al-Bukhari at the beginning of his treatise on wills in his Sahih, page 83, Vol. 2. It is also quoted by Muslim in his section on the record of the [Prophet's] will, page 10, Vol. 2, of his Sahih.

287. Mu’ammar quotes Qatadah saying that ‘Ali (as) had taken care, on behalf of the Prophet (pbuh), of certain matters after his demise, most of which was a debt estimated at five hundred thousand dirhams; so, refer to this hadith on page 60, Vol. 4, of Kanz al-’Ummal, and it is hadith number 1170 among the ones which he narrates.

228. As quoted by al-Bukhari at the and of his chapter on Khaybar's campaign in his Sahih, page 37, Vol. 2.

289. This is quoted verbatim by Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari in his section on generosity towards envoys in his book Al-Jihad wal-Siyar, page 118, Vol. 2, of his Sahih.

290. Refer to it in the chapter dealing with rewarding the emissaries on page 118, Vol. 2, of Al-Jihad wal-Siyar.

291. Refer to page 77, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by the Mu’tazilite scholar, and pages 457 and its succeeding pages of the same volume, and you will find her conduct towards ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and Fatima depicting sentimentality in its most manifest forms.

292. Whoever wishes to be familiar with the details of this calamity must research the biography of Lady Mary [or Mariyya, the Copt, wife of the Prophet, pbuh], peace be upon her, on page 39, Vol. 4, of al-Hakim's Al-Mustadrak, or to his Talkhis by al-Thahbi.

293. From what al-Bukhari has quoted in his explanation of Surat al-Tahrim in his Sahih, page 136, Vol. 3; so, refer to it and be amazed. There are several ahadith quoted from ‘Umar stating that the two women who conspired against the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) were ‘Ayesha and Hafsa. There is a lengthy hadith dealing with this issue.

294. As quoted by al-Hakim in his biography of Asma' in his Sahih Al-Mustadrak, page 37, Vol. 4, and is quoted by Ibn Sa’d who discusses her biography on page 104, Vol. 8, of his Tabaqat, and the incident is very well known. It is narrated in the biography of Asma' by both authors of Isti’ab and Al-Isabah, and it is quoted by Ibn Jarir and others.

295. The details of this incident are preserved in the books of traditions and history; so, refer to page 294, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal, or page 115, Vol. 8, of Ibn Sa’d's Tabaqat, where he also states the biography of Sharaf daughter of Khalifah.

296. This issue is quoted by the authors of books of tradition and history; so, refer to hadith number 1020 of the ones narrated in Kanz al-’Ummal, page 116, Vol. 7, and it is quoted by al-Ghazali in the third section of his treatise on marriage on page 35, Vol. 2, of Ihya'ul-’Ulum. It is also quoted in section 94 of his book Mukashafatul Qulub, at the conclusion of page 238.

297. As quoted by al-Ghazali in both sections of the books cited above.

298. This hadith is quoted by al-Hakim at the beginning of page 139, Vol. 3, of his authentic Al-Mustadrak, succeeded by his comment: "This hadith is authentic, but they [Bukhari and Muslim] did not publish it." Al-Thahbi, too, has admitted its authenticity when he quoted it in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak. It is also quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah in his Sunan, and it is hadith number 6096, page 400, Vol. 6, in Kanz al-’Ummal.

299. This is quoted by Abu Ya’li through a chain of narrators including Kamil ibn Talha, Ibn Lahi’ah, Hay ibn ‘Abdul-Maghafiri, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Habli, ending with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. It is quoted by Abu Na’im in his Hilyat al-Awliya', by Abu Ahmad al-Fardi in his own version as stated on page 392, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. Al-Tabrani, in his book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, has stated that when the Ta'if campaign was underway, the Prophet (pbuh) took his time in confiding with ‘Ali, so much so that when Abu Bakr passed by them, he said: "O Messenger of Allah! Your confidential talk with ‘Ali has lasted for quite some time." He (pbuh) said: "It is not I who has confided in him; it is Allah..." This is hadith number 6075, page 399, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal. He often used to sit with ‘Ali (as) and confide in him. Once ‘Ayesha entered and found them engaged in a confidential conversation. Said she: "O ‘Ali! I spend one day out of nine [in the company of my husband]; so, why don't you, son of Abu Talib, leave me alone on that day?" The Prophet's face immediately showed the redness of anger. Refer to this incident at the beginning of page 78, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by al-Hamidi.

300. This is a reference to the following verse in Surat al-Tahrim: "If you both repent to Allah, then your hearts have submitted to Allah."

301. Her insubordination to the vicegerent is manifested by her denial of the existence of the Prophet's will to him, and by bearing grudge towards him as long as he lived. As regarding her insubordination to the Prophet (pbuh), and Allah's readiness to side with His Prophet (pbuh) against her, this is proven by the verse saying:

"If they become insubordinate to him, then (suffices him that) Allah is his Mawla, and so are Gabriel and the righteous among the believers, and even the angels support him (Qur'an, 66:4)."

302. This hadith and the one that precedes it is a reference to the verse "It could be that if he divorces you, his Lord will bless him with wives better than you, submitting to Allah, truly believing in Him."

303. This is a reference to the statement of the Almighty: "Allah has struck for those who disbelieved the example of the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut," to the end of the chapter.

304. This is a reference to the verse:

"O Messenger! Why do you make unlawful what Allah has made lawful unto you, seeking to please your wives (Qur'an, 66:1)?"

305. This is quoted by al-Bukhari in his section dealing with stories about what went on at the homes of the Prophet's wives in his dissertation on the issues of holy wars and the Prophet's biography in his Sahih. It also is on page 125, Vol. 2, following his chapter on the injunction of the khums and its payment. Its wording in Muslim's Sahih is as follows: "The Messenger of Allah came out of ‘Ayesha's house and said: ‘Satan's horn shall come out of this place;'" so refer to page 503 of its second volume [original Arabic text].

306. Refer to Bukhari's Sahih, his section dealing with what deeds are lawful while performing the prayers, page 143, Vol. 1.

307. Her scandalizing ‘Uthman and denouncing many of his actions, her calling him names, and her statement: "Kill Na’thal, for he has turned infidel," are hardly overlooked by any book containing such events and affairs. Suffices you what exists in the books of history by Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Athir, and by others. Some individuals denounced her behaviour and composed poetry in this regard such as:

You started something and schemed,

Like winds blown and rain streamed;

You ordered them to slay the Imam,

Claiming he reneged from Islam...

Up to the conclusion of these verses which are quoted on page 80, Vol. 3, of Ibn al-Athir's Al-Kamil, after reference was made as to how the Battle of the Camel started.

308. That is, when the Almighty says:

"And remain at your homes, and do not decorate your selves as you used to do during the days of jahiliyya (Qur'an, 33:33)."

309. The camel ‘Ayesha was riding during the Basra incident was called ‘Askar. It was brought to her by Ya’li ibn Umayyah, and it was huge, masculine. When she saw it, she liked it, but when she came to know that its name was ‘Askar, she changed her mind and said: "Return it, for I have no need for it." She stated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had informed her of such name and forbidden her from riding it; so, they changed its saddle and brought it back to her saying: "We have found another one for you, larger and stronger." Thus, she was pleased with it. This incident is mentioned by a number of writers of history and of biographies; so, refer to page 80, Vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by the Mu’tazilite scholar.

310. The hadith in this regard is quite famous, and it is one of the signs of true prophethood and miracles of Islam. It has been summarized by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal while quoting ‘Ayesha's hadith in his Musnad, pages 52 and 97, Vol. 6. Hakim did likewise, quoting it on page 120, Vol. 3, of his authentic Mustadrak, and al-Thahbi admitted the same when he quoted it in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak.

311. This hadith about her is undisputed. It is quoted by both shaykhs in their sahihs; so, you may refer to Bukhari's Sahih, the beginning of his section on both ‘Iids, page 116, Vol. 1, and refer to Muslim's Sahih, his section on permissible sports during the days of the eid, page 327, Vol. 1. Also refer to Ahmad's Musnad, page 57, Vol. 6.

312. This is quoted by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Imam Ahmad from ‘Ayesha's hadith which we referenced in the footnote above.

313. It is unanimously agreed upon that he (pbuh) died in the presence of ‘Ali (as), and that ‘Ali (as) was nursing him and aiding him; so, how can it be accurate to claim that he died while nobody was there except ‘Ayesha and the angel of death? Where were ‘Ali (as) and ‘Abbas then? And where were Fatima (as) and Safiyya? Or where were the Prophet's consorts and all the descendants of Hashim? How did they leave him to ‘Ayesha alone? It is also quite obvious that Mary, peace be upon her, did not really possess any of the seven virtues the mother of believers attributes to her; so, what is the wisdom of her using her as the only exception?

314. This is quoted by Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz al-Jawhari in his book Al-Saqifa and by Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 132, Vol. 1, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.

315. Refer to the sahih, his chapter on the stoning of the woman who becomes pregnant out of adultery if she gets married, page 119, Vol. 4. It is also quoted by several authors of books of tradition and history such as Ibn Jarir and al-Tabari who discuss the events of the year 11 in the tarikh [history] book of each, and it is transmitted by Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 122, Vol. 1, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.

316. The one who is making a statement is Ibn al-Zubayr, and his statement is: "By Allah! As soon as ‘Umar dies, I will swear the oath of allegiance to ‘Ali, for allegiance to Abu Bakr was a slip by the nation that safely passed by." ‘Umar, therefore, was extremely angry, and he delivered the said sermon. This is stated by many of those who have commented on al-Bukhari. Refer to the explanation of this hadith in al-Qastalani's Sharh, page 352, Vol. 11, and you will find the author quoting al-Balathiri with regards to surnames, admitting the authenticity of this hadith according to its endorsement by both shaykhs.

317. In his commentary on this hadith, Ibn al-Athir has stated that the statement's gist is that they feared being murdered. The meaning of the whole hadith, therefore, is something like: "The allegiance must come as a result of consultation and consensus; so, if two men split from the group and one of them swears the fealty of allegiance to the other, then they both have departed from the group and consensus. If one receives the oath of allegiance, then he should not be one of them; rather, they both have to be isolated from the group that agrees to distinguish its own Imam from the rest. Otherwise, if one of them receives the oath of allegiance, after having committed a heinous act which caused the group to do without them, then there is no guarantee that both persons will commit murder." It is one of the dictates of the justice described by ‘Umar who passed such a judgment on himself and his friend just as he passed it on others. Prior to his said sermon, he had stated the following: "Swearing the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr was a slip against whose evil Allah has protected us; so, you should kill whoever repeats it." This statement became extremely famous, and many narrators of historical events transmitted it, including scholar Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 123, Vol. 1, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.

318. Refer to Letter No. 6 and its following pages up to the end of Letter No. 12, and you will come to know the prestige meted to Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.

319. Refer to al-Bukhari's Sahih, and read the last lines of his chapter on Khaybar's campaign on page 39, Vol. 3. Also refer to Muslim's Sahih, to his chapter on the Prophet's statement: "We do not leave behind us anything, for whatever we leave is for charity," in his treatise on holy wars and biographies on page 72, Vol. 2, and you will find the matter as we have detailed it.

320. Both of these poetic verses are included in Nahjul Balaghah. Ibn Abul-Hadid has said so while explaining them in his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, page 319, Vol. 4, adding, "His statement is addressed to Abu Bakr, for Abu Bakr argued with the Ansar at the saqifa, saying: ‘We are the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his nutshell;' so, when he argued about the allegiance, claiming that it was done by those who had a say, ‘Ali (as) said: ‘As regarding your argument with the Ansar saying that you belong to the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and are among his kin, others are closer in kinship to him than you; as regarding your argument of being elected and that the masses are pleased with you, there many sahaba who were not present there; so, how can it be called consensus?'" Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abdoh has made two comments on these verses summarizing what Ibn Abul-Hadid has said while explaining them.

321. This hadith is quoted by Muslim on page 122, Vol. 2, of his Sahih. The meaning of his phrase (pbuh) "Whoever knows it is innocent" is that whoever knew the abomination and identifies it as such will have a path leading to dissociation from its sin and punishment by changing it with his own hand or tongue, but if he cannot, then let him abhor it by his heart.

322. Sa’d ibn ‘Abadah, Thabit's father, was one of those present at the taking of the allegiance at ‘Aqaba. He is also a participant in Badr and other battles. He was chief of al-Khazraj and their envoy, a generous man and a chief among the Ansar. His statement, to which we have referred, fills books of biographies and histories. Suffices you what Ibn Qutaybah has said in his treatise on Imamate and politics, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his Tarikh, Ibn al-Athir in his Al-Kamil, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-’Aiz al-Jawhari in his book Al-Saqifa, and others.

323. Habab was one of the chiefs of the Ansar and a hero of Badr and Uhud, a man of feats and a glorious record. He is the one who said: "I am [as strong and firm as] a wooden post rubbed by camels, and a sweet fruit very much coveted. I am the son of a lion in his own den; by Allah, if you so desire, we would go back to wage a war that would grind even youngsters." He said other much stronger statements, and we thought it would be wiser to refrain from quoting them here.

324. Their threat to ‘Ali to burn his house is proven by absolute tawatur. Consider what Imam Ibn Qutaybah has said at the beginning of his chapter on Imamate and politics, Imam al-Tabari in two places where he discusses the events of the year 11 A.H. in his famous Tarikh, Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih al-Maliki in his hadith of the saqifa as quoted in Vol. 1, page 134, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah] by al-Hamidi al-Hadidi, al-Mas’udi in Muruj al-Thahab quoting ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr when the latter apologized on behalf of his brother ‘Abdullah who almost started setting the houses of the descendants of Hashim on fire because they boycotted his allegiance, al-Shahristani who quotes al-Nizam while discussing the Nizami group in his book Al-Milal wal-Nihal. Abu Mikhnaf has dedicated for the narratives related to the saqifa an entire book in which he details what we have summarized here, not to mention the fame and tawatur of this hadith, in addition to these poetic verses by al-Hafiz Ibrahim which are famous as the "‘Umari poem":

A statement ‘Umar said to ‘Ali; so think for a while;

Its listener venerate, respect the speaker and bear:

"Shall I burn your house and make of its ashes a pile

Should you choose to be stubborn and not swear

The oath of allegiance, even if and while

The Chosen One's daughter is inside there?"

None other than Abu Hafs was the speaker

Addressing Adnan's knight and protector...

Thus did they treat the Imam (as) without whose agreement, consensus according to our view can never be binding; so, we ask all those who are fair minded how can their "consensus" be binding upon us, since the case is as such?

325. This is quoted by Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 107, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, while discussing an issue worthy of the attention of researchers which is also discussed by Ibn al-Athir near the conclusion of ‘Umar's biography on page 24, Vol. 3, of his Al-Kamil before discussing the story of the "consultation."

326. The third is none other than the matter which the Prophet (pbuh) desired to write down in order to protect them from misguidance, but politics forced the traditionists to "forget" it, as the Hanafi mufti of Sur, Hajj Dawud al-Dadah, suggested.

327. This hadith is quoted verbatim by Ahmad on page 355, Vol. 1, of his Musnad, in addition to many other reliable authors of books of traditions.

328. This is what al-Bukhari has quoted from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas’ud from Ibn ‘Abbas, and it is also quoted by Muslim and others.

329. You, may Allah support the truth through your person, know that the Prophet (pbuh) did not say: "I would like to write down the tenets," so that it may be said to him: "Suffices us the Book of Allah, the Exalted One." Even if we suppose that he wished to write down those tenets, it could very possibly be that his own writing thereof would be a cause for security against misguidance; therefore, there is no reason to avoid his text and be satisfied with the Qur'an alone. If the text he wished to write was only to safeguard them against misguidance, it would not be appropriate to leave it, shun it, and rely on the fact that Allah's Book includes everything. You know very well how the Muslim nation has no option besides referring to the sacred Sunnah in spite of the fact that it holds the Book of Allah, the Exalted, as indispensable, and although it is inclusive and is divinely protected, for deriving injunctions from it is not within the reach of every ordinary person. Had the Book of Allah been completely sparing us from referring to its own explanations as put forth by the Prophet (pbuh), then Allah Aighty would not have commanded him to explain it to people when He said: "We have revealed unto you the Book so that you may explain to people what has been revealed for them."

330. Authors of books of tradition and history have unanimously accepted the fact that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, were enlisted in the same army, stating such a fact in their books unreservedly, and this is one of the instances in which they have never disputed. Refer, therefore, to any book which contains information about this particular expedition such as Ibn Sa’d's Tabaqat, the books of history by al-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir, Al-Sira al-Halabiyya, Al-Sira al-Dahlaniyya, and others, so that you may find out for yourself. When al-Halabi discusses this campaign in Vol. 3 of his Sira [biography book], he mentions an interesting anecdote which we would like to quote here as he words it:

When the caliph al-Mehdi entered Basra, he happened to see Iyas ibn Mu’awiyah, who is proverbial in sharpness of intellect, and who was then a young boy surrounded by as many as four hundred men of knowledge and prestige, al-Mehdi asked him: "What beards! Couldn't they find an older sage to follow rather than this teenager?" Then al-Mehdi turned to him and asked him how old he was. He answered: "I am, may Allah prolong the presence of the commander of the faithful among us, the same age Usamah ibn Zayd ibn Harithah was when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) entrusted him to lead the army in which both Abu Bakr and ‘Umar served." Al-Mehdi said: "Come close, may Allah bless you." He was then seventeen years old.

331. ‘Umar used to say to Usamah: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has died leaving you in command over me." He is quoted by a group of renown scholars such as al-Halabi while discussing Usamah's army in his Al-Sira al-Halabiyya, in addition to many other traditionists and historians.

332 It is a territory in Balqa' between ‘Ashkelon (a seaport in southwest Palestine) and Ramallah (in Jordan's West Bank), near Mu'ta where Zayd ibn Harithah and Ja’far ibn Abu Talib, of the two wings in Paradise, peace be upon him, were martyred.

333. Every traditionist and author of biography and history books who has mentioned this regiment has also mentioned their resentment of the Prophet's appointment of Usamah as the commander over them, and that he (pbuh) became extremely angry when he came to know about such resentment, hence he delivered the khutba which we have quoted earlier; so, refer to the chapter on Usamah's regiment in Ibn Sa’d's Tabaqat, both Sira books of al-Halabi and al-Dahlani, and other books dealing with this topic.

334. This is quoted by al-Halabi and al-Dahlani in their respective Sira books, and by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari while discussing the events of the year 11 in his Tarikh, in addition to other authors of books of history.

335. He raided Ubna, burnt their homes, cut their palm-trees, his cavalry trampled upon their residential quarters, killing a few and capturing a few others. Among those whom he killed was his father's assassin. Nobody among the Muslims was killed; so, praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Usamah was then riding his father's horse. Their banner then said: "O you who is divinely supported, take their lives," which was the Prophet's banner during the Battle of Badr. He distributed two shares of the booty to cavalry soldiers and one to the infantry, taking for himself the same.

336. This is most likely. Some say he was eighteen years old, others say nineteen, and still others say twenty, but nobody said he was older than that.

337. The words "firqa" and "Shi’ah" are, if you count the times each one of them is repeated, synonymous, for the total number of each one of them is 385, making the majority of that group hopeful.

338. Such as Imam Ahmad near the conclusion of page 155, Vol. 1, of his Musnad, Sa’id ibn Mansür in his Sunan, and Ibn Jarir in Tahthib al-Athar, all testifiying to its authenticity. It is quoted from all of them by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi on page 396, Vol. 6, of his book Kanz al-’Ummal.

339. Refer to ‘Umar's biography in Ibn Sa’d's Tabaqat and you will see how Ja’dah was executed for no complaint brought against him nor a witness other than a sheet on which there were verses written by an anonymous poet accusing Ja’dah of committing adultery.

340. If you did not have a chance to read Sabil al-Muminin, try not to miss reading Al-Fusül al-Muhimma, for it contains precious benefits which no other book contains. We have dedicated a complete chapter to those who interpret it; it is Chapter 8, pages 44 to 130 of the second edition, where these matters are explained in detail.

341. He, peace be upon him, has declared so in a letter which he sent to the people of Egypt with Malik al-Ashtar when he vested on him its government. He said in it: "Allah, praise be to Him, has sent Muhammad (pbuh) as a warner to the worlds and as master of all Messengers. When he, peace be upon him, left (this world), Muslims after him disputed among themselves. By Allah, I never dreaded nor expected the Arabs to remove such responsibility from his Household, nor would they distance me therefrom after him, but what alarmed me most was their leaning towards that person to swear allegiance to him; so, I controlled myself till I saw that people had deviated from Islam and started inviting everyone to wipe out Muhammad's faith. I, therefore, feared that if I did not support Islam and Muslims while witnessing the structure of Islam cracked or partially demolished, the catastrophe on me would be greater than missing your government which is nothing but the enjoyment of a few days after which it would vanish like a mirage, or disappear like summer clouds;" so he rose in those events till wrongdoing was removed, and the religion became deeply rooted and settled. Refer to his statement in Nahjul-Balaghah.

342. This statement is a short one dealing with his noble ojective, and it is included in Nahjul Balaghah. Refer to what the Mu’tazilite scholar has said while explaining it on page 324, Vol. 4, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.

343. This statement is number 21 of his statements in the chapter dealing with "choice gems of his wisdom," page 155, Nahjul Balaghah. Sayyid al-Radi has commented on it in a very valuable commentary, and so has Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abdoh. Both deserve the attention of any scholar.

344. The reins passed on to him by the Messenger of Allah are those of governing the nation in the matters pertaining to its religion as well as the daily life. The meaning is that had they all been in consensus in submitting to such a government, yielding to such a leader, they would have been protected from harm.

345. This is quoted by Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz al-Jawhari in his book Al-Saqifa and Fadak, from a chain of narrators including Muhammad ibn Zakariyya, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Muhallabi, ‘Abdullah ibn Hammad ibn Sulayman who quotes his father, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan who quotes his mother Fatima bint Husayn, ending with al-Zahra', peace be upon her. It is also narrated by Imam Abul-Fadl Ahmad ibn Abu Tahir, who died in 280, on page 23 of his book Balaghat al-Nisa' through Harün ibn Muslim ibn Sa’dan, from al-Hasan ibn Alwan from Atiyyah al-’Awfi who narrated this khutba from a chain of narrators including ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan from his mother Fatima bint al-Husayn, from her grandmother al-Zahra', peace be upon her. Our own fellows narrate this khutba from Suwayd ibn Ghaflah ibn Awsajah al-Ju’fi from al-Zahra', peace be upon her. Al-Tibrisi has quoted it in his book Al-Ihtijaj, and al-Majlisi in his book Biaar al-Anwar, and it is narrated by many other trustworthy narrators.

346. We have quoted it verbatim from Al-Tarikh al-Kamil by Ibn al-Athir who includes it at the conclusion of ‘Umar's biography among the events of the year 23 A.H., page 24, Vol. 3, and it is also quoted by the Mu’tazilite scholar in ‘Umar's biography, too, page 107, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah

347. He means that the speech of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praising ‘Ali indicates that ‘Ali enjoys quite a lofty status, obviously an admission by ‘Umar.

348. He means that the Prophet (pbuh), due to praising ‘Ali in such wise words, is testing the nation to see if it would accept him as his successor.

349. This is quoted by Imam Abul-Fadl Ahmad ibn Abu Tahir in his book Tarikh Baghdad, indicating his reliable source to be Ibn ‘Abbas. It is also quoted by the Mu’tazilite scholar who discusses ‘Umar in his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, page 97, Vol. 3.

350. This dialogue is quoted by authors of books of biographies in their discussions of ‘Umar, and we have quoted it here from Sharh Nahjul Balaghah by the Mu’tazilite scholar; so, refer to page 105 of its third volume.

351. Ibn Hajar has quoted both cases in his fifth maqsad of the verse enjoining kindness to the Prophet's kin, and it is verse 14, of the ones dealt with in Chapter 11 of his book Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa; so, refer to page 160 of this reference. Al-Dar Qutni has quoted the case of al-Hasan with Abu Bakr, and Ibn Sa’d has quoted the case of al-Husayn with ‘Umar in his biography of the latter in his Tabaqat.

352. Khalid ibn Sa’id ibn al-’?s was among those who rejected Abu Bakr's caliphate; he refused for three months to swear allegiance to him, as stated by a group of reliable Sunnis such as Ibn Sa’d in his biography of Khalid in his Tabaqat, page 70, Vol. 4, adding that when Abu Bakr dispatched troops to Syria, he prepared the standard for him and came in person to his house, but ‘Umar said to Abu Bakr: "Do you give charge to Khalid after having heard what he has said?" He continued trying till he sent Abu ‘Arwah al-Dawsi with the message that "The successor of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asks you to return our standard." He did so saying: "Your government has never pleased us, nor has your deposition harmed us." Having heard such a statement, Abu Bakr came to him to apologize, and he earnestly requested him not to mention ‘Umar in public. All writers who mention the incident of this campaign to Syria mention this incident as well, for it is one of such detailed incidents.

353. This verse, and all the poetic verses and martials which precede it, are quoted in the books of biographies and chronicles, especially the ones dealing with the battles of the Camel and Siffin. They have been quoted in their entirety by the researching scholar Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 47 and its following pages up to page 50, Vol. 1, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, Egyptian edition, where he explains the khutba of the Commander of the Faithful (as) referring to Muhammad's progeny (as) and to what they have said about him, including the following: "They have the distinction of being divinely granted the right to rule, and in them the Prophet's will is preserved, and they are the ones who inherit his legacy." Having quoted these verses and martials, he says verbatim: "The verses containing this word ‘wasiyya' [will] are nUmarous, but we have mentioned here some of them where there is reference to the two parties (meaning Abu Mikhnaf's book dealing with the Battle of Camel, and Nasr ibn Muzahim's book dealing with the Battle of Siffin); besides these, the references are uncountable and innUmarable. We would have filled many pages of them had we not feared boredom and monotony."

354. Zafr's verse, and both couplets composed by Khuzaymah before it, in addition to the couplets composed by Abu Sufyan which preceded them, are all narrated by Imam al-Iskafi in his book Naqd al-’Uthmaniyya, and they are transmitted by Ibn Abul-Hadid at the end of his commentary on the qasi’a sermon on page 258 and the pages following it, Vol. 3, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, Egyptian edition.

355. When scholar Shaykh Muhammad Mahmüd al-Rafi’i came to the conclusion of his commentary on this verse in his own commentary on the verses composed by the poet al-Kumait in praise of the descendants of Hashim, he said: "Meaning ‘Ali, may Allah glorify his countenance, who is named wasi because the Messenger of Allah awsa [left a will] regarding him." The same is narrated about Ibn Buraydah who quotes his father citing the Prophet (pbuh) saying: "For every Prophet there is a wasi, and ‘Ali is my wasi and the heir of my legacy." Al-Tirmithi states that the Prophet (pbuh) is quoted saying: "To whomsoever I have been a master, this ‘Ali is his master." Al-Bukhari quotes Ibn Sa’d saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) headed to Tabük, leaving ‘Ali (as) behind. ‘Ali (as) asked him: "Do you thus leave me with children and women?" He said: "Are you not pleased that your status to me is like that of Aaron to Moses, except there will be no prophet after me?" Ibn Qays al-Raqiyyat has said:

Among us are: Ahmad the Prophet, the truthful, the pious, the man of wisdom;

And ‘Ali and Ja’far with two wings: They are the wasi, and the man of martyrdom.

This is something which poets used to always say about ‘Ali (as) with a great elaboration. Then he testifies to the poetry we have first quoted by Kuthayyir ‘Azzah.

356. Muhammad Mahmüd al-Rafi’i, the commentator, says verbatim: "Meaning vicegerent after the Messenger of Allah."

357. The poem starts with: "Gazelles that made the dusty dunes glitter like stars," which is included in his diwan (collection of poems).

358. Al-Huda, the Iraqi magazine, quoted this Letter and published it in series in its first and second volumes in a column signed by the humble author.

359. Refer to the biography of Jubayr ibn al-Habab ibn al-Munthir in Part One of Al-Isabah.

360. Such as al-Najashi's Index, Shaykh Abu ‘Ali's Muntahal Maqal fi Ahwalir Rijal, Mirza Muhammad's Minhajul Maqal fi Tahqiqi Ahwalir Rijal, and many other books dealing with this branch of knowledge, and they are quite few.

361. Indicated so by many masters of the art such as Shaykh al-Baha'i in his Wajiza, and many other renown personalities.

362. Refer to al-Tibrisi's Mujma’Bayan fi Tafsiril Qur'an in the section dealing with the exegesis of the verse reading: "Say: ‘I do not ask you for any reward for it other than being kind to my kin'" in Sürat al-Shüra, and you will find him quoting Abu Hamzah's own tafsir.

363. Our fellows have reported all of Abu Hamzah's books, giving him credit for the narration, and the details are in their books. Our dignitary-authority Sayyid Sadr ad-Din al-Müsawi has abridged Risalat al-Huqüq and published it in order to be memorized by heart by Muslim youths, and he has done a very good job; may Allah enable the Muslims to enjoy the fruits of his concern and the magnitude of his effort.

364. He does so when he mentions the Baqiriyya and Ja’fariyya among Shi’ah sects in his book Al-Milal wal-Nihal.

Letter 16

A Hundred Shi’a Authorities Relied upon by Sunnis

Thul-Qi’da 1329

Yes. I will provide you in a hurry with what you have requested, confining myself to some of those personalities who were visited by people from far and wide, on the condition that I will not be required to elaborate on them, since there is no room for that in this brief exposition. Here are their names and the names of their fathers arranged alphabetically:96

1. Aban ibn Taghlib

He was a Kufi] reciter of the Holy Qur'an. Al­Thahbi has recorded his biography in his own Mizan saying, "Aban ibn Taghlib, MAW, of Kufa, is a persistant Shi’a. He, nevertheless, is truthful; so, we will rely on his truthfulness, and let him be punished for his innovation." He has also said that Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Ma’in and Abu Hatim put their trust in him. Ibn ‘Adi quotes him and says that he is "extremist in Shi’ism." Al­Sa’di describes him as "an open deviator."

Ibn al­Thahbi goes on to describe the man's credentials, counting him as an authority relied upon by Muslim and authors of the fourSunan books, namely Abu Dawud, al­Tirmithi, al­Nisa'i and Ibn Majah, marking his name with the latter's initials.

Refer to his narration ofhadith in Muslim'sSahih , in the fourSunan books through al­Hakam and al­A’mash, in addition to Fudayl ibn ‘Umar. Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, Shu’bah, and Idris al­Awdi quote him as recorded in Muslim's book. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 141 A.H.

2. Ibrahim ibn Yazid

His name is Ibrahim ibn Yazid ibn ‘Umar ibn al­Aswad al­Nakh’i al­Kufi, thefaqih . His mother is Malika daughter of Yazid ibn Qays al­Nakh’i and sister of al­Aswad, Ibrahim, and ‘Abdel­Rahman, sons of Yazid ibn Qays. Like their uncles ‘Alqamah and Ubay, sons of Qays, they were all among the most reliable and authoritative among all Muslims. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied upon their authority while keeping in mind thier being Shi’as.

As regarding our man Ibrahim ibn Yazid, he has been included among Shi’a dignitaries by Ibn Qutaybah] on page 206 of his workAl-Ma’arif where he enUmarates a few Shi’a dignitaries, taking his reliability for granted. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as quoted by the mother of his uncle ‘Alqamah ibn Qays, and by Humam ibn al­Harith, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Ubaydah, al­Aswad ibn Yazid, his uncle.

Refer also to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih through his uncle from his mother's side, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, and through Sahm ibn Munjab, Abu Mu’ammar, ‘Ubayd ibn Nadlah, and ‘Abis. In the twosahihs , he is quoted by Fudayl ibn ‘Umar, al­Mughirah, Ziyad ibn Kulayb, Wasil, al­Hasan ibn ‘Ubaydullah, Hammad ibn Abu Sulayman, and by Sammak. Ibrahim was born in 50 A.H., and he died at the age of either 95 or 96, four months after al­Hajjaj's death.

3. Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil

He is Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil ibn al­Kufi al­Hafri. Abu Zar’ah and Abu Hatim quote him and rely upon him while being fully aware of his status among Shi’as. In Ahmad's biography, as stated inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim highlights this fact by saying: "Ahmad ibn al­Mufdil is one of the Shi’a chiefs, and he is truthful." Al­Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting on his name Abu Dawud's and al­Nisa'i's initials, indicating thereby that they consider him an authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih through al­Thawri. He narrates through Asbat ibn Nasir and Isra'i.

7. Isma’il ibn ‘Abbad

His full name is Isma'il ibn ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas al­Taleqani (Abul­Qasim), better known as al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad. Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , putting "DT" on his name to indicate that both Dawud and al-Tirmithi rely on him in theirsahih books.97 Then he goes on to describe him as "a talented Shi’a, a man of letters".

His being Shi’a is a matter which cannot be doubted by anyone. For this reason, he and his father earned high marks of prestige and greatness in the Buwayhid state. He is the first person among their government ministers to be called "sahib" (companion, friend), since he was, since his adolescence, a companion of Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. This title followed him as he grew up till he was known thereby. Later on, it was used for anyone who held the same reins of responsibility in the government.

First, he was minister to Mu'ayyed al­Dawlah Abu Mansur ibn Rukn al­Dawlah ibn Buwayh. After the latter's demise in Sha’ban of 373 in Jurjan, Abul-Hasan ‘Ali, better known as Fakhr al­Dawlah, brother of Mu'ayyed, seized authority and retained Sahib's position. Fakhr al­Dawlah held Sahib in high esteem and fulfilled his wishes in the same way his own father Abu ‘Abbad ibn al­Abbas did while he was in the service of Fakhr al­Dawlah's father, Rukn al­Dawlah.

When, at the age of 59, as­Sahib died on Thursday night, 24th of Safar, 385, in Rayy, the city of Rayy closed down its shops as a sign of mourning, and people gathered in front of his mansion awaiting his coffin. Fakhr al­Dawlah, accompanied by government ministers and commanders of the army, went there, too, wearing mourning clothes.

When his coffin came out of his house, people cried "Allahu Akbar!" in unison, kissed the ground in glorification, and Fakhr al­Dawlah followed the coffin on foot with the crowd and sat with them during the three days' mourning period. Poets read eulogies, and scholars held commemorative ceremonies in his honour, and he was praised by all those who could not attend his funeral.

Abu Bakr al­Khawarizmi said: "Al­Sahib ibn ‘Abbad grew up in the ministry's lap, learned how to crawl and walk within its precincts, was nursed from the most excellent of its bosoms, and inherited it [ministry] from his own forefathers." Abu Sa’id al­Rustami composed these verses in his praise:

He inherited ministry: a link in a chain,

A great man, he was, heir of great men.

About the ministry of al-Abbas does ‘Abbad narrate,

While from ‘Abbad does Isma’il Narrate.

In his biography of Sahib, al­Tha’alibi says: "I can find no words to fairly describe Sahib's lofty status in knowledge and arts, or the prestige he enjoys for being benevolent and generous, or his unique virtues and possession of various merits. The best statement I can make on his behalf falls short of doing justice to the least among his virtues and eminence, and my best description falls short of being fair to his virtues and characteristics."

Sahib has written many precious books including Al­Muhit in Language in seven volumes; its chapters are arranged alphabetically. He collected an unmatched library. Nuh ibn al­Mansur, one of the kings of Sam’an, wrote to him once to invite him to be in charge of running his cabinet of ministers and managing the affairs of his kingdom. He apologized to him, saying that he needed four hundred camels just to transport the contents of his library. This much about him should suffice.

8. Isma’il ibn ‘Abdul­Rahman ibn Abu Karimah al­Kufi

Better known as al-Sadi, he is the renown interpreter of the Holy Qur'an. Stating his biography, al­Thahbi describes him as "charged with Shi’ism." Husayn ibn Waqid al­Maruzi discusses him, claiming that he heard him once cursing Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. In spite of all these charges, he is quoted by al­Thawri and Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and many in such class of writers. Muslim and authors of the foursahih books consider him an authority, while Ahmad grants him his full confidence. Ibn ‘Adi says that he is truthful. Yahya al­Qattan says there is nothing wrong with theahadith he narrates.

Yahya ibn Sa’id says: "I never heard anyone speaking ill of al­Sadi; none has deserted him." Ibrahim al­Nakh’i once passed by al­Sadi while the latter was interpreting the Holy Qur'an. Ibrahim said that al­Sadi was interpreting the Holy Qur'an according to the commonly used methods. If you read about al­Sadi in Mizan al-I’tidal, you will find more details about what we have stated above.

Refer to al­Sadi'shadith in Muslim'sSahih from Anas ibn Malik, Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydah, and Yahya ibn ‘Abbad. Abu ‘Awanah, al­Thawri, al­Hasan ibn Salih, Za'idah, and Isra'il have all quoted him, being their mentor, as stated in the foursahih books. He died in 127 A.H.

9. Isma’il ibn Musa al­Fazari al­Kufi

Al­Thahbi'sAl-Mizan quotes Ibn ‘Uday saying, "People despised his extremist Shi’a views."Al-Mizan also quotes ‘Abdan saying: "Hammad and Ibn Abu Shaybah opposed our visiting him." He asked him once how he fared with "that immoral who curses our ancestors."

In spite of all of this, both Ibn Khuzaymah and Abu ‘Arubah quote him, being the instructor of their class. He is in the same category with Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi who quote him and rely on his authority in theirsahihs . Abu Hatim mentions him and calls him "trustworthy." Al-Nisa'i says "he is alright." All of this is stated in the man's biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan .

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih and Abu Dawud'sSunan as narrated by Malik, Sharik, and ‘Umar ibn Shakir, a friend of Anas. He died in 245. He was a son of al­Sadi's daughter, although he might have denied that, and Allah knows best.

10. Talid ibn Sulayman al­Kufi, al­A’raj

Ibn Ma’in mentioned him and said: "He used to curse ‘Uthman. Some of ‘Uthman's followers heard that. They threw a rock at him which broke his leg, hence his nickname "al­A’raj," the lame. Abu Dawud has mentioned him and said he is Rafidi who curses Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman.

In spite of all of this, Ahmad and Ibn Namir rely on his authority despite their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Ahmad has said, "Talid is a Shi’a, yet we could not find anything wrong with what he narrated." Al­Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , quoting statements about him made by learned men as stated above. He puts al-Tirmithi's initials on his name to indicate that the latter considers him an authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih through ‘Ata ibn al­Sa'ib and ‘Abdel­Malik ibn ‘Umayr.

11. Thabit ibn Dinar

Thabit is better known as Abu Hamzah al­Thamali. His being Shi’a is as clear as the sun. Author ofAl-Mizan mentions him, stating that the name of ‘Uthman was mentioned once in Abu Hamzah's presence. The latter sarcastically asked: "Who is ‘Uthman?!"

It also states that al­Sulaymani includes Abu Hamzah among the Rafidis. Al­Thahbi puts al-Tirmithi's initials on Abu Hamzah's name as an indication of his being an authority. Waki’ and Abu Na’im quote him and use him as their authority. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'ssahih through Anas and al­Sha’bi and others of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 150 A.H.

12. Thuwayr ibn Abu Fakhita

He is better known as Abu Jahm al­Kufi, a freed slave of Ummu Hani', daughter of Abu Talib. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and quoted Yunus ibn Abu Ishaq's allegation that he was Rafidi. Nevertheless, both Sufyan and Shu’bah have quoted him, and al-Tirmithi has produced some of hisahadith in his ownSahih through the authority of Ibn ‘Umar and Zayd ibn Arqam.

During the time of Imam al-Baqir (as), he maintained his loyalty to the Imam, and he came to be known as such. In this regard, he made quite a few interesting dialogues with ‘Amr ibn Tharr, the judge, his contemporary Ibn Qays, and al-Salt ibn Bahram testifying to this fact.

13. Jabir ibn Yazid ibn al-Harith al-Ju’fi al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , describing him as one of the Shi’a‘ulema . He has quoted Sufyan saying that he heard Jabir saying that the knowledge with the Prophet (pbuh) was transferred to ‘Ali (as), then to al-Hasan (as), and so on till it reached Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), who was one of his contemporaries.

Muslim has mentioned him in one of the first chapters of his Sahih, quoting al-Jarrah who has heard Jabir saying that he knew seventy thousandahadith of the Prophet all narrated through the authority of the father of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) (i.e. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him). He has also quoted Zuhayr saying, "I know fifty thousandahadith none of which I have narrated yet."

One day, he quoted onehadith and said, "This is one of the fifty thousandahadith ." According to his biography in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , whenever Jabir narratedhadith through al-Baqir (as), he says: "The successor of the successors of the Prophet related to me that..." In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Uday says: "Commoners alleged that he [Jabir] used to believe in the return."

Relying on the authority of Za'idah, al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan and said: "Jabir al-Ju’fi is a Rafidi who curses..." In spite of that, both al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud rely on his authority.

Refer to thehadith which he narrates concerning accidental prostrations in bothsahihs . Shihab, Abu ‘Awanah, and many of their calibre, quote him. Al-Thahbi, who mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , has put the initials of both Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi on his name to indicate their reliance on his authority. He also quotes Sufyan saying that Jabir al-Ju’fi is God-fearing while narratinghadith , and that he has said: "I have never seen anyone more pious than him [Jabir]."

He also quotes Shu’bah saying that Jabir is truthful, and "Whenever Jabir narratedhadith , we listened, since he is the most trustworthy of all men." Waki’ used to say, "If doubt entertains your mind, you may doubt anyone other than Jabir al-Ju’fi," and that Ibn ‘Abd al-Hakam heard al-Shafi’i once saying that Sufyan al-Thawri said once to Shu’bah: "If you ever cast doubt about Jabir, that will signal the end of our friendship." Jabir died in either 127 or 128 Hij., may Allah have mercy on his soul.

14. Jarir ibn ‘Abdel-Hamid al-Dabi al-Kufi

In his work Al-Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries, while al-Thahbi mentions him inAl-Mizan , marking his name to denote the consensus of thesahihs in relying on his authority. He has praised him saying: "He is the learned man of the Rayy on whose authority many authors rely," testifying to the consensus of opinion regarding his reliability.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs narrated through A’mash, Mughirah, Mansur, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. Qutaybah ibn Sa’id, Yahya ibn Yahya and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah have all quoted hisahadith as stated in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah rest his soul in peace, in Rayy in 187 Hij. at the age of 77.

15. Ja’far ibn Ziyad al-Ahmar al-Kufi

Abu Dawud has mentioned him saying: "He is a truthful Shi’a." Al-Jawzjani has said: "He has deviated from the path," meaning from al-Jawzjani's path to that of the Prophet's Progeny (as). Ibn ‘Adi has described him as a pious Shi’a.

His grandson al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Ja’far ibn Ziyad has said: "My grandfather Ja’far was one of the chiefs of Shi’as in Khurasan." Abu Ja’far al-Dawaniqi ordered collars98 to be put around his neck and the necks of a group of other Shi’as and be pulled like dogs; then he kept all of them in dungeons for quite a long time.

Ibn ‘Ayinah, Waki’, Abu Ghassan al-Mahdi, Yahya ibn Bishr al-Hariri and Ibn Mahdi have all quoted hisahadith , being their mentor. Ibn Ma’in and others have considered him an authority on the Prophet's hadith. Ahmad describes hishadith as "sahih ," authentic, accurate. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan and narrated what is stated above, putting the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i on his name as an indication of both men's reliance on him. Refer to hishadith as they quote it in theirsahihs through Bayan ibn Bishr and ‘Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib. He is quoted through other men of the same calibre. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 167 Hij.

16. Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i al-Basri (Abu Sulayman)

On page 206 of his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him and emphasized his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy narrator ofhadith . Ahmad ibn al-Miqdam has charged him of being "Rafidi." Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying: "He is a Shi’a. There is nothing wrong with his narration; hisahadith are by no means refutable, and I consider him as one whosehadith is acceptable."

Abu Talib has said: "I have heard Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with theahadith narrated by Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i." It was said to Ahmad, "But Sulayman ibn Harb says that he did not write down al-Dab’i'sahadith ." Ahmad replied by saying that Ibn Harb did not object that anyone should write down al-Dab’i'sahadith , and that [ibn Harb's prejudice was simply because] al-Dab’i was a Shi’a who quotedahadith regarding ‘Ali [ibn Abu Talib]."

Ibn Ma’in has said: "I have heard certain talk from ‘Abdul-Razzaq which testified to the man's "sectarian beliefs." I said to him: "Your mentors, such as Mu’ammar, Ibn Jurayh, al-Awza’i, Malik, and Sufyan, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn this [Shi’a] sect from?" He answered: "One day, Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Dab’i visited us, and I saw him to be virtuous, pious, and from him did I learn this sect." I guess Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddami saw contratiwise! He openly used to say that Ja’far learned "Rafidism" from ‘Abdul-Razzaq; therefore, he used to curse the latter and say: "Nobody corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he [‘Abdul-Razzaq]."

Quoting Sahl ibn Abu Khadouthah, al-Aqili has said: "I said to Ja’far ibn Sulayman: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘Cursing I do not; but hating, you can say whatever you will.'"

Relying on Jarir ibn Yazid ibn Harun, Ibn Haban has said in his Thiqat, "My father sent me once to Abu Ja’far al-Dab’i. I said to the latter: ‘I have heard that you curse Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.' He replied: ‘I do not curse them. But if you want to say that I despise them, feel free;' therefore, I concluded that he was Rafidi."

In his biography of Ja’far inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi has included all the above and emphasized as well the fact that the man was a pious ‘alim "in spite of being a Shi’a." Muslim relies on him in hisSahih and quotes some of his uniqueahadith which are published nowhere else as al-Thahbi himself testifies when he narrates Ja’far's biography. Refer to hishadith in thesahih narrated through Thabit al-Banani, al-Ja’d ibn ‘Uthman, Abu ‘Umran al-Jawni, Yazid ibn al-Rashk and Sa’id al-Jariri. Qatan ibn Nasir, Yahya ibn Yahya, Qutaybah, Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Hasab, Ibn Mahdi and Musaddid have all quoted hisahadith .

For example, he has said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, dispatched a division of the Muslim army under ‘Ali's command, etc." Anotherhadith he has narrated states: "What do you want of ‘Ali? ‘Ali is of me, and I am of him. He is thewali (master) after me of every believer," as quoted in al-Nisa'i'sSahih and transmitted through Ibn ‘Adi from al-Nisa'i. Al-Thahbi has stated the above while discussing Ja’far in hisAl-Mizan . He died in Rajab of 178 Hij.; may Allah be merciful unto him.

17. Jami’ ibn ‘Umayrah ibn Tha’labah al-Kufi al-Taymi (Taymullah)

Abu Hatim has mentioned his biography in his ownAl-Mizan at the conclusion of which he states: "Al-Kufi is one of the Shi’a nobility whosehadith is authentically narrated." Ibn Haban has mentioned him and stated, as indicated inAl-Mizan , that he is"Rafidi ." I say that al-’Ala' ibn Salih, Sadaqah ibn al-Muthanna, and Hakim ibn Jubayr have all derived their knowledge from him, being their mentor.

TheSunan books quote him thrice. Al-Tirmithi has acclaimed hishadith , as al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan testifies. He is one of thetabi’in . He learnedhadith from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ayesha. One of theahadith which he learned from Ibn ‘Umar states that the latter heard the Messenger of Allah addressing ‘Ali thus: "You are my brother in this life and the life hereafter."

18. Al-Harith ibn Hasirah Abul Nu’man al-Azdi al-Kufi

Abu Hatim al-Razi describes him as one of the Shi’a nobility. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri has attributed to him the belief in the return. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him saying: "Hishadith is written down in spite of the weakness I have seen therein. He is one of the Kufis who will be burned in the Fire because of their Shi’ism." Thanij has said: "I once asked Jarir: ‘Have you met al-Harith ibn Hasirah?' He answered, ‘Yes, indeed, I have. I met him as an old man who used to stay silent most of the time, and he insisted on something quite magnanimous.'"

Yahya ibn Ma’in has mentioned him and said: "He is trustworthy [though] Khashbi [one of the derogatory names downgrading Shi’as, tr.]." Al-Nisa'i, too, trusts him. Al-Thawri, Malik ibn Maghul, ‘Abdullah ibn Namir, and a group of their calibre, have all quoted him, since he was their mentor in whom they put their trust.

Al-Thahbi has narrated his biography in hisAl-Mizan stating all the above. Refer to hishadith in theSunan through Zayd ibn Wahab, ‘Ikrimah, and a group of their class. Al-Nisa'i quotes ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Rawajni who quotes a chain of narrators including ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Malik al-Mas’udi that al-Harith ibn Hasirah, according to Zayd ibn Wahab, reported that ‘Ali (as) was heard once saying: "I am the servant of Allah and the brother of His Messenger; nobody else can say so except a liar."

Al-Harith ibn Hasirah narrates through Abu Dawud al-Subai’i, through ‘Umran ibn Hasin, saying: "I was sitting once in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, with ‘Ali sitting beside him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, recited ‘Or who else [other than Allah] that would respond to the one in dire need for help, remove his distress, and make ye vicegerents on earth?' ‘Ali was shaken and moved a great deal; thereupon, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, patted ‘Ali's shoulder and said: ‘Nobody loves you except a true believer [a mu'min], and nobody hates you except a hypocrite till the Day of Judgment.'"

Traditionists such as Muhammad ibn Kuthayyir and others have quoted thehadith cited above from Al-Harith ibn Hasirah. Al-Thahbi has transmitted it while stating the biography of Nafi’ ibn al-Harith through the same chain of narrators. When he comes to Al-Harith ibn Hasirah, he comments saying, "He is truthful; but he is also Rafidi."

19. Al-Harith ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hamadani

He was one of the close friends of the Commander of the Faithful (as) and one of the besttabi'in . His being a Shi’a needs no proof. He is the first of those counted by Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif as Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , admitting that he was one of the most highly recognized‘ulema among thetabi’in ; then he quotes Ibn Haban's statement saying that he was "extremist" in his Shi’a beliefs. After that, he states a great deal about some people's anger with him because of his Shi’a beliefs.

In spite of all this, he also records their consensus that the man is the most knowledgeable, pious, and best informed about rituals. He has also admitted that theahadith narrated by al-Harith are in existence in the four books ofsunan . He declares the fact that Nisa'i, in spite of his prejudice, has strongly relied on the authority of al-Harith, admitting that the public, in spite of belittling the man, kept quoting hisahadith in all religious matters, and that al-Sha’bi called him a liar, then he turned around and quoted him!

Al-Thahbi states the following in hisAl-Mizan : "Obviously, al-Nisa'i falsifies him when it comes to the latter's tone and tale; but when the man narrateshadith , he does not disbelieve in him."Al-Mizan quotes Muhammad ibn Sirin saying: "There were five well-known companions of Ibn Mas’ud. I came to know four of them, but I missed al-Harith whom I never saw. He was the best among them."

A great deal of controversy exists regarding which of the other three, namely Alqamah, Masruq, or ‘Ubaydah, is the best. I say that Allah has enabled trustworthy traditionists to do justice to al-Sha’bi and prove him a liar. This has been pointed out by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his bookJami'‘ Bayanul ‘Ilm which quotes the frank statement made by Ibrahim al-Nakh’i belying al-Sha’bi, addingverbatim : "I think that al-Sha’bi has received his fair punishment for saying the following about al-Harith al-Hamadani: ‘Al-Harith, one of the liars, informed me that..., etc.'"99

Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has said: "Al-Harith has shown no indication of being a liar; some people have borne grudge against him simply because he loved ‘Ali so much and preferred him over others. This is the reason why al-Sha’bi has called him a liar, since al-Sha’bi favours Abu Bakr, stating that the latter was the first to embrace Islam, and he favours ‘Umar, too."

Among those who bore grudge against al-Harith was Muhammad Ibn Sa’d who included al-Harith's biography in Volume 6 of hisTabaqat , saying that al-Harith speaks "maliciously." He does not do al-Harith, nor any other Shi’a notable, any justice even when it comes to knowledge or feats. The "malicious" talk Ibn Sa’d is referring to is nothing other than allegiance to Muhammad's progeny and his taking them for guides in all matters, as Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has admitted in his above-quoted statement. Al-Harith's demise took place in 65 Hij.; may Allah have mercy on his soul.

20. Habib ibn Abu Thabit al-Asadi al-Kahili al-Kufi

He was one of thetabi’in . Qutaybah, in his Ma’arif, and Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal Nihal, have both included him among Shi’a dignitaries. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the indication that authors of the sixsahihs rely on his authority without any hesitation. Yahya Ibn Ma’in and a group of other scholars have all trusted him.

Al-Dawalibi, however, has spoken ill of him and classified his traditions as "weak" just because of his being a Shi’a. What truly amazes me is the attitude of Ibn ‘Awn who was unable to find any pretext to cast doubt about Habib's traditions, in spite of his ardent desire to do so; therefore, he had to look down at him and call him "a’war," one-eyed. One's real handicap is sinning and speaking ill of others, not in losing an eye.

Refer to Habib's traditions in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as narrated through Sa’id ibn Jubayr and Abu Wa'il. Hishadith narrated through Zayd ibn Wahab is recorded only in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated through Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, and through Tawus, al-Dahhak al-Mashriqi, Abu ‘Abbas ibn al-Sha’ir, Abu al-Minhal ‘Abdul-Rahman, ‘Ata' ibn Yasin, Ibrahim ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqas, and through Mujahid.

In bothsahihs , Misar, al-Thawri, and Shu’bah have quoted his traditions. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are quoted by Sulayman al-A’mash, Hasin, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Sayah and Abu Ishaq al-Shaybani. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 119 Hij.

21. Al-Hasan ibn Hayy

Hayy's full name is Salih ibn Salih al-Hamadani, brother of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Both men, who were born twins, are on the top of the list of Shi’a nobility. ‘Ali was born only one hour earlier. Nobody has ever heard his brother calling him by his first name; instead, he used to always refer to him as "Abu Muhammad."

This has been mentioned in Vol. 6 of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , in the chapter dealing with al-Hasan. The author states: "Al-Hasan was one of the dignitaries, but he is inflicted with Shi’ism. He did not participate in the Jum’a prayers, and he preached denunciation of unjust rulers." He also mentions the fact that the man never invoked Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman.

Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him in Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is trustworthy; he narrates manyahadith , and he is a Shi’a." Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included his name among other narrators ofhadith in his Ma’arif, highlighting his being a Shi’a. At the conclusion of his book, he lists al-Hasan among such narrators. Muslim and authors of thesunan books have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by Sammak ibn Harb, Isma’il al-Sadi, ‘Asim al-Ahwal, and Harun ibn Sa’d. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, Yahya ibn Adam, Hamid ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Rawasi, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d, Ahmad ibn Yunus and all renown men of their intellectual calibre have learnedhadith from him.

In his biography inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi indicates that Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted his [al-Hasan's]hadith . He adds saying that ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has quoted his father saying that al-Hasan is more authentic than Sharik. Al-Thahbi also states that Abu Hatim has said: "He is a trust; he has a sound and authentic memory," and that Abu Zar’ah has said: "He has combined in him accomplishment,fiqh , piety, and asceticism," and that Nisa'i has trusted him.

He also quotes Abu Na’im saying: "I have quoted eight hundred traditionists; I have found none better than al-Hasan ibn Salih," and that he has also said: "I have come across nobody who did not err other than al-Hasan ibn Salih."

He quotes ‘Ubaydah ibn Sulayman saying: "Allah is too shy to harm al-Hasan ibn Salih." He quotes Yahya ibn ‘Ali Bakir asking al-Hasan ibn Salih: "Describe to us how to conduct the ceremonial bathing of the deceased;" he could not do so because of being overcome by tears.

He quotes ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa saying: "I used to recite the holy Qur'an in the presence of ‘Ali ibn Salih. Having finished reciting ‘Exercise patience [O Muhammad]!; We have granted them a respite only for an appointed time,' his brother fell down snorting like a wounded bull; so, ‘Ali lifted him up, wiped and washed his face then supported him against falling again," and that Waki’ has said: "Al-Hasan and ‘Ali sons of Salih and their mother divided night-time among them into three parts: each alternates in his portion thereof in keeping vigil, spending it in prayers and adoration. When their mother died, they split it into equal halves. Then ‘Ali died; therefore, al-Hasan used to stay all night long worshipping."

Abu Sulayman al-Darani has said: "I have never seen anyone more awe-stricken than al-Hasan son of Salih who stood up one night to recite Chaper 78 of the Holy Qur'an and fainted yet continued reciting till dawn." He was born, may Allah have mercy upon him, in 100 Hij. and he died in 169.

22. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has indicated the fact that al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah was a Shi’a in his Ma’arif and included him among Shi’a nobility. Both Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in theirsahihs as narrated by Abu Jahifah, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, Mujahid, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr.

In Muslim's Sahih, it is narrated by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla, al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymarah, Abu Salih, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Sa’id ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn ‘Abzi, Yahya al-Jazzar, Nafi’ (a slave of Ibn ‘Umar), ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, ‘Imarah ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Arrak ibn Malik, al-Sha’bi, Maymun ibn Mahran, al-Hasan al-’Arni, Mus’ab ibn Sa’d and ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn.

In bothsahihs , hisahadith are quoted by Mansur, Misar and Shu’bah. Particularly in Bukhari's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Ghaniya. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith are narrated by al-A’mash, ‘Amr ibn Qays, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, Malik ibn al-Maghul; Aban ibn Taghlib, Hamzah al-Zayyat, Muhammad ibn Jehada, Mutraf and Abu ‘Awanah. He died in 115 Hij. at the age of 65.

23. Hammad ibn ‘Isa al-Jehni

He drowned at Juhfa. Abu ‘Ali has mentioned him in his book Muntahal Maqal. Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud abridged the said article in his own concise Mukhtasar, in a chapter dealing with biographies of notables, a group of Shi’a‘ulema and authors of biographies and dictionaries who regard him as most trustworthy, a follower of the rightly-guided Imams, peace be upon them. He learned from Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, seventyahadith by the holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, but he did not relate more than twenty of them. He has authored a few books with which followers of our faith are familiar.

Once he entered in the presence of Imam Abul-Hasan al-Kazim, peace be upon him, and said: "May my life be sacrificed for you! Please pray Allah to bless me with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage every year."

The Imam said: "Lord! I invoke Thee to send blessings unto Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, and to bless this man with a house, a wife, a son, a servant, and a pilgrimage for fifty years each."

Hammad said: "When he prayed for my performing the pilgrimage fifty times, I became sure I would never live beyond that. I have performed the annual pilgrimage forty-eight times; this is my house with which Allah has blessed me; yonder there is my wife behind the curtain listening to me; this is my son, and this is my servant; I have been blessed with all of these."

Two years later, and having performed the pilgrimage fifty times, he accompanied Abul ‘Abbas al-Nawfali al-Qasir on his fifty-first pilgrimage. When he reached the place where pilgrims put on the ihram garb, he entered the Johfa river for a bath, but the torrent overwhelmed him, and he drowned before being able to perform his 51st pilgrimage. His death, may Allah have mercy on his soul, took place in 209 Hij. His birth-place is Kufa, but he resided in Basrah. He lived over seventy years. We have conducted a thorough research of his biography in our book Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Mu'allifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam [A Brief Discourse of Shi’a Authors of Early Islam].

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him and put "TQ" on his name as a reference to those among the authors of theSunan who have quoted him [Tirmithi] and Dar Qutni, and mentioned the fact that he drowned in 208 Hij., and that he narratedhadith through Imam al-Sadiq (as).

The author has shown his grudge towards this man, calling hishadith "weak" for no reason other than his beliefs being Shi’a. Strange enough, Dar Qutni calls hishadith "weak" on one hand, while on the other he uses him as an authority in his ownSunan - thus indeed do some people behave!

24. Hamran ibn ‘Ayinah

He is brother of Zurarah. Both men were among the most reliable Shi’as, custodians of the shari’a, oceans of the knowledge about Muhammad's progeny (as). They were lanterns that shone in the dark and pillars of guidance. They frequented Imams al-Baqir and al-Sdiq (as) and enjoyed a lofty status in the eyes of the Imams among the Prophet's descendants.

Al-Thahbi mentions Hamran in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with Q to indicate who among the compilers of thesunan relies upon his authority [i.e. Dar Qutni. Then al-Thahbi adds: "He has narratedhadith from Abul Tufayl and others. Hamzah has recited the holy Qur'an to him, and he himself is used to recite it with perfect accuracy." Ibn Ma’in considers hishadith "negligible," while Abu Hatim hails him as a mentor. Yet Abu Dawud labels him "Rafidi."

25. Khalid ibn Mukhlid al-Qatwani

Also known as Abul-Haytham al-Kufi, he is one of Bukhari's mentors, as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 283, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He was a staunch Shi’a. He died in Kufa in mid-Muharram of 213 A.H. during the reign of al-Ma'mun. He was extremist in his Shi’a beliefs, and writers have documented this fact."

Abu Dawud mentions him saying: "He is truthful; but he follows Shi’ism." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He never ceases denouncing [certain persons], publicly propagating his corrupt sect." Al-Thahbi narrates his biography in his ownAl-Mizan , quoting the views of both Abu Dawud and Jawzjani stated above.

Yet both Bukhari and Muslim have relied upon his authority in several chapters of their respectivesahihs . Refer to hishadith as in Bukhari'sSahih as narrated from al-Mughirah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, and in Muslim'sSahih by Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn Abul Kathir, Malik ibn Anas, and Muhammad ibn Musa. Bothsahihs quote hisAl-Mizan from Sulayman ibn Bilal and ‘Ali ibn Mushir.

Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith in several places of his Sahih, without referring to any chain of narrators, quoting two of hisahadith from Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Karamah. Muslim narrates hishadith as transmitted by Abu Karib, Ahmad ibn ‘Uthman al-’Awdi, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, and Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Namir. Authors of thesunan have all relied on the authority of hishadith , while being aware of his sect.

26. Dawud ibn Abu ‘Awf (Abul-Hijab)

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him saying, "I cannot rely upon his authority due to his being a Shi’a. The majority of theahadith he narrates are related to the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt."

Consider with amazement such a statement! No harm, indeed, can reach Dawud from these Nasibis since both Sufyans quote hisahadith , in addition to ‘Ali ibn ‘Abis and others belonging to the elite among their peers. Both Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i have relied upon his authority, and so have Ahmad and Yahya.

Al-Nisa'i has said the following about him: "There is nothing wrong with hisahadith ." Abu Hatim has said: "Hishadith is sound." Al-Thahbi has quoted such testimonies in his Sahih. Refer to hishadith in Abu Dawud'sSunan , in al-Nisa'i's through Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i, ‘Ikrimah, and others.

27. Zubayd ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abdul-Karim al-Yami al-Kufi

Also known as Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman, he is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "He is a trustworthy tabi’i who inclines towards Shi’ism." Then he quotes statements to prove that Zubayd'shadith has been verified by al-Qattan, and that there are other renown critics and verifiers who regard him trustworthy. Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani has included a crude statement about him which is typical of his attitude and that of other Nasibis, stating,

"Among the residents of Kufa, there is a faction whose faith is not appreciated [by Nasibis], yet they happen to be masters ofhadith . Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them for no reason other than their truth in narratinghadith , and their narrations testify to the authenticity of one another,"

Up to the conclusion of his statement which truth has dictated to him to reveal. Often, truth is spoken by the fair minded just as it is by the stubborn and obstinant. What harm can reach these lofty pillars of knowledge, the masters ofhadith in Islam, if such a critic does not appreciate their holding in high esteem the holy Prophet's kin who are the gates of salvation, the protectors of all humans on earth after the Prophet (pbuh) himself, his nation's ark of salvation? What harm can befall them from the critic who has no choice except to pursue his quest till reaching their door steps, and no option but to beg their own favours?

If dignitaries of my tribe are pleased with me,

Then let its villains chafe and be angry.

These authorities do not pay any attention to al-Jawzjani or others like him, having been held trustworthy by the authors of thesahih books and by those of allsunan as well. Refer to Zubayd'shadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, al-Sha’bi, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i, and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydullah. Only Bukhari quotes hishadith through Mujahid.

In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Murrah al-Hamadani, Muharib ibn Dithar, Ammarah ibn ‘Umayr, and Ibrahim al-Taymi. Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs as transmitted by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, and Muhammad ibn Talhah. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is narrated by Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah, Fadil ibn Ghazwan, and Husayn ibn al-Nakh’i. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 124 A.H.

28. Zayd ibn al-Habab, Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Tamimi

Ibn Qutaybah has included his biography among those whose biographies he has included among Shi’a dignitaries in his work Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "pious, trustworthy, truthful."

He indicates his being vouched as trustworthy by Ibn Ma’in and Ibn al-Madini. He has quoted Abu Hatim and Ahmad describing him as truthful, adding that ‘Adi has said: "He is one of the reliable Kufi traditionists whose trustworthiness is never doubted."

Muslim has relied on his authority. Refer to the latter'ssahih containing hishadith as narrated by Mu’awiyah ibn Salih, al-Dahhak ibn ‘Uthman, Qurrah ibn Khalid, Ibrahim ibn Nafi’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Saif ibn Sulayman, Hasan ibn Waqid, ‘Ikrimah ibn ‘Ammar, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salma, and ‘Aflah ibn Sa’id. Hishadith is quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Hatim, Hasan al-Hulwani, Ahmad ibn al-Munthir, Ibn Namir, Ibn Karib, Muhammad ibn Rafi’, Zuhair ibn Harb, and Muhammad ibn al-Faraj.

29. Salim ibn Abul Ja’d al-Ashja’i al-Kufi

He is brother of ‘Ubayd, Ziyad, ‘Umran, and Muslim, sons of Abul-Ja’d.

In Volume 6 ofAl-Tabaqat , Sa’d mentions all of them on page 2303 and the succeeding pages. When he comes to Muslim, he says, "Abul-Ja’d begot six sons. Two of them followed Shi’ism. These are Salim and ‘Ubayd. Two others are Murji'is, while the remaining two agree with the Kharijites. Their father used to say: ‘What is the matter with you? I wonder why Allah has made your views vary so much.'" Ibn Qutaybah has discussed them on page 156 of his Ma’arif in a chapter dealing with Shi’atabi’in and their successors.

A group of learned scholars has testified to the Shi’a views of Salim ibn Abul-Ja’d. Qutaybah, on page 206 of his Ma’arif, has included him among Shi’a dignitaries, and so has al-Shahristani in his work Al-Milal wal Nihal on page 27, Vol. 2, in the footnote of his chapter on Ibn Hazm. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , calling him a trustworthy tabi’i. He has also stated that hisHadith from al-Nu’man ibn Bashir and Jabir is included in bothsahihs .

In fact, his hadith, from Anas ibn Malik and Karib, is included in bothsahihs as scholars ofhadith already know. Al-Thahbi says that hishadith from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, and from Ibn ‘Umar, exists in Bukhari's Sahih. The latter also contains hishadith from Ma’dan ibn Abu Talha and the latter's father.

Hishadith is quoted in bothsahihs by al-A’mash, Qatadah, ‘Amr ibn Murrah, Mansur, and Hasin ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. He also knowshadith quoted by al-Nisa'i and Abu Dawud in their respectiveSunan . He died in either 87 or 97 A.H. during the reign of Sulayman ibn ‘Abdul-Malik, or, as some say, during that of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz, and Allah knows best.

30. Salim ibn Abu Hafsah al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Shahristani includes him in his book Al-Milal wal-Nihal among Shi’a nobility. Al-Fallas says: "He is a weak traditionist who is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Ibn ‘Adi says: "People criticize his extremism; but I hope there is nothing wrong with his hadith." Muhammad ibn Bashir al-’Abdi says: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard - what a beard! He says: ‘I wish I had been a partner of ‘Ali in everything he possessed.'"

Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi has said: "I have seen Salim ibn Abu Hafsah as a fool with a long beard who used to often say, ‘Here I come, O killer of Na’thal, annihilater of Banu Umayyah!'" ‘Amr ibn al-Salim ibn Abu Hafsah asked him once: "Did you kill ‘Uthman?" He answered: "Did I?!" ‘Amr said: "Yes, you did. You do not condemn his murder." Abu ibn al-Madini has said: "I have heard Jarir saying, ‘I broke my friendship with Salim ibn Abu Hafsah because he used to always defend the Shi’as.'"

Al-Thahbi has detailed his biography, mentioning all the above. On page 234 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d mentions him and says: "He was very staunch in his Shi’a beliefs. He entered Mecca during the reign of the ‘Abbasides crying, ‘Here I come, here I come, O killer of the Omayyads!' His voice was quite loud, so much so that his call was heard by Dawud ibn ‘Ali who inquired: ‘Who is this man?' People informed him that it was Salim ibn Abu Hafsah, and they explained his story and views."

Al-Thahbi has included his biography in hisAl-Mizan commenting, "He was chief of those who belittled Abu Bakr and ‘Umar." In spite of this, however, both Sufyans quote his hadith, and so does Muhammad ibn Fudayl, while al-Tirmithi has relied on his authority, and Ibn Ma’in has held him trustworthy. He died in 137 A.H.

31. Sa’d ibn Tarif al-Iskafi al-Hanzali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him, marking his name with TQ as a reference to the authors ofsunan who quote him (i.e. al-Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). Al-Thahbi also quotes al-Fallas saying that Sa’d is "weak, extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." In spite of his being a "Shi’a extremist," al-Tirmithi and others quote him.

Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi'sSahih as narrated by ‘Ikrimah and Abul-Wa'il. He also narrateshadith as transmitted by al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, ‘Uman ibn Talhah and ‘Umayr ibn Ma'mun. Isra'il, Haban and Abu Mu’awiyah all quote him.

32. Sa’id ibn Ashwa’

He is mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan where the author says: "Sa’id ibn Ashwa’ is a famous and truthful Kufi judge. Al-Nisa'i says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, and that he is a friend of al-Sha’bi. Al-Jawzjani describes him as extremist, heretic, and a Shi’a zealot."

Both al-Bukhari and Muslim rely on his authority in their respectivesahihs . Hishadith from al-Sha’bi is regarded as authentic by authors of bothsahih books. In both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs , hishadith is quoted by Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah and Khalid al-Haththa'. He died during the reign of Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah.

33. Sa’id ibn Khaytham al-Hilali

Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Junayd was asked once: "Sa’id ibn Khaytham is a Shi’a. What do you think of him?" He answered: "Let's say that he is a Shi’a, but he also is trustworthy."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Ibn Ma’in narrating the gist of what has just been stated above. He has also marked his name with the initials of both al-Tirmithi and al-Nisa'i to indicate that both authors quote hishadith in theirsahihs . He also mentions the fact that Sa’id narrateshadith from Yazid ibn Abu Ziyad and Muslim al-Malla'i. His nephew, Ahmad ibn Rashid, too, narrates his hadith.

34. Selamah ibn al-Fudayl al-Abrash

He was a Rayy judge and a reporter of traditions related to the battles in which the holy Prophet (pbuh) participated as transmitted by Ibn Ishaq. Hiskunyat (surname) is Abu ‘Abdullah. In his biography in theAl-Mizan , Ibn Ma’in says: "Selamah al-Abrash al-Razi is a believer in Shi’ism and a man whosehadith is [often] quoted, and there is no fault in the latter."

Abu Zar’ah has also said in theAl-Mizan that the natives of Rayy do not like him because of his (religious) views. Actually, their attitude is due to their own views regarding all followers of the household of the Prophet (pbuh).

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi and saying: "He is well remembered for his prayers and supplications." He died in 191 A.H.

Ibn Ma’in testifies to the fact that thehadith related to the Prophet's military expeditions as narrated by Selamah is more reliable than anyone else's. Zanih is quoted as having said that he had heard Selamah al-Abrash saying that he had heardhadith related to the expeditions from Ishaq twice, and that he had also written down hisahadith as he had done with those of the expeditions.

35. Selamah ibn Kahil ibn Hasin ibn Kadih ibn Asad al-Hadrami, Abu Yahya

A group of scholars following the faith of the majority of Muslims, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif, who mentions on page 206 his distinction, and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, on page 27, Vol. 2, have included him among Shi’a nobility. Authors of the sixsahihs have all relied on his authority, and so have others. He has learnedhadith from men like Abu Jahifah, Suwayd ibn Ghaflah, al-Sha’bi, ‘Ata' ibn Abu Rabah, all cited in Bukhari and Muslim.

In Muslim, he quoteshadith from Karib, Tharr ibn ‘Abdullah, Bakir ibn al-Ashaj, Zayd ibn Ka’b, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Abu Selamah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman, Mu’awiyah ibn al-Suwayd, Habib ibn ‘Abdullah, and Muslim al-Batin. Al-Thawri and Shu’bah have both cited hishadith in these two works, while in Bukhari, hishadith is cited by Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Sa’id ibn Masruq, Aqil ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abu Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Salih, Zayd ibn ‘Abu Anisah, Hammad ibn Selamah, and al-Walid ibn Harb.

Selamah ibn Kahil died on ‘Ashura of 121 A.H.

36. Sulayman ibn Sa’id al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He used to be the supreme head of the Shi’as of Iraq, the arbitrator among them, their custodian and advisor. They had all met in his house when they swore the oath of allegiance to Imam Husayn (as). He is the herald of the tawwabin (the penitants) among the Shi’as, those who rose to avenge the murder of Imam Husayn (as).

They were four thousand strong who camped at Nakhila early in Rabi’ al-Thani, 65 A.H., then marched towards ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and engaged his army at Jazira. They fought fiercely till each and every one of them died. Sulayman, too, was martyred at a place called ‘Ayn al-Warda after Hasin shot him with a deadly arrow. He was 93 years old then. His head and that of al-Musayyab ibn Najba were carried as trophies to Marwan ibn al-Hakam.

His biography is recorded in Vol. 6, Part One, of Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , and in the Isti’ab of Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr. All those who wrote the stories of the ancestors have recorded his biography and praised his virtues, faith and piety. He enjoyed a lofty status, a position of honour and dignity among his folks, and his word weighed heavily. He is the one who killed Hawshab, the notorious enemy of the Commander of the Faithful, in a duel at Siffin. Sulayman was keen to notice that the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt had gone astray. Traditionists have sought his audience.

Theahadith he narrates about the Prophet (pbuh), the ones which he directly reported or those transmitted by Jubayr ibn Mut’im relying on his authority, are recorded in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs .

In the latter, he is cited by Abu Ishaq al-Subay’i and ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Sulyman has narratedahadith which are not included in eithersahihs . These includeahadith from the Commander of the Faithful, his son Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as), and Abiy. In works other than thesesahihs , hishadith is transmitted by Yahya ibn Ya’mur, ‘Abdullah ibn Yasar, and by others.

37. Sulayman ibn Tarkhan al-Taymi al-Basri

A slave of Qays, the imam, he is one of the most reliable authorities on hadith. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Ma’arif. Authors of the sixsahihs , as well as others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in bothsahihs through Anas ibn Malik, Abu Majaz, Bakr ibn ‘Abdullah, Qatadah, and Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi.

Muslim'sSahih quotes hishadith through others. In bothsahihs , hishadith is cited by his son Mu’tamir, and by Shu’bah and al-Thawri. Another party cites hishadith in Muslim's Sahih. He died in 143 A.H.

38. Sulayman ibn Qarm ibn Ma’ath

He is also known as Abu Dawud al-Dabi al-Kufi. Ibn Haban mentions him within the text of Sulayman's biography inAl-Mizan . Ibh Haban has said, "He is a Rafidi - very much so." Nevertheless, Ahmad ibn Hanbal has trusted him. At the conclusion of Sulayman's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi says, "Theahadith narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm are authentic. Moreover, his are by far more reliable than those related by Sulayman ibn Arqam."

Muslim, al-Nisa'i, al-Tirmithi, and Abu Dawud have all cited hisahadith . When al-Thahbi mentions him, he puts the initials of these traditionists on his name. Refer to Muslim'sSahih where Abul-Jawab'shadith is narrated by Sulayman ibn Qarm from al-A’mash, up to the Prophet (pbuh). The saidhadith states that the Prophet (pbuh) has said that a man keeps company with those whom he loves.

In thesunan , hisahadith quote Thabit through Anas successively saying that the Prophet (pbuh) has said: "Seeking knowledge is a religious obligation upon every Muslim." He quotes al-A’mash from ‘Amr ibn Murrah, from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith, from Zuhair ibn al-Aqmar, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who says that al-Hakam ibn Abul ‘As used to keep company with the Prophet (pbuh) and then would go and narrate it [in a twisted manner] to Quraysh; therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) denounced his behaviour and all his descendants as well till the Day of Judgment.

39. Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Kahili al-Kufi al-Asla’

He is one of the Shi’a nobility and a most trusted traditionist. Many a genius among Sunni men of knowledge, such as Ibn Qutaybah in his Ma’arif and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, as well as many others, have all included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

In his biography of Zubayd, al-Jawzjani says the following in his bookAl-Mizan : "Among the people of Kufa, there are some folks whose sect is not appreciated, yet they are the masters ofhadith among Kufi traditionists. Among them are: Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash, and other peers.

People tolerate them only because they are truthful in narrating hadith," up to the end of his statement which clearly exposes his stupidity and prejudice. What harm can reach these dignitaries if the Nasibis do not appreciate their commitment to discharge the Divine commandment of seeking the Pleasure of Allah through remaining faithful to His Prophet's kin and kith?

These Nasibis, as a matter of fact, tolerate these men not only because they are truthful in narrating hadith, but rather because they are indispensable. Had they rejected these men's hadith, the majority of the Prophet'sahadith would have then been abandoned, as al-Thahbi himself admits in hisAl-Mizan while discussing the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib. I think that al-Mughirah's statement: "Abu Ishaq and your A’mash have rendered Kufa to destruction" is said due only to these men's Shi’a beliefs. Other than that, both Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash are oceans of knowledge and custodians of the prophetic legacy.

Al-A’mash has left us many interesting incidents which vividly portray his greatness. One of them, for example, is included by Ibn Khallikan in al-A’mash's biograpy in Wafiyyat al-A’yan where the author states:

"Hisham ibn ‘Abdul-Malik once wrote to al-A’mash saying: ‘Recount for me ‘Uthman's virtues and ‘Ali's vices.' Al-A’mash took the letter and tossed it into his she-camel's mouth. Then he turned to the messenger and said: ‘This is my answer.' The messenger, however, pleaded to al-A’mash saying that his master had vowed to kill him if he did not return with an answer. He also pleaded to al-A’mash's brothers to pressure their brother to write something.

Finally, he wrote: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Had ‘Uthman had all the virtues of the people of the world, they would not have availed you aught, and had ‘Ali had in him all the vices of the people of the world, they would not have harmed you in the least; therefore, worry about your own soul, and peace be with you.'"

Another anecdote is narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr in his chapter on the‘ulema 's statements evaluating each other's work in his bookJami’ Bayanul ‘Ilm wa Fada'ilih .100

The author quotes ‘Ali ibn Khashram saying, "I have heard Abul-Fadl ibn Musa say, ‘I entered the house of al-A’mash once accompanied by Abu Hanifah to visit him during his sickness.

Abu Hanifah said: ‘O Abu Muhammad! Had I not feared my visits would be a nuisance to you, I would have visited you more often'.

Al-A’mash answered, ‘You are a nuisance to me even at your own home; so, imagine how I feel when I have to look at your face.'" Abul-Fadl continues to say that having left the house of al-A’mash,

Abu Hanifah said, ‘Al-A’mash never observed the fast of the month of Ramadan.' Ibn al-Khashram then asked al-Fadl what Abu Hanifah meant.

Al-Fadl answered, ‘Al-A’mash used to observe the suhur during the month of Ramadan according to the Prophet'shadith as narrated by Huthayfah al-Yemani.'" In fact, he used to observe the Holy Qur'anic verse:

"Therefore, eat and drink till you can distinguish the white thread from the black one, from the dawn, and complete the fast till night-time."

Authors of Al-Wajiza and Bihar Al-Anwar have both quoted Hasan ibn Sa’id al-Nakh’i who quotes Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah, the judge, saying, "I visited al-A’mash when he was sick prior to his demise. While I was there, Ibn Shabramah, Ibn Layla and Abu Hanifah entered and inquired about his health. He told them that he was suffering from an acute feebleness, that he feared God for his sins, and he almost broke in tears.

Abu Hanifah then said to him: ‘O Father of Muhammad! Fear Allah! Look now after yourself. You used to narrate certainahadith about ‘Ali which, if you denounce, would be better for you.' Al-A’mash answered: ‘Do you dare to say this to a man like me?' He even denounced him, and there is no need here to go into that. He was, may Allah have mercy on his soul, as al-Thahbi describes him in hisAl-Mizan , a trusted Imam.

He was exactly what Ibn Khallikan had described while discussing his biography in his own Wafiyyat al-A’yan, a trustworthy and virtuous man of knowledge. Scholars have all conceded his truthfulness, equity and piety. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others besides them, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books from Zayd ibn Wahab, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Muslim al-Batin, al-Sha’bi, Mujahid, Abu Wa'il, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and Abu Salih Thakwan. He is cited in these works by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ainah, Abu Mua’awiyah Muhammad, Abu ‘Awanah, Jarir, and Hafs ibn Ghiyath. Al-A’mash was born in 61 A.H. and he died in 148 A.H., may Allah be merciful unto him.

40. Sharik ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan al-Nakh’i al-Kufi, the judge

Imam Abu Qutaybah, in hisMa’arif , has unreservedly included him among Shi’a nobility. At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as recorded inAl-Mizan , ‘Abdullah ibn Idris swears that Sharik is a Shi’a. Abu Dawud al-Rahawi is quoted inAl-Mizan , too, to have heard Sharik saying, "‘Ali is the best of creation; whoever denies this fact iskafir (apostate)."101

What he meant, of course, is that ‘Ali is the best of all men excluding the Prophet (pbuh), as all Shi’as believe. For this reason, al-Jawzjani, as quoted inAl-Mizan , describes him as "biased," meaning biased towards the faith of Ahl al-Bayt and preferring it to Jawzjani's sect.Al-Mizan also quotes Sharik'sahadith regarding the Commander of the Faithful. He cites Abu Rabi’ah from Ibn Buraydah from his father upto the Prophet who said: "For every Prophet there is a vicegerent and heir."

He was very zealous about disseminating the knowledge pertaining to the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful, and to pressure the Omayyads to recognize and publicize his merits, peace be upon him. In his workDurrat al-Ghawwas , al-Hariri, as in Sharik's biography in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, says, "Sharik had an Omayyad friend of his. One day, Sharik recounted the attributes of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). His Omayyad friend said that ‘Ali was ‘a fine man.' This enraged Sharik who said, ‘Is this all that can be said about ‘Ali, that he was a fine man, no more?'"102

At the conclusion of Sharik's biography as stated inAl-Mizan , Ibn Abu Shaybah has quoted ‘Ali ibn Hakim ibn Qadim citing ‘Ali saying that once a complaint was brought with a man to Sharik's attention. The man said: "People claim that your mind is doubtful." Sharik answered: "You fool! How can I ever be doubtful?! I wish I had been present in the company of ‘Ali to let my sword be drenched with the blood of his enemies."

Anyone who studies Sharik's life-style will be convinced that the man was a very loyal follower of the path of Ahl al-Bayt (as). He transmitted a great deal of traditions narrated by the most learned followers of Ahl al-Bayt. His son ‘Abdul-Rahman has said, "My father has learned queries from Ja’far al-Ju’fi, in addition to ten thousand rare traditions."

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak is quoted inAl-Mizan saying, "Sharik is more knowledgeable about the Kufians'hadith than Sufyan. He was an avowed enemy of ‘Ali's foes, one who spoke ill of them." ‘Abdul-Salam ibn Harb once asked him: "Why don't you visit a sick brother of yours?" He inquired: "And who is that?" The man answered: "Malik ibn Maghul." Sharik, as stated in the latter's biography inAl-Mizan , then said: "Anyone who speaks ill of ‘Ali and ‘Ammar is surely no brother of mine."

Once the name of Mu’awiyah was mentioned in his presence and was described as "clement." Sharik, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan as well as in Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat al-A’yan, said: "Whoever discards equity and fights ‘Ali can never be clement." He narrated onehadith from Asim, Tharr, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud successively indicating that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: "If you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." This is quoted by al-Tabari, and al-Tabari in turn is quoted by al-Thahbi while the latter discusses the biography of Abbad ibn Ya’qub.

Ibn Khallikan's Wafiyyat includes a biography of Sharik where the author quotes a dialogue between Sharik and Mis’ab ibn ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi, in the presence of the ‘Abbaside ruler al-Mahdi. Mis’ab asked Sharik: "Do you really belittle Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?" up to the conclusion of the incident.

In spite of all of this, al-Thahbi has described him as a "truthful imam." He also quotes Ibn Ma’in saying that Sharik is "truthful, trustworthy." At the conclusion of the biography, the author states: "Sharik was a bastian of knowledge. Ishaq al-Azraq learned from him nine thousandahadith ." He also quotes Tawbah al-Halabi saying, "We were at Ramla once, and someone wondered who the nation's man was. Some people said it was Lahi’ah, while others said it was Malik. We asked ‘Isa ibn Yunus to state his view. He said: ‘The nation's man is Sharik,' who was then still alive."

Muslim and authors of the four books ofsunan have all relied on Sharik's authority. Refer to hishadith as they quote it transmitted by Ziyad ibn Alaqah, ‘Ammar al-Thihni, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Ya’li ibn ‘Ata', ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Umayr, ‘Ammarah ibn al-Qa’qa’ and ‘Abdullah ibn Shabramah. These reporters have cited Sharik'shadith from Ibn Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hakim, Yunus ibn Muhammad, al-Fadl ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, and ‘Ali ibn Hajar. He was born in either Khurasan or Bukhara in 95 A.H., and he died in Kufa on a Saturday early in Thul-Qi’dah, 177 or 178.

41. Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj Abul-Ward al-’Atki al-Wasiti (Abu Bastam)

Born in Wasit but lived in Basra, Abu Bastam is the first to inquire in Iraq about traditionists, and he is credited with helping the weak and the abandoned. He is considered among Shi’a nobility by many highly intellectual Sunni scholars such as Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , and al-Shahristani in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have all relied on his authority.

Hishadith is ascertained in Bukhari's and Muslim'ssahih books as transmitted by Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Mansur, al-A’mash and others. In both Bukhari's and Muslim's books, hishadith is cited by Muhammad ibn Ja’far, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan, ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and others. He was born in 83 and he died in 160 A.H., may Allah be merciful on him.

42. Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan ibn Hajar ibn al-Harith al-’Abdi

Imam Ibn Qutaybah describes him on page 206 of hisMa’arif as one of the famous Shi’a dignitaries. Ibn Sa’d states on page 154, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat : "[Sa’sa’ah] is very well known all over Kufa as an orator and a companion of ‘Ali with whom he has witnesed the Battle of the Camel together with his brothers Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan. Sihan is known as an orator before Sa’sa’ah, and he was the standard-bearer during the Battle of the Camel.103

Having been killed, Sihan was succeeded in bearing the standard by Sa’sa’ah. Sa’sa’ah has narratedhadith from Imam ‘Ali (as), and also from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. He is a trusted traditionist although theahadith he has narrated are not many." Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr mentions him in his Isti’ab saying: "He accepted Islam during the life-time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) although he never met him in person due to his being very young then."

He is chief among his tribesmen, descendants of ‘Abd al-Qays. He is quite an eloquent orator, a man of wisdom who has acquired a total command over the language. He is, indeed, a man of piety, virtues, and wisdom. He is counted among the companions of ‘Ali, peace be upon him. Yahya ibn Ma’in is quoted saying that Sa’sa’ah, Zayd and Sihan sons of Sawhan are all orators, and that Zayd and Sihan were killed during the Battle of the Camel.

He also cites a critical problem which ‘Umar, then caliph, could not solve; therefore, the caliph delivered a sermon in which he asked people for their suggestions. Sa’sa’ah, then a youth, stood and clarified its complexity and put forth a suggestion to it which was unanimously accepted. This should not surprise the reader since the descendants of Sawhan were among the most prominent masters of Arabia, pillars in virtue and descent. Ibn Qutaybah mentions them on page 138 of his chapter on renown dignitaries and men of influence in hisMa’arif .

The author says: "Sawhan's descendants were Zayd ibn Sawhan, Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan, Sihan ibn Sawhan, of Banu ‘Abd al-Qays." He adds: "Zayd was among the best of men. He narrated saying that the Prophet (pbuh) had said: ‘Zayd is indeed a good man, and Jandab - what a man he is!' People inquired: ‘Why do you mention these men alone?' The Prophet answered: ‘The arm of one of them will precede in thirty years the rest of his body in entering Paradise, while the other will deal heavy blows so that right is distinguished from wrong.'

The first, as it came to pass, participated in Jalawla' Battle where his arm was chopped off. He also participated in the Battle of the Camel on the side of ‘Ali (as). He asked the Imam: ‘O Commander of the Faithful! It looks like I am going to meet my fate.' The Imam (as) asked him, ‘How do you know that, O father of Sulayman?' He answered: ‘I have seen in a vision my arm stretching from heaven to pull me away from this world.' He was killed by ‘Amr ibn Yathribi, while his brother Sihan was killed during the Battle of the Camel."

It is no secret that the Prophet's prophecy regarding Zayd's arm preceding the rest of his body in entering Paradise is regarded by all Muslims as a testimony for his prophethood, a sign of the truth of the religion of Islam, and a recognition of the men of truth. All biographies of Zayd have mentioned it. Refer to his biography in Al-Isti’ab, Al-Isabah, and others. Traditionists have recorded the above, each in his own way of wording it, adding that [in "spite" of his being Shi’a] he was promised Paradise; so, praise be to the Lord of the Worlds.

Al-’Asqalani mentions Sa’sa’ah ibn Sawhan in Part Three of his Isaba, saying: "He narrates traditions about ‘Uthman and ‘Ali (as). He has participated in the Battle of Siffin on ‘Ali's side. He is an eloquent orator who has encounters with Mu’awiyah." Al-Sha’bi has said: "I used to learn how to deliver sermons from him."104

Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr ibn Baridah, and others have all cited his hadith. Al-’Ala'i, narrating Ziyad's encounters, says that once al-Mughirah banished Sa’sa’ah, in accordance to an edict which he had received from Mu’awiyah, from Kufa to Jazirah, or to Bahrain (some historians say to the island of Ibn Fakkan), where he died in banishment just as Abu Tharr al-Ghifari had died before him in the Rabatha desert (southern Iraq). Al-Thahbi mentions Sa’sa’ah and describes him as "a well-known and trusted traditionist," citing testimonies to his trustworthiness from Ibn Sa’d and Nisa'i, and marking his name to indicate that al-Nisa'i relies on his authority. Whoever does not rely on his authority does not in fact harm anyone but his own self, as the holy Qur'an says:

"We have not done them any harm; they have only harmed their own selves."

43. Tawus ibn Kisan al-Khawlani al-Hamadani al-Yamani

He is ‘Abdul-Rahman's father. His mother is Persian, and his father is Ibn Qasit, a Namri slave of Bajir ibn Raysan al-Himyari. Sunni intellectuals regard him a Shi’a without any question. Among their dignitaries, al-Shahristani mentions him in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, and Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif . Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority.

Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books where he cites Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah, and in Muslim'sSahih where he cites ‘Ayesha, Zayd ibn Thabit, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. Hishadith is recorded in Bukhari alone as transmitted by al-Zuhri, and in Muslim by many renown traditionists. He died in Mecca while performing the rite of pilgrimage one day before the day of Tarwiya (i.e. on the 7th of Thul-Hijjah), in either 104 or 106 A.H. His funeral was quite eventful. His coffin was carried by ‘Abdullah son of al-Hasan son of the Commander of the Faithful (as). He was vying with others to carry it, so much so that his headwear dropped, and his clothes were torn from the back side by the stampede, as narrated by Ibn Khallikan in his biography of Tawus in Wafiyyat al-A’yan.

44. Zalim ibn ‘Amr ibn Sufyan, Abul-Aswad al-Du'ali

His being a Shi’a and a faithful adherent to the faith during the wilayat of Imams ‘Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, as well as other members of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon all of them, is more visible than the sun, and it requires no reiteration.105

We have dealt with it in detail in ourwork Mukhtasar al-Kalam fi Muallifi al-Shi’a min Sadr al-Islam . His being a Shi’a is a matter which nobody disputes. In spite of this fact, authors of the sixsahih books have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith about ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab in Bukhari's Sahih. In Muslim's, hishadith is cited by Abu Musa and ‘Umran ibn Hasin.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is cited by Yahya ibn Ya’mur. In Bukhari's, ‘Abdullah ibn Buraydah quotes him, and in Muslim's, hishadith is narrated by his son Abu Harb. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, at the age of 85 in Basrah in 99 A.H. by the plague which devastated the city. He is the one who laid down the foundations of Arabic grammar according to rules which he learned from the Commander of the Faithful (as), as we have expounded in our book Al-Mukhtasar.

45. ‘Amr ibn Wa'ilah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al-Laithi al-Makki

Also known as Abul-Tufayl, he was born in the same year when the Battle of Uhud took place, i.e. 3 A.H. He was for eight years contemporary of the Prophet (pbuh). Ibn Qutaybah has included him among so-called "extremist Rafidis," stating that he was al-Mukhtar's standard-bearer and the last of thesahabah to die. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat in his Isti’ab saying, "He resided in Kufa, and he accompanied ‘Ali (as) in all his battles. When ‘Ali (as) was killed, he left for Mecca." He concludes by saying, "He was a virtuous and wise man, swift in providing an accurate answer, eloquent. He was also one of the Shi’as of ‘Ali, peace be upon him."

He also indicates that "Once, Abul-Tufayl approached Mu’awiyah and the latter asked him: ‘For how long have you mourned the death of your friend Father of al-Hasan (as)?' He answered: ‘I have grieved as much as the mother of Moses grieved when she parted with her son, and I complain unto Allah for my shortcomings.' Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘Were you among those who enforced a siege around ‘Uthman's house?'

He answered: ‘No; but I used to visit him.' Then Mu’awiyah asked him: ‘What stopped you from rescuing him?' He retorted: ‘What about you? What stopped you from doing so when sure death surrounded him, while you were in Syria a master among his subjects?!' Mu’awiyah replied: ‘Can't you see that avenging his murder is an indication of my support?' ‘Amir then told Mu’awiyah that he acted exactly like the one implied in the verses composed by the brother of Ju’f the poet in which the latter says: ‘You mourn my death, yet while I was alive, you did not even sustain me against starvation.'"

Al-Zuhri, Abul-Zubair, al-Jariri, Ibn Abul-Hasin, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abjar, Qatadah, Ma’ruf, al-Walid ibn Jami’, Mansur ibn Hayyan, al-Qasim ibn Abu Bardah, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, ‘Ikremah ibn Khalid, Kulthum ibn Habib, Furat al-Qazzaz, and ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Rafi’ have all narrated hishadith as it exists in Muslim's and Bukhari'sSahih books. Bukhari's work contains traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the pilgrimage which are narrated by Abul-Tufayl. He describes the Prophet's characteristics, and he narrates about the prayers and signs of prophethood from Ma’ath ibn Jabal, and he narrates about fate from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud.

He narrates from ‘Ali (as), Huthayfah ibn al-Yemani, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, as is well-known by all researchers of Muslim'shadith besides that of the authors of his musnads. Abul-Tufayl, may Allah Ta’ala encompass his soul with His mercy, died in Mecca in 100 A.H. (some say in 102, while still others say 120), and Allah knows best.

46. ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub al-Asadi al-Ruwajni al-Kufi

He is mentioned by Dar Qutni who says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a truthful Shi’a." Ibn Hayyan mentions him and says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to invite people to Rafidism." Ibn Khuzaymah says, "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub is a man whose traditions are never doubted, though his faith is questioned, etc." ‘Abbad narrates from al-Fadl ibn al-Qasim, Sufyan al-Thawri, Zubayd, Murrah, that Ibn Mas’ud used to interpret the verse

"Allah has spared the Believers from fighting" (Qur'an, 25:33)

to imply that they were spared from fighting ‘Ali. He quotes Sharik, ‘Asim, Tharr, from ‘Abdullah who has stated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: "When you see Mu’awiyah on my pulpit, kill him." Thishadith is recorded by Tabari and others. ‘Abbad says that anyone who does not mention in his daily prayers that he dissociates himself from the enemies of the Prophet's progeny (as) shall be resurrected in their company. He also says, "Allah Almighty is too fair to let Talhah and al-Zubayr enter Paradise; they fought ‘Ali after swearing allegiance to him."

Salih al-Jazrah has said: "‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce ‘Uthman." ‘Abbad al-Ahwazi quotes his trusted authorities saying that ‘Abbad ibn Ya’qub used to denounce "their" ancestors. In spite of all this, Sunni Imams like al-Bukhari, al-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ibn Abu Dawud rely on his authority, their mentor, in whom they all place their trust.

In spite of his intolerance and prejudice, Abu Hatim has mentioned him and said that he is a trusted shaykh. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says, "He is one of the extremist Shi’as, leaders of innovators; yet he is truthful when narrating hadith." He goes on to mention what has already been stated above regarding ‘Abbad's views.

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly while discussing tawhid in his own sahih. He died, may Allah be merciful unto him, in Shawwal of 150 A.H. Al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah al-Mutarraz has intentionally misquoted ‘Abbad's statements regarding the digging the sea and the flow of its water, and we seek refuge with Allah against telling lies about the Believers; He is surely the One Who foils their schemes.

47. ‘Abdullah ibn Dawud

He is father of ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Hamadani al-Kufi. He resided in Al-Harbiyya, a Basrah suburb. Qutaybah has included him among renown Shi’a personalities in his ownAl-Ma’arif , and al-Bukhari has relied on his authority in his own Sahih. Refer to hishadith from al-A’mash, Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and Ibn Jurayh. Hishadith is narrated in Bukhari'sSahih by Musaddid, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and, in some places, by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. He died in 212.

48. ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had

Al-Had's full name is Usamah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jabir ibn al-Bashir ibn ‘Atwarah ibn ‘Amir ibn Malik ibn Laith al-Laithi al-Kufi Abul-Walid, a companion of the Commander of the Faithful (as). His mother is Salma daughter of ‘Amis al-Khayth’ami, sister of Asma'. He is nephew, from the mother's side, of ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far and Muhammad ibn Abu Ja’far, and brother of ‘Amara daughter of Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib from the mother's side. Ibn Sa’d includes him among residents of Kufa who were distinguished for theirfiqh and knowledge and who belong to thetabi’in .

At the conclusion of his biography, the author states on page 86 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "During the reign of ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash’ath, ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad was among those who recite the Holy Qur'an and know it by heart and who fought al-Hajjaj, and he was killed during the Dujail Battle." He also says, "He was a trustworthyfaqih who narrated a great deal of hadith, and he was a Shi’a."

The battle referred to above took place in 81 A.H. All authors of thesahih books have relied on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad. Hishadith is quoted by Ishaq al-Shaybani, Ma’bid ibn Khalid and Sa’d ibn Ibrahim. Theirahadith from ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad exist in bothsahih books as well as in others, in addition to all musnads. Al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith as transmitted from ‘Ali (as), Maymuna and ‘Ayesha.

49. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Aban ibn Salih ibn ‘Umayr al-Qarashi al-Kufi

Also known as Mishkadanah, he is mentor of Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi, and many other peers who all learnedhadith from him. Abu Hatim has mentioned him testifying to his truthfulness. He quotes hishadith and states that he is a Shi’a. Salih ibn Muhammad ibn Jazrah has mentioned him and said that he is a Shi’a "extremist."

In spite of this, ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad has narratedhadith from his father. Abu Hatim states that Mishkadanah is trustworthy. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , describing him as "a truthful man who has learned a great deal ofhadith from Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Dar Wardi, and their group of scholars. Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Baghwi and many others have recorded a great deal of hisahadith ." He has marked his name with the initials of Muslim and Abu Dawud indicating thereby their reliance on his hadith, and quoting what the learned scholars named above have said about him. He has also stated that he died in 239 A.H.

Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted through ‘Abdah ibn Sulayman, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Sulayman, ‘Ali ibn Hashim, Abul-Ahwas, Husayn ibn ‘Ali al-Ju’fi and Muhammad ibn Fudayl. In his chapter dealing with causes of dissension, Muslim quotes hishadith directly. Abul-’Abbas al-Sarraj has said that he died either in 238 or 237 A.H.

50. ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah ibn ‘Uqbah al-Hadrami, Egypt's judge and scholar

In hisMa’arif , Ibn Qutaybah has included him among famous shaykhs. In his biography of ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah in hisAl-Mizan , Ibn ‘Adi has described him as an "extremist Shi’a." Quoting Talhah, Abu Ya’li states: "Abu Lahi’ah has said: ‘Hay ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ghafari has narrated through the authority of Abu ‘Abdullah Rahman al-Hibli from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that during his sickness (which preceded his demise), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us to fetch his brother.

We brought him Abu Bakr, but he turned away from him and said: ‘I had asked for my brother'. We then brought ‘Uthman, but again the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned away from him. ‘Ali (as) was then brought in his presence. He covered him with his own mantle and inclined his head on his shoulder for a while (as if he was whispering something in his ear). When ‘Ali left, people asked him: ‘What has the Prophet (pbuh) said to you?' He answered: ‘He has taught me a thousand chapters each of which leads to a thousand sections.'"

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with DTQ to denote who among the authors of thesahih books quotes him [i.e. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi, and Dar Qutni. Refer to hishadith in al-Tirmithi's Sahih, Abu Dawud and all musnads. Ibn Khallikan has greatly praised him in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'ssahih as transmitted by Yazid ibn Abu Habib. In his book Al-Jam’ Bayna Kitabay Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi wa Abu Bakr al-Asbahani [Compilation of Both Books of Abu Nasr al-Kalabathi and Abul-Faraj al-Asbahani, al-Qaysarani includes him among Bukhari's and Muslim's reliable authorities. Ibn Lahi’ah died on Sunday, mid-Rabi’ul Akhir, 174 A.H.

51. ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah al-Makki

A friend of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), he is relied upon by al-Tirmithi. Al-Thahbi mentions him and marks his name with al-Tirmithi's initials as an indication that the latter cites his hadith. He adds saying that he narrateshadith through the authority of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (as), and of Talhah ibn ‘Umar.

52. ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Salih al-Azdi

His name is Abu Muhammad al-Kufi. His friend and student ‘Abbas al-Duri says that he was a Shi’a. Ibn ‘Adi mentions him and says, "He is burnt in the fire of Shi’ism." Salih Jazrah says that ‘Abdul-Rahman used to oppose ‘Uthman. Abu Dawud says that ‘Abdul-Rahman has compiled a book containing the vices of some of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), and that he is a bad person.

In spite of all this, both ‘Abbas al-Duri and Imam al-Baghwi narrate his hadith. Al-Nisa'i has quoted him. Al-Thahbi has referred to him in hisAl-Mizan and marked his name with al-Nisa'i's initials as an indication of the latter's reliance on him. He also quotes what the Imams (among the Sunnis) have said about him as stated above. He indicates that Ma’in trusts him, and that he died in 235. Refer to hishadith in theSunan books as transmitted through Sharik and a group of his peers.

53. ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’ al-Himyari al-San’ani

One of the Shi’a nobility and honourable ancestry, he is included by Ibn Qutaybah among renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif . Ibn al-Athir, on page 137, Vol. 6, of hisAl-Tarikh Al-Kamil , mentions ‘Abdul-Razzaq's death in the end of the events of 211 A.H. thus: "In that year, the traditionist ‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam al-San’ani, one of Ahmad's Shi’a mentors, died."

Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi mentions him while discussinghadith number 5994 in his Kanz al-’Ummal, on page 391, Vol. 6, stating that he is a Shi’a. Al-Thahbi, in hisAl-Mizan , says, "‘Abdul-Razzaq ibn Humam ibn Nafi’, Abu Bakr al-Himyari's mentor, is a Shi’a dignitary of San’a, was one of the most trusted traditionists among all scholars."

He narrates his biography and adds: "He has written a great deal, authoring [in particular] Al-Jami’ Al-Kabir . He is a custodian of knowledge sought by many people such as Ahmad, Ishaq, Yahya, al-Thahbi, al-Ramadi, and ‘Abd."

He discusses his character and quotes al-’Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-’Azim, accusing him of being a liar. He states that al-Thahbi has denounced such an accusation. He says, "Not only Muslim, but all those who have memorizedhadith have agreed with al-’Abbas, while the Imams of knowledge rely on his authority."

He goes on to narrate his biography, quoting al-Tayalisi saying: "I have heard Ibn Ma’in say something from which I became convinced that ‘Abdul-Razzaq was a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in asked him: ‘Your instructors, such as Mu’ammar, Malik, Ibn Jurayh, Sufyan, al-Awza’i, are all Sunnis. Where did you learn the sect of Shi’ism from?' He answered: ‘Ja’far ibn Sulayman al-Zab’i once paid us a visit, and I found him to be virtuous and rightly guided, and I learned Shi’ism from him.'"

‘Abdul-Razzaq, as quoted above, statement in which he says that he is a Shi’a indicates that he has learned Shi’ism from Ja’far al-Zab’i, but Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Muqaddimi thinks that Ja’far al-Zab’i himself has learned Shi’ism from ‘Abdul-Razzaq. He even denounces ‘Abdul-Razzaq for this reason. InAl-Mizan , he is quoted as saying, "I wish I had lost ‘Abdul-Razzaq for good. Nobody has corrupted Ja’far's beliefs other than he." The "corruption" to which he refers is Shi’ism!

Ibn Ma’in has heavily relied on ‘Abdul-Razzaq's authority, in spite of his "admission" that he is a Shi’a as stated above. Ahmad ibn Abu Khayth’amah, as in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , has said, "It has been said to Ibn Ma’in that Ahmad says that ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa rejects ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith because of his Shi’a beliefs. Ibn Ma’in has responded thus: ‘I swear by Allah, Who is the only God, that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is a hundred times superior to ‘Ubaydullah, and I have heard ‘Abdul-Razzaq'shadith and found it to be many times more in volume than ‘Ubaydullah's.'"

Also in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , Abu Salih Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Dirari is quoted saying, "While we were in San’a guests of ‘Abdul-Razzaq, we heard that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in, joined by others, had rejected ‘Abdul-Razzaq's hadith, or say disliked it, because of the traditionist being a Shi’a. The news deeply depressed us. We thought that we had spent our resources and taken the trouble to make the trip there all in vain. Then I joined the pilgrims for Mecca where I met Yahya and asked him about this issue. He, as stated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘O Abu Salih! Even if ‘Abdul-Razzaq abandons Islam altogether, we shall never reject his hadith.'"

Ibn ‘Adi has mentioned him and said: "‘Abdul-Razzaq has reportedahadith dealing with virtues, but nobody has endorsed them.106 He also counts the vices of certain people, which views are rejected by others;107 above all, he is believed to be a Shi’a."

In spite of all this, Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, as indicated in ‘Abdel-Razzaq's biography inAl-Mizan , whether he knew of anyhadith better than that reported by ‘Abdul-Razzaq, and his answer was negative. Ibn al-Qaysarani states at the conclusion of ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography in his own bookAl-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain , quoting Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, ‘If people dispute Mu’ammar's hadith, then the final arbitrator is ‘Abdul-Razzaq.'

Mukhlid al-Shu’ayri says that he was once in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq when a man mentioned Mu’awiyah. ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , then said: ‘Do not spoil our meeting by mentioning the descendants of Abu Sufyan.'" Zayd ibn al-Mubarak has said: "We were in the company of ‘Abdul-Razzaq once when we recounted ibn al-Hadthan's hadith.

When ‘Umar's address to ‘Ali and al-’Abbas: ‘You (i.e. ‘Abbas) have come to demand your inheritance of your nephew (the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny), while this man (i.e. ‘Ali) has come to demand his wife's inheritance of her father' was read, ‘Abdul-Razzaq, as stated in his biography inAl-Mizan , said: ‘Behold this shameless, impertinent man using ‘nephew' and ‘father' instead of ‘the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)'!"

In spite of all this, all compilers ofhadith have recorded his traditions and relied on his authority. It has even been said, as Ibn Khallikan states in his Wafiyyat al-A’yan, that people did not travel to anyone after the demise of the Prophet (pbuh) as often as they did to ‘Abdul-Razzaq's. He is quoted by the Imams of contemporary Muslims such as Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah, among whose mentors ‘Abdul-Razzaq himself was one, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma’in, and others.

Refer to hishadith in all thesahih books, as well as all musnads, which all contain quite a few of hisahadith . He was born, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 211 A.H. He was contemporary to Abu ‘Abdullah Imam al-Sadiq (as) for twenty-two years.108 He died during the first days of the Imamate of Imam Abu Ja’far al-Jawad (as), nine years before the Imam's demise;109 may Allah resurrect him in the company of these Imams to whose service, seeking of the Pleasure of Allah, he sincerely dedicated his life.

54. ‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan

He is brother of Zararah, Hamran, Bakir, ‘Abdul-Rahman, Malik, Musa, Daris, and Umm al-Aswad, all descendants of ‘Ayan, and all are notable Shi’as. They have won the sublime cup for serving the Islamic Shari’a, and they have produced a blessed and righteous progeny that adheres to their sect and views.

Al-Thahbi mentions ‘Abdul-Malik in hisAl-Mizan , citing Abu Wa'il and others quoting Abu Hatim saying that he has reported authenticahadith , and that Ma’in has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, while another authority testifies thus: "He is truthful, yet he is Rafidi, too." Ibn Ayinah has said: "‘Abdul-Malik, a Rafidi, has reportedhadith to us." Abu Hatim says that he is among the earliest to embrace Shi’a Islam, and that hishadith is authentic. Both Sufyans have transmitted hishadith and reported it well-documented by others.

In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, Ibn al-Qaysarani, as quoted in both works by Sufyan ibn A’yinah, has this to say about him: "‘Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ayan, brother of Hamran al-Kufi, was a Shi’a whosehadith about tawhid is recorded by Bukhari as transmitted by Abu Wa'il, and about iman as recorded in Muslim's."

He died during the life-time of Imam al-Sadiq (as) who earnestly invoked the Almighty's mercy upon him. Abu Ja’far ibn Babawayh has reported that Imam al-Sadiq (as), accompanied by his disciples, visited ‘Abdul-Malik's gravesite in Medina. May he receive the good rewards and live eternally in peace.

55. ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi

He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter acknowledges on page 177 of his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in his work Al-Ma’arif , stating that the man is a Shi’a. When he recounts a roll call of notable Shi’as in his chapter on sects on page 206 of his bookAl-Ma’arif , he includes ‘Ubaydullah among them.

On page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d narrates ‘Ubaydullah's biography without forgettig to indicate that he is a Shi’a, and that he narrateshadith supportive of Shi’ism, thus, according to Ibn Sa’d, weakening hishadith in the eyes of many people. He also adds saying that ‘Ubaydullah is also very well familiar with the Holy Qur'an. He records on page 139, Vol. 6, of his Al-Kamil the date of his death at the conclusion of events that took place in 213 A.H., stating: "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi, the jurist, was a Shi’a who taught al-Bukhari as the latter himself acknowledges in his Sahih."

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Al-Mizan saying, "Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-’Abasi al-Kufi, al-Bukhari's mentor, is no question trustworthy, but he also is a deviated Shi’a." Yet the author admits that both Abu Hatim and Ma’in have trusted his hadith. He says, "Abu Hatim has said that thehadith narrated by Abu Na’im is more authentic, yet ‘Ubaydullah's is more authentic than all of them when it comes to theahadith transmitted by Isra'il."

Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ajli has said, "‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa is very knowledgeable of the Holy Qur'an, a major authority therein. I have never seen him arrogant or conceited, and he was never seen laughing boisterously." Abu Dawud says, "‘Ubaydullah ibn al-’Abasi was a Shi’a heretic." At the conclusion of the biography of Matar ibn Maymun inAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi states: "‘Ubaydullah, a Shi’a, is trustworthy."

Ibn Ma’in used to learnhadith from ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and ‘Abdul-Razzaq knowing that they were both Shi’as. In Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , while documenting ‘Abdul-Razzaq's biography, the author quotes Ahmad ibn ‘Ali Khaythamah saying, "I inquired of Ibn Ma’in once regarding what I heard about Ahmad's alleged rejection of ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa'shadith because of his being a Shi’a. Ibn Ma’in answered: ‘I swear by Allah Who has no associate that ‘Abdul-Razzaq is superior to ‘Ubaydullah a hundred times, and I have heard from ‘Abdul-Razzaq many times moreahadith than I heard from ‘Ubaydullah.'"

Sunnis, like all others, rely on ‘Ubaydullah'shadith in their respectivesahih books. Refer to hishadith in bothsahih books transmitted by Shayban ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Bukhari'sSahih quotes hishadith as reported by al-A’mash ibn ‘Urwah and Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid. Hishadith as recorded in Muslim'sSahih is reported from Isra'il, al-Hasan ibn Salih, and Usamah ibn Zayd. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly.

He is also quoted directly by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Bukhari, Mahmud ibn Ghaylan, Ahmad ibn Abu Sarij, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ashkab, Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Thahbi, and Yusuf ibn Musa al-Qattan. Muslim quotes hishadith as reported by al-Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Ishaq ibn al-Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibrahim ibn Dinar, and Ibn Namir.

Al-Thahbi states in hisAl-Mizan that ‘Ubaydullah died in 213 A.H. adding, "He was well known for his asceticism, adoration, and piety." His death took place in early Thul-Qi’da; may Allah Almighty sanctify his resting place.

56. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr ‘Abdul-Yaqzan al-Thaqafi al-Kufi al-Bijli

He is also known as ‘Uthman ibn Abu Zar’ah, ‘Uthman ibn Qays, and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Hamid. Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri says that ‘Uthman believes in the return. Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "Abu Yaqzan was joined in dissenting by Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hasan."

Ibn ‘Adi says the following about him: "He has embraced the bad sect, and he believes in the return, although trusted authorities have quoted him knowing that he was weak." The fact of the matter is that whenever some people desire to belittle a Shi’a traditionist and undermine his scholarly ability, they charge him with preaching the concept of the return. Thus have they done to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Umayr, so much so that Ibn Ma’in has said: "There is really nothing wrong with ‘Uthman's hadith."

In spite of all attacks on him, al-A’mash, Sufyan, Shu’bah, Sharik and other peers have not in the least hesitated to quote him. Abu Dawud, al-Tirmithi and others have all quoted him in theirsunan and relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith as they record it through Anas and others. Al-Thahbi has documented his biography and quoted the statements by notable scholars as cited above, putting DTQ on his name to indicate who among the authors of thesunan quote him.

57. ‘Adi ibn Thabit al-Kufi

Ibn Ma’in has described him as a "Shi’a extremist," while Dar Qutni calls him "Rafidi, extremist, but also reliable." Al-Jawzjani says that the man has "deviated." Al-Mas’udi says, "We have never seen anyone who is so outspoken in preaching his Shi’a views like ‘Adi ibn Thabit."

In hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi describes him as "the learned scholar of Shi’as, the most truthful among them, the judge and Imam of their mosques. Had all the Shi’as been like him, their harm would have been minimized." Then he goes on to document his biography and quote the views of the scholars cited above. He recounts the scholars who describe him as trustworthy such as Dar Qutni, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ahmad al-’Ajli, Ahmad al-Nisa'i, placing on his name the initials of authoers of all the sixsahih books who quote him.

Refer to hishadith in both Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid (his maternal grand-father), ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Awfah, Sulayman ibn Sard, and Sa’id ibn Jubayr. Hishadith reported by Zarr ibn Habish and Abu Hazim al-Ashja’i is recorded in Muslim's Sahih. Hishadith is quoted by al-A’mash, Mis'ar, Sa’id, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari, Zayd ibn Abu Anisa, and Fudayl ibn Ghazwan.

58. ‘Atiyyah ibn Sa’d ibn Janadah al-’Awfi

He is Abul-Hasan al-Kufi, the renown tabi’i. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting Salim al-Muradi saying that‘Atiyyah adhered to Shi’ism. Imam Ibn Qutaybah has included him among traditionists in hisMa’arif following his grandson al-’Awfi, al-Husayn ibn ‘Atiyyah , the judge, adding, "‘Atiyyah , a follower of Shi’ism, has been a jurist since the reign of al-Hajjaj."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned a few renown Shi’as in his chapter on sects in hisMa’arif , listing‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi among them. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on age 212, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat indicating his firm belief in Shi’ism. His father, Sa’d ibn Janadah, was a companion of ‘Ali (as). Once he visited the Imam in Kufa and said: "O Commander of the Faithful! I have been blessed with a newly born son; would you mind choosing a name for him?" The Imam answered: "This is a gift (‘atiyyah ) from Allah; therefore, do name him‘Atiyyah ."

Ibn Sa’d has said: "‘Atiyyah ibn al-Ash’ath went out in an army to fight al-Hajjaj. When al-Ash’ath's army fled,‘Atiyyah fled to Persia. Al-Hajjaj wrote an edict to Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ordering him to call him to his presence and give him the option to either denounce ‘Ali or be whipped four hundred lashes, and his beard and head be shaven.

So, he called him and read al-Hajjaj's letter to him, but‘Atiyyah refused to succumb; therefore, he had him whipped four hundred lashes and his head and beard were shaven. When Qutaybah became governor of Khurasan,‘Atiyyah rebelled against him and remained there till ‘Umar ibn Habirah became ruler of Iraq. It was then that he wrote to him asking permission to go there. Granted permission, he came to Kufa where he stayed till he died in 11 A.H." The author adds, "He was, indeed, a trusted authority, and he reported many authenticahadith ."

All his descendants were sincere followers of Muhammad's progeny (as). Among them were noblemen, highly distinguished personalities like al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah who was appointed governor of the district of Al-Sharqiyya succeeding Hafs ibn Ghiyath, as stated on page 58 of the same reference, then he was transferred to al-Mahdi's troops. He died in 201 A.H. Another is Sa’d ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah , also a traditionist, who became governor of Baghdad.110 He used to quote his father Sa’d from his uncle al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah .

Back to the story of‘Atiyyah al-’Awfi . He is considered a reliable authority by Dawud and al-Tirmithi. Refer to hishadith in theirsahih books from Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Sa’id and Ibn ‘Umar. He has also learnedhadith from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan who quotes his father who quotes his grand-mother al-Zahra', Mistress of the women of Paradise. His son al-Hasan ibn‘Atiyyah has learnedhadith from him, and so have al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, Mis’ar, al-Hasan ibn Adwan and others.

59. Al’ala' ibn Salih al-Taymi al-Kufi

In his biography of Al’ala' inAl-Mizan , Abu Hatim says the following about him: "He is one of the seniors of the Shi’as." In spite of this, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have relied on his authority. Ma’in trusts him. Both Abu Hatim and Abu Zar’ah say that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Refer to hishadith in both al-Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books from Yazid ibn Abu Maryam and al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah, in addition to all Sunni musnads. Abu Na’im and Yahya ibn Bakir quote him, and so do many of their peers. He must be distinguished from Al’ala' ibn Abul-’Abbas, the Meccan poet. The latter is a Sufyani shaykh.

Hishadith is reported by Abul-Tufayl. He is in a higher rank than Abul-’ala' ibn Salih; the latter is a Kufian, while the poet is Meccan. Both are mentioned in al-Thahbi'sAl-Mizan , where the author inaccurately quotes a statement pertaining to their being Shi’a seniors. Al’ala' the poet has composed poetry in praise of the Commander of the Faithful (as) which serves as irrefutable proof of his dedication and also highlights the truth about the Imam. He has also several poetic eulogies appreciated by Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.

60. ‘Alqamah ibn Qays ibn ‘Abdullah al-Nakh’i, Abu Shibil

He is uncle of al-Aswad and Ibrahim, sons of Yazid. He is also a follower of the Progeny of Muhammad (pbuh). Al-Shahristani, in his Al-Milal wal-Nihal, has included him among Shi’a nobility. He is master among the traditionists mentioned by Abu Ishaq al-Jawzjani who spitefully says, "There has been a group of people among the residents of Kufa whose sect [of Shi’ism is not appreciated; they are the masters among Kufi traditionists."

‘Alqamah and his brother ‘Ali have been companions of ‘Ali (as). They have both participated in Siffin where ‘Ali was martyred. The latter used to be called "Abul-Salat" (man of the prayers) due to his quite frequent prayers. ‘Alqamah drenched his sword with the blood of the oppressive gang. His foot slid, yet he continued to wagejihad in the way of Allah, remaining an enemy of Mu’awiyah till his death.

Abu Bardah included ‘Alqamah's name among the emissary to Mu’awiyah during the latter's reign, but ‘Alqamah objected and even wrote to Abu Bardah saying: "Please remove my name (from the list); please do remove it." This is recorded by Ibn Sa’d in his biography of ‘Alqamah on page 57, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

‘Alqamah's fair mindedness and prestige among Sunnis is undisputed in spite of their knowledge of his Shi’a beliefs. Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim and Bukhari from Ibn Mas’ud, Abul-Darda'ah and ‘Ayesha. Hishadith about ‘Uthman and Abu Mas’ud is recorded in Muslim's Sahih.

In bothsahih books, hishadith is narrated by his nephew Ibrahim al-Nakh’i. In Muslim's Sahih, hishadith is transmitted by ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid, Ibrahim ibn Yazid, and al-Sha’bi. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 62 A.H. in Kufa.

61. ‘Ali ibn Badimah

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying, "He has reported authenticahadith ," that he is a pioneer of Shi’ism, that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him, that he narrateshadith from Makrimah and others, and that both Shu’bah and Mu’ammar have learnedhadith from him. He marks his name to indicate that the authors ofsunan have all quoted his hadith.

62. ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d

He is Abul-Hasan al-Jawhari al-Baghdadi, a slave of Banu Hashim. One of al-Bukhari's mentors, he is included by Qutaybah among notable Shi’as in his bookAl-Ma’arif . His biography inAl-Mizan indicates that for sixty years, ‘Ali used to fast every other day. Al-Qaysarani mentions him in his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, stating that al-Bukhari alone has narrated twelve thousandahadith reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d. He died in 203 at the age of 96.

63. ‘Ali ibn Zaid

His full name is ‘Ali ibn Zaid ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zuhayr ibn Abu Malika ibn Jad’an Abul-Hasan al-Qarashi al-Taymi al-Basri. Ahmad al-’Ajli has mentioned him saying that the man follows the Shi’a School of Muslim Law.

Yazid ibn Zari’ has said that ‘Ali ibn Yazid has been a Rafidi. In spite of all this, the learned scholars among thetabi’in , such as Shu’bah, ‘Abdul-Warith, and many of their peers, have all quoted his hadith. He is one of the three jurists for whom Basrah has acquired fame, the others are Qatadah and 'Ash’ath al-Hadani. They were all blind. When al-Hasan al-Basri died, they suggested to ‘Ali to take his place due to his accomplishments. He was so prestigious that only renown dignitaries were his companions, something not too many Shi’as could enjoy during those days.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in hisAl-Mizan stating the above facts about him. In his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijalul Sahihain, al-Qaysarani states his biography and says that Muslim has quoted hishadith as reported by Thabit al-Banani, and that he has learned aboutjihad from Anas ibn Malik. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 131 A.H.

64. ‘Ali ibn Salih

He is brother of al-Hasan ibn Salih. We have already said a word about his virtues when we recounted the biography of his brother al-Hasan. He is one of the early Shi’a scholars, just like his brother. In his chapter on sales, Muslim relies on his authority.

‘Ali ibn Salih has reportedhadith from Salameh ibn Kahil, while Waki’ has quoted him; they, too, are both Shi’as. He was born, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, and his twin brother al-Hasan, in 100 A.H., and he died in 151 A.H.

65. ‘Ali ibn Ghurab Abu Yahya al-Fazari al-Kufi

Ibn Hayyan has described him as "an extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason, al-Jawzjani drops him completely. Abu Dawud has said that ‘Ali'shadith has been rejected, while both Ibn Ma’in and Dar Qutni trust him. Abu Hatim has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Abu Zar’ah says he considers him truthful.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "I find him quite truthful." Ibn Ma’in describes him as "the poor man, the man of the truth," while al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan quoting both pros and cons regarding hishadith as mentioned above, and marking his name with SQ to identify which authors of thesunan rely on his authority. He reportshadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah and ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Umar.

On page 273, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , Ibn Sa’d says the following about him: "Isma’il ibn Raja' quotes hishadith regarding what al-A’mash had said about ‘Uthman." He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Kufa in early Rabi’ul-Awwal 184, during Harun's regime.

66. ‘Ali ibn Qadim Abul-Hasan al-Khuza’i al-Kufi

He is mentor of Ahmad ibn al-Furat, Ya’qub al-Faswi and a group of their peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat and describes him as an "extremist Shi’a." Probably for this reason alone that Yahya regards hishadith as "weak." Abu Hatim says that he is truthful.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting the above stated views about him, and marking his name to indicate that Abu Dawud and al-Tirmithi have both quoted his hadith. Hishadith is recorded in their books from Sa’id ibn Abu ‘Urwah and Qatar. He died, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, in 213 A.H. during al-Ma'mun's regime.

67. ‘Ali ibn al-Munthir al-Tara'ifi

He is professor of al-Tirmithi, al-Nisa'i, Ibn Sa’id, ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Hatim, and other peers who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , marking his name with TSQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan quote his hadith. He quotes the following from al-Nisa'i: "‘Ali ibn al-Munthir is a staunch Shi’a, very trustworthy."

He states that Ibn Hatim has said that the man is truthful and trustworthy, and that he reportshadith from Fudayl, Ibn ‘Ayinah and al-Walid ibn Muslim. Al-Nisa'i testifies to the fact that he is "a staunch Shi’a," and that he relies on hishadith which is recorded in bothsahih books. This, indeed, provides food for thought for those who cast doubt about his reliability. Al-Munthir, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, died in 256 A.H.

68. ‘Ali ibn al-Hashim ibn al-Barid Abul-Hasan al-Kufi al-Khazzaz al-’Aithi

He is one of Imam Ahmad's mentors. Abu Dawud mentions him and describes him as a "well-ascertained Shi’a." Ibn Haban says that he is an "Shi’a extremist." Ja’far ibn Aban says, "I have heard Ibn Namir say that ‘Ali ibn Hashim is extremist in his Shi’a beliefs." Al-Bukhari has said that both ‘Ali ibn Hashim and his father are over-zealous in their Shi’a beliefs.

Probably for this reason, al-Bukhari has rejected his hadith, but all other five authors of thesahih books have relied on his authority. Ibn Ma’in and others have trusted him, while Abu Dawud has included him among the most reliable traditionists. Abu Zar’ah has said that he is truthful, and al-Nisa'i has stated that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan , quoting what we have already cited above.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, in a chapter dealing with ‘Ali's character in his own Tarikh (history), Vol. 12, page 116, quotes Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Baghindi saying that ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid is truthful, a man who used to follow Shi’ism. He also quotes Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Ajiri saying: "Once I asked Abu Dawud about ‘Ali ibn Hashim ibn al-Barid. He suggested that I should ask ‘Isa ibn Yunus. The latter has said: ‘He belongs to those who call for Shi’ism.'" All of this is true. He also quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Hisham ibn al-Barid and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim are extremist in their "corrupt sect."

In spite of all this, authors of fivesahih books rely on ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Refer to hishadith about marriage in Muslim'sSahih as reported by Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, and in his chapter dealing with seeking permission as transmitted from Talha ibn Yahya. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Abu Mu’ammar Isma’il ibn Ibrahim and ‘Abdullah ibn Aban. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, too, has reported his hadith, in addition to both sons of Shaybah, and a group of their class of reporters whose mentor was none other than ‘Ali ibn Hashim. Al-Thahbi says, "He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in 181 A.H.," adding, "His death is probably the earliest of those of Imam Ahmad's mentors."

69. ‘Ammar ibn Zurayq al-Kufi

Al-Sulaymani calls him "Rafidi," as al-Thahbi states while discussing ‘Ammar in his Al-Mizan. In spite of this allegation, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Muslim'sSahih as transmitted by al-A’mash, Abu Ishaq al-Subai’i, Mansur, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Isa. Hishadith is reported in Muslim'sSahih by Abul-Jawab, Abul-Hawas Salam, Ibn Ahmad al-Zubayri, and Yahya ibn Adam.

70. ‘Ammar ibn Mu’awiyah, or Ibn Abu Mu’awiyah

He is also called Khabab, or Ibn Salih al-Dihni al-Bijli al-Kufi, Abu Mu’awiyah. He is one of the Shi’a heroes who suffered a great deal of persecution while defending Muhammad's Progeny (as), so much so that Bishr ibn Marwan cut off his hamstrings only because he was a Shi’a. He is mentor of both Sufyans, in addition to Shu’bah, Sharik, and al-’Abar, who have all learnedhadith from him and relied on his authority. Ahmad, Ibn Ma’in, Abu Hatim and other people have also relied on his authority. Muslim and four authors ofsunan have quoted his hadith. A

l-Thahbi has included his biography in his ownAl-Mizan and quoted the views stated above regarding his being a Shi’a and a trustworthy traditionist, adding that nobody had spoken ill of him except al-’Aqili, and that there was no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a. Refer to hishadith about the pilgrimage in Muslim'sSahih from Abul-Zubayr. He died in 133; may Allah have mercy on his oul.

71. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullah Abu Issaq al-Subai’i al-Hamadani al-Kufi

He is Shi’a according to Ibn Qutaybah'sMa’arif , and Shahristani's Al-Milal wal Nihal. He was one of the masters of traditionists whose sect, in its roots and branches, the Nasibis do not appreciate due to the fact that Shi’as have followed in the footsteps of Ahl al-Bayt, deriving their method of worship from their own leadership in all religious matters.

For this reason, al-Jawzjani has said in his biography of Zubayd inAl-Mizan : "Among the residents of Kufa, there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; they are the chiefs of Kufi traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them because of being truthful in narrating hadith, without adding aught of their own thereto."

Among what the Nasibis have rejected of Abu Ishaq'shadith is this one:

"‘As the author ofAl-Mizan indicates, Amr ibn Isma’il has quoted Abu Issaq saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said, ‘Ali is like a tree whose root I am, and whose branches are ‘Ali, whose fruit are al-Hasan and al-Husayn, whose leaves are the Shi’as.'"

In fact, al-Mughirah's statement "nobody caused the Kufis to perish except Abu Ishaq and al-A’mash" is uncalled for except for the fact that these men are Shi’as and are loyal to Muhammad's progeny (as). They have become custodians of allahadith pertaining to the attributes of the latter, peace be upon them. They were oceans of knowledge, and they followed Allah's commandments.

They are relied upon by the authors of all sixsahih books and by others. Refer to Abu Ishaq'shadith in bothsahih books from al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, Yazid ibn Arqam, Harithah ibn Wahab, Sulayman ibn Sard, al-Nu’man ibn Bashir, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khadmi, and ‘Amr ibn Maymun.

He is quoted in bothsahih books by Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Zuhayr, and by his grandson Yusuf ibn Ishaq ibn Abu Ishaq. Ibn Khallikan says in ‘Amr's biography in Al-Wafiyyat that ‘Amr was born three years before ‘Uthman took charge of ruling the Muslims, and that he died either in 127 or in 128, or in 129, whereas both Yahya ibn Ma’in and al-Mada'ini say that he died in 132, and Allah knows best.

72. ‘Awf ibn Abu Jamila al-Basri, Abu Sahl

He is well known as "al-A’rabi" [the bedouin], although his origin is really not from the desert. Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says that "He is also called ‘Awf the Truthful, while some say that he follows Shi’ism; despite that, a group of scholars has trusted him." He also quotes Ja’far ibn Sulayman describing him as Shi’a and quotes Bandar calling him "Rafidi."

Ibn Qutaybah has included him in his ownAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a dignitaries. He has taughthadith to Ruh, Hawdah, Shu’bah, al-Nadr ibn Shamil, ‘Uthman ibn al-Haytham and many others of their calibre. Authors of the sixsahih books as well as others have all relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from al-Hasan and Sa’id, sons of al-Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Sirin and Siyar ibn Salamah. Hishadith in Muslim'sSahih is transmitted by Al-Nadr ibn Shamil. Hishadith from Abu Raji' al-’Ataridi exists in bothsahihs . He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 146 A.H.

73. Al-Fadl ibn Dakin

His real name is ‘Amr ibn Hammad ibn Zuhayr al-Malla'i al-Kufi, and he is well known by Abu Na’im. He is al-Bukhari's mentor, as the latter admits in his own Sahih. A group of elite scholars, like Ibn Qutaybah in hisAl-Ma’arif , has included him among Shi’a dignitaries.

Al-Thahbi mentions him in hisAl-Mizan and says: "I have heard ibn Ma’in saying: ‘If a man's name is mentioned in the presence of Abu Na’im and he calls him a good person and praises him, then rest assured that that person is a Shi’a; whereas if he labels someone as Murji', then rest assured that he is a good Sunni.'" Al-Thahbi says that this statement proves that Yahya ibn Ma’in inclines towards believing in the Return. It also proves that the man considers al-Fadl as a very staunch Shi’a.

In his biography of Khalid ibn Mukhlid in hisAl-Mizan , al-Thahbi quotes al-Jawzjani saying that Abu Na’im follows the Kufi sect, i.e. Shi’ism. To sum up, the fact that al-Fadl ibn Dakin is a Shi’a has never been disputed. Nevertheless, all authors of the sixsahih books rely on him. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Humam ibn Yahya, ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, Zakariyyah ibn Abu Za'idah, Hisham al-Distwa'i, al-A’mash, Misar, al-Thawri, Malik, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Shaybah, and Zuhayr.

Hishadith in Muslim is transmitted by Saif ibn Abu Sulayman, Isma’il ibn Muslim, Abu ‘Asim Muhammad ibn Ayyub al-Thaqafi, Abul Amis, Musa ibn ‘Ali, Abu Shihab Musa ibn Nafi’, Sufyan, Hisham ibn Sa’d, ‘Abdul-Wahid ibn Ayman, and Isra'il. Al-Bukhari quotes him directly, while Muslim quotes hishadith as transmitted by Hajjaj ibn al-Sha’ir, ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Ibn Namir, ‘Abdullah al-Darmi, Issaq al-Hanzali, and Zuhayr ibn Harb.

He was born in 133, and he died in Kufa on a Thursday night on the last day of Sha’ban, 210, during al-Mu’tasim's reign. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 279, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , describing him as "trustworthy, reliable, a man who has narrated a great deal of hadth, and an authority therein."

74. Fadil ibn Marzuq al-Aghar al-Ruwasi al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman

Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan and describes him as a well-known Shi’a, quoting Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah and Ibn Ma’in testifying to this fact. He quotes Ibn ‘Adi saying that he hopes there is nothing wrong with thehadith he narrates, then he quotes al-Haytham ibn Jamil saying that the latter once mentioned Fadl ibn Marzuq once and described him as "one of the Imams of guidance."

In his Sahih, Muslim relies on the authority of Fadil'sahadith which deals with prayers as transmitted by Shaqiq ibn ‘Uqbah, and with zakat by ‘Adi ibn Thabit. Hishadith dealing with zakat as recorded by Muslim is transmitted by Yahya ibn Adam and Abu Usamah. In thesunan , hishadith is quoted by Waki’, Yazid, Abu Na’im, ‘Ali ibn al-Ja’d and many peers. Zayd ibn al-Habab has in fact lied regarding what he attributed to him ofhadith dealing with the appointment of ‘Ali (as) as Amr by the Prophet (pbuh). He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 158.

75. Fitr ibn Khalifah al-Hannat al-Kufi

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad once asked his father about Fitr ibn Khalifah. He answered, "He is a reporter of authentic hadith. Hishadith reflects an attitude of a responsible person, but he also is a follower of Shi’ism." ‘Abbas has quoted Ibn Ma’in saying that Fitr ibn Khalifah is a trusted Shi’a. Ahmad has said: "Fitr ibn Khalifah is trusted by Yahya, but he is an extremist Khashbi." Probably for this reason alone, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash has said, "I have not abandoned the traditions reported by Fitr ibn Khalifah except because of his bad sect," i.e. for no fault in him other than his being a Shi’a.

Al-Jawzjani says: "Fitr ibn Khalifah has deviated from the path." During his sickness, he was heard by Ja’far al-Ahmar saying: "Nothing pleases me more than knowing that for each hair in my body there is an angel praising Allah Almighty on my behalf because of my love for Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them."

Fitr ibn Khalifah narrateshadith from Abul-Tufayl, Abu Wa'il, and Mujahid. Hishadith is quoted by Usamah, Yahya ibn Adam, Qabisah and others of the same calibre. Ahmad and others have trusted him. Murrah has said the following about him, "He is a responsible narrator ofhadith who has memorized what he narrates by heart." Ibn Sa’d says, "He is, Insha-Allah, trustworthy." Al-Thahbi discusses him in his Mizan, stating the learned scholars' views, which have already been stated above, concerning his character. Ibn Sa’d has quoted the same on page 253, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat .

When Qutaybah mentions renown Shi’as in hisMa’arif , he includes Fitr ibn Khalifah among them. Al-Bukhari has quoted Fitr'shadith as narrated by Mujahid. Al-Thawri has quoted Fitr'shadith dealing with etiquette as recorded in al-Bukhari's work. Authors of the foursunan books, as well as others, have all quoted Fitr's hadith. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 153 A.H.

76. Malik ibn Isma’il ibn Ziyad ibn Dirham Abu Hasan al-Kufi al-Hindi

He is one of Bukhari's mentors as stated in the latter's Sahih. Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 282, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat . He concludes by saying that "Abu Ghassan is trustworthy, truthful, a very staunch Shi’a." Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, which proves his reliability and prestige, stating that the man has learned the teachings of the sect of Shi’ism from his mentor al-Hasan ibn Salih, that Ibn Ma’in has said that nobody in Kufa is more accurate in reportinghadith than Abu Ghassan, and that Abu satim has said: "Whenever I look at him, he seems as though he has just left his grave, with two marks of prostration stamped on his forehead."

Al-Bukhari has quoted him directly in many chapters of his Sahih. Muslim has quoted hishadith on criminal penalties in his ownSahih as transmitted by Harun ibn ‘Abdullah. Those who narrate hishadith in Bukhari are: Ibn ‘Ayinah, ‘Abdul-Aziz ibn Abu Salamah, and Isra'il. Both al-Bukhari and Muslim quote hishadith from Zuhayr ibn Mu’awiyah. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 219.

77. Muhammad ibn Khazim

He is very well known as Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir al-Tamimi al-Kufi. Al-Thahbi mentions him saying, "Muhammad ibn Khazim al-Darir is confirmed, truthful; nowhere at all have I seen hishadith as weak; I shall discuss him in my chapter on kunayat." When the author mentions him in his said chapter, he states: "Abu Mu’awiyah al-Darir is one of the most renown and trustworthy Imams of hadith," and he goes on to say: "Al-Hakim has said that both Shaykhs rely on his authority, and he is famous for being an extremist Shi’a."

All authors of the sixsahihs have relied on his authority. Al-Thahbi has marked his name with "A" to indicate that all traditionists rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from al-A’mash and Hisham ibn ‘Urwah. Muslim'sSahih contains otherahadith he has narrated through other trusted reporters. In Bukhari's Sahih, hishadith is reported by ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yusuf ibn ‘Isa, Qutaybah, and Musaddad. In Muslim's Sahih, he is quoted by Sa’d al-Wasiti, Sa’d ibn Mansur, ‘Amr al-Naqid, Ahmad ibn Sinan, Ibn Namir, Issaq al-Hanzali, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Zuhayr. Musa al-Zaman has reported hishadith in bothsahihs . Muhammad ibn Khazim was born in 113, and he died in 195; may Allah be merciful unto him.

78. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Dabi al-Tahani al-Nisaburi, Abu ‘Abdullah al-Hakim

He is an Imam of huffaz, those who memorize the entirety of the holy Qur'an andhadith by heart, and author of about one thousand books. He toured the lands seeking knowledge and learninghadith from about two thousand mentors. He may be compared with the most renown scholars of his time such as al-Sa’luki.

Imam ibn Furk and all other Imams consider his status to be superior even to their own. They appreciate him and his contributions; they cherish his name and reputation, without doubting his mastership at all. All learned Sunni scholars who could not achieve as much as he did envy him. He is one of the Shi’a heroes, a protector of the Islamic Shari’a.

The author ofAl-Mizan narrates his biography and describes him as "a truthful Imam, a very renown Shi’a." He quotes Ibn Tahir saying: "I once asked Abu Isma’il ‘Abdullah al-Ansari about al-Hakim Abu Abdullah. He said: ‘He is an Imam in hadith, a wretched Rafidi.'" Al-Thahbi has recounted a few of his interesting statements such as his saying that the Chosen One (pbuh) came to the world circumcised, with a smile on his face, and that ‘Ali (as) is a wasi.

The author adds the following: "His being truthful and knowledgeable of what he reports is a unanimously accepted fact." He was born in Rabi’ al-Awwal of 321, and he died in Safar of 405, may Allah have mercy on his soul.

79. Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani

He, Abu ‘Ubaydullah, his brothers al-Fadl and ‘Abdullah sons of ‘Ubaydullah, his grandfather Abu Rafi’, his uncles Rafi’, al-Hasan, al-Mughirah, ‘Ali, and their sons as well as grandsons, are all among good Shi’a ancestors. The books they have authored testify to the depth of their Shi’a conviction, as we have mentioned in Section 2, Chapter 12, of our book Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

Ibn ‘Uday mentions Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani, adding, at the conclusion of his biography in the Mizan, that the man is among Kufi Shi’as. When al-Thahbi states his biography in his own Mizan, he marks it with TQ as an indication of which authors of thesunan books quote hishadith (i.e. Tirmithi and Dar Qutni). He also mentions that he quotes his father and grandfather, and that Mandil and ‘Ali ibn Hashim quote his hadith. Hishadith is also quoted by Haban ibn ‘Ali, Yahya ibn Ya’li and others.

Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani may have also reportedhadith from his brother ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullah who is well known as a traditionist by researchers of hadith. Al-Tabarani in his Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir has relied on the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abu Rafi’ al-Madani who quotes his father and grandfather saying that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said to ‘Ali (as), "The first to enter Paradise will be I and you, then al-Hasan and al-Husayn, with our progeny behind us, and our Shi’as on our right and left."

80. Muhammad ibn Fudayl ibn Ghazwan Abu ‘Abdul-Rahman al-Kufi

Ibn Qutaybah has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his workAl-Ma’arif , and Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 271, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat , saying, "He is a trustworthy and reliable traditionist who as reported a great deal of hadith; he also is a Shi’a, and some scholars [for this reason] do not rely on his authority." Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter containing those well-known because of their fathers' reputation at the conclusion of his Mizan, describing him as a truthful Shi’a.

He also mentions him in his chapter containing those whose first name is Muhammad, describing him as "a man of truth and fame," adding that Ahmad has described him as a Shi’a whosehadith is authentic, and that Abu Dawud has described him as a "Shi’a by profession" (!), adding that he was a man ofhadith and knowledge, that he learned the Qur'an from Hamzah, that he has written nUmarous books, and that Ibn Ma’in has trusted him and Ahmad spoken well of him. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith.

Authors of the sixsahih books, as well as many others, have relied on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari as transmitted by Muhammad ibn Namir, Ishaq al-Hanzali, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Salam, Qutaybah, ‘Umran ibn Maysarah, and ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali. Hishadith is transmitted in Bukhari by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir, Abu Karib, Muhammad ibn Tarf, Wasil ibn ‘Abd al-A’la, Zuhayr, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Muhammad ibn Yazid, Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna, Ahmad al-Wak’i, and ‘Abdul-’Aziz ibn ‘Umar ibn Aban. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Kufa in 194 or 195 A.H.

81. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi

He was one of the most disginguished companions of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him. Shaykh al-Ta'ifa Abu Ja’far al-Tusi has mentioned him in his book Rijal al-Shi’a, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Dawud has included him in his chapter on the most trustworthy traditionists in his book Al-Mukhtasar. Al-Thahbi includes his biography and quotes Yahya ibn Ma’in and others who say that the man is truthful.

He adds saying that al-Qa’nabi, Yahya ibn Yahya, and Qutaybah have all transmitted his traditions, and that ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi once mentioned Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi and said: "His books [of traditions] are all authentic," and that Ma’ruf ibn Wasil said: "I saw Sufyan al-Thawri once accompanied by Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Ta'ifi who was writing down his hadith."

Yet those who have labelled hishadith as "weak" have done so only on the grounds of his being a Shi’a, although their prejudice has not at all harmed him. Hishadith from ‘Amr ibn Dinar about ablution exists in Muslim's Sahih. According to Ibn Sa’d'sTabaqat , as stated on page 381, Vol. 5, hishadith is quoted by Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah and one hundred others. In that year, his name-sake Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Jummaz died in Medina. Ibn Sa’d has included both of their biographies in Vol. 5 of hisTabaqat .

82. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qatari al-Madani

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his Mizan quoting Abu Hatim testifying to his being a Shi’a. He also quotes al-Tirmithi saying that the man is trustworthy, and he even marks his name with the initials of Muslim and the authors ofsunan as an indication of their reliance on his authority. Refer to hishadith about foods in Muslim'sSahih transmitted from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Talha. He is also quoted by al-Maqbari and a group of his peers. Others who have quoted hishadith are: Ibn Abu Fadik, Ibn Mahdi, Qutaybah, and others of their intellectual calibre.

83. Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar al-Dihni al-Bajli al-Kufi

He is among our highly respected and revered Shi’as, prestigious and trustworthy. His father ‘Ammar is a good example for perseverence and persistence in adhering to the principles of justice, a model Allah has brought forth for those who are patient while suffering for His Cause. A few tyrants cut off his hamstrings because of being a Shi’a, as we have indicated above, without succeeding in swaying him, till he left this world to receive his rewards.

His son Mu’awiyah was meted the same treatment, and the father is but a model for the son. He has accompanied Imams al-Sadiq and al-Kazim, peace be upon them, and learned from them a great deal. He has authored many books - as indicated above - and he is quoted by Shi’a reporters such as Ibn Abu ‘Umayr and others. Muslim and al-Nisa'i have relied on his authority. Hishadith about hajj is quoted in Muslim'sSahih by al-Zubayr.

In Muslim, he is quoted by both Yahya ibn Yahya and Qutaybah. He has also narratedhadith from his father ‘Ammar, and from a group of his peers, and suchahadith exist in Sunni musnads. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in 175 A.H.

84. Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth al-Karkhi

Al-Thahbi describes him111 in his Mizan as "a truthful Shi’a," marking his name with the initials of al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud to indicate that they all quote his hadith. He also quotes Abul Tufayl saying that Ma’ruf narrates a fewahadith . Hishadith is narrated by Abu ‘Asim, Abu Dawud, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and others. He also quotes Abu Hatim saying that the latter writes down his hadith.

Ibn Khallikan mentions him in his Wafiyyat and describes him as one of the servants of ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him. He goes on to praise him, quoting a statement of his in which he says, "I have come unto the Almighty Allah, leaving everything behind me, with the exception of serving my master ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him."

When Ibn Qutaybah discusses a few Shi’a notables in his workAl-Ma’arif, he includes Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth among them. Muslim has relied on the authority of Ma’ruf ibn Kharbuth; refer to hishadith about hajj in hissahih from Abul Tufayl. He died in Baghdad in 200 A.H.;112 his grave-site is now a mausoleum. Sirri al-Saqti was one of his students.

85. Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah al-Salami al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq (as), and he has narratedhadith from them, as the author of Muntahal Maqal fi Ahwal al-Rijal states. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a nobility in his bookAl-Ma’arif . Al-Jawzjani has included him among the narrators "whose sect is not appreciated by [certain] people" in the roots and branches of religion, due to their adherence to what they have learned from Muhammad's progeny (as).

Says he: "Among the people of Kufa there is a group whose sect is not appreciated; these are chiefs of Kufa's traditionists such as Abu Ishaq, Mansur, Zubayd al-Yami, al-A’mash and other peers. People have tolerated them just because they are truthful in narrating hadith."113 Why do they bear so much grudge against these truthful men? Is it because of their upholding the Two Weighty Things? Or their embarking upon the Ark of Salvation? Or their entring into the city of the Prophet's knowledge through its Gate, the Gate of Repentance? Or is it their seeking refuge with the "Refuge of all the world"? Or is it their obedience to the Prophet's will to be kind unto his descendants? Or is it their heart's submission to Allah and their weeping for fear of Him, as is well known about them?

Stating the biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d says the following about Mansur on page 235 of Vol. 6 of hisTabaqat : "He has lost his eye-sight because of excessive weeping for fear of Allah. He used to carry a handkerchief for the purpose of drying his tears. Some allege that he fasted and prayed for sixty years." Can a man of such qualities be a burden on people? No, indeed, but we have been inflicted by some people who do not know what fairness is; so, we are Allah's, and unto Him is our return.

In his biography of Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’ah, Ibn Sa’d also quotes Hammad ibn Zayd saying, "I have seen Mansur in Mecca, and I think he belongs to those Khashbis, yet I do not think that he tells a lie when he quotes hadith."

Behold the underestimation, grudge, contempt and manifest enmity this statement bears. How surprised I am when I consider his statement: "I do not think that he tells lies..." As if telling lies is one of the practices of those who are sincere to Muhammad's progeny. As if Mansur alone is truthful, rather than all other Shi’a traditionists. Name-calling... As if the Nasibis could not find a name whereby they can call the Shi’as other than misnomers such as Khashbis, Turabis, Rafidis, etc. As if they have never heard the Almighty's Commandment:

"And do not exchange bad names; what an evil it is to use a bad name after having accepted faith (Qur'an, 49:11)."

Ibn Qutaybah has mentioned the "Khashbis" in his bookAl-Ma’arif and said: "These are Rafidis. Ibrahim al-Ashtar met ‘Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad in the battle-field. Most of Ibrahim's men had guaiacum wood panels; therefore, they were labelled ‘khashbis,' men associated with paneling, out of scorn." In fact, they called them so just to humiliate them and look down upon them and their wooden weapons with which they were able to beat Ibn Marjanah, predecessor of the Nasibis, thus annihilating those heretics, murderers of Muhammad's progeny.

"Allah has cut off the tail of those who committed injustice; all praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds (Qur'an, 6:45)."

There is no harm, therefore, in this noble name, nor is there any harm in its synonyms like Turabis, after Abu Turab (Imam ‘Ali, as); we are proud of it.

We have digressed. Let us go back to our main topic and state that it is the consensus of traditionists to rely on Mansur. For this reason, all authors of the sixsahih books, as well as others, rely on his authority, knowing that he is Shi’a. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahihs from Abu Wa'il, Abul Duha, Ibrahim al-Nakh’i and other peers.

He quotes Shu’bah, al-Thawri, Ibn ‘Ayinah, Hammad ibn Zayd and others who are the most distinguished of that class of reporters of hadith. Ibn Sa’d has said that Mansur's death took place at the end of the year 132, adding, "He is a trusted authority who has reported a great deal of hadith; he is a man of sublime prestige; may Allah have mercy on him."

86. Al-Minhal ibn ‘Amr al-Kufi, the tabi’i

He is one of the renown Shi’as of Kufa. For this reason, al-Jawzjani has categorized hishadith as "weak," describing him as a "follower of the bad sect." Ibn Hazm has spoken ill of him in the same manner, and Yahya ibn Sa’d, too, chews his name. Ahmad ibn Hanbal states contrariwise. He says: "Abu Bishr is more dear to me than a sweet cool fountain, and he is more reliable than others."

In spite of being a staunch Shi’a, stating so in public even during the time of al-Mukhtar, he is not doubted by scholars regarding the accuracy of his hadith. He is quoted by Shu’bah, al-Mas’udi, al-Hajjaj ibn Arta'ah, and many peers of their intellectual calibre. He is trusted by Ibn Ma’in, Ahmad al-’Ijli and others. In his Mizan, al-Thahbi quotes their assessment of the man as we have stated above, marking his name with the initials of Bukhari and Muslim as an indication that they both consider hishadith reliable.

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari'sSahih from Sa’id ibn Jubayr. In Bukhari's Sahih, in the author's section on Tafsir, hishadith is transmitted by Zayd ibn Abu Anisa. Al-Mansur ibn al-Mu’tamir has quoted him in a chapter on prophets.

87. Musa ibn Qays al-Hadrami, Abu Muhammad

Al-’Aqili describes him as an "extremist Rafidi." Once, Sufyan asked him about Abu Bakr. He answered: "‘Ali is more dear to me." Musa ibn Qays reportshadith from Salamah ibn Kahil, Iyad ibn Iyad, ending with Malik ibn Ja’na reporting that "I heard Umm Salamah saying that ‘Ali is with the truth; whoever follows him is a follower of the truth, and whoever abandons him certainly abandons the truth; this is decreed." This has been narrated by Abu Na’im al-Fadl ibn Dakin from Musa ibn Qays. Musa ibn Qays has reportedhadith praising Ahl al-Bayt in volumes which angered al-’Aqili who said to him what he said. Ibn Ma’in has trusted and relied on him.

Abu Dawud and Sa’d ibn Mansur have both relied on his authority in their respectivesunan . Al-Thahbi has included his biography in his own Mizan, stating about him what we have already stated above. Refer to hishadith in thesunan from Salamah ibn Kahil and Hajar ibn ‘Anbasah. Hishadith is transmitted by Dakin, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Musa and other reliable authorities. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, during the reign of al-Mansur.

88. Naif’ ibn al-Harith Abu Dawud al-Nakh’i al-Kufi al-Hamadani al-Subay’i

Al-’Aqili described him as being an "extremist Rafidi." Al-Bukhari says: "People speak ill of him [because of being a Shi’a]." Sufyan, Hamam, Sharik and a group of the most renown scholars of such calibre have all quoted him. Al-Tirmithi relies on him in his own sahih. Authors of musnads have all recorded his hadith. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi and others from Anas ibn Malik, Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Umran ibn Hasin and Zayd ibn Arqam. Al-Thahbi has included his biography and stated what we have already said above.

89. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah al-Hadani

He is also known as al-Tahi al-Basri. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing hishadith as authentic, adding that Ahmad and Ibn Ma’in trust him. He also quotes Abu Dawud saying that the man is a Shi’a. Al-Nisa'i has said that there is nothing wrong with his hadith, putting on his name the initials of Muslim and authors of thesunan as an indication that they all quote his hadith. In Muslim's Sahih, hisahadith about beverages are quoted by Ibn ‘Awn. Hisahadith on the dress codes exist in Muslim's Sahih, too, as narrated by his brother Khalid ibn Qays.

In Muslim, he is quoted by Nasr ibn ‘Ali. In works other than Muslim's, hishadith is quoted by al-Ash’ath and by many others of his calibre. Nuh ibn Qays ibn Rabah reports from Ayyub, ‘Amr ibn Malik and a group of other men.

90. Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts Muslim's initial on his name as an indication that the latter quotes him, then he describes him as "truthful in his own right," but he also calls him "a hated Rafidi" who narrates from ‘Abbas from Ibn Ma’in that he is an extremist Shi’a. He has learnedhadith from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, who in turn quotes Muhammad ibn Abu Hafs al-’Attar, al-Mas’udi, and Hasan ibn Hayy. Abu Hatim says that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. I remember one of hisahadith which describes Hell-fire; it is recorded in Muslim'sSahih as narrated by al-Hasan ibn Salih from Harun ibn Sa’d al-’Ijli, from Salman.

91. Hashim ibn al-Barid ibn Zayd Abu ‘Ali al-Kufi

Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts the initials of Abu Dawud and al-Nisa'i on his name to indicate that he is one of their authorities, quoting Ibn Ma’in and others testifying to his being trustworthy, in addition to his own testimony to being a "Rafidi." He quotes Ahmad saying that there is nothing wrong with his hadith. Hashim narrateshadith from Zayd ibn ‘Ali and Muslim al-Batin, and he is quoted by al-Kharibi and his son ‘Ali ibn Hashim, to whom we referred above, in addition to a group of other renown scholars. Hashim adhered to Shi’ism, and this has been made clear when we discussed ‘Ali ibn Hashim.

92. Hubayrah ibn Maryam al-Himyari

He is one of the companions of Imam ‘Ali (as), equal only to al-Harith in his sincerity as well as companionship. Al-Thahbi mentions him and puts on his name the initials of the authors ofsunan books as a reference to his being one of the authorities of their musnads, then he quotes Ahmad saying, "There is nothing wrong with his hadith, and he is more dear to us than al-Harith." Al-Thahbi quotes Ibn Kharash describing Hubayrah as "weak; he used to assault the wounded in Siffin." Al-Jawzjani says the following about him: "He is a follower of al-Mukhtar who used to put an end to the life of those wounded in the Khazir Battle."

Al-Shahristani, in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal, has included him among Shi’a notables, a fact taken for granted by everyone. Hishadith from ‘Ali (as) is unquestioned in thesunan , and he is quoted by both Abu Ishaq and Au Fakhita."

93. Hisham ibn Ziyad Abul Miqdam al-Basri

Al-Shahristani has included him in his Al-Milal wal Nihal among Shi’a notables. Al-Thahbi mentions him twice: once under his alphabetical index, and once in his chapter on kunayat, placing a Q on his name to indicate that Dar Qutni of thesunan relies on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Tirmithi'sSahih and other works as transmitted from al-Hasan and al-Qardi. He is quoted by Shayban ibn Farukh, al-Qawariri and others.

94. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar ibn Nasr ibn Maysarah, Abu al-Walid

He is also called al-Zafri al-Dimashqi. He is one of Bukhari's mentors as the latter states in his Sahih. Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables when he mentions quite a few of them in his chapter on sects in Al-Ma’arif. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his Mizan, describing him as "the Imam, orator, and reciter of the Holy Qur'an of Damascus, its traditionist and scholar, a man of truth who has narrated a great deal of hadith, though he has a few [ideological] defects, etc."

Al-Bukhari quotes him directly in his chapter on "those who voluntarily grant extensions for repayment of debt" in his chapter on sales in hissahih and in other chapters with which researchers are familiar. Some of such chapters, I believe, are his books Al-Maghazi, his book on beverages, and his chapter on the attributes of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Hisham ibn ‘Ammar narrateshadith from Yahya ibn Hamzah, Sadaqah ibn Khalid, ‘Abdul-Hamid ibn Abul ‘Ishrin and others.

The author ofAl-Mizan says: "Many quote his hadith; they travel to his place to learn from him how to recite the Holy Qur'an and the narration of hadith. Hishadith is quoted by al-Walid ibn Muslim, one of his mentors, while he himself narrates from Abu Lahi’ah. ‘Abdan has said that there is no traditionist like him in the world, while someone else has said that Hisham is outspoken, wise, easy to comprehend, and he has acquired a great deal of knowledge."

Like other Shi’as, Hisham ibn ‘Ammar believes that the Qur'anic diction is created only by Allah Almighty. When Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] heard about this, as the author ofAl-Mizan states in his biography of Hisham ibn ‘Ammar, he responded by saying, "I have known him to be wreckless; may Allah annihilate him." Ahmad has also come across a book written by Hisham in which one of the latter's sermons says: "Praise be to Allah Who has manifested Himself unto his creatures through what He has created."

This caused Ahmad to be extremely furious, so much so that he required all those who used to pray behind Hisham to repeat their prayers. Ahmad could not see that Hisham's statement is very clear in stating that Allah is superior to being seen, glorified above those who inquire about Him with "how" or "where," appreciative of His norm of creation. His statement may be compared with one saying: "He has manifested His miracles in everything He has created," or it may even be more pertinent and fitting than the latter; but scholars of the same calibre speak of each other in the light of their own likes and dislikes, each according to his own degree of knowledge. Hisham ibn ‘Ammar was born in 153, and he died at the commencement of Muharram of 245 A.H.; may Allah have mercy on him.

95. Hashim ibn Bashir ibn al-Qasim ibn Dinar al-Wasiti, Abu Mu’awiyah

His birth-place is Balkh. His grandfather al-Qasim had moved to Wasit to engage in trade. Ibn Qutaybah includes him in hisAl-Ma’arif among Shi’a nobility. He is mentor of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and all those of his calibre. Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan , marking his name with an indication that all authors of the sixsahih books rely on his authority, and describing him as one who knows the Holy Qur'an by heart. Says al-Thahbi: "He is one of the most renown scholars. He learnedhadith from al-Zuhri and Hasan ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman. Hishadith is quoted in turn by al-Qattan, Ahmad, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, and by many others."

Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by Hamid al-Tawil, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, Abu Ihaq al-Shaybani, and by others. He is quoted in both books by ‘Umar, al-Naqid, ‘Amr ibn Zararah, and Sa’id ibn Sulayman. In Bukhari, hishadith is quoted by ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, Sa’d ibn al-Nadir, Muhammad ibn Nabahan, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, and Qutaybah. In Muslim, he is quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Shurayh, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, ‘Abdullah ibn Mu’it’, Yahya ibn Yahya, Sa’id ibn Mansur, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Isma’il ibn Salim, Muhammad ibn al-Sabah, Dawud ibn Rashid, Ahmad ibn Mani’, Yahya ibn Ayyub, Zuhayr ibn Harb, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Ali ibn Hajar, and Yazid ibn Harun. He died, may Allah have mercy on him, in Baghdad in 183 A.H. at the age of 79.

96. Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah ibn Malih ibn ‘Adi

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sufyan," after his son Sufyan al-Ruwasi al-Kufi. He belongs to the tribe of Qays Ghilan. In his Ma’arif, Ibn Qutaybah includes him among Shi’a notables. In his book titled Tahthib, Ibn al-Madani has said that Waki’ adheres to Shi’ism. Marwan ibn Mu’awiyah never doubted that Waki’ was "Rafidi."

Once, Yahya ibn Ma’in visited Marwan and found him with a tablet containing statements about this person and that. Among its contents was a statement describing Waki’ as Rafidi. Ibn Ma’in said to Marwan: "Waki’ is better than you." "Better than me?!" exclaimed Marwan. Ibn Ma’in answered: "Yes, better than you." Ibn Ma’in indicates that Waki’ came to know about this dialogue and he responded by saying, "Yahya is a friend of ours."

Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked once, "If there is a discrepancy in narratinghadith between Waki’ and Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi, whosehadith shall we accept?" Ahmad answered that he personally preferred ‘Abdul-Rahman'shadith for reasons which he stated. Among them was this one: "‘Abdul-Rahman never speaks in a derogatory manner about our ancestors, unlike Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah." This is supported by a statement recorded by al-Thahbi at the conclusion of his biography of al-Hasan ibn Salih wherein he says that Waki’ used to say: "Al-Hasan ibn Salih, in my view, is an Imam of hadith." Some people said to him, "But he does not invoke Allah's mercy on ‘Uthman." He said, "Do you invoke Allah's mercy upon al-Hajjaj's soul?" thus equating ‘Uthman with al-Hajjaj.

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his bookAl-Mizan stating the above views about him. All authors of the sixsahih books as well as others rely on his authority. Refer to hishadith in Bukhari's and Muslim'sSahih books as transmitted by al-A’mash, al-Thawri, Shu’bah, Isma’il ibn Abu Khalid, and ‘Ali ibn al-Mubarak. He is quoted in both books by Ishaq al-Hanzali and Muhammad ibn Namir. Al-Bukhari quotes hishadith as transmitted by ‘Abdullah al-Hamidi, Muhammad ibn Salam, Yahya ibn Ja’far ibn A’yan, Yahya ibn Musa, and Muhammad ibn Muqatil. In Muslim's book, he is quoted by Zuhayr, Ibn Abu Shaybah, Abu Karib, Abu Sa’d al-Ashajj, Nasr ibn ‘Ali, Sa’d ibn Azhar, Ibn Abu ‘Umar, ‘Ali ibn Kashram, ‘Uthman ibn Abu Shaybah, and Qutaybah ibn Sa’d. He died, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in Fid when he was in the company of a caravan returning from the pilgrimage, in Muharram of 197 A.H. at the age of 68.

97. Yahya ibn al-Jazzar al-’Arni al-Kufi

He is one of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan and marks his name to indicate that Muslim and authors of thesunan rely on his authority, describing him as "truthful" and "trustworthy," and quoting al-Hakam ibn Atbah saying that Yahya ibn al-Jazzar is "extremist" in his Shi’a views. Ibn Sa’d has mentioned him on page 206, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat saying: "Yahya ibn al-Jazzar adheres to Shi’ism, and he goes to extremes in doing so; yet many have said that he is trustworthy, and that he narrates manyahadith ."

I have seen how Muslim'sSahih contains onehadith about prayers which he narrates from ‘Ali, and another about faith transmitted from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla. Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba and al-Hasan al-’Urfi quote hishadith in Muslim and others.

98. Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan

Hiskunyat is "Abu Sa’id." He is a slave of Banu Tamim al-Basri, and he is the most renown traditionist of his time. Qutaybah has included him in his Ma’arif among Shi’a notables. Authors of the sixsahih books and others have relied on his authority. Hishadith from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, Hamid al-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Ansari and others stands on solid grounds in Bukhari, Musaddad, ‘Ali ibn al-Madini and Bayan ibn ‘Amr. In Muslim's book, hishadith is transmitted by Muhammad ibn Hatim, Muhammad ibn Khalad al-Bahili, Abu Kamil Fadl ibn Husayn al-Jahdari, Muhammad al-Muqaddimi, ‘Abdullah ibn Hashim, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ya’qub al-Dawraqi, Ahmad ibn ‘Abdah, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali, and ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Bishr. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 198 A.H. at the age of 78.

99. Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kufi, Abu ‘Abdullah

He is a slave of Banu Hashim. Al-Thahbi mentions him in his bookAl-Mizan , placing on his name the initials of Muslim and four authors ofsunan to indicate that they quote him. He cites Abu Fadl saying: "Yazid ibn Ziyad is one of the foremost Shi’a Imams." Al-Thahbi has admitted that he is one of the renown Kufi scholars. In spite of all this, many have assaulted him, preparing against him all means of belittling and charging due to the fact that, relying on Abu Barzah or maybe Abu Bardah, he has narrated onehadith stating the following: "We were in the company of the Prophet (pbuh) when some singing was heard.

Then ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas and Mu’aiyah came singing. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘O Mighty Lord! Involve both of these men in dissension, and hurl them in Hell-fire.'" Refer to hishadith on beverages in Muslim'sSahih from ‘Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla as reported from him by Sufyan ibn ‘Ayinah. He died, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, in 136 at the age of about ninety.

100. Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali

Al-Thahbi has mentioned him in his chapter on kunayat, placing on his name "DT" to indicate that he is among those relied upon by both Dawud and Tirmithi in theirsahih books, then he describes him as an "abhorred Shi’a." He quotes al-Jawzjani saying that the man is the standard-bearer of al-Mukhtar. He also quotes Ahmad describing him as "trustworthy."

Al-Shahristani has included him among Shi’a dignitaries in his book Al-Milal wal Nihal. Ibn Qutaybah has included him among the most zealous of "Rafidis" in his book Al-Ma’arif. Refer to hishadith in both Tirmithi's and Abu Dawud'ssahih books as well as all Sunni musnads.

Ibn Sa’d mentions him on page 159, Vol. 6, of hisTabaqat where he says that, "Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali is a very zealous Shi’a. Some allege that he headed al-Mukhtar's police force, and that he was sent once to ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr accompanied by eight hundred men to annihilate them and support Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah against Ibn al-Zubayr's scheme."

Ibn al-Zubayr, in fact, had enforced a siege around the houses of Ibn al-Hanafiyyah and Banu Hashim, surrounding them with fire wood in preparation for burning them alive because of refusing to swear the oath of allegiance to him, but Abu ‘Abdullah al-Jadali saved them from a certain death; therefore, may Allah reward him for what he did for His Prophet's household (as).

This much concludes what we liked to count in a hurry a hundred Shi’a heroes who are authorities relied upon by the Sunnis. They are custodians of the nation's knowledge. Through them, the prophetic legacy is preserved, and they are sought by the authors of thesahih andmusnad books. We have mentioned them by their names and quoted Sunni texts testifying to their being Shi’as while still remaining authorities, as you had requested. I think those who raise objections will see their error in claiming that the Sunnis do not rely on the authority of Shi’as.

They will come to know that their criterion is truthfulness and accuracy, regardless of the school of thought, Sunni or Shi’a. If thehadith narrated by the Shi’as is all rejected, then the vast majority of the prophetic legacy will be lost, as al-Thahbi himself admits while narrating the biography of Aban ibn Taghlib in his bookAl-Mizan . There can be no better testimony than that.

You, may Allah render the truth victorious through your person, know that there have been quite a few ancestors of the Shi’as, other than the ones we have counted here, whose full count is many times more than this hundred, upon whose authority the Sunnis rely. These "others" are even of a higher calibre; they are narrators of even more authentic hadith, having acquired more knowledge. And they were closer to the Prophet's time, with a seniority in embracing the Shi’a beliefs. They are Shi’a companions [sahabah ] of the Prophet (pbuh), may Allah be pleased with all of them. We have dealt with their blessed names at the conclusion of our work Al-Fusul al-Muhimmah.

They are also among the trustworthytabi’in whose authority is relied upon. Each one of them is a trustworthy man who has memorized the entire text of the Holy Qur'an by heart, and his argument is irrefutabe. Among such men are those who were martyred while supporting the lesser and the greater Camel Battles, Siffin, Al-Nahrawan, in Hijaz as well as in Yemen, when Bisr ibn Arta'ah invaded them, during the dissension of al-Hadrami who was sent to Basrah by Mu’awiyah.

They include those who were martyred on the Taff Battle with the Master of the Youths of Paradise [Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali, as], and those who were martyred with his grandson Zayd, and many others who had to face a great deal of injustice and persecution, avenging the massacre of the Prophet's progeny. Among them were those who were murdered just because of being very strong in their beliefs.

Others were unfairly exiled from their homes, and those who had to resort totaqiyya , fearing for their lives or due to their physical weakness, such as al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah, Yahya ibn Ya’mur, the latter being the first to apply dots to the Arabic alphabet, al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, who founded the rules of Arabic grammar and scansion, Ma'ath ibn Muslim al-Harra, who laid the foundations of the science of conjugation in the Arabic language, and many others whose complete biographies would require huge volumes.

Overlook the hatred of the Nasibis towards these men through their use of attacking; they call them "weak" traditionists, and they chew their names, thus depriving themselves of their knowledge. There are hundreds of reliable Shi’as who have learnedhadith by heart, who are light-houses of guidance, ignored by Sunnis.

For these men, Shi’as have dedicated indices and bibliographies containing their biographies and stories. These works prove the extent of service these men have rendered to the tolerant Shari’a. Whoever researches them will find them to be models of truthfulness and trustworthiness, piety, asceticism, worship, and sincerity in bringing people closer to Allah Almighty and to His Messenger (pbuh), to His Book, and to the Imams of Muslims as well as to their commoners. We pray Allah to enable us and your own self to benefit from their blessings; He is the Most Merciful.

Sincerely,

Sh